| AARP wants candidates to focus on health care
ST. PETERSBURG - Presidential candidates campaigning in Florida can expect persistent grilling about health insurance, prescription drugs and Social Security if AARP has its way. The lobbying group for older Americans announced Wednesday that it will stock every public campaign event in the state with vocal volunteers who will try to pin candidates down on health care reform and financial security for retirees. The moment is ripe, AARP "social impact" executive Nancy LeaMond said in a news conference. Polls show that Americans place a high priority on accessible, affordable health care, she said. And business groups are beginning to take the same view. The Business Roundtable, traditionally a Republican-tilting organization, will join AARP in trying to steer the public debate toward health care and retirement issues, as will the Service Employees International Union, usually aligned with Democrats.
The failings of American health care
God bless Susan Levitan and all those other big-hearted RNs who are trying to get the United States to adopt universal health care ("Reflections of a Katrina nurse," March 30). The continued greed and selfishness of most of the rich and powerful, and their obvious indifference to the plight of the working poor who have no health coverage, can cause almost anyone to lose hope in humanity. .
Public Safety News & Events
The California Conservation Corps is now accepting applications for its upcoming "Conservationist I" crew supervisor exam. Salaries range from $2,525 to $3,895 per month; benefits include health and dental insurance, vacation and sick leave, and enhanced public safety retirement benefits. .
Rising health care costs have lawmakers seeking new solution
Oregon has undertaken sweeping changes in health care before, but lawmakers hope their latest effort will reach beyond the one in six Oregonians now without insurance coverage. A Senate committee is aiming to set up the framework for such an effort by mid-April. Sen. Ben Westlund, D-Tumalo, its co-chairman, said soaring costs and falling coverage make health care an issue for more than the almost 600,000 Oregonians without insurance. "What is fundamentally different this time is that businesses -- which are usually responsible for paying the bills -- are crying to change the system," Westlund said. "You have to be an extremely profitable business, or have a dull pencil, not to be concerned about where the costs of health care are going." Westlund and co-chairman Alan Bates, D-Ashland, concluded a series of presentations across the state last week.
Go with straight term over universal life insurance
Dear Bruce: I read your column every week, and I am impressed by your knowledge. That is why I would like to get your feedback on universal life insurance. I met with representatives from a financial institution, and they were pitching this type of insurance policy for $600 a month. The $500,000 policy has investment options, I can withdraw money without getting taxed until my death and my family gets the insurance money plus whatever value on the investments (tax-free). I am 46 years old is this a good investment for me? Or should I get a term-life policy for $500,000 with premiums of $50 a month, and invest the $550 ($600 minus $50) in my 401(k) or annuities? I was thinking of refinancing my current fixed-loan mortgage to an interest-only loan and withdrawing some cash to buy another house.
Event Backgrounder: President Bush participates in a Meeting on ...
The President will participate in a meeting on Health Savings Accounts in the Roosevelt Room of The White House. Today, America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) released a report showing the number of individuals covered by Health Savings Accounts has increased by 43 percent over the last year, from about 3.2 million in January 2006 to about 4.5 million in January 2007. In addition, according to the report, twenty- seven percent of the new enrollees in the individual market were previously uninsured. BIOGRAPHIES OF PARTICIPANTS Secretary Mike Leavitt, Department of Health and Human Services Lucia Ward Alexander, Product Manager, CareFirst, Blue Cross Blue Shield (Pikesville, Maryland) Lucia Alexander, age 55, has worked for CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) (an affiliate of BCBS that services the DC Metro area) for 22 years.
PBGC finances improved, but impact of PPA uncertain, report notes
Due to a better economic climate, the financial health of the PBGC has improved since the 2002-2005 period of record losses, according to a report by the Congressional Research Service (CRS), but underfunding in plans sponsored by financially weak entities continues to present a unknown level of risk to the PBGC. New funding rules contained in the Pension Protection Act of 2006 (PPA; P.L. 109-280) are not effective until plan years after 2007, with some rules phased in over a longer period, so the full impact of the PPA on the PBGC's financial condition also remains an unknown, according to the CRS. However, the CRS opined, pension plans of commercial airlines, which were given special treatment under the PPA funding rules, continue to threaten the PBGC's financial condition. Losses in recent years The CRS report recapped the PBGC's financial difficulties during the past few years.
Q&A: Palatine Township Elementary District 15
Ive been to every school board meeting for two years, researched seven years of school board budgets, and one thing is clear - District 15s financial house is out of order. As a school board member, I would vote to commission an in-depth, detailed external audit of the districts financial status. I would make every effort to share the results of this audit, in an easy to understand financial report card format, with the community and the employees of District 15. This is the basic requirement needed for the board to begin to rebuild community trust. Vanek: It is difficult to form a clear picture of the districts financial situation as an outsider with limited access to the districts financial information. However, the districts auditors recently warned the board at the Feb. 14 meeting, that rising employees salaries and benefits are outpacing the Districts 3-4 percent revenue growth, and threaten to unbalance the budget.
Chartwell Seniors Housing Real Estate Investment Trust Treasury ...
Chartwell Seniors Housing Real Estate Investment Trust ("Chartwell") (TSX:CSH.UN) of Mississauga, Ontario today announced that it has agreed to sell, subject to regulatory approval, 14,100,000 Units for $14.25 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of $200,925,000 and $75,000,000 of 5.9% subordinated unsecured convertible debentures due May 1, 2012 (the "Debentures") to a syndicate of underwriters led by RBC Capital Markets on a bought-deal basis. Chartwell has granted to the Underwriters an option (the "Underwriters Over-allotment Option"), exercisable in whole or in part up to 30 days after closing, to purchase up to an additional 15% of the Units issued on the same terms as set forth above. This offering is expected to increase Chartwell's market capitalization to approximately $1.4 billion, based on the offering price for the Units.
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