Medicare Buy-In For Retirees--Private Options Make It an Even Better Idea

"We should act now to let companies and unions buy their early retirees into Medicare." That's the point of a Washington Post op-ed today by Democratic Congressman Rahm Emanuel and the president of the Democratic Leadership Council, Bruce Reed.These two former Clinton aides are arguing that:"The troubles at GM and Chrysler--and Ford, which reached a tentative labor agreement this weekend --

writing when i don't feel like it: thank you NaBloPoMo

Today's post is brought to you by NaBloPoMo, or "National Blog Posting Month."

I participated last year and met my commitment to blog every day, despite being diagnosed with metastatic cancer.

I benefitted from participating in NaBloPoMo 2006. I discovered new blogs and found many new readers. And blogging through that most difficult time helped to make it more bearable. Naming my fear and talking about it made it so much easier to cope with it.

I look forward to blogging every day throughout this month.

I hope I can find something interesting to say every day. But if life during NaBloPoMo 2007 is relatively uneventful, that will be OK by me.

i wish i didn't qualify to be here but since i do, i'm glad i am

My head is very full.

I have been attending a conference for the last few days, aimed at young women living with breast cancer. I have learned a lot. My resolve has been renewed, I have been energized and I have made some new discoveries about myself.

I will share what I have learned and thought and concluded very soon (as well as respond to the wonderful comments and emails I have received).

But tonight I am drained and exhausted. And there is more conference tomorrow.

Going to knit and watch a movie where lots of things go boom now.

where do you draw the line?

Yesterday I was asked by someone not to write about something on my blog.

Even though I don't share this person's concerns, I decided to respect their wishes. It actually wasn't a hard decision to make, as it was only the second time this has been asked of me and I really don't want my writing to hurt or embarrass the people I love.

Writing this blog has changed the way that I view the world, in that I am constantly experiencing events as potential blog fodder. There are very few topics (if any) that I would consider to be off limits in and of themselves but, as I do not blog anonymously, I don't feel I can write at the expense of those to whom I am closest.

What about you? If you are blogger, where do you draw the line?

"Medicare Advantage: Wrong Way to Spend $54 Billion"--The AMA Goes After the Medicare HMO's Money

The American Medical Association (AMA) in an editorial in its journal, American Medical News, has pulled no punches in its argument that Medicare HMO plans (Medicare Advantage) need to be cut in order to find the money to fix the upcoming Medicare physician fee cuts--10% in 2008 and another 5% in 2009.Without a doubt their attack on "excess payments" to insurers is self serving--as about all

Why Consumers’ Checkbook v CMS is a Sideshow--Bush Administration Refuses to Release Provider Data

Brian Klepper joins us again today with another one of his welcome posts. This time he points out the hypocrisy in CMS, which has been calling for market transparency, refusing to provide provider data to a consumer group.Why Consumers’ Checkbook v CMS is a Sideshowby Brian KlepperThere are people who call for market solutions as the answer to every societal problem, but who then work to restrict

candy hangover

Every year, my spouse and I have the same argument.

(Four year old D. was Batman by day)

He buys the Halloween candy. I tell him he didn't buy enough. One of us goes out to buy more. We have candy left over.

Every year it's the same.

So, this year, when I checked out the stash of candy that T. bought, and it looked like there wasn't enough, I did the only thing that made sense.

I went out and bought more.

And gave it away by the fistful. I restrained kids who were eager to move onto the next house, "No wait! I need to give you more! I have too much! Don't you want chocolate?"

(and a Doggie by night)

When it looked like I was still going to have too much candy I did the only other thing that made sense. I started eating.

By the time I went to bed I felt a little woozy.

(S. was a bloody good zombie)

And I had candy left over.

I'd say, "live and learn" but I really don't thing that I have. Next year, when I don't think my spouse has bought enough candy, I'll go out and buy more.

(The end.)

More Halloween photos here.