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A Jacksonville, Fla.-based Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance subsidiary agreed to acquire Pittsburgh, Pa.-based Highmarks Medicare subsidiary.

Diversified Service Options (DSO), a wholly owned subsidiary of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida and the and the holding company for First Coast Service Options (FCSO), will acquire Highmark Medicare Services (HMS).

Financial terms of the transaction, expected to close by Jan. 1, 2012, were not disclosed.

Both HMS and FCSO will continue to operate as separate, independent organizations, as wholly owned subsidiaries of DSO, officials said.

This change was prompted by Highmarks provider strategy, said David OBrien, executive vice president of Highmark, in a statement. The decision was a difficult one but one which best positions HMS to maintain its current business and pursue its government business growth strategy.

HMS holds the Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) contract for Jurisdiction 12 (J12), which is comprised of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware and Washington, D.C. When combined with FCSOs existing MAC J9 contract, which includes Florida, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the two DSO companies will serve Medicare beneficiaries in five states, two U.S. territories, and Washington, D.C.

I want to apologize to President Obama. But first, some background.

I found out three weeks ago I have cancer. Im 49 years old, have been married for almost 20 years and have two kids. My husband has his own small computer business, and I run a small nonprofit in the San Fernando Valley. I am also an artist. Money is tight, and we dont spend it frivolously. Were just ordinary, middle-class people, making an honest living, raising great kids and participating in our community, the kids schools and church.

Were good people, and we work hard. But we havent been able to afford health insurance for more than two years. And now I have third-stage breast cancer and am facing months of expensive treatment.

To understand how such a thing could happen to a family like ours, I need to take you back nine years to when my husband got laid off from the entertainment company where hed worked for 10 years. Until then, we had been insured through his work, with a first-rate plan. After he got laid off, we got to keep that health insurance for 18 months through COBRA, by paying $1,300 a month, which was a huge burden on an unemployed father and his family.

By the time the COBRA ran out, my husband had decided to go into business for himself, so we had to purchase our own insurance. That was fine for a while. Every year his business grew. But insurance premiums were steadily rising too. More than once, we switched carriers for a lower rate, only to have them raise rates significantly after a few months.

With the recession, both of our businesses took a huge hit my husbands income was cut in half, and the foundations that had supported my small nonprofit were going through their own tough times.

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Couples looking to invest in wedding insurance may want to take one experts advice and consider hiring a live band.

Director at Vivalivemusic.co.uk Susan Heaton Wright claimed musicians can help make a ceremony memorable by entertaining people throughout the day.

“During the wedding ceremony, having a musician or ensemble playing as guests arrive, during the ceremony and as the bridal couple leave, is incredible,” she stated.

Harpists, a classical guitarist or string quartet were all recommended as the best options for a “truly memorable” effect.

It was suggested that having musicians play while guests enjoy drinks at the reception and wait for the bride and groom to arrive, is a good way to provide ambience without drowning out those who want to chat and mingle.

Owner of Los Angeles-based event design company Geller Events Debbie Geller recently told the Huffington Post how entertainment is the main aspect of a wedding that will be remembered by those who attended.

UK-based motor claims manager Ai Claims Solutions has appointed Simon Pook as COO effective 13 December 2011.

Pook was previously at HomeServe, where he held the position of claims director.

Prior to that he was international business development director of HomeServe and managing director Europe of Game Stores Group and is currently a director of Stormsolar.

Ai Claims Solutions manages motor claims from the initial incident through to final resolution for several of the insurance companies, brokers, fleet companies and automotive businesses across the UK.

AI’s services include the provision of accident management services, cost containment, claims recovery, vehicle repair, replacement vehicles and personal injury claims management and all claims are managed from its call centre in Blackpool.

It is. But we don’t want to risk our customers getting caught out. The cost of foreign medical care can very rapidly get out of control. Way out of control. And if you haven’t got travel insurance cover, you’ll have to find a way to pay the costs yourself. Not having a policy is not an excuse.

Take a look at this short viral from the Foreign Office. Could you afford to lose out in the same position?

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