Headlines
White House provides mass pardon for identity thieves
President Obama is poised to show his “compassion” this week by granting work cards to an estimated five million illegal immigrants through an imperial executive order. As for the vast, untold number of law-abiding citizens whose identities have been stolen…
Americans Can’t Afford Higher Electricity Prices
Electricity is an indispensable necessity of life and Americans can’t afford policies that raise its cost (Figures 1,2). EPA regulations such as the new carbon rule are driving prices higher and the next wave of cost increases looms on the…
Upfront Costs Of Going Digital Overwhelm Some Doctors
Dr. Oliver Korshin practices ophthalmology three days a week in the same small office in east Anchorage he’s had for three decades. Many of his patients have aged into their Medicare years right along with him. For his tiny practice,…
How will you retire? Half of us have nothing saved …
Nancy Hardendorf is about to step into the great unknown for middle-class Americans: retirement. “I think everybody is afraid … you never think that there’s going to be enough [money],” said Hardendorf, an administrator at Johnson & Wales University. As many of…
Advocates and Recipients of Social Security Benefits Fear Budget Cuts
Social Security advocates gathered on Capital Hill this week in an attempt to stop cuts to the program that serves almost all Americans. Anxiety is growing over cuts to the Social Security program as the GOP will take control of…
Deconstructing Social Security rules for remarriage
I read an astounding statistic the other day: 40% of all newlyweds in 2013 were previously married or widowed. According to a recent report from Pew Research Center, 42 million Americans took their second (or third) trip down the aisle…
Revamp VA disability benefits
The United States owes an incalculable debt of gratitude to its military veterans. It also owes them something more tangible — timely and appropriate treatment and compensation for disabilities tied to their service. But the Veterans Administration and members of…
Medicare websites get a scathing review
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is failing to meet its goal of making healthcare costs more transparent, according to a federal audit released Tuesday. Five websites meant to help inform Medicare patients about treatments and providers have…
9 Things Congress Definitely Should Not Do During Lame-Duck Session
The current lame-duck session, the period between Election Day and when the new members enter Congress, is particularly important because the Republicans will take control of the Senate in January and retain control of the House of Representatives, leaving Senate…
‘Just the facts’ on when to take Social Security
“Just the facts, ma’am,” as Dragnet’s Sgt. Joe Friday used to say. But when it comes to retirement planning, instead of “just” the facts, we should ask for “all” the facts. Many stories have been written about the merits of…