New HIV vaccine approved for clinical trials

After 10 years of research the FDA has approved the first ever HIV drug for human trials.  This dones’t mean it’s guarenteed to work BUT it is the furthest any such vaccine for HIV has made it in the FDA approval process. Of course, over here in the USA, we will probably end up buying something like this from Canada. We all know that Canadian drugs are cheaper than buying it in the states.

“If it is successful, it’ll be a jackpot for Western in terms of claiming our stage in the world as an institution that does something important,” said University of Western Ontario President Amit Chakma.  “Sometimes you need those jackpots to raise your profile. This would be the equivalent of RIM at Waterloo or MRI at NYU.”

HIV Aids vaccine could be on the horizon

On December 20, 2011 a UWO team led by Dr. Chill-Yong Kang held a press release that they had recently received approval from the FDA to begin human clinical trials of an HIV/AIDS vaccine they’ve been working on for the past 10 years.

The importance of Medicare Supplemental Insurance

When my father was placed in an assisted living facility for the first time I decided to review his options with Medicare.  As long as we have doctors in the future I knew it would be best if I began researching what advantages a supplemental policy to Medicare could do for me and quickly found out one BIG ONE. If you know anything about Medicare it’s that it covers the first 20 days of a skilled nursing home facility at full cost. From day 21-100 you only have to pay a copay.

It pays to have a Medicare supplement insurance

BUT WAIT, the copay is $128 a day. That would be $10,240 out of your pocket UNLESS you have good Medicare Supplement Insurance for days 21-100.  I ended up choosing the AARP supplemental insurance at the time.  6 months later my dad ended up going in a nursing home and now has been in one continually for the last 20 months.  The extra $50 I paid for the supplement covered MUCH more than I actually paid and has continued to pay part of the bills for needed  x-rays and hospitals bills since then.

I would also recommend a long term health care policy when planning for your retirement, at least in Florida, I don’t know about other states like in Texas.  My dad went the cheap route and only got a policy that pays for $140 a day with a $250,000 cap to it.  I’m glad he got it because a standard nursing home in Northwest Florida runs about $190 a day (Over $69,000 a year).  Most people don’t think about these expenses when planning for retirement but they can add up quickly.  Medicare will pay for a nursing home ONCE you’ve exhausted all of your personal assets.

For more info checkout the article Medicare Coverage at a Skilled Nursing Facility.

Tightening Up

Post contributed by Hilton Miranda

I got quite the surprise this afternoon when my husband arrived home early from work. Unfortunately after he played with the kids for a little while, acting like everything was fine, he sent them outside to play some more and sat me down. I knew something was up as soon as he sat me down, but I didn’t think it would be this serious. He explained how his company laid him and 14 other guys off today. As of Friday, he will receive his last check and be unemployed!!! After the shock wore off, we pulled out all of our bills and looked to see what we could do without. Bye-bye cable. Bye-bye