NEW BEDFORD – Mayor Jon Mitchell presented a city budget to the council Wednesday that topped half a billion dollars.
The totals: $513,169,319.
And by far the largest portion of that is the general fund, which comes in at $458,910,392.
It’s the general fund that includes schools, public safety, and city government.
It also includes health insurance, pensions, mandatory assessments and debt services.
Mitchell was optimistic about the city’s financial future while cautioning that new budget tactics are needed.
He said it’s time to stop “ignoring the elephant in the room” which is rising healthcare and pension costs.
“Over many…
health insurance florida
How To Decide Which Bills To Put on Autopay
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Manually paying bills can be a drag, which might prompt you to try autopay. But which bills should you choose to automatically deduct payments from your bank account?
See: 5 Brand-New Items at Dollar Tree That Cost Way More at TargetFind Out: How To Build Your Savings From Scratch
“Autopay offers both advantages and disadvantages when it comes to managing your expenses,” said Andrew Latham, certified financial planner and director of content for Supermoney. “Pros include timely payments, convenience, easier budgeting and potential interest savings. However, cons, such as insufficient funds, reduced flexibility, limited control and potential errors should…
What is a Medical Power of Attorney?
One document that we recommend for almost all of our estate planning clients is a Medical Durable Power of Attorney. This document allows you to select the person who will make medical decisions on your behalf, if you are incapacitated or unable to make them yourself.
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A Medical Durable Power of Attorney is an essential document, as no one can predict their incapacity.
This legal document allows you to list medical…
“High performance network” health care insurance plans to leave patients with unexpected medical debt
A Tennessee family faced a potentially catastrophic situation when Joe Smith — a husband and father of four — was diagnosed with a brain aneurysm. Smith, of Chattanooga, had health insurance through his job with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, but the insurance company refused to pay for the surgery necessary to prevent a life-threatening rupture.
“We knew that he kind of had this ticking time bomb in his head,” Stacie Smith, Joe’s wife, said.
The insurer claimed that the neurosurgeon that Smith’s family had chosen was out of the network, and the plan had no coverage for out-of-network…
UC San Diego Health Spotlights SMART Health Insurance Cards
highlights
– First demonstration of the new QR code standard for health insurance cards.
– New model will allow providers to scan QR code, verify its authenticity and ingest the data into their systems automatically.
– Collaborating partners include UC San Diego Health, UC Irvine Health, UCLA Health, UCSF Health, UC Davis Health, UCR Health, Evernorth Health Services, Healthcare Financial Management Association, The Commons Project, VCI Coalition and CARIN Alliance.
SMART Health Insurance Card Initiative
During a digital health symposium this week, Christopher Longhurst, MD, with UC San Diego Health, pulled up a QR code from his phone’s digital wallet,…
Federal dental plan could lead employers to drop coverage: assoc
OTTAWA –
An association of health insurance providers warns it might not be useful for small businesses to provide dental benefits to some employees once the government launches a national dental-care plan.
The Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association has pitched the idea of a federal tax credit for small businesses to convince them not to drop their coverage.
“When governments provide free coverage for any type of benefit, employers will naturally ask if they should continue to pay for those or whether their employees would be as well-served ΓǪ moving to the public plan,” said association president Stephen Frank.…
US health insurance problems affect well-being of HAE patients: Survey | US insurance coverage delays, denials ’cause huge disruptions’ for HAE patients
Insurance issues significantly affected the physical, psychological, and financial health of people with hereditary angioedema (HAE) in the US, according to a recent patient survey.
Patients reported that health insurance delays and coverage denials led to more frequent HAE attacks, urgent care visits, missed work or school, and greater anxiety.
“Barriers to care due to insurance delays are well documented, but data is lacking for HAE patients,” Nonie S. Arora, MD, of the University of Michigan and the study’s corresponding author, said in a press release. “We set out to examine not only the impact those denials and delays had…
Does My Health Insurance Cover International Travel?
Planning an international trip can be downright exhilarating, and that’s especially true if you’re traveling to far-flung locations you’ve never visited before. Whether you plan to relax the day away on a tropical beach, visit archeological sites and ruins you’ve read about in school, or splurge on a culinary-themed getaway for foodies, there’s so much to look forward to – and to prepare for.
But there’s more to trip planning than putting together a packing list and an itinerary. You should also make sure you’re adequately covered for a range of emergencies and health issues that could occur, as well…