Tight Budgets Pinch Health Care Spending

(NEWSER) - The global economic crisis is raising the threat to national security, the Washington Post reports. Experts and intelligence officials worry that mounting inflation and unemployment in Third World countries could spark radical movements and destabilize friendly governments. What’s more, strained budgets in the West mean less money to spend on the military and technology to counter the new threat. More»

71% miss projections, worst showing since September of 2000

(NEWSER) - With the holiday season looming, retailers' only hope may be a genuine Christmas miracle. In reports on last month's business, 71% of retailers missed sales and profits estimates, making it the worst September since data collection began in 2000, MarketWatch reports. Experts widely attributed the dismal numbers to the struggling economy and a dearth of credit, while some stores blamed disastrous weather for low traffic. Only value and off-label stores beat expectations. More»

Why Our Insurance Systems Doesn't Work

(NEWSER) - Malcolm Gladwell, author of The Tipping Point and Blink, examines the premise underlying U.S. health insurance known by the Dickensian term: Moral Hazard. The theory of Moral Hazard describes the notion that insurance can change peoples’ behavior. Without deductibles, co-payments and other barriers to use, people will use too much health care. More»

That's up 7% from last year, say analysts

(NEWSER) - Health care costs for a family of four covered on an employer's insurance plan are expected to exceed $20,000 this year, an increase of 7% from last year—and more than double the $9,235 it would set you back in 2002. Under such plans, employers pay a large portion, but the portion employees have been asked to shoulder is increasing—meaning higher premiums, deductibles, and co-pays. Last year, employees paid $3,280 out-of-pocket to cover a family of four, an increase of 9.2%. More»

Supreme Court will hear arguments on health care law's individual mandate

(NEWSER) - Today's the big day: The Supreme Court will hear arguments on the focal point of the challenge to President Obama's health care law, the individual mandate. If the mandate is upheld, everyone in the US will be required to purchase health insurance or pay a penalty; it's up to the high court to decide whether such a requirement oversteps government bounds. A ruling is expected in the summer, the AP reports; yesterday, the justices signaled that they would not be putting off a decision until 2015. More»