DAILY UPDATE: Walgreens Boots Private Equity, Medical Cost Debt as Stock Markets Stabilize

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Walgreens Boots Alliance says it has agreed to be acquired by private equity firm Sycamore Partners as the struggling retailer looks to turn itself around after years of losing money. Walgreens said Thursday that Sycamore will pay $11.45 per share, giving the deal an equity value just under $10 billion. Shareholders could eventually receive up to an

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Stocks

  • The S&P 500 rose 0.6%
  • The NASDAQ 100 rose 0.7%
  • The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.5%
  • The MSCI World Index rose 0.2%
  • Bloomberg Magnificent 7 Total Return Index rose 0.2%
  • The Russell 2000 Index rose 0.4%

Currencies

  • The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index fell 0.2%
  • The euro rose 0.6% to $1.0851
  • The British pound rose 0.4% to $1.2929
  • The Japanese yen was little changed at 147.89 per dollar

Cryptocurrencies

  • Bitcoin fell 4% to $86,226.2
  • Ether fell 3.8% to $2,129.51

Bonds

  • The yield on 10-year Treasuries advanced two basis points to 4.30%
  • Germany’s 10-year yield was little changed at 2.84%
  • Britain’s 10-year yield declined two basis points to 4.64%

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Stat: 20%. That’s how many US residents under age 49 have borrowed money to cover medical costs. (West Health and Gallup)

Visualize: How private equity tangled banks in a web of debt, from the Financial Times.

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PODCAST: How Does Medical Debt Impact Your Credit Report?

By Eric Bricker MD

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On Medical Debt

In the USA

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CREDIT CARDS: Medical Debt?

By Staff Reporters

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What is a medical credit card?

Medical credit cards are typically offered through healthcare providers such as physicians, veterinarians, dentists, and even hospitals. Unlike major credit cards, you can’t use them for cash advances or to purchase items like groceries, gasoline, or airline tickets.

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The cards are only accepted by participating medical providers for certain medical services or procedures. 

READ: https://www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/should-you-use-medical-credit-card/

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MEDICAL DEBT: Remains a Household Strain

Report underscores ongoing concerns about accuracy of collections data, particularly with respect to medical debt

By Staff Reporters

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According to Gabriella Cruz-Martinez, tens of millions of debt collections disappeared from Americans’ credit reports during the pandemic, a new government watchdog report found, but overdue medical bills remain a big strain on many households nationwide. The total number of debt collections on credit reports dropped by 33% from 261 million in 2018 to 175 million in 2022, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, while the share of consumers with a debt collection on their credit report shrunk by 20%.

Medical debt collections also dropped by 17.9% during that time, but still made up 57% of all collection accounts on credit reports, far more than other types of debt combined — including credit cards, utilities, and rent accounts. Despite the reduction in collections, the CFPB noted that the results underscore ongoing concerns that current medical billing and collection practices can lack transparency, often hurting the credit scores and financial health of those most vulnerable.

“Our analysis of credit reports provides yet another indicator that, due to a strong labor market and emergency programs during the pandemic, household financial distress reduced over the last two years,” Rohit Chopra, CFPB director said in a statement. “However, false and inaccurate medical debt on credit reports continues to drag on household financial health.”

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RIP: Medical Debt!

By Staff Reporters

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Casey McIntyre, a 38-year-old book publisher and mother of one, helped wipe out more than $30 million in unpaid medical bills for other people…without being alive to see it. McIntyre’s husband posted a message on her behalf after she died of ovarian cancer last year, asking people to participate in a “debt jubilee” that pays off the medical bills of others. The response has been overwhelming:

As of recently, the nonprofit RIP Medical Debt has received more than $300,000 in donations through McIntyre’s campaign. The organization relieves $10,000 of medical debt for every $100

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MEDICAL DEBT: Banks and Private Equity Cash In When Patients Can’t Pay Bills

By Noam N. Levey and Aneri Pattani

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Robin Milcowitz, a Florida woman who found herself enrolled in an AccessOne loan at a Tampa hospital in 2018 after having a hysterectomy for ovarian cancer, said she was appalled by the financing arrangements.“Hospitals have found yet another way to monetize our illnesses and our need for medical help,” said Milcowitz, a graphic designer.

She was charged 11.5% interest — almost three times what she paid for a separate bank loan. “It’s immoral,” she said.

READ: https://khn.org/news/article/how-banks-and-private-equity-cash-in-when-patients-cant-pay-their-medical-bills/

MORE: https://khn.org/news/article/medical-debt-hospitals-dallas-fort-worth/

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DAILY UPDATE: Nurses Strike as Stocks Decline

By Staff Reporters

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About 1,300 nurses at Staten Island University Hospital (SIUH) will strike on April 2nd if contract negotiations fail, the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) announced Thursday. The union, which represents about 42,000 nurses across the state, is looking for higher wages and improved nurse-to-patient ratios for their members—sticking points for Northwell Health, according to NYSNA.

AI RN Replacements: https://gizmodo.com/nvidia-wants-replace-nurses-with-ai-1851347917?utm_campaign=hcb&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_source=morning_brew

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Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

  • The S&P 500 index sank 15.99 points (0.3%) to 5,218.19; the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 162.26 points (0.4%) to 39,313.64; the NASDAQ Composite lost 44.35 points (0.3%) to 16,384.47. 
  • The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) rose three basis points to 4.25% after a four-day retreat.
  • The CBOE Volatility Index® (VIX) edged up 0.14 to 13.20.

The energy sector followed crude oil prices and was the strongest sector Monday. Utilities and materials also saw strength. Weakest sectors included industrials, information technology, and real estate.

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DAILY UPDATE: Kroger Selling Pharma Business as Nvidia and Stock Markets Rise

By Staff Reporters

CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL, DC.

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KROGER, the supermarket chain said it expects to close the sale of its specialty pharmacy business during the second half of 2024. Kroger said it is planning to sell its speciality pharmacy business to pharmacy benefit manager CarelonRx, a subsidiary of Elevance Health, the company just reported.

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Nvidia continues its bid for world domination with the announcement of its new B200 “Blackwell” chip. The Blackwell is 2.5 times more powerful than the “Hopper” chip which helped it become a $2 trillion company. (Bloomberg)

Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

  • The S&P 500 index added 46.11 points (0.9%) to 5,224.62; the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 401.37 points (1%) to 39,512.13; the NASDAQ Composite rose 202.62 points (1.3%) to 16,369.41. 
  • The 10-year Treasury note yield slid two basis points to 4.27%.
  • The CBOE Volatility Index®(VIX) fell 0.77 to 13.06.
     

Health care was the biggest loser among the S&P 500 sectors. Energy was also lower after crude oil prices sank on the heels of weekly inventory data. Brent Crude Oil (/BZ) futures, the global benchmark, dropped 1.6% on the heels of five days of gains.

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DAILY UPDATE: Medicare Payment Policy and Inflation as the Stock Markets Gain

By Staff Reporters

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MEDICARE: https://www.medpac.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Mar24_MedPAC_Report_To_Congress_SEC.pdf

The producer price index (PPI) rose 0.6% for the month, according to the Bureau of Labor Statisticsdouble the Dow Jones estimate, CNBC reported. February’s larger-than-expected PPI uptick follows a more modest 0.3% increase in January and a 0.1% decline in December. On an annual basis, the PPI increased 1.6%, “the largest rise since moving up 1.8% for the 12 months ended September 2023,” according to the BLS.

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Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

The market had a good Tuesday, with stocks climbing as investors await word from the Fed meeting today on any changes to interest rates. The bank is expected to keep rates the same for now, but could signal when (or how often) it’ll lower them later in the year. Meanwhile, Nordstrom shares surged following a report that the retailer’s founding family wants to take it private.
 

  • The S&P 500 index added 29.09 points (0.6%) to 5,178.51; the Dow Jones Industrial Average® ($DJI) gained 320.33 points (0.8%) to 39,110.76; the NASDAQ Composite® ($COMP) rose 63.34 points (0.40%) to 16,166.79.
  • The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) eased four basis points to just under 4.3%.
  • The CBOE Volatility Index® (VIX) lost 0.50 to 13.83. 

The energy sector was the top performer after crude oil prices notched multi-month highs ahead of weekly inventory data from the American Petroleum Institute. After a 2% rally to start the trading week, Brent Crude Oil (/BZ) futures, the global benchmark, added another 0.6% Tuesday.

Industrials, consumer discretionary, and utilities were among the other strong sectors. Communications, real estate, and materials finished modestly lower.

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DAILY UPDATE: New CDC Covid-19 Guidelines as the Stock Markets Go Lower

By Staff Reporters

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The CDC may update Covid-19 isolation guidelines from five days to 24 hours if an individual is fever-free without medication—standardizing the protocol for the disease with the same rule for the flu and RSV. (the New York Times)

Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

Stocks slumped into the long weekend yesterday, snapping a five-week weekly winning streak when they fell in the wake of wholesale price data that shows inflation is probably not as tamed as the Fed would like it to be. But Coinbase gave the latest indication that the crypto winter has thawed. The crypto exchange’s stock rose after it reported its first quarterly profit in two years.

  • The S&P 500 index fell 24.16 points (0.5%) to 5,005.57, down 0.4% for the week; the Dow Jones Industrial Average® (DJI) lost 145.13 points (0.4%) to 38,627.99, down 0.1% for the week; the NASDAQ Composite® (COMP) declined 130.52 points (0.8%) to 15,775.65, down 1.3% for the week.
  • The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) rose over 4 basis points to 4.285%.
  • The CBOE Volatility Index® (VIX) rose 0.23 to 14.24.

Communications services and transportation shares were among the market’s weakest performers Friday, while energy companies firmed behind strength in crude oil futures. The small-cap Russell 2000® Index (RUT) fell 1.4% Friday but still ended the week with a gain of 1.1%, its second straight weekly advance.

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DAILY UPDATE: Evergrande and the FanDuel-Flutter as Stocks End Mixed Awaiting the FOMC

By Staff Reporters

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Embattled China Evergrande ordered to liquidate by Hong Kong court

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China Evergrande, which owes $300 billion, ordered to liquidate. Yesterday, a Hong Kong court ordered the debt-burdened real estate firm to wind up its business—though it’s not clear if mainland Chinese authorities will enforce it. As one of the largest developers to struggle with debt, the company, which defaulted in 2021, has become a symbol of the real estate bust in China, which has so many homes sitting vacant that an ex-official admitted even its population of 1.4 billion could not fill them. Now, investors around the world will be watching the liquidation process to see how foreign investors fare as a test of how China’s system treats international businesses.

FanDuel parent Flutter lists on New York Stock Exchange. Rob Gronkowski visited the NYSE trading floor yesterday to celebrate the kickoff of the company selling shares in New York, which—for now—is a secondary listing to the European company’s primary London Stock Exchange listing. The move steps up its competition with DraftKings. And with US sports betting booming thanks to legal changes, the FanDuel parent wants to go all in and is proposing making the NYSE its primary trading venue, which would be a blow to the London exchange.

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Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

  • The S&P 500® index (SPX) fell 2.96 points (0.1%) to 4,924.97; the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 133.86 points (0.4%) to 38,467.31; the NASDAQ Composite® (COMP) lost 118.15 points (0.8%) to 15,509.90.
  • The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) tumbled about 3 basis points to 4.059%.
  • The CBOE Volatility Index® (VIX) dropped 0.29 to 13.31.

Chipmaker shares were among the market’s weakest performers, with the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX) sinking 1.6%. The small-cap Russell 2000® Index (RUT) lost 0.8%, giving back part of Monday’s 1.7% gain. Energy and financial companies were among the strongest sectors.

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DAILY UPDATE: Stocks End Mixed

By Staff Reporters

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Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

  • The S&P 500® index (SPX) fell 3.19 points (0.1%) to 4,890.97, up 1.1% for the week; the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 60.30 points (0.2%) to 38,109.43, up 0.6% for the week; the NASDAQ Composite® (COMP) dropped 55.13 points (0.4%) to 15,455.36, still up 0.9% for the week.
  • The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) rose about 1 basis point to 4.143%.
  • The CBOE Volatility Index® (VIX) fell 0.19 to 13.26.

Energy shares extended a strong week as WTI Crude Oil futures (/CL) rallied further, reaching a two-month high just under $78 per barrel. Regional banks were also among the market’s strongest performers Friday. Small-cap stocks gained modestly to end a firm week with the Russell 2000® Index (RUT) posting a weekly gain of about 1.8%.

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DAILY UPDATE: Stock Markets Close at Record Highs

By Staff Reporters

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Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

  • The S&P 500 index rose 25.61 points (0.5%) to 4,894.16, a record high close; the Dow Jones Industrial Average® (DJI) gained 242.74 points (0.6%) to 38,049.13, also a record high; the NASDAQ Composite rose 28.58 points (0.2%) to 15,510.50.
  • The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) fell about 5 basis points to 4.13%.
  • The CBOE Volatility Index® (VIX) rose 0.31 to 13.45.

Energy companies were among the market’s strongest performers Thursday, boosted by a rally in WTI crude oil (/CL) futures, which surged 2.8% and ended near a two-month high above $77 per barrel amid concerns conflict in the Middle East and the Russia-Ukraine war may disrupt global oil supplies.

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DAILY UPDATE: Mobile Payment Fraud Up as Economy Grows and Stock Markets Extend Gains

By Staff Reporters

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Alarmed by a surge in fraud draining bank accounts through popular mobile payment apps like Venmo, Cash App and Zelle, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, Jr., has sent scathing letters to the CEOs of each company, demanding immediate action to protect consumers.

In the letters, Bragg described the crimes as involving an unauthorized user gaining access to unlocked devices, then stealing significant sums of money from bank accounts by making purchases with the mobile payment apps and using financial information from them to open new accounts.

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And, the U.S. economy expanded at a 3.3% annualized pace in the final quarter of 2023, the Commerce Department said on Thursday.

Why it matters: It’s much stronger growth than economists expected and caps a year of economic resilience as the nation avoided a projected recession.

Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

  • The S&P 500 index rose3.95 points (0.1%) to 4,868.55; the Dow Jones Industrial Average® (DJI) lost 99.06 points (0.3%) to 37,806.39; the NASDAQ Composite gained 55.97 points (0.4%) to 15,481.92.
  • The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) increased about 4 basis points to 4.18%.
  • The CBOE Volatility Index® (VIX) rose 0.59 to 13.14.

Tech-related strength helped boost the NASDAQ-100® (NXD), which includes the NASDAQ’s largest non-financial companies, by 0.6% to a record close. Energy shares were also strong behind continued gains in WTI Crude Oil (/CL) futures, which rose 1.4% and settled near a two-month -high after the Energy Information Administration reported a 7.5% drop in U.S. oil production last week, reflecting disruptions from winter storms. Small-cap shares lagged as the Russell 2000® Index (RUT) fell 0.7%.

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DAILY UPDATE: R.I.P. Medical Debt as Stock Markets End Mixed

By Staff Reporters

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New York City intends to wipe out more than $2 billion in medical debt for up to 500,000 residents, tackling a top cause of personal bankruptcy, Mayor Eric Adams just announced yesterday.

The city is working with RIP Medical Debt, a nonprofit that buys medical debt in bulk from hospitals and debt collectors for pennies on the dollar. The group targets the debt of people with low incomes or financial hardships and then forgives the amounts.

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Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

  • The S&P 500 index rose 14.17 points (0.3%) to 4,864.60; the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 96.36 points (0.3%) to 37,905.45; the NASDAQ Composite® (COMP) rose 65.66 points (0.4%) to 15,425.94.
  • The 10-year Treasury note yield (TNX) gained about 4 basis points to 4.138%.
  • The CBOE Volatility Index® (VIX) fell 0.64 to 12.55.

Shares of banks and retailers were among the market’s weakest areas Tuesday, while consumer staples were among the upside leaders. Oilfield services companies were also strong, as strong quarterly results from Halliburton (HAL) helped offset a slide in crude oil futures. In other markets, the U.S. dollar index (DXY) hit its strongest level since mid-December, partly reflecting the Bank of Japan’s decision to keep short-term interest rates unchanged.

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PODCAST: High Medical Debt Yet Hospitals Still Thrive!

By Eric Bricker MD

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UPDATE: Medical Debt, Credit Reports & Spring

By Staff Reporters

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Medical Debt. The top three credit reporting agencies—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion—said recently that they’ll remove most medical debt from consumers’ credit reports beginning this summer. This move will wipe out almost 70% of medical debts that can sometimes stick around for up to seven years on Americans’ credit reports and make it harder for them to buy a house, car, or take out other loans.

Spring: Today is the first day of Spring [aka the vernal equinox or one of two moments of the year when the Sun is exactly above the Equator].

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HAPPY SPRING 2022

Editor-in-Chef: Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA CMP™

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31% of Americans Don’t Know How They’d Pay for Severe Illness

By Staff Reporters

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31% of Americans Don’t Know How They’d Pay for Severe Illness

A recent survey by HealthcareInsider that polled 1,062 adults aged 18 and up asked, “If you were to experience a severe illness how would you pay for treatment?”

 •  Don’t know: 31%
 •  Credit card: 26%
 •  Non-retirement savings: 17%
 •  Borrow money from family: 16%
 •  Retirement savings: 11%
 •  Health Savings Account: 9%
 •  Borrow from a finance institution: 8%
 •  Crowdfund online: 6%

Source: HealthCareInsider, December 2nd, 2021COMMENTS APPRECIATED.

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