It's hard to imagine using up $1 million or $2 million of health-insurance benefits. Even with the high cost of medical care, using up that much on your health plan would be a stretch for most folks. That's why few ... [full story]

BALTIMORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 15, 2006--Avatech Solutions, Inc. (AVSO.OB), the nationwide technology experts for design, engineering, and facilities management, today announced that it recently closed two major equity investments, totaling $6 million, with four institutional investors. The Company used the proceeds along ... [full story]

Rite Aid Corp., the third-largest U.S. drugstore chain, may consider buying some of Jean Coutu Group Inc.'s Eckerd stores should they be put up for sale, an analyst said. The Camp Hill, Pennsylvania-based company may purchase Jean Coutu's Eckerd stores ... [full story]

JUN. 15 12:51 P.M. ET Bear Stearns Cos., the nation's seventh-largest brokerage, reported Thursday that strong equities trading and fixed-income revenue lifted second-quarter profit by 83 percent to beat Wall Street expectations by a wide margin. Net income applicable to common ... [full story]

PURCHASE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 15, 2006--MasterCard Inc. (NYSE: MA) today announced that Bernard S. Y. Fung has been elected to its Board of Directors, effective immediately. Mr. Fung is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Aon Asia Pacific Region, a subsidiary operation ... [full story]

CALABASAS, Calif., June 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Countrywide Financial Corporation , a diversified financial services provider, will present on Tuesday, June 20, 2006 at the Piper Jaffray Retail Banking and Financial Services Symposium in Boston. Countrywide will speak at the symposium beginning ... [full story]

Results Contrast With Claims That Costs Have Come Down Dramatically; Audit Fees Continue to Increase as Small Companies Are Disproportionately Impacted CHICAGO, June 15 /PRNewswire/ -- The overall cost of being public in 2005 dropped slightly from the historic levels ... [full story]

PLANO, Texas and BOSTON, June 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts' (BCBSMA) network of physicians and healthcare providers can reduce the amount of time spent on claims management following the introduction of a new internet portal. Developed by ... [full story]

DUBLIN, Ireland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 15, 2006--Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c38275) has announced the addition of Property and Casualty in the United States to their offering. Insurance is a unique product because it is a tool for dealing with risk. The monetary payoff ... [full story]

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 15, 2006--In a white paper entitled Trends in the Development of Modern Identity Theft Solutions for the Insurance Industry, Identity Theft 911 concludes that by the end of 2006 American consumers will depend on their home, farm ... [full story]