Personal Finance Daily: Health insurers may be coughing up rebates

	Personal Finance Daily APRIL 26, 2012 Thursday's Personal Finance Stories By MarketWatch Don't miss these top stories: Health insurers could fork over $1.3 bln in rebates Inflation or deflation? Be ready for either Health law's demise would save big bucks, for some Two of our personal-finance columnists take a look at the Affordable Care Act from different perspectives today. Kristen Gerencher reports on a study that shows health insurers may be forking over $1.3 billion in rebates this summer. A provision in the health-reform law means rebates to consumers whose health plans have exceeded the limits of a formula designed to ensure that premium payments go mostly to pay for actual medical care. Consumers and businesses in Texas and Florida will see the largest rebates, with $186 million and $149 million coming back, respectively. Also today, Andrea Coombes writes in her Ways and Means column that if the Supreme Court declares the health-reform law unconstitutional, it could really upend numerous tax provisions. Who stands to benefit from that? Well, the richest Americans — the top 0.1% — would avoid about $125,000 more in taxes per year on average if the health law is overturned. And finally, Robert Powell writes in his Your Portfolio column that investors should be aware of, and prepared for, both inflation and deflation pressures. — Anne Stanley , managing editor, personal finance Rates on 30-year mortgage fall to 3.88% Rates on fixed-rate mortgages average just above record lows this week, according to Freddie Mac's survey of conforming rates on home loans. Read more: Rates on 30-year mortgage fall to 3.88%. Health insurers could rebate $1.3 bln This summer, your health-insurance costs could go down for a change. A provision in the federal health-reform law stands to return big bucks to customers whose health plans have exceeded the limits of a formula meant to ensure that most premium dollars go to pay for medical care instead of overhead and profit. Read more: Health insurers could rebate $1.3 billion. Inflation or deflation? Be ready for either Neither an inflationist nor a deflationist be. That, to mangle the well-known quotation, sums up the view of some investment professionals who are struggling to make sense of current market conditions. Read more: Inflation or deflation: Be ready for either. Health law's demise would save big bucks, for some Whatever their opinion of the health-care reform law, wealthy Americans have a lot of money riding on the Supreme Court's coming decision on the law's constitutionality. And taxpayers of all income brackets could see tax laws upended by the Supreme Court's decision. Read more: Health law's demise could save big bucks, for some. ECONOMY AND POLITICS Pending home sales at 23-month high in March Contract signings to sell existing homes reached a 23-month high in March in an indication of a rebound in activity in the housing market, a trade group reports. Read more: Pending home sales at 23-month high in March. U.S. jobless claims remain elevated Applications for U.S. unemployment benefits are at highest level of 2012. Jobless claims total 388,000 in the latest week, the Labor Department says Thursday. Read more: U.S. jobless claims remain elevated. INVESTING Facebook sales growth is lumpy and slowing A careful reading of the amended S-1 makes clear why the company wants to come out of the gate soon: its online-advertising business is highly seasonal, and the second quarter is a high season, writes John Shinal. Read more: Facebook sales growth is lumpy and slowing. Do Apple earnings augur a tech comeback? The market may have been dead wrong on Apple Inc. And earnings surprises are notoriously bullish signs. But in fact the tech sector has been surging for some time — as evidenced by a veteran letter's rebound, Peter Brimelow writes. Read more: Do Apple earnings auger a tech comeback? Throw durable goods on the heap of disappointments Another data series hit a brick wall in March, writes Kathleen Madigan. Read more: Throw durable goods on the heap of disappointments. Get the latest news on our mobile site: http://www.marketwatch.com/m MarketWatch has sent you this newsletter because you signed up to receive it. To ensure you receive this newsletter in the future, please add marketwatchmail.com to your list of approved senders. Sent to: kumaresan.selva.blogger@gmail.com Unsubscribe | Subscribe Copyright 2012 MarketWatch, Inc. All rights reserved. MarketWatch, the MarketWatch logo, and BigCharts are registered trademarks of MarketWatch, Inc. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy (updated 6/26/07). MarketWatch - Attn: Customer Service, 201 California St., San Francisco, CA 94111