Mass. health plan has national appeal

WASHINGTON - Key players in the debate over how to provide healthcare coverage for the nation's 47 million uninsured say they view Massachusetts' landmark 2006 law as an important model for what Washington could do and how to get it done.
"To those who say these challenges can't be met, I say, 'Look at Massachusetts,' " said Senator Edward M. Kennedy.

Healthcare leader

Massachusetts achieved near-universal coverage by investing heavily in patching the holes in the existing system, where most people get coverage through work - something economist Jonathan Gruber of MIT calls "incremental universalism." This centrist approach rejects both the liberal vision of a Canadian-style Medicare-for-all system and the conservative preference to move to a deregulated market where people buy policies on their own with the help of tax credits.

"The architecture of the Massachusetts plan is very similar to the architecture of what everyone is talking about, which is essentially building on the existing system and not throwing it out," said Drew Altman, president of the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonpartisan health policy group based in Menlo Park, Cal.

With a new administration and Congress gearing up to push a major initiative to expand insurance access for the first time since the Clinton administration's spectacular failure in 1994, Washington policymakers are eager to avoid making the same political mistakes. Massachusetts leaders made sure that people who liked their coverage could keep it, and they built consensus among a web of healthcare interests to create a new safety net for the uninsured.

"What Massachusetts demonstrates is, it can be done," said Helen Darling, president of the National Business Group on Health, which represents the views of large corporations on health care. "It's really important because people have talked about what we might do for years and years and years. This shows it can work, and for the most part, it can be highly functional."

Senator Edward M. Kennedy, a leader on health care in the Senate who also helped create the state law, cited new figures released yesterday showing that 97.4 percent of Massachusetts residents now have insurance, compared with 90 percent when the law was passed in 2006.

"To those who say these challenges can't be met, I say, 'Look at Massachusetts,' " he said in a statement.

Source:http://www.boston.com/news

Prudential unit to bid for AIG Japan units -sources

A Japanese unit of Prudential Financial Inc plans to bid for two Japanese life insurers put up for sale by American International Group Inc, people familiar with the matter said.
Saved from bankruptcy by a U.S. government bailout that has now ballooned to about $152 billion, AIG is looking to raise cash by shedding assets globally.

AIG's push to sell assets was underscored by comments from chief executive Edward Liddy to the Wall Street Journal. Liddy said in an interview that AIG will try to renegotiate the terms of its rescue package if it can sell off assets to repay the government.

The insurer has said it will sell its three Japanese life insurance businesses -- Alico Japan, AIG Edison Life Insurance Co and AIG Star Life Insurance Co.
Prudential unit Gibraltar Life Insurance Co will bid for AIG Edison and AIG Star, three sources told Reuters. The individuals spoke on condition of anonymity because the bidding process is not public.

The sale could fetch several hundred billion yen, the Nikkei business daily has reported.
Spokespeople for Prudential Financial and AIG in Tokyo declined to comment.
Although its population is shrinking, Japan is still seen as a growth market by some overseas financial firms.

Thanks to a culture of frugality, Japanese household savings are now estimated at a staggering $16 trillion. The desire to tap that pool has brought in big overseas financial firms such as HSBC Holdings Plc and Citigroup Inc.

Insurers have also been drawn by the country's rapidly ageing population. U.S. firm Aflac Inc has made an aggressive push in recent years, blanketing the country with advertisements for insurance products.

With insurance revenue of 407 billion yen ($4.37 billion), AIG Edison ranks No.22 in the Japanese industry. AIG Star ranks No.23 with revenue of 266 billion yen.
AIG has hired JPMorgan Chase & Co and Goldman Sachs to advise it globally on asset sales, while Prudential is using Nomura Securities to help it weigh a bid for the AIG operations, sources said.

A deadline for the bidding has been set for Dec. 9, the sources said. It was not immediately clear whether Gibraltar was the sole bidder or other potential buyers were involved. ($1=93.14 Yen) (Additional reporting by Nathan Layne, Yumiko Nishitani and Dave Dolan; Editing by Michael Watson)

Source:http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/

Investors Buy $17.25 Billion in Banks' Bonds

A fresh asset class is quickly carving a new niche for itself on Wall Street.

In just two days, Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Morgan Stanley and J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. sold a cumulative $17.25 billion of government-guaranteed bank bonds as part of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.'s Temporary Liquidity Guarantee Program.

The program has opened the financing door for banks that were otherwise shut out from repaying or refinancing debt as a result of the credit crisis. The government guarantee allows banks and firms that have been approved to participate, such as General Electric Co., to take advantage of cheap financing.


Barclays Capital fixed-income analyst Rajiv Setia estimates financial institutions may use the program to issue $250 billion to $350 billion of debt by June 30 of next year, when the issuing period expires.

Approximately $215 billion of U.S. bank debt is set to mature during the first two quarters of 2009, according to Dealogic.

Mitch Stapley, chief fixed-income officer for Fifth Third Bank who has bought some of the new bonds, classifies them as better-yielding Treasury bonds.

"With yields on Treasury bonds that can make a goat just about choke, these are a no-brainer alternative," Mr. Stapley said.

On Tuesday, three-year Treasurys yielded 1.37%. In comparison, Goldman Sachs's new three-year guaranteed bonds were priced with a yield of 3.367%, Morgan Stanley's sold with a yield of 3.262% and J.P. Morgan's notes yielded 3.147%.

Reduced credit risk coupled with additional yield has helped the new bonds blaze their way into portfolios.

Mr. Stapley and others expect the market for these bonds will continue to flourish and anticipate a surge of supply next week.

"The universe for this product is growing day by day as more and more accounts sign on and/or get approval to participate in the program," according to Paul Spivack, head of U.S. debt syndicate at Morgan Stanley.

Citigroup Inc. and Bank of America Corp. have said they are preparing to sell FDIC-backed deals as early as next week, and others are sure to follow.

Global interest in the new bonds also has been sparked, as the FDIC will insure debt that is denominated in a foreign currency. J.P. Morgan is planning to sell a two-part, euro- and sterling-denominated bond issue under the FDIC program, a person familiar with the situation told Dow Jones Newswires on Wednesday.

Goldman Sachs was the first firm to offer the new bonds. It sold a $5 billion three-year issue at a risk premium of two percentage points over Treasurys on Monday. That issue snapped after it was freed to trade, fetching a risk premium of 1.84 percentage points in the secondary market.

Morgan Stanley sold a total of $5.75 billion of bonds in four parts Wednesday.

According to syndicate participants who worked on the deal, 347 investors placed orders for the debt, with 70% of the debt sold going to U.S. buyers, 20% landing in European hands and only 10% going to Asia.

The Morgan Stanley deal was the first issued under the government program to include a floating-rate note, an instrument recently absent from the corporate-bond primary market.

The Morgan Stanley fixed-rate notes also traded well in the secondary market.

And J.P. Morgan sold a combined $6.5 billion of securities Wednesday. The bulk of the issue consisted of J.P. Morgan's $5 billion three-year fixed-rate note, which was sold at a risk premium of 1.775 percentage points over Treasurys.

Source: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122782428906462449.html

AIG Mulling Overseas Life Unit Sale to China Fund, Nikkei Says

American International Group Inc. is in talks to sell a stake in an overseas life insurance unit to a group led by a Chinese sovereign wealth fund, the Nikkei newspaper said, citing unidentified people familiar with the matter.

AIG is negotiating to sell a minority stake in its American Life Insurance Co. unit, which operates in more than 55 countries including Japan, the newspaper said. The group including the China Investment Corp. and China-based insurers and have until yearend to come to an agreement with AIG, the Nikkei said.

Chief Executive Officer Edward Liddy is trying to sell almost all of AIG's businesses excluding property-causality insurance to repay a U.S. loan that saved the firm from bankruptcy. The company said Oct. 3 that it would look for buyers or investors in two overseas life insurance companies -- one operating in Japan, parts of Europe, Latin America and the Middle East, and the other operating in China, Korea and India.

AIG wants to keep majority control in the American Life Insurance unit, the newspaper said, and a 49 percent stake may cost 500 billion yen ($5.2 billion) to 1 trillion yen. An agreement may lead to other deals with the sovereign wealth fund, the Nikkei said.

Nicholas Ashooh, a spokesman for New York-based AIG, didn't immediately return a call seeking comment. An e-mail to the China Investment Corp. wasn't immediately returned.

Source:http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid

Children's insurance program may need wait list

SACRAMENTO—The state's budget woes could leave thousands of California children on a waiting list for health care.

State officials who oversee the Healthy Families Program are scrambling to find ways around a $17.2 million budget shortage.

The program provides low-cost health, dental and vision coverage to uninsured children of working families.

Currently, 883,589 children rely on the low-cost health insurance state program, and about 27,125 new applicants enroll each month.

The Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board warns a long waiting list could amass quickly, with an estimated 160,000 children waitlisted in the first six months.

The board is slated to meet in Sacramento on Wednesday. If approved, the stoppage could be implemented as soon as Dec. 18.

Source: http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_10977114

If you lose your job, keep your health insurance

The latest unemployment numbers are awful.

U.S. job losses accelerated in the last two months, pushing the nation's unemployment rate to a 14-year high in October.

As workers lose their jobs, a crucial benefit they must keep is their health insurance. Don't go without this.

It may be tough to pay the premium while you search for a new job, but you'll really be in a world of hurt if a major illness or accident wipes out what funds you have.

"If you think losing your job is a possibility in the next year, start reviewing your employer health care plans now," said Sam Gibbs, a senior vice president and consumer expert with eHealth Insurance.com, a health insurance information Web site.

"During open enrollment [when you select benefits for the coming year], you may be able to choose a plan that would cost less if you were later required to pay all of the premium through COBRA," he said. "Always make sure that the plan you choose will cover the health care benefits you need for the coming year."

It's important to understand what COBRA is because it plays a major role in your health insurance if you're laid off.

COBRA stands for the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986. The federal law requires employers that lay off workers to offer them a chance to continue with the employer's health insurance policy for 18 months after leaving their job.

However, you will have to pay the monthly premium – and it's expensive because you're paying both the employee and employer contributions.

The average monthly COBRA premium is $400 for an individual and $1,078 for a family, according to eHealthInsurance.com.

It may be tempting to go without health insurance and save the expense, but that would be a mistake. Instead, take the COBRA coverage and shop around for less expensive coverage that still meets your needs.

"If you are considering switching your health insurance plans, never switch from an employer-based plan or COBRA continuation coverage until you are approved for another plan," Mr. Gibbs said. "It is important to have no interruption in your health insurance coverage."

If you're healthy, you may qualify for an individual and family health policy.

If your health isn't so good, you may still qualify for an individual or family plan – but you may have to pay a higher premium. Talk to at least two insurance agents to find out whether you qualify for an individual and family plan.

You might also consider raising your deductible to save on the premium.

"If you're healthy and don't need to see your doctor a lot, go with a higher deductible unless you are anticipating expensive procedures like a surgery or child birth, or other medical expenses within the year," Mr. Gibbs said.

If you've already been laid off, see if you can get on your spouse's health insurance plan.

If not, and you're healthy, find an individual and family plan that has the same benefits and the same doctors that you like.

An uncertain employment situation calls for cutting out unnecessary expenditures, but health insurance isn't one of them.

Source:

S&P changes US health insurance outlook to negative

NEW YORK, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Standard & Poor's on Monday said it expects the number of downgrades of companies in the U.S. health insurance sector to pick up, reflecting weaker operating results and a worsening economy.

S&P changed its outlook on the sector to negative, from stable, indicating companies in the sector are more likely to be downgraded over the next one to two years.

"Aggressive pricing, unforeseen medical trend development, and slowing top-line growth that have driven performance shortfalls beyond our downside expectations," S&P said in a statement.

"Overall, we believe the sector is feeling the strain of a slumping U.S. economy and more intense competitive pressure, which we expect to persist meaningfully into 2009," the rating agency added.

Shares of health insurance companies were hurt last week after Aetna Inc (AET.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) said third quarter net income dropped to $277.3 million from $496.7 million a year earlier, and Cigna Corp (CI.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) said net income dropped to $171 million from $365 million for the same period.

"In the past few months, health-insurer-related rating activity has quickly taken a negative turn as pressure on earnings and cash-flow levels raised concerns about goodwill valuation (for some companies) and quality of capital in general," S&P added.

In spite of the negative outlook, S&P said it expects downgrades to be limited to only a subset of companies with negative outlooks, the negative sector outlook also indicates that upgrades will also be less common. (Reporting by Karen Brettell; Editing by James Dalgleish)

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSN0332254520081103

Many uninsured kids have parents with insurance

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - More than 2 million children in the United States who have no health insurance of any kind have at least one parent who gets employer-provided medical coverage, researchers said on Tuesday.

These parents typically get insurance through work that covers them but cannot afford the extra thousands of dollars that may be needed for a plan that also covers their children, the researchers wrote in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

"I think there's been a myth that all uninsured children have uninsured parents, and so if we cover the parents we can cover the kids," Dr. Jennifer DeVoe of Oregon Health & Science University, who led the study, said in an interview.

"In most cases the parents have insurance through work at reduced rate or no cost, but adding their family is unaffordable," DeVoe added.

The Census Bureau said in August 8.1 million, or 11 percent, of children under 18 had no health insurance in 2007.

The researchers calculated that about 28 percent of these uninsured children -- or about 2.3 million -- had at least one parent with health insurance. Most are from low- or middle-income families, DeVoe said.

The high cost of health care and medical insurance and the large numbers of Americans who remain uninsured have been key issues in the U.S. presidential campaign this year.

The study found that children of single parents and children in Hispanic families were more likely than others to lack health insurance even if a parent is covered. It was also more likely in the South and West.

The study was based on data from 2002 to 2005 released by the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Dr. Carolyn Clancy, who heads the agency, said some of these uninsured children likely qualify for public coverage, but their parents may not be aware of their eligibility.

DeVoe said a short-term approach to address the problem would be to expand the State Children's Health Insurance Program that provides public coverage for certain children in low- and moderate-income families.

President George W. Bush twice has vetoed bills that would have expanded the program.

The Census Bureau said 15.3 percent of Americans overall had no health insurance in 2007, meaning 45.7 million were uninsured in a country of about 300 million people.

Source:http://uk.reuters.com/article/healthNews

Insurance firm won't cover deaths

A medical malpractice insurance company claims it does not have to pay any damages that may be awarded to the families of deceased former patients of a Murray doctor charged in their deaths.
In court documents filed Tuesday, the Utah Medical Insurance Association argues its insurance policy issued to Dr. Warren R. Stack does not cover the deaths of patients Brandon Scott or Thaison Roark.
Stack, 61, is accused of illegally prescribing painkillers to as many as 80 people a day, leading to the deaths of at least five. He was indicted last year on 18 criminal counts, including conspiracy, dispensing drugs outside the bounds of medical practice resulting in death, unlawful distribution of a controlled substance and health care fraud.
One of Stack's employees has pleaded guilty to conspiracy in the case and agreed to testify against Stack in federal court, the association stated.
Stack's insurance policy excludes coverage for acts that violate the law, the association wrote. That means it does not cover the deaths of Scott or Roark, whose families have sued Stack.
Scott was 34 when he died in 2005. Roark died in 2006 at age 20. Court documents state that drugs prescribed by Stack also led to the deaths of Tyler Lugo, 24; Kaydie Winters, 25; and Michael W. Barker, 50.


Source:http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_10674569

In Sickness and in Health (Insurance)

Re “Health Benefits Inspire a Rush to the Altar, or to Divorce Court” (front page, Aug. 13): The grotesque reality of my life has been constant constraint by the need for health insurance. With a congenital heart condition and a degenerative eye condition, I married my wife while in graduate school because I was no longer eligible for my parents’ group plan, and at the time few graduate programs offered grouphealth.

My career choices were dictated by the knowledge that I needed group health: the tenuous life of an academic in a tough job market seemed too risky, so I switched to law school. I avoided private-sector legal jobs upon discovering that many firms do not provide group insurance but expect individual lawyers to find individualhealth plans, so I ended up working for the state.

Fortunately, things have worked out for me so far. It was not desperate need, such as you described, but a sense of obligation and responsibility that drove me to make major life decisions based onhealth insurance needs (I do not have family who could foot the bill for open-heart surgery). But only in America are people with pre-existing medical conditions forced to plan every aspect of their lives around the need for grouphealth insurance. I have often toyed with the thought of emigrating to Canada or Britain simply to escape the constant, gnawing, lifelong fear of what might happen should my grouphealth for any reason ever lapse.

news source : http://www.nytimes.com/

Is Low-Cost Health Insurance Worth It?

Infomercial king Billy Mays, known for screaming about the wonders of cleaning solutions Kaboom!, OxiClean, and other household products, is now starring in a commercial for what he calls "the most important product I've ever endorsed:" health insurance. The bearded salesman started pitching iCan Benefit Group's "health insurance that you can actually afford" in May 2008, pointing to the need for its health plans given that 47 million Americans are uninsured. In the commercial, Mays says iCan's plans include guaranteed acceptance, starting as low as $160 per month for individuals and $260 for families, and can allow you to lower your monthly premium, increase coverage, or both. Concludes Mays: "You can't afford not to make this call."

His pitch shows how difficult it has become for many hard-pressed Americans to afford basic necessities, such as health care, as the cost of food, gasoline, and many adjustable-rate mortgage payments climb, while wages barely budge and employers cut jobs. To protect your assets, it's important that yourinsurance policies give you enough coverage in case something horrible happens to you or a loved one. Mays is understandably "passionate about health care." We all need health insurance, yet many Americans can't afford it, while the cost of the plans and of medical care keeps rising. Mays is pitching iCan's Mini Medical, a type of limited healthinsurance for those who can't afford major medical insurance or have been turned down because of preexisting health conditions.

Low Premiums Mean High Risk

These limited plans are not for everyone, and they could end up costing more if you need expensive care. "The problem is they're advertising these unbelievably low premium healthinsurance plans," says Mark Kenison, a financial adviser who specializes in insurance at Turning Point Benefits Group in Charlotte, N.C. "All you're doing its transferring risk to yourself so your monthly premiums are lower."

Consumers might focus on the low monthly price and not examine the cost and coverage of each health service, Kenison says. Beware of policies that don't set a maximum amount that you'd be responsible for paying for a health service, he advises. For example, iCan's mini-medical plan will probably not provide enough coverage if you get badly injured or need surgery. Looking at an example of the company's lowest-cost offering, iCan's mini-medical plan costs an individual $160 per month in North Carolina—plus an additional, $100 one-time enrollment fee—and covers a maximum of just $1,000 for surgery per year, with anesthesia limited to $250 per surgery. If you're hospitalized, the plan would cover only $200 for the first day and $100 each additional day, with a maximum of $1,100 for up to 10 days. On average, hospital care is estimated to cost $1,931 a person per year, according to the latest figures (2004) from the U.S. government's Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

The low maximum benefits—and the prospect of huge additional out-of-pocket expenditures—bothers some financial pros. "It just feels wrong," says Kenison, adding that most people would be better off getting a major medical plan that limits their risk to a certain dollar amount. If you end up with a large medical bill, members of iCan's health plans have a health advocate to negotiate pricing and hospital charges, says Harold Shatz, managing member of iCan Benefit Group in Boca Raton, Fla. A $40,000 to $50,000 medical bill can be reduced to $10,000 to $12,000 through network pricing and use of a health advocate to examine the bills and find errors, he says.

news source : http://www.businessweek.com/

Insurance plan launched

MANAMA: Life Insurance Corporation (International) yesterday celebrated 20 years of operating out of Bahrain with the launch of a unit linked insurance plan called Fortune Builder. The product, which offers three separate funds, will offer investors the opportunity to take advantage of opportunities in the capital markets of India or across global equities.

Life Insurance Corporation (International) chief executive officer Roy Chowdhury said the new product was flexible, catered to all life requirements and offered a wealth generation tool that simultaneously provided life insurance protection. The product is being marketed across the GCC and the company has forged a strategic alliance with Doha Bank to market the product.

LIC has more than 80,000 customers in the region and investment income of $450 million. It is part of LIC of India which has issued more than 220m policies and has a financial base of $175 billion and is the biggest life office in India.

news source : http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/

Max India hikes stake in insurance JV

The amended JV agreement gave Max India the right to increase its shareholding in Max New York Life by up to 24% of the issued and paid up capital Max India has restructured its joint venture (JV) arrangements with New York Life International LLC by executing an amended agreement on July 15. The JV, Max New York LifeInsurance Co. accounts for about 80% of Max India's consolidated revenue.

Max India has amended the existing JV agreement dated November 3, 1999, in respect of Max New York life insurance. The original JV agreement has been replaced and substituted by the amended JV pact. The amended JV agreement gave Max India the right to increase its shareholding in Max New York Life by up to 24% of the issued and paid up capital. It has raised its stake in Max New York Life from 50% to 74%. New York Life International had the option of increasing its shareholding in the JV to 50% at par value. However, under the fresh JV agreement, Max India has repaid the Rs1.74bn deposit paid by New York Life International and increased its stake to 74%.

The US partner will now have to buy the additional 24% shareholding at 90% of fair market value. New York Life International will get a 10% discount for being a promoter-shareholder. This option will be valid till 2016. The company has posted a net profit of Rs136.1mn for the quarter ended June as against Rs38.1mn in the same quarter a year earlier. Net sales for the reporting quarter are Rs915.2mn versus Rs482.6mn in the year-ago period. At 12:46 pm, Max India was trading at Rs168.60, up Rs13.5 or 8.7% over the previous close. Earlier, the stock touched an intra-day high of Rs172 and a low of Rs160. It is down nearly 6% in the last one month.

news source : http://www.indiainfoline.com/

State audit cites errors in health insurance plan

Accounting errors related to the billing of medical claims for the now disbanded Columbiana County Schools Health Care Benefits Consortium resulted in already settled findings for recovery in an audit released Thursday.

The audit report issued by Auditor of State Mary Taylor showed that the Salem City school district reimbursed the Columbiana County Educational Service Center for $14,925 on April 8 this year and the Southern Local school district reimbursed the United Local school district for $11,576 on March 6 this year, both related to erroneous charges or credits by the health insurance consortium. The consortium provided health insurance coverage to several area school districts.

According to the audit, a credit of $14,925 was issued to Salem's medical claims account to correct a misclassified prescription drug claim posted to medical claims on March 31, 2004. The credit should have been posted to the medical claims account for the ESC because that's where the original invoice was posted, the report said. Salem city schools Treasurer Jill Rowe said she received an e-mail from the fiscal administrator for the consortium, East Palestine schools treasurer Rick Ellis, regarding the accounting error and the need to reimburse the ESC. It was her understanding that "it was just an accounting error," she said when contacted Thursday.

The other finding for recovery stemmed from apparent posting errors made on Aug. 5, 2005 when invoices for medical claims were charged to the wrong school districts. The audit noted an invoice for $41,294 for medical claims for Southern Local schools was mistakenly charged to United Local schools and an invoice for $29,717 for United Local medical claims was mistakenly charged to Southern Local schools. The report said the Southern Local schools owed the difference of $11,576 to the United school district. Emily Frazee, deputy press secretary for the state Auditor's Office, also said the findings from the audit covering July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2007 will be forwarded to the county prosecutor's office and the Ohio Attorney General. She acknowledged that the issues looked like accounting errors and everybody had made good on the findings.

news source : http://www.salemnews.net/

Health insurance premiums in Southwest predicted to rise 7.3 percent in 2009

Health Insurance premiums throughout the Southwest, including Texas, are expected to increase by 7.3 percent in 2009, according to preliminary information released by Hewitt Associates Inc. Still, this is the lowest rate increase in the region in four years. Health maintenance organization (HMO) premiums for the Southwest region increased 13.7 percent on average last year.

Nationwide, HMO rates are expected to increase 11.8 percent -- lower than last year's initial rate increases of 13.2 percent but still on track to outpace inflation.

Officials with Hewitt expect employers in the Southwest will be able to reduce overall rate increases next year by two or three percentage points through aggressive negotiations, changes in plan offerings and designs and an increased focus on employee health and productivity.

As the economy continues to weaken, Hewitt expects to see more companies move away from traditional employer strategies, such as cost shifting toward more aggressive and innovative steps to mitigate health care costs. Among these trends is an increasing focus on improving employee health and moving to self-insured plans.

news source : http://www.bizjournals.com/

Our view: Coverage for all

Good for Florida labor and civic groups that began a campaign Tuesday in Tallahassee to put universal health care on the radar screen in the presidential and congressional races. With 3.8 million Floridians having no health coverage, the nation's third-highest rate of uninsured, it's a crisis that's rightly a top issue with Sunshine State voters -- and should be for candidates too.

That includes state lawmakers who have the responsibility to scrutinize Florida's newly created low-cost no-frills health insurance program, touted by Gov. Charlie Crist as a way to open the door to affordable medical care. The program is supposed to cost about $150 a month and be available for anyone has been without insurance for at least six months.

Last week the governor started soliciting bids from insurers interested in offering the bargain-rate plans, but details remain uncertain. Depending on what deals the state cuts -- such as caps set on care, what's not covered, and how high deductibles and co-pays can go -- the cheap policies could be little more than window dressing. Insurers shouldn't be allowed to rip the guts out of coverage with extremely limited benefits that deny seriously ill patients the treatment they need. And, at best, the no-frills plans should serve merely as a step toward universal, comprehensive coverage for all hardworking families -- similar to that Florida lawmakers get at taxpayers' expense.

news source : http://www.floridatoday.com/

Corzine Signs Health Insurance Bill

Gov. Jon Corzine today signed a bill (S-1557) that makes more parents eligible for the state program that provides free and subsidized health insurance to low-income families. It expands the eligibility for NJ FamilyCare to parents in households that earn up to double the poverty level, which is approximately $42,000. "This is a very important, pragmatic doable step on a way to universal access," Gov. Jon S. Corzine recently told NJBIZ.

While the program's eligibly for children remains at 350 percent of poverty level, the bill for the first time mandates that parents enroll their children. The bill also establishes new private healthinsurance market reforms designed to lower the premiums for small businesses and individual policy holders.

About 90,000 parents would be eligible for NJ FamilyCare under the new legislation. The bill's chief sponsor, Sen. Joseph Vitale (D-Middlesex), said he expects about a quarter of them to sign up the first year. The bill increases state spending by $8.3 million—which generates matching federal dollars, to expand the FamilyCare program. It also calls for spending another $1 million for advertising the new eligibility requirements.

There are 1.3 million uninsured people in New Jersey, primarily because the skyrocketing cost of health insurance is difficult to afford, Vitale said. Of the $1.3 million uninsured, he estimates that 400,000 parents and children would be eligible for the new family care program, 300,000 are undocumented; and 600,000 simply can’t afford it and don’t qualify for subsidies.

news source : http://www.njbiz.com/

Negotiations between National Health Insurance Fund and Bulgarian Medical Association fail

Sofia. Representatives of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) left the negotiations with the Bulgarian Medical Association (BMA). The meeting was set in order the new National Framework Agreement (NFA) to be negotiated and adopted. NHIF representatives withdrew from the table of negotiations with the motive that the BMA did not send legitimate representatives. Head of the NHIF board Emil Raynov demanded documentation proving that BMA reps were legally appointed and sent to the meeting. BMA agreed to send a copy of the decision of appointment later in the day. NHIF remained strong on its position and insisted negotiations to be interrupted until legal matters of the legitimacy of the representatives are cleared.

news source : http://www.focus-fen.net/

Two state plans see change in eligibility

Starting today, eligibility rules for enrolling in two state-sponsored health plans will change. Utah's Primary Care Network (PCN),
which has traditionally limited enrollment to parents with dependent children living at home, will open enrollment to all adults ages 19 to 64 through July 31.

To qualify for PCN, adults must also:

* Be a U.S. citizen or legal resident.

* Not have coverage through another health insurance plan.

* Not be qualified for Medicaid, Medicare, veterans' benefits or have access to student health insurance.

* Meet income guidelines.

As part of House Bill 133, legislation geared at health system reform, enrollment in Utah's Premium Partnership for Health Insurance (UPP) will also change. The program helps families pay monthly premiums for employer-sponsored health insurance. Those who are eligible will no longer have to wait for open enrollment periods or a "qualifying event," such as marriage or the birth of a child. Applicants can now sign up any time.

To qualify for UPP, adults ages 19 to 64 must:

* Not be covered by another health insurance plan.

* Be employed by a company that offers health insurance (or have a spouse whose employer offers insurance).

* Be a U.S. citizen legal resident.

* Fit within the income guidelines.

The cost of the least expensive health insurance option available must be more than 5 percent of their total household income (before taxes). For more information about these two programs and how to enroll, visit health.utah.gov/pcn (for Primary Care Network) or health.utah.gov/upp (for Utah's Premium Partnership for Health Insurance), or call the PCN/UPP hot line at 1-888-222-2542.

news source : http://www.sltrib.com/news?

Health official says compliance high

The vast majority of Massachusetts taxpayers complied with the new health insurance reform law by answering the filing requirement on their new return. That's according to Jon Kingsdale, executive director of the Commonwealth Connector Authority, which is implementing the law and its mandate to expand coverage to nearly every resident. Kinsgdale issued a report card Wednesday for the reform effort thus far.

He said nearly 99 percent of taxpayers complied with the requirement. Taxpayers needed to show they complied with the law and had healthinsurance as of the end of 2007. If they did not, they lost their personal exemption, which was worth about $219 for an individual. Kingsdale said only a few thousand people appealed the law to the Connector. Of 168,000 uninsured taxpayers, 97,000 were deemed able to afford insurance, according to Department of Revenue Data supplied to the Connector. Another 62,000 were determined to not be able to afford insurance, citing income or health hardships. Another 9,000 residents claimed a religious exemption from obtaining health insurance.

news source : http://boston.bizjournals.com/

MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Craig Bacheler expects to offer healthinsurance benefits at his information technology business, now that Alabama's governor has signed into law a tax break for small businesses that provide the insurance to their workers. Bacheler said high insurance costs have left his five-month-old company, Bacheler Technologies in Montgomery, unable to offer such benefits to its two employees. But the new law will make the insurance more affordable, allowing him to make it available when the law takes effect. "It's hard to compete with big businesses because they can pay all or part of the cost," he said, adding new health benefits would make recruiting employees easier.

Gov. Bob Riley pushed the tax break through the recent legislative session and signed it into law Tuesday in a Capitol ceremony. Riley predicts the legislation will allow more small businesses like Bacheler's to start offering health insurance. Starting Jan. 1, the new law will permit businesses with fewer than 25 employees to deduct from their state income taxes 150 percent of the amount they pay for health insurance for employees who earn less than $50,000 annually. The deduction has been 100 percent. Small business employees who earn less than $50,000 annually will be able to deduct from their state income taxes 150 percent of what they pay toward their health insurance. To get the deduction, they have to spend more than 4 percent of their adjusted gross income on medical expenses.At the bill signing, Riley said the state has offered financial incentives to big corporations that have built plants in Alabama. Now, he said, the time has come to help small businesses, which create more than 80 percent of the jobs in Alabama.

Andy Martin, owner of Square Root Interactive in Montgomery, said his Web design company already pays part of the cost of employees' health insurance. But the tax break will help his firm make more money and possibly expand its work force of 11. He said it will also help employees with their share of insurance costs. The Legislature passed the bill after Riley made it part of his 2006 re-election platform and after business groups, including the Business Council of Alabama, spent four years promoting the idea. Martin, a BCA member, said the legislative action was unexpected. "It's almost like the feeling you have when somebody you didn't expect remembers your birthday," he said. The tax break is supposed to cost the state $33 million annually. To pay for the tax break, the Republican governor recommended and the Democrat-controlled Legislature passed a bill to close some loopholes that large national corporations use to pay less state income taxes in Alabama.

That bill, designed to raise $54 million annually, reins in the practice of national corporations paying a sister company huge amounts for use of a trademark and then using those payments to lower their state taxes on income generated in Alabama.

news source : http://www.forbes.com/

KCHA raises health insurance rates

GALESBURG — The Knox County Housing Authority Board of Commissioners agreed Tuesday to increase employee insurance costs next year. The board voted 5-0 to increase deductible costs from $250 to $1,100, but to also create a savings account for each employee. By making the changes, the board was able to save $30,393, spending $167,642 for coverage. The original plan with Blue Cross Blue Shield would have cost $198,035. The changes allowed the board to continue buying healthinsurance from Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Before the change, Knox County Housing Authority Executive Director Margie Hulick said the 28 KCHA employees were responsible for $1,250 per individual out of pocket per year, including co-pay and the deductible. “It cost us less per month because of the higher deductible,” Hulick said. “To offset the higher deductible, we set up a savings account for each employee.” Now, employees will be responsible for $2,000 per individual out of pocket, but will receive a $750 health savings account in his or her name. Each employee will receive $500 in the savings account for the remainder of this year. A health savings account allows employees to save money for future medical expenses. Money placed in the accounts can roll over into the next fiscal year. The new plan eliminates the co-pay, leaving employees responsible for all initial costs until the out-of-pocket limit is met.

news source : http://www.galesburg.com/

Farmers need Gov’t support to get health insurance

VietNamNet Bridge - Although the government supports those who live close to the poverty line, tens of million farmers have not purchased medical insurance, said Truong Thi Mai, chairwoman of the National Assembly’s Social Affairs Committee. There is discrimination at hospitals because some patients have medical insurance cards while others don’t. Some seek treatment during working hours, while others seek treatment after hours. Earners with below-average income need the government’s support when purchasing health insurance
.

Currently, the state pays only for residents whose incomes are close and on the poverty line or whose family members are prioritized by social welfare policies, i.e. seniors and children under the age of six. Government spending has not benefited farmers who don’t belong to the above-mentioned groups. These farmers have no choice but pay VND250, 000 (US$15) a year for an insurance card. Those in charge are afraid of running out of funds. The Ministry of Health must make a list of basic medical services. Patients, including those insured, must pay for medical services that are not on this list. The Assembly is considering how much residents must pay for medical insurance. Some deputies proposed a maximum of 6 percent; others suggested that state agencies’ employees pay 3 percent of their basic salaries and 5 percent of their pension and social security money. Workers at private companies pay 2 percent while their employers pay 3 percent.

At present, there is a paradox. The government plans to bring better health care services to residents in remote regions, but medical clinics there are only able to provide a few simple services, so many patients don’t benefit from buying insurance. Patients who live in the cities do receive these services so insurance companies must pay more for better services.

news source : http://english.vietnamnet.vn/

Massachusetts Insurance Impoves Preventive Health

New Massachusetts health insurance plan now covers more than half of those who were uninsured last year. Also more people have received preventative care since the time mandatory health insurance was launched. Massachusetts enrolled mandatory health insurance in the fall of 2006 and required all residents to obtain coverage starting from January 2007. Some 86000 residents who did not fulfill the requirement are required to pay a $219 penalty later this year.

Massachusetts health insurance plan was aimed at providing health coverage, which is affordable for the uninsured people. The following figures show that the plan became successful. The figures come from Urban Institute's analysis show that about 350000 out of 600000 uninsured residents were enrolled in the plan and about 60000 residents who were unable to afford even subsidized healthinsurance were granted exemptions. In 2006 about 13% of Massachusetts residents aged from 18 to 64 were uninsured, but in 2007 the number decreased to 7%. Those who are still uninsured are mainly low income males and the 1/3 of the uninsured people reported that they were unaware of the fact that the healthinsurance is mandatory.

Those with lowest income - less than three times the federal poverty level $66600 - were 24% uninsured. Now this number has decreased to 13%. The individuals that earned significantly more constituted the 5 percent of the uninsured, which has droped to 3 percent. About 70% of those with lowest income received preventative care in 2007, compared to 65% in 2006. 59% of them received dental care in 2007, compared to 49% in 2006. Only 17% reported that they delayed medical care in 2007, compared to 27% in 2006.

Urban Institute's analysis also mentions that the number of uninsured has decreased only thanks to the increase of new health insurance enrollment cases. Massachusetts residents did not switch to government-provided health insurance plans from private insurance providers. Also, employers did not show a tendency of benefiting from the governmental plan. In other words, the number of those newly insured is the number of residents who were uninsured, not the number of people who were previously covered and just changed the type of healthinsurance coverage.

New Massachusetts health insurance plan is great help for those with low income and uninsured. The state's mandatory health plan is also a good way for health department to save medical resources. It is much better to cover the uninsured and provide with preventative health care on time, rather than to handle long hospital stays.

news source : http://www.emaxhealth.com/

Contact 2 - Health Insurance

A Metro East woman emailed Contact 2 with a big problem: Lindy Evans says her employer withheld money for health insurance, but it never paid its portion of the premium. However, Lindy says her employer never told her the policy was dropped, so she continued using her insurance card for medical procedures. Months later, Lindy got a surprise $12,000 bill from her insurance company for services that weren't covered because she wasn't actually a policy holder.

A St. Louis University Law Professor says Lindy's situation is not all that uncommon, especially for employees who work for small businesses. The professor recommends that Lindy sue her former employer in state court.

news source : http://www.myfoxstl.com/

Unpack the value of travel insurance

Everyone hopes their trip of a lifetime doesn’t turn into a disaster, but life has a way of throwing curveballs. Travelers can minimize the damage of a last-minute illness, lost baggage or a bankrupt cruise line by purchasing travel insurance. Coverage that also includes medical and dental emergencies, and even medical evacuation, can add extra layers of security for overseas travelers.

I travel quite extensively and have never purchased travel insurance; however, according to a 2006 study by the U.S. Travel Insurance Association (UStiA), American leisure travelers are buying travel insurance more often than in the past. As many as 70 percent of Americans who book a cruise also buy travel insurance for their trip. Furthermore, one out of every six individuals who purchase travel insurance file an insurance claim at some point.

Travel insurance policies vary widely, so it’s important to examine the coverage offered and read the fine print before you buy. Package travel insurance policies typically include coverage for trip cancellation, lost or delayed baggage, medical or dental emergencies, travel delays or accidental death. Medical evacuation coverage is often sold as a separate policy.

Flight insurance, which provides compensation should death or injury result during a commercial flight, is generally considered unnecessary. The risk is low and most people are covered by their medical or life insurance in the event of injury and/or an accidental death policy in the event of death.

If you think you can skip health care travel insurance, keep in mind that Medicare and the majority of private health insurance policies do not cover medical expenses incurred while traveling outside the United States. In addition, if you should become seriously ill, a medical evacuation can cost thousands of dollars.

If you decide to purchase travel insurance, select your policy carefully. A quick Internet search for travel insurance generates a list of travel insurance comparison sites. Enter the dates, destinations, trip costs and age of travelers and you can get quotes and compare features and benefits of the various policies available. You may find that quotes for older travelers are higher. In addition, if you have a pre-existing medical condition, you may have a more difficult time obtaining the coverage you want.

A request for quotes from one of these comparison sites, for a 55-year-old traveler booking a cruise to Alaska from California valued at $4,000, delivered 31 package options ranging in price from $108 to $486 or, two to 12 percent of the cost of the trip.

news source : http://www.hcnonline.com/

The Importance Of International Travel Medical Insurance

Traveling on vacation or business is usually a lot of fun; exploring new places and cultures while enjoying new cuisines adds to the experience and pleasure of visiting new destinations but, at the same time, you must take into consideration the possibility of any sort of accident that may happen at any given moment. Therefore, international travel medical insurance is essential every single time you take a trip abroad. Where And How To Obtain International Travel Medical Insurance

Usually, when you book your vacation, your travel agent is responsible for letting you know about international travel medical insurance as well as its coverage and cost. All airlines expect you to have one as a requirement in order to be able to fly out of the country. If you are booking your flight tickets online, then you will probably be prompted to purchase international travel medical insurance as well; the insurance itself is not very expensive depending on the regulation of the country you are about to visit as each country applies different laws and regulations.

What Does International Travel Medical Insurance Cover?

International travel medical insurances usually covers any accidents that may happen when you are traveling; emergency evacuation and sometimes even refunds of travel costs; this feature usually differs from one insurance company to the other. Take a moment and read the you are about to buy for even if you may never expect to have any such emergencies you never know what may happen next and you will need to fall back on the medical insurance you just purchased.

Helpful Tip

International travel medical insurance is a precautionary matter that most travelers need to carry even if they have other medical insurances as well; they cover international laws and regulations and, therefore, apply only when you leave the country. International travel medical insurances differ vastly depending on the country you are about to visit, therefore, ask all relative questions before you are in an emergency situation and realize that you don’t even know how to get in touch with your insurance company or what types of accidents they cover.

Accidents happen everyday and even if it is the last thing that will ever cross your mind when planning a vacation or trip abroad, being careful and prepared can only keep you safe in case you should ever need international travel medical insurance.

news source : http://www.bestsyndication.com/

Leadpoint to launch corporate health insurance leads

Leadpoint is to launch corporate health insurance leads after trading private medical insurance leads for over a year. Managing director Nick Chapman says: "Leadpoint has already been successfully trading private medical insurance leads for over a year and adding a corporate health insurance lead vertical is a natural evolution for us."

He adds: “We were constantly being asked by our PMI Lead Buyers whether we could expand into Corporate Health leads so we are pleased to announce that our new lead vertical will be live in the next few weeks.”

LeadPoint currently trades Mortgages, Loans, Private Medical Insurance, Debt Management & IVA leads, with Protection leads due to be launched by the end of the month.

news source : http://www.moneymarketing.co.uk/

New health insurance strategy: Incentives for healthful lifestyles

Starting at 4:15 a.m., Jack Mason works out for two hours a day before he goes to work. Once he gets to the Provo-based Nature's Sunshine Products, the software engineer logs it online. He tries to eat more fruits and vegetables, and steers clear of ice cream, because his work is watching his diet, too.
The program is voluntary, as are the supplement manufacturer's subsidized Weight Watchers meetings, discounts on off-site gym memberships, free blood screens and "lifestyle coaches" that provide employees encouragement to meet their health goals.

But most of the 550 workers participate because it pays off for them and their company: Nature's health insurance costs are risingless than 2 percent a year - instead of the double-digit jumps other employers have seen - saving the company an estimated $5.5 million since 2003.

And employees like Mason - who credits his work-inspired exercise and diet for helping him weather a bad biking accident - earn up to four hours of paid time off every six months and get free health insurance. Those who don't participate in the health screens and goal-setting must pay 15 percent of the premium.

Expect to see more rewards for healthy behavior - and monetary penalties on the unwilling - as Utah employers turn to wellness programs to help them reduce health care costs and boost employee productivity. According to SelectHealth, the state's largest insurer, premiums across the state are expected to jump an average of 10 to 12 percent in 2009. Now's the time many companies are planning theirinsurance plans for next year and, in addition to reducing benefits and shifting costs to employees, many are demanding incentive programs from their insurers and accountability from their employees.

Christine Frazier, Nature's insurance benefits manager, said the traditional insurance model of "if I get sick I can go to the doctor and he can fix my problem" has to go, a belief echoed by lawmakers who are trying to reform Utah's health care system.
When national figures show 70 percent of health care pays for preventable conditions, employees should "feel like they do have a responsibility to address some of these issues before they become chronic," she said.

news source : http://www.sltrib.com/

Is Cost Putting Health Insurance Out of Reach?

When Perry Forrest started working as a truck driver and groundsman for Pike Electric Corp. last month, he and his wife, Jonnie, decided not to take the healthinsurance plan offered by his new employer. "We just can't afford it at this time," Jonnie Forrest said. "Eighty-five dollars a week is a lot of money when you are raising two teenagers." The children -- 16-year-old E.T. and 15-year-old Ashley -- have federally supported health insurance through the state's Family Access to Medical Insurance Security plan, or FAMIS. But the couple have been without health insurance since they both lost their jobs -- and she lost their employer-subsidized family health insurance -- in 2006.

Perry Forrest was unemployed for 18 months. During that time, his wife was self-employed, cleaning houses and taking care of an elderly woman to make ends meet. She's now a stay-at-home mom. They are among the growing number of Virginians without health insurance. According to a report released last month by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, there were more than 964,000 Virginians without healthinsurance in 2005, up 28 percent from more than 752,500 in 2001. Nationally, a total of 47 million Americans don't have health insurance. For those in Virginia who still had insurance, the price that they were paying increased 27 percent in five years, while the median income increased just 8 percent, according to the foundation's report, "Squeezed: How Costs for Insuring Families Are Outpacing Income." Nationally, the out-of-pocket cost for health insurance increased 35 percent from 2001 to 2004.

"Most states are in a similar boat, where family incomes are not at all keeping up with the rising cost of health insurance premiums," said Brian Quinn, foundation program officer. "It makes it clear what employees have known: Paying for their health insurance is taking a bigger bite out of their income. "And as the cost continues to rise, it will be further and further out of reach for many people." In Virginia, the total average family premium rose from $8,104 in 2001 to $10,292 in 2005. Employers picked up three quarters of the premium cost, and employees paid for the rest. Nationwide, the greatest increase was in Oklahoma, where the total cost of premiums paid jumped 50 percent in five years. Premiums aren't the only costs that are going up. "There's co-pays for doctors visits, higher-tiered prescriptions," said Kay Bradley, executive director of the Gloucester-Mathews Free Clinic in Hayes. Some insurance companies recently adopted a new pricing structure for some prescriptions.

Now, instead of paying a low set price, patients are being charged a percentage of the cost of some higher-priced drugs. General spending on health care has consistently grown faster than the economy since the 1960s, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit that provides information and analysis on health care issues. In 2007, the United States spent more than $2.2 trillion -- an average of $7,500 a person -- on health care. That's up from $75 billion --about $356 a person -- in 1970. The effects of the increase in health care costs and health insurance premiums are being felt by the 50 free medical clinics across the state serving Virginians who earn less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level -- about $41,000 a year for a family of four. In the first half of 2007, the wait for a new patient to get an appointment doubled to as much as four weeks at some sites, said Lou Markwith, executive director of the Virginia Association of Free Clinics. The association expects the trend to continue.

"Anecdotally, we are seeing a significant increase already in the first quarter of 2008 in the number of people seeking services," Markwith said. He said the data aren't complete yet. In the first three months of 2008, one Hampton Roads area clinic reported seeing more than 340 new patients, he said. In 2007, the Gloucester-Mathews clinic saw 2,105 patients, up from 1,800 the previous year, Bradley said. The clinic is prepared to take in 30 new patients each month. "We average 25 new patients a week that are calling for service, so you can imagine how long the wait list is," she said. A striking number of those calls are coming from working people. "We are seeing rising numbers of working people, people who are working for a company that does offer group insurance," Bradley said. "But the cost that's being passed on to them makes it not an option."

According to the Johnson Foundation report, 88 percent of Virginia employers offered health insurance in 2005, down from about 91 percent from 2001. And of the 150,000 patients seen by free clinics in the state, 70 percent have full-time jobs, Markwith said. And 13 percent are working part time. "These are people who are working, and they still cannot afford health insurance," he said. People like Perry Forrest, who leaves on Sunday evenings for his job with the electric company in southern Maryland and returns Thursdays. He and his wife have been patients at the Gloucester-Mathews clinic for about a year.They figure that they'll stay with the clinic for now, rather than pay the weekly premium needed to buy health insurance from his employer.

news source : http://www.redorbit.com/

Healthnet insurance

Healthnet Services is an independent broker specialising in the private medical insurance market and also other protection products such as life, critical illness and income protection, meaning you have all your protection needs covered in one place.

We have a dedicated team of insurance consultants who will search the market for you and who use our unique comparison tools to ensure that we find the most suitable plans at the most competitive premiums. We deal with individual plans through to corporate and expatriate cover and always ensure a friendly and helpful service.

As an independent broker we deal with the whole of the insurance market place. We provide all our clients with a full market review and we draw the information from around 40 providers with in excess of 222 different plans. Because we are specialists in the area of protection we then narrow the choices down to three suitable plans for you making the complicated choices easier to manage and save you time trawling through the providers.

We offer this as a free no obligation service which guides you through what your requirements are, we then work on your behalf to find the best package to suit your individual needs and requirements and if you have any questions we are on standby to guide and advise you whichever way you choose.

news source : http://www.myfinances.co.uk/

Insurance costs pressure smokers

The idea of making cigarette smokers pay extra for their health insurance is catching on with employers and spurring debates about worker freedom, but one key question remains in doubt: Do such incentives really work to reduce smoking? So far the answer appears to be yes, say health insurers and companies that have tried the tactic.

Most such programs charge smokers $20 to $100 extra for health insurance each month, but drop the fee for anyone who enters a smoking cessation program. That economic lure tends to double enrollment in cessation programs, said Sean Bell, a senior vice president at Free & Clear, a Seattle-based company that designs tobacco treatment plans. "If people enroll in the program, they're more likely to quit than if they do nothing," Bell said.

news source : http://www.chicagotribune.com/