Free Republic

The government spends a fortune on health care for impoverished older Americans, especially for people who are known as "dual eligibles," meaning they qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid. Many, if not most, low-income older Americans live in substandard housing, and they receive little preventive medical care. What if government could come into a person's home and provide a range of preventive health care services? What if this home-based intervention also included home improvements that allowed frail seniors to be more safe and secure in their homes? And what if these services also saved the government a bundle of money...

It’s 100% financing—the same strategy that pushed many homeowners into foreclosure during the housing bust. Banks say these loans are safer: They’re almost exclusively being offered to clients with sizable assets, and they often require two forms of collateral—the house and a portion of the client’s investment portfolio in lieu of a traditional cash down payment. In most cases, borrowers end up with one loan and one monthly payment. Depending on the lender and the borrower, roughly 60% to 80% of the loan can be pegged to the home’s value while the remaining 20% to 40% can be secured by...

PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Picking out vinyl siding for the home has for decades had all the excitement of rearranging a sock drawer. Beginning next year, however, homeowners once forced to paw through shades of white, almond and beige will be able to get siding in guava jam, strawberry fields, and about 700 other shades. One of the largest suppliers of aluminum and vinyl siding has done a major overhaul of its manufacturing process, freeing it from inventory restrictions that have constrained much of the industry and made some new housing developments a study in monotony. ~~~~SNIP~~~~ The service also includes...