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New flood, old truths

It is hoped that each new natural disaster, whether an earthquake or a giant mass of mud buried or destructive floods, the man leaves the better armed for the next - or at least they do not repeat the same mistakes . But the recent floods in Mississippi, although if the waters recede, it means human memory.

The famous Wilkes-Barre flood of 1972 and the Mississippi River flood of 1993 led to severe criticism of the Army Corps of Engineers, whose traditional methods of protection against floods have to find much more serious issues, as it could have been. But the body has never abandoned its blind faith in dams and levees that, when the excessively the natural flow leading load current overbuilding and end more harm than good.

Even after the flooding North Carolina in 1999, Congress was requested to amend the federal Flood Insurance Program, so that people would not be more advantageous insurance for the reconstruction of houses flooded plain . Congress a few changes, but not that, and people keep rebuilding in the same place. Finally, after each of these floods, local communities have been invited not to allow new development in the flood plain. But they are obliged, in the hope that the levees still higher than Congress was recalling that the body build, before their madness.

All the old debates have again this year with the flooding of the Mississippi. Major progress has been made in a field. Since 1993, the Confederation and governments hundreds of millions of dollars to buy and demolish houses on 13000 along the Mississippi and its tributaries - the transformation of the property on the open space and allows other owners to ask . It was an important concession to the idea that the fight against water is a proposal to lose, and that the intelligent thing to do is the river is not restrictive, but let it flow naturally into the flood plain.

But making concessions to nature is not something that comes easily to the policies and developers. As Douglas Jehl pointed out yesterday in the Times, the Bush administration has declared its intention to reduce the share of federal funding for the property by acquiring the current 75 per cent to 50 per cent. In addition, the White House tries to kill a precious $ 160 million program will help farmers convert cropland to wetlands, such as natural sponges during floods. In the meantime, the Corps of Engineers, none of the wisest previous floods, there are different barreling Dam Building “-projects, including $ 58 million project just west of Saint-Louis, one on the protection strips Mall in the plains flooded the lower Missouri River.

At times like these, one is for the wisdom to the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the territorial collectivity of the largest natural disasters. President Clinton’s FEMA chief, James Witt, promoted the acquisition. His successor, a campaign Bush appointed Joe Allbaugh operational, is still learning. Mr. Allbaugh was right when he says that Congress must stop subsidizing the man on reconstruction in the flood plain. But it missed the mark when he criticized the river city of Davenport, Iowa, for his errors to build a flood wall, which offered better protection for high waters.

For one thing, his criticism on prejudice vis-à-vis the very structural approaches to protection against floods have contributed to the problem that recent floods. On the other hand, it ignores the fact that Davenport’s approach of the river has been wiser than most. The city has no levees. Its inhabitants have knowingly chosen to continue the river, buildings and parks to leave the coast greenbelts, where other cities might have built levees and offices. The result is that damage is minimal compared with places of dense concentration of buildings, in case of flooding inundated violation of the protection levees, as up and down along the river during 1993 .

As Davenport Mayor Phil Yerington, taking observed:”We are never to fly the river. Nobody has the time depending on the river.”It is a lesson that the federal government and commercial contractors books have yet to learn.

The Dallas Morning News Real Estate column

Real estate in Dallas-Fort Worth DROP 26 percent: First quarter statistics on the housing market should remove any doubt about the slowdown in the Dallas-Fort Worth real estate market.

For the first three months of the year, for a total transaction of property in the four countries of the zone have been circle of more than 26 per cent of the first quarter of 1999, according to the latest figures U.S. securities Woodall Rodgers’s Office .

Real estate industry and pre-owned home sales - two key components of the quarterly real estate transaction amounts - were more than 21 per cent in the first quarter.

Analysts attribute the slowdown to higher interest rates and a peak in some sectors of the property.

Aviva USA chooses local companies as general contractor for the new USA headquarters Facility

Des Moines, Iowa - Aviva USA, Unity USA, headquartered in London, Aviva plc, the fifth largest in the World Insurance Group, announced today that the company has Weitz, Des Moines, Iowa, as general contractor for the company’s new U.S. headquarters in West Des Moines.

“We are pleased that Weitz The construction company of our efforts,” said Thomas C. Godlasky, Chief Executive Officer, Aviva in North America. “We are very confident that Weitz’s long experience in implementing similar projects Aviva offices will help achieve our goals of high quality, state-of-the-art facility.

Ky Lexington. Even the field Bauer see more flights yards

Earlier this month, Lexington Builder Deborah ball was awakened in the middle of the night with the message that only the thieves had tried to Hotwire a dumpster in one of their sites in the south of Lexington.

Bautischler as Jo-ball and construction flights Gawthrop think always a problem from time to time, are increasingly ill in this winter.

“They are games of skill along with our trucks, generators our flight, our lumber. Langer little sense of the word: I think we have a huge epidemic of theft (on construction sites) in Lexington, “Ball said.

Several members of the association Lexington self-Bauer, have similar stories to tell, met recently decided guards and perhaps some of their sites.

The Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton has released details of its new universal health care on the proposal Monday, relying on employers existing system based on the report of the offer of reimbursement by health insurance credits ‘taxes for individuals and businesses.

The proposal would be a great passage of the current system. As colleagues and the democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards, Senator Clinton has a “respective mandates - a requirement that all health care.

Clinton (D-NY), medical care by offering tax credits to affordable and demands of employers to help pay for reporting. Clinton other major Democratic rival, Illinois Senator Barak Obama, is not the mandate, to ensure that persons. Mr. Clinton, it means he can not say that his plan covers all.

“The only way to ensure coverage for all is intended to cover all,” said Clinton, assistance in Des Moines, Iowa.

American Health Plan Choices

Before explaining what his new health plan would Clinton began with the declaration, which do not.

“This government is not going,” said Bill Clinton. “There will be no new bureaucracy. It can ensure that doctors know and trust you. They keep insurance companies, you, if you wish.”

The central theme in regard to the Clinton campaign called the American Health Choices plan is it to those who are satisfied with their current reports. It is a direct reaction to the implosion of the plan, it has contributed Push while her husband, a hotel in the years 1993 and 1994. Senator Clinton said, is one of the key lessons learned.

“The first rule of medicine is,” do no harm. “And we are not prejudice to the parts of our system to function,” said Bill Clinton.

The commissioner announced on behalf of the colony survival of victims of the Armenian Holocaust

The Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi of California announced a settlement in the long term the ongoing disputes between the descendants of victims of the genocide of Armenians and the New York Life Insurance Company. “As late 1800 and early 1900 New York Life sold thousands of lives on insurance ethnic Armenians in the Ottoman Turkish Empire. Many of those who bought policies were killed during a deliberate, systematic and controlled by the State genocide began in April 1915.

Many survivors of these policyholders live in California and I am pleased that the efforts of the parties in this area, finally, serve justice. After lengthy negotiations, I was able to provide a fund of $ 20 million, go to the payment of such claims. New York Life has been generous in its willingness to compromise, a complex, detailed agreement for delays in the past and enjoy both the survivors of Armenia insurance and the Armenian community. Of the $ 20 million fund at least 3 million dollars are spent on the “No / Heirless funds” to charitable organizations whose activities advance court authorizes charitable interests of the Armenian community.

I’m certainly the three members of the Compensation Fund Board and the Board will examine each case of a disaster, in accordance with the standards and criteria set by the committee in collaboration with the parties. Potential candidates are informed about the communication of approval by the Court and published a federal state. Let me also, the two claimants lawyers, Vartkes Yeghiayan and Joe Majarian, Yeghiayan & Associates, Mark Geragos and Shelley Kaufman, Geragos & Geragos, Brian S. Kaba Teck, Teck Kaba & GARRIS, Bill Shernoff and Evangeline GARRIS, Shernoff, Bidart & Darras, New York Life Insurance Company, for their hard work and cooperation in this colony a reality.

Auto insurance, workers comp emerge as a matter of law Top leaders trends

Workers’ Compensation and laws of automobile insurance accounted for nearly 40 per cent of new damage statute adopted by national legislators of last year, after the fifth annual analysis of trends in new public insurance legislation published by the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies. “NAMIC Online has an overview of all the 418 new laws enacted damage in the USA during the year 2003,” said Roger Schmelzer, Vice President, State and Regulatory Affairs.

Some trends very different problem derived from the many new laws passed by public insurance, in the year 2003. The 87 new auto insurance laws of the NAMIC survey for the greater problem of loss development statues in the year 2003. The survey also shows 75 new Workers’ Compensation laws, so that the second most common problem trend, “Schmelzer.” Combined these two categories make up more than one third of all new laws, in this year of the investigation. More remarkable trends recurring problem is reflected in the NAMIC 2003 overview of the new laws, new laws under the Insurance Scoring, telephone and the response of an offence reform. Texas adopt, the largest number of new laws in the survey followed with 34 Colorado with 23, North - Dakota, 20, Oregon 18 arrested, Louisiana passed, 17, and California and Virginia approved 16 new laws each. At the other end of the scale, Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Missouri, Ohio and approved a new device / Accident - Right during the year 2003.

Only two new laws were adopted, Iowa, Pennsylvania and Vermont. In addition to auto and workers comp, the investigation identified 30 different types of questions other trends, such as: Insurance Scoring 24 laws passed in 20 states, 24 Phone Calls laws passed in 21 countries and 25 Illicit reform laws, 16 states, 15 insurers notification laws adopted in 11 countries and 14 and forms new laws passed in 10 states. More important discussion a new law contain trends manufacturers licensing, financial arrangements, the protection of privacy and disclosure, the residual value of state plans, insurers tax provisions, the role of the State the Regulatory Authority insurance, insurance anti-fraud efforts foreign insurers guarantee fund operations regulatory filing requirements and mussels.

CWCI study Evidence-Based Medicine workers comp

The California Workers’ Compensation Institute has launched a new study on the development and history of medicine based on evidence (EBM) as a suitable instrument for guaranteeing the quality of medical care, and its potential for the treatment of costs and improving the California workers’ comp patient results.

SB 228, signed in October, is subject to the state to adopt guidelines for EBM workers’ comp until December 2004 for the control overutilization of medical services, the parameters for care and effective treatment for cost reduction. The law also published treatment protocols medical specialty societies before the WCAB, medical care and presumptively good use of guidelines regarding the size and scope of treatment, in accordance with the guidelines the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) in view of speculation until a new schedule was adopted.

ACOEM guidelines published in the last month, it is presumed that correctly March 22. Legislators of State believes that the guidelines for workers’ comp medical costs of $ 1 billion to $ 4.5 billion per year. The study also lessons scope of the guidelines, stressing that something more than the Half of California workers’ comp trauma or non-specific claims are not covered diagnoses ACOEM.

This means that nearly half of all applications will be subject to the guidelines, which represent 55 percent of all medical payments and 60 per cent of the compensation. Analysis of current levels of treatment and exemption from work for two types of back pain injuries common workers’ comp, said the study, the use of x-rays, CT-scan and MRI, physical medicine, care and chiropraktische surgery, as well as days of work more clearly that all recommendations ACOEM, so that in many cases, guidelines can be a great impact on the progress and the cost of treatment. CWCI But, notes, guidelines EBM are not absolutely rules or break the judgement of the doctor, and they are interpreted on a case by case basis. Naturally, the conditions necessary to achieve savings system more than the existence of a basis of evidence and bridge the gap between reality and ACOEM expected levels of supply shows the challenge.

Workers’ comp is a complex system, and many parties to contribute to medical decisions. While service providers initial examination, treatment and disability management decisions, claims adjustment devices, employers, nurse case manager, lawyers, workers’ comp judges and injured workers for decisions on compensability, security and return to work, pay for care and absences from work. These groups often use standards that are not evidence of effectiveness, but on traditional practices sector l insurance, perceptions of regulations, legal precedent, threats of legal action, a physician and declarations, in the absence of scientific evidence. A supply of high quality in an inexpensive system, as required by SB 228 require that all groups working on the basis of the same scientific data to ensure that all aspects of health care quality.

NEVADA first convictions for fraud

Attorney General Brian Sandoval announced that the Nevada Department of Justice, Insurance Fraud Unit, secure convictions more per capita than any other state. The statistics for insurance crimes were adopted by the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud late last year, for each of 43 countries, fraud office investigation and prosecution. The coalition, an end of the year of publication for the year 2003, said: “Nevada condemned most fraudsters per capita over the last year, registering more than 10 convictions for each 100000 inhabitants . ” A recent federal survey on public opinion shows a fraud insurance of four people say it is okay to lie to the affairs of insurance companies to get money.

Senior Deputy Attorney General Marty Howard, director of the IFU, these statistics are very disturbing. “We think that more people recognize that lies to their insurance company to obtain benefits not deserved flight and it is morally wrong.

We think that the possibility, “catch and deter those who might be punished, is not. For some, it will suffice. For the rest, finally, the chances are very good, they deal with us. These are not victims. Honestly, bear the costs of insurance for insurance fraud. “Howard has also described the severe penalties for insurance fraud:” Insurance fraud is a crime in Nevada, like the flight of large or stolen. You can go to jail for a maximum of five years and a fine of $ 5000.00. Conviction of a crime is not just about your freedom, but your right to vote, your right to certain jobs, and it is difficult to impact your family.

We intend to continue this message from dishonest and get people to think a little more seriously about the consequences of the declaration of insurance fraud. “Insurance fraud is one of the most expensive of the white-collar crime in the USA, ranking second after tax evasion. A study by Hartford, Connecticut-based commands & Co. According to estimates, the cost of the insurance industry $ 96 billion per year. a number in the report that insurance fraud costs $ 5000 families a year. This amount includes not only higher premiums, but also the increase in prices that results for consumer goods and services.

The insurer is trying to move auswringen bureaucracy in improving profitability

He began by promising a benefit to farmers and large cities Slick insurers offer.

Seventy years later, Selective Insurance Group Inc. is still trying, there is always one step from the big city to highlight the links, service and flexibility.

But as all the experts and accident insurance, it is difficult to combat the competitive market conditions have hammered premiums and margins are squeezed.

For the past few years, the industry enterprises has been established City strives to survive in the form the new market realities by staff savings and rationalization of its written policies and procedures for the management of receivables.


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