Geisinger Introduces Customizable Zero-Interest Payment Plans Furthering its mission to make better health easier for the communities it serves, Geisinger is introducing a new AI-backed, customizable approach to medical billing where patients have the power to select zero-interest payment plans that that can be paid over a timeline of their choosing. Partnering with fintech startup PayZen, Geisinger is the first major health system in the United States to implement this AI-backed financing solution to create customized billing solutions that will help patients more easily afford out-of-pocket medical expenses within their personal budgets. With this partnership, patients receiving Geisinger bills for out-of-pocket expenses will be invited to pay the bill in one lump sum, or over many months, on a timeline that works for their personal financial situation. If they elect to pay their balance over time, they can choose from several customized payment plans, all without fees or interest. The payment plans will be made available to all Geisinger patients with out-of-pocket balances over $250 after insurance payments. “Everything we do at Geisinger is done in an effort to make better health easier for our patients, members and communities. This includes making it simpler to afford and pay medical bills with no-interest plans on friendly, customizable terms,” said Robert Dewar, Chief Revenue Officer at Geisinger. “We understand that everyone’s financial situations are different and it’s our obligation to make sure our patients don’t avoid or put off necessary care for financial reasons.” This new approach has proven popular. During the initial rollout, 82% of patients enrolled after receiving their customized monthly payment plan, with an average monthly payment of $52. Geisinger and PayZen are enrolling hundreds of patients in the program each month. “Out of pocket medical bills can put a strain on any patient’s household budget. PayZen seeks to address that strain with technology that allows us to customize payment plans that meet whatever a patient’s budget requires,” said Itzik Cohen, PayZen CEO and co-founder. “Geisinger is an early adopter of this technology that has the potential to revolutionize health care payments to better meet the needs of patients.”
Scranton Cultural Center Announces “A Brother’s Revival” Concert The Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple will present “A Brother’s Revival” on November 12 at 7:30 PM in its Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Theatre. “A Brother’s Revival” proudly features David Goldflies, who was a member of the Allman Brothers Band from 1978-1982 as well as Mike Kach from Dickey Betts Great Southern. Former Allman Brothers Band bassist David “Rook” Goldflies has brought the driving energy and joy of the Allman Brothers Band’s music to life with his group, “A Brother’s Revival.” Adding to the band’s deep southern roots is vocalist/keyboardist Mike Kach from Dickey Betts Great Southern. “A Brother’s Revival” captures the beauty and intensity of the soaring double leads of Duane Allman and Dickey Betts. The drumming of Butch Trucks and Jaimoe, along with the unique timpani performance mid-show, are brought to life by “A Brother’s Revival’s” two drummers who drive the band like a freight train rolling down the Georgia train tracks. “A Brother’s Revival” is sponsored by The Hilton Scranton & Conference Center, LT Verrastro and Fidelity Bank. Tickets for “A Brother’s Revival” will be on sale on August 26 at 10:00 AM. Tickets range from $28.25 – $48.25 (includes fees) and are available for purchase at the Fidelity Bank Box Office at the SCC in person or by calling (570) 344-1111, or via Ticketmaster. For more information or to view a full schedule of events, visit SCCMT.org.
The Dime Bank Announced as 2021 Plan Sponsor of the Year Winner The Dime Bank is proud to have been announced as the 2021 Plan Sponsor of the Year winner in the Corporate 401(k) <$25MM category. The annual Plan Sponsor of the Year awards program recognizes retirement plan sponsors that show a commitment to their participants’ financial health and retirement success. The 2021 awards had nine categories to allow for the most accurate comparisons across plan types and sizes. When asked about the success of The Dime Bank’s 401(k) plan, Chief Human Resources Officer Jill George stated, “We have such a good relationship with both our record keeper, Fidelity Investments, and adviser, L.R. Webber. I never hesitate to call on them. We have a great practice to discuss the pros and cons of plan features. We’re a three-legged stool of retirement planning, and this has made the plan the one it is today.” Retirement plans require an organized, well-documented process to fulfill a fiduciary obligation. The Dime Bank’s 401 (k) plan does so much more than that! The Dime Bank’s plan offers annual education sessions with retirement specialists so participants can see how they can best be ready for retirement. The plan provides auto enrollment with safe harbor matching, auto escalation to encourage increased retirement savings and Target Date Fund investment choices. The Dime Bank pays the administration costs of the plan so employees can save more for retirement. All of the information is easily accessible on employees’ mobile devices. To read more about why The Dime Bank’s plan is so special and why The Dime Bank was chosen as a winner, go to the Plan Sponsors Award listing.
An Introduction to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Workshop The University of Scranton’s new Center for Ethics and Excellence in Public Service will offer its inaugural workshop “An Introduction to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for NEPA Government Official” on Tuesday, Aug. 31. The workshop, offered free of charge to county and city officials of Northeastern Pennsylvania via Zoom, will run from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. and will be facilitated by DNG Consulting, an independent diversity, inclusion and equity consulting group (see attached flyer for facilitator bios). PNC is the exclusive sponsor of the event. “Promoting and maintaining diversity, equity and inclusion is imperative in ensuring ethical and effective governance for all. We are glad to provide a workshop on these timely issues and we look forward to having the Center offer programs on a range of topics that can aid public officials and their staff in their important work,” said JoyAnna Hopper, Ph.D., assistant professor of political science and co-director of the Center for Ethics and Excellence in Public Service. The interactive workshop will address why attentiveness to diversity, equity and inclusion is important for effective governance and articulate how implicit bias and systemic racism are defined and identified. The workshop will also cover best practices in how government bodies and officials can take matters of racism and bias into consideration in evaluating institutions and policy effectiveness. Three experienced consultants with DNG will facilitate in the workshop. Principal at DNG Consulting, Danielle N. Gadson, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of public administration at Villanova University and chairs their Public Administration Department Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. As a professor and a trained Intergroup Dialogue facilitator focusing on race, Dr. Gadson teaches courses in public administration theory, data analysis, health services planning, and intergroup relations. Senior consultant at DNG, Stephen A. Sheridan, Jr. works as the director for accountability, accreditation and assessment services at Villanova University, providing leadership and expertise in the design, implementation, and analysis of assessment activities related to student development and learning outcomes. He is a trained Intergroup Dialogue facilitator with experience facilitating on the topics of disability, race and socioeconomic status. Senior consultant at DNG, Terri Boyer, Ed.D., is the founding director of the Anne Welsh McNulty Institute for Women’s Leadership and an associate professor of education and counseling at Villanova University. Dr. Boyer has published widely on educational and workforce equity, institutional reform for equity, women’s education and leadership, the effectiveness of equity programs, and assessment and teacher training. The workshop is convened by the University’s Center for Excellence in Ethics and Public Service with its Office of Community and Government Relations in collaboration with DNG Consulting. Registration is required to participate in the event and can be completed online or by e-mailing ceeps@scranton.edu.
Mount Airy Casino Resort Receives AAA’s Four Diamond Rating AAA North Penn was honored to once again present Mount Airy Casino Resort with this prestigious rating, maintained consecutively since 2010. AAA’s 62 million members book more than 31% of all paid room nights in North America, and they rely on the assurance that every Diamond-designated property has met the AAA standards for guest quality, cleanliness and condition. For more than 80 years, the AAA team of professional inspectors have conducted unannounced, independent, in-person property inspections across 26,000 hotel properties in North America. Hotels at this level are committed to providing every guest with a high degree of hospitality, with attentive service in upscale surroundings, according to AAA. They typically offer an extensive array of amenities and guest services. Mount Airy is part of a select group of establishments within North America. Currently, just 1,676 hotels hold the AAA Four Diamond Rating. Book your room at Mount Airy Casino Resort and enjoy all that our Pocono Boutique hotel has to offer. With a full-service spa, close proximity to nature, 18-hole golf course, a variety of dining options and seasonal entertainment, your stay at Mount Airy Casino Resort will be extraordinAIRY.
Opponents and Dates Set Scranton/Wilkes-Barre’s 2022 Season The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, are pleased to announce their schedule for the 2022 season. The RailRiders will open their season on April 5 on the road and conclude a 144-game schedule on September 21, split evenly with 72 games at home and 72 on the road. The 2022 schedule is comprised of 23 six-game series and two three-game sets. After only playing within Triple-A East’s Northeast Division in 2021, the club will now take on division rivals 102 times and play 42 games against inter-divisional opponents. The RailRiders are in the Northeast Division along with the Buffalo Bisons (Toronto), Lehigh Valley IronPigs (Philadelphia), Rochester Red Wings (Washington), Syracuse Mets (New York Mets) and Worcester Red Sox (Boston). “The release of the 2022 schedule is really exciting for many reasons,” stated John Adams, Team President of the RailRiders. “While having baseball back in 2021 has been a tremendous boost to our community in Northeastern Pennsylvania, the new 2022 schedule includes a full slate of games and is the first step in getting back to planning a fun and eventful lineup of promotions to coincide with top-tier baseball from the New York Yankees farm system next season.” Scranton/Wilkes-Barre begins the 2022 season in Syracuse on April 5 and plays its home opener one week later on April 12 against the Norfolk Tides (Baltimore). The RailRiders will travel to Buffalo and host Lehigh Valley during the month as well.The team travels to Rochester and Worcester during May, while it hosts Syracuse, a first-ever meeting with the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (Miami) and starts a series against Lehigh Valley at PNC Field.Home games in June include contests against the IronPigs, Red Wings and Bisons, while road swings hit Syracuse and Toledo (Detroit). After concluding a series at home against Buffalo on July 3, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre travels to Worcester for a game on July 4. The team returns home on July 12 to host the Louisville Bats (Cincinnati). After the Triple-A All-Star break from July 18-21, the RailRiders head down the turnpike for a three-game set versus the IronPigs. They conclude July in Rochester against the Red Wings.August opens with 12 home dates over 13 days, from August 2 through 14, with the Bisons and Red Sox welcomed to town. A 12-game, 13-day road trip to the St. Paul Saints (Minnesota) and the Omaha Storm Chasers (Kansas City) follows; the first time in history that the RailRiders will play either of those two clubs. The month ends with the first two games of a six-game set against Syracuse at PNC Field.In September, the RailRiders host the Mets, travel to play the Durham Bulls (Tampa Bay) and return to Moosic to play Worcester. The year’s final series is another three-game set against Lehigh Valley on the road from September 19-21.Game times and promotions will be announced later and the 2022 schedule remains subject to change.Full, Half and Partial Season Ticket Memberships for the 2022 season are on sale now. For more information, please visit swbrailriders.com or call (570) 969-BALL.
Ronald McDonald House of Scranton 5k Race Get Ready to Show Your Stripes! The 35th Annual Ronald McDonald House of Scranton 5K Race and Fun Walk in Historic Nay Aug Park will be held on Sunday, September 26th, 2021. Parents, children, college students, competitive runners, and even some family pets will run or walk in support our local Ronald McDonald House at this very FAMILY & PET FRIENDLY event. Following the 5k, we will hold our Kids Fun Run where all children will receive a gift for participating. There will also be basket raffles! With your $20 registration you will receive a swag bag with a moisture wicking race shirt, a customized race medal, and a swag bag. Come show your stripes for the mission that keeps families close to their children as they receive critical care in local medical facilities. You will not want to miss it! Registration can be found by going to RMH5k.com. Check us out on Facebook (Show Your Stripes 5k) to not only stay informed, but to also participate in some of our giveaways!
Geisinger Offering Third-Dose COVID-19 Vaccines for Immunocompromised People Following recent guidance from the Food and Drug Administration, Geisinger is now offering third-dose COVID-19 vaccines for immunocompromised people. Third-dose vaccines are available by appointment at Geisinger Community Vaccine Centers or select Geisinger Pharmacy locations. People eligible for the third dose are those who already received two doses of either the Pfizer BioNTech or Moderna mRNA COVID-19 vaccines and have weakened immune systems. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this includes people who have: • Been receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood• Received an organ transplant and are taking medicine to suppress the immune system• Received a stem cell transplant within the last 2 years or are taking medicine to suppress the immune system• Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome, Wiskott- Aldrich syndrome)• Advanced or untreated HIV infection• Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that may suppress your immune response If you are unsure if you’re eligible for a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, talk with your doctor. Make an appointment for a third-dose COVID-19 vaccine at Geisinger through myGeisinger or by calling 570-284-3657. Appointments are available at the vaccine centers at the Geisinger Health Plan Building near Danville, Geisinger CenterPoint in Jenkins Township, Geisinger Jersey Shore Hospital and Geisinger Lewistown Hospital. Appointments are also available at Geisinger Pharmacy locations in Dallas, Danville, Lewistown, Lock Haven, Mount Pocono, Pottsville, State College and Scranton. Remember to bring the COVID-19 vaccine card or proof of having received both vaccine doses to the third-dose appointment. More information about the COVID-19 vaccine is available at geisinger.org/COVIDVax. As a reminder, one visitor is permitted for outpatient appointments, and masks must be worn (regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status) by all patients, visitors and employees in all Geisinger buildings and facilities.
HNB Supports Women’s Resource Center With EITC Donation The Honesdale National Bank was once again authorized to make approved contributions under the Commonwealth’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) Program. HNB designated $2,500 of their approved allotment to the missions of the Women’s Resource Center. The funds, donated by HNB, will support their Safe Dates Program. HNB President & CEO David Raven stated, “We are grateful to have the opportunity to support this organization with funds through the EITC program. The Women’s Resource Center plays a vital role in our society, especially for the health and safety of individuals in our community.”
