Things To Do In SW Florida

By DEVNA BOSE

One of the country’s largest health insurers reversed a change in policy Thursday after widespread outcry, saying it would not tie payments in some states to the length of time a patient went under anesthesia.

Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield said in a statement that its decision to backpedal resulted from “significant widespread misinformation” about the policy.

“To be clear, it never was and never will be the policy of Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield to not pay for medically necessary anesthesia services,” the statement said. “The proposed update to the policy was only designed to clarify the appropriateness of anesthesia consistent with well-established clinical guidelines.”

Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield would have used “physician work time values,” which is published by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, as the metric for anesthesia limits; maternity patients and patients under the age of 22 were exempt. But Dr. Jonathan Gal, economics committee chair of the American Society for Anesthesiologists, said it’s unclear how CMS derives those values. read more

René Bennett | (TNS) Bankrate.com

If you’re an iPhone user, you might not realize that you already have access to Apple Cash. It’s a digital cash card that’s built into Apple devices and can be found in the default Wallet app. (Note: You must link an eligible debit card to use this service.)

The main function of Apple Cash is to make it easier for Apple device users to send money to one another, including sending money through the iMessage app. But Apple Cash is more than just a peer-to-peer (P2P) payment service — it can be used to shop online, in stores or to make in-app purchases.

Apple Cash is a convenient way to transfer money between friends and family. Once it’s set up, a user can simply open the iMessage app and send money to a contact through their chat. It’s also useful for those who use Apple Pay, a separate service that allows Apple device users to make contactless payments with any linked card, including an Apple Cash card.

Here are some important things to know about setting up and using Apple Cash. read more

By Lauren Schwahn, NerdWallet

As we get deeper into the holiday season, it may feel like your expenses are piling up. Reducing your monthly bills can be one way to ease the pressure on your budget.

Lowering your bills might be easier than you think. With a phone call and a little preparation, you may be able to save money on internet, phone, cable or utility bills — and maybe others. Talking to your service providers could, for example, get you a lower rate or promotional discount, or point you toward a financial assistance program.

Use these expert tips to negotiate better deals with customer service representatives.

1. Time the call right

The outcome of the conversation can largely depend on when you pick up the phone. Choose a moment when you have time — and patience — to spare, so you can focus fully on the call.

Real estate

Rajiv Pauray has joined Premier Sotheby’s International Realty, Southwest Orlando, as a sales advisor.

Lisa Polhill has joined Premier Sotheby’s International Realty, New Smyrna Beach, as a sales advisor.

Penny Puente has joined Premier Sotheby’s International Realty, Southeast Orlando, as a sales advisor.

Sean Spencer has joined Premier Sotheby’s International Realty, Seminole, as a sales advisor.

Marcelle Da Silva Sampaio has joined Premier Sotheby’s International Realty, Southwest Orlando, as a sales advisor.

Michael Siegle has joined Premier Sotheby’s International Realty, Southwest Orlando, as a sales advisor.

Kathryn Weiss has joined Premier Sotheby’s International Realty, Winter Park, as a sales advisor.

Submit professional appointments, management-level promotions and significant awards for individuals, along with photos as .jpg attachments, to peopleonmove@orlandosentinel.com.

By STAN CHOE, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — The S&P 500 is on track to close 2024 with a gain of nearly 27%, after setting 50 record highs this year. That’s on top of its 24.2% spurt the year before, a spectacular two-year run unmatched since the dot-com boom.

This time around, it’s not dot-com stocks boosting the market but skyrocketing prices for companies in the artificial-intelligence business. Nvidia, for example, has more than doubled in value after surging over three times in 2023 because its chips are powering much of the move into AI. Super Micro Computer, which makes servers used in AI and other computing, has jumped nearly 48% this year after more than tripling last year.

The economy, meanwhile, isn’t far removed from its last recession, which struck with the COVID-19 pandemic. But perhaps more importantly, it’s so far avoided a recession that many on Wall Street worried was inevitable after the Federal Reserve hiked its main interest rate to a two-decade high in hopes of slowing the economy to beat high inflation. read more