John Edwards Blog

The Nevada Division of Insurance announced website that provides consumers and insurance professionals with comprehensive information about insurance and healthcare reform in Nevada.

Go to doi.nv.gov to review the information.

The Division’s new “Nevada Employer’s Guide to the Affordable Care Act” is also available for download at doi.nv.gov/News-Notices/Publications/. This guide answers some of the most common questions that business owners have about how healthcare reform will affect their business. Including whether or not they will have to offer health insurance to their employees, how to purchase health insurance, how the law has affected health insurance coverage and much more.

Visitors to the Division’s new website will also find:

· A new License Verification Tool at doi.nv.gov/licensing-search which allows users to search the name of any insurance agent, agency or company selling them insurance to make sure that they are licensed by the Division.

· Health Insurance Rates: At rates.doi.nv.gov it’s now even easier to become a part of the health insurance rate review process by reviewing proposed health insurance rate changes and offering comments for us to consider as we review the pending rate changes.

· Information about healthcare reform. Learn about how healthcare reform affects you, your family and your business at doi.nv.gov/Healthcare-Reform.

· Information on how to become licensed as a producer in Nevada at doi.nv.gov/Licensing.

· Information for insurers at doi.nv.gov/Insurers.

· File a complaint against an insurance agent or company at doi.nv.gov/Consumers/File-A-Complaint.

· Consumer information and guides at doi.nv.gov/Consumers to help you make the best decisions for you and your family when you purchase insurance.

The State of Nevada Division of Insurance is charged with protecting consumer rights and regulating Nevada’s $11.2 billion insurance industry.

Las Vegans can celebrate Memorial Day with applause for generally falling gasoline prices or moan about the recent rise of gasoline prices locally, according to AAA’s Daily Fuel Gauge Report.

The average price of regular gasoline in Las Vegas Monday was $3.48, compared to $3.57 a month ago and $3.90 cents a year ago. However, the price is two cents higher than the prior day and 12 cents higher last week.

Meanwhile, the national average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline is $3.65. This price is seven cents more expensive than one week ago and 14 cents more than one month ago. The seven-cent weekly increase is the largest such spike since February and today’s national average price at the pump is the highest since March.

While the average American motorist has enjoyed a less expensive year-over-year pump price for 79 consecutive days, the savings have narrowed to just four cents per gallon, down substantially from the peak year-to-date discount of 39 cents on April 18. With the national average rising steadily, compared to a year ago when prices were tumbling, it is likely that the average will once again rise above year-ago levels in the coming days and may be more expensive than last year for the approaching Memorial Day holiday weekend.

Higher crude oil prices may be the reason that drivers in every state are paying more for gasoline than two weeks ago, but tight regional supplies and refinery maintenance – both planned and unplanned – are the reason for the dramatically higher pump prices in the Midwest and West Coast. In particular, the average price paid by motorists in Minnesota (+68 cents) and North Dakota (+63 cents) has spiked more than sixty cents during this period, propelling both state averages to new all-time highs. The previous record in both states was in July 2008; at the same time the national average soared to what is still a record of $4.11 per gallon.

While not yet at record highs, three states (Iowa, Neb. and Okla.) have had prices increase by more than 50 cents in two weeks and are within a dime of their respective all-time highest pump prices. Rising Midwest prices may have slowed over the weekend from their recent breakneck pace, but motorists are not out of the woods yet as regional supplies remain low and heavy storms were forecast yesterday and today. No refinery disruptions have been reported as a result of the storms, but the potential remains for additional refinery issues in the already supply-strapped region.

With the upcoming Memorial Day holiday marking the unofficial start to summer, the national average continues to cling to a year-over-year discount; however motorists in all twelve Midwestern states and Oklahoma are paying at least a dime per gallon more than on this date in 2012. The national average on the previous two Memorial Days were $3.64 (May 28, 2012) and $3.79 (May 30, 2011).

With much of the focus on volatile regional gasoline markets, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil prices have continued to drift higher in recent weeks. At the close of today’s formal trading on the NYMEX, WTI settled up 69 cents at $96.71 per barrel. This is the highest settlement price for WTI in more than 6 weeks.

Washington, D.C. (May 21, 2013): Newer appliances are not only more efficient, they perform the same or better while including a large number of new features, according to a new report, Better Appliances: An Analysis of Performance, Features, and Price as Efficiency Has Improved. The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) and the Appliance Standards Awareness Project released the study findings today.

In many cases, product prices have stayed the same or even declined as efficiency has improved. In other cases, electricity bill savings outweigh price increases.

“Everyone knows that replacing your old appliance with a new, more efficient model will save you money on your utility bills,” said Steven Nadel, ACEEE executive director. “What this report shows is that consumers haven’t had to sacrifice good performance or new features in exchange for improved efficiency.”

National efficiency standards for appliances, equipment, and lighting products have delivered big savings for consumers.

The report found that a household with six products (refrigerator, clothes washer & dryer, dishwasher, central air conditioner, and toilets) that just meet the current efficiency standards will save $360 on annual utility bills compared to a household with the same products purchased 20 years ago.

The report found that product performance generally stayed the same or improved as efficiency standards took effect.

Refrigerator temperature performance has improved and noise levels have dropped over time.

Manufacturers have maintained good dishwasher performance even as energy and water use have decreased substantially.

And incandescent light bulbs that meet new efficiency standards provide the same light output, lifetime, color quality, and dimmability as bulbs that were available before standards took effect.

According to the report, manufacturers introduced and expanded the availability of new features as efficiency standards took effect. For example, consumers now have a significantly wider range of options in bottom-freezer refrigerators including French-door models, and new features include new types of water dispensers, in-the-door ice makers, and additional compartments.

The availability of clothes washers with large tub capacities has increased dramatically, and new features include electronic controls and displays, steam cycles, and automatic dispensers.

The report also found that product prices declined or stayed the same as efficiency standards took effect for five products.

For example, the average price of a refrigerator (in 2011 dollars) declined from $1,300 in 1987 to $850 in 2010, or a decrease of 35%.

Clothes washers and dishwashers have seen similar price declines—45% and 30%, respectively. For the other products analyzed in the report, price increases were outweighed by electricity bill savings.

To download the report and a stand-alone executive summary visit: http://aceee.org/research-report/a132

To download the fact sheet visit: http://www.appliance-standards.org/sites/default/files/Better_Appliances_Fact_Sheet.pdf