3 pages. Excerpt: "On July 29, 2009, New York Governor David Paterson (D) signed into law three health reform bills -- one extending the period for state health coverage continuation rights from 18 to 36 months, one requiring insurers to offer continued coverage for unmarried adults through age 29 under their parent's individual or group health insurance policies, and one instituting a series of managed care reforms." (Buck Consultants)

Excerpt: "This district court opinion holds interest for health care providers and benefit fiduciaries alike. As against a motion to dismiss, the district court holds that the plaintiffs have stated a cause of action against the health care provider for balance billing, i.e., billing the balance 'owed' after their health plan paid the PPO discounted rate." (Attorney Roy F Harmon III in the Health Plan Law blog)

13 pages. Excerpt: "Health care providers and members of Congress have raised concerns that consolidation in the private health insurance industry may be resulting in less competitive markets and contributing to rising health insurance rates paid by consumers and employers. However, measuring the extent of changes in market competition over time or the effects of changes is challenging. . . . Despite [the] challenges, researchers have used the data available to study competition in health insurance markets, typically using one of two measures of competition: (1) HMO market concentration or (2) the number of HMOs in a market." (U.S. Government Accountability Office)

How to lose weight- I get many emails from women over 40 asking this question. At this age the unwanted body fat often accumulates on the stomach.

Are you over 40? Do you want to lose belly fat? You'll frequently receive the advice to do crunches and other exercises aiming at the abdominal muscles. Will these exercises answer the question "How to lose weight?"

It appears to be logical- if you are exercising a body part, the fat on this particular body part will get less. But the way we are burning fat does not work like that.

There is no spot fat reduction. Where you will increase weight and where you lose it depends on your constitution, it s in the genes. Over 40 this genetic program is getting stronger and stronger. Especially in women over 40 the genetic program often leads to building up fat on top of the stomach- urging them to ask: How to lose weight?

"I want to lose belly fat" is something I hear very often- but, unfortunately, it is not possible to lose fat on a body part. All we can do is to get an overall lean body (what is an ever better outcome anyway than just lose belly fat).

If you ask yourself: How to lose weight- are crunches effective? Crunches are great to tone the core muscles around your belly. To get a nicely shaped figure, numerous exercises for the ab muscles will help you achieve that. I recommend to do some exercises for the lower back muscles as well, to make the whole midsection strong. This will improve posture and prevent lower back pain. For many over 40 back pain is rather common- our sedentary life style adds to that greatly.

In comparison crunches are not the most time-efficient thing to do when you want to lose weight. The belly muscles are relatively small, so if you spend 15 minutes on crunches you burn much fewer calories as if you'd spend 15 minutes exercising your leg muscles. Your leg muscles are much bigger and will burn more calories in the same time. If you are asking yourself: How to lose weight than crunches won't help you much.

So: Don't do crunches to lose belly fat over 40, do crunches to tone up your core.

In this short article I gave you some ideas on how to lose weight.

Losing weight is full of obstacles these days. The availability of fattening food demands good choices. The main stumbling block is inconvenience. It's not convenient to be on a diet. Especially in the fast paced world we live in. Making wise food choices can be easier than you think if you arm yourself with convenient food that's scientifically designed for weight loss.

Healthy food is composed of high fiber, high protein, and most importantly, they're low glycemic. The protein and fiber fill you up and keep you feeling full and the low glycemic carbs release energy slowly and maintain balanced blood sugar levels. How do you consistently meet those healthy eating guidelines if you're not a health nut or dietician? The most convenient way to meet these guidelines is in the form of bars and shakes that are specifically designed for this reason.

Ideally, if you can start the day with a low glycemic shake that is high in protein and fiber, you will be giving yourself a huge jump-start. Permanent weight loss is about changing eating habits. A morning shake is an easy habit to get into and it can make the most difference. It's true what they say: "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day". Make it a good one.

That brings me to lunch (and in-between snacks). My solution is a balanced meal replacement bar if time is short and you have no healthy lunch options. If you're going to eat lunch then I recommend eating a healthy snack an hour or two before lunch. Try fresh fruit or even a half of a meal bar. That way you won't over-eat and you can even save money by ordering less.

Don't block yourself from shedding unwanted weight. Shed old eating habits and swing the pendulum back toward a healthier look and feel. Make it healthy. Make it right, with convenient bars and shakes scientifically designed for weight loss.