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Wednesday, February 10, 2010

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Premiums may rise without reform

California's largest for-profit health insurer, Anthem Blue Cross, has told individual policy holders their premiums may jump up as much as 39%. John Dimsdale reports that Anthem's rate increase has become part of the health care debate in Washington. More»

Eurozone's ills spread to neighbors

Investors pushed the euro up from recent lows, but for many other currencies some of the damage may have already been done. Alisa Roth reports. More»
Debating insurers' antitrust exemption

Insurance companies are exempt from antitrust laws. But Congress has been trying to change that for years, without success. Nancy Marshall Genzer reports. More»

Marketplace Scratch Pad

The Wolves and the Sheep

I read an article in the New York Times which points out the difficult task the SEC faces in trying to stay ahead of Wall Street. It reads like David vs Goliath. Or an Aesop’s Fable.

Continue reading The Wolves and the Sheep

Feb 9, 2010 2:37 PM PT — Scott Jagow
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A gift horse for health reform?

Just when you thought health care reform was dead in Congress, along comes Anthem Blue Cross. The insurance company and its parent, Wellpoint, are planning to raise rates as much as 39% for California customers.

Continue reading A gift horse for health reform?

Feb 9, 2010 11:50 AM PT — Scott Jagow
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Flying cheap, tired and untrained

If you’ve ever flown a “puddle-jumper,” you might want to catch the Frontline documentary, Flying Cheap, tonight on PBS. Correspondent Miles O’Brien, a pilot himself, looks at the cheap ways and frightening lack of experience at some regional airlines.

Continue reading Flying cheap, tired and untrained

Feb 9, 2010 9:31 AM PT — Scott Jagow
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Morning Reading

Good morning. A few things to start the day: Maybe the US needs to lose its AAA credit rating, California needs to learn that Social Security numbers are private, and some chuckles from stand-up economist-comedians.

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Feb 9, 2010 5:55 AM PT — Scott Jagow
3 Comments

Mad banker scientists

The R&D departments at the big banks are still experimenting in their laboratories. The latest idea for financial “innovation” comes from Citigroup. It is working on the first derivatives that would pay out in the event of another financial crisis.

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Feb 8, 2010 2:29 PM PT — Scott Jagow
2 Comments

The economy is so bad...

Perhaps we can contribute to the growing collection of one-liners about the economy. You don’t even need to use your imagination. I’ve come up with a couple “the economy is so bad” jokes just from today’s news.

Continue reading The economy is so bad...