Oregon Public Employee Retirement Costs Will DOUBLE Next Year

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OregonLive reports PERS rates for state agencies will more than double in 2011. The actuary for Oregon's Public Employee Retirement System confirmed Friday what is already a common-knowledge piece of the state's looming budget shortfall: the cost of funding PERS will increase sharply in 2011. Mercer Inc. told the PERS board Friday that systemwide, the payroll rates paid by cities, counties, school districts and state agencies to cover their employees' pension and health care benefits will more than double in 2011, from their current level 5.2 percent of payroll to 10.8 percent of payroll. As of Dec 31, the retirement...

Published on Thursday 29th of July 2010 09:26:43 PM

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Cam’s flight saves

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For the first time on a major official visit, the Premier turned down chartering his own plane to make the two-day trip to Washington DC. And he even spurned First Class tickets to travel in the far cheaper Business Class. The move saved £200,000 in costs, Downing Street officials said. Passengers were aghast when Mr Cameron and his team of officials boarded the plane to Dulles airport and took seats beside them. In the past, PMs travelling on long overseas trips have always chartered a Boeing 747 or 767 - at a cost of £300,000 - or used RAF jets....

Published on Thursday 29th of July 2010 09:26:43 PM

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Obama Appointee Eager to Cut into Nation’s Medical Expenses (Supposed to be satire)

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Donald Berwick, President Obama’s recess appointee to head up the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, says he is “itching to take an axe to the nation’s medical bill.” “The fact is, an inordinately large share of the cost of health care goes to treat a small percentage of the population,” Berwick pointed out. “Surgery, chemo, MRIs aren’t necessary for the vast majority of our health needs. If we can nip off the tail of the bell curve that requires them we’d save a bundle.” “Bumps, bruises, and sniffles are, by far, the most common ailments for the vast majority...

Published on Thursday 29th of July 2010 09:26:43 PM

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ObamaCare’s True Cost

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The federal health care law will still leave about 21 million Americans uninsured by 2019, will cost more than $2.7 trillion and add $352 billion to the national debt over 10 years of full implementation, says an expert at a public policy think tank. Michael Tanner, a senior fellow with the Cato Institute, makes these claims in his book, "Bad Medicine: A Guide to the Real Costs and Consequences of the New Health Care Law." It went on sale Monday. "It is a pretty significant failure," Tanner said of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Many of Tanner's findings...

Published on Thursday 29th of July 2010 09:26:43 PM

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Cost of holding terrorism trial in Detroit raises concerns

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Experts say federal, state and local authorities could tally tens of millions of dollars in bills to escort the 23-year-old Nigerian from the federal prison in Milan, seal an international border, block downtown streets, keep protesters at bay and make sure local buildings and infrastructure remain safe.

Published on Thursday 29th of July 2010 09:26:43 PM

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Illegal Immigration Costs U.S. $113 Billion a Year, Study Finds

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The cost of harboring illegal immigrants in the United States is a staggering $113 billion a year -- an average of $1,117 for every “native-headed” household in America -- according to a study conducted by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR).

Published on Thursday 29th of July 2010 09:26:43 PM

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Gov't puts employers on notice over health costs ("Don't jack up cost for employees or else...")

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The Obama administration had a message Monday for employers who want to keep federal bureaucrats from rewriting the rules for their company medical plans: Don't jack up costs for workers, and you won't have to worry about interference from the new health care law. "What we don't want is a massive shift of costs to employees," said Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. She announced a new regulation that spells out how health plans that predate the health overhaul law can avoid its full impact. Meant to deliver on President Barack Obama's promise that people who like their current...

Published on Thursday 29th of July 2010 09:26:43 PM

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Canada: A hard look at the cost of health care (lifeblood sucking, aging population in crosshairs)

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A hard look at the cost of health carePosted By CHRISTINA BLIZZARD Posted 9 hours ago When economists start dishing out advice about health care -- at the request of the government -- get worried. Very worried. I'm alarmed by a report released Thursday, "Charting A Path To Sustainable Health Care in Ontario," by TD Bank economists Don Drummond and Derek Burleton. It's a warning shot across the bow, especially to baby boomers, seniors and doctors. You cost the health system money? Watch out. You're in the government's crosshairs. The government knows it has to make unpopular decisions. It will...

Published on Thursday 29th of July 2010 09:26:43 PM

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