Monthly Archives: January 2011

Plastic Cards for Many Purposes

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People above a certain age will remember when a plastic card was an oddity. It denoted something special and unusual in a wallet full of cardstock and laminated paper membership and ID cards. Nowadays plastic cards serve so many different purposes it is rare to find someone whose wallet doesn’t contain at least a dozen different cards.

These cards usually fall into several major categories. ID cards are used to prove someone is who they claim to be. This includes drivers licenses and other state-issued IDs. It may also include employee or visitor badges or professional certification for some jobs.

Many organizations will use a plastic card to prove membership. Libraries, gyms, golf clubs and other organizations fall into this group. Membership cards are also used by many businesses to indicate that members are entitled to discounts or special services that don’t apply to non members. This includes shoppers club cards.

Financial cards are used to access funds. They are a form of plastic money. Originally these were credit or charge cards. Today they include debit cards, gift cards, and prepaid cards for everything from long distance and other phone services to itunes downloads and now tax refunds. There are also countless gift cards for restaurants, retailers, and other businesses.

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Private Disability Insurance Claims

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The airways are inundated with advertisements for attorneys that help people file social security disability claims. Most people know family or friends who have struggled through that process and can attest to the difficulties associated with getting the benefits that they deserve. What fewer people talk about is the problems that can arise when dealing with a private disability insurance claim.

A number of medium and large companies subsidize short-term and long-term disability insurance for their employees. The company pays the monthly premium and sometimes allows employees to increase the amount of their insurance by taking a few dollars out of their salary each month. After paying into insurance for months or even years, workers feel entitled to benefits should they become disabled. Unfortunately, some private insurance companies feel obligated to deny almost every claim they process, focusing more on their profits than on providing people the benefits that they have paid for.

One of the worst companies in this regard is Unum. The number of unum claims denial s is outrageous, given that claimant have paid for this insurance and are not just expecting it as a government handout. Unum, and several other insurers, bets on the fact that workers will not have the resources to appeal the claim and will just accept the denial. Hiring an experienced lawyer can dramatically improve the chances of getting the denial overturned, or, if consulted from the start, getting the initial claim approved and the benefits released.

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Staging an Intervention

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Living with an addict can be emotionally and even physically damaging. The hurt and stress of dealing with addictive behaviors, whether the addition is to alcohol or drugs, can lead to behavioral, emotional, and medical problems for the addict and their families. Even people who don’t live with an addict but count one amongst their close family or friends is affected by the substance abuse.

Over the years substance abuse professionals have developed the addiction intervention as a tool for families and friends of addicts to address the effects of drug and alcohol abuse on their lives.

The best way to stage an intervention is to work with a qualified drug treatment professional. They should have experience facilitating interventions and a connection with a treatment or rehab center where the addict can go immediately following the intervention. This intervention specialist will help organize and plan the intervention, preparing participants for their individual roles and advising on how to ensure that the addict shows up. They should also be experienced in helping those present speak their piece, for it is only by exposing the underlying relationship and emotional conflicts that any healing can begin to occur.

The goal of a intervention is to get the addict to realize that they are accountable for their behavior and the effects their actions have on those around them. Ultimately, they should be willing to get help to end their addiction, which is why there should be a plan for admitting them to a rehab program or treatment center.

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