News
"Nursing-home shares fall on rate proposal"
By Rob Winters - Published on Saturday, 30 April 2011 20:42
"At least four nursing-home operators saw their shares plunge Friday after the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services proposed cutting federal reimbursements by 11.3% for the coming fiscal year.The agency listed such a reduction as one of several options for the 2012 fiscal year, saying that nursing homes saw an unexpected spike in payments during 2011. If enacted, nursing facilities would lose nearly $4 billion in payments.
Conversely, the agency also proposed a routine rate increase of 1.5%.
Still, this was enough to take a huge bite out of the shares of Skilled Healthcare Group Inc. which shed 16% at the close to end the day at $12.12."
"Kate Middleton: Whoever you want her to be"
By Rob Winters - Published on Thursday, 28 April 2011 21:32
"The most striking thing about Kate Middleton is how little we actually know about her.She has granted exactly one formal interview with Prince William to a doting journalist after the palace announced their engagement. Her family and friends – even the bartender of her favourite pub – have observed a remarkable code of silence during her eight-year courtship."
"WikiLeaks cable notes Harper's Senate about-face"
By Rob Winters - Published on Thursday, 28 April 2011 21:31
"WikiLeaks released hundreds of U.S. documents on Thursday, including those with comments about the Harper government's "about-face" on Senate appointments, remarks on the Liberals' "muted" response to the prorogation crisis and criticism of Canada's failure to enact copyright reform.
A leaked cable from December 2008 suggests that U.S. Embassy officials in Ottawa saw Stephen Harper's appointment of senators as "a major about-face for a PM and a party that long campaigned for an elected upper chamber. The cost of the eighteen new senators also conflicts with political messaging about the need for official belt tightening."
Read more: http://news.aol.ca/canada/article/wikileaks-cable-notes-harpers-senate-about-face/1781254
"Retirees Mired in Debt: StatsCan"
By Rob Winters - Published on Thursday, 28 April 2011 21:24
"Almost one-third of retired Canadians are in some form of debt, a new survey from Statistics Canada suggested Wednesday.
The study from the government agency showed that 34 per cent of retired individuals aged 55 and over, whether single or in a couple, held mortgage or consumer debt in 2009. The median amount owed was $19,000."
Read more: http://news.aol.ca/2011/04/27/retirees-mired-in-debt-statscan/
"Thyroid drug 'boosts risk of fractures in the elderly"
By Rob Winters - Published on Thursday, 28 April 2011 21:21
"Many elderly people may be taking "excessive" medication for their thyroid problems, increasing their fracture risk, researchers warn.A synthetic hormone, thyroxine, is given to people who's thyroid glands produce too little naturally.
But writing in the British Medical Journal, researchers say having too much boosts fracture risk and doses may need to be reduced as people age."
Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-13221928
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