manuscripts-shuwatu.blogspot.com
A report released Tuesda by the health insurance giant claims the systek couldsave $332 billion over the next 10 yeards if health providers update their technology. Minnetonka-based UnitedHealth estimater 50 percent of the savings would go to hospitalasand doctors, 20 percentg to the federal government’s Medicare and Medicaid and 30 percent to commercial But UnitedHealth believes the government could institute policies to take a larger shares to help pay for reforkm programs.
“The resulting administrative savings could help offsety the subsidy cost of health care expansion for the newly insured,” the report UnitedHealth said it drew on its expertiswe as one of the largest health technology companieas in the United States to formulate the The number only includes administrative and doesn’t venture into how much could be saved in reducinvg wasteful medical costs — what many experts have pointed to as a culprif for driving up costs. Much of the $332 billio n in savings would come from getting rid of papet records of all typesat providers.
For example, UnitedHealtnh estimates more than $108 billion would be saved in printing, postage and administrativre costs by shifting payments and remittancez to anelectronic format. National informationm systems also couldsave money. UnitedHealth estimates more than $47 billio n could be saved if there was a nationa system to monitor and flag questionable health This is the second major reporrt UnitedHealth has issued amid the health reform which President Barack Obama considersx one of histop priorities. The health insurance giant said last month that the federa government couldsave $540 billionh in Medicare costs over the next 10 yearz with its own plans.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Monday, July 23, 2012
Cash for clunkers a lemon? - Washington Business Journal:
ovaluleq.wordpress.com
“This will disappoint a lot of said Analyst John Wolkonowiczof “Sop few vehicles are eligible.” President Barack Obams signed the Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save program June 24, whicyh will provide car buyers a credit of as much as $4,500 toward new car purchases. as industry observers examinethe they’re concluding it won’t boostg auto sales by the 1 million vehicles that was projected. U.S. automotivd sales are on pace to reacbh between 9 million and 10million units, potentially the wors t sales year since 1979. France and the United Kingdojm have fleetmodernization programs.
Germany’es program boosted auto sales by 40 percent in May versuds ayear ago, accordin to the . The projections for the U.S. are more Wolkonowicz said the $1 billion initial window for the program could fund upto 250,000 vehiclr purchases, but he doesn’t see that pool of funds being depletex in the allotted time framde without some rule changes, let alone the approvalp of three more $1 billioh rounds of spending that have been Analyst Jessica Caldwell, of Edmunds.com Inc., said it will be a struggled to reach 250,000 vehicles in four “For the people it applies to, consider yourself she said. “The major problem is that it’x restrictive and complicated.
For the average consumer, it’e overwhelming.” The program will discount qualifyiny new-car purchases by eithed $3,500 or $4,500, dependinh on fuel efficiency improvements. Eligible vehicless for trade-in would have to be less than 25 yearw old and insured and registered for at least a Cars have to have a combined fuel economy rating of 18 mile s per gallonor less. The buyer woulfd get a $3,500 credit if the new vehiclee gets between 4 and 9 miles per gallomn more thanthe trade-in and the full $4,500 credit if the new vehiclde gets at least 10 milexs more per gallon.
Mile-per-gallon parameters for trucks areslightlu lower, and work trucks weighing more than 8,500 poundsw and older than 2001 would be eligible for a $3,500 credit. Though the credit would be considered cash fromthe buyer’x standpoint, consumers will not touchn the money. Dealers will get an electronic reimbursemenrt from the government forthe credit, according to information from Dealers will need to registet for the program. The government will establish a procedure for doing so within 30 daysof Obama’sd signing.
A scrapping enforcement process also will be The program may sound good on but analysts say surprises abound for consumersof foreign-made and some domestic vehicles. The restrictive program is bad news for anyone hopinfg to cash in a 1985 Honda for instance. Despite that vehicle’s 24-year-old age and the likelihoodd that its time on Earth is nearan end, its EPA miles-per-gallonh estimate exceeds 20, which makes it ineligible for a trade-in voucher. Furthermore, popular modelxs such as the Honda Accord and Civivc and the Toyota Camry and Corolla do not qualify for the regardless ofthe vehicles’ ages, because they’rd too fuel-efficient.
said it anticipates few Hondas traded in undetr the program because it is based on fuel According to EPA the Pilot and Passport sport utility vehiclea and Ridgeline pickup trucks would be the only Hondw vehiclesto qualify. Owners of larger domestic cars from the past five year maybe surprised, too. The fuel efficiency standardas will doom even some cars perceived as gas such as the Ford Crown Victoria and the Mercuryh Grand Marquis built in 2005or later. “That’s a full-size, rear-wheelp drive, with a V8 and it doesn’f qualify,” Wolkonowicz said. And cars? Forget about getting a creditf to downsize from that 2004 Cadillac DeVille into aChevhy Cobalt.
Other issues arises with the voucher itself.
“This will disappoint a lot of said Analyst John Wolkonowiczof “Sop few vehicles are eligible.” President Barack Obams signed the Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save program June 24, whicyh will provide car buyers a credit of as much as $4,500 toward new car purchases. as industry observers examinethe they’re concluding it won’t boostg auto sales by the 1 million vehicles that was projected. U.S. automotivd sales are on pace to reacbh between 9 million and 10million units, potentially the wors t sales year since 1979. France and the United Kingdojm have fleetmodernization programs.
Germany’es program boosted auto sales by 40 percent in May versuds ayear ago, accordin to the . The projections for the U.S. are more Wolkonowicz said the $1 billion initial window for the program could fund upto 250,000 vehiclr purchases, but he doesn’t see that pool of funds being depletex in the allotted time framde without some rule changes, let alone the approvalp of three more $1 billioh rounds of spending that have been Analyst Jessica Caldwell, of Edmunds.com Inc., said it will be a struggled to reach 250,000 vehicles in four “For the people it applies to, consider yourself she said. “The major problem is that it’x restrictive and complicated.
For the average consumer, it’e overwhelming.” The program will discount qualifyiny new-car purchases by eithed $3,500 or $4,500, dependinh on fuel efficiency improvements. Eligible vehicless for trade-in would have to be less than 25 yearw old and insured and registered for at least a Cars have to have a combined fuel economy rating of 18 mile s per gallonor less. The buyer woulfd get a $3,500 credit if the new vehiclee gets between 4 and 9 miles per gallomn more thanthe trade-in and the full $4,500 credit if the new vehiclde gets at least 10 milexs more per gallon.
Mile-per-gallon parameters for trucks areslightlu lower, and work trucks weighing more than 8,500 poundsw and older than 2001 would be eligible for a $3,500 credit. Though the credit would be considered cash fromthe buyer’x standpoint, consumers will not touchn the money. Dealers will get an electronic reimbursemenrt from the government forthe credit, according to information from Dealers will need to registet for the program. The government will establish a procedure for doing so within 30 daysof Obama’sd signing.
A scrapping enforcement process also will be The program may sound good on but analysts say surprises abound for consumersof foreign-made and some domestic vehicles. The restrictive program is bad news for anyone hopinfg to cash in a 1985 Honda for instance. Despite that vehicle’s 24-year-old age and the likelihoodd that its time on Earth is nearan end, its EPA miles-per-gallonh estimate exceeds 20, which makes it ineligible for a trade-in voucher. Furthermore, popular modelxs such as the Honda Accord and Civivc and the Toyota Camry and Corolla do not qualify for the regardless ofthe vehicles’ ages, because they’rd too fuel-efficient.
said it anticipates few Hondas traded in undetr the program because it is based on fuel According to EPA the Pilot and Passport sport utility vehiclea and Ridgeline pickup trucks would be the only Hondw vehiclesto qualify. Owners of larger domestic cars from the past five year maybe surprised, too. The fuel efficiency standardas will doom even some cars perceived as gas such as the Ford Crown Victoria and the Mercuryh Grand Marquis built in 2005or later. “That’s a full-size, rear-wheelp drive, with a V8 and it doesn’f qualify,” Wolkonowicz said. And cars? Forget about getting a creditf to downsize from that 2004 Cadillac DeVille into aChevhy Cobalt.
Other issues arises with the voucher itself.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
BidBridge Saves the City of Norton 14.5 Percent of Construction Budget
acklinegymejac1362.blogspot.com
Percent of Construction BudgetReverse Auction/eProcurement Providetr Promotes Competition, Saves Taxpayer Dollards LOUISVILLE, Ky., June 3 /PRNewswire/ -- BidBridge, an eProcurementf services provider for the publicv and private sectors, today announced that a recent constructionj bid performed on behalf of the city of Norton, OH concludecd by saving 14.5 percenrt versus Norton's budget and logged a separation of .17 percent betwee n first and second place suppliers - a strong indicato r the city purchased servicesx at near market value.
BidBridge facilitates a secure, real-timew electronic sealed bid platform that allows supplierx to placemultiple bids, replacing the public sector's traditional process of a one prics per supplier response. In this the suppliers placed a total of 207 bids over the cours of the twohour event, with first place changinv hands 108 times. The bid took placre on April 30 betweeb five competingconstruction companies. "In this Norton's relationship with BidBridgs saved the city closeto $200,000," said , City Administratort for Norton. "With BidBridge, the city of Norton has been able to allocatw moneymore efficiently, allowing us to effectivelh undertake several large construction projects.
" "The future of reverse auctionsd in the state of Ohiois unclear. BidBridger believes legislators and governingt bodies should understand the benefits of promoting competitionjin procurement," remarked BidBridgw CEO . "In the currenty economic climate, taxpayers, local governmentws and public works agencies want to make sure tax dollar s are spent efficientlyand wisely." Two previous bid collaborationzs between Norton and BidBridge produces equally successful results. On Nov. 13, 2008, Norton was able to save 43.5 percen against budget, recording a .47 perceny difference between first and second place Thesecond bid, which took place Feb. 26, resulted in a 27 perceny budget savings anda .
29 percent separatiohn between first and second place. BidBridge provides adherence to cruciaol stimulus spending factors like competition and transparency through reliablw reporting and efficient time stipulations and guidelines for the Americahn Recovery and ReinvestmentAct (ARRA). For more informatiom on how BidBridge is helpinglocal governments, please visit: . Founded in 2005, Louisville-basec BidBridge provides e-procurement services to both the publidc andprivate sectors, including cities, towns, municipalities and the educational and corporate Through its competitive sourcing and online procurement BidBridge assists its buyers in achieving true-market value for the goodss and services needed for ongoing business operations.
Significangt cost reductions and procurement efficiencies haveallowed BidBridge's buyers to save millions of tax corporate and investor dollars, ultimately producing a positive effect on compressedd budgets. For more information, please visit: .
Percent of Construction BudgetReverse Auction/eProcurement Providetr Promotes Competition, Saves Taxpayer Dollards LOUISVILLE, Ky., June 3 /PRNewswire/ -- BidBridge, an eProcurementf services provider for the publicv and private sectors, today announced that a recent constructionj bid performed on behalf of the city of Norton, OH concludecd by saving 14.5 percenrt versus Norton's budget and logged a separation of .17 percent betwee n first and second place suppliers - a strong indicato r the city purchased servicesx at near market value.
BidBridge facilitates a secure, real-timew electronic sealed bid platform that allows supplierx to placemultiple bids, replacing the public sector's traditional process of a one prics per supplier response. In this the suppliers placed a total of 207 bids over the cours of the twohour event, with first place changinv hands 108 times. The bid took placre on April 30 betweeb five competingconstruction companies. "In this Norton's relationship with BidBridgs saved the city closeto $200,000," said , City Administratort for Norton. "With BidBridge, the city of Norton has been able to allocatw moneymore efficiently, allowing us to effectivelh undertake several large construction projects.
" "The future of reverse auctionsd in the state of Ohiois unclear. BidBridger believes legislators and governingt bodies should understand the benefits of promoting competitionjin procurement," remarked BidBridgw CEO . "In the currenty economic climate, taxpayers, local governmentws and public works agencies want to make sure tax dollar s are spent efficientlyand wisely." Two previous bid collaborationzs between Norton and BidBridge produces equally successful results. On Nov. 13, 2008, Norton was able to save 43.5 percen against budget, recording a .47 perceny difference between first and second place Thesecond bid, which took place Feb. 26, resulted in a 27 perceny budget savings anda .
29 percent separatiohn between first and second place. BidBridge provides adherence to cruciaol stimulus spending factors like competition and transparency through reliablw reporting and efficient time stipulations and guidelines for the Americahn Recovery and ReinvestmentAct (ARRA). For more informatiom on how BidBridge is helpinglocal governments, please visit: . Founded in 2005, Louisville-basec BidBridge provides e-procurement services to both the publidc andprivate sectors, including cities, towns, municipalities and the educational and corporate Through its competitive sourcing and online procurement BidBridge assists its buyers in achieving true-market value for the goodss and services needed for ongoing business operations.
Significangt cost reductions and procurement efficiencies haveallowed BidBridge's buyers to save millions of tax corporate and investor dollars, ultimately producing a positive effect on compressedd budgets. For more information, please visit: .
Friday, July 20, 2012
In the public
ejyceh.wordpress.com
Why listen, indeed? The Dow Joned Industrial Average wasat 13,600 and climbing. Housinvg was marking its biggestf expansion, and the U.S. was near full employment. Twenty-fou r months later, Ohio’s jobless rate is above 10 percent, and the housingf market remains ina slump. The Dow? It’ws at 8,500 – after plunging to 6,4000 – and still stumbling. Warren, by the way, now overseess how billions in taxpayer dollars are being spen to rescue banks because she is a model of trustworthiness. And her call to protecft the public from financial chicanery isbuilding That’s not surprising.
Everyone knew the regulator y pendulum would swing followinfga greed-fueled economic calamity that showed all the signs financialp services overseers were unable or unwilling to keep markets Warren’s proposal makes more sense givenb the benefit of 20/20 hindsight. If businesw is holding out hope for a return to economic normalcgyanytime soon, it would be foolish not to acknowledge consumers must be protected from the kind of financiao industry thieves that nearlyh extinguished the world’s most powerful economy. Creatinvg such an agency will be politicallyh difficult because those who decry regulatory overreaction havelegitimate concerns.
a system modeled aftefr Warren’s proposal is Mind you, she doesn’t suggest regulatinyg companies. Rather, the agency would keep an eye on That wouldn’t burden banks, securities firmd or mortgage lenders unless their business model is basede on ripping people off. And Warren’s call takea on greater urgency because investment products have grown so complexd that even the financial services industry cannot accuratelyu assesstheir risks. There will be those who’lk discredit Warren and her congressionapl backers as leftists with only populist interestasin mind.
But that argument woulsd be wrong politicallyand historically, if not Big Finance dangerously weakened the regulatoru network over the past 16 and last fall’s election was a clear indicationb voters will throw out lawmakers who fail them. And the financial collapse confirmed what everyone was afraidto say: Corporate Americsa is spectacular at generating outsized profits but incompetent at self-regulation. Frankly, protecting middle-clas America from financial gimmickry is a noble Because without a financiallythealthy public, business will continue to feel the pain.
Why listen, indeed? The Dow Joned Industrial Average wasat 13,600 and climbing. Housinvg was marking its biggestf expansion, and the U.S. was near full employment. Twenty-fou r months later, Ohio’s jobless rate is above 10 percent, and the housingf market remains ina slump. The Dow? It’ws at 8,500 – after plunging to 6,4000 – and still stumbling. Warren, by the way, now overseess how billions in taxpayer dollars are being spen to rescue banks because she is a model of trustworthiness. And her call to protecft the public from financial chicanery isbuilding That’s not surprising.
Everyone knew the regulator y pendulum would swing followinfga greed-fueled economic calamity that showed all the signs financialp services overseers were unable or unwilling to keep markets Warren’s proposal makes more sense givenb the benefit of 20/20 hindsight. If businesw is holding out hope for a return to economic normalcgyanytime soon, it would be foolish not to acknowledge consumers must be protected from the kind of financiao industry thieves that nearlyh extinguished the world’s most powerful economy. Creatinvg such an agency will be politicallyh difficult because those who decry regulatory overreaction havelegitimate concerns.
a system modeled aftefr Warren’s proposal is Mind you, she doesn’t suggest regulatinyg companies. Rather, the agency would keep an eye on That wouldn’t burden banks, securities firmd or mortgage lenders unless their business model is basede on ripping people off. And Warren’s call takea on greater urgency because investment products have grown so complexd that even the financial services industry cannot accuratelyu assesstheir risks. There will be those who’lk discredit Warren and her congressionapl backers as leftists with only populist interestasin mind.
But that argument woulsd be wrong politicallyand historically, if not Big Finance dangerously weakened the regulatoru network over the past 16 and last fall’s election was a clear indicationb voters will throw out lawmakers who fail them. And the financial collapse confirmed what everyone was afraidto say: Corporate Americsa is spectacular at generating outsized profits but incompetent at self-regulation. Frankly, protecting middle-clas America from financial gimmickry is a noble Because without a financiallythealthy public, business will continue to feel the pain.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Unisys extends debt exchange deadline - San Francisco Business Times:
vypybiza.wordpress.com
The latest extension moves the deadline to midnight Wednesday from midnighlast Friday. It was midnight May 28 when Unisysd announced the offer onApril 30. The Blue Bell, Pa.-basee information-technology company is trying to get holders of four sets of seniord notes to exchange them in a private placementy for new senior secured notes thatpay 12.625 percent interesty and are due 2014. The senior notes eligiblwe for the offerare 6.875 percent notes due in 2010; 8 percent notes due 8.5 percent notes due 2015; and 12.5 percent noted due 2016.
In addition to the senior secured notes due holders of the senior notes due 2010 also will receivde cash and holders of the senior notesz due 2015 and 2016 can also buy additionalk senior secured notes in the Unisys won’t issue more than $375 million of the new seniord secured notes. Unisys (NYSE:UIS) said that $35.8 millioj of the 2010 notes, $33.5 million of the 2012 $600,000 of the 2015 notes and $3.4 million of the 2016 note s had been tendered as of the close ofbusinesws Friday. That’s $73.
3 million, up only $100,000 from the totapl tendered two weeks when Unisys last extended the The company said it and its representativesz are continuing to talk to representatives of senioer note holders regardingthe offering.
The latest extension moves the deadline to midnight Wednesday from midnighlast Friday. It was midnight May 28 when Unisysd announced the offer onApril 30. The Blue Bell, Pa.-basee information-technology company is trying to get holders of four sets of seniord notes to exchange them in a private placementy for new senior secured notes thatpay 12.625 percent interesty and are due 2014. The senior notes eligiblwe for the offerare 6.875 percent notes due in 2010; 8 percent notes due 8.5 percent notes due 2015; and 12.5 percent noted due 2016.
In addition to the senior secured notes due holders of the senior notes due 2010 also will receivde cash and holders of the senior notesz due 2015 and 2016 can also buy additionalk senior secured notes in the Unisys won’t issue more than $375 million of the new seniord secured notes. Unisys (NYSE:UIS) said that $35.8 millioj of the 2010 notes, $33.5 million of the 2012 $600,000 of the 2015 notes and $3.4 million of the 2016 note s had been tendered as of the close ofbusinesws Friday. That’s $73.
3 million, up only $100,000 from the totapl tendered two weeks when Unisys last extended the The company said it and its representativesz are continuing to talk to representatives of senioer note holders regardingthe offering.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
The Fresh Market
ysynut.wordpress.com
approved plans to build a gourmetgrocery , at the mostly empty Shaker Loudonb Plaza at the corner of Routes 9 and 155. Part of the 130,000-square-fooft shopping plaza will be demolished to make way for the which is owned by a chain basedin N.C. Fresh Market bills itself as a plac e where customers canexperiencer “the atmosphere of an old world Europea market” with a butchere shop, fish market, bakery, produce and floral standzs and delicatessen, according to its Web A company official didn’t return a call seeking comment.
The propertyt owner, of Buffalo, will demolish a 58,786-square-foot sectiomn of the shopping centerr and build thenearly 20,000-square-foot Fresh Market and a 14,550-square-footg pharmacy. The new development will be called FreshMarket Commons. The plazaq currently has a few tenants, includingf and . Shaker Loudon Plaza has been largelh empty since losing a succession of anchottenants -- , , and -- over the past several The reconstruction would decrease the size of the shoppingy plaza to 105,133 square feet and slightly increase the amountg of green space.
Joe LaCivita, Colonie’s directoer of planning and economic development, said the town approved the project inseven Typically, he said, a projectr like this would have taken two to five years.
approved plans to build a gourmetgrocery , at the mostly empty Shaker Loudonb Plaza at the corner of Routes 9 and 155. Part of the 130,000-square-fooft shopping plaza will be demolished to make way for the which is owned by a chain basedin N.C. Fresh Market bills itself as a plac e where customers canexperiencer “the atmosphere of an old world Europea market” with a butchere shop, fish market, bakery, produce and floral standzs and delicatessen, according to its Web A company official didn’t return a call seeking comment.
The propertyt owner, of Buffalo, will demolish a 58,786-square-foot sectiomn of the shopping centerr and build thenearly 20,000-square-foot Fresh Market and a 14,550-square-footg pharmacy. The new development will be called FreshMarket Commons. The plazaq currently has a few tenants, includingf and . Shaker Loudon Plaza has been largelh empty since losing a succession of anchottenants -- , , and -- over the past several The reconstruction would decrease the size of the shoppingy plaza to 105,133 square feet and slightly increase the amountg of green space.
Joe LaCivita, Colonie’s directoer of planning and economic development, said the town approved the project inseven Typically, he said, a projectr like this would have taken two to five years.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Free Sci-Fi / Fantasy Newsletter! Sign Up - About - News & Issues
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Free Sci-Fi / Fantasy Newsletter! Sign Up About - News & Issues New Movies (Jul. 16-23, 2012) - New Movies out in Cinemas. |
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