Medicare beneficiaries have saved a total of about $4.5 billion on prescription medications because of the 2010 health care law since January 2011, the Department of Health and Human Services plans to announce today.

We're seeing consistent, steady savings for seniors thanks to the health care law," said Jon Blum, director of the Center for Medicare. "In just 21/2 half years, seniors have seen billions in savings, and those savings will continue to grow as the doughnut hole is fully closed."

The announcement comes two days after the Congressional Budget Office found that about 2 million more people than expected would be paying an average $1,200 penalty for not purchasing insurance as required by the law beginning in 2014. In a statement, HHS spokeswoman Erin Shields Britt said that the CBO found 98% of Americans would not be affected by the penalty. "This update doesn't change the basic fact that the individual responsibility policy will only affect people who can afford health care but choose not to buy it," Britt said. The law provides subsidies to people who fall below 400% of the poverty line.

Compared to last year, more patients have saved more money this year, Blum said. Through August 2012, beneficiaries have saved an average of $641.

"This could mean that more people are taking their medication as directed by their doctor on their prescriptions because they're more affordable," Blum said.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012-09-21/medicare-drug-savings/57815820/1?csp=YahooModule_News

To confirm what this says I have proof my mom who was supposed to be meds didn’t take them for several years because of the price, now she takes them because she can afford them.

God is a rewarder of those that don’t let their situations hinder them, but are persistent.

We read how Zacchaeus being short climbed a tree to view Jesus, and Jesus rewarded his persistence by abiding at his house. Luke 19:2-5

We also read how the crowd was so thick there was no way to get the man sick with palsy to Jesus, but they didn’t give up. They cut a hole in the roof and lowered the man down in a bed, and Jesus healed him. Mark 2:2-5 

We read how when blind Bartimaeus heard Jesus was coming by called out, and when many charged him to hold his peace he cried out the more. Mark 10:46-49

We read how the widow woman persisted in her need of the king to avenge her in a parable Jesus told, and how her persistence was paid off. Luke 8:1-8 

Never give up, persistence is rewarded!!

Some black clergy see no good presidential choice between a Mormon candidate and one who supports gay marriage, so they are telling their flocks to stay home on Election Day.

http://news.yahoo.com/african-american-christians-waver-over-vote-120333681--election.html

As a child I remember my family spent a weekend with a relative that lived out of town. Come nightfall it got scary, a new place new sounds, but I got to sleep in the bed with my dad. Because of that all my fears went away, I felt very safe knowing my dad was close.

Why do we have any fears, or any worries? If we truly believe that our Father is God and that he is right here by us, how could we possible fear or worry about anything? The answer could show there is still unbelief within.

DEBKAfile Exclusive Analysis September 15, 2012, 12:45 PM (GMT+02:00)

The United States is positioning military forces so that it can respond to unrest in as many as 17 or 18 places in the Islamic world, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced late Friday. "We have to be prepared in the event that these demonstrations get out of control," he said.

Those words dashed hopes in Washington that the anti-US Islamist rampage by now sweeping 21 countries over a video deriding Islam had passed their peak. In fact, by their sixth day Saturday, Sept. 15,the street protests against American embassies and other US symbols of influence were growing more violent and more organized, threatening not only American lives but tearing up President Barack Obama’s entire outreach policy toward Arabs and Muslims. I

In at least four Arab countries, anti-US protesters were no longer just throwing stones but using firearms. The most serious occurred in Egyptian Sinai, where scores of armed Salafist Bedouin linked to al Qaeda firing missiles, grenades, mortars and automatic weapons were able to break down two guard posts at the US-led Multinational Force near El Arish base in search of American victims. A battalion of Colombian troops fought the invaders off in fierce battle for hours, preventing them from reaching the hundreds of US officers, soldiers and air crews pinned down in fortified quarters.

In Cairo, Islamist demonstrators began firing rubber bullets at Egyptian security forces which have still not succeeded in breaking up the disturbances.

In Tripoli, Lebanon, protesters and the Lebanese army exchanged heavy gun fire. In Khartoum, Islamists shot their way into the US embassy and the American school before setting them ablaze.

In Tunis, the American ambassador almost suffered the same fate as his colleague, Chris Stevens and three consulate staffers who were murdered in Benghazi, Libya, last Tuesday, Sept. 11. The ambassador and several US diplomats were rescued from the burning embassy building by a special Tunisian counter-terror unit and taken to safety.

Friday, saw the first five fatalities as well the first violent Muslim demonstration in the Australian town of Sydney.

Debka.com

Income inequality is growing, as highlighted Wednesday in the Census Bureau’s annual report on income, poverty and health insurance in the United States. Top households’ share of aggregate income rose last year, while everyone else saw a decline. "The bottom 95% of households are for the most part still stuck in a stagnant economy. The typical household is in a worse position than they were in 2007, and only the upper end is seeing a true recovery," said Lawrence Katz, an economist at Harvard University

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-rich-get-richer-as-kids-face-poverty-2012-09-12?siteid=YAHOOB

Pro_15:10 Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth reproof shall die. 

Pro_15:32 He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding.

Luk 6:22  Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. 

Luk_6:26 Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets. 

Joh_15:18 If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 

2Ti_3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 

Joh_7:7 The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.

Are you motivated by love for another, or motivated to be loved by another?

We can quickly see how many compromise their morals to be loved. A woman will often give into a man’s sexually before they are married in hopes to be loved. A mother will provide junk food for their child even at the expense of their health, to be loved.

Some are real obvious to see, but there are others that are not so obvious. Let’s say some one call’s you wanting your advice on buying a car, and they are really excited about it. They tell you they will have to go into debt for the car, do you quote the verses unto whom you’re a borrower you’re a servant, and to owe no man anything, or do you simply say that is wonderful?

We must NOT compromise our beliefs by telling some one what they want to hear just so we can feel their love, but show our love by telling them what they need to hear.

When we separate sin and consequences when trials happen in our life we would simply see it as a lack of God’s love. When we realize that consequences to sin are to open our eyes to what we have been sowing, we can see God’s love. We would continue sowing that which brings forth death if there were no consequences. A child is chastised when they sow bad seeds (do something wrong), we suffer consequences. God’s chastisements are simply our reaping what we have sown. God’s mercy protects us from reaping all that we deserve.

“Devalue the cost of sin, and you devalue the price paid for it. Disconnect sin with the consequences that it brings forth and you begin the devaluing process”

Pro_4:19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

Mat_5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

In 1 Kings 20 we read how King Ahab was told to kill his enemy king Benhadad of Syria. When Ahab did not kill Benhadad we read how a prophet went to Ahab and told him a story. The story was to hear what judgment Ahab would make. The prophet told a story how he had a prisoner and was told if he lost the prisoner he would forfeit his life. The prophet told Ahab he lost the prisoner, so Ahab quickly said then you shall die, not showing any mercy. Once Ahab had made the judgment the prophet told Ahab that he made his own judgment and that he would die.

Mat_7:2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

In 2 Samuel 12 we read how Nathan the prophet went to King David after David had taken Bathsheba. Nathan told a story about a rich man taking a poor man’s lamb for dinner instead of having one of his own. King David became angry and said that man shall surly die, and that is when Nathan the prophet told David he was talking about David. David didn’t die but his enemy came out of his own house hold, and the child made in the affair died.

If we want mercy show mercy, if we want forgiveness show forgiveness.

Luk_6:37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:

Luk_6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.