But do I even have options?

Well you probably do have options for health insurance coverage, but they may not be ideal. If you have quit your job, then you will have the option of extending your health insurance benefits for up to 18 months - thanks to COBRA. The only catch is that you will have to pay for those benefits out of your own pocket. Not exactly an easy thing to do without that paycheck rolling in every week.

Is that it? Is that my only hope?

Before you panic, just relax. The solution is short-term health insurance. As the name implies, this solution offers you health insurance options for a limited period of time. Most short-term health insurance benefits are available for 30 to 180 days. Depending on where you live, you may be able to obtain these benefits for up to a year.

And short term health insurance is the same as what I had at work?

Well, if you mean that you have coverage in the event of a hospital visit or sudden illness, then yes. You also can pick your own doctors and hospitals, which is actually an advantage over some health insurance plans offered by employers. But there are definitely coverage limitations on short-term health insurance plans.

So what am I not covered for?

That really is the million dollar question, isn’t it? Well, routine medical exams are not covered by a short term health insurance policy. Any kind of preventative care is also out the window with this type of coverage. Plus, you can forget about dental and optical coverage with short-term health insurance. For obvious reasons, this sort of health insurance also does not cover medical costs relating to a pregnancy nor, anything having to do with the childbirth itself.

No offense, by why should I bother with short term health insurance?

Because a simple trip to the emergency room can cost thousands of dollars, and any emergency procedure and hospital stay can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Hey, short- term health insurance is not supposed to be the long-term solution. It is just a way to make sure you are covered while you are not on any employer’s health insurance plan. And it can help you avoid going into serious debt, should something happen to you when you are not otherwise covered on a health insurance plan. For that reason alone, it is definitely worth the expense.

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This coverage gap increases the cost of health care for many older Americans — often, they don’t know what hit them until they open their medical bills. The “doughnut hole” is getting bigger as drug prices outpace inflation, and Americans can’t keep up.

Nearly 20 percent of Medicare beneficiaries delayed or did not fill prescriptions because of cost and many others don’t take their medications just to stay out of the hole. This coverage gap is dragging too many people down, putting both their health and their bank accounts in danger.

Urge Congress to take advantage of the upcoming health care reform and close the “doughnut hole” so Americans don’t have to pay full cost for their drugs as well as drug plan premiums.

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Carradine became famous in the 1970s when he starred in the television series “Kung Fu.”

The rope was believed taken from the hotel room curtains, Bangkok Police Lt. Colonel Pirom Chanpirom said. Investigators found no sign of a forced entry into Carradine’s room, Chanpirom said. An autopsy was being conducted at a Bangkok hospital, but no results will be available for another day, he said.

A Carradine family spokeswoman issued a short statement saying the family “is devastated by the news of David’s passing.”

“Circumstances surrounding his death are still unknown, and there will be no further comment until more information can be confirmed,” the statement said.

“The family appreciates the many expressions of condolence, and asks for privacy at this time.”

Carradine’s personal co-manager, Tiffany Smith, said police provided the family with information about their investigation.
Carradine’s friends and personal managers said they were in “complete shock” and brushed aside suggestions that Carradine might have taken his own life.

Actor Michael Madsen told CNN’s Larry King that the one thing Carradine’s wife, Annie Bierman, wanted everyone to know is “David was not suicidal.”

Chuck Binder, Carradine’s manager for the last six years, said he spoke with a producer in Thailand who thought there was foul play.  “I don’t know if I’d call it accidental,” Binder said, adding that Carradine’s career was on a roll and his life was on an upswing. Carradine was in Bangkok for filming of the movie “Stretch,” being produced by a United Kingdom-based company, Smith said.
“He was the only American cast member,” she said.

Carradine, who portrayed the traveling Shaolin monk Kwai Chang Caine in the television series “Kung Fu,” was 72.

Modern audiences may best know him as “Bill” in Quentin Tarantino’s “Kill Bill” films. He earned a 2005 Golden Globe nomination for his role in the second movie in the two-part saga. Tarantino, also appearing on “Larry King Live,” called Carradine one of “Hollywood’s great mad geniuses.”  “He was a rock star at the time ‘Kung Fu’ came out,” Tarantino said, holding up a vintage metal lunch box with an image from the popular show.  “I’m in shock,” he said.

Carradine’s career included more than 100 feature films, two dozen television movies and theater work,  according to the Internet Movie Database.  “He was clearly an actor who followed his own path,” said Leah Rozen, movie critic for People magazine.

“He was never a guy who talked a whole lot. You knew as an actor, the characters he played, you knew they had a past, you knew there was probably some unhappiness there, but he wasn’t going to talk about it.” Carradine was nominated for a Golden Globe for his role as folk music legend Woody Guthrie in the 1976 movie “Bound For Glory,” according to a biography on his official Web site. He also made appearances in television series such as “Gunsmoke” and “Alfred Hitchcock Presents.” His first starring role in a series was as the title character in “Shane” in 1966.

Carradine was married five times and divorced four, according to People magazine. He was the son of actor John Carradine, a character actor who appeared in hundreds of films, plays and television episodes. “David’s career as an artist did not begin on the stage, though some of his early career was on and off Broadway. His earliest work was as a sculptor and painter,” Carradine’s official Web site says.  The site also includes an “Art Bio” in which the actor opens up about his life.

“I’ve always had an especially hard time with everything I’ve tried to do,” Carradine wrote. “I’ve made it pretty big as an actor in spite of being terminally shy. … Invariably, I had huge obstacles to overcome in anything I tried. Had to work against my genes to achieve my dreams.”

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Tell your leaders that you want competition for the insurance giants – and to give Americans a public plan option in addition to private insurance plans »

Economic recovery and health care reform are inextricably linked. Without changes to our health care system, costs will continue to skyrocket and push more Americans into debt. Each year, approximately 1.5 million families lose their homes to foreclosure because of unaffordable medical costs.

We need change in our health care system to get our country back on sound financial footing. And real change in health care means giving consumers real choice – like having both private insurers and a public plan option for health coverage.

Sign the petition to your leaders and demand real health care choice now »

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Health care consumes 17 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product, which is hardly small change. If fixing health care isn’t part of setting the U.S. economy upright, then what is? Medical costs are eating into family budgets and no relief appears in sight. Our leaders need to ensure all Americans have access to quality, affordable care – and they need input from real people like you.

Americans spend more on health care than people do anywhere else in the world, and we spend more for less. But costs could come down and quality could improve if we focused on prevention and managing chronic illness better. And we need to stop letting insurance companies run the show. It’s time to demand accountability.
Your family deserves the security of knowing that they will have affordable quality health care when needed!

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Every year, 76 million Americans get sick from consuming contaminated food - and 5,000 of these people die. That’s more than the number of individuals who lose their lives as a result of fire or unintentional drowning in the U.S. each year.

Continued outbreaks of food contamination over the last several years - from spinach to peppers to peanuts - have demonstrated that these outbreaks are not random, unpreventable occurrences, but are due to widespread problems with our food safety system.

Our current food system - regulated by 15 separate federal agencies - is broken and in need of reform. Congress has the opportunity to change course and help protect children, families, senior citizens and all others from foodborne-illness.

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The unfortunate reality is that more federal funds are allocated to nursing homes than to less expensive community programs.

All Americans should have choices when it comes to long-term care

Although some older Americans have the ability to live independently, they lack this choice simply because of constraints to social security!

The Community Choice Act of 2009 will amend the Social Security Act to provide older Americans with equal access to community-based attendant services and supports. It will fix a nonsensical requirement and give the elderly more flexibility and independence.

Urge your representatives in Congress to support the Community Choice Act

Thank you for making a difference in the lives of our aging loved ones - our parents, grandparents, spouses, siblings and neighbors - today.

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Help expand the frontiers of science and create hope for millions.

Urge President Obama to continue supporting scientific research and discovery »

Basic research funding increases for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) can expand our national research capacity at a time when our country needs greater support to connect the ever-widening gap between scientific discoveries and the eventual application and cure of disease.

President Obama has shown support for science and research, both in the presidential campaign and since inauguration. But in order to meet the 21st century challenges in health and biotechnology, it is critical that the United States leads in science and research.

Please urge President Obama to fund hope for cures by funding increases for the National Institutes of Health »

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Observation is the sufficient tactic of all tactics employed that will help you sharpen the mind. In fact, researchers as well as others interested in observation, has proven that observation is the one of the ultimate strategies to sharpen the mind. I grew up using observation as my guide to survive. Unfortunately, my parents had little value on education, and the only time we went to school was at what time the parents felt they would get in trouble. Furthermore, I was not permitted to be in the house while my mother cooked, therefore, I had no teacher. Still, I learnt to cook by observation. I loved potato salad and slaw, so I observed carefully into the ingredients of bowls were other people cooked and went home and prepared the slaw and potato salad myself. I cooked some of the best potato salads, Macaroni Salads, and slaw of anyone around. All this from observing, yet the point are observing sharpens the mind.

If you are studying, the best idea is to study in shorter spans. If you sit for hours at a desk, it will soon frustrate the mind. Like exercising if you over exert self you will workout without getting good results. However, as you study observes the details you read. This will help sharpen your mind and prepare you for tests. Another great idea while studying is taking notes. This too will help you to backtrack and review what you learnt. It is always good to review, preview, and practice. This great strategy will help sharpen your mind. Furthermore, previewing should be the first step, since you review statements, work, and other details before you jump into it.

Observation is noting facts that come your way. The facts will help you to construct a memory that will have evidence. The mind works in mysterious ways, however you don’t have to be a master to understand how the mind works. Therefore, what you observe goes inside the mind and stays there. It takes you to cultivate the mind so that it can recall and remember without problems. To help you see how observation leads you to using other tactics to sharpen the mind we can consider the following details.

Observation

Where ever you are at the moment single out something around you to observe. As you capture the picture in your mind, notice what follows. You should be previewing at present, i.e. studying what you are observing without dwelling on the observation. In fact, before you eyes came in contact with whatever you are looking at, previewed before you noted the object.

Next, considering reviewing the observation, as you listen to your mind to see what it is capturing. Reviewing is closely examining the observation. Reviewing is a critical process that helps stimulate the mind and sharpens the mind at the same time. Review is the process or restudying what you studied in the first place.

Moving along think of repeating by singling out the observation again, and consider what you see this time as you look at the object. What is your mind saying at the moment? What does your mind see?

Write it down. As you notice details of the object, write down what you observe. Review the information and see what you come up with.

You could next move into role-playing the scene, particular if the object is movie-making material. In other words, act out what comes from your mind. See where it takes you. As you move along write down what comes from your mind. Keep going.

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Send a message of hope to these brave children. »

Fortunately there are organizations like the Make-A-Wish Foundation who work to make the dreams of these children come true.

Sometimes it’s something simple, like 7-year-old Markell’s dream to ride a horse. Other times it’s more challenging, like 4-year-old Gracie’s desire to have a log cabin playhouse. As you can see from Gracie’s smile in the picture to the right, her wish was a great success.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation will grant 5,000 wishes this summer.

Won’t you add to the joy by sending a message to these brave children? »

Take action link

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