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Don’t be a Scrooge: Where to get your festive on this ChristmasRenuka Rayasam | (TNS) KFF Health News In April, just 12 weeks into her pregnancy, Kathleen Clark was standing at the receptionist window of her OB-GYN’s office when she was asked to pay $960, the total the office estimated she would owe after she delivered. Clark, 39, was shocked that she was asked to pay that amount during this second prenatal visit. Normally, patients receive the bill after insurance has paid its part, and for pregnant women that’s usually only when the pregnancy ends. It would be months before the office filed the claim with her health insurer. Clark said she felt stuck. The Cleveland, Tennessee, obstetrics practice was affiliated with a birthing center where she wanted to deliver. Plus, she and her husband had been wanting to have a baby for a long time. And Clark was emotional, because just weeks earlier her mother had died. “You’re standing there at the window, and there’s people all around, and you’re trying to be really nice,” recalled Clark, through tears. “So, I paid it.” On online baby message boards and other social media forums , pregnant women say they are being asked by their providers to pay out-of-pocket fees earlier than expected. The practice is legal, but patient advocacy groups call it unethical. Medical providers argue that asking for payment up front ensures they get compensated for their services. How frequently this happens is hard to track because it is considered a private transaction between the provider and the patient. Therefore, the payments are not recorded in insurance claims data and are not studied by researchers. Patients, medical billing experts, and patient advocates say the billing practice causes unexpected anxiety at a time of already heightened stress and financial pressure. Estimates can sometimes be higher than what a patient might ultimately owe and force people to fight for refunds if they miscarry or the amount paid was higher than the final bill. Up-front payments also create hurdles for women who may want to switch providers if they are unhappy with their care. In some cases, they may cause women to forgo prenatal care altogether, especially in places where few other maternity care options exist. It’s “holding their treatment hostage,” said Caitlin Donovan, a senior director at the Patient Advocate Foundation . Medical billing and women’s health experts believe OB-GYN offices adopted the practice to manage the high cost of maternity care and the way it is billed for in the U.S. When a pregnancy ends, OB-GYNs typically file a single insurance claim for routine prenatal care, labor, delivery, and, often, postpartum care. That practice of bundling all maternity care into one billing code began three decades ago, said Lisa Satterfield, senior director of health and payment policy at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists . But such bundled billing has become outdated, she said. Previously, pregnant patients had been subject to copayments for each prenatal visit, which might lead them to skip crucial appointments to save money. But the Affordable Care Act now requires all commercial insurers to fully cover certain prenatal services. Plus, it’s become more common for pregnant women to switch providers, or have different providers handle prenatal care, labor, and delivery — especially in rural areas where patient transfers are common. Some providers say prepayments allow them to spread out one-time payments over the course of the pregnancy to ensure that they are compensated for the care they do provide, even if they don’t ultimately deliver the baby. “You have people who, unfortunately, are not getting paid for the work that they do,” said Pamela Boatner, who works as a midwife in a Georgia hospital. While she believes women should receive pregnancy care regardless of their ability to pay, she also understands that some providers want to make sure their bill isn’t ignored after the baby is delivered. New parents might be overloaded with hospital bills and the costs of caring for a new child, and they may lack income if a parent isn’t working, Boatner said. In the U.S., having a baby can be expensive. People who obtain health insurance through large employers pay an average of nearly $3,000 out-of-pocket for pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care, according to the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker . In addition, many people are opting for high-deductible health insurance plans, leaving them to shoulder a larger share of the costs. Of the 100 million U.S. people with health care debt, 12% attribute at least some of it to maternity care, according to a 2022 KFF poll . Families need time to save money for the high costs of pregnancy, childbirth, and child care, especially if they lack paid maternity leave, said Joy Burkhard , CEO of the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health, a Los Angeles-based policy think tank. Asking them to prepay “is another gut punch,” she said. “What if you don’t have the money? Do you put it on credit cards and hope your credit card goes through?” Calculating the final costs of childbirth depends on multiple factors, such as the timing of the pregnancy , plan benefits, and health complications, said Erin Duffy , a health policy researcher at the University of Southern California’s Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics. The final bill for the patient is unclear until a health plan decides how much of the claim it will cover, she said. But sometimes the option to wait for the insurer is taken away. During Jamie Daw’s first pregnancy in 2020, her OB-GYN accepted her refusal to pay in advance because Daw wanted to see the final bill. But in 2023, during her second pregnancy, a private midwifery practice in New York told her that since she had a high-deductible plan, it was mandatory to pay $2,000 spread out with monthly payments. Daw, a health policy researcher at Columbia University, delivered in September 2023 and got a refund check that November for $640 to cover the difference between the estimate and the final bill. “I study health insurance,” she said. “But, as most of us know, it’s so complicated when you’re really living it.” While the Affordable Care Act requires insurers to cover some prenatal services, it doesn’t prohibit providers from sending their final bill to patients early. It would be a challenge politically and practically for state and federal governments to attempt to regulate the timing of the payment request, said Sabrina Corlette , a co-director of the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University. Medical lobbying groups are powerful and contracts between insurers and medical providers are proprietary. Because of the legal gray area, Lacy Marshall , an insurance broker at Rapha Health and Life in Texas, advises clients to ask their insurer if they can refuse to prepay their deductible. Some insurance plans prohibit providers in their network from requiring payment up front. If the insurer says they can refuse to pay up front, Marshall said, she tells clients to get established with a practice before declining to pay, so that the provider can’t refuse treatment. Related Articles Health | Which health insurance plan may be right for you? Health | California case is the first confirmed bird flu infection in a US child Health | Your cool black kitchenware could be slowly poisoning you, study says. Here’s what to do Health | Does fluoride cause cancer, IQ loss, and more? Fact-checking Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s claims Health | US towns plunge into debates about fluoride in water Clark said she met her insurance deductible after paying for genetic testing, extra ultrasounds, and other services out of her health care flexible spending account. Then she called her OB-GYN’s office and asked for a refund. “I got my spine back,” said Clark, who had previously worked at a health insurer and a medical office. She got an initial check for about half the $960 she originally paid. In August, Clark was sent to the hospital after her blood pressure spiked. A high-risk pregnancy specialist — not her original OB-GYN practice — delivered her son, Peter, prematurely via emergency cesarean section at 30 weeks. It was only after she resolved most of the bills from the delivery that she received the rest of her refund from the other OB-GYN practice. This final check came in October, just days after Clark brought Peter home from the hospital, and after multiple calls to the office. She said it all added stress to an already stressful period. “Why am I having to pay the price as a patient?” she said. “I’m just trying to have a baby.” ©2024 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.TORONTO — Canada's main stock index edged higher in trading on Wednesday, helped by strength in the technology sector, while U.S. stock markets also rose. The S&P/TSX composite index was up 5.45 points at 25,641.18. The index took a “breather” Wednesday ahead of key labour market indicators set to be released both in Canada and the U.S. this week, said Angelo Kourkafas, senior investment strategist at Edward Jones. Statistics Canada will report the latest data from the national labour force survey on Friday, the same day the November jobs report is due in the U.S. “That's the last important data point for the Bank of Canada before they meet next week,” said Kourkafas. November was a strong month for equities, he said, so it isn't surprising that investors are digesting the gains while they await new data. He said it’s expected that Statistics Canada will report an acceleration of job gains after last month brought a “relatively weak reading,” with job gains at about half of what analysts were expecting. While Canada’s central bank is expected to cut its key interest rate a fifth straight time on Dec. 11, the size of the cut could depend on that jobs data, he said. “We're now looking at a rebound, but as the Bank of Canada deliberates between a quarter point cut versus half a percentage point cut, I think what we are going to see in terms of unemployment rate and the base of job gains is going to have a say into that,” said Kourkafas, adding that wage growth is another important metric to watch. “If we see steady job growth and slowing wages, that can potentially tilt the Bank of Canada towards a larger cut.” In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 308.51 points at 45,014.04. The S&P 500 index was up 36.61 points at 6,086.49, while the Nasdaq composite was up 254.21 points at 19,735.12. U.S. markets were propelled by strength in the technology sector, said Kourkafas, highlighting strong results in quarterly earnings released this week by Salesforce Inc. and Marvell Technology Inc. “I think today's results highlight that there is still a long runway and still enthusiasm, excitement about artificial intelligence and kind of that multi-year adoption cycle,” he said. The Canadian dollar traded for 71.09 cents US compared with 71.14 cents US on Tuesday. The January crude oil contract was down US$1.40 at US$68.54 per barrel and the January natural gas contract was up less than a penny at US$3.04 per mmBTU. The February gold contract was up US$8.30 at US$2,676.20 an ounce and the March copper contract was down less than a penny at US$4.20 a pound. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 4, 2024. Companies in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD) Sammy Hudes, The Canadian Press

Manchester United continue to make inroads in the Europa League table, climbing into the automatic qualification spots with a comeback win over Viktoria Plzen. Former Burnley striker Matej Vydra fired the Czechs ahead early in the second half. United substitute Hojlund equalised just after the hour mark and then thumped home a late winner following a well-worked free-kick with two minutes left to give new boss Ruben Amorim his first away win. United sit seventh in the table on 12 points with two fixtures left to play. However, Spurs were unable to complete their own comeback win at Rangers after also going behind early in the second half. Substitute Dejan Kulusevski eventually levelled matter, but Spurs are left in ninth spot after six games, five points off leaders Lazio and Athletic Bilbao. Follow all the Europa League action LIVE with Standard Sport!Broadcom Inc.: Fiscal Q4 Earnings Snapshot

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The Nigerian Institution of Highway and Transportation Engineers has urged President Bola Tinubu to assent to the Road Reform Bill. The Institute stated that the bill aims to revolutionise the country’s transportation infrastructure by ensuring the development and maintenance of a high-quality road network, which is expected to improve transportation efficiency, boost economic growth, and enhance road safety across Nigeria. The NIHTE National Chairman, Engr. Saidu Hassan, made the appeal at its 2024 International Conference and Annual General Meeting held on Friday in Abuja. He added that the bill had been passed by both the eighth and ninth National Assemblies and is currently undergoing review by the 10th Assembly. The Chairman said, “In Nigeria, highway and transportation engineering plays a vital role in economic development, social progress, and national integration. Our roads, highways, and transportation systems are the arteries of the economy, facilitating the movement of goods, services, and people from one location to another. However, we face significant challenges, including inadequate funding and resources, outdated technology and infrastructure, insufficient skilled personnel, and poor maintenance and management. “We are advocating for a comprehensive review of the road sector to address issues such as funding, regulations, and maintenance. We seek your unalloyed support to help us push for the presidential assent on the road reforms bill that was passed by the 8th and 9th National Assemblies and is also currently being reviewed by the current Assembly.” A major component of the bill includes the establishment of the National Road Fund, which would provide a sound governance structure based on sectoral professionalism, as well as create sustainable and robust funding for road development and maintenance in the country. Hassan also explained that the Institute is actively advocating for the promotion of policies aimed at creating a safer, more efficient transportation system. This effort involves providing a range of training and development opportunities designed to enhance the skills and knowledge of industry professionals. The House Committee Chairman on FERMA, Aderemi Oseni, assured NIHTE of legislative support through future legislation aimed at ensuring an improved road network across the country. The House member, represented by Olamijuwonlo Alao-Akala, also emphasised the need for a concerted effort from both the government and stakeholders to focus on revitalising the rail system, particularly by establishing a rail connection between the northern and southern regions of the country. This, he explained, would help reduce the heavy burden on the road infrastructure, promoting a more balanced and efficient transportation system. He said, “We have to change the discourse to achieve a different result. We keep complaining that our roads are bad and in need of repair. How thick can our roads be to sustain the heavy trucks that transport food products every day? Why don’t we have a different plan that includes the railway? I am not saying it’s the solution, but let’s have a discussion on it and see it as a reliable alternative.” Related News Tinubu eyes livestock sector reform, investment to curb farmer-herder clashes Atiku slams Tinubu's loan policies, warns of devastating economic consequences Tinubu set to name envoys as ministry posts consular officers Earlier in his keynote address, the National Coordinator of the Rural Access and Agricultural Monitoring Project, Muhammed Bodinga, speaking on the theme, “Rural Road Infrastructure: Catalyst, Panacea, and Cornerstone of Food Security,” explained that the causes of food insecurity are multifaceted and deeply intertwined, influenced by both human-driven and natural factors. He said human actions, such as poor infrastructure like bad roads, hinder the efficient transportation of food, making it difficult for rural areas to access essential supplies. Additionally, rising insecurity in certain regions prevents farmers from cultivating their land and disrupts the food distribution process. He stated, “Lack of access to the food value chain—from production, distribution, and processing to storage facilities—is responsible for food insecurity in the country.” The RAAMP Coordinator further revealed that they have carried out interventions in various states of the country, fixing rural roads for farmers to have access to markets. According to him, 19 states have passed the State Road Fund and Rural Access and Agricultural Agency bills, with the target of improving rural roads. The highlight of the event was the conferment of fellowship to 50 members of the profession. Meanwhile, the President and Chairman of the Council of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Engr. Margaret Oguntala has appealed for a deliberate government effort to fund the construction and maintenance of rural roads to ease the transportation of agricultural products into urban areas. She cautioned that unless drastic efforts are made by the government to address the poor state of rural roads, the country will continue to experience food insecurity. Reading the communiqué from its international conference held earlier this week, the president said 70 per cent of Nigeria’s agricultural produce comes from rural areas. “However, poor road networks hinder the transportation and distribution of produce from farms to markets, causing spoilage, raising costs, and reducing accessibility to consumers.” She further recommended that “Government at all levels and donor agencies should fund the construction, rehabilitation, and maintenance of rural roads to ease the challenges of food transportation in Nigeria.”

Bill Belichick joins UNC: Why Deion Sanders' strategy could be the blueprint for successTV star Charlotte Crosby said she has tightened security around her home with 24-hour monitored CCTV and patrol dogs, days after masked thieves carrying a machete attempted to rob her home. The former Geordie Shore star, who is nearly eight months pregnant, thanked a security company “for all the hard work this week” after adding the protections to her home. “Trebling our security measures, worth every penny to feel safe again in my own home,” the 34-year-old said in a post to her Instagram story. “Scumbags are gunna get a big shock the next time they even step foot on any perimeter of my land.” It comes after her fiance, Jake Ankers, said on social media that a group of men carrying a machete entered their home on Thursday evening while they were in the house with their two-year-old daughter. The businessman said one of the four men “had a red balaclava on” and was carrying the weapon at the top of the stairs. Durham Constabulary were alerted at 7pm on Thursday to reports of an aggravated burglary in Houghton-le-Spring, a town in the Sunderland area. A spokeswoman for the force said: “Officers attended the area, however the suspects left the scene before their arrival. “Nobody was injured in the incident and no items are believed to have been taken.” She added that an investigation is under way and anyone with information is asked to contact police. After the incident, Crosby was admitted to hospital after experiencing “serious pains” in her stomach, but confirmed her baby is “all fine”. Ankers appeared with the reality star on BBC Three reality show Charlotte In Sunderland. Crosby is best known for appearing in the MTV reality series Geordie Shore and winning the 12th series of Celebrity Big Brother in 2013. She and Ankers got engaged in October 2023 after she gave birth to their first child in 2022.

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Ian Schieffelin came within two assists of a triple-double and Clemson handed Penn State its first loss with a 75-67 decision for the championship of the Sunshine Slam tournament Tuesday in Daytona Beach, Fla. Schieffelin finished with 18 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists for the Tigers (6-1), leading four players in double figures. Chase Hunter added 17 points, while Chauncey Wiggins scored 14 and reserve Del Jones chipped in 10 points. Clemson sank 9 of 19 3-pointers, converted 16 of 20 free throws and was able to limit the impact of the Nittany Lions' full-court pressure. The Tigers committed just 13 turnovers, helping them hold Penn State (6-1) to less than 85 points for the first time this year. Ace Baldwin starred in defeat with game highs of 20 points and 11 assists, while center Yanic Konan Niederhauser added 14 points. Nick Kern came off the bench to score 11 but Penn State was outscored 15-2 on the fast break and made just 4 of 18 attempts from 3-point range. Schieffelin came up big down the stretch, assisting on a 3-pointer by Jaeden Zackery with 6:04 left that made it 65-61. Then he made two foul shots and tossed in a jump hook from the lane to up the margin to 71-66 with 1:03 left. The big storyline going into this game was which team would be able to control the pace. Penn State came in averaging 96 ppg, while Clemson demonstrated its ability to enforce a slower tempo in March, advancing to a regional final in the NCAA Tournament. In the first 10 minutes of the game, the Tigers made the Nittany Lions play at a crawl, opening up a 17-10 advantage when Schieffelin converted a short hook in the lane. But Penn State answered with an 18-4 run over nearly six minutes, establishing a 28-21 lead when Kern shook free for a layup. Clemson rallied with nine straight points but the Nittany Lions had the last say as Baldwin converted a layup with 24 seconds left, cutting the Tigers' edge to 38-36 at halftime. --Field Level Media

NoneSeventh-seeded Mizzou volleyball lost to SEC rival and No. 3 seed Kentucky 3-1 (25-20, 25-20, 16-25, 25-13) on Thursday in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, ending the Tigers' 2024 season. The biggest challenge for Mizzou during the regional semifinal was putting a defensive stop to Kentucky sophomore outside-hitter Brooklyn DeLeye. DeLeye had a strong performance, ending the match with 22 kills, three service aces and six digs. After MU was handed losses in the first two sets, Mizzou Coach Dawn Sullivan told her squad to "play our volleyball." The Tigers responded in the third set with adjustments at the service line, focusing more on putting the ball in the back row of the Wildcats' defense. The Tigers went on a 8-0 tear with senior libero Kiaraliz Perez Catala serving the ball at the line. Catala surpassed 50 service aces this season during the third set of the match, ending the game with three, all during that run. "We've seen how capable Missouri is on beating top-10 teams, and, you know, they made adjustments," Kentucky volleyball Coach Craig Skinner said in a postgame news conference. During this momentum-building third set, Mizzou right-side hitter Jordan Iliff was putting up a strong offensive effort, effectively using the Kentucky block against it to extend the Tigers' lead. Iliff ended the third set with a 17 kills in the game and a hitting percentage of .400. She finished the game with 20 kills, two service aces and nine digs. "She's unstoppable," ESPN broadcaster Anne Marie Anderson said of Iliff during the third set of the match. However, Kentucky, the SEC regular-season champ, would shut down the Tigers' offense in the fourth and final set, going on a 5-2 scoring run to force Sullivan to take a timeout with the Wildcats leading 12-6. Kentucky's blockers were aggressive toward outside-hitter Mychael Vernon, who was held to just one kill and six errors in Set 4. After the loss, Vernon took to social media reflecting on her final season playing college volleyball as a Tiger. "So proud of this team," Vernon said on an Instagram story following the game. "Couldn't have had a better last year. M.I.Z." The loss eliminates Mizzou from the NCAA Tournament after its fifth Sweet 16 appearance in program history. The Tigers fell in four of those in the regional semifinals, advancing to an Elite Eight only once, in 2005. Throughout their season, the Tigers were a strong Southeastern Conference competitor, ending with a record of 22-9 overall and 11-5 in the SEC. In the other NCAA Tournament Pittsburgh Regional semifinal, No. 1 overall seed Pitt survived a scare from No. 4 seed Oregon, winning in five sets (25-19, 24-26, 25-16, 21-25, 15-12). The host Panthers take on Kentucky for a trip to the Final Four at 4 p.m. Saturday in Pittsburgh.

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Middle East latest: Israeli strikes in Gaza kill more than 50 people, including kidsThe likes of Adobe Photoshop and Affinity Photo have been the best photo editors for a long time now. There have, however, been rumblings of change. A number of creators I know have moved away from Adobe products in favor of more affordable solutions, while others have begun embracing editing tools that are built around AI technology. You may have heard of Topaz Labs Photo AI and Photoroom. They are relatively new kids on the block but with their focus on generative tools and mobile functionality, they’re seeing a huge rise in popularity. I know that Adobe is doing everything it can to reposition itself within the market but it better move fast to keep up with these upstarts. Another option is Picsart , which I’ve been using recently. This mobile and web app accelerates creative projects and processes so you can edit photos and videos as well as generate new ones. It’s quick, easy to use, and relatively inexpensive compared to an Adobe subscription. This is part of a regular series of articles exploring the apps that we couldn't live without. Read them all here . I began my Picsart journey by putting all the photo editing tools through their paces. What better place to start than the background removal tool? I, and countless creatives, have had decades of painstakingly cutting objects out using manual selection tools. It looks like those years of hard labor might now be over. I loaded in a picture of a child with wispy hair. I did, after all, want to give Picsart a proper test. The child was also holding a couple of objects, which some background removal tools might find tricky to differentiate. After pressing the button and waiting a couple of seconds, I was amazed that Picsart had done a near-perfect job, even around the hair. Unbelievable. Through an easy-to-use interface, I was then able to insert a plain colored background or a picture from their presets library. All fairly straightforward but then I opened up the AI background tool and this is where things jumped to an eerily scary level. Picsart inserted the child into a range of different scenes, all perfectly. One option even included her standing on a chair. Anyone would struggle to know she wasn’t originally photographed in that location. Suitably impressed, I then headed into the AI enhancement tools. This is where images can be sharpened and defects removed. I gave Picsart a pretty decent image already and yet it still provided a higher level of clarity and even smoothed out blemishes on the person's skin. I particularly liked the ability to adjust the intensity of the enhancement. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Other than testing a range of other basic tools within Picsart, I was also very keen to check out its integrated generative AI feature. Considering these often require dedicated hardware, I was intrigued to see what my iPhone XR would be able to cope with. Again, I was blown away. I gave it the prompt “Cute animal like Father Christmas,’ and it absolutely nailed it! I can definitely see myself using this feature on a regular basis to generate bespoke imagery, although maybe not Father Christmas-themed. These tools only scratch the surface of what is possible with Picsart and it really has to be seen to be believed. There is also an AI logo maker, an avatar creator, and a whole host of impressive video tools. Picsart has opened my eyes to how far AI tools have come. The fact that most tools can be utilized on a mobile is truly exceptional and helps open up new creative possibilities to creatives who don’t want to be tied down to a laptop. In reality, it has challenged my own creative processes while having a lot of fun along the way. Picsart Pro is available to try for 7 days with the ability to cancel at any time. To continue using the app, you’ll need the free, plus, or pro licenses. As you’d expect, the free version has a serious limit on the use of generative AI tools and very little cloud storage. It does, however, have a decent set of photo and video editing tools. The Plus license includes more generous use of AI tools, a full range of templates and fonts, and 5GB of cloud storage. The Pro version builds on this by offering branding, productivity, and team tools. Plus costs $5 / £5 per month, while Pro costs $7 / £7 per month. Picsart is also available as a web app. Download the Picsart app on iOS or Android .

:Upbound Group said on Thursday it reached agreement on a $460 million cash-and-stock deal for Brigit, a financial technology company that has been backed by investors including the venture capital firms of actor Ashton Kutcher and basketball star Kevin Durant. The move, confirming a Reuters story from earlier on Thursday, will help Upbound expand its product offerings to credit-poor consumers and give it access to Brigit's data modeling and technology platform, allowing it to create more accurate customer financial profiles. Brigit provides financial services including cash advances and credit-profile building through its subscription-based digital app. It currently has nearly 2 million monthly active customers, according to a statement announcing the agreement. Under terms of the deal, Upbound is paying $325 million at a closing date forecast for the first quarter of 2025, of which 75 per cent is in cash and the rest in stock. There are further cash payments due over two years, some of which are dependent on Brigit achieving performance targets. Upbound Chief Executive Mitch Fadel told Reuters the Brigit acquisition would immediately contribute to its business because the app is already profitable, but also in the ways it can interact with its customers. With only 10 per cent overlap between the two companies' customer bases, he said, there was significant opportunity for cross-selling. "When you have more products, you can create more lifetime customers, especially when you are helping to build their credit and access a greater array of financial products," Fadel said. Plano, Texas-based Upbound, whose brands include Rent-A-Center and Acima, offers consumers with low credit scores help to buy products, including furniture, electronics, and other home goods, through so-called lease-to-own agreements. Brigit's founders, Zuben Mathews and Hamel Kothari, will continue to run Brigit as a segment within Upbound, and Brigit will retain its existing branding, the statement said. "By combining forces with Upbound, we can accelerate our impact and better serve the millions of Americans who have been historically underserved by traditional financial institutions," Mathews said.