Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA or ACA Since 2010)

Unless you've been living under a rock with no access to radio, television or phone, or even earshot of other people, you're well aware of the Supreme Court's decision yesterday regarding three parts of the PPACA.

1) Does the law overstep federal authority in the "individual mandate" requiring most Americans to purchase health insurance or pay a financial penalty?

2) Must the entire PPACA be declared if that key provision is unconstitutional (or, in contrast, are the offending provisions "severable" such that the constitutional provisions may stand without them)?

3) Are states being "coerced" by the federal government to expand their share of Medicaid costs and administration, with the risk of losing that funding if they refuse?

Most notably being covered by the press is parts 1 and 2 - Rightly so since number 3 was ruled out (5-4 vote, by the way).

First of all, I'm incredibly irritated by everyone referring to this law, including news reporters and radio announcers, as Obamacare. Yes, yes, I understand that is the nickname of the law and they most likely refer to it as Obamacare so the general public will readily understand what they are referring to. HOWEVER, it is their DUTY to keep the general public informed - So, can we please start referring to this law by its name and/or abbreviation which, if you haven't figured it out by now is - The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act or PPACA or ACA or PPA.


I'm also concerned for the fact that I bet most people believe the PPACA has not gone into effect yet and it was being "held up" by the Supreme Court. I hope that I'm wrong, but I have a feeling most don't know that this law went into effect back in March of 2010 (March 23, 2010, to be exact). It's going into effect in "small parts" - The law is incredibly, seriously super long - Our states take direction from the Federal Government on how to put these "parts" into effect, which, by the way, as a result of this law going into force has created a substantial amount of jobs, which, in my opinion, is a good thing.


Fun Fact: The Federal Government is using/has used Minnesota as its example on how to put many parts of this law into effect - Our state has the best healthcare system in the nation, however, I must point out, we pay into this program in our taxes - it. is. not. free.


I consider myself to be a person who remains "moderate" when it comes to political parties and all things political and I was honestly shocked the individual mandate passed through the Supreme Court. And it passed through because of congress' ability to imply a tax - which by the way, President Obama argued strongly and ruthlessly that this was not a tax, it was a penalty. I find it somewhat humorous that the fact it is  a tax, no matter the synonym you use, is what got the individual mandate through the Supreme Court.

I know the viewpoint above does not sound moderate, but I do believe the government should not FORCE any American to do anything they cannot afford to do. Obviously this is a loaded statement, but we are the land of the free and the home of the brave and to me this is crossing the line. And as a result of individuals not being able to afford it, they have to pay a penalty - Really, Uncle Sam? Come on, now.

That being said, I also do not like the fact that for individuals who choose not to have health insurance, even though they can absolutely afford it, when BAM something happens to them, guess who pays to help that person pay for the healthcare costs they cannot afford because they chose not to buy their own health insurance? If your answer is the government pays for it, you're wrong. You do. You pay for it in your taxes and your health insurance premiums (which are expected to keep rising FYI).

You know who really benefits from all this at the end of the day? The insurance companies and you guessed it, the government. The insurance companies benefit because everyone is being FORCED to buy coverage. The government benefits because if you choose not to buy coverage, you have to pay a penalty (tax) to Uncle Sam.

Unfortunately, this law is not a good thing for the insurance agent and financial professional community. Because of the states being allowed to create their own health insurance exchanges (again, they will receive instruction from the feds on how to do this), they are hiring a lot of employees for these programs. Part of those employees will be "advisors" to help individuals pick which plan is right for them and their families. These "advisors" do not even have to be insurance licensed professionals. Why? Because the government says they don't have to be. However, anyone else in the insurance or financial community will need to maintain their licenses and pay for continuing education - Strange. I know. Also, as a result of the "penalty" in the PPACA, companies will also pay a "penalty" of they do not offer health insurance to their employees. This "penalty" for bigger companies is actually cheaper than offering their employees benefits - So, as a CEO, what would you do? Pay the penalty and send your employees out into the exchange or continue to break your bank offering benefits? Hmm. Tough choice. The financial community will be taking a hit for this - They will lose clients to the exchange - No doubt about it. Especially if health insurance is their bread and butter. And let me tell you, they are fired up about this and are concerned for their clients well being.

I personally don't believe the PPACA does not address the real issue at hand with healthcare in our country - The issue of the lack of primary care. Our country does a fantastic job of instituting programs and initiatives and federal and state programs for those that are chronically ill. What are we doing to prevent people from becoming chronically ill???? Our country does not do a good job of taking care of its healthy population and most of all, KEEPING US HEALTHY and LIVING INDEPENDENTLY. And that, ladies and gentleman, is what is/and is going to continue bankrupting our country.

YOUR HEALTH IS EVERYTHING. Who are you without your good health? Heck, I complain even when I have a minor cold or sinus headache. Can you imagine being chronically ill and the amount of time you have to take off work, away from you family, and how quickly that BREAKS YOUR BANK.

Or how quickly you become mentally certain or sorry for my lack of etiquette with this next phrase, but brainwashed into believing you are unable to work or stay independent and anxious to have others take care of you or take advantage of state and federal programs - I understand not everyone does this and again, it's another loaded statement, but we have to have more programs and companies HELPING people stay financially independent for as long as possible. We need more companies like Lifesprk - check them out.

Don't get me wrong, I like the idea of everyone having access to healthcare. I don't, however, like the idea of government forcing Americans to buy health insurance coverage, especially those that do not have the means to do so or those that may have religious implications. I don't like the negative effect of this law on the financial community because it is one I work in and one I am passionate about. I also don't like that the PPACA does nothing to solve the primary issues at hand with the healthcare system in the United States, which is lack of primary care and lack of efforts to keep our population healthy and financially independent.

Phew. End rant. For update on what's next for the PPACA VISIT THIS SITE.

Tuesday Quote and Thoughts.

I've blogged about Oswald Chambers before, you can find that entry here.

I wanted to share with you a quote from Oswald Chambers that truly touched my heart today...

"The most important aspect of Christianity is not the work we do, but the relationships we maintain and the surrounding influences and qualities produced by those relationships. That is all God asks us to give our attention to, and it is the thing that is continually under attack."

I'm never out to push my beliefs on anyone or anything, but faith has been the one thing that has gotten be through some tough times. It's what I cling to when everything else goes wrong and I feel very small and out of control. And you know what? Almost instantly when I feel that closeness and presence of faith and God in my life, I feel better. No joke.

I believe it is important to talk about your faith, give credit to it and share it with others, but I don't think it's right to force it on other people or make them uncomfortable.

I hope you're all having a fantastic Tuesday and feel free to leave a comment on what gets you through life when all seems wrong (or better yet, when all seems right, who are you thanking?).

xx

Gratitude.

Colton - 2 Years. 9 Months.

Jacob - 1 year. 2 months.

I'm so grateful for my beautiful sons.

They light up my life and give me more joy than I could have ever expected.

In so many ways they have made me a better person.

I never knew my heart was capable of holding so much love.

Lucas & Nicole

And it all happened because we met, feel in love and come what may, will get through it all together.

Monday is a great day to name all the things we're thankful for. What are you most grateful for?

Randoms & Tidbits

I was driving into work this morning (which by the way has been averaging an hour and a half on the road because of summer road construction) and it occurred to me... My 27th birthday is in exactly two months.  TWENTY SEVEN. For anyone out there reading this that is older than me, I know you're rolling your eyes, but holy crap, I suddenly felt old, wondering when the hell my life started flying by so fast.

One of my close friends is about to have her second child. I'm anxious and excited for her. I'm thankful I will finally have a friend that has two children and someone that will really know and understand what I go through every day. I also feel like we're on a similar level when it comes to motherhood. If you're a mom, you know what I mean by this statement...

Being off  Facebook has been one of the best decisions I've ever made for my professional and personal life. I realized Facebook was making it difficult for me to look forward instead of backward. I'd be sucked into old pictures, thoughts of old flings, old habits and old friends - frequently wondering "what if" and feeling haunted by my past choices and feeling incapable of letting go - sometimes good, sometimes bad - but mostly just keeping and holding me back. Needless to say the freedom from all of this nonsense is freaking fantastic.

I've been reading a lot lately. Plowing through the books. I've read three books (700 page books) in the past three weeks. Not to mention I've been gobbling up magazine articles at work (mostly financial and work related materials). I love reading again. I love the house when it's completely quiet (after the kids go to bed) and I sit up and read. Luke usually stays by me too, sometimes it's nice to enjoy the quiet with your mate - there's something about it - it's just you two, alone, in the quiet, it's nice. More than nice.

I've also managed to make time for my friends and girl time. I'm surrounded by men all the time, at work and at home. Girl time is NECESSARY for me and flat out mandatory at least once a month, if not more.

My kids are getting easier and easier everyday. It hurts me that we don't have any little babies anymore - we have little boys! Luke and I have kicked around the idea of having more children someday, probably just one more. However, we also like the thought of being in our early 40's when our kids head off to college... And I have a hard time deciphering in my heart if we're meant to have more children... Time will tell.

Enough about me... What's been happening lately in your life that's given you freedom, relief or gratitude?

Male Psych 101

I received a novel text message from my best friend yesterday afternoon informing me of her extreme anger and disgust with her boyfriend. She was texting me for reassurance - you know how females do - she wanted to know if she had a place for the anger and that the place was "in the right" if ya' know what I mean... Prior to lighting the spark sure to be an inferno, sometimes you need a girlfriend in the background saying, hells yeah, get 'em!

Anyway... Long story short, my friend definitely had a place for the anger and I'm sure we'll learn how that all panned out at a later time, but as a result of what happened with my friend - I'm going to give a bit of friendly advice to you ladies in a relationship, marriage, partnership, whatever that will hopefully help you more effectively keep your man in check more attuned to your feelings when he messes up.

Let's start with simple guidelines. Below is a list of three things you absolutely must try your best not to do. Note I say "try your best" because sometimes the steps below are seriously impossible not to do.

Let's explore...

1. Men are simple minded creatures. Do not complicate the matter at hand my leaving room for grey area. For the love of God do not say things like, "I'm mad at you. And if you can't figure out why then we have even bigger problems to worry about." Chances are your man has no idea what the hell you're mad about. Yes, yes, I'm sure you wish he did, but he's just a man, not a mind reader. Get over it. Just tell him plain as day why the heck you're bent out of shape and deal with the issue head on like an adult.
2. If the reason you become flooded with anger against your man happens when he is NOT with you, DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT text him with obtuse comments like the point made in number one. Unless you want to pick a fight via text message, annoy the shit out of him and drive him away from you or receive a phone call to fight over the phone, hold back from the vague bitchy texts and distract yourself from the issue at hand until you can discuss with your man face to face. Again, like an adult.
3. When your man finally does get home, try to avoid being bitchy and short with him. Try to act normal; ask him how his day was, keep to your normal routine - You will know when the time is right to bring up your issue. I must warn you, if it's a really big issue, sometimes this step is impossible... But again, try to hold it together and act like an adult versus a hormonal teenage girl.

If your man messes up to the point that you want to start an inferno of a fight on him, which, let's face it, we're female - we tend to compromise ourselves to the point of no return and all it takes is a dirty dish in the sink to send us into angered oblivion... I want to elaborate on point number 1 above regarding men and "grey area" - most notably that you should leave none. How do you do this? By using one of the following three words to desribe the behavior at hand that has sent you spiraling out of control...

1. Inappropriate. Has anyone ever told you that your behavior is inappropriate? If not, pull the stick out of your butt and try doing something inappropriate for once in your life... (I'm semi-joking, I wish there was a sarcasm text). If so, you know that the word inappropriate stings! Especially as an adult! It doesn't exactly make you feel childish, but it definitely makes you feel in the wrong and small and you want to change that behavior immediately, possibly even turn back time to change it. And you can bet you'll be changing it going forward. Use this word with your man and there will be no grey area. It's either appropriate or it's inappropriate. Not really room for "in between". If your man has no regard for what you deem as appropriate, you may want to rethink your relationship...
2. Unacceptable. This is another fantastic word that leaves little to no room for grey area. Something is either acceptable or it's not. It also is a word that resignates in the brain. I don't know about you, but when someone close to me tells me they view something as "unacceptable" I tend to remember it...
3. Intolerable. This is another word that draws a hard line for you and your personal, emotional and physical boundaries that again, resignates in the brain. Also again, not much wiggle room for grey area.

A word of caution. Use the words above sparingly and carefully. Once you deem something as inappropriate, unacceptable or intolerable, don't change your mind. Stay true to yourself and how you feel. If your man cheats, is doing drugs, whatever - you have to draw a hard line on those types of behaviors if you feel there is one for YOUR personal needs.

I am not a man expert my any means. However, I did ask my husband about the above and he is in agreement. Bottom line is to make your point clear as day for your man - Don't leave him hanging, guessing or out to dry - let him in and deal with the issue at hand.

Happy Monday! 

50 Shades of Seriously Weird (Mid) Book Review & Weekend Fluff

Happy Friday, ya'll!

Man oh man have I had a busy week. And even though I promise every morning when I can barely get out of bed I will go to bed early, I end up staying up later than I ever imagine - Why, you ask? Because I succumbed to all the hype and started reading complete trash, otherwise known has Fifty Shades of Grey. Unless you have been living under a rock for the past year or so, I suspect you've heard of this book and I'm here to tell you that I'm surprised to find that it is not as bad as I expected it to be.

The way people have been talking about this book I expected it to be even more poorly written, however, the gross and uncomfortable, can't-sit-still-while-you-read effect that I heard all about it spot on. Christian Grey is definitely "fifty shades of f'ed up" - as he describes himself in the book.

Since this is a Twilight fan-fiction series, I wasn't surprised to find that my least favorite character is the main character, Anastasia "Ana" Steele (much like Twilight I personally couldn't stand Bella Swan). Even though you want to reach in and shake Ana in the book - at least she admits she's being a total idiot by falling for this complete freak-a-zoid. And for the record, the freak-a-zoid is insanely hot in the book - I can't help but lust after this character - he's rich, powerful, confident - on the outside, everything you want in a man. Behind closed doors, Ana should be running for the hills (again, she admits this in the book).

All in all, the book gets a C+ so far. I started it Tuesday and am almost done, so clearly the writing keeps you entertained, distracted and eating it up. However, the writing is seriously awful, over wordy and at times confusing because she uses big words unnecessarily.

And one last comment - It drives me bonkers when authors make immature young adults in their 20's talk like sophisticated old people in their 40's. It's unrealistic, irritating and corny. I'm also both concerned and disturbed that the book is getting as much hype as it is... I suppose that's another topic entirely...

Anyway - to switch gears, I'm totally psyched for this weekend. I get to go golfing with my old, good friend Jenna! We're golfing twilight golf tonight, then grabbing a bite to eat afterward. I have to say Jenna is definitely one of my best friends. I tell this girl anything and everything and she always understands. Best of all, she's never judged and has been by my side, through thick and thin. She's got my back and I tell you what, as a female, those types of friends are hard to come by. Love this girl.


The rest of the weekend will be non-stop I'm sure tending to our garden (Colton and Luke's garden, that is), playing trucks, cars and tractors outside and hopefully getting some good running time. Both the kids like to come running with me now, it's so much fun to have them with me going, "Faster, mommy!" Talk about fantastic motivation. I hope at least one of the boys likes to run so they can come with me someday...

Wishing you all a fabulous weekend and if you find yourself with nothing to do, I won't judge you if you wind up like me getting lost in the trash that is Fifty Shades of Grey...


Laters, Readers!

Photos!