Do Insurance Companies Sometimes Act In Bad Faith Because Of Their Own Financial Problems?

Everybody should realize that insurance companies make money by investing the money they receve in premiums paid by their insureds. Does anyone think that insurance companies are any better at investing their money than any of the wall street investment banks that made such bad decisions?

Aside from all the press coverage of AIG's problems, the media has basically overlooked the fact that many insurance companies are having significant financial problems. In fact just by a little internet searching, I learned that AIG is not the only insurance company that is requesting Federal bailout money, and that A.M. Best has downgraded its credit ratings of some prominent insurance companies and their coprporate parents (your insurance company may be a subsidiary of a much larger group/holding company).

Over the years we have seen insurer's adjusting claims in indefensible ways when the insurance company is in financial trouble.

One example that sticks in my mind was a small one man roofing contractor, who basically worked out of his home. He had resurfaced a roof on a warehouse. We had several days of torrential rains, and the roof collapsed. The roofing contractor was sued, and he turned the claim in to his liability insurer. The insurer denied the claim on the silly basis that the only roof that the liability policy would cover was the roof on his own office!

We sued the carrier, and forced them to cover the suit and pay the loss, and very shortly after we finished, the insurer went into receivership, and was declared insolvent.

The point is, that whether you are an insured looking to your own insurance company to protect you, or you are a victim making a claim, the reality is you'd better be aware of the insurer's conduct, and pay attention to whether the conduct is because of financial problems the insurer is having outside of your personal situation.

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Insurance Company Financial Problems

I have previously posted about the ongoing and anticipated effects of the current financial crisis on the insurance industry as a whole. Now, it's getting personal.

In 1984, my wife and I purchased Universal Life Insurance on both of our lives with Shenandoah Life Insurance Company. We have faithfully paid the premiums for the policies for the 25 years since that time. In fact, for a period of time we even paid more than the required minimum premium. In my calculation, we have paid at least $50,000 in premiums to them since the inception of the policy.

I just learned that the Virginia Department of Insurance has placed them under supervision. Here is the link to the documents in regard to the receivership.

According to the "Questions and Answers" document, the receivership was necessary due to the declining value of some of the company's investments. In other words, they took premiums from policyholders and invested the premiums, and the investments of those funds didn't pan out.

As I posted earlier, whether you are shopping for insurance, paying for an insurance policy, or making or litigating claims.......be aware of the insurance company's financial status.

Unfortunately for all of us, this ain't nearly over yet, we still can't see the bottom and how deep it is for the insurance industry.

Posted by Jeffrey M. Liggio

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Dental Insurance Striking Information You Gotta Know

Having an accident or protracting an illness can be a problem, so disability insurance has been designed to ensure you still receive an income; you might not be able to prevent the reason you are incapable of work but you can prevent the debt that can occur when you are not providing an income. This can take some of the emotional strain away the financial difficulties it is certain to create during your incapacitation. In fact there is a higher probability of a worker requiring disability protection before they retire than there is of them dying.

The fact of the matter is that disability coverage appears to be less important to the public when they have a family; whereas life insurance takes priority even though they have less chance of dying than being incapacitated. Despite statistics showing that a middle aged worker has a greater chance of needing a 3 month break from work because of an accident as opposed to dying before they reach 65, is almost impossible. Disability insurance by its very nature can be costly so obtaining the best possible rates available is imperative for someone on a budget.

Some of the factors required to assess the premium include the age and health of the applicant but the largest part to calculate is how much income they will need whilst they are incapacitated. One method of lowering the policy premium is arranging for the plan to ‘kick in’ only after the incapacity has lasted for a set period of time. the provider would be less at risk if was only a short term incapacity. A reduced period of cover option would also reduce the premium; although you need to bear in mind that once your period of benefit ceases you would have to support yourself.

Insurance company policies will differ but the majority will only pay a percentage of your lost income so it is a good idea to choose the best one for you and in this instance, the cheapest may not necessarily be the best. There are two policy options available; the first is short term disability insurance which only covers the claimant for a few months of incapacity. The second plan covers extended periods and is called total disability cover; this allows a reduced payment to be made after the claimant shows he cannot carry out the work he was previously employed for.

Irrespective of the type of policy you have, payments for disability are made regularly, every week or month until the end of the incapacitation or the policy, whichever come first. Other key points to consider when looking into health policies are if there are restrictions on:

If there are any medical restrictions
Is the benefit taxable?
Time frames before benefits are terminated
Your current occupation

Remember that every disability insurance policy is different and they will not all provide exactly the same benefits, including how much they will pay as a percentage of your income. With some providers giving 70 percent of the original salary, you will have to watch out for those who will only provide you with a very low 40 percent which could cause financial hardship. This figure will probably be the determining factor of whether you sign with a particular insurer or not but it must be done before any agreement is signed.

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Untold Benefits of Personal Accident Insurance

Most people get life insurance instead of applying for a personal accidental insurance policy. This is a crucial mistake that costs a lot later in case they are not able to continue paying the heavy premium that life insurance demands. The key benefits of Personal Accident Insurance Policy over Life Insurance are as follows:
It is economical and affordable
It requires no medical test or documentation
You can protect all the members of your family at a very low cost.

People who already have life insurance can also take an Accident Insurance as a supplementary cover in case, they have a very active lifestyle and want additional protection against dismemberment and death. The same holds good for their family members.

This personal accident insurance policy is also ideal for people who are not eligible for life insurance cover due to some recent illness, they can still get protection against dismemberment or death due to accidental causes.

Royal Sundaram provides very affordable Personal Accident Insurance. Have a look at it here to check if it fits your needs.

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Life Insurance Is Easy to Buy

Even though most people do understand the need for life insurance, many still hesitate. Life insurance policies are long term contracts, and consumers are reluctant to enter into them because they are not sure which type of coverage would be the best for them.

You can barely drive down the street, turn on the TV, or browse the internet without seeing ads for different life insurance companies. But most of these advertisements seem to promote one specific type of coverage from one insurer. Consumers know that they can buy different types of coverage, but they have justifiable concerns that answering one of these ads will not provide them with a real answer to their most basic questions. People want to be able to figure out which type of life insurance is best for their own unique situation.

So what is the best type of life insurance? First, look at the basic types of policies you can buy:
Whole Life – Sometimes this is called traditional or straight life. These are permanent policies, which mean that they will cover an insured person for as long as the policy is kept in force. Keeping a policy in force usually means that the premiums are paid. Whole life policies can also build up a cash value, and that cash value can earn returns. So some people consider whole life a combination of savings and insurance.
Term Life – Temporary, or term, polices are probably the most popular plans on the market. They only offer temporary insurance coverage, and not an opportunity to build cash value. They also only assume a temporary risk, even though the term may be for a few decades. But for these reasons, premiums will be lower than for permanent policies for the same amount of coverage.
Universal Life – People are are very interested in combining their insurance with a tax deferred wealth building account, look at universal life. Like whole life, universal life, is permanent coverage. The insurance part, and the savings part, of the contract are split out to be more transparent to the policy owner. The cash value in the account can grow at a set interest rate, or by being tied to a common market index. In addition, monthly payments, and even the coverage amount, are flexible and can be changed over the life of the policy as a covered person’s needs and budget changes.

Again, which type of coverage is best? That really depends upon your own unique needs and expectations.
Whole life provides a simple, permanent plan with a fixed premium. Many smaller face value whole life policies are marketed to older people, like senior citizens, as an affordable way to plan for final expenses like funerals.
An individual may be able to afford a larger term life policy because premiums are cheaper. They may only need that large amount of coverage while their kids are young and home mortgage is large.
Universal life insurance can provide a flexible way to have coverage and retirement savings in one account.

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Insurance Tactics to "Force" Settlement? Inflict a Little More Pain.

Take this with a grain of salt - salt in the wound, that is. In viewing a video presentation for the Wisconsin State Bar Continuing Legal Education Seminars addressing handling personal injury lawsuits in Wisconsin, I noted this gem by panel expert insurance defense attorney Ron Pezze, Jr.: while discussing insurers' lack of preparation for Court ordered mediations, Pezze stated "they think, well, we'll have enough time to talk about it when they're TWISTING THE ARM OF THE PLAINTIFF ..."

So, that's the way they are thinking about you and your injury claim. Nice thought, inflicting more pain on the victim who is attempting to attain a fair recovery for their injuries.

Of course, this is but a turn of phrase, if you will, but it belies the mentality and intent of the tactics employed by insurers in dealing with injury palintiffs. It's not about you, your injuries and your sufferring - its about oppressing you to save the insurance company's dollars.

The plaintiff's bar has long been stigmatized and denigrated as "ambulance chasers" and "vultures" by those morally superior silk stockings defense firms. I guess I just don't agree that harming the victim is a higher-ground approach.

So, in case you are still wondering if they intend to play fair with you and your injury claim, don't count on it.

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Auto Insurance Discount Available With Training Course

I am reasonably sure that there is bigger news in the PA insurance world, but I just wanted to post this photo.

In any event, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has approved a 4-hour Mature Driver Improvement Refresher Course to allow drivers age 55 and older the opportunity to continue to qualify for discounted vehicle insurance. The refresher course will be offered to individuals who have completed the PennDOT-approved, 8-hour Mature Driver Improvement Basic Course within the last three years. Currently, individuals are required to complete this course every three years to continue to qualify for discounted vehicle insurance. You can read all about it.

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Hard Times and Health Insurance: Staying Covered When You Lose Your Job

In response to the growing number of New Yorkers who risk losing health insurance coverage in the current troubled economy, United Hospital Fund has created a guide to help New Yorkers understand how to benefit from the newly enacted COBRA premium assistance. It presents practical advice on state and federal protections, and how to exercise them. To read Hard Times and Health Insurance or look at our documents in the sidebar of the blog.

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Thanks for the health insurance - suckers

President Obama said last night "It's not about me, I have the best health care in the world." So do those bought and paid for lawmakers on Capitol Hill. I checked out a government site for federal employees to see what is on offer.


The U.S. Office of Personnel Management
Ensuring the Federal Government has an affective civilian workforce


Health
Federal employees, retirees and survivors can choose coverage from the widest selection of health plans in the country.

Dental
Eligible employees and annuitants can choose among 4 nationwide and 3 regional dental plans. Nationwide plans also offer international coverage.

Vision
Eligible employees and annuitants can choose among 3 nationwide vision plans. Nationwide plans also offer international coverage.

Life
We offer the largest group life insurance program in the world, covering employees, retirees and family members.

Flexible Spending Accounts
Eligible employees can choose to enroll in up to three different flexible spending accounts during Open Season.

Long Term Care
Most Federal and U.S. Postal Service employees and annuitants, active and retired members of the uniformed services, and their qualified relatives are eligible to apply for insurance coverage under the FLTCIP.


This is not free health insurance, our politicians have to buy the plan that suits their needs. But the plans are subsidized by taxpayers, just like their pension plan. The average salary of a rank and file member of the House is about $174,000 per year, paid by taxpayers. They do alright off the public dime.

I do not deny them their benefits or their six figure salaries, but it comes with responsibilities to us and the country, not the lobbyists.

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Why should health insurance be a racket?

Why should health insurance be for profit? It hadn't used to be, but as with most things, the money hungry "lets see how much we screw the people for, before they make it illegal" men in suits got their grubby hands on it.

Accident and disability insurance goes back a few hundred years, but the first health insurance plan I could track down, was started by Baylor Hospital, in Dallas Texas, in the 1920s. It began as a nonprofit for poor folks called "The Blues" it eventually morphed into Blue Cross.

During WWII, the government froze all wages for the duration, and to get around this freeze on pay, companies started to offer Health Insurance as a benefit to give people more than they were legally allowed. The concept was still nonprofit. It didn't cost an arm or a leg to fix your arm or a leg.

By the early 1980s, 10% of health insurance companies were for profit, from then onto today it has become a scam of mighty proportions, matched and aided by the bandits from Wall Street.

They pay their CEO millions of dollars, they deny coverage, underpay doctors, get successfully sued, often. The lines are so blurred that one must conclude that health insurance is a racket of highest order, profit or nonprofit. Major surgery is needed.

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Health Insurance Alternative for Artists

The AP has a story that I hope gets the attention of health care institutions around the country. A bartering system has been created by Health Care Administration in Brooklyn whereby artists can trade service for health care:

Health Care Administration is just one aspect of the hospital's effort to promote a plan that provides care on a sliding scale to working people who don't have health insurance but make too much money to be eligible for Medicaid or other government programs.

Artists who sign up for the plan can pay out of pocket based on their income or offer their services.

For every hour an artist volunteers, the hospital puts 40 credits — the equivalent of $40 — into a health care account to be used for medical expenses.

About 150 people have signed up for the plan through a special hot line set up for artists and performers, and roughly 40 have expressed interest in the exchange part of the program.

A cursory search did not turn up that special hot line, but the center's general number is (718) 963-8000.

One of the most frequent reasons I hear from artists who wish they could, but don't, quit their day jobs is they need the health insurance. Until we get a President or Congress that cares about the career-crippling costs of insurance for artists, it's good to know bartering alternatives like this exist. If you know of any other such set-ups, please share. Woodhull medical Director Dr. Edward Fiskin explained that they were motivated to create this program for artists "because they're our neighbors." Here's to good neighbors!

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Whole Life Insurance

Whole life insurance provides the happysolution to the delicate matter of un unhappy death. In sickness and in health, we care and provide for our families. And at the end of that time, a whole life insurance policy can help you to continue to provide for them after you’re gone.

But whole life provides for your family in a very unique way…because with whole life, your premium payments become more than just a payment. They accrue and become a cash value account. And with this you can provide for yourself and your family.

How Do Whole Life Insurance Policies Work

Whole life insurance is a permanent life insurance…meaning it lasts your entire life. In most cases, the premium amount does not change, and the death benefits stay the same. Even if you have serious health problems. While it costs more than term life insurance, it’s still the most popular kind of individual life insurance in America today.

When you sign for a whole life insurance policy, you agree upon the premium payment, and how much of that payment will contribute to the cash value of the policy. As you get older, the premiums stay the same or increase according to what you agreed regardless of your age or health conditions. The cash value of a whole life insurance policy continues to grow. And all this time, your death benefit (the amount they’ll pay your beneficiary at the time of your demise) stays the same.

What Can I do with the Cash Values of a Whole Life Insurance Policy

The cash value of a whole life insurance policy is there for as long as the policy is in effect. You can withdraw the money and use it for anything. But withdrawing the cash decreases the death benefit.

The best way to use the cash value is to borrow against it. You can use this money for anything from paying off other loans to education funds. Borrowing the money also allows you to continue deferring taxes on the cash value (it’s taxable when you withdraw it.)

How Long Do I Pay the Premiums on a Whole Life Insurance Policy

On most policies, you continue to pay the premiums on a whole life insurance policy for as long as you live. Companies also offer the option to pay a lump sum in the beginning (creating an immediate cash value to the policy) and then make smaller premium payments throughout your life. You can also choose to pay a larger lump sum, without paying any premiums at all. Whole life insurance with modified premiums is a policy where the premiums incrementally increase as you grow older.

With any whole life insurance policy, everything is clearly defined when you purchase the policy. This includes the premium amounts, death benefits, and the amount of premium that contributes to the cash value.

Whole life insurance is about setting and meeting financial goals. When people depend on your financial decisions, whole life makes sense.

Talk to your Insurance Agent to ensure Whole Life Insurance is right for you!

More Whole Life Insurance Articles:

Whole Life Insurance is still a Preferred Choice

For a long time in America, whole life insurance was what most people bought. Lately, insurance companies have been offering other insurance at lower rates, but in most cases, whole life insurance is still the most beneficial of all plans.

Whole Life Insurance Explanation

A whole life insurance explanation should be required reading for anyone about to purchase life insurance. Whole life, in my humble opinion, has in recent years got a bad rap. People tend to buy term life insurance because it is cheaper...

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Senior Health Insurance

Submitted by chris on Tue, 2007-02-13 17:56.

Those who are of age 65 or older, and eligible for social security, qualify to receive Medicare health insurance coverage. But even if senior citizens are eligible for Medicare, they often want more coverage than Medicare offers, and decide to purchase some form of private insurance that supplements Medicare. The following article explores some of the supplementary health insurance options that are available to senior citizens today.

Medigap

The health insurance that seniors purchase to supplement their Medicare policies is often referred to as Medigap insurance, a coverage option thus named because it is intended to fill-in the gaps that Medicare leaves. Medigap policies can be tailored to meet individual needs; they can be written to cover deductibles, prescriptions, and long term hospital care. Sometimes, they even provide coverage for nursing home stays.

Of course, the premiums for Medigap insurance will vary, depending on the level of coverage that is chosen. But it is important to note that, as long as premiums are paid, Medigap insurance plans are guaranteed to be renewable.

Sold by private companies, the rates for Medicare supplemental health coverage vary from company to company. For this reason, it is wise to compare the rates and benefits offered by several companies before you select one. With the convenience of being able to access information through the Internet, comparison shopping is no longer a difficult proposition; and you should make sure to do your research prior to making a commitment.

Long Term Health Insurance

Another type of health insurance that some senior citizens choose to purchase is long term care insurance. This type of insurance is specifically designed to cover the long term care that is usually given in places such as nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

Medicare only covers a stay at a nursing home for the first 100 days, and often does not cover stays in assisted living facilities. Because the cost of the average nursing home is about $40,000 a year, it is easy to see how a person might quickly expend his or her life savings, if an extended stay in a nursing home or assisted living facility became necessary -- that is why long term health insurance is such a necessary consideration.

Purchasing long term care insurance removes the worry of having to pay for extended stays in a nursing home or assisted living facility. It also gives the patient and his family the freedom to choose the best facility, not simply the one they can afford with what little money is available. In addition, it protects a remaining spouse who is in good physical health from having to change his or her standard of living in order to make payments.

Medicare coverage is a great option for senior citizens. However, those who can afford it should look into additional coverage options that ensure they get the full spectrum and quality of care they need."

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Travel Insurance and Tips to Avoid Sickness In Vacation

One of the biggest concerns when travelling to foreign countries is how to avoid catching bugs or a bad case of the 'tourist trots,' especially when your health insurance is not covering oversease health costs and you don't have a travel insurance. It can be hard to know what is safe to eat and what should be avoided. No matter how careful you are, however, it is very easy to unwittingly expose yourself to bacteria, germs and viruses. That is one reason why taking out travel insurance is very important.

Some basic awareness, plus following a few simple food hygiene tips, can help avoid a nasty case of Delhi Belly, Montezuma's Revenge, or whatever the affliction may be called in that part of the world:

* Make sure food is well cooked and very hot (to kill any bacteria present)
* Avoid food that may have been left sitting out at unsafe temperatures (i.e. buffets)
* Be wary of buying food and drinks from street vendors
* Avoid consuming sauces/condiments that have been left on tables
* Don't eat garnishes (they may have graced many plates!)
* Avoid drinking tap water, milk, and stay clear of ice cubes in drinks
* Avoid salads/lettuce (washed in water)
* Stick to sealed, bottled water or boil or purify it yourself
* Be wary of some airline food, especially if taken aboard in a foreign country
* When it comes to fruits and vegetables - if you can't peel it - don't eat it!

Be careful when consuming locally-produced drinks such as rice wine or 'arak' (several deaths occurred in Bali following ingestion of methanol-laced rice wine).

If you get sick with diarrhoea and/or vomiting it is important to stay hydrated. Sip purified water, tea or soft drinks (preferably drinks without a lot of sugar or additives). Only resort to using anti-diarrhoeal medicine when you are absolutely certain you need it, as the downside is developing constipation. Avoid drinking alcohol and eat dry food like crackers and toast until the worst is over.

In most cases, a bout of diarrhoea from contaminated food will knock you off your feet for a few days and the duration of the illness can vary. If symptoms persist or are unusually severe always seek medical help to rule out anything more serious. If outpatient tests are carried out, ask for copies to take with you and obtain receipts so that you can claim on your travel insurance. If hospitalization is required you will normally need to obtain authorization for treatment by calling the hotline provided in your travel insurance policy.

If you have been bitten by insects, especially mosquitoes, and develop suspicious symptoms like fever, chills or flu, always seek medical attention. Serious diseases like malaria take several days to incubate so symptoms may not appear until after you have returned home. If this happens arrange an appointment with your doctor and explain that you have been travelling.

A few more reminders:

* Always clean and treat cuts to avoid infection and Tetanus
* Carry a first-aid kit and hand-sanitizer with you
* Use mosquito-repellent products
* Wear light-coloured clothing to easily spot mosquitoes, ticks and bugs
* Take steps to guard against tick bites and Lyme Disease
* Be wary of swimming in fresh-water pools in tropical areas (however tempting it looks). It is possible to pick up parasitic infections like schistosomiasis from infected water
* Get all recommended vaccinations, including a Tetanus booster if needed
* Carry a list of contact numbers for the embassies in the areas you are visiting in case you need help finding an English-speaking doctor or other assistance

Other common ailments which can affect travellers include: Altitude sickness, heat stroke, heat exhaustion and serious sunburn. The latest concern to worry about is exposure to Swine Flu; if you think you may have been exposed and develop symptoms seek medical help. A good travel insurance policy should provide for emergency medical repatriation to get you back home once you are fit enough. However, always read the terms and conditions of your particular policy so that you understand the cover provided.

A wide variety of bad bacteria and diseases may just be waiting for an unwary victim or host like you to come along, so do your research and be prepared before leaving home. It is your trip, your money, your life - so use your brain - and don't make yourself an easy target for anything to bug you!

Written by Jean Andrews, who is a freelance writer living in the UK. She regularly contributes articles for Travel Insurance Agencies Ltd which offers great deals on UK Travel Insurance and Travel Insurance for residents of Eire.

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Health Insurance Obama's Top Priority Of The Week

The president Barack Obama is back from his trip and is expected to make health insurance and health care reform as its top priority of the week. Health care reform plan remains without progress in Congress the cost of health insurance being the major issue, as its point of contention.

On the Senate side, the Finance Committee has not yet released a draft reform plan, but it is starting to looking at ways to pay for the health care overhaul.

The Real Cost Of Health Care Reform

The latest idea, according to Senate Finance Committee Approach (source Bloomberg) is subjecting the capital gains income to 1.45 percent Medicare Tax. This can raise hundreds of billions of dollars for the health insurance coverage reform over the next ten years. This proposal comes after the Senate Democrats backed away from the plan to tax the employer based health insurance coverage.

On the House Side, the Ways & Means Committee is proposing a surtax on high earner to fund health insurance reform. This will apply to households earnings more than $250,000 dollars a year. It is expected that 2.4 percent of U.S. taxpayers will be hit by this surtax and it will help to raise $375 billion dollars over the next ten years, according to the Center for Tax Justice.

Bloomberg's Health Care correspondent Kristin Jensen speaking from the D.C. newsroom says the main action today on health care is in the House. Today we may see their draft on the health care bill and we may also see the surtax on the wealthy Americans. The latest is obviously of interest to many Americans as they want to see how this surtax will shake out their pockets to fund the health insurance reform.

The Senate really hasn't landed there yet. We hear that the surtax is one of the options that they are considering, but it is for the very very wealthy Americans, starting at $350,000 income level. However, they haven't settled that yet. It will be interesting to see how the Senate program on health care reform will come out.

Main Sticking Point To Fund Health Insurance Reform

The House bill, which is mainly pushed by the Democrats has one main sticking point. It is the tax hike, suggested to pay for the health care reform. However, some conservative Democrats and Republicans say they are not involved in it. They are worried about the method of the taxing and say they would like to see some of those taxes coming from within the health care system.

So there are two issues: the cost and the public option. The cost of the health care reform will be a stumbling block. Also, the House has embraced the Public Health Insurance option, which they have to reconcile in the Senate. So this will be another issue.

Obama and the health care debate

The president has so far stayed out of the the health care reform negotiations. He actually has done the opposite of what the Clintons have done. However, a lot of Senators are saying that he needs to take a more active role in the the negotiations of how to fund health insurance coverage for millions of Americans and we expect him to do that in the upcoming days.

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Small Business Health Insurance Help From CHOICE Act

A representative in the U.S. House of Representatives will reintroduce legislation to help small employers pay for their employees’ small business health insurance, reports Astrid Fiano in DOTMed Business News. The CHOICE Act, according to sponsor and chair of the House Small Business Committee Nydia Velasquez, will do the following:

• Offer a tax credit equal to 65% of the cost of health insurance offered to employees
• Allow multiple small companies to pool their employees in voluntary health collectives, which will result in lower health insurance rates because of the reduction in insurers’ risk
• Set the stage for a possible health insurance mandate for small employers, to be partly paid for by the aforementioned tax refund

The bill promises to lift some of the burden off the small companies that are known to be major drivers of the American economy and has bipartisan support.

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New York City Health Insurance Is More Expensive

In the New York Post, Brendan Scott reported on shocking findings that New York City health insurance premiums have seen a significant increase over the past year, while many New Yorkers are already struggling economically. Here are some sobering statistics:

• From April 2008 to April 2009, the average monthly health insurance premium for a family has risen from $3,866 to $4,354; a 13% increase.
• Six out of the eight health insurers in the NYC area have increased their rates, including Aetna, Atlantis Health Plan, and Oxford Health Plans, Brendan says.
• Insurance companies blame the rate increases on an exodus of healthy policyholders leaving them with only the sickest (and costliest) patients, in addition to the state’s co-payment structure and high mandated coverage minimums.

On the bright side, Empire HealthChoice HMO actually decreased its premiums. Not to mention that patients who remained in-network for their health care pay less: a family who agreed to stick to in-network providers paid just $2,996 per month on average. That’s still a 12% increase over last year, but a significant savings nonetheless.

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The Health Insurers Will Prevail

Timothy P. Carney, a columnist with the Washington Examiner, recently penned an article about the pending health care reform proposals that are being debated. Mr. Carney’s speculation is that the health insurance companies will win at the end of the day and their proposal will be accepted by Obama and his administration.

The health insurers plight has been championed by America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), a trade group that has been more than $4 Million over the past 6 months lobbying for their cause.

The key points in AHIPs proposal include:

1. Health insurers must cover everybody who is willing to purchase health insurance coverage, regardless of pre-existing or other health conditions
2. Health insurers would agree to charge customers the same monthly premium regardless of age or health status
3. Health insurance would be compulsory - All Americans would be required to purchase and maintain health insurance coverage, whether via an employer group, Association, or an individual health insurance plan.
4. The Government would subsidize people’s health insurance premiums

Obama’s plan no longer calls for a “single-payer” environment, but rather a marketplace where the federal Government would compete with private health insurance companies for membership.

The heavy lobbying and campaign contributions put forth by health insurers make them very influential and in the end might help them get their way in this important health care reform debate.

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Top Rated Health Plans in HeartLand

J.D. Powers & Associates rated the top private health plans in the heartland states (Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota), and the results were as follows.

Similar to many of the other 17 regions in the JD Power Survey, a Blue Cross Blue Shield health plan took top honors.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska was named the top health plan in this region based on overall customer experience and among the best in the nation.

Three other Blue Cross plans were rated as “better than most” (4 stars out of 5 in overall experience): BCBS Kansas, Wellmark BCBS Iowa, and BCBS Kansas City.

Health plans Aetna, CIGNA, UnitedHealthCare, and Coventry Healthcare were rated as being below average.

More information about health insurance in the heartland states: Nebraska health insurance, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota

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Health Insurance In Rural America

According to the article “Don’t forget rural issues when revamping health care system” from PrairieStar.com, the health care debate is a big issue for our American farmers. Rural health care is an issue that has been around for a long time and needs attention now more than ever.

Many farm families have one spouse working in town to provide health insurance for the family, while the other works on the farm. If both spouses work on the farm they have the option to purchase individual health insurance, or they may be fortunate enough to belong to a cooperative that has a health insurance plan for them to participate in.

Often farmers have high deductibles and forego preventative care to save money. They hope for the best that nothing will seriously go wrong with their health. But this is a huge risk as many health risk factors go undetected by the patient. And agriculture is an occupation where accidents happen and medical attention is often crucial. Rural hospitals are closing at high rates meaning that farmers have to travel even farther to receive medical care. Ambulance services also are facing staffing issues.

According to National Rural Health Association, one of the reasons for rural hospitals closing is Medicare reimbursement. The organization claims they are paid back much slower than urban areas in America causing for financial difficulties. Also, doctors are leaving to seek higher paying jobs in urban towns contributing to hospital closings. Health insurance rates are increasing more and more every year and Congress may be missing a very large part of the health care debate if they don’t pay attention to the issue of rural health care. It is a concern that has been around for decades and it’s time it be addressed for our American farmers.

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Getting Health Insurance For Pregnant Women

Although it is important for everyone to have a health insurance, it is particularly important in the context of pregnant women. The reason is obvious: there are many things that can go wrong during pregnancy, or could be made better if the woman is aware of certain facts. Therefore, it is essential that pregnant women periodically receive check-ups in order to make sure the pregnancy is progressing properly and there are no detectable problems with their unborn child.

That being said, many pregnant women do not possess any form of health insurance. This is dangerous: it has been statistically demonstrated that children born to women who have not received medical treatment during their pregnancy are more likely to have low birth weight, as well as higher incidents of death.

Getting an insurance while pregnant has become significant today because of the towering cost of health insurance in the United States. According to the American Health Association, 41 million Americans are not insured, and around 13% of pregnant women in the country do not possess any form of health insurance. This puts these women and their unborn children at risk.

Prenatal checkups can be very expensive, not to mention hospital and delivery charges which could cost $10,000 or more. Furthermore, if there are complications, such as premature birth or the woman requires a cesarean section, the costs would be much greater. Therefore, it is strongly recommended for pregnant women to find a way to obtain health insurance.

One obstacle that uninsured pregnant women face is that most companies simply do not accept them, on the grounds that the pregnant is a pre-existing condition. Although there are ways to overcome this (which we will shortly discuss), ideally if you are an uninsured woman who intends to get pregnant soon, please obtain health insurance beforehand. This may save a lot of grief (and worse) later on. The following are a few useful and practical tips on how uninsured women may obtain health insurance:

First, use all the resources at your disposal: shop around, search the internet, ask physicians. There are health insurance companies who may be able to provide pregnancy health coverage and discounted health care coverage, you just need to find them. These days it is extremely easy to obtain health insurance quotes online from a long list of providers, so use this, and you are likely to find a health insurance that will accept you.

Second, there are some federally funded programs which offer healthcare coverage for low income people. Medicaid, for example, allows you to enroll in a health insurance plan even when you are pregnant. An additional program is CHIP. Some states have specialized programs for this purpose: investigate whether your state offers one.

Third, check with other agencies, such as WIC. WIC offers low income women and children under 5 to get health services. It also provides food supplements.

In conclusion, if you are in this position and yet are able to get several possible health plans, choose your plan carefully. Specifically, make sure your plans covers everything that you need (i.e. a hospital only plan will not cover visits to a physician’s clinic).

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You Need Health Insurance

There are many different reasons you need to get the best health insurance possible and when you’re looking for family health insurance this is the place where you will want to do business. There’s really no reason to look at any other company than Insurance Care Direct when you’re looking to get the best in affordable health insurance.

It’s important to remember that this is the place that has been in business for years now and in that time they have perfected a system that will get you the health insurance quotes that you need so that you can get the policy that’s just right for you.

And the linchpin to their technique is the free quotes system. This is a fast and efficient way to get the health insurance quotes that you need without moving from the front of your computer.

All that’s necessary is that you fill out a simple online form to get started. After that, you’ll get all the health insurance quotes that you need and be able to sort through them to get to the health insurance policy that’s just right for you.

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1.3 million Cal kids lack health insurance

The nation has 8.6 million children who lack public or private health insurance and 1.3 million of them are in California, Families USA, a Washington-based advocate for expanded health access, says in a report based on new census data.

California, the nation's most populous state, is just behind Texas in the numbered of medically uninsured children, Families USA says, and at 12.5 percent has the nation's 12th highest rate. Texas is No. 1 at 20.5 percent.

Families USA, confirming previous reports, says that 88.2 percent of uninsured children come from families with at least one working adult. Families without earned income usually qualify for one of the public medical plans such as Medi-Cal. It's been estimated that more than 6 million of the state's 38 million residents lack health insurance.

Last year, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger tried and failed to gain legislative approval of a plan to cover virtually all of California's uninsured residents. The full Families USA report is available here.

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Less Small Businesses Offering Health Insurance

EcommerceTimes.com reports that an annual survey has found that less small businesses are offering health insurance to workers. The study also found that health insurance costs have risen over 9% on average in 2005 and rose over 11% on average in 2004.

Released yesterday, the annual survey of employers' health benefits found that for the first time in nearly a decade, less than half of businesses with nine or fewer workers offer health insurance. Among those small firms, 47 percent provided coverage in 2005, down from 58 percent in 2002 and 53 percent in 1996.

"Small businesses have made the call that to stay alive, health care isn't something they can provide. I think it's a tragic calculation," said Peter Lee, president of Pacific Business Group on Health, which buys health insurance for large employers.

"The danger of that is that small business is the driver of the American economy," he said.

The survey also found that the cost of health insurance for working Americans grew by 9.2 percent this year, ending four consecutive years of double-digit increases but still far outpacing the rate of inflation. Premiums increased an average of 11.2 percent in 2004.

Clearly the high costs of health insurance is why less small businesses are offering coverage. The article also said the employers that do offer coverage are often opting for less attractive plans like health plans with higher deductibles.

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New Bill Would Gut Women's Healthcare Coverage

The Media Cynic reports on the new HIMMAA bill that would allow health insurance companies to drop coverage for several women's health procedures and health needs. The Media Cynic says the bill will override state law protections that require health insurance companies to continue covering women's healthcare items and procedures including annual cervical cancer exams and contraception. The bill also requires women to go to a primary care doctor first and not directly to an ob/gyn. The Cynic explains why passing this bill would be a huge mistake.

The arrogance of these lawmakers is simply breathtaking. Women have fought for years for these protections, such as not being forced to change doctors mid-pregnancy just because her doctor is dropped from her insurance plan. If insurance doesn't cover screenings for routine cervical cancer exams, many women won't have them. Most women use their OB/GYN as their primary doctor, relying her to get the correct care and screenings for everything from cancer to osteoporosis: women will have to go to another gateway doctor first before they can get to their OB/GYN under most insurance plans. And the law is so broadly written that many more procedures won't be required to be covered.

The Senate should not pass this awful and unfair bill.

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Public Health Insurance Would Be Too Good and We'd Like It Too Much

A common thread is emerging in the right wing response to healthcare reform. Its opponents aren't claiming that public healthcare will be bad. Rather, they are terrified that the new system will be so good that no citizen would buy expensive private insurance--or vote for politicians who wanted to take public insurance away.

The Obama team is sending clear signals that healthcare reform is a core economic issue, and the health insurance industry is becoming increasingly anxious by the future administration's determination to bring healthcare costs under control. Some Americans are seeing their healthcare premiums rising at four times the rate of inflation, if t ey have insurance at all. Healthcare reform is a pocketbook issue for all of us, according to the Obama team.

In tough economic times it might be tempting to postpone healthcare reforms, but Obama is adamant that delay would be a false economy.

In the American Prospect, Joanne Kenen and Sarah Axeen support claims about the high cost of doing nothing:

A recent report by the New America Foundation's health-policy program estimates that the cost of doing nothing about health care, including poor health and shorter lifespan of the uninsured, is well above $200 billion a year and rising. That's enough to cover the uninsured and still have some left over for other public-health needs.

If healthcare costs continue to rise at their current rates, it will cost $24,000/yr to insure a family of four by 2016, an 84% increase from today. At these rates, half of American households would have to spend at least 45% percent of their income to be insured.

In the Nation, Willa Thompson describes how a bicycle crash made her appreciate the connection between healthcare and politics. Thompson was 21 years old when she suffered major injuries after a collision with a truck. Luckily, she was covered by her parents' medical insurance until she turned 22. She later realized that if she had been just a few months older when the accident happened, she wouldn't have been able to pay for her medical care.

We all agree that something needs to be done. Let's briefly review the options that have been proposed so far. Obama wants to provide healthcare for all by requiring private insurance companies to cover everyone and creating a public health insurance plan to compete with private insurers. The second part of his plan is the public option that Republican opponents are so scared of.

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Private Medical Insurance - how to get the best deal

What is Private Medical Insurance?

Private Medical Insurance (PMI) is an insurance that covers the cost of treatment for a specified range of medical conditions, usually in private hospitals or private wards.

Such policies commonly cover what are known as acute conditions – that is an illness or disease that’s likely to respond to treatment and lead to a full recovery.

However, with over twenty policy providers in the market, all offering a range of policies, prices for PMI cover can vary widely. In this article, we’ll take a look at a few of the ways that you can reduce the cost of your cover, while still enjoying the many benefits of PMI.

This article is written by Jackie Griffiths, a freelance journalist who writes health, medical, biological, and pharmaceutical articles for national and international journals, newsletters and web sites.

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Choosing your level of cover

The simplest way to reduce the cost of your private medical insurance is to reduce the conditions and procedures that your policy covers. For example:

• Some policies will allow you to select only heart and cancer cover, if these are the conditions that worry you most.
• You can reduce your cover to only include in-patient treatment and day case, and either pay for your out patient treatment or have this under the NHS
• You can take out a policy that gives you the option of NHS treatment if this is available quickly, or private treatment if it is not

Naturally, the more your policy covers, the more your premium will be.

Choosing policy options

Apart from the actual conditions covered, you can reduce the cost of your cover in other ways. For example:

• Agree to pay an excess - a set amount of each claim
• Reduce the number of hospitals available to you
• Reduce the flexibility available to you, such as the timing and location of treatment
• Exclude treatment overseas

Your insurer will provide a Key Facts document and full terms and conditions. Take the time to read these through carefully to make sure you know exactly what your policy covers. You will generally have a short ‘cooling off period’ in which you can change your mind if the policy is not right for you.

Other considerations

In such a competitive market, there are always incentives to tempt you to buy private medical insurance, and these can help you save even more on your policy. You should look out for:

• No claims discounts, which rewards you for keeping yourself healthy
• Introductory discounts available on the first year of your policy (though you should be aware of any long-term commitment in the small print)
• Discounts for direct debit payments
• Discounts for annual payments, or 0% interest on monthly or quarterly payment plans (monthly payments may cost you more if interest is added)
• Joint or family policies that offer savings for multiple people on the same policy
• Employee schemes provided through your work or through any trade associations you are a member of

Shopping around

The internet allows everyone to shop around for a better private medical insurance deal. You can visit the websites for each insurer, or use price comparison websites. Make sure you’re comparing like for like however, or you may not get the bargain you were expecting.

If you’re not confident about shopping around yourself, you can use an insurance broker to find you the best deal. They may have access to deals that you don’t, but they may also charge a fee for their services.

Alternatives

If you are most concerned about major illnesses, such as cancer and heart disease you could consider Critical Illness cover as an alternative to PMI. These policies pay out a lump sum on diagnosis of a specified range of conditions. You can use this money to pay for treatment, to make your life more comfortable, or to take away the stress of financial commitments while you’re ill.

Conclusion

The cost of Private Medical Cover will vary from person to person and from company to company. By applying the brief guidelines above you can get the best value policy for your own unique circumstances, making cover more cost-effective and more accessible than you might think, bringing you all the benefits you need at the minimum cost.

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Food Calories

Food Calories

Cutting Food Calories - A Change In Lifestyle, A Change For The Better

What is the best way to lose weight? Cut food calories. What is the best way to cut food calories? Change the way you eat. Cut back on calories, maintain your weight, and keep yourself healthy with these simple little tips. Take the time to read these 35 tips and put them to work for you. Your body will thank you for it.

1. Milk might do a body good, but only if it’s low in fat. Drinking whole milk will do nothing to help you lose weight. If you have to drink milk, make it 1%, 2%, or maybe even non-fat milk.

2. Use your utensils to your benefit. Keep your portions under control by making use of small drinking glasses and small bowls.

3. Split a snack with a friend. Not only does this help you cut back on calories, but it also helps your friend do the same.

4. Use low food calorie alternatives during breakfast. Use a sugar substitute to flavor your morning coffee, and sugar-free jelly or jam for your toast or waffles.

5. Try a slice of turkey bacon or even Canadian bacon instead of the fattening alternative.

6. Love eggs? Fill your omelet with something other than cheese or meat. As an alternative try peppers, onions, or even a few mushrooms instead.

7. Use whole-wheat bread for your sandwiches.

8. Use fresh vegetables in your spaghetti instead of meat. Mushrooms, onions, zucchini and even peppers can prove to be healthier alternatives.

9. Keep the cheese out of your burger.

10. Use fat-free or low-fat condiments on your lunchtime meals.

11. Frozen foods are already proportioned. Eat one instead of a burger and avoid the overeating that usually takes place during lunch.

12. Eat fat-free, low-fat, or low-calories alternatives like sour cream, cheese, and cottage cheese during lunch.

13. Trim the fat from meats like chicken, beef, and pork before you cook them.

14. Eat less rice and pasta. Consider cutting back on these two culprits by half.

15. Season your vegetables with an alternative to butter. Lemon and herbs serve as a healthier alternative.

16. Eat your food slowly. Take your time and chew. This will keep you from overeating when you are actually no longer hungry.

17. Enjoy your dessert, but do so in small portions. Don’t deny yourself a treat after a meal, but consider cutting back on the portion that you do eat.

18. Eat your ice cream out of the cup and forget about the cone.

19. Eat apple or peach pies instead of pecan or cream pies.

20. Share or split a dessert with your friend, date, or significant other.

21. Get rid of the regular soda and substitute it with diet soda. Better yet, get rid of the soda altogether and drink water during your meals.

22. Pay attention to serving sizes in any drink. Sometimes, one can or one bottle actually contains more than one serving.

23. Try to resist super-sizing your meal. Usually, the portion you are given is exactly the portion you are supposed to eat.

24. Take advantage of the low-calorie nature of light beer. Today, just about every beer on tap at a local restaurant is also available in a lighter, low-calorie version.

25. Eat your snacks from a bowl instead of eating them directly from the bag. This will keep you from overeating while you snack.

26. If you love salsa, try dipping some vegetables into it instead of fried tortilla chips.

27. Drop the cookies and snack on a bit of fruit.

28. Enjoy a handful of mixed nuts.

29. Treat yourself to a chocolate bar. Just make sure it is the smaller, “fun size” bar and not the king size version.

30. Ask your server to remove the bread from your table once you have been seated.

31. As an appetizer, ask for a cup of soup instead of an entire bowl.

32. If given the option, choose vegetables as a side instead of rice, potatoes, or pasta.

33. Ask your server for a half portion of your meal. Most restaurants are happy to oblige.

34. Choose grilled instead of fried chicken.

35. Ask for your sauce or dressing on the side. Don’t drench your food in it.

36. Use low food calorie alternatives during breakfast. Use a sugar substitute to flavor your morning coffee, and sugar-free jelly or jam for your toast or waffles.

37. Be careful with sugar substitutes. Food Facts, for example, frequently cites sugar substitutes as one of their highly controversial ingredients, since they mostly consist of chemicals. Visit Food Facts for additional information about healthier alternatives.

38 . Breakfast meals are usually high in sugar, check the amount of sugar in your cereal and yogurt and opt for a better choice. Such as, plain yogurt with fruit or cereal with more than 5g of fiber.

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The Truth Behind Negative Calorie Foods

Have you heard about “negative calorie foods”? Put simply, these are foods that require more work to digest than they have calories.

Before we dive into negative calorie foods, let’s take a quick refresher course on calories.

Ultimately, calories are energy, or fuel, for your body. You need calories to function. Not just to function properly, but to function – period. If you didn’t eat, you would die! Your body is continuously using or burning calories. Basic body functions like breathing and digesting food require energy (calories) to work, even when you’re asleep.

Now, back to negative calorie foods. These are mostly certain types of fruits and veggies that are usually very high in fiber and contain a low number of calories to begin with. As a result, the energy it requires for the body to break down these foods and absorb all the protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals, and then get the unused portion out of the body may be higher than the actual amount of calories in the food itself.

Everyone’s body is different so it’s tough to say exactly how many calories your body burns through digestion of these foods. Regardless, it’s so minimal that it should not be used as a weight loss plan! Eating only negative calorie foods can result in malnutrition. It is essential to have a proper diet and adequate exercise for weight loss success and good health in general.

Some examples of negative calorie foods are:

Asparagus
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrots
Celery
Spinach
Mandarin oranges
Peaches
Clementines
Plums
Rhubarb
Guava
Honeydew

A good site to check out is the USDA’s Food Pyramid website. Under the MyPyramid Planner, you can enter your height, weight, age, gender and then a sample meal of what you would typically eat. The interactive tool will tell you if you are getting enough in the proper food categories according to the Food Pyramid.

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Chocolate may reduce Blood Pressure better than Tea

Study suggested cocoa is better than tea in lowering blood cholesterol

Researchers from the University Hospital of Cologne in Germany reviewed a total of 10 trials published since 1966 that studied changes of blood pressure relative to cocoa or tea intake. Researchers found that intake of foods rich in cocoa may help to reduce blood pressure, while tea intake appeared to have no effect. They suggested a specific type of polyphenol, procyanids, found in cocoa products may be more active in heart disease prevention than flavonoids, the type of polyphenols usually found in tea. The results of this study were published in the Archives of Internal Medicine in April 2007.

Editor's Note -Benefits of Chocolate?

In a more recent study published in Hypertension journal in August 2005, researchers from Italy found that dark chocolate may lower blood pressure in people with hypertension. The research also found that levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in these individuals dropped by 10 percent. It is important to note that this study also used a very small test group of only 20 subjects.

A few other studies also suggested that cocoa may have heart protective effects. In November 2001, researchers from Pennsylvania State University found that people with a diet high in polyphenol-rich cocoa powder and dark chocolate have slightly higher concentrations of HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol) when compared with the control group. This study, however, only investigated the health effects of cocoa in 23 people.

It is good to know that chocolate contain ingredients beneficial to health. However, it does not necessarily mean you should eat more chocolate products. Most studies published so far were rather small in scale. In addition, chocolate bars and candies are often high in fat, sugar and calories. Moderation is always the key - having a decadent piece of chocolate once in a while is not going to harm your health. If you have a choice, choose dark chocolate for its higher antioxidant content! If you would like to include more foods with high levels of antioxidants, fruits & vegetables, as well as whole grains would be a better bet as they are low in calories and high in vitamins and fiber. For a sensible heart smart diet, emphasize fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fatty fish and choose skinless lean meats. Chocolate Recipe Substitution: When a recipe calls for chocolate, use dark chocolate (usually less sugar) or even better cocoa powder. To substitute 1 oz of unsweetened chocolate, use 3 Tbsp of dry cocoa + 2 Tbsp of sugar + 1 Tbsp of vegetable oil.

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Whisk Wednesdays—Bisque de Homard (Lobster Bisque)

Bisque de Homard, or Lobster Bisque, is a once-in-a-lifetime soup. At $16 per bowl and $97 for a tureen, the word “soup” seems too simple and unworthy a description. Technically, it’s a bisque, but it needs a name deserving of its expense and grandeur. So you know what you’re getting into. So you’re prepared to savor every sip. So you’re prepared to slave in the kitchen for a whole day!

A bisque is a thick, creamy soup, traditionally made with seafood, such as lobster, crab, langoustine, shrimp, or crayfish. Unlike a chowder, it doesn’t contain any potatoes. Recipes for bisque in the 18th century included the ground shells of the seafood to thicken the soup. In this recipe, the shells are used to flavour the broth, but then strained out.

The lobster

“You’re not going to use live lobster, are you?” {dad}
“I don’t want to be here for the execution!” {sister}
“Isn’t that torture?” {nephew}
“Did they scream?” {mom}

First, the lobster. At $15.99 Canadian per pound {flown in from Nova Scotia to the prairies}, these two little innocent homards set me back $65. Boxed up and on ice, they came home with me twitching their antennae and looking uncomfortable.

After seeing what was in my cardboard box, my nephew looked at me curiously, possibly wondering if I’d decided to bring home a new pet. When I told him why there was a pot of water bubbling and boiling on the stove, he again looked at me with his big, blue eyes and said, “Isn’t that torture?” Oh, this wasn’t going to be easy. I took a deep breath, avoided the question, and picked up the smaller of the two, quickly squeezing it into the not-so-big stock pot and held the lid on tight (so it wouldn’t escape?!).

After a steam bath of only two minutes, it was bright pink and ready to be cracked, arched, pulled, separated, and unhinged all in an effort to get the meat from the exoskeleton! Here’s a picture of a lobster’s exoskeleton all neatly arranged. Mine didn’t look quite so neat after I was done with it. In fact, I had lobster juice in my hair, on my nose, and even on my big toe!

In the middle of this dismemberment, my daughter walked in and asked what I was doing. Not wanting to spoil her dinner by having her view the gross green goo from the stomach that I was trying to get rid of, I quickly said “Oh, nothing. Why don’t you go play outside.” I failed. She saw it, and she’ll probably never eat lobster!

Finally, the meat extraction was done. I pulled out my mom’s 37-year-old Weight Watchers scale & bowl with its crooked red indicator arrow hoping I would have ¾ of a pound of lobster meat. 5 ounces! That’s it. That’s all. I thought about sucking the meat out of the small legs, but decided to hope for the best from lobster #2. The second lobster didn’t fare much better, but I went ahead with the 12 ounces total that I got from these two beasts.

Watch a pro clean a lobster
Here’s a great video showing how to get the meat out of the lobster, one of the hardest parts of this recipe.

I found this placemat handy that my mom got when they visited Prince Edward Island and attended a Lobsterfest.

The cognac
After dealing with the lobster, you cook the aromatics (shallots, leek, carrot, tarragon, and parsley with some butter) along with the choice shells from the lobster for extra flavor. Next, you flambé the lot with 1 cup of Cognac!

According to the French, Cognac is made from eaux-de-vie, which literally means "waters of life". This strikes me as ironic after moments ago killing the lobster!

Cognac is a brandy named after the town of Cognac in France. At the local “liquor board store”, I was able to find Hennessey, which is a prominent French winery that specializes in making cognac. After pouring this liquid gold into the pot, I lit it on fire. Everyone quickly took pictures. We watched. We waited. I had to hold my dad back from plopping the lid on top to put the fire out. Finally, after 5 minutes, the fire finally died out!

If that wasn’t enough alcohol, you then add a bottle of white wine. Finish it off with some tomato paste, salt, pepper, cream, and water. And let it bubble away for awhile. After straining it, I had to add some water to bring it up to 6 cups. This seemed a shame, as I thought it would dilute the taste, but it didn’t.

The meatloaf
While the bisque bubbled and with the lobster meat extracted, I was ready to make the meatloaf…I mean “mousseline”. That has a much nicer ring to it, don’t you think?

A bit of a purée in the food processor, a dash of salt and pepper, a drizzle of foamy egg white, a touch of cream, and a sprinkle of chervil. {Chervil has been playing hard to get with me. I’ve looked in every grocery store I go to. Finally, in the small prairie city of Regina, Saskatchewan, I find a lonely bag of chervil on the shelf. “Doesn’t have much taste”, my sister says. She’s right! It looks pretty, though!}

I shaped the puréed meat into footballs, or "quenelles" as they're called, {easier to do with your fingers than the two-spoon method}, and poached them in some of the expensive broth {I would use water next time to save the broth for mouths rather than frying pans} with a buttered parchment paper circle as a lid. Ten minutes later, the lobster meatloaf was ready to garnish the bisque.

The thickener
Finally, to thicken the bisque, you use rice flour and butter to make a roux. {I don’t know why rice flour is used instead of all-purpose.} After slowly adding the broth to the roux, it simmers again to develop even more flavor.

To finish the bisque, you add a liaison of cream and eggs. This time, the cookbook says to bring it all to a boil AFTER adding the liaison. I did not want any curdling action since I'd spent all afternoon and so much money on this soup! I heated it to a suitable serving temperature, and bingo, presto….finally the bisque was done.

Like the Cream of Chicken Soup, this bisque wasn’t thick or viscous. It was creamy, though.

Recipe
You can find the recipe for Bisque de Langoustins (Langoustine Bisque) {I substituted lobster for langoustines} in the book Le Cordon Bleu at Home. To see how the rest of the Whisk Wednesdays group fared with this week's recipe, click here (or check out the sidebar) and then click on each blogger!

Tasting Notes

“This is the most expensive soup I’ve ever made!” {me}
“This is the best soup I’ve ever tasted.” {sister and mom}
“What a lot of dishes!” {dad}

This soup had a rich, creamy flavor that was smooth and pleasing to the palate. The quenelles that floated on top of the soup provided a different texture and satisfying bite of lobster meat.

A dollar for every sip. Was it worth it?

“A bargain at thrice the price~!” says my mom. {But she’s my mom.} Next time, I’ll use shrimp.

Next Week (August 6)
• Consommé Madrilène (Chilled Consommé with Red Peppers and Tomatoes) pages 267-268

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Restaurant Notes—Play Food & Wine in Ottawa

This weekend, we went appetizer hopping in the Byward Market in the heart of Ottawa. The market is filled with restaurant gems, where the latest and most buzz-worthy is Play. Owned by the same restaurant savant as Beckta, Stephen Beckta has paired his love of wine with his love of food to come up with a unique dining experience.

At Play, a riff on Thomas Keller's small plates at The French Laundry and Spanish tapas, you order small portions from a charcuterie, savoury, cheese or sweet part of the menu. Along with each item is a recommended wine pairing. Each dish is delicately and expertly prepared by a staff of chefs in an open kitchen.

I ordered the trout / cornbread / cashew / green pea with Tocai Fruilano Terzetto, which was delicious with the toasted nuts and browned butter. But the star of the table was the potato leek soup / chervil / truffle oil with Vouvray Domaine Aubuisières, which the waiter said would be a great sipping wine on a weekend afternoon (and I agree!).

Last year I made a leek and potato soup that was tasty, but this version at Play was better. It had a delicate garlic flavor and was extremely smooth. I am tempted to re-make my soup this week if only to achieve the velvety texture they did at Play.

For my leek and potato soup recipe, click here. For a fun dining experience, go out and Play.

If you like this post, share it!

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Whisk Wednesdays—Longe de Porc aux Pruneaux (Roast Pork Loin with Prunes)

Pigs, prunes and potatoes. Not very inspiring. But Longe de Porc aux Pruneaux (Roast Pork Loin with Prunes) is tasty…if you like prunes.

First, you butterfly the pork so that you can shimmy all the prunes in the middle. Then you tie up (and curse while tying) the pork with butcher's twine to keep the prunes in place. After searing the pork with the carrots and onions, you roast it in the oven.

Meanwhile, you steep the prunes in Ceylon tea. {I bet you could steep them in all sorts of flavors such as star anise or cardamom.} Sounds crazy, but it's tasty…if you like prunes!

The key to this dish is the sweet and sour reduction called a gastrique. Basically, it's a caramelized sauce of vinegar and sugar. I think any meat tastes better with a sauce, and pork pairs nicely with something a little sweet balanced by the acidity of the vinegar.

After roasting the pork, set it aside and deglaze the pan with some water. Add the pan juices to the gastrique. Taste and season, et violà, you have a delicious roast pork loin with prunes…if you like prunes.

The second part of this course is the puréed potatoes (which should have been puréed celery root, but I forgot about that ingredient when I was at the grocery store and ended up using my baby potatoes which I just smashed, skin and all).

Recipe

Serves 6

For Roast Pork Loin with Prunes:
3-pound boneless pork loin roast, trimmed of excess fat
Salt and fresh ground pepper
1½ pounds prunes, pitted
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 carrot, chopped coarse
1 onion, chopped coarse
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves or ¼ teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or ¼ teaspoon dried
1 bay leaf, crushed
2 cloves garlic
Large pinch Ceylon tea
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup vinegar
Small bunch watercress for garnish

For Creamed Celery Root (or Potato) Purée
1¼ pounds celery root (or potatoes)
Salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup crème fraîche or heavy cream (or sour cream)
Freshly ground pepper
You can find the recipe for Longe de Porc aux Pruneaux (Roast Pork Loin with Prunes) and Mousseline de Céleri Rave (Creamed Celery Root Purée) in the book Le Cordon Bleu at Home. To see how the rest of the Whisk Wednesdays group fared with their recipe, click here (or check out the sidebar) and then click on each blogger!

Tasting Notes
The light flavor of pork paired perfectly with the prunes hidden inside…if you like prunes, which I do! The sauce lightly drizzled on top added depth, moisture and sweetness to each bite.

I think next time introducing some apricot into the juice would bring an interesting color to the sauce that would complement the prunes and add some zing. In fact, I may also try combining chopped prunes and apricots to stuff the pork, for the same reasons.

Next Class
• Savarin aux Kiwis et aux Fraises (Rum Savarin with Kiwis and Strawberries) pages 409-410.

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