Health Memo

Dear Confused Readers, Just a note of warning. Please read the fine print and then read it again!! My Prescription plan said I would save $3 per month under my new c0-pay system and though it was a small gain - I will take anything I can get. Well, I received a bill for $75 in the mail to cover 3 months of my new coverage, and was advised that now (do to my low income) I now qualifed for assistance and lower co-pays. What??? After talking to a lovely young lady who was kind enough to explain it all to me, it seems that when we actually paid Income Taxes on the better income we used to have, we were forced to have a deductible plan of $1600. After we paid out that much,ourselves, we would then be entitled to a co-pay. Well, our prescriptions are not very costly so we never reached our $1600 but neither did we have to pay anything to our company.

Now we have LESS money, pay no Income Tax, and for only $75 I can get better coverage. Does any of this make sense to you? Of course not. Well, the government assures me that I am better off than I was, just in case, I get put on a prescription that costs over $20.00. What about my $75 and my Assistance??? Seems to me I am paying more, for less???? Well????

NOW YOU KNOW

NOW YOU KNOW what you voted for, or against, and how the future will go from now on. You may have thought the world was your oyster. Sorry, no pearls. You may have fought to keep your freedoms. Sorry, no luck. All in all, you lost, I lost, the US. lost, all around.

You might even conclude that the whole world has lost the last hope it had in the experiment of the U.S.A. If it can't work here, where can it work? If we can't fight to keep our hard won freedoms, who will we turn to? Some may think this is a turning point. Yes, it is. But not in the direction we needed to go. Those who fight overseas to insure the freedoms for some other lands, will not see this as a victory, but a loss. If we can't sustain freedoms here, why are we even trying to help others to take the first steps toward freedom? Those lands will also wonder and question and be afraid that the goal posts have just been torn down and they did not even get to cross the line in the game.

Politics is a dirty word and now the consequences are even dirtier. There is one last chance, America!! When you vote each November - remember this disgraceful moment and vote out anyone (no matter the party) who didn't uphold your freedoms. The freedom to vote is precious and each and everyone of us has a duty and a right to do so. If you do not - then you are part of the problem that got us to this point. Stand up and be counted, over and over.

Some New Tips

I am an old-time scratch baker, but I also love all the shortcuts I can find and use. For instance: I hate cooking macaroni or spaghetti. A waste of time standing around waiting for it to cook just right. So, I make at least a 2 lb. batch, rinse and then I separate it into several freezer storage bags. Do not freeze,however. From this I can make a tuna salad whenever I want, or a batch of goulash, or a tuna mix with Cr. of Celery Soup as the liquid.

No waste, no fuss and right at my finger tips.

I also like to prepare onions and gr. pepper (CHOPPED) AHEAD OF TIME. Then I put them in sm. individual containers,(tight tops) and put them in the fridge. Anytime I want to add onions or gr.peppers to any dish, salad,etc. it is right there and saves a lot of time.

When it comes to potatoes, everyone knows how fast they spoil if not cooked. So instead of cooking just two, I do at least 6 baked. The extras I peel when cooled, and save for potato salad or fried potatoes. Sometimes I boil them on the stoves with the skins (washed first) on. When they are done the skins slide right off and the nutrients are saved. I chill these and use for salads, mashed potatoes and any other form I happen to like. They stay for a long time in the fridge-so don't be afraid to save some for a quicky.

When it comes to baking, I like scratch methods because they are different than the pkg.ones. But there are dozens of things you can do with a cake mix beyond making a cake. Check the sides of the boxes for ideas for Google recipes. Shortcuts are neat. Makes baking fun.

Furious

Is it possible for Congress to get worse than it is right now? You bet! Now that they have debated,uselessly, for a year, they have found a way to blame it on the Republicans. It's the Rep. fault because they wouldn't compromise to get this awful Health Bill passed. Good Lord, has no one in Washington been listening to the PEOPLE shouting how they don't want this bill, they don't want government running the health programs.?

Listen, Congress, before all of you are voted out quicker than you can bat an eye, and I don't just mean Democrats, Republicans but Independents too. None of you are listening to us. None of you care about anything but yourselves and your greed. You can't see beyond your bank account while America is going dead broke. If you cared about US, you would be doing something drastic and sensible for the whole country. But no, you won't jeapardize your strangle hold - after all you have pensions, med. coverage,etc. guaranteed no matter what happens to the rest of us. Beware, Congress, we are going to vote this Nov. and you all should be shaking in your boots. penmom