A new study should put to rest any question of whether having health insurance makes a difference for its recipients. This has been a hard question to answer, because people who have insurance and people who don’t aren’t randomly distributed; there are likely to be other differences between them.

NEW PORT RICHEY — Bonnie Madden has come to court more times than she can count, waiting to see the man who used to call her his second mother go to prison.

Randolph Kahl-Winter was Madden’s insurance agent, but more than that he was a friend and confidant to the elderly woman, which made it hurt that much worse when investigators discovered he was ripping her off.

Asian stocks rose, driving the benchmark index higher for its third week, as U.S. retail and jobs market data increased optimism in the strength of the global economic recovery.

BHP Billiton Ltd., the world’s No. 1 mining company by market value, advanced 0.9 percent after oil prices rose on optimism fuel demand will increase in the U.S.

The state windstorm insurer of last resort is short $200 million to cover Hurricane Ike claims, and its choices for raising the money present new problems.

One approach could tighten the state’s general revenue and its home insurance market for up to five years, and the other could reduce the windstorm insurer’s reserves for paying future hurricane claims.

If you want to understand why cutting the deficit is so hard, you can’t do much better than to look at the Business Roundtable.

A bill that would allow state officials to reject rate increases proposed by health insurers is under intense lobbying pressure as it faces a key committee vote this week.

Groups representing insurers, doctors and hospitals are trying to have the California bill weakened or killed, although for different reasons.

SACRAMENTO (KABC) — There is a move to give the state insurance commissioner more power to regulate health insurance premiums.

Many plans are increasing their rates Friday, with no obligation to justify the increases. The latest rate hike by some of the state’s largest health insurers affects 1.5 million Californians; mostly small business and individual policyholders.

A fifth defendant in the Equipment Finance Inc. case has decided to admit his role in the loan fraud.

A court filing Friday shows that John S. Tomberlin, an Alabama businessman who allegedly helped perpetuate the complex and lengthy ruse, will plead guilty on Aug. 15.

Mark J. Gerard, the veterinarian for champion horses Secretariat and Kelso whose racing career was ruined when he ran a ringer in a 1977 race at Belmont Park, has died. He was 76.

He died June 21 in Miami from complications from a stroke, according to his sister, Joyce Aimee Titchnell of Los Angeles. He was at work on June 6 at a stable in Wellington, Fla., where he treated polo ponies, when he was stricken.

NEW YORK — There’s rarely been a better time to buy a home. If only you could get approved for a mortgage.

Despite the persistent uncertainty in the housing market, a steep drop in prices has made ownership a more attractive option for many. Yet some potential buyers may be sitting on the sidelines assuming they won’t qualify for a loan in today’s stricter lending environment. It turns out the reality isn’t as stark as many believe.