Insurance

Houston is one of the largest U.S. cities to set up a trust to help fund non-pension retiree benefits such as healthcare.

A proposed IRS regulation boosts the amount of bonds that can be guaranteed by nearly 86% to about $218 billion.

The top two municipal bond insurers wrapped $28.224 billion in 2022, a 30.1% decrease from the $37.486 billion of deals done in 2021, according to Refinitiv data.

The state's benchmark debt ratio for debt service to revenue is at 3.78% — well below a 6% target and 7% limit.

Among the special session charges: "Improve the financial stability of the Citizens Property Insurance Corporation," Florida's bond-funded insurer of last resort.

After four hurricanes and 11 insurer insolvencies, a $458 million deal for the Louisiana Insurance Guaranty Association supplies capital to pay claims.

The Texas House rejected a proposal to expand coverage for Texans who have low-paying jobs that do not provide health insurance.

Maria Doulis of the Citizens Budget Commission and Howard Cure of Evercore Wealth Management examine how the state's Medicare cost crisis could affect the city's budget. They also discuss the MTA, public housing and property tax overhaul. Paul Burton hosts.

All three entities have liquidity available to pay claims before turning to bonds to finance losses, said Moody's Investors Service.

Gov. Paul LePage and state lawmakers are at odds about how to fund a voter-approved Medicaid expansion that was supposed to take effect on July 2.

Bradley Wendt, a former investment banker with extensive experience in municipal bonds, interest rate swaps, and other fixed income products, joins Treasury's Office of Domestic Finance.

The new temporary spending bill includes Medicaid funding for Puerto Rico.

A U.S. district court on Tuesday rejected that bond insurer Ambac Financial was liable for allegedly overly optimistic and misleading statements it had made about its insured Puerto Rico bonds.

The exit from insurance will halt losses the health provider's losses, said Moody's Investors Service.

Governors want Congress to focus on "controlling costs and stabilizing markets.''

Madison County, Mississippi told appeals court judges Assured Guaranty is wrongly interpreting a debt service contribution agreement.

Municipal bond volume plunged 34.9% in February, more than some analysts expected, as refunding transactions dried up and the market waited for details on President Trump’s infrastructure plans.