Cavalcade of Risk #50

April 23rd, 2008 by Julie Ferguson

We’re honored to be hosting this 50th edition of Cavalcade of Risk, a smörgåsbord of some of the best posts from blogs that focus on the realm of risk. We have a hefty helping of posts so we’ll dispense with further formalities and just dig right in.
Health Care
Which countries have the best health care systems? That’s a question Jason Shafrin of Healtcare Economist answers as he takes us on a whirlwind tour of health care systems around the world.
Are we looking after our student’s health care? Bob Vineyard of Insure Blog tells us why student health insurance is a disgrace.
Richard Eskow of Sentinel Effects discusses why the words “universal coverage” ring hollow when it comes to the health care plans being promoted by the current roster of candidates.
Ouch. Louise of Colorado Health Insider relates a first-person account of the frustrations inherent in the health care system even for those who have insurance in her post about being caught by the out of network deductible.
David Williams of Health Business Blog discusses the risks and costs involved in pharmaceutical research and development and posts about a promising development for the pharmaceutical pipeline.
Money & Markets
Leon Gettler of Sox First considers the extent that the subprime meltdown might be the result of the mark to market accounting technique where assets are given a value that’s a fantasy.
What can we learn from a yo-yo? Dorian Wales of Personal Financier draws lessons from examining the wild swings of the Lehman Brothers’ recent stock price.
Jacob of Early Retirement Extreme reminds us that “being in it for the long term” does not make investing in stock risk free. He discusses the major risks of buy and hold index investing.
Business risk
In his post 30 Minutes, 30 Cents, 30 Billion, Charles H. Green of Trust Matters suggests that the business world of today is heavily driven by two trends: fragmentation of processes, and globalization of scale. But he suggests that the problem is that no one is looking at the overall picture.
Joe Paduda of Managed Care Matters notes that in the property & casualty insurance market, there is currently just too much capital chasing too few risks. He discusses the dynamics of the softening insurance market.
Specialty Insurance Blog posts about a recent court judgment that ups the liability risk for insurance agents and brokers if they fail to communicate effectively with their clients.
HR Web Cafe discusses spear phishing – an insidious type of email fraud that has been successful at penetrating corporations by impersonating communications from trusted insiders, such as members of the organization’s IT or HR team.
Risk grab bag
After a visit to his doctor’s office, Ernesto TIG of Insurance Yak fantasizes about about the iMed, potentially the greatest money savings device that has not yet been invented.
Nicholas White left his office to take a smoke break, and it lasted 41 hours. Here at Workers Comp Insider, we look at some of the scary risks you take when you get on an elevator.
At Get Rich Slowly, J.D. asks what you’d do if your cost for energy suddenly quintupled as it did for some of his Alaskan readers.
Consumer risk-reduction tips
In the light of many recent product recalls, Silicon Valley Blogger of The Digerati Life notes that we face some risks when we fork out money to buy goods and services. 10 tips for being a smart and safe consumer offers advice on how to avoid those risks make safe and wise purchase decisions.
Raymond at Money Blue Book suggests that fliers should always pay by credit card to protect against losses with airline bankruptcies, and discusses ways to get a refund when an airline or travel agency goes belly up.
As money gets tighter for many, Tisha Kulak of American Consumer News offers 10 warning signs of debt disaster and discusses what to do when you owe taxes but can’t afford to pay.