Content about Financial services

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Health insurer Aetna is offering individual health insurance plans to Costco members in Florida, the insurer said.

The Costco Personal Health Insurance program includes five plans and offers medical benefits, dental options, a network of doctors and hospitals and other services, as well as lower copays on prescriptions at the club retailer's pharmacies.

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. — Aetna is offering individual health insurance plans to Costco members in California, the health insurer said.

The Costco Personal Health Insurance program includes five plans and offers broad medical benefits, dental options and a large network of doctors and hospitals. The program also is available to members of the club retailer in Arizona, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia. Aetna plans to expand the program to other markets in the coming months.

PURCHASE, N.Y. — A slowdown in retail spending happened after a boost that followed Hurricane Sandy, according to a new report by a division of MasterCard.

MasterCard Advisors released its SpendingPulse report, finding that a three-week recovery in retail spending after Sandy began to slow during the week that ended Dec. 8, while some sectors, like specialty apparel, slipped into negative growth.

VALLEY FORGE, Pa. — AmerisourceBergen on Monday named Lawrence Marsh, 52, to the new role of chief strategy officer and SVP new market development, effective Nov. 12, 2012. 

ARLINGTON, Va. — Retailers are up in arms over the proposed settlement filed in July of antitrust lawsuits filed by merchants against Visa, MasterCard and the nation's largest banks. A total of nine associations representing a broad swath of retail industry expressed their reservations to members of Congress on Thursday, charging that their interests were not represented and asking Congress to reject that settlement. 

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway on Wednesday announced that it plans to file a registration statement in the United States for a potential initial public offering of a minority ownership stake in Blackhawk Network Holdings, a leading prepaid payments network.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart announced that it is helping customers prepare for tax season by offering low-cost tax preparation services and free in-store federal form 1040EZ filing. The retailer also will provide $3 and $6 check-cashing services.

"We believe Americans shouldn't have to pay exorbitant prices on their everyday financial needs," almart Financial Services VP Daniel Eckert said. "It's their money and we want to make sure they can cash checks, pay bills and transfer money at a low price."

NEW YORK A few weeks after Johnson & Johnson announced it would purchase the remainder of Dutch biotech firm Crucell it doesn't already own for about $2.4 billion, J&J received backing for the bid.

Crucell recommended the offer to the shareholders but not without receiving some criticism from shareholders Delta Lloyd Asset Management, Robeco and the Van Herk Group, which said the offer from J&J "undervalued" Crucell's worth. The fund managers jointly control at least 15.5% of Crucell, according to Reuters.