Editorial Board, USA Today – Dec 27, 2015

In 1975, Gerald Ford was president, inflation was unwhipped, and the Labor Department drafted new rules stemming from a landmark law known as the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, or ERISA for short.

Since then, much has changed in the way people save for retirement. Employers have shifted much of the burden to employees. Defined benefit pension plans, which covered nearly 40% of workers in 1975, now cover just 18%. The 401(k) account, which did not exist then, has grown into a $5 trillion industry. IRAs, which were in their infancy then, now account for roughly $7 trillion.

By Scott Spann; About Money ~  Dec 23, 2015

Is your financial advisor telling you everything you need to know to help you achieve financial independence? Do you even know where to turn to for trusted guidance and advice with important money matters?

We each hold the keys to our own financial success. Can you afford to leave your security entirely in the hands of someone else?

From Marty Makary; CNN ~ Dec 22, 2015

(CNN)Is health care in America getting safer? This is a question that we all think about as doctors and patients. The answer seems to be not really.

A new report found that hospitals have been gaming the system to make their re-admission numbers look good by putting patients who return in a special observation area instead of counting them as readmission. Independently, another report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality shows that nationwide reductions in patient complications have plateaued.

By Peter Sullivan; The Hill ~ Dec 21, 2015

The Obama administration on Monday released an “online dashboard” giving the public tools to explore data around high-cost prescription drugs.

The release comes as the administration explores how to combat rising drug prices.

The new dashboard allows users to compare spending on 80 drugs that have cost Medicare significant amounts of money in 2014. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which released the dashboard, says it is trying to increase transparency around drug prices amid rising scrutiny.

By Elizabeth O’Brien; MarketWatch ~ Dec 21, 2015

Last year, when Maxine Cooper thought she might be having a heart attack, the Fort Worth retiree had her husband drive her to the emergency room. Cooper spent 24 hours at the Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas, undergoing a number of tests, before she was sent home.

The hospital was in her health plan’s network, so Cooper was surprised when two bills, totaling $1,200, for the services of emergency room doctors outside her network, arrived in the mail. “It was a shock to me,” said Cooper, 58.

By Theresa Brown; The New York Times ~ Dec 19, 2015

A FRIEND was recently hospitalized after a bicycle accident. At one point a nursing student, together with a more senior nurse, rolled a computer on wheels into the room and asked my friend to rate her pain on a scale of 1 to 10.

She mumbled, “4 to 5.” The student put 5 into the computer — and then they left, without further inquiring about, or relieving, my friend’s pain.

By Grace-Marie Turner; Newsweek ~  Dec 19, 2015

Americans understandably want to pay less for medicines, and they are demanding government action.

More than three in four Americans want government to cap what drug companies can charge for certain medicines, according to a poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Fully 83 percent want the federal government to negotiate prices for drugs for Medicare patients.

From Andrea Woroch; Forbes ~ Dec 19, 2015

Facing record student loan debt and challenging earning potential while representing a whopping 40% of nation’s unemployed, it’s no wonder today’s young adults are struggling to get a foothold on their personal and professional lives after college. As a result, these Gen Y’ers are delaying major life events like buying a home, and are often relying on Mom and Dad for money.

By Mark Watkins; Dakota Financial News ~ Dec 18, 2015

AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) declared a quarterly dividend on Friday, December 18th, MarketBeat.Com reports. Shareholders of record on Friday, January 8th will be paid a dividend of 0.48 per share on Monday, February 1st. This represents a $1.92 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.64%. This is a positive change from AT&T’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.45.

From John Wasik; Forbes ~ Dec 18, 2015

Now that the Fed has done its deed and hiked interest rates, should you head for the hills, stock up on canned water and ammo? The world isn’t coming to an end, but it may not be less volatile.

You will see slightly better yields on savings vehicles, which is the only guarantee in this changing world. That means you’ll get maybe 1.25% instead of 1% annual yield on a certificate of deposit. I know, big deal. You can find the latest rates here.