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If millionaires formed a political party, they'd have a lock on government
Kai Ryssdal May 9, 2013
A Duke professor asks: What would happen if all the millionaires in public office joined a single political party? Answer: They'd control the federal government by a wide margin.
The possible downside to the good jobless claims numbers
Stacey Vanek Smith May 9, 2013
U.S. jobless claims are falling -- most recently to a pre-recession level -- but does that mean nothing more than employers are getting to the point where they can’t lay off any more workers?
How some rural areas are being pinched by lack of Medicaid expansion
Blake Farmer May 9, 2013
An expansion of Medicaid is supposed to cover more of the working poor. But Republican-led states have been opting out and outlying areas in states like Tennessee may be the hardest hit.
What unemployment rate should we be aiming for?
Chris Farrell May 9, 2013
Is there such a thing as an unemployment rate that is too low?
U.S. releases data showing striking differences in hospital prices
Dan Gorenstein May 8, 2013
The public can search a database for prices for 100 common procedures at every hospital in the country, opening a window onto price differences.
Let's going shopping for surgery: New government data shines light on health care cost variations
Sabri Ben-Achour May 8, 2013
You wouldn't dream of buying a new laptop without comparing prices -- why should health care be any different? The government is releasing new data about what hospitals charge in various places for medical procedures, and the prices vary widely.
What's behind the slow rise of health care costs? Our pocketbooks
Dan Gorenstein May 7, 2013
Health care costs have been rising at a slower rate for the last four years. Why? Hint: The answer is not the recession.
Many job openings, fewer hires
David Weinberg May 7, 2013
New numbers on job openings in the U.S. are out. And there's a bit of a mystery: Why are there so many job openings and so few hires?
Navigating China's perilous health care system along the Street of Eternal Happiness
Rob Schmitz May 6, 2013
China’s government has spent more than $125 billion on securing coverage for 95 percent of the country, but big problems remain. China remains a place where out-of-pocket costs can equal a year’s salary and where underpaid doctors expect a bribe before they perform surgery on you.
Jobs are one thing, but what about credit?
Julia Coronado May 6, 2013
One way to evaluate the health of an economy is to look at the jobs picture, which looks pretty rosy so far this spring. But there’s another sign to keep any eye on: the availability of credit.
