Detail Overview Princeton University 2013 - Chartered in 1746 as the College of New Jersey — the name by which it was known for 150 years — Princeton University was British North America’s fourth college. Located in Elizabeth for one year and then in Newark for nine, the College of New Jersey moved to Princeton in 1756. It was housed in Nassau Hall, which was newly built on land donated by Nathaniel FitzRandolph (see A Princeton Timeline). Nassau Hall contained the entire College for nearly half a century. In 1896, when expanded program offerings brought the College university status, the College of New Jersey was officially renamed Princeton University in honor of its host community of Princeton. Four years later, in 1900, the Graduate School was established.

Fully coeducational since 1969, Princeton for the past academic year (2011-12) enrolled 7,757 students — 5,173 undergraduates (730 of whom are New Jersey residents, representing almost every county in the state) and 2,584 graduate students (degree candidates only). The ratio of undergraduate students to faculty members (in full-time equivalents) is 6 to 1.

The University provides its students with academic, extracurricular and other resources — in a residential community committed to diversity in its student body, faculty and staff — that prepare them for positions of leadership and lives of service in many fields of human endeavor.

Living up to its unofficial motto, “In the Nation’s Service and in the Service of All Nations,” Princeton University has educated thousands of individuals who have dedicated their lives to public service, including two U.S. presidents (Woodrow Wilson and James Madison); hundreds of U.S. and state legislators (the House of Representatives, for example, has housed a Princeton alumnus every year since it first met in 1789); and 44 governors, including 11 New Jersey governors.

Each year, more than 2,500 members of the student body, faculty, staff and local alumni volunteer in community service projects throughout the region. Reflecting this public service spirit, the University as an institution supports many service initiatives (see Service and Outreach). Princeton’s Office of Sustainability helps ensure progress in areas where the University has been a leader, such as energy conservation (see Sustainability).

As a research university, Princeton seeks to achieve the highest levels of distinction in the discovery and transmission of knowledge and understanding. At the same time, Princeton is distinctive among research universities in its commitment to undergraduate teaching. Interdisciplinary work is vital to Princeton and is reflected in a full spectrum of academic programs, including such initiatives as the Lewis Center for the Arts, the Center for African American Studies and the Princeton Neuroscience Institute.

Princeton’s main campus in Princeton Borough and Princeton Township consists of approximately 9 million square feet of space in more than 180 buildings on 500 acres. Including Springdale Golf Course, Lake Carnegie and roads for which the University owns the right-of-way, Princeton owns 759 acres in the township and has 214 acres in the borough.

The University, with approximately 5,974 benefits-eligible employees, is one of the region’s largest private employers. It plays a major role in the educational, cultural and economic life of the area by bringing 784,000 visitors and approximately $2 billion in economic activity to the region.

Source : http://www.princeton.edu

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It must be quite frustrating to be HHS Secretary Shecantbeserious - she's almost a "reverse Midas." That is, pretty much everything she and her minions touch become massive fails.

Latest case in point:

"Medicare paid billions in taxpayer dollars to nursing homes nationwide that were not meeting basic requirements to look after their residents ... One out of every three times patients wound up in nursing homes ... they landed in facilities that failed to follow basic care requirements laid out by [Ms Shecanthbeserious]"

This is basic, day-one stuff, not advanced health care metrics. And yet we expect these ... people ... to run our entire health care system with any more competence?

Riiiight.

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Recently a former client whom I represented in an auto accident years ago came to me with a problem. She politely asked me if I could help her since this was not a "personal injury" case.

She worked years ago for a local institution and was eligible for a small pension. When she turned the correct age she inquired as to when she could expect to receive her benefits. She was told they had no record of her being eligible, and promised to get back to her.

Weeks went by, and she heard nothing so she inquired again. She was told they were "still looking into it" or words to that effect. Weeks turned into months, so she called me. I told her I would look into it and wrote a nice letter to the institution on her behalf. No response.

So I wrote letter no 2. Finally heard from a representative. After a few weeks, the person acknowledged that she was entitled to her benefits, with interest, and offered an amount, which was accepted.

Almost three months passed and still no payment. Yet another letter was sent and ignored, so I finally initiated the nuclear option: I drafted and sent a copy of a lawsuit and explained that I would be filing it if there was no payment in full within 7 days.

Lo and behold, the check arrived--but not without the threat of a lawsuit, and after the passage of over one year.
I have no earthly idea why it took those efforts to get a large institution do what it was obligated to do. After 25 years in this business, I've stopped trying to figure out why corporations or people do what they do. But it ticks me off that people simply trying to enforce their rights are often labelled as "sue happy" and "greedy" and nonsense like that. This nice person only came to me after getting nowhere by simply inquiring on her own and trusting that people would do the right thing. And it gives me a sense of pride to know that we can accomplish a result with some persistence and simple steps to get people to do the right thing.

But it reminded me yet again of the frequent imbalance of power in situations like this. There is a real movement afoot to chip away at our legal rights brick by brick. Most of this stuff flies under radar, and the public is largely ignorant of all of it...until it affects them. But at the end of the day, when all "nice" or informal efforts at resolving disputes fail, the lawsuit is the great equalizer. It allows the little guy or gal with little to no resources to take on someone or some entity much larger.

To be sure, there are some really stupid and frivolous lawsuits out there, and they deserve all the criticism they get. But just remember: almost every lawsuit "reform" measure proposed by astroturf  "concerned citizens groups" is seeking limits or legal shelter on even legitimate wrongs and disputes.

You know--the old saying about the baby and the bathwater. Something to think about the next time you hear some politician or group clammering for (more) legal "reforms."    

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Jaan Siderov hosts this week's compendium (hey, I thought we were the only folks who used that term!) of wonky healthcare-related posts. As usual, he does it with elan and good humor (not to mention modest acumen).

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Detail Overview University of Chicago 2013 - The University of Chicago is one of the best research universities in the United States, consistently ranked among the world's top institutions in a number of international league tables.

The University of Chicago Booth School of Business is consistently ranked as one of the top 10 business schools in the country.

The University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

Detail Overview University of Chicago 2013 :

• Ranked 9th nationally in the US News National Universities Rankings 2011.
• University of Chicago is ranked 8th in the QS World University Rankings 2010. It is also placed in the world top 10 for: Social Sciences (7th), and Arts & Humanities (9th).
•  University of Chicago is ranked 9th globally and 8th in North & Latin America (Academic Ranking of World Universities 2010).
• Ranked 13th in the Washington Monthly's 2009 national university college rankings.
• Ranked 43rd internationally in the Webometrics ranking of world universities, July 2010.
• The University of Chicago is ranked as the top graduate school for Economics in the nation by US News and World Report. It shares this ranking with MIT, Harvard and Princeton (2009).
• The Princeton Review ranked the University of Chicago as offering the best overall academic undergraduate experience in the 2007 ''Best 361 Colleges'' rankings.

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Detail Overview Harvard University 2013 - Harvard University is devoted to excellence in teaching, learning, and research, and to developing leaders in many disciplines who make a difference globally. Harvard faculty are engaged with teaching and research to push the boundaries of human knowledge. For students who are excited to investigate the biggest issues of the 21st century, Harvard offers an unparalleled student experience and a generous financial aid program, with over $160 million awarded to more than 60% of our undergraduate students. The University has twelve degree-granting Schools in addition to the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, offering a truly global education.
Established in 1636, Harvard is the oldest institution of higher education in the United States. The University, which is based in Cambridge and Boston, Massachusetts, has an enrollment of over 20,000
degree candidates, including undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. Harvard has more than 360,000 alumni around the world.

Harvard Schools

Harvard University has 12 degree-granting schools in addition to the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. The University has grown from nine students with a single master to an enrollment of more than 20,000 degree candidates including undergraduate, graduate, and professional students.

• Harvard Business School
• Division of Continuing Education
• Faculty of Arts & Sciences
• Graduate School of Design
• Harvard Graduate School of Education
• Harvard Kennedy School
• Harvard Law School
• Harvard School of Public Health
• Harvard College
• Harvard School of Dental Medicine
• Harvard Divinity School
• School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
• Graduate School of Arts & Sciences
• Harvard Medical School
• Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study

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� As we've long noted (most recently here), The ObamaTax has proven quite lethal to the job market. As if more evidence was needed, we offer this little tidbit:

"Henderson Properties in Charlotte, has 48 employees and seven job openings. But he�s considering a hiring freeze ... if he hires two more employees, he�ll reach the 50-employee threshold that [triggers the ObamaTax Employer Mandate]"

Mr H best be thinking outside that box, as well: too many part-timers and he's screwed, too.

� The science is settled! You and your fellow passengers can now breathe easier (or maybe not):

"A three-thousand word treatise published by The New Zealand Medical Journal on Friday has given anxious flyers prone to bouts of flatus good cause to breathe easy again, after a highly-scientific conducted by actual scientists produced empirical evidence supporting those in favour of farting on planes"

Ah, fresh air!

� And because it's making its way - rapidly - across the 'net, here's more proof that ObamaTax advocates remain clueless:

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Review Stanford University - The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is an American private research university located in Stanford, California on an 8,180-acre (3,310 ha) campus near Palo Alto.

Since 1952, quite fifty four Stanford school, staff, and alumni have won the laurels, as well as nineteen current school members, and Stanford has the most important variety of Alan Turing award winners (dubbed the "Nobel Prize of pc Science") for one establishment.

Stanford is that the school of thirty living billionaires,
seventeenastronauts, and one amongst the leading producers of members of the us Congress. school and alumni have basedseveral distinguished corporations as well as Google, Hewlett-Packard, Nike, Sun Microsystems, and Yahoo!, and corporations based by Stanford alumni generate quite $2.7 trillion in annual revenue, like the tenth largest economy within the world. Stanford is additionally home to the initial papers of theologiser King Jnr.

The university is organized into seven faculties, as well as educational faculties of Humanities and Sciences and Earth Sciences yet as skilled faculties of Business, Education, Engineering, Law, and drugs. Stanford features as student body of roughly seven,000 college boy and eight,900 graduate students. Stanford could be a initiation member of the Association of yankee Universities.

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Sometimes I despair of the modern media. Case in point, Matthew Yglesias and his inane take on a recent Time article on the cost of health care. As co-blogger Nate pointed out, the magazine got almost everything wrong. But that doesn't stop the illustrious Mr Yglesias from piling on, only adding to the torrent of misinformation.

To wit:

"Time�s long investigation of American health care prices missed one thing: We pay our doctors way too much."

Really, Matt? That's what Brill missed?

First, though, it's only fair to point out that Mr Y acknowledges one rather obvious elephant in the room, one that the press routinely ignores:

"[T]he best deal of all goes to the biggest insurer around: the federal government"

This simple statement goes a long way towards explaining how programs like Medicare and Medicaid distort the cost of health care for the rest of us.

Even a blind squirrel...

Unfortunately, that's the  last time he makes sense. Consider this example of his craft:

"America has the highest-paid general practitioners in the world. And our specialists make more than specialists in every other country except the Netherlands."

So. What?

Hey Matt, ever hear of tort law? Malpractice insurance? RAC's?

In fact, our own Kelley Beloff destroyed this myth almost three years ago:

"Government has mandated that all physicians implement an Electronic Medical Records system by 2014 or face punishments ... Government has mandated that all physicians must have on staff a certified coder by 2012 or face punishment ... Any efficient medical office needs three staff members to every provider."

And the list goes on. Hey Matt, who do you think pays for all that?

But this barely hidden gem is the real prize of his vapid little excercise:

"If doctors earned less money, fewer people would want to be doctors"

Wow, Matt, that's some brilliant, almost Krugmanesque economic and financial insight there. Good thing we have a glut of practitioners to handle the influx of all those newly insured folks thanks to The ObamaTax.

Wait, what?

[Hat Tip: FoIB Holly R]

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How Important Computer Programming Education - Only 2% of students study computer programming. If we triple that, we'd close the gap between students and jobs.

Sixth graders enjoyed programming and making the turtle move on screen during IGNITE's programming class at South Shore K-8 School.
We all know the U.S. is falling behind China and India in math and science, and we worry whether this will hurt our future. But the hundreds of millions of dollars spent on fixing this problem ignore the fastest-growing sector of innovation and job growth: computer science.

In 41 states, computer science doesn't even count toward high school graduation requirements. Although programming jobs are growing at double the pace of other jobs, computer programming is declining in our

education system. This is a skill that can be taught as early as fifth grade, yet it's not even offered in 90% of U.S. schools. Why isn't today's curriculum preparing our students for the 21st century?

Job readiness

President Obama said in his State of the Union Address, "To grow our middle class, our citizens must have access to the education and training that today's jobs require."

The first step in solving a problem is to recognize it needs to be solved. Today, only 2% of students study computer programming. If we triple that to 6%, we'd close the gap between students and jobs, driving $500 billion in economic value to our country. This is a giant opportunity, impacting every industry (67% of these jobs are outside the tech sector).

Starting today, dozens of leaders from all walks of life will say in a united voice that more students need to learn computer programming.

The list includes business leaders such as Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Sheryl Sandberg and Richard Branson; politicians such as Al Gore and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg; educators such as the presidents or deans of Stanford, Harvard, University of Washington, and the superintendent of Los Angeles Unified Schools; celebrities such as Bono, Ashton Kutcher and will.i.am; athletes such as Chris Bosh; and even leading scientists, doctors and astronauts.

Consider the words of Larry Corey, president of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center: "Knowledge of computer programming is almost as important as knowledge of anatomy when it comes to medical research or clinical care."

These leaders endorse an idea — that whether you want to become a doctor, an astronaut, or a rock star, you should learn basic computer programming. Children who learn to code learn creative empowerment and an ability to break down problems. It provides an indispensable foundation for the 21st century.

Anyone can learn

Most adults can't wrap their heads around this because most of us never learned this stuff, either. We're scared of it. We think it's only for geniuses (typically portrayed as nerdy white boys) sitting in a dark basement coding all night. Most moms don't know that 10-year-old girls are learning to code in low-income public schools, but only in a few states. Most dads don't know that an 8-year-old can learn to code via educational games on the iPad,iPhone or xBox. And most accountants, doctors and bankers don't know that when they enter a formula into a spreadsheet, they're writing a computer program.

A motivated student who knows basic algebra needs only a few weeks to learn how to build a smartphone app or game — and could even earn her allowance from it. But the vast majority of us have absolutely no idea how to do this ourselves nor how to expose our kids to it.

To remove this shroud, today Code.org has released a short film, starring Gates, Zuckerberg, will.i.am, Bosh, and the founders of Twitter, Dropbox, Zappos, and others, to motivate students to learn to code. The short film is directed by Lesley Chilcott, producer for An Inconvenient Truth and Waiting for 'Superman.' The message of the film is simple: Coding is easier than you might think and more fun than you might think. It can change your life and help you change the world. Check it out at www.Code.org.

If you want to help solve this problem, share this film with your children, your colleagues and your friends. Surveys show that most students who watch this film are inspired to learn. We can help our nation's children find free courses on the Web, free iPad apps and nearby summer camps and after-school programs that teach this essential skill. But first, we need them to know that it's important to their future. That's where you can help.

Hadi Partovi is the founder of Code.org.

In addition to its own editorials, USA TODAY publishes diverse opinions from outside writers, including our Board of Contributors.

Source: http://www.theusalinks.com/

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2013 Postgraduate Research Scholarships at Edith Cowan University - International Postgraduate Research Scholarships (IPRS) at Edith Cowan University are offered for a doctoral degree (PhD) or master by research. International students can apply for this scholarship.

About Scholarship: International Postgraduate Research Scholarships (IPRS) at Edith Cowan University are restricted only to those applicants wishing to commence their studies in either a Doctoral degree (PhD) or Master by research. The IPRS scheme is both prestigious and highly competitive. IPRS scholarships are offered each year for tenure at Edith Cowan University.

The scholarships provide the recipient with tuition fees and health care cover for the duration of their research degree. In addition, each successful IPRS recipient will be offered an ECU International Stipend (ECUIS) to meet living costs for the same period. Successful applicants typically have first class honours or have completed a Master degree by research with additional research output such as research publications and/or successful research grant applications and research experience.

Study                  : Scholarships are provided for doctoral degree (PhD) or master by research offered by 

                            the university.

Course Level       : PhD or Master by research

Scholarship By  : Edith Cowan University

Location              : Australia

Duration: -1-2 years for a Master by research dependant on course length

 - Up to 3 years for a Doctor of Philosophy (PHD)

Value                          : Total offer is of $26,000 per year (tax free) stipend/living allowance plus tuition fees 

                                    and overseas health cover paid.

Eligibility                    :

Course Requirements :

 - Applicants should have completed at least four years of tertiary education study at a high level of

   achievement for example:

 - Four year degree (e.g. Engineering or Law)

 - Three year degree and one of the following:

 - Honours year

 - One year of a higher degree

 - One year of a Masters preliminary or other qualifying programme

 - Postgraduate diploma

The awardees should also have:

 - Completed a Bachelor Degree with First Class Honours, or be regarded by the ECU as having an 

    equivalent level of attainment

 - Must have their course application for study in the PhD or Master by research programme approved by

    ECU before being considered for an offer of a scholarship

 - Where an offer of a place in the course is conditional, an applicant is normally not eligible for scholarship

    consideration until that condition has been met.

 - The intention to undertake study in a course and research topic within one of the University’s areas of 

    research activity

 - Please note:

 - Not all degree combinations will be considered by the University to be equivalent to an Australian 

   First Class Honours degree

- A student with a two-year Masters degree, but no Bachelors degree, may be considered with other  

  masters graduates if the University regards this as equivalent

Exclusions - To be eligible Applicants must not have previously gained or currently hold any of the following:

 - Research doctorate, which is deemed the equivalent of an Australian research doctorate degree

 - Master by research degree if seeking admission to Master by research degree

 - Another substantial scholarship provided by ECU (e.g., faculty, school or research centre scholarship) 

   or an external provider

Other Exclusions/Limitations

 - Applicants enrolled in, or intending to enroll in, the Doctor of Occupational and Environmental Safety and

   Health (L23) are ineligible to apply for a Postgraduate Research Scholarship

 - Applicants undertaking the four-year Doctor of Philosophy (Psychology) (U93) are only eligible to apply 

   for a postgraduate research scholarship after the completion of the first year of the course. 

   A scholarship will ONLY cover the three (3) years of full-time research

- Applicants undertaking the four-year Doctor of Psychology by research (T29) are eligible to apply for a

   postgraduate research scholarship although the duration of the scholarship would ONLY cover three

   years

- Additional Eligibility requirements for International Students

- Applicants must:-meet international student visa requirements as specified by the Department of

  Immigration and Citizenship, including the requirement to purchase and maintain a standard Overseas

  Student Health Cover policy approved by the Department of Health and Ageing

- Meet all University admission requirements, including English proficiency, and be made an unconditional 

  offer of a place in a higher degree by research (either a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or Master by research)

- Not currently be receiving a scholarship provided by the Australian Agency for International 

  Development (AusAID) or have completed an AusAID scholarship within the last two years

Scholarship Open fo : International students can apply

Selection criteria          : Selection for a postgraduate research scholarship is based on academic merit and 

                                     research capability within the University’s research strengths.

Notification                  : Application will be assessed within four (4) weeks from the closing date and you 

                                    will be advised of the outcome via email as soon as possible afterwards.

Apply                          : By post and electronically

Deadline                      : 31st August 2013

Further Information      : http://intranet.ecu.edu.au

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How to Find Fast Loans For Students - How to get an 'Education loan' The cost of education is getting higher day and day. To solve this problem, banks provide 'Education Loans' to all deserving students so that further studies become a good learning experience. Getting an education loan granted can be quite easy and one can apply online also for it.
To take an education loan from a bank, a student should take the following steps:

- Step 1: Take the student loan application form from the bank and fill it correctly. 

- Step 2: Have a personal discussion with the bank authorities. 

- Step 3: Provide correct supporting documents to the bank with your signatures on them. 

- Step 4: Get a guarantor.

- Step 5: Student signature on Promissory Note. 

- Step 6: Sanctioning of the loan or disbursal of the loan to the student.

All the above six steps have to be followed by the applicant. Now let us discuss each step:

Step 1: Loan Application form from the bank

Just as for all the other kinds of loans, for an education loan also the banks provide an application form to the applicant which has to be filled correctly. The bank will ask for personal details and all information related to the course for which one is applying. Make sure the information is accurate and can be easily verified. This information will help the bank to process your application faster.

Step 2: Personal Discussion with the bank authorities.

Once the applicant has filled the form, the next step is the discussion with the bank authorities. In this stage, the applicant is asked about his/her academic and extra-curricular performance. At this stage, it is very important to be lucid and clear about one's selection of the course and its potential of generating income in the future.

Step 3: Provide correct supporting documents to the bank with your signatures on them

In case of education loans, the documents related to admissions are mandatory even before the bank considers the loan application. The bank will verify on every step of the enrollment of the student in the concerned institute in which he/she is studying. One may also require collateral
security such as papers related to any property to be mortgaged if the loan amount is above 4 lakhs (INR).

Step 4: Get a guarantor.

For an education loan, a guarantor is mandatory.To get a loan approved there should be a person who takes the responsibility for the repayment of the loan in case of any mishap. The guarantor could be the applicant's parents or guardians. The bank will run a thorough check on the guarantor's credit history before sanctioning the loan. After the completion of the process, the loan may be sanctioned or denied.

Step 5: Student signature on Promissory Note

While the parents/guardians are guarantors, the student is the actual borrower of the loan. Once the loan is
sanctioned, the student has to sign a promissory note to the bank.

Step 6: Sanction of the loan or disbursal of the loan to the student

Once the paper work formalities have been completed, the bank will surely disburse the loan into your account or deposit the fee directly into the account of the concerned college/institute.
All the above 6 steps will surely help you to understand the process of education loan. Once the loan has been approved you may contact the Admission Times for the further process.

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As promised, the gates to the ObamaTax High Risk Health Insurance Pool are quickly closing.

Via email from Medical Mutual:

"[HHS Secretary Shecantbeserious] directed us to suspend enrollment for new applicants into the Ohio High Risk Pool as of the end of the day March 2, 2013 ... We will accept applications until Saturday, March 2."

Now, this (ostensibly) doesn't affect folks already on the plan, which is slated to sunset at the end of this year, when the power of the fully functioning ObamaTax goes into effect.

Oh, goody.

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If you like the Medicare Advantage plan you have . . . get over it. The rest of us were told if we liked our plan we could keep it but that isn't working out very well.

For those who have not been playing along, Obamacare imposes very strict requirements on carriers that sell fully insured health insurance plans. Most of the press has discussed the merits and negatives of the imposed MLR (medical loss ratio) and the impact it has had so far and will have going forward on pricing of health insurance plans.

Until now, it was felt the MLR only applied to individual major medical plans for those under age 65 and employer group health insurance plans.

Apparently we were mistaken.

The MLR rules that require carriers to spend at least 85% of premium dollars on medical claims will also apply to Medicare Advantage plans (MAPD).

The CMS (Medicare) propaganda line is as follows.

Similar MLR requirements are already benefitting consumers in the private health insurance market, says the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which has sent the proposed rule to the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA).
�We are working to ensure that people with Medicare have affordable access to health and drug plans, while making certain that plans are providing value to Medicare and taxpayers,� said Jonathan Blum, acting principal deputy administrator at the CMS and director of the agency�s Center for Medicare.

PharmaTimes

It's too early to tell how Medicare Advantage plans will be impacted, but here is what we have seen in the under age 65 major medical market.

Premiums have continued to rise, not fall, and in most cases the new business rates and renewal rates are HIGHER than they would have been without Obamacare.

Several carriers have already left the market while others are indicating they will no longer offer health insurance after 2013.

Every carrier has laid off employees, which leads to longer hold times when policyholders call customer services, and delays in issuing policies.

In addition to higher premiums, carriers are reducing benefits on most plans.

If you think your Medicare Advantage plan is immune to this kind of action you are wrong.

The proposed new rule will require Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug plans to meet a minimum MLR from the start of next year. �Plans must spend at least 85% of revenue on clinical services, prescription drugs, quality improvements, and or/direct benefits to beneficiaries in the form of reduced Medicare premiums. Enrolled seniors and individuals with disabilities will get more value and better benefits as plans spend more on health care,� says CMS.

The MLR rules will impact not only Medicare Advantage plans, but drug plans as well.

Higher premiums. Higher copay's. Fewer drugs covered under the formulary.

How is paying higher premiums and more for services considered "more value"?

Medicare supplement plans are apparently not included in these cuts.

Why is it the folks in DC that feel empowered to say anything and yet their pants never seem to catch on fire.

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Oh yeah, now I remember.  The Washington Examiner has the story:

�A health insurance company headed by an old friend from when President Obama was an Illinois state senator got a $340 million federal loan to establish Obamacare co-ops in New York, New Jersey and Oregon despite having a chronic record of consumer and regulatory complaints.. . . The New York-based Freelancers Insurance Company has been rated the "worst" insurer for two straight years by state regulators�

[Hat Tip: InstaPundit]

Please read the whole thing.  But - first - I would check my supply of Milk of Magnesia.  I think we're all beyond surprise and shock when stuff like this comes to light, but plain old nausea is harder to stifle.

You can read even more here where InsureBlog commented on the Freelancers' CEO giggling over her big score a couple months ago:

�It�s like venture capital for health care,� said Sara Horowitz, the group�s executive director." 

Just what we need � a federal snowstorm of high-stakes venture-capital wagers, based on political calculations, not business calculations. Another wager like Solyndra. 

Can I be the only one who is beginning to think that ACA functions best when used as a cover for laundering & distributing political pork?

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As we've long noted, Long Term Care insurance rates have been headed ever higher. While John Hancock may have led the charge, other carriers haven't been lagging, and now MassMutual is set to raise new business rates in a few days. From email:

"Effective March 1, Illinois, Ohio, Puerto Rico and Vermont will be added to the list of jurisdictions approved for the SignatureCare� 500 long-term care insurance (LTCi) updated rates"

There doesn't seem to be a specific percentage available at this time. We'll update this post if that changes.

Oh, the message?

If you're thinking about buying Long tern Care insurance, don't wait too* long to make up your mind. It'll cost ya.

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Accredited Online Education Programs - Cater to the needs of thousands of students. As a rule one should always look for accredited online educational programs. Unaccredited degrees might be fraudulent.  They also imply that the school does not have the required quality standards in terms of faculty and curriculum. These not only reflect badly on your resume but can also lead to complex problems in future. Having accredited degree ensures that it will be recognized by future employers. You will also be able to avoid the risk of being rejected while applying for admission to some other school.
 Beginners, hoping to create a career in education can start by opting for the following programs.

Alternative Certificates/ Post-Baccalaureate Program
Designed primarily for those who want to join the teaching industry but have an undergraduate degree in a
field other than education. They are basically of short duration and are intense in nature. Many universities have included these in their program offerings, although they can also be acquired through local school boards as well. They focus more on the practical rather than theoretical aspects of education. Through this program they study the undergraduate level courses of education but get a Masters degree instead of a certificate. Currently the above two programs are being used interchangeably.
For those aspiring to have an advanced degree, options include the following:

Bachelors in Education
Normally take four years to complete and offer students the choice of selecting a major of their interest like curriculum development, child education, learning psychology etc. It opens up entry level positions at schools.

Masters in Education
It is pursued after completing the undergraduate degree. This program focuses on building up the intellectual and leadership potential of the students.

Educational Specialist Programs
This one year program is designed specifically for those who have completed their Masters degree in education and want to go on to pursue a doctoral degree.  It can help smooth their transition into doctoral studies. On its own this program can help secure staff and administrative positions at public and private colleges.

Doctoral Programs in Education
These are quite time consuming and are suitable for candidates wishing to pursue a career in policy development and research.

Online programs, so long as these are accredited, guarantee a cost efficient, effective and convenient educational experience, no matter which program or school is picked.

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The courses that are offered by universities in United States and that are popular among International Students.

If you're currently pondering on subject to chose as your major or even if you're just curious about what tomorrow's global job applicants are majoring in today, here's a top 10 list of course options in USA for you.

Business Administration and Management

This major offers training in accounting, finance, marketing, economics, human resources, and decision-making. You'll learn to budget, organize, plan, hire, direct, control, and manage an organization. You'll find more chances for career growth if you go on to earn your MBA.

Psychology

Psychology is the study of the way humans and animals interact and respond to their environment. In essence, it's the study of behaviour and the thoughts behind it. Just don't expect that four years of college will get you a private practice where people lie on a couch and tell you their troubles for $95/hour. You'll need an extra five to seven years of schooling and a PhD before that will happen.

Elementary education

From tracing a little hand on coloured paper to help in making cookies and to taking a field trip to the local science center with your fourth-graders to learn about static electricity, you are excited about working in a grade school and shaping young minds before they develop the attitude. Some college programmes offer an area of specialization, such as early childhood, language arts, or mathematics.

Biology

Biology majors focus on the living world--that's everything from single-cell bacteria to whales. You may take classes in which you learn about calculus, microbiology, cell biology, genetics, evolution, physics, and organic chemistry. In addition to being a stepping-stone for medical school, biology major can lead to a job in the field such as genetics, biotechnology, or medical research. Veterinarians, optometrists, ecologists, biochemists, and environmentalists all may have majored in biology.

Nursing

Generally, nurses help people meet basic health needs, adapt to physical changes, recover from illness, and die with dignity. They are employed in clinics, hospitals, schools, corporations, the military, and in private practice. We need nurses now more that ever and job prospects in this field are bright. If you major in nursing, you'll take traditional science and liberal arts courses as a first-year student and probably begin clinical rotations at hospitals and other health care facilities during the second semester of your sophomore year.

Education

Although much of your coursework will be general education material, most laces require you to choose a specific grade level you'd like to teach. Choices usually include some variation of early childhood education (Preschool), primary education (kinder-garden through twelfth grade). Some education majors choose to specialize in special education. Your student teaching experience, in which you spend a semester or more in gaining practical experience in a classroom, will be in the field of your choice.

English

You'll find English majors in countless types of jobs. Many of them are communications-based careers as you'd expect-author, reporter, journalist, editor, radio broadcaster, advertising and public relations executives--but plenty of them aren't that obvious. English majors also become teachers, lawyers (after law school, of course), film directors, politicians, actors, you name it. English majors become well-rounded, well-read individuals who have studies life in words across the globe.

Communications

In this programme, students learn how certain messages influence individual and group behaviour. You'll spend a significant amount of time studying different kinds of speaking and writing and strategies people use to make their points. You'll take a look at verbal and nonverbal messages, audience reaction, and the varied effects of different communication environments. Communication theory will play a part too, as you delve into speeches, revolutionary political campaigns, radical social movements, and the trends in news reporting. With your degree, you may choose to pursue a career in business, public relations, advertising, human resources, government, education, media, or social services.

Computer Science

Your friends are always coming to you for help when they experience computer problems, and you know it's high time you got paid for your efforts. Solution: obtain a degree in Computer Science. In this programme, you'll focus on how computer technology can be applied to any number of fields.

Included will be classes on how to develop business applications, perform system analysis, and the process of developing software (from designing to programming to testing). Programmes may also include instruction in robotics, natural language recognition programmes, artificial intelligence, programming languages and numerical analysis. The knowledge you gain from a Computer Science major is absolutely applicable to the real world, and to real jobs within it.

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