Natural disasters are becoming more severe and costly—who should bear the financial burden? We explore the tension between socialized risk and market-based insurance. Topics covered include: The surprisingly large percentage of natural disaster losses that are uninsured Why natural disaster severity is increasing A deep dive into the complexity of the home insurance market, including state-run home insurance plans How California has tried to update its home insurance … [Read more...]
320: Somebody Won the Election. Now What?
As we await the U.S. presidential election results, we review the results of the Trump Administration's economic policies to see if Americans are better off financially than they were four years ago. Topics covered include: Why pollsters and election models can be wrongWhy the state of the economy often drives election outcomesWhat has been the economic impact of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs ActWhat has been the impact of the U.S. trade war with ChinaHow have poverty and health insurance … [Read more...]
213: Why Health Insurance Is A Mess
How health insurance isn't really protection against a catastrophic illness but prepayment of routine healthcare consumption, leading to overconsumption of healthcare and over treatment by medical professionals that drive up costs. What would it take to reform the health insurance marketplace so it is more fair and functions more like life insurance or homeowners insurance. In this episode you’ll learn: What has been the traditional role of insurance and why health insurance market isn't … [Read more...]
132 Plus: Market Reaction to the Election, MLPs, Taxes and Bond Funds and Health Insurance
This week November 12, 2016 on Money For the Rest of Us Plus look at how financial assets have performed since the election. We answer the question of how correlated MLPs are to oil prices and what is the bull and bear case for MLPs. We also explore how to avoid year-end tax surprises with bond funds. Finally, we look at an alternative to health insurance. … [Read more...]
123: Why Health Insurance Premiums and Prescription Drug Prices Are Exploding
How pharmaceutical companies use of maximum pricing power is leading to double digit annual increases for prescription drug prices and health insurance premiums. Photo by Yingcheap Atchanont In this episode you'll learn: Why health insurance premiums are skyrocketing, particularly Obamacare individual polices.How much are drug prices increasing.Why pharmaceutical companies have maximum pricing power.How Gilead chose an $84,000 price for its hepatitis-C drug.What are the … [Read more...]
