The authors explore the relation between ownership form and distribution system and test the determinants of each element of organizational structure. Controlling for ownership form as an exogenous variable, the authors find that independent agency insurers are likely to be associated with stock ownership, are characterized by higher liabilities relative to surplus, and are more likely to speci...

Insurers and payers are demanding performance measurement, whereas professional boards are urging practice-based quality improvement projects. Will these two streams improve day-to-day practice or add administrative burden?

Mississippi enacted medical negligence and other tort reform legislation that generally became effective for causes of action filed on or after January 1, 2003, and September 1, 2004. Data regarding lawsuits against physicians insured by the Medical Assurance Company of Mississippi (MACM), the largest medical liability insurer in the state, and MACM-insured Obstetrician-gynecologists (ob-gyns) ...

The epidermal growth factor (EGF) is responsible for the activation of intracellular signal transducers that act on cell-cycle progression, cell motility, angiogenesis and inhibition of apoptosis. However, cells can block these effects activating opposite signaling pathways, such as the transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFβ1) pathway. Thus changes in expression levels of EGF and TGFB1 in rena...

THE ISSUE The full entry into force at the start of 2016 of the European Union’s Solvency II riskbased capital framework for insurance poses new challenges for supervisory cooperation in Europe. Supervisory challenges are present in terms of both management of systemic risk and day-to-day supervision. The common vulnerability of insurers to market risks, in particular the current low interest r...

Purple nonsulfur bacteria grow photoheterotrophically by using light for energy and organic compounds for carbon and electrons. Disrupting the activity of the CO2-fixing Calvin cycle enzyme, ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase (RubisCO), prevents photoheterotrophic growth unless an electron acceptor is provided or if cells can dispose of electrons as H2. Such observations led to the long-stan...

The Netherlands relies on risk equalization to compensate competing health insurers for predictable variation in individual medical expenses. Without accurate risk equalization insurers are confronted with incentives for risk selection. The goal of this study is to evaluate the improvement in predictive accuracy of the Dutch risk equalization model since its introduction in 1993. Based on indiv...