The U.S. Debt Ceiling

Posted on January 21, 2023 by Dr. Marcinko

By Staff Reporters

***

***

As the US just crashed into the $31.4 trillion debt ceiling as the Treasury Department began taking what it called “extraordinary measures” to prevent the government from defaulting on its debts and sparking an economic crisis.

These measures are a series of deep-cut accounting moves that allow the Treasury to continue making its payments. They include:

  • Suspending reinvestments into government funds for retired federal employees, such as the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund.
  • Selling existing investments in those funds to free up more outstanding debt.

And while these measures definitely aren’t ordinary…they probably aren’t so “extra,” either. The Treasury has resorted to them more than 12 times since 1985, including during the last debt-ceiling standoff in 2021.

Still, these steps amount to chugging water after eating a ghost pepper—the pain will return. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said her extraordinary measures will last through early June, giving lawmakers about five months to work out a deal to raise the debt ceiling.

NOTE: The US has never defaulted on its debt, but even the threat of it could be disastrous. The country’s first credit downgrade in history came during a debt-ceiling showdown in 2011.

***

ORDER: https://www.routledge.com/Risk-Management-Liability-Insurance-and-Asset-Protection-Strategies-for/Marcinko-Hetico/p/book/9781498725989

***

ORDER: https://www.routledge.com/Comprehensive-Financial-Planning-Strategies-for-Doctors-and-Advisors-Best/Marcinko-Hetico/p/book/9781482240283

***

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

Filed under: "Ask-an-Advisor", Accounting, Investing, Retirement and Benefits, Risk Management, Taxation | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Alphabet Soup: Financial Designations & Certificates

Posted on January 21, 2023 by Dr. Marcinko

Join Our Mailing List 

financial-designationsjuly

AUTHOR: Dr. David Edward Marcinko; MBA, CMP™

POSITION: Publisher-in-Chief

dem26

TOPIC: Financial Designations and Certifications [Alphabet Soup of Industry Obfuscation and Self-Promotion, or Real Gravitas – You Decide?]

EXCERPT: “Until recently, most financial advisors were regulated by the NASD, the National Association of Securities Dealers. Now the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority or FINRA is the largest non-governmental regulator for all securities firms doing business in the United States. It is a self-regulatory agency comprised of the nation’s brokerage firms. Upon completion of a required exam the FINRA will issue a variety of licenses. The most common are the Series 6, 7, and 24.

The Series 6 is essentially a license to sell packaged products, namely mutual funds. It is most commonly held by insurance agents and bank representatives. It is considered a very easy test. Holding such a license allows the holder to collect commission income through its member firm.

The Series 7 exam is a bit more difficult and includes issues relating to individual securities such as stocks, bonds and limited partnership interests. The pass rate is lower than the Series 6. The probable culprit is the extensive questioning on margin and options, topics most are unfamiliar with prior to entering the securities business.

The Series 24 covers issues of compliance and supervision and is required of Branch Managers of brokerage firms. All registered representatives (the proper name for a broker) must be supervised by someone with a Series 24, also known as a principal’s license.

Checking the background of a registered representative, a branch manager or a member firm is easily done through NASD and/or FINRA Regulation, Inc. NASDR/FINRA maintains the Central Registration Depository (CRD). The CRD can be checked for a description of a disclosed event by phone or by Internet. One should request information on an advisor’s firm as well as the individual. A reputable advisor at a disreputable firm has its own set of potentially dangerous implications.

Regardless of the above, these tests produce licenses to sell financial products. They are not educational achievements. There is virtually no academic barrier to entry for them. Stock-brokers today – hate the term – and prefer “financial advisor”; yet the term has no real meaning other than as a sales license.

Some are college graduates, and beyond; while some other experts argue that too many are not!”

Hence, the need to “raise the bar to fiduciary accountability with deep knowledge of healthcare modernity.”

For more info: http://www.CertifiedMedicalPlanner.org

READ JULY HERE: financial-designationsjuly

Conclusion

Your thoughts and comments on this ME-P are appreciated. Feel free to review our top-left column, and top-right sidebar materials, links, URLs and related websites, too. Then, subscribe to the ME-P. It is fast, free and secure.

Speaker: If you need a moderator or speaker for an upcoming event, Dr. David E. Marcinko; MBA – Publisher-in-Chief of the Medical Executive-Post – is available for seminar or speaking engagements. Contact: MarcinkoAdvisors@msn.com

OUR OTHER PRINT BOOKS AND RELATED INFORMATION SOURCES:

Product Details  Product Details

Filed under: Career Development, CMP Program, Ethics, Financial Planning, Insurance Matters, Investing, Monthly Reports, Op-Editorials, Portfolio Management, Research & Development, Risk Management | Tagged: , , , , | 3 Comments »

HOSPITALS: Financial Management Update

Posted on January 21, 2023 by Dr. Marcinko

By Staff Reporters

***

ORDER: https://www.amazon.com/Financial-Management-Strategies-Healthcare-Organizations/dp/1466558733/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1380743521&sr=8-3&keywords=david+marcinko

***

Hospitals saw a slight financial boost in November 2022, despite continued negative operating margins throughout the year, according to a new Kaufman Hall National Hospital Flash Report, as reported in Healthcare Brew.

Lower expenses and increased outpatient revenue help buoy their performance and increase margins by 12% month over month from October 2022. But Kaufman Hall, a management consulting firm, reported that its year-to-date operating margin index reflected an actual negative figure of -0.2% in November 2022.

The findings underscore the financial challenges hospitals continue to face as they recover from the Covid-19 pandemic.

And, Erik Swanson, senior vice president of data and analytics at Kaufman Hall, wrote that the “November data, while mildly improved compared to October, solidifies what has been a difficult year for hospitals amidst labor shortages, supply chain issues, and rising interest rates.”

ORDER: https://www.amazon.com/Hospitals-Healthcare-Organizations-Management-Operational/dp/1439879907/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1334193619&sr=1-4

The monthly report, which is based on data from more than 900 hospitals, partially attributed November’s lowered expenses to a decline in patient volume and slightly shorter lengths of stay. Decreased labor costs, likely due to a drop in a reliance on contract labor, also helped lower expenses, the Kaufman analysis found.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource/Title/0826102549

Hospitals further saw a 10% increase year over year in outpatient revenue in November 2022, despite inpatient revenue remaining flat, according to the report. Swanson said “[h]ospital leaders should continue to develop their outpatient care capabilities amid ongoing industry uncertainty and transformation.”

***

COMMENTS APPRECIATED

Thank You

***

Filed under: "Doctors Only", Career Development, Experts Invited, Health Economics, Health Law & Policy, Healthcare Finance, iMBA, Inc., Managed Care | Tagged: , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

%d bloggers like this: