United Health Insurance

Few presidents will come into office having generated the sort of expectations Barack Obama created over the course of his campaign. The country’s economic crisis poses substantial dangers but it also presents enormous opportunities. If President Obama is prepared to seize these opportunities, he will establish himself as one of the countries truly great presidents, alongside Lincoln and Roosevelt. Read more

Brown & Brown Inc. has announced the acquisition of Health Insurance Exchange Inc., an employee benefits insurance firm.

According to a release, the company acquired Seattle-based Health Insurance Exchange on Nov. 5. The company will operate in an existing Brown & Brown Seattle office. Health Insurance Exchange recorded $1.2 million in annual revenues. Read more

By Deirdre Fernandes | hamptonroads.com

For the first time, city employees and retirees will have to pay for individual health insurance plans.

The City Council unanimously approved a slew of changes to its health insurance policies for current employees and retirees that could save the city an estimated $15 million in annual costs and future liabilities.

The changes come after more than a year of discussion about the ballooning cost of insurance and how much taxpayers should subsidize. The policy will probably have to be revised again, Councilman Harry Diezel said. Read more

Melissa Traub has struggled for a decade with an eating disorder, her weight sometimes dipping below 100 pounds, her hair falling out by the handful.

Today, the 24-year-old Naperville woman appears to be healthy—a tribute to treatment, tenacity and financial means. The road to recovery, which included hospitalization and stints in residential treatment centers, cost her family more than $100,000, even with insurance. Read more