Lifestyle

The Kaiser Family Foundation launched a comprehensive new website to help consumers get a better grasp on the changes being wrought by healthcare reform. The site also includes a helpful, animated video that breaks down the key consumer provisions of the new laws.

Check out the new and improved HCPLive.com! We hope all Physician's Money Digest readers will provide feedback for our parent site and register for access to its quality multimedia content, CME resources, conference coverage and more. You'll also be in the running for the next iPad giveaway. Sign up now!

Physicians, in increasing number, are heading back to college in pursuit of a Masters in Business Administration. Many have determined that in the field of healthcare today, a medical degree alone just doesn't cut it.

If you took advantage of the first-time home buyer tax credit in 2008, the IRS may have a surprise for you this tax season: Starting this year, nearly half of the taxpayers who claimed the credit will have to give the money back.

J&J's bid for vaccine maker Crucell capped a busy week for life sciences deal-making. Chelsea Therapeutics shares soared on positive trial data on its experimental Parkinson's drug, but an FDA panel's rejection of Arena Pharmaceutical's weight-loss drug hammered its shares.

I've frequently discussed the appeal of using blogs and other forms of social media as a means of adding one's voice to the ongoing national conversation about healthcare delivery and finance, and what the future holds for physicians in this country. Now, we're looking for physicians like yourself to join our HCPLive.com network and write about the issues and ideas that matter most to you -- you pick the topics, you set the tone, we'll do the rest.

In the Fall, the weather turns cooler, the leaves turn color … and many popular consumer goods and services suddenly turn into bargains. Kiplinger.com offers up 10 of the best buys of the season, and we'll tell you how to take advantage of them.

With home prices tanking and foreclosures soaring, there's been a rush to rent over the last few years. But for those who have the financial ability and credit-worthiness to purchase a home in this market, the decision to buy vs. rent is not so cut and dry.

A reader with a five-figure windfall asks where he should invest the cash. Handling a sudden influx of cash can be tricky, especially in this market, but the first rule of thumb is: Don't do anything rash.

American Express customers will no longer be able to redeem rewards points for frequent-flyer miles on Continental Airlines through its "OnePass" program, starting Sept. 30, 2011. Amex also introduced new financial incentives for Platinum and Centurion card holders.

When traveling overseas, you may find yourself tempted to buy from the myriad duty-free shops that populate most major airports. Think twice: one comparison-shopping report showed that discounts from duty-free shops are often minimal, and may not be worth the hassle.

A new study shows people make purchasing decisions based on their perception of the cost, rather than the actual price. Though the authors studied the purchase of various consumer products, if one considers stock and other investments as merchandise, the same results would seem to apply.

In an effort to control personal finances, many people focus on three common goals: cutting spending, reducing debt, and saving more. In a Q&A with James W. Stone, author of "Spend Joyfully," he says the way to measure progress toward that goal is to monitor your net worth.

A new study identified four problems with the handoff process: unpredictable scheduling, inefficiency, a distracting environment, and poor communication. It's possible to increase satisfaction and efficiency by standardizing the format and minimizing distractions during the process, the study found.

Even in this era of economic hardship, the term "frugality" is rarely used. Nor do you hear much of its cousin, "thrifty." Perhaps the reason is because we haven't suffered long enough -- it's only when scarcity prevails over generations that thrift becomes part of the culture.