Today's issue of The Record tells the story of Frances Giordano , a 58-year-old diagnosed with lung cancer last year. After losing her job in December—days after completing a round of chemotherapy, no less—now she's getting treatment without health insurance and is drowning in medical debt as a result. Giordano isn't alone: Nearly 44 million Americans are paying off medical bills, up from 8 million in 2005, said the Commonwealth Fund. For many of them, filing for bankruptcy is a last, but necessary...
Fitch on Friday joined Standard&Poor's in downgrading Italy, Spain, Belgium, Slovenia and Cyprus, but kept France's triple A rating. The agency didn't rule out a disorderly Greek default, nor a break-up of the eurozone, but said both are unlikely. The euro-crisis will only end when the economy recovers, it added.