There’s a surprising statistic about the U.S. economy that seems to have escaped most commentators: in aggregate, the hiring of 8.1 million people in the last three years is equal to all the U.S. job creation accomplished in the 14 previous ones. Rick Rieder of BlackRock corrects some common misperceptions. Even the weekly unemployment claims can lead investors astray, says Jill Mislinski of Advisor Perspectives. She discusses the sometimes simplistic view the financial press takes of these figures and why investors should resist overreacting to them. If a pharmacy ever denies you coverage for a prescription under Medicare Part D, don’t give up. As Kiplinger’s Retirement Report shows, a little persistence can help you get your medications.

A Statistic About The U.S. Economy That May Surprise You–  Many commentators seem to be pessimistically focused on the U.S. economy’s weak wage growth and manufacturing sector trouble. They don’t appear to be paying attention to the signs that the U.S. economy has actually been operating at a very high level in recent years. Rick Rieder, BlackRock Chief Investment Officer of Global Fixed Income, takes a look at the actual statistics including one that shows the economy’s true strength.  Read more…

Weekly Unemployment Claims Do Not Indicate A Recession–  Unemployment claims are a leading indicator for recession starts.  For the past 50 years, however, the trough in claims preceded the recession start by a few to many months. Read more…

Fight Back When Drugs Are Denied–  Seniors who are denied coverage at the pharmacy may pay out of pocket for increasingly unaffordable drugs — or, even worse, go without needed medication. They may need to make several calls to their drug plan to find out the exact reason coverage was denied and then navigate a complex appeals process to seek a reversal. But persistence often pays off: In 2013, nearly 80% of denials that were appealed were subsequently approved, according to the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Read more…

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John R. Day, Bill Ennis, Stephanie Davidson and Matt Heller

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