In a landmark development, Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) has reached a $2.8 billion settlement to resolve antitrust claims brought by health care providers, including chiropractors. The lawsuit accused BCBS of dividing the nation into exclusive regions and limiting competition, which resulted in lower reimbursements for providers. Although BCBS denies any wrongdoing, the company agreed to the settlement to avoid lengthy litigation – and you can get a piece of the pie.
The Internet -- an "Indispensable" Medium
Ten years ago, most Americans were not even aware of the existence of the Internet, let alone surfing the World Wide Web or sending and receiving e-mail. Now, nearly 3/4 of American adult Internet users say they simply can't do without that access.
According to the latest results from the "1997 American Internet User Survey," 73% of the adults queried said the Internet was "very indespensable" or "somewhat indispensable." Only 27% said that they could manage without Internet access.
Considering the fact that 31 million Americans currently use the Internet and e-mail, the survey results would extrapolate to more than 20 million users dependent on the Internet being in their daily lives. It also strongly indicates that the Internet is not a fad; that it is here to stay and will only continue to grow as a medium for communications, advertising, information gathering, and the exchange of ideas.
Reference
The 1997 American Internet User Survey. Available from the Emerging Technologies Research Group ([url=http://etrg.findsvp.com]http://etrg.findsvp.com[/url]).