(Many provisions of the Affordable Health Care Act have already kicked in before full implementation of the law which takes effect in 2014.)Locked out of medical care, that is. Who? Individuals with pre-existing conditions. Now, 50,000 of them have healthcare coverage via the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) in their state. This is a temporary high-risk health insurance program that makes healthcare not only available but much more affordable.For example, a patient named Deborah fell victim to a back injury. It left her unemployed and unable to afford health insurance premiums. However, when she discovered the Michigan PCIP plan, she was able to enroll in it, receive the back surgery she needed and get on the road to recovery.PCIP makes a difference. It has allowed many Americans to get connected to health insurance and receive the medical care they sorely need. That’s because PCIP enrollees can receive that care immediately.The way it works is that states have the option of operating this new program in their state. However, if a state has chosen not to do so, the Department of Health and Human Services has established a plan in that state. This insurance serves as a bridge to 2014. That’s when all discrimination against pre-existing conditions will be prohibited.You can see how your state administers PCIP with either their own program or one established by the Department of Health and Human Services by clicking on the link below.https://www.pcip.gov/StatePlans.htmlInsurance up to Age 26Another plus of the Affordable Health Care Act that has been in effect since 2010 is where young adults are allowed to remain on their parent’s health plan until they turn 26 (unless the young adult is offered insurance at work).Health Care Premium ExpensesEffective on January 1st, 2011, the law requires that at least 85% of the premium collected by insurance companies administering large employer plans be spent on health care services and quality improvement for health care.For individual and small employer plans, 80% of the premiums must be spent on improving health care services.It this provision is not met, rebates must be given to consumers.Discount Prescription Drugs for SeniorsAlso In 2011, seniors who reach the coverage gap will receive a 50 percent discount when they buy Medicare Part D covered brand-name prescription drugs.Over the next ten years and until the coverage gap is closed in 2020, seniors will receive additional savings on generic and brand-name drugs.

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The precious metals market has always been one of the best ways to invest for virtually every investor. Gold stands at the head of the precious metals market as the most covered and easiest investment to get into. Here are just a few of the ways that gold can protect and build your wealth.- There are more ways to invest in gold than many other kinds of securities.The safe-haven investor is made even more safe because of the many ways that there are to invest in the metal. This ensures a high volume on the metal, and the high volume in turn secures a more stable price for the investments of everyone.You can invest directly in gold bullion in most countries; however, you will need a professional partner in order to protect your investment from the government. If you do not feel like going through this hassle, then you can invest in many derivatives of gold such as exchange traded funds and mutual funds that include gold. These investments may be slightly off of the true value of gold; the derivative investments tend to be affected by the short term attitudes in the market more than gold bullion direct investments. All of these investments are still safer than other securities because they respond much less to short term movements in the market.In order to decide between the ways to invest in gold, you should consult a professional financial advisor whom you trust. If you want to protect and build your wealth, then you must be sure that you deal with an investment that is within your budget as well as the one that is right for your portfolio.- The safe-haven investor invests in gold for the long term.If you are looking for investment that you can keep for a while without having to monitor it, then gold is definitely the investment for you. Most people do not have the time to look over their investments on a day-to-day basis. However, the only investments that truly make money outside of the precious metals market require a great deal of personal management in order to succeed. You get the best of both worlds when you invest in gold – the safety of a precious metal along with the ability to create wealth for yourself while saving time.- Gold can maintain your portfolio even when the market is going down.One of the main reasons that people invest in gold is the ability of the precious metal to maintain value and even go up in value during a bear market or recession. Gold is usually the investment that people look to when the dollar is falling. This means that you can actually reverse some of the negative effects of a recession including higher interest rates and a higher cost of living. Once the recession is over, precious metals tend to retain their value. This means that you do not have to sell your holdings once the recession is over – you can keep them as an addition to your net worth.As one of the safest ways to invest, gold is quickly becoming a staple in the portfolios of many people. In order to get the most value out of the investment, you should start to invest in the product before people begin to truly understand what gold does. Once the general public is made aware of the true nature of the precious metals market, those people will likely flood the market and drive up the price. If you get in ahead of them, then you will reap the benefits of your good decision without having to pay a premium.Try to invest in gold at a basic level if you can. The upfront cost of time that you will have to put in for bullion is well worth it. You will get the safest investment of all gold investments.