Latest news with #MSP
Cision Canada
a day ago
- Business
- Cision Canada
BCAA Says Summer Travel Trends Mean Savings on Travel Insurance
- BCAA helps vacationers with tips to choose the right protection and save money BURNABY, BC, June 19, 2025 /CNW/ - BCAA says that the latest travel trends are leading to more vacationers seeking help to choose the right insurance for their trip. And the good news is that many are saving money by making the right choice. BCAA notes a decline in demand for US travel insurance while, at the same time, monthly sales of worldwide plans without coverage for US destinations are up as much as 18% as more people choose to take their trips further abroad. Sales of policies to cover trips within Canada are also up by more than 22%. "Higher costs of health care in the US mean travel insurance costs more," explains Alana Udovicic, BCAA Consumer Marketing Manager. "If you're venturing elsewhere, choosing a policy that excludes the US can save you 10-28% for a BCAA policy for example, and provide valuable protection." While travel insurance is essential for any trip that takes you outside of BC, BCAA is noticing that travellers are increasingly appreciating its value and importance for far flung destinations. As Udovicic notes, "The bigger the adventure, the more importance travellers are attaching to travel insurance that can deliver practical help should plans go awry." For those travelling further abroad to less familiar destinations and possibly communicating in unfamiliar languages, Udovicic advises looking for a travel insurance policy with benefits that offer maximum value and peace of mind. For example, 24/7 support and telehealth services for quick assessment and guidance to medical care in an emergency. Additionally, BCAA's Travel Delay +AutoPay instantly provides a cash payout by e-transfer when your flight is delayed, to help cover unexpected expenses like meals and essentials to make the wait more manageable. Other travel insurance tips that BCAA regularly shares with travellers include: Don't pay for coverage you don't need - a policy that excludes the US can be 10-28% cheaper. You typically don't need US coverage if you travel through the US for up to 5 days to reach a non-US destination. Always check with your insurer to confirm. Make travel insurance part of your trip planning. Buy early to ensure you're covered before a major weather event, airline strike, or other unforeseen circumstances that may affect your plans. For quick cash to make flight delays more manageable, choose Travel Delay +AutoPay. Remember to register your flight details right away to get an alert the moment a delay happens. Travel Delay +AutoPay works in Canada too! If you get stuck at a regional airport, BCAA will e-transfer cash to help you plan your next move. A 'Within Canada' travel insurance policy is low cost and protects you from out-of-province medical expenses not covered by MSP for domestic trips. About BCAA Driven by its purpose to move British Columbians forward, BCAA (British Columbia Automobile Association) is a long-standing BC Top Employer (Mediacorp) and provides over 1 in 3 B.C. households with industry leading mobility and protection services including Membership, Insurance, Evo Car Share, Evolve E-Bike & E-Scooter Share, BCAA Auto Marketplace and Auto Service. BCAA invests in programs and initiatives to make a positive impact by protecting the people and province of BC, recognizing that the place we call home is all of ours to protect. BCAA holds itself accountable to its purpose by setting goals related to its impact on People, the Planet and Prosperity, and sharing results in its annual Impact Report.
United News of India
a day ago
- Politics
- United News of India
Ex-CM Jagan Reddy alleges law & order deteriorated in AP
Vijayawada, June 19 (UNI) Alleging that Chandrababu Naidu is scared for his failure in governance and his impatience is being manifested in diversion politics and foisting false cases against political opponents, former chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday claimed the overwhelming response to his recent visits is a standing testimony of the huge anti-incumbency that rose within one year. Speaking to the media here, Jagan Mohan Reddy alleged that Chief Minister Chandrababu is misusing power to muzzle the voice of opposition leaders. The huge success of Betrayal Day which got an overwhelming response shows that anti-incumbency has set in very fast as none of the Super Six promises were implemented and law and order deteriorated with harassment and false cases, he claimed. 'I visited Sattenapalli on Wednesday in a curfew-like situation which shows the measure of repressive methods being adopted by Chandrababu Naidu government. What is wrong if the Opposition leader visits to console a family and people are coming in large numbers as they are vexed with the government and are looking towards YSRCP,' he questioned. 'The YSRCP leaders, who are close to Jagan Mohan Reddy, are being jailed based on false cases based on confessional statements by small people. This is how Vallabhaneni Vamsi, Dhanunjaya Reddy, Krishnamohan Reddy, Raj Kasireddy, Nandigama Suresh and others were held and trying to implicate Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy and P V Mithun Reddy,' he slammed. The apex court had to use its discretionary powers to grant bail to Kommineni Srinivasa Rao who was arrested using the same modus operandi. Then what action should be taken against those TDP workers and leaders who attacked Sakshi properties at multiple locations which is nothing short of unbridled rowdyism, he asked. "Farmers are in distress and not getting MSP for any crop. They are forced to sell paddy for Rs 300 less and five farmers have committed suicides. The government has no concern, and if anyone questions, Chandrababu Naidu says that dissent and Opposition will be grounded," Jagan Mohan Reddy lashed out. UNI DP SS
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Oshkosh legislators to continue pursuit of full Municipal Services Payment program funding
OSHKOSH – Residents will likely continue subsidizing the cost of city-provided services for state-owned property exempt from property taxes. The Wisconsin Legislature won't be increasing funding to the Municipal Services Payment program after the Joint Finance Committee removed Gov. Tony Evers' proposal from the state biennial budget June 13. The decision means the state will continue to significantly underfund the program at 37.62%, just more than half of Evers' recent resolution of 72%. Dig deeper: Hintz doesn't expect state to boost Municipal Services Payment Program funding despite Evers, Oshkosh proposals The MSP program reimburses municipalities for police, fire and waste management services to property tax-exempt, state-owned facilities like UW-Oshkosh and the Oshkosh Correctional Institution. Oshkosh receives just more than $1 million from the MSP, but the city has around $900 million worth of state-owned property, putting it as the third-largest holder of such facilities in Wisconsin behind Madison and Milwaukee. As a result, taxpayers are left to make up the shortfall. In his recent biennial budget, Evers proposed adding a further $17 million to the MSP's current budget of $18.6 million, which would see the state funding the program at 72%. Oshkosh's common council recently passed a resolution asking the state legislature to fully fund the MSP at 100%, prompting a similar motion on the floor at the Joint Finance Committee. But the issue has seemingly become a partisan one, with the motion being shot down via a 12-4 vote after all 12 Republicans on the GOP-controlled JCF opposed the funding increase. This follows a recent workshop held last month with the Oshkosh Common Council during which State Rep. Nate Gustafson (R-55) said he couldn't commit to supporting the city's resolution of having the state fully fund the MSP. State Sen. Rachael Cabral-Guevara (R-19) was not present at the workshop but also would not commit to the resolution in a subsequent email to the Northwestern. In contrast, State Sen. Kristin Dassler-Alfheim (D-18) and State Rep. Lori Palmeri (D-54) said they would put forward a standalone bill if Evers' proposal failed. "The citizens of Oshkosh are being taken advantage of,' Dassler-Alfheim told the Northwestern in an interview following the JCF vote. 'It is the state's obligation to pay for their resources that are located here in Oshkosh, so the governor asked for 72% and I would have hoped for a compromise maybe at 50%, but instead we got no increase.' Emails to Cabral-Guevara and Gustafson asking about the apparent partisan nature of the MSP issue were not immediately returned. "There is nothing political about protecting the taxpayers of Oshkosh from footing the bill for services provided by municipalities to state facilities," Dassler-Alfheim said. Read more: State legislators support Oshkosh's resolution for state to fully fund Municipal Services Payment program Created in 1973, the MSP program is supposed 'to make equitable annual payment to municipalities,' yet the state hasn't fully funded it since 1981. According to a budget summary from the JFC, the highest percentage of entitlement cost covered over the last two decades was 88.1% in 2005. MSP funding was reduced for both the 2009-11 and 2011-13 budgets, with the current funding of $18.6 million being set since 2011. Despite Evers' proposal being removed from the state budget, Oshkosh may still have hopes for seeing increased state funding to the MSP. The proposal could be drafted and introduced in either the Assembly or the Senate as a standalone bill in the same language used in Oshkosh's resolution. But that bill would likely have to be referred to the same Joint Finance Committee that removed Evers' line in the budget and voted against the motion for the legislature to fully fund the MSP. 'This is falling on the backs of Oshkosh citizens and that's inappropriate, so I will keep fighting for them,' Dassler-Alfheim told the Northwestern Oshkosh City Manager Rebecca Grill explained the Joint Finance Committee's decision only further compounds the city's 2026 budget process, which starts with a budget deficit of over $3 million. Common council member DJ Nichols then made comments suggesting Oshkosh could contemplate legal action. "All options are on the table," Nichols told the Northwestern. "If the legislative branch can't solve this, maybe it's time to explore if the judicial branch can provide any relief — not just for Oshkosh, but for each of the over 360 municipalities that the JFC has betrayed." In a post on his official Facebook page, Nichols' fellow common council member Kris Larson took further issue with the situation seemingly becoming a partisan issue. 'MSP is a PERFECT example of something that all of your reps should be pushing for, for YOU, as it directly benefits YOU (and would benefit their communities ... which is literally their job),' Larson wrote. 'YOUR ability to pay the most fair property tax rate should not have anything to do with whether your representatives have an R or a D after their name ... but on this subject, it does.' The 2025-27 biennial state budget is slated to pass July 1. Contact Justin Marville at jmarville@ and follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @justinmarville. This article originally appeared on Oshkosh Northwestern: Oshkosh legislators to continue pursuit of full MSP program funding
Scotsman
a day ago
- Politics
- Scotsman
Radio teleswitch service switch-off postponed over fears thousands of Scots would be left without heating
MSP says it was 'blindingly obvious' the deadline at the end of June would not be met. Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The radio teleswitch service switch-off has been postponed after fears tens of thousands of Scots would be left without hot water and heating. Old meters were due to be switched off at the end of the month, but instead there will now be a 'cautious and targeted phase out'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Fuel poverty campaigners said the June 30 deadline was 'simply unachievable' and the switch-off was 'doomed to failure'. The radio teleswitch service switch-off has been postponed. | Press Association. These meters, which have been in use since the 1980s, use longwave radio frequency to switch between peak and off-peak rates. Suppliers have been replacing these obsolete meters, in most cases with smart meters, but not fast enough to meet the June 30 deadline. This risked households having their heating and hot water switched off, or stuck on constantly. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad As of May, 314,000 households were using these meters - about a third of these households are in Scotland. Liam McArthur, the MSP for Orkney, says there is 'relief' at the postponement, but says there is still a lot of work to be done to get those on radio teleswitch service meters onto newer technology. Mr McArthur said: 'It's been blindingly obvious for weeks, if not months, that suppliers were nowhere near in a position to switch out the meters that needed to be changed by the deadline. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The only option was going to be to postpone the deadline or introduce a phased switch-off. 'There is a sense of relief but we cannot underestimate the scale of the work that needs to be done, and there is not a great deal of clarity on how the switch-off will work.' Liam McArthur MSP The Lib Dem MSP says one of the big problems is the lack of 'boosted' communication networks in the Highlands and Islands, which is necessary for new smart meters to work. He said: 'There are logistical issues for suppliers too who are taking an individual approach which makes no sense in places like Orkney where you are taking not one but two ferries for just one installation. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'That is hugely costly for suppliers and it means customers are waiting months for appointments. 'The whole system needs to be looked at again as a matter of urgency.'
Global News
2 days ago
- Health
- Global News
As B.C.'s over-50 population grows, advocates want the shingles vaccine covered
Seniors' advocates are calling on the province to pay for the shingles vaccine. Currently, the shingles vaccine is not covered under B.C. MSP but it is funded in some other provinces for certain age groups. The vaccine is recommended for adults aged 50 and older and according to studies is more than 90 per cent effective. Almost 40 per cent of B.C.'s population is over 50 and physicians warn that shingles, which is a debilitating condition itself, can lead to other, more serious health concerns. Victoria-based physician, Dr. Wayne Ghesquiere, said any barriers to vaccination should be removed. Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Sign up for weekly health newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'Removing any obstacle to getting the vaccine, sometimes cost is an obstacle, the number-one obstacle is actually a health-care provider recommending the vaccine and educating the public what are the risks of shingles and the benefits of it,' he said. Story continues below advertisement 'That's the number-one obstacle. Patients just aren't aware of the risks that they have.' 1:53 N.S. to cover cost of shingles vaccine for residents 65 and older starting end of May Two doses of the vaccine are usually required and in B.C., the cost is approximately $150 per dose. B.C. Health Minister Josie Osborne said they are always open to discussions about what should be funded by the government. 'I think that's an excellent question in terms of the impact shingles as a disease can have on people and their health,' she said. Seniors' advocates would like to see the vaccine covered under MSP. 'The only thing standing in the way of British Columbia providing it is having the political will to do so,' Laura Tamblyn Watts, founder and CEO of CanAge said. Story continues below advertisement 'And making sure that we are standing up for science.'
