Susan Smith-Harmon
New health law could push individual medical claim costs up
Wednesday, 27 March 2013 03:38 Published in Health & Fitness
A new report says the national health law will push up the cost of medical claims in both Missouri and Illinois.
The study by the Society of Actuaries says the amount paid by insurers who sell policies to individuals in Illinois will rise more than 50 percent by 2017. The jump is even greater in Missouri, where the cost of medical claims could grow by almost 60 percent.
The report says costs will rise largely because of spending on sicker people and other high-cost groups who will gain coverage under the Affordable Care Act. The study did not make similar estimates for Employer-sponsored plans.
The White House disputes the study's claims because they didn't consider other cost-saving aspects of the new law.
The study by the Society of Actuaries says the amount paid by insurers who sell policies to individuals in Illinois will rise more than 50 percent by 2017. The jump is even greater in Missouri, where the cost of medical claims could grow by almost 60 percent.
The report says costs will rise largely because of spending on sicker people and other high-cost groups who will gain coverage under the Affordable Care Act. The study did not make similar estimates for Employer-sponsored plans.
The White House disputes the study's claims because they didn't consider other cost-saving aspects of the new law.
BREAKING: North Korea says it will cut key military hotline
Wednesday, 27 March 2013 02:49 Published in National News
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) - North Korea says it's cutting off a key military hotline with South Korea that allows cross border travel to a jointly run industrial complex in the North.
The move was announced in a statement sent Wednesday to South Korea from North Korea's chief delegate to inter-Korean military talks.
North Korea recently cut a Red Cross hotline between the Koreas, but there's still a hotline linking aviation authorities in both Koreas.
The hotline mentioned Wednesday is important because the Koreas use it to communicate as hundreds of workers travel back and forth to the Kaesong industrial complex. Officials say more than 900 South Korean workers were in Kaesong on Wednesday.
North Korea is angry over routine U.S.-South Korean drills and recent U.N. sanctions punishing it for its Feb. 12 nuclear test.
The move was announced in a statement sent Wednesday to South Korea from North Korea's chief delegate to inter-Korean military talks.
North Korea recently cut a Red Cross hotline between the Koreas, but there's still a hotline linking aviation authorities in both Koreas.
The hotline mentioned Wednesday is important because the Koreas use it to communicate as hundreds of workers travel back and forth to the Kaesong industrial complex. Officials say more than 900 South Korean workers were in Kaesong on Wednesday.
North Korea is angry over routine U.S.-South Korean drills and recent U.N. sanctions punishing it for its Feb. 12 nuclear test.
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Former city treasurer's employee guilty of theft, fraud charges
Wednesday, 27 March 2013 02:42 Published in Local News
A former St. Louis treasury employee could spend 20 years in prison for stealing nearly a quarter-million dollars from a failed charter school and collecting $175,000 in salary for a phantom job.
Tuesday, a federal jury convicted 71 year old Fred Robinson of all charges, including wire fraud and federal program theft.
Robinson's crimes were discovered during a federal investigation of former city treasurer Larry Williams' office. Williams hasn't been charged with any crimes.
Robinson will be sentenced in July.
His attorneys say he will appeal.
Tuesday, a federal jury convicted 71 year old Fred Robinson of all charges, including wire fraud and federal program theft.
Robinson's crimes were discovered during a federal investigation of former city treasurer Larry Williams' office. Williams hasn't been charged with any crimes.
Robinson will be sentenced in July.
His attorneys say he will appeal.
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