Quote of the Day
I run great risk of failing.It may be that I shall encounter ruin
where I look for reputation and a career of honor.
The chances are perhaps more in favour of ruin than of success.
But, whatever may be the chances,
I shall go on as long as
any means of carrying on the fight are at my disposal.
Anthony Trollope
Another Diet Tip for the Feds...
Walmart Vs. ObamaCare
The Washington Examiner has an interesting post discussing a comparison of relevant plans; Walmart seems to bring the sames kind of pricing discipline that it did in introducing bargain-priced generic prescriptions, despite the fact that it has more providers (doctors and hospital--including world-class facilities taking a pass on ObamaCare). Some telling excerpts:
For many years, the giant discount retailer has been the target of unions and liberal activists who have harshly criticized the company's health care plans, calling them “notorious for failing to provide health benefits” and "substandard.” But a Washington Examiner comparison of the two health insurance programs found that Walmart's plan is more affordable and provides significantly better access to high-quality medical care than Obamacare.
For a monthly premium as low as roughly $40, an individual who is a Walmart HRA plan enrollee can obtain full-service coverage through a Blue Cross Blue Shield preferred provider organization. A family can get coverage for about $160 per month. A Journal of the American Medical Association analysis from September showed that unsubsidized Obamacare enrollees will face monthly premiums that are five to nine times higher than Walmart premiums.
Walmart also gives cash to its employees for any health care expense. The annual payments run from $250 to $1,000 and are given at the beginning of the enrollment year in an account that can only be used for health care expenses. Walmart individuals face a $2,750 deductible and families need to pay $5,500 under the HRA plan. Individuals pay $1,750 and families pay $3,500 deductibles under the HRA High plan.Now, of course, there are some apples and oranges here; for example, Walmart doesn't need to accept high-risk insured outside its employee base, and Walmart is subsidizing a significant amount of the cost. Not to mention the tax-advantaged basis of costs are a significant advantage over policyholders paying for insurance with post-tax earnings. But the bottom line is that for most people WalmartCare is that much more affordable than the oxymoronic Affordable Care Act...
Political Cartoon
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| Courtesy of Robert Ariail and Townhall |
Céline Dion, "To Love You More". Hands down, my favorite performance from the most prominent artist hailing from my ancestral homeland. This is one of those few songs that grabbed me at first listen. I seem to recall my Chicago area soft rock station started playing a version from a Japanese performance long before the American single was released. Every glorious note, the brilliant violin accompaniment, and Céline's vocals never sounded better. The world has been spared from my male version sung in the shower...
