New Year's Tradition: Black Eyed Peas Texas Style

Perhaps it's just a Southern tradition, maybe it's an American one - heck, maybe it comes from the back corners of Poland.

All I know is that here in Texas, every year, we eat our Black Eyed Peas for good luck. And, it doesn't matter if you don't like Black Eyed Peas - you gotta do it. Force one or two down your gullet with a glass of water if you must. Just eat those good luck charms, dangnabit.

A few years ago I started foregoing the standard fare of a pot of the peas cooked with salt pork or bits of ham or bacon, served together with cornbread, for something new. These days, it's become so popular that I give away jars of this stuff as gifts - and so, Dear Reader, as my Happy 2008 to You, here is my recipe for Texas Caviar:

2 cans black-eyed peas, drained
1 sweet onion, chopped fine
1 clove fresh garlic, chopped fine
1 t black pepper
salt to taste
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped fine (leaves not stems)
1 serano chili, chopped tiny (forget the seeds if you're not into heat)
3 Roma tomatoes, chopped to bits a little larger than the peas (I choose these tomatoes because I think they are less watery)
juice of one fresh lemon (lime's okay too)
1 cup of Italian dressing if you're lazy or out of time; I like Balsamic vinegar too much for this tho, and I'll play around with olive oil and BV and make my own combo to pour over this stuff.

Mix. Refrigerate overnight. You can serve this over grilled chicken breasts, or as a dip. I usually choose dip - and those Fritos Scoops seem to go faster than other options with this stuff.

One more thing: some folk add corn, or bell peppers, or hominy, or roasted red peppers, bits of cheese, or black beans, here. I don't - but it's a free country. Just please don't call this stuff "pea salad" - LOL!!!

Happy New Year!!!!

Discount Health Plans (DMPOs) - Smart if You're Savvy

Discount Plans are not insurance. Instead, they are opportunities to get health care at greatly reduced prices, for a low monthly membership fee. Monthly fees can be under $10/month and the reduced prices can be as low as $20 for a basic dental cleaning.

How can this be? The large membership company has theoretically negotiated lower price schedules with the health care providers in return for the potential increase in business the provider will receive from the company's membership. Everybody wins.

Is this too good to be true? Nope, it may be a good deal for you.

Originally popularized as dental discount plans, these discount alternatives have expanded to include medical coverage and vision care. Some offer chiropractic care, and big discounts on vitamins as well as prescription drugs.

It's true that the market is rampant with scam artists nationwide, because unlike insurance companies, discount plans aren't required to be licensed (and therefore monitored) in every state. However, Florida has led the field in legitimizing these discount plans, and serves as a nice touchstone to confirm a plan as being dependable and not a fly-by-night.

Florida Regulates DMPOs

In Florida, several discount providers have been issued state licenses. These include the market leaders AmeriPlan and Careington, as well as well-known traditional insurers like UnitedHealthGroup.

Overseen by the Office of Insurance Regulation, a part of Florida's Financial Services Commission, Discount Medical Plan Organizations (DMPOs) must comply with a variety of requirements, including keeping a current list of available providers available to the public.

List of Licensed DMPOs

The 45 DMPOs currently licensed and in good standing in Florida are:

20/20 EYECARE PLAN, INC
ACCESS ONE CONSUMER HEALTH, INC.
AFFINION BENEFITS GROUP, LLC
AFFORDABLE FAMILY HEALTH SERVICES, INC.
ALLIANCE HEALTHCARD OF FLORIDA, INC.
AMERICAN DENTAL CARE PARTNERS, LTD.
AMERICAN MEDICAL INTERNATIONAL GYNECOLOGY OBSTETRIC SURGERY, INC.
AMERIPLAN CORPORATION DBA BENEFIT PLANS OF AMERICA
ASSOCIATION HEALTH CARE MANAGEMENT, INC. D/B/A FAMILY CARE DBA FAMILY CARE
ASSURED OPTIONS SYSTEM, INC. (D/B/A MEDMORE)
ATLANTIC DENTAL, INC.
AVIA DENTAL PLAN
BENEFIT SERVICES OF AMERICA, INC.
BEST CARE MEDICAL PLAN, INC.
CAPELLA GROUP, INC. (THE) DBA CARE ENTREE
CAREINGTON INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
CHCS SERVICES, INC.
CINERGY HEALTH, INC.
COLONY SPRINGS MEDICAL CENTER DBA CSMC PRO SALUD PLAN
COVERDELL & COMPANY, INC.
CREATIVE BENEFIT DESIGN, INC.
DENTAL NETWORK OF AMERICA, INC.
DENTALPLANS.COM, INC.
ENVISION MEDICAL SOLUTIONS, INC.
FLORIDA HEALTH SOLUTION, CORP.
GROUP DENTAL SERVICES OF MARYLAND
HEALTH CHOICE NETWORK, INC. DBA CARENET
HEALTHALLIES, INC.
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BENEFITS
MANATEE COUNTY RURAL HEALTH SERVICES, INC. DBA GULF COAST DISCOUNT MEDICAL PLAN ORGANIZATION
MEDISAVER MEDICAL DISCOUNT CARD, INC.
NATIONAL BENEFIT ADVISORY ASSOCIATION
NEWBN, INC. DBA NEW BENEFITS, LTD
ORGANIZACION GAMMA, INC. D/B/A MEDICAL PASS
PATRIOT HEALTH FLORIDA, INC.
PINNACLECHOICE, INC.
PRO-MED HEALTH NETWORK
PROMEDICAL PLAN PHC, INC. DBA PROMEDICAL PLAN PHC, INC.
PROTECTIVE MARKETING ENTERPRISES, INC.
SOLSTICE BENEFITS, INC.
SUNSHINE MEDICAL NETWORK II, INC.
UNITED HEALTHCARE SERVICES, INC. DBA UNITED HEALTH
UNITED HEALTHCARE SERVICES, INC. DBA UNITED HEALTHCARE SERVICES OF MINNESOTA, INC.
USA FOR HEALTH CARE, INC.
VANTAGE AMERICA SOLUTIONS, INC.

What do you get with a DMPO?

Well, if you are a Sam's Club Business or Advantage member, then you can get the following through Sam's affiliation with United Health for $14.95/month (it's free if you are a Sam's Club Plus member):

Medical Care Discount of 5-30%
primary care, specialists, lab tests, XRays, hospital care

LASIK Eye Surgery Discount of 15% or 5% off promotional rates

Dental Care Discount of 10-35%
checkups, XRays, fillings, orthodontics, cosmetic dentistry

Alternative Medicine Discount of 20%
Acupuncture, Chiropratic care, massage therapy

Wellness Discount of 10 - 60%
Weight managament, smoking cessation, fitness club memberships

Long-Term Care Services Discount of 5-30%
Assisting living facilities, home health care, adult day care, durable med equipment

Hearing Care Discount of 10-20%
hearing aids

Infertility Discount of 5-20%
in-vitro fertilization, reproductive endocrinology

Behavioral Health Discount of 5-30%
counseling, psychology, addiction treatment

Careington Offers the Most Variety

Careington is a national organization that shares a reputation with AmeriPlan of being the two largest DMPOs in the country. At Careington, members not only get discounts similar to the Sam's Club offering but they also enjoy access to a real, live nurse at the 24/7 Nurse Access Line as well as a 24/7 Counseling Line (with Master's Degree level counselors on staff). Careington offers vision discounts, vitamin discounts, and even funeral help and pet insurance.

For $29.95/month, Careington provides discounts on dental, vision, pharmacy, alternative health, vitamins, hearing aids, physicians, hospitals, 24/7 Nurse Line, LASIK, Teeth Whitening, Mail Order Pharmacy, Online Drug Store, and Diabetic Supplies. For $11.95/month, you can get a basic dental and vision plan. With $15.95/month, you receive all their discounts except those covering physicians and hospitals.

AmeriPlan Isn't Web Friendly

AmeriPlan does not cover the range of services of either Careington or the Sam's Club option. AmeriPlan is limited to dental, vision, prescriptions, chiropratic, and medical. However, it promises bigger discounts: up to 80% off dental services, for example, and more coverage, too: oral surgeons, periodontists, etc. are included in their plan. (One page of the site touted some upcoming wellness services.)

Their website is harder to navigate, though, and the actual membership prices were not shown (instead, you were requested to allow their agents to contact you by email or phone).


When is a DMPO Good for You?

Who would want these discount plans? Of course, for those 60+ million Americans who have no health insurance, or not enough coverage, these plans help to fill the gap. However, these plans also help those with adequate insurance coverage.

There is no rule that you can't have coverage through your employer and not have a discount plan, as well. For those with coverage, these discount plans help cover deductibles as well as non-covered items such as preexisting conditions or your child's braces.

How to choose a good discount plan?

1. Check the Florida licensure list -- these are reputable plans and many are nationwide.

2. Ask for their materials. Make sure that the company is happy to provide you with all its marketing materials, including current provider information for your area, for free and without any commitment on your part.

3. Call the providers they list. Are they truly recognizing these discounts? Are the providers happy with the plan provider? Ask for the person responsible for the medical or dental office's billing - don't stop at the receptionist. The money person there will know the skinny.

4. Check with your state's Secretary of State's office. Has this company registered to do business in your state? The fees here are not huge, but fly by nights seldom bother to complete the paperwork and pay the money here.

5. Surf the web for testimonials and reviews. For example, CinergyHealth is a small Florida plan provider that seems to have a good local reputation and a happy following.

Fleas - Vacuuming Is The Best Remedy

Ohio State University has just released a study where they found that thoroughly vacuuming the house is an effective way to get rid of fleas (other than on the dog or cat, of course). Vacuuming killed 96% of the adult fleas and 100% of the younger ones. Associate Professor Glen Needham:

“For awhile, fleas owned us. But now they're on the run.... There are all kinds of ways to manage the problem, but how people feel about insecticides and how much money they want to spend factors into what they're going to do for flea control. Vacuuming is a great strategy because it involves no chemicals and physically removes the problem.”

Dog Ear Infections: Great Stuff

Your dog starts shaking his head roughly, ears flapping about. He rubs his head on the ground, the rug, or the bed. He's irritable. His ears smell and there's something black or yellow in there.

He's got an ear infection.

And, lots of you know the experience of taking him to the vet, getting the pills and the ointment, and having the same infection pop right back up the minute that you stop the treatment. And, some of you know the frustration of paying close to $1000 to have your pup anesthesitized and his ears cleaned out. Not a cure, either.

Well, here's something that's worked for us. And apparently, for lots of other folk, given the 53 Five Star Reviews at Amazon.Com (along with 2 four star reviews). It's Zymonx Otic With 1.0% Hydrocortizone, and you can get a bottle for under $10 at Amazon.Com.

I'd recommend getting two, because it's sloppy work and one bottle may not be enough for an uncooperative Fido when it comes to putting the drops into the ears ....

PS Works for cats, too.

Fasting

A recent study has been released, opining that the reason that Mormons get less heart attacks than the general American population is because they fast one day each month.

Of course, fasting for spiritual reasons has been practiced since ancient times. However, fasting is also said to have lots of therapeutic benefits and research worldwide has found it physically beneficial for several reasons, including:

lowering blood pressure
helping with diabetes
lowering cholesterol.

Why not fast for a day, see how you feel? You could limit yourself to juices, for example, it doesn't have to be just water, or just zip ....

Rising Cost of Living

Printing presses are whizzing along, sending more and more EuroDollars and American Dollars into the marketplace. To learn more about this, check out The Daily Reckoning's article today, by Adrian Ash, "The Great Flood ... of Money."

And, why should Simple Living Afficianados learn about such things? Living simply, and more abundantly, doesn't mean that we are ostriches with our heads in the sand nor does it mean that we're 60s-hippies-wannabes. It means we appreciate living smart, and that means living simply. Part of Smart means knowing the marketplace, and not being apathetic about its impact, or afraid of its ramifications.