ProfNet Experts Available on James Gandolfini, Summer Eating, Uterine Fibroids, More

NEW YORK, July 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Below are experts from the ProfNet network that are available to discuss timely issues in your coverage area. If you are interested in interviewing any of the experts, please contact them via the contact information at the end of the listing.

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EXPERT ALERT

• 'Sopranos' Star Leaves Estate Tax Mess
• Medicaid in New York
• Tips for Lighter, Brighter Summer Eating
• The Importance of Comparative Effectiveness Research
• Juiced Baseballs Offer Compliance Lessons

MEDIA JOBS

• Special Projects Editor – Time.com (NY)
• Government Reporter – Orange County Register (CA)
• Digital Editor – Tuscaloosa News (AL)

OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES

• Media 411: Getting Even With TV News Attention Hogs
• Q&A Team: Is Instagram Video Worth a Shot?
• MEDIAware: July Media Moves

EXPERT ALERT:

'Sopranos' Star Leaves Estate Tax Mess
Kevin Spencer
Estate Attorney
Spencer Law, P.C. of Dallas
"The shock over the untimely passing of 'Sopranos' star James Gandolfini has been accompanied by the surprising news that the acclaimed actor's will might allow nearly half of his $70 million estate to go to the government. The media is reporting that more than $30 million of Gandolfini's estate could end up being payable to the government simply because he didn't plan properly. It is an unfortunate scenario that may have been avoided. He could have taken advantage of the marital deduction; set up testamentary trusts, irrevocable trusts, and insurance trusts; made annual exclusion gifts and charitable bequests; or used other estate planning tools that might have saved quite a bit in estate and transfer taxes. As a result, it looks like his heirs might have to sell many of his assets -- including his home in New Jersey -- to meet estate tax obligations. The predicament facing Gandolfini's heirs shows that regardless of notoriety or wealth, not only should everyone have a will, but it should also be a sound will."
News Contact: Dave Moore, [email protected]

Medicaid in New York
Ronald Fatoullah, Esq.
Elder Law & Estate Planning In New York
"Many people assume that if they own any assets, they are automatically ineligible for Medicaid coverage.  While there are strict income and asset limitations inherent in a Medicaid application, there are also vast advance planning opportunities available, as well as numerous exemptions which make Medicaid eligibility far more possible than would otherwise be expected. Several factors will determine if you are eligible to have your medical expenses covered by New York State's Medicaid Program. As eligibility is confusing and challenging, an experienced Medicaid or elder law attorney can help you sort out the details and apply on your behalf. If you are considering hiring a non-attorney or firm, proceed with caution, as Medicaid laws are constantly changing."
Ronald Fatoullah, a certified elder law attorney and expert on estate planning and Medicaid Laws in New York, is available to discuss who is eligible for Medicaid in New York. He is the founder of Ronald Fatoullah & Associates, a top elder law firm in New York.
Media Contact: Carol Schell, [email protected]

Tips for Lighter, Brighter Summer Eating
Chef William Tillinghast
Culinary Academic Director
The Art Institute of Philadelphia
"Simple, fresh and delicious -- that's summertime eating at its best. Less time in the kitchen means more time to enjoy the bright delicious flavors of just picked berries, peaches, greens and other vegetables. It makes sense to eat lighter in the summer. Hot weather slows down the digestion and heavy foods are harder to digest. Summer brings locally grown specialties. Visit farmers markets and ask what's in season. Consider joining a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program to explore eating seasonally. Nothing tastes better than tomatoes from your own garden. Serve immediately for an instant refreshing dessert."
Tillinghast is available to speak with the media and provide additional tips for summer eating, as well as healthy eating in general.
Website: http://www.artinstitutes.edu/philadelphia
Media Contact: Marcia Gomez, [email protected]

The Importance of Comparative Effectiveness Research
Dr. Richard Gliklich
President
Quintiles Outcome
Comparative effectiveness research (CER) plays a critical role in helping healthcare stakeholders make informed decisions to improve both individual and population health. In order to assist doctors, patients and their caregivers in determining the most efficacious course of treatment for various diseases, research needs to be carried out to compare available options. Uterine fibroids are common, benign tumors that can cause severe symptoms in women of childbearing age, yet there is little evidence assessing treatment options. Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), which is authorized by Congress to generate information to inform healthcare decisions, has provided Quintiles with research funding to carry out a CER study. The study will compare patient outcomes after treatment to determine the effectiveness, quality and value of various uterine fibroid treatments. It will provide patients and their caregivers with information that will help them make better-informed care decisions.
"More than $4 billion is spent annually to treat uterine fibroids in the United States, yet there is little scientific evidence about which treatment options are better than others. The clinical community needs better data to demonstrate the effectiveness, quality and value of treatments in real-world clinical practice," said Gliklich. "With this research award, we will compare patient outcomes after a variety of treatments, developing high-quality and clinically rich patient-level data to inform better care decisions."
ProfNet Profile: http://www.profnetconnect.com/richardgliklich
Media Contact: Robert Stanislaro, [email protected]

Juiced Baseballs Offer Compliance Lessons
Tom Fox
FCPA and Compliance Ethics Lawyer and Blogger
Tom Fox Law in Houston
"The commissioner of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball league is coming under fire for quietly approving changes to the league's baseballs in order to generate more hits and home runs. As with corporate compliance, the problem often isn't the decision itself as much as the lack of transparency, which can give the appearance of fraud or deception after the fact. The important lesson for businesses in Japan and elsewhere is that even if they don't actively cover up policy changes or an actual error, they risk magnifying a mistake in the public's eye by not being forthcoming about the changes. The new Nippon league ball probably would have been OK with fans and players originally, but the commissioner's lack of candor caused a scandal, not to mention some wildly skewed ERAs and hitting stats."
News Contact: Mary Flood, [email protected]

MEDIA JOBS:

Following are links to job listings for staff and freelance writers, editors and producers. You can view these and more job listings on our Job Board: http://bit.ly/pncjobboard

• Special Projects Editor – Time.com (NY)
• Government Reporter – Orange County Register (CA)
• Digital Editor – Tuscaloosa News (AL)

See more listings here.

OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES:

Following are links to other news and resources we think you might find useful. If you have an item you think other reporters would be interested in and would like us to include in a future alert, please drop us a line at [email protected]

• MEDIA 411: GETTING EVEN WITH TV NEWS ATTENTION HOGS: Have you ever watched a newscast during a live report, when all of a sudden you see someone making faces, waving, obviously trying to get on camera? One Chicago television journalist came up with a unique way of addressing the situation, leading to some very comical results: http://bit.ly/14qVYm2
• Q&A TEAM: IS INSTAGRAM VIDEO WORTH A SHOT? Instagram recently launched its own video service. How is it different from Twitter's Vine? How can journalists and marketers use Instagram video? Will they benefit more from using Instagram video vs. Vine? In the latest edition of The Q&A Team, four experts from the ProfNet community share their thoughts on Instagram video: http://bit.ly/14oHbbL  
• MEDIAWARE: JULY MEDIA MOVES: The July issue of MEDIAware, PR Newswire's audience research newsletter, is now available and is chock-full of media news and updates. This month's edition has info on ESPN, Al Jazeera America, Chicago Sun-Times, Houstonia, ABC News, Bauer Publishing, Pandora and more: http://bit.ly/14MuSEw

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