Key Points Traditional Medicare typically does not require preapproval for services. A new pilot program launched in January changes the rules. More procedures must be preapproved, increasing the chances that retirees will be denied care. The $23,760 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook › Seniors tend to use more medical care than most, which is why access to Medicare is so impo...
Key Points Traditional Medicare typically does not require preapproval for services. A new pilot program launched in January changes the rules. More procedures must be preapproved, increasing the chances that retirees will be denied care. The $23,760 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook › Seniors tend to use more medical care than most, which is why access to Medicare is so important for retirees. While Medicare definitely doesn't cover everything, it provides an affordable solution for seniors so they can get most of the care they need at least partially paid for. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now, when you join Stock Advisor. See the stocks » Unfortunately, life will soon get harder for around 6.4 million Medicare beneficiaries as coverage rules change this year. These seniors will find it harder to get some services they may depend on to help maintain their health. Here's why. Medicare introduces new barriers to care for 6.4 million seniors Millions of seniors will have a harder time getting Medicare to pay for care this year, thanks to a pilot program that now requires prior approval for 17 healthcare services. While Medicare Advantage plans have routinely required pre-approval for certain healthcare services, pre-approval is not usually required for seniors with traditional Medicare coverage. However, a new pilot program called the Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction (WISeR) model is launching in six states that changes that. The purpose is to limit access to "wasteful" care, but the Medicare retirees who use the affected services may not agree with the government that their care is a waste. Medicare makes it harder to get access to 17 medical services Under the WISeR model, the 17 different services that seniors will now need to get pre-approval for include: Arthroscopic lavage and arthroscopic debridement to treat osteoarthritis sufferers Bioen...
There are grave fears for a former Canberra high school student after claims he was killed in Iran, amid representations by the Australian government to Tehran over the potential execution of prisoners. Posts on social media accounts linked to the boy suggest he died on Friday, after reportedly being detained in Iran. The claims could not be verified. However, wellbeing support has been offered to...
There are grave fears for a former Canberra high school student after claims he was killed in Iran, amid representations by the Australian government to Tehran over the potential execution of prisoners. Posts on social media accounts linked to the boy suggest he died on Friday, after reportedly being detained in Iran. The claims could not be verified. However, wellbeing support has been offered to former classmates of the boy – who was not an Australian citizen – by his former high school in the ACT, Guardian Australia has confirmed. Community members have also raised concerns with the government that another person – an international student studying at an Australian university – had been sentenced to death in Iran, although details of the case could not be verified. The Australian government declined to comment on either case. However, the federal government has made representations to Tehran about executions, including in recent days. Thousands of protesters are estimated to have been killed during demonstrations in Iran in recent weeks. A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said Australia opposed the death penalty “in all circumstances for all people” and has pressed the Iranian government to cease its use. “We have called on the Iranian government to cease killings, the use of force, and arbitrary detention in response to its violent suppression of recent protests,” the spokesperson said. An ACT government spokesperson said the deputy chief minister and education minister, Yvette Berry, raised the matter with the office of Australia’s foreign minister, Penny Wong, on behalf of the school community. “We understand representations were made to Iran on the matter,” the spokesperson said. The ACT government spokesperson said additional wellbeing supports had been made available onsite for students at the school, which the boy attended until last year. Families and staff had also been informed about free community support they could access, ...
I thought Daniel Kitson was just about ready to kick me out of the comedy room. He had already picked on me several times for laughing too loud, too readily (“that wasn’t even a joke”, he chastised me at one point). I was trying hard to suppress my laughter – to hold it in, to hold it back, to not fully express the joy I was feeling. I was being somewhat successful. And then I wasn’t. Everyone in ...
I thought Daniel Kitson was just about ready to kick me out of the comedy room. He had already picked on me several times for laughing too loud, too readily (“that wasn’t even a joke”, he chastised me at one point). I was trying hard to suppress my laughter – to hold it in, to hold it back, to not fully express the joy I was feeling. I was being somewhat successful. And then I wasn’t. Everyone in the audience was laughing – but I was laughing too much. Then Kitson looked at me, and asked me to laugh “10% less” – I was ruining it for the rest of the audience, he said. Bring it down 10% and give everyone else a chance. My face turned red, I shrunk in my seat, and I tried my hardest – really, I did – to not laugh so loud. But still, I had to laugh at the request. Comedians are always singling me out. Barely a show goes by when they don’t make a comment on the person with the biggest laugh. It’s worse in a small tent, where they can see every face in the audience and know exactly who that woman is who is laughing so deeply, so loudly. Who laughs at all of the jokes everyone else is laughing at – but who also finds every other small thing so funny she laughs at those as well. In Scout Boxall’s God’s Favourite – a comedy show about the time they found themselves without their bipolar medication – they make a quip about someone offering them St John’s wort. My laugh was explosive. “Some of my jokes are like a machine gun, taking out everyone,” they said. “Sometimes they are a sniper rifle – just picking out the one person.” They looked at me. It is the part of myself I am most frequently embarrassed by – I try to hold my breath to suppress the laughter; I shrink down in my seat. But it is also the part of myself I love the most. It is, paradoxically, me at my least self-conscious: it is so overwhelming that all I can do is give over to it. It is the part of me that my friends tell me they love the most too. If we are seeing a show separately, they tell me that they could p...
VanderWolf-Images/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Air Canada ( ACDVF ) said late Wednesday it ordered eight Airbus A350-1000 ( EADSF ) ( EADSY ) widebody aircraft, with an option to purchase eight more, as the carrier seeks to modernize its fleet. The purchase agreement, if all rights are exercised, would be valued at ~$3B , based on current aircraft values, according to analytics firm Ishka Ltd...
VanderWolf-Images/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Air Canada ( ACDVF ) said late Wednesday it ordered eight Airbus A350-1000 ( EADSF ) ( EADSY ) widebody aircraft, with an option to purchase eight more, as the carrier seeks to modernize its fleet. The purchase agreement, if all rights are exercised, would be valued at ~$3B , based on current aircraft values, according to analytics firm Ishka Ltd. Air Canada ( ACDVF ) said the A350 - a model not currently part of its fleet - will strengthen its "long-term cost efficiency" and provide a more comfortable experience for passengers. The company said the purchase will add to its order book of 30 Airbus A321XLRs, 23 Airbus A220s and 14 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners. Deliveries of the latest Airbus ( EADSF ) ( EADSY ) order are scheduled to start in H2 2030. More on Air Canada and Airbus Air Canada: A Buy Despite US Transborder Headwinds Boeing Beats On Orders, Airbus Wins Deliveries: Why Winning Still Feels Like Losing Airbus: 1,000 Airplane Orders And Still Disappointing
Image source: The Motley Fool. Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026 at 5 p.m. ET CALL PARTICIPANTS Chair of the Board of Directors — Simon Allen Chief Executive Officer — Philip Moyer Chief Financial Officer — Robert Sallmann TAKEAWAYS Total revenue -- $434 million, up 4.2% year over year, primarily driven by higher education segment performance. -- $434 million, up 4.2% year over year, primarily driven by hi...
Image source: The Motley Fool. Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026 at 5 p.m. ET CALL PARTICIPANTS Chair of the Board of Directors — Simon Allen Chief Executive Officer — Philip Moyer Chief Financial Officer — Robert Sallmann TAKEAWAYS Total revenue -- $434 million, up 4.2% year over year, primarily driven by higher education segment performance. -- $434 million, up 4.2% year over year, primarily driven by higher education segment performance. Reoccurring revenue -- $357 million, up 14.8% year over year, accounting for 82% of total revenue. -- $357 million, up 14.8% year over year, accounting for 82% of total revenue. Digital revenue -- $364 million, up 11% year over year, representing 84% of total revenue. -- $364 million, up 11% year over year, representing 84% of total revenue. Adjusted EBITDA -- $136 million, up 7.7% year over year, with a margin of 31.3%. -- $136 million, up 7.7% year over year, with a margin of 31.3%. Gross profit margin -- 85.3%, up nearly 100 basis points year over year, attributed to digital revenue mix and operational efficiency. -- 85.3%, up nearly 100 basis points year over year, attributed to digital revenue mix and operational efficiency. Remaining performance obligation (RPO) -- $1.7 billion at quarter-end, with anticipated increases from upcoming K-12 cycles. -- $1.7 billion at quarter-end, with anticipated increases from upcoming K-12 cycles. Higher education revenue -- $225 million, up 24% year over year; reoccurring revenue up 33.5%, digital revenue up 24.8%. -- $225 million, up 24% year over year; reoccurring revenue up 33.5%, digital revenue up 24.8%. Higher education market share -- Achieved record 30% share, supported by the Evergreen platform, ALEKS Calculus, and inclusive access expansion. -- Achieved record 30% share, supported by the Evergreen platform, ALEKS Calculus, and inclusive access expansion. K-12 revenue -- $128 million, down 14.6% year over year, attributed to a smaller market and tough prior-year comparisons; reoccurring re...
Earnings Call Insights: Motorola Solutions (MSI) Q4 2025 Management View Gregory Brown, Chairman & CEO, reported "Q4 was an exceptional quarter across the board with record revenue in both segments, record operating earnings and record operating margins." Brown highlighted a 26% growth in orders and a year-end backlog of $15.7 billion, up $1 billion year-over-year. He also noted that "revenue incr...
Earnings Call Insights: Motorola Solutions (MSI) Q4 2025 Management View Gregory Brown, Chairman & CEO, reported "Q4 was an exceptional quarter across the board with record revenue in both segments, record operating earnings and record operating margins." Brown highlighted a 26% growth in orders and a year-end backlog of $15.7 billion, up $1 billion year-over-year. He also noted that "revenue increased by 8%, EPS by 11%" for the full year and identified a record operating cash flow of $2.8 billion, up 19%. Brown emphasized their fifth consecutive year of double-digit EPS growth and first-ever 30-plus annual operating margin. He stated, "our record backlog position, strong demand environment, and expanding product and services portfolio are all informing our expectations for another strong year." Jason Winkler, Executive VP & CFO, added "Revenue for the quarter grew 12% and was above our guidance with double-digit growth in both segments and all 3 technologies." He stated, "GAAP operating earnings were $944 million or 27.9% of sales... Non-GAAP operating earnings were $1.1 billion, up 19% from the year ago quarter and non-GAAP operating margin was a record 32.1%." Winkler also reported "GAAP earnings per share was $3.86" and "Non-GAAP EPS was $4.59, up 14% from $4.04." Winkler highlighted "Q4 operating cash flow was $1.3 billion" and a "record free cash flow of $2.6 billion, up 21%." He detailed $4.9 billion for acquisitions, $1.2 billion in share repurchases, and an 11% dividend increase, marking "our 14th consecutive year of double-digit increases." New product highlights included the launch of the Assist Suites, "integrating our most critical AI-powered applications around 2 key roles in public safety, the dispatcher and the officer," offered at $99 per user per month. Brown noted shipment of over 15,000 SVX devices and FedRAMP approval for their APX NEXT radios. Outlook Winkler stated, "We expect Q1 sales to be up between 6% and 7% with non-GAAP EPS between $3.20...
Funtap/iStock via Getty Images Supply chain stability will remain a central consideration for technology firms that operate within complex global ecosystems. - Jennison Associates, LLC Market in Review The Information Technology sector ended 2025 with more moderate performance after an exceptional run earlier in the year. Artificial Intelligence ("AI") and large-cap technology names continued to s...
Funtap/iStock via Getty Images Supply chain stability will remain a central consideration for technology firms that operate within complex global ecosystems. - Jennison Associates, LLC Market in Review The Information Technology sector ended 2025 with more moderate performance after an exceptional run earlier in the year. Artificial Intelligence ("AI") and large-cap technology names continued to support overall market strength, while renewed concerns about the durability of AI investment and elevated valuations contributed to increased volatility during the quarter. Supportive Federal Reserve policy, along with moderating but still positive economic growth, helped sustain investor confidence in the continued adoption of AI-enabled products. After several quarters of outsized gains, growth leadership in the sector cooled, as investors rotated toward cyclical or value-oriented areas. Concerns about high valuation left little room for earnings disappointments, and several companies experienced share price pullbacks even when results met expectations. However, long-term fundamentals for technology remained intact, supported by persistent demand for digital transformation, cloud infrastructure, and AI integration. Momentum within the technology landscape remained centered on artificial intelligence, edge computing, or advanced semiconductor design. AI-driven capital expenditures continued as enterprises sought productivity gains or cost efficiencies, even while investors reassessed the pace of near-term monetization. At the same time, cybersecurity vendors saw sustained demand because secure-by-design architectures gained importance in increasingly AI-augmented environments. Portfolio Performance During the fourth quarter, the Harbor Transformative Technologies ETF ("ETF") returned 1.88% (NAV), underperforming its benchmark, the Nasdaq 100 Total Return Index ("Index"), which returned 2.47%. Stock selection was a headwind to relative performance in aggregate. Holdings in ...