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While Medicare premiums are increasing next year, the cost will not be as bad as was previously predicted, hopefully helping seniors keep their health insurance costs affordable.

Originally expected to rise $10.20, the new Medicare Part B premium will cost only $3.50 more per month in 2012. For most beneficiaries, the total cost of the premium will be just $99.90. Medicare Part B pays for physician visits, hospital outpatient costs, and other services such as home health care.

Some Medicare beneficiaries will actually see lower payments. The standard premium cost for new enrollees since 2008 have been $115.40. These seniors will see their premiums drop by $15.50 per month.

More on EmaxHealth.com: Most Medicare Beneficiaries Happy with Part D Prescription Drug Coverage

Medicare premium increases are based partly on Social Security payouts. A special provision links Part B payments with the checks from which they usually get deducted. Because the Social Security Administration announced that recipients will receive a 3.6% cost-of-living increase in their checks next year, Medicare costs will not rise significantly.

“More people are sharing in the smaller-than-expected increases in costs,” said Dr. Don Berwick, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator. “Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, Medicare is providing better benefits at lower cost,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

More on EmaxHealth.com: Improved Benefits and Lower Costs for New Medicare Plans

Other Medicare changes for the new year also show a positive trend in cost-savings.

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Bournemouth Borough Council has granted permission for a beach hut to be built on the beach in order for legal weddings to take place.

British law states that ceremonies can only take place in a ‘permanent covered building’. Now that the white timber ‘chapel’ has been built on the sands of Bournemouth beach, it means that couples are able to have the beach wedding they have always dreamed about, for cheaper than going abroad.

The first wedding will be held in April next year, and up to 400 guests can be entertained in a marquee. Around 60 enquiries were received by Bournemouth Borough Council regarding beach weddings, encouraging them to respond.

Director of Bellissimo Wedding Planners, Melanie Kiani, said: ‘This is an absolultey amazing opportunity for prospective couples. We can provide every last detail – catering, flowers, styling and décor, music, you name it. Couples can arrive at the ceremony on a decorated train chugging along the prom, or sweep down to the beach in a beautifully decorated cliff lift.’

‘Never before has it been possible to conduct a legal, civil ceremony on the beach in this country, we think it will be phenomenally popular.’

The beach hut is available for weddings between April and October every year, from 10am to 4.30pm, seven days a week.

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XN Holdings, parent company of XN Financial Services, has been acquired by a private operator in France, Henner – GMC Services.

XN Financial will continue to function as a privately held operating entity, offering wide range of specialty insurance solutions.

This acquisition creates XN Financial to provide insurance products specializing in expatriate insurance and administrative platforms for healthcare products as well as property and casualty.

Supported by Lloyd’s capacity, XN Financial’s suite of products paired with Henner – GMC-Services well-established carrier relationships and global presence result in a unique offering to the mobility market.

Combined, the companies will manage an annual $1.3bn in written premium; enhance global coordination with the addition of four North American offices, and offer innovative approaches to global risk management.

Henner – GMC Services managing director Charles Robinet Duffo said XN Financial’s physical locations in North America provide a strategic and natural opportunity to further expand the global presence.

The details of this transaction will remain undisclosed.

Open Enrollment for Medicare will begin earlier this year and last seven weeks to allow seniors and people with disabilities more time to compare and find the best plan to meet their individual needs. Open Enrollment will begin Saturday, October 15th and last through December 7th, 2011.

This year, due to the Affordable Care Act, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is able to offer seniors additional benefits, better choices and lower costs, including free preventative services and cheaper prescription drugs. “Open enrollment is seniors’ chance to review their Medicare choices and pick the plan that works for them, or keep the plan they have today,” says Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

Medicare is health insurance offered by the federal government for people aged 65 and older, or younger people with certain disabilities. Medicare Part A helps to cover inpatient care in hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, hospice and home health care. Medicare Part B, or medical insurance, helps cover doctors’ and other health care providers’ services, outpatient care, durable medical equipment and home health care. Part B also offers some preventive services that help maintain health and keep certain illnesses from getting worse.

Medicare Part C is also known as Medicare Advantage. These health plan options are run by Medicare-approved private insurance companies and combine services offered under both Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B. Most also include Medicare Part D, which is prescription drug coverage.

The Medicare Plan Finder is an online search tool to help provide estimated cost and coverage information. By enteri

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BB&T Insurance Services, an insurance broker, has said that it will expand its California operations with the acquisition of Liberty Benefit Insurance Services of California.

Established in 1991, Liberty, a full-service employee benefits broker, partners with large commercial clients in the San Francisco Bay Area to help them manage rising health care costs, changing regulations and complex benefits administration.

Following this acquisition, Liberty will operate as BB&T-Liberty Benefit Insurance Services and adds 25 employees to BB&T Insurance Services.

BB&T Insurance Services operates California agencies in Folsom, Fullerton, Glendale, Irvine, Pleasanton, San Diego and San Francisco.

Liberty Benefit Insurance Services president Dixon Greer said by partnering with the insurance broker in the country, clients will have access to a broader offering of insurance and risk management services from a nationally recognized leader in the industry.

The transaction is expected to be completed October 1. Terms were not disclosed.

Italian Elena De Angelis, of Casal di Princice, wowed the local villagers as she stepped out and into her wedding car with a veil measuring a whopping two miles.

Many of the local children and adults showed up to help the bride with her veil, driving through the streets in the car with people stretching for over 3km behind her to help carry it.

The dress was made from over 6,000 metres of silk cord material. The dress and veil are expected to be crowned the world’s longest in the Guinness World Records.

Elena was applauded by the whole village upon arrival. The veil had to be packed in to the church by family and friends, cramming it all in at the doors of the church.

The designer of the dress was Gianni Molaro.

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