Archive for the Financial News Category
The signing into law of the health-care reform bill last week – as well as the intense back-and-forth rhetoric over the past year – have created many questions about what the new legislation will mean for Americans. MSNBC has analyzed seven health-care fears to determine how true they are.
The highlights:
- Health care will not be ‘rationed’ for the elderly or anyone else by the government. (In fact, health care is already rationed, in a sense – by the private insurance companies themselves.)
- The bill will impact Medicare Advantage plans – a program designed to pay private insurers 14% above normal Medicare rates to administer Medicare benefits – but will not be as drastic or destructive as Republican critics have claimed. Most of the changes do not go into effect until 2015.
- There will not be draconian enforcement measures undertaken by the IRS, which won’t be drastically expanded by 1/4th of its current payroll as claimed. The IRS and Department of Health and Human Services both have a responsibility under the law, though, to ensure that individuals are purchasing coverage. No penalties will be given to those who do not report insurance coverage to the IRS.
- There may be longer wait times on average for primary doctor’s visits, but this will mostly apply to those who are visiting a physician for the first time, or are switching physicians. Most people will not notice a difference.
- TRICARE, the system used to provide benefits to military members and dependents, will not be ended, nor will it be gutted. The program meets all the requirements established by the law and will not have its funding reduced.
- Employees of the federal government will not be forced to switch coverage or join health-insurance exchanges. President Obama, though, has voluntarily joined the exchange, and it is likely that federal employees will eventually be required to join the health-care exchanges at some point in the future.
- Illegal immigrants will not be entitled to free health care, although some critics allege that the verification system in place is weak and will be avoided easily.
Many people have a stockpile of old cellphones, telephones, cameras, batteries, and much more. Typically, these old devices are kept in a drawer in case they are “needed” again. It is often very difficult to throw out an old cellphone, even if it is no longer working properly.
Here is a guide to cleaning out the clutter while also assisting others and occasionally even your pocketbook.
1.) Create a list of all your old gadget and determine their worth by researching similar devices on eBay (NASDAQ: EBAY).
2.) Visit Gazelle.com or YouRenew.com to determine what they are willing to give you for your “junk.”
3.) Donate! Believe it of not, you can donate your old cellphones to Hopephones.org for a nice tax write-off, even if the phones no longer works properly.
4.) Recycle by contacting Earth911.com for recycling tips.
Regardless of which method you choose, not only will you be getting rid of unwanted clutter, but you will also be benefiting from the exchange in most cases.
Start now by making a list of your old devices and making a plan.
It is understandable how some visitors to a financial website may not see how politics is important – or how it has anything to do with candlesticks, head-and-shoulder patterns, and hot stock tips. But, believe it or not, politics is a huge deal for not just stock traders but anyone interested in any financial matter at all.
The quick and dirty explanation as to why you should pay attention to politics is this: Politics affects the markets directly and indirectly. Either a company is directly affected by regulation or government sanctions, which sends the stock plummeting, or the company or industry as a whole is impacted by a hot-button issue (or even an obscure one that is on the floors of Congress but not on the news).
Consider health-care reform. When reform was introduced, the market was buzzing with uncertainty, which had a destabilizing effect on prices. As more and more details began to emerge about the bill, and as the process continued to drag on, health-care stocks (especially insurers) were directly affected, going either up or down depending on the news of the day. Those understanding the politics of the situation could’ve predicted that the bill would eventually pass, thus creating the potential for a few well-placed, long-term trades.
Those also paying attention to politics would’ve also known that the bill that was signed into law effective cut out banks from the student loan process, which means that the federal government now directly handles federal student loans. This is not good news for institutions on the exchange that are involved in the student loan process, especially with more and more funding going towards getting people into college.
That, of course, is an example from the recent past. The financial services reform bill will be the next big fight in Congress that will send the market into a tizzy. If you follow the bill and pay attention to the process, you may be able to predict the future – and make a bit of money off of it.
That is why politics matters to a visitor to a financial website – it impacts, ultimately, your bank account.
This week, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner claimed that a financial reform bill that would gain Republican support is becoming more of a reality, setting up an expectation that the passing of such a bill with bipartisan support will be accompanied by a massive cold front moving in as Hell freezes over.
Geithner did not put a timeline on the bill, but Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT), the sponsor of the bill now in committee, hopes to present the bill to the Senate after Congress returns from its Easter break. This could mean that a bill could be presented for debate as early as April 12th.
The bill passed through the committee without a single Republican vote, which raises an eyebrow about claims of potential Republican support in the Senate. The key contention is the creation of a consumer financial protection agency, a provision that Democrats in the House and Senate support and that the Republicans almost uniformly oppose.
Geithner claims that such a provision is a “core” element of any financial reform bill, which makes it unlikely that a substantial number of Republicans will support a proposed bill without a lot of fuss. But, it is possible that they will not seek a public row along the lines of the one they just had concerning health-care reform, since another public defeat could further undermine the GOP’s chances at a resounding victory in the fall.
Apple’s (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPhone and now iPad are known for their ability to access the App Store, proving immediate downloads for everything from games to flashlights.
However, the experts at Stanford are rushing to determine the true security of these applications with the recent release of the iPad.
These experts have created a website intended at reviewing apps and placing the results online for educational and safety purposes. So far, 200 apps have already been reviewed by a team of experts that includes everything from lawyers to computer scientists.
At this site, you can provide your own opinions as well as request a review.
You can find the website here
This blog is getting a makeover. Enjoy easier navigation and added features from the beginning of next week.
Many people have been anticipating the release of Apple’s (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPad. Today people will be hurrying to stores to pick up their pre-ordered devices or anxiously awaiting them to hit their doorsteps.
These iPads are not only successfully competing against other tablet PCs, but also e-readers such as the Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) Kindle.
The iPad is only a 1/2″ thick and weighs only 1.5lbs. Costing $499, the iPad is not much more expensive than the most recent generation of the Kindle, with more capabilities.
Now we must play the waiting game to see if the iPad takes off since previously released tablet PCs were not much of a hit in the eyes of consumers.
The Department of Health and Human Services issued a report showing a decline in child abuse rates for 2008, the lowest since 1990. However, there was an increase in facilities for abused children.
Specifically, 903,000 children were abused in 2006 with only a record of 772,000 in 2008. On the other hand, in 2000 there were only 1,330 child abuse facilities with the number increasing to 1,740 in 2008.
These results concluded in September of 2008, right before the noticeable results of the economic downturn.
One possible explanation for the decline is an increase in awareness and intolerance of child abuse and neglect, proving that speaking up against issues do make an impact.
The report covered everything from neglect to physical, psychological, and sexual abuse.
Michelle Obama has taken a variety of initiatives in the fight against childhood obesity within the last few months. The campaign will carry over into the Easter festivities this year as well!
The White House will hold its annual White House Easter Egg Roll, however, this year exercise will be incorporated into the schedule.
Those attending the annual event can expect to participate in everything from dance and sports to yoga. Michelle Obama will not be stopping with exercise, she also plans to have chefs available for educational advice on healthy eating.
Furthermore, Performer Justin Beiber and famous writer J.K. Rowling will be on the schedule of events.
This annual gathering tends to draw in those from all 50 states, with around 30,000 present.
« Older Entries
Newer Entries »
