Q. I just want to know the exact tips in what to look for when car shopping
I want all the tips, not just the top three or top five things to look at.
If you have advice on anything about a car that's important to see before buying, I would highly appreciate the information.
Thanks alot.
I want all the tips, not just the top three or top five things to look at.
If you have advice on anything about a car that's important to see before buying, I would highly appreciate the information.
Thanks alot.
A. First, go to dealers that have cars you are interested in and pick up literature. Then go home and read it. Compare models - even write out what they have on a spreadsheet. Then look them up online and get reviews, specs, etc - Edmunds.com is a good place to start. Now go back and test drive it - really test drive it. Take it on the highway, do doughnuts in a parking lot, go somewhere you can accelerate to a high speed and hit the brakes - do it all. Take the test drive past a friend's house or your parents - have someone else look at it too. Get a list together of all the features you want, and do pricing on the internet. Decide exactly what you want. Check with your bank for financing, credit union, AAA if you belong, some insurance companies have buying services that you can use. Check with your insurance company as to what it will cost to insure - two models that are very similar in look may be radically different to insure because of thefts, etc. Don't go back to the dealership until you are sure and have done all your homework. Now check with dealerships about their hours for service, do they have shuttle service to public transportation, free loaner, etc. Because the greatest service in the world isn't enough - they have to be convenient to you as well. You can always take your car to a dealership other than where you bought it, but sometimes the dealership you bought from will offer perks that others won't. The dealership I bought mine from pays for inspections every year, details the car once a year, gives free loaners, washes the car when they service it, etc. Check in detail what the warranty covers, and also check what type of gas you need to use - premium costs more, remember. Some warranties are no good if you use other gasoline. If a dealership won't work with you through the process, find another one. Don't buy anything right away. Don't automatically use dealership financing. And think hard about color - many people make the car about the color, but when you are in the car and driving, you don't see much of the outside, so don't just buy one certain car because you like the color and another, better car doesn't come in that color. Remember that gas mileage will be lower than what's posted, so don't take that number as correct. Remember that a 6 cylinder engine doesn't have to work as hard as a 4, so if you can afford a 6 and the gas mileage that goes with it, consider it. Don't buy the lowest model unless you have to - its nice to have a few luxuries in the car. But pick the ones that are important to you - I don't care about a sunroof, but I do care about heated seats. Gee - I think I'm running out of suggestions...
If everyone in the USA dropped their health insurance, would our economy collapse?
Q. I've often wondered if health care would become easily affordable if insurance companies didn't have any influence over how much a service or a pill cost. But insurance companies use the money we give them for major investments in many goods and services. I see the total abolishment of health insurance as being similar to the abolishment of slavery back when our founding fathers were starting our country. It just wasn't economically feasable at that time, they said. Would our economy collapse if health insurance was abolished and doctors, hospitals and drug companies had to compete for business by lowering prices?
A. Interesting question, but the problem is this:
the government unconstitutionally inserted itself into health care years ago.
Even if all of the folks with PRIVATE insurance dropped it in protest, Medicare, Medicaid, SCHIP, and a host of other programs would go on, draining our wallets.
You are, however, on to a couple of important things:
One, health insurance DOES drive up costs. Because the media is for UHC they don't report the facts: the uninsured subsidize the insured in the US. By focusing on illegals who get FREE care, people pretend ALL uninsured get free care. This is completely false.
Second, the current system IS unsustainable because it's rigged--the hospitals do NOT charge appropriately, health insurers ROUTINELY deny legit claims in violation of contract law, and antitrust laws are routinely violated with impunity.
When 75% of the people who declare bankruptcy over medical bills ARE INSURED, then insurance is CLEARLY not the answer.
"Aldrich�s situation is "asinine" but increasingly common, said Dr. Deborah Thorne of Ohio University. Thorne, co-author of a widely quoted 2005 study that found medical bills contributed to nearly half of the 1.5 million personal bankruptcies filed in the U.S. each year, said that ratio has likely worsened since the data was gathered.
...
Like Aldrich, Thorne said, three-quarters of the individuals in the study who declared bankruptcy because of health problems were insured. "
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20201807/
Linda Peeno, MD testified that SHE had often denied treatment JUST to save the insurance company money http://www.thenationalcoalition.org/DrPeenotestimony.html
Furthermore:
"the vast majority of health insurance policies are through for-profit stock companies. They are in the process of �shedding lives� as some term it when �undesirable� customers are lost through various means, including raising premiums and co-pays and decreasing benefits (Britt, �Health insurers getting bigger cut of medical dollars,� 15 October 2004, investors.com). That same Investors Business Daily article from 2004 noted the example of Anthem, another insurance company. They said the top five executives (not just the CEO) received an average of an 817 percent increase in compensation between 2000 and 2003. The CEO, for example, had his compensation go from $2.5 million to $25 million during that time period. About $21 million of that was in stock payouts, the article noted.
A 2006 article, �U.S. Health Insurance: More Market Domination, More CEO Compensation�
(hcrenewal.blogspot.com) notes that in 56 percent of 294 metropolitan areas one insurer �controls more than half the business in health maintenance organization and preferred provider networks underwriting." In addition to having the most enrollees, they also are the biggest purchasers of health care and set the price and coverage terms. ��The results is double-digit premium increases from 2001 and 2004�peaking with a 13.9 percent jump in 2003�soaring well above inflation and wages increases.�" Where is all that money going? The article quotes a Wall Street Journal article looking at the compensation of the CEO of UnitedHealth Group. His salary and bonus is $8 million annually. He has benefits such as the use of a private jet. He has stock-option fortunes worth $1.6 billion."
--Save America, Save the World by Cassandra Nathan pp. 127-128
"Insurance Companies Robbing Patients
Robbing patients to pay CEOs leads to unprecedented medical insurance corporation greed.
Thursday, January 3, 2008 8:52 AM
By: Michael Arnold Glueck & Robert J. Cihak, The Medicine Men"
http://www.newsmax.com/medicine_men/medical_insurance/2008/01/03/61543.html
Space limits don't let me show the info, but check out these for eye-openers:
http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/nov2007/db20071120_397008.htm
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2006/10/loudon_hospital.html
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/hca_suit.html
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news03/yale.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/19/washington/19tax.html
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2006/09/npo_hospitals.html
Virtually everything people think they know about health care in the US is incorrect--the media and pols LIE routinely. The actual problems are ignored. Someone who did her homework did come up with corrections and a way to revise the unconstitutional health care the feds offer (she wants to transition to CORRECTED private sector at least the state level where it doesn't violate Amendments IX and X):
QUALITY, ACCESSIBLE, AFFORDABLE health care for all.
That means preventative care (physical with follow up). Real medication (no Medicare "donut holes" the really ill are ripped off again.) No bogus ridiculously low "caps" on needed medical procedures. No abuse of the ER. No paying for the silly with the sniffles to go to the doc for free. No more bankruptcies over medical bills. I want THIS plan that ends abuse of the taxpayer, takes the burden off employers, provides price transparency, and ends the rip-off of the US taxpayer at the hands of greedy insurance CEOs (which has been repeatedly documented).
http://www.booklocker.com/books/3068.html
Read the PDF, not the blurb, for the bulk of the plan. Book is searchable on Amazon.com
Cassandra Nathan's Save America, Save the World
the government unconstitutionally inserted itself into health care years ago.
Even if all of the folks with PRIVATE insurance dropped it in protest, Medicare, Medicaid, SCHIP, and a host of other programs would go on, draining our wallets.
You are, however, on to a couple of important things:
One, health insurance DOES drive up costs. Because the media is for UHC they don't report the facts: the uninsured subsidize the insured in the US. By focusing on illegals who get FREE care, people pretend ALL uninsured get free care. This is completely false.
Second, the current system IS unsustainable because it's rigged--the hospitals do NOT charge appropriately, health insurers ROUTINELY deny legit claims in violation of contract law, and antitrust laws are routinely violated with impunity.
When 75% of the people who declare bankruptcy over medical bills ARE INSURED, then insurance is CLEARLY not the answer.
"Aldrich�s situation is "asinine" but increasingly common, said Dr. Deborah Thorne of Ohio University. Thorne, co-author of a widely quoted 2005 study that found medical bills contributed to nearly half of the 1.5 million personal bankruptcies filed in the U.S. each year, said that ratio has likely worsened since the data was gathered.
...
Like Aldrich, Thorne said, three-quarters of the individuals in the study who declared bankruptcy because of health problems were insured. "
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20201807/
Linda Peeno, MD testified that SHE had often denied treatment JUST to save the insurance company money http://www.thenationalcoalition.org/DrPeenotestimony.html
Furthermore:
"the vast majority of health insurance policies are through for-profit stock companies. They are in the process of �shedding lives� as some term it when �undesirable� customers are lost through various means, including raising premiums and co-pays and decreasing benefits (Britt, �Health insurers getting bigger cut of medical dollars,� 15 October 2004, investors.com). That same Investors Business Daily article from 2004 noted the example of Anthem, another insurance company. They said the top five executives (not just the CEO) received an average of an 817 percent increase in compensation between 2000 and 2003. The CEO, for example, had his compensation go from $2.5 million to $25 million during that time period. About $21 million of that was in stock payouts, the article noted.
A 2006 article, �U.S. Health Insurance: More Market Domination, More CEO Compensation�
(hcrenewal.blogspot.com) notes that in 56 percent of 294 metropolitan areas one insurer �controls more than half the business in health maintenance organization and preferred provider networks underwriting." In addition to having the most enrollees, they also are the biggest purchasers of health care and set the price and coverage terms. ��The results is double-digit premium increases from 2001 and 2004�peaking with a 13.9 percent jump in 2003�soaring well above inflation and wages increases.�" Where is all that money going? The article quotes a Wall Street Journal article looking at the compensation of the CEO of UnitedHealth Group. His salary and bonus is $8 million annually. He has benefits such as the use of a private jet. He has stock-option fortunes worth $1.6 billion."
--Save America, Save the World by Cassandra Nathan pp. 127-128
"Insurance Companies Robbing Patients
Robbing patients to pay CEOs leads to unprecedented medical insurance corporation greed.
Thursday, January 3, 2008 8:52 AM
By: Michael Arnold Glueck & Robert J. Cihak, The Medicine Men"
http://www.newsmax.com/medicine_men/medical_insurance/2008/01/03/61543.html
Space limits don't let me show the info, but check out these for eye-openers:
http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/nov2007/db20071120_397008.htm
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2006/10/loudon_hospital.html
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/hca_suit.html
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news03/yale.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/19/washington/19tax.html
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2006/09/npo_hospitals.html
Virtually everything people think they know about health care in the US is incorrect--the media and pols LIE routinely. The actual problems are ignored. Someone who did her homework did come up with corrections and a way to revise the unconstitutional health care the feds offer (she wants to transition to CORRECTED private sector at least the state level where it doesn't violate Amendments IX and X):
QUALITY, ACCESSIBLE, AFFORDABLE health care for all.
That means preventative care (physical with follow up). Real medication (no Medicare "donut holes" the really ill are ripped off again.) No bogus ridiculously low "caps" on needed medical procedures. No abuse of the ER. No paying for the silly with the sniffles to go to the doc for free. No more bankruptcies over medical bills. I want THIS plan that ends abuse of the taxpayer, takes the burden off employers, provides price transparency, and ends the rip-off of the US taxpayer at the hands of greedy insurance CEOs (which has been repeatedly documented).
http://www.booklocker.com/books/3068.html
Read the PDF, not the blurb, for the bulk of the plan. Book is searchable on Amazon.com
Cassandra Nathan's Save America, Save the World
How can I become a medical transcriber? Please only people who have this type of job reply.?
Q. I have dictaphone and transcription experience from being a word processor at an insurance company. I would like to transfer these skills to work in the health care field. I also like being independent. Am training for MS certification also. Thanks for any advice. I already know about the online courses and will check those out too. Just want to know specifically where to start.
A. If your hoping to get into this field, though, you will most likely need training from an AHDI 'approved' program. Most employers require experience or participation in one of the top AHDI approved schools. If your looking into Medical Transcription pay the extra in tuition to attend an 'approved' school. The top three schools are Career Step, Andrews, and M-Tec.
Many people have received training through inadequate programs only to find out that they are unable to find a job. AHDI sets the standards for MT courses. Employers know that graduates of these 'approved' courses have gained the skills necessary to begin their career as an MT. ------ AHDI is the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity - www.ahdionline.org (formerly known as the American Association for Medical Transcription).
I attended Career Step and recieved a job (at-home) less than a week after graduating. I've received several more job offers since, but have stuck with my original employer because of the flexibility they offer. Career Step is an AHDI approved program and they are partnered with many of the major MT employers. In other words, their graduates get the jobs. Many companies require 2-3 years experience, however, a lot of these companies will waive this requirement if you graduate from the right school.
I recommend CS because they are partnered with MANY employers, self-paced (you can finish in a few months or take as long as over a year or two), and more affordable than the other top 2 courses. Plus, I have personal experience (and success) with the program. Attending your local community college will give you a good chance at a job in-house, but if you are wanting to work from home, an online 'approved' course is the way to go. Choosing the right school is so important! They do offer financial aid and payment plans. :)
If you have any questions, feel free to contact me: bcharmed01 at yahoo dot com
Many people have received training through inadequate programs only to find out that they are unable to find a job. AHDI sets the standards for MT courses. Employers know that graduates of these 'approved' courses have gained the skills necessary to begin their career as an MT. ------ AHDI is the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity - www.ahdionline.org (formerly known as the American Association for Medical Transcription).
I attended Career Step and recieved a job (at-home) less than a week after graduating. I've received several more job offers since, but have stuck with my original employer because of the flexibility they offer. Career Step is an AHDI approved program and they are partnered with many of the major MT employers. In other words, their graduates get the jobs. Many companies require 2-3 years experience, however, a lot of these companies will waive this requirement if you graduate from the right school.
I recommend CS because they are partnered with MANY employers, self-paced (you can finish in a few months or take as long as over a year or two), and more affordable than the other top 2 courses. Plus, I have personal experience (and success) with the program. Attending your local community college will give you a good chance at a job in-house, but if you are wanting to work from home, an online 'approved' course is the way to go. Choosing the right school is so important! They do offer financial aid and payment plans. :)
If you have any questions, feel free to contact me: bcharmed01 at yahoo dot com
If we all ate right and lived right, what would happen to our health system?
Q. Would drug company stock take a tumble?
Would insurance companies lose money as premiums tumble?
Would hospitals need to cut staff and close up shop?
Would health workers need to find other work?
Would insurance companies lose money as premiums tumble?
Would hospitals need to cut staff and close up shop?
Would health workers need to find other work?
A. The most common ailments in the Western world are due to excess consumption of bad foods including animal proteins, sugars, fats, and salts. Lack of exercise, smoking, drinking, and other bad habits like overeating also plague us all. In addition, a more contemplative and compassionate lifestyle is shunned by most Westerners.
"Would drug company stock take a tumble?"
The consequence of everyone changing their lifestyle would totally eliminate the top three selling drugs in this country. The stockholders in drug companies would fall and some companies would fail. Congress would bail them out and cause trouble for many people.
"Would hospitals need to cut staff and close up shop?"
Yes. We would need a small percentage of the hospital beds we currently use.
"Would health workers need to find other work?"
Yes. The need for medical professionals would decline precipitously.
"Would insurance companies lose money as premiums tumble?"
Their profits are a percentage of cost. As costs drop, so would their profits. Congress would intervene since this BIG PHARMA is a big contributor to congress.
"Would drug company stock take a tumble?"
The consequence of everyone changing their lifestyle would totally eliminate the top three selling drugs in this country. The stockholders in drug companies would fall and some companies would fail. Congress would bail them out and cause trouble for many people.
"Would hospitals need to cut staff and close up shop?"
Yes. We would need a small percentage of the hospital beds we currently use.
"Would health workers need to find other work?"
Yes. The need for medical professionals would decline precipitously.
"Would insurance companies lose money as premiums tumble?"
Their profits are a percentage of cost. As costs drop, so would their profits. Congress would intervene since this BIG PHARMA is a big contributor to congress.
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