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Health Care Reform — or as the broker community calls it, Stealth Care Reform — has come to a stand still.   Politicians have done an excellent job of blurring the definitional lines between health care and health insurance… and then had the audacity to slowly and subtly alter their conversation with the public (and the media picked it up and…

It’s taken EIGHT years!   CA is finally revealing its new regulations specifying just how long your HMO doctor can make you wait for an appointment.  And it will be another 12 months before the provisions are implemented.    CA had to actually legislate how quickly HMO doctors must see their patients, return phone calls and take care of you in an…

For everyone living — and driving — in the  LA area, here’s an important heads-up about construction and closures on the 405.   And you thought it couldn’t get any worse!

Since so many of you are freelancing these days, The Insurance Mom wants you to be fully aware of how to manage your self-employment income and expenses, especially those handy little tax-deductible expenses.  But watch out, the IRS is reducing your tax-deductible business mileage.  So, drive carefully and now, drive less!

I think his predictions are probably right.   What do you think?   Read Daschle’s predictions in the NY Times.

I came across this interesting piece from Public Plan Facts and The Morning Sun (Pittsburgh, PA).  The letter’s author seriously questions the plausibility of a government-appointment Public Health Plan “Czar.”   Read the short and to-the-point letter here.  How much control over your health do you really want to give to the Washington powers-that-pretend-to-be?

What do you think about this excerpt from “The Power to Transform” by Chris Majer?   “… ‘I can’t’ is ultimately a victim statement.  But when I hold myself as inherently able, then the choice to be unwilling to do something is just that:  my choice.  When I consciously choose to say no, I am enhancing my personal power.”    What can…

Just a quick heads-up about your taxes.    The Insurance Mom wants you to act like a grown-up (even if you don’t feel like one!) and be a responsible money manager.

1.  If you are self-employed and paying quarterly estimated taxes, your 2009 4th quarter taxes are due 1/15/10.

2.  1099s must be issued no later than 1/31/10 so they are…

Did you catch Kathy Kristoff’s great article in the LA Times on 1/3/10?  She suggests 10 great ideas about how you can be smart about your money in 2010.    Read the whole article here.    I particularly like items #4, #5 and #6.  Great easy-to-do ideas for cleaning up your finances in the New Year!     Remember, it’s your money,…