Friday, November 8, 2019

The Farmers Market

The Farmers Market The farmers markets, which are often organized as non-commercial organizations, play an important role in the emerging of the alternative food network. The impact of these organizations on the development of the food network partially can be explained by the processes of the regional clustering1.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Farmers Market specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The farmers market in this particular case fulfils the function of the food distribution from the agricultural to the urban environment. With the rapid growth of the urban population, the need for the food supply is constantly increasing. At the same time, many products are produced in the suburban areas. Together they form the chain that plays an important role in the food supply. â€Å"Allegedly the tradition of direct agricultural markets was brought to North America from Europe and spread across the continent with European settlementâ₠¬  2 The first reported case of the farmers market appearance in America took place in the seventeenth century. However, the real boom of the farmers markets was observed beginning from the 1970. The existing popularity of this AFN may be explained by many factors. These are not only the producers wish for the attaining benefits and the consumers interest in the fresh foods, but also the specific friendly atmosphere on the farmers market. The importance of this sphere for the American food system can hardly be overestimated. The benefits of the farmers market are obvious as for the consumers as well as for the farmers. The consumers are attracted by the fresh and healthy products, and by the great variety of them, as compared with the supermarket chain.Advertising Looking for essay on agriculture? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Consumers patronize farmers markets first and foremost because of the superior quality o f the produce relative to that which may be found at regular large-scale supermarkets. 3 Low prices are another benefit of the farmers markets. It goes without saying, that the quality of the products is better than in the supermarket. For the farmers the benefit lies in the cost saving of the production transportation and in the ability of the wholesale with the large grocery companies. Moreover, sometimes the farmers are attracted by the simplicity of the trade process and the absence of the bureaucratic acrimony, as it often happens with the large companies. Not only the freshness of the products, but also the direct contact of the consumer with the farmers were the main factors, which guaranteed the farmers markets popularity. Moreover, this AFN profited the development of the local agricultural sector and for the development of the local economy. Qazi and Selfa in their research found out that the major part of the customers were attracted by the freshness of the products and b y the great possibility of choice, rather than money economy. 4 At the same time, it must be admitted that there are several definite problems with which the producers of the agricultural products face. Industrialization is one of them. Historically the structure of agriculture in America was organized on the basis of the hereditary system which was â€Å"a powerful and effective form of economic organization†5. Such a structure was not only the basis of the economic wealth, but also the â€Å"important social and political value to the development of our nation†.6Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Farmers Market specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Last time, there is a tendency for changing of this agricultural structure. In the present time, the circumstances force farmers to increase the output of the production. It leads to the industrialization and the commercialization of the agricultural structur e. According to the statistic research the amount of farms are constantly decreasing. Such a tendency constitutes a menace to the existing of the farmers markets. The problem is not only in reducing the amount of farms. At the present day, a great deal of farmers in order to be competitive use the modern technologies. The industrialization of the agricultural sector often leads to the usage of the genetic engineering in farming. Many researches state that the industrialization possesses a definite threat to farming. In spite the fact that the influence of it on the global economy of the country is doubtful, Hamilton proposes several ways to sustain it at least in the agricultural sphere. First, it is necessary to reignite the debate over the industrialization7 in order the society to understand all its consequences. Secondly, it is necessary to regulate some economic relations, such as the use of the contract production in the cattle breeding. Moreover, there must be implemented a c ertain regulatory environment for the farmers protection. In spite all these negative factors, it is necessary to mention some positive events in the sphere of the farming. Not so long ago, there appeared several farming independent organizations such as the American Farm Bureau Federation, or the National Corn Growers Association.Advertising Looking for essay on agriculture? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Though the tendency for the industrialization of the agricultural field is still high, the consumers’ interest for the fresh agrarian products does not subside. With the development of the industrialization, the price for the natural products becomes a less significant factor for the consumer. The interest to this AFN will promote the appearance of the new markets. Bibliography Hamilton, Neil. Agriculture Without Farmers? Is Industrialization Restructuring American Food Production and Threatening the Future of Sustainable Agriculture?. Northern Illinois University Law preview 14. (1994): 613-657 Porter, Michael. Location, Competition, and Economic Development: Local Clusters in a Global Economy. Economic Development Quarterly 14, no. 15. (2000): 15-34. Taylor, Davis and Chad Mille. Rethinking local business clusters: the case of food clusters for promoting community development. Community Development 41, no.1. (2010): 108-120. Spitzer, Thomas and Henry Baum. â€Å"Public Mar kets and Community Revitalization†. The Urban Land Institute and Project for Public Spaces 10. (1995):29-69. Qazi, Joan and Theresa Selfa. â€Å"The Politics of Building Alternative Agro-food Networks in the Belly of Agro-industry†. University of Exeter in Cornwall, and Utah State University 14. (2004):46-71. Footnotes 1 Davis Taylor and Chad Mille, Rethinking local business clusters: the case of food clusters for promoting community development, Community Development 41, no.1, (2010): 114. 2 Thomas Spitzer and Henry Baum, â€Å"Public Markets and Community Revitalization†, The Urban Land Institute and Project for Public Spaces 10, (1995):41 3 Michael Porter, Location, Competition, and Economic Development: Local Clusters in a Global Economy, Economic Development Quarterly 14, no. 15, (2000): 16. 4 Joan Quazi and Theresa Selfa, â€Å"The Politics of Building Alternative Agro-food Networks in the Belly of Agro-industry†, University of Exeter in Cornwall, an d Utah State University 14, (2004):52. 5 Neil Hamilton, Agriculture Without Farmers? Is Industrialization Restructuring American Food Production and Threatening the Future of Sustainable Agriculture?, Northern Illinois University Law preview 14, (1994): 614 6 Ibid., 614. 7 Ibid., 648

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Using a Focus Word to Help With Pronunciation

Using a Focus Word to Help With Pronunciation Pronunciation can be improved by focusing on the right words. Knowing the difference between content words and function words is the first step. Remember that we stress content words in English as they provide the words that are most important to understanding a sentence. In other words, function words like the prepositions  at, from, or to are not stressed, whereas content words such as the nouns city or investment and main verbs like study or develop are stressed because they are key to understanding. Step 1: Find the Focus Word Once you are familiar with using content words to help with stress and intonation, its time to take it to the next level by choosing a focus word. The focus word (or words in some cases) is the most important word in a sentence. For example: Why didnt you telephone?  I waited all day! In these two sentences, the word telephone is the central focus. Its the key to understanding both sentences. Someone might answer this question by saying: I didnt telephone because I was so busy.   In this case, busy would be the focus word as it provides the main explanation for someone being late. When saying the focus word, its common to stress this word more than the other content words. This may include raising the voice  or speaking the word louder to add emphasis. Step 2: Change Focus Words to Move the Conversation Along Focus words may change as you move through a conversation. Its common to choose focus words that provide the next topic for discussion. Take a look at this short conversation, notice how the focus word (marked in  bold)  changes to move the conversation forward. Bob: Were flying to Las Vegas next week.Alice: Why are you going there?Bob: Im going to win a fortune!Alice: You need to get real. Nobody wins a fortune in Las Vegas.Bob: Thats not true. Jack won a fortune there last year.Alice: No, Jack got married. He didnt win a fortune.Bob: Thats what I call winning a fortune. I dont need to gamble to win a fortune.Alice: Looking for love in Las Vegas is definitely not the answer.Bob: OK. What is the answer in your opinion?Alice: I think you need to start dating girls from here.Bob: Dont get me started on girls from here. Theyre all out of my league!Alice: Come on Bob, youre a nice guy. You will find someone.Bob: I hope so... Stressing these key words helps change the topic from a vacation in Las Vegas  to finding someone to marry to solving Bobs love life issues.   Practice: Choose the Focus Word Now its up to you to choose the focus word. Choose the focus word for each sentence or group of short sentences. Next, practice speaking these sentences while making sure to emphasize the stress word more.   What do you want to do this afternoon? Im bored!Why didnt you tell me she had a birthday?Im hungry. Lets get some lunch.Nobodys here. Where has everyone gone?I think Tom should buy lunch. I bought lunch last week.Are you going to finish work or waste time?You always complain about work. I think you need to stop.Lets get Italian food. Im tired of Chinese food.The students are getting horrible grades. Whats wrong?Our class is going to have a test on Friday. Make sure you prepare. The focus word for most of these should be clear. However, remember that its possible to change the focus word in order to bring out different meanings. Another good way to practice is to use sound scripting - the marking up of your text - to help you practice dialogues.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

salutary neglect essays

salutary neglect essays Even as their first colonies were developing, Britain did not exercise as much control over them, as other nations had in their colonies. This occurred even more so as the colonies continued to develop. During this time Britain chose to pursue political and military undertaking away from the colonies, taking their attention off of the settlers in the Americas. This policy, later named salutary neglect by Edmund Burke, allowed the colonies to experience freedom from the control of England, leading them to develop the beginnings of their own representative assemblies, trade free of restraint from the mother country, and religious tolerance. Before England had established any colonies in the Americas, Spain and Portugal had done so. Spain and Portugal ruled their colonies in an authoritarian fashion, leaving no room for the settlers to have any control over themselves. The settlers had little to no representation in government and no say in public policy. This is what caused Englands colonies to differ from the others. The settlers in Englands colonies were partially self-governed, and had many freedoms that other settlers did not. One reason for this was that many of the English colonies began as private corporate enterprises and remained free from direct control by the English government for some time. Secondly many of the English settlers had participated in government at home and by virtue of the fact carried the tradition with them to America. This salutary neglect would go on to influence the development of society in America in several ways. Only a few years after Virginia was founded in 1607 by the English, the Virginia Company created the first representative assembly in colonial America. This assembly was named the House of Burgesses and represented many of Virginias counties and towns. Due to the lack of control by the English government, the settlers were able to create representation...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Best Unsecured Credit Cards for People With Bad Credit

Best Unsecured Credit Cards for People With Bad Credit SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips Having a poor credit score can feel like you’re caught in a catch-22. You need a credit card to improve your score, but it’s hard to get a credit card without a good score. Luckily, there are credits cards available for people with poor credit. Once you get one of these cards, you can use it to build your credit score over time. This guide will give you recommendations for the best credit cards for people with bad credit, along with some tips on how to apply. Click here to go straight to the credit card recommendations, or first, read on to learn what makes a bad credit score and why it matters. What Is Bad Credit? Credit scores range from 300 to 850. Your score is based on a number of factors, including your credit history, payment history, outstanding debt, and account inquiries from lenders, like credit card companies or banks. Defaulting on loans or closing a credit card that still has a balance on it are two actions that could seriously damage your credit score. You might also have a low score if you’re new to the world of credit and have never had a credit card before. Credit scores below 630 are considered to be very low. Scores between 630 and 700 are fair and between 700 and 800 are strong. Any scores above 800 are excellent. To find out your score, you simply need to set up a free account with Credit Karma. You can also request a comprehensive credit report from one of the three major credit bureaus, TransUnion, Equifax, or Experian. You can get one free report each year by requesting it from annualcreditreport.com. Any additional reports cost $9.95. Your credit score matters big time when you apply for any kind of credit card or loan. Why is it so important? Maybe we shouldn't call a credit score under 630 "bad." Rather, it's a work in progress! Why Does Your Credit Score Matter? Credit scores are a key factor when a credit card company or bank is evaluating your application for a credit card or loan. Lenders consider your past financial behavior to be an indication of your future behavior. They seek to reduce risk, so they only want to lend you money if they feel assured that you can eventually pay it back. The better your credit score is, the higher your credit line will be. You’ll also be eligible for more attractive credit cards that have low fees or rewards, like cash back or travel points. With a low credit score, your application for most travel rewards cards would be rejected outright. However, people will low scores can still qualify for certain credit cards and then use the card to build up their credit over time. With a low score, you may qualify for a secured or unsecured credit card. Lenders look at your credit score when deciding whether to give you a loan. They aren't big risk-takers. What Kind of Credit Card Can You Get With Bad Credit? Secured Vs. Unsecured If your credit score is the lowest of the low, then you’ll probably only be able to get what’s called a secured credit card. Secured credit cards require a deposit up front. Some of them act as prepaid debit cards. You load them up with a certain amount of money at the beginning of the month and then spend that money where the card is accepted. Secured credit cards have low limits and require up-front cash-loading or deposit. If you can qualify for a regular, unsecured card with bad credit, then you should skip this initial step of getting a secured card, unless you really need to set low, strict spending limits on yourself or can't afford an annual fee. Unsecured credit cards are just like any other credit card. They typically start with a line of credit of about $300 per month. As you build your credit over time, your monthly line of credit will increase. Unfortunately, you won’t get a credit card with the most appealing terms if you have poor credit. The unsecured cards recommended below have the best policies available and can help you build your credit into the fair or good zone. Read on for the top recommendations for the best unsecured credit cards for poor credit. Secured credit cards are useful if you need to set strict limits on your spending. 5 Best Unsecured Credit Cards for People with Bad Credit in 2016 The five cards recommended below are the best unsecured credit cards for people with bad credit available. Each card lets you fill out a quick and easy form online to see if you prequalify. The top five cards are the following: Credit One Bank Unsecured Visa* Indigo Platinum Mastercard Milestone Gold Mastercard Total VISA Unsecured Card Platinum One Credit Card (for average credit) *The Credit One Bank Visa stands out as the best overall unsecured credit card, because it gives you some rewards and may increase your line of credit after five months of on-time payments. The remaining credit cards for poor credit offer more or less equal benefits, so you should shop around to see where you prequalify. Let’s take a closer look at the terms of each unsecured credit card. Credit One Bank Unsecured Visa Credit Card The Credit One Visa is a rare card available to people with poor credit that gives rewards. With this card, you can earn 1% cash back on gas and groceries. The card has an annual fee of $0 to $75 the first year and $0 to $99 annually after that, depending on your credit score and income. You may be able to pay this fee back monthly, rather than as one lump sum at the end of the year. The card offers a monthly credit score tracking service so you can keep track of your progress toward a stronger credit score. It comes with a rather high variable interest rate of 15.65% to 24.15%, but the interest rate shouldn’t really matter. To build your credit and avoid debt, you should never carry a balance over on your credit card from one month to the next. Always pay off your full balance every month to avoid penalty and steep interest charges. A typical beginning line of credit for someone with a low credit score is $300. This might increase after five or more months of on-time payments. After five months of on-time payments, Credit One should increase your credit line. Pro tip: count your months by the Gregorian calendar, not the Mayan one. Indigo Platinum Mastercard The Indigo Platinum Mastercard is an increasingly popular card that’s available to people with a range of credit scores. Like the Credit One card, the Indigo card offers online account access and has an easy pre-qualification process online. A typical starting line of credit is $300, and the card has an annual fee of $0 to $99. The APR is fixed at 23.9%. Unlike the Credit One card, the Indigo card doesn’t offer any rewards back on your purchases. Milestone Gold Mastercard The Milestone Gold card similarly has a fixed APR of 23.9% and a typical starting line of credit of $300. The annual fee falls between $35 and $99. Total VISA Unsecured Credit Card The Total VISA has the highest APR of 29.99%. It has a fee of $75 for the first year and $48 annually after that. Like the other unsecured credit cards for low credit, the typical starting line of credit is $300. Capital One Platinum Card If your credit has started to climb out of the red zone and surpassed 600, then you might qualify for the Capital One Platinum card. This card is available for people with a credit score of 600 or higher. It has no annual fee, 24.99% APR, and fraud coverage. A typical starting credit limit falls between $200 and $500, and this can increase after five or so months of on time monthly payments. Now that you have a sense of the best unsecured credit cards, what do you do next? How do you apply for one of these cards? Even with bad credit, you have options for credit cards! How to Apply for an Unsecured Credit Card You can easily apply for a credit card online. First, head to the company’s website and go through its quick pre-qualification process. While this survey isn’t the be-all and end-all word on whether or not you qualify, it gives you an idea of your eligibility based on your income level. You’ll enter your personal information, including your salary and social security number. Going through this pre-qualification check, by the way, won’t hurt your credit score. Your credit score will only be affected when the company runs a hard check to see whether you officially qualify and you open an account. If you prequalify, then you’ll go through the full process of applying for the card. Only fill out a full application for one card, so as not to hurt your credit score. Once you apply and are approved, your card will be mailed out to you within one to two weeks. If your credit score and salary are too low, and you find yourself ineligible for any of the above cards, then you do have one more option - getting a secured credit card. Easy online pre-qualification forms give you a sense of whether or not you'll be approved a credit card. What If You Don’t Qualify? If you don’t qualify for an unsecured credit card with bad credit, then you should look into secured credit cards. As mentioned above, secured cards require a deposit up front, or they ask you to prepay and then spend the money that’s already loaded onto your card. While they’re a little different from other cards, secured credit cards will help you build credit until you’re able to get a regular, unsecured card. These are some of the best secured credit cards: Discover It Secured Card Capital One Secured Mastercard Secured Visa from Merrick Bank USAA Secured Card American Express If you want to set strict limits on your spending with a prepaid debit card, then look into the secured cards from Bluebird or American Express Serve. Once you get your credit card, how can you use it in the best way to build your credit? How to Use Your Credit Card and Build Credit Building and maintaining good credit isn’t about avoiding a credit card; it’s about using one well. Using a card well requires you to follow one rule of thumb: never carry a balance on your card from month to month. Don’t expect that you’ll have more to spend next month than you do this month. Only buy what you can pay off in cash immediately on the card, and make sure to pay off your full balance by each payment due date. As you read above, on-time payments will help you build credit, and your credit card company may offer you a bigger line of credit as time goes on. How can you be sure that you’re staying within your budget? This kind of awareness comes from developing a budget and keeping track of your daily and monthly spending. There are several apps, like YNAB and Mint, that are useful for helping you keep track and gain control of your personal finances. In closing, let’s go over the key points you should remember about the unsecured credit cards that are available to people with poor credit. Rome wasn't built in a day! With enough time and effort, you can build your credit score into the good or excellent range. Unsecured Credit Cards for Bad Credit - Final Thoughts If you have bad credit, you aren’t going to be eligible for a $10,000 line of credit and 2% cash back on all your purchases. However, you may become eligible eventually by first getting one of the secured or unsecured credit cards that are on offer to people with low credit card. Unsecured cards typically have an annual fee and start with a line of credit of around $300 a month. By making on-time payments month after month, you’ll see your credit score go up and may eventually qualify for a larger line of credit. If you don’t already, make sure to check your credit score and understand where it comes from. Then, you can come up with a plan to take control of your personal finances and build your credit score into the fair, good, or even excellent range. By shoring up your credit score with one of the best credit cards for bad credit, you’ll put yourself in a much better financial position for future credit card, loan, or mortgage applications. What’s Next? Is your credit score high enough that you could qualify for other credit cards? Check out this guide to find the best credit card for you based on your personal spending habits. Do you feel like your spending has gotten out of control? This guide will help you reign it back in with seven steps to taking control of your personal finances. Would you like to start saving money for a big purchase or perhaps a retirement account? This comprehensive list has 100 different ways for you to start saving money today.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Evaluating accounting control systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Evaluating accounting control systems - Essay Example The meaning of internal control has changed over the recent years with the development of various internal control models. The COCO model is one of those models. Stone Creek Church in Urbana, Illinois has adopted the COCO framework model for their Internal accounting control system. The Coco model, which builds on COSO (another internal account control model) is the most user-friendly and concrete method. â€Å"The COSO framework is the reference model, which is written from the point of view that basically it makes the organizational member of the internal control be thorough who includes the manager from the standpoint of the shareholder† (COSO Framework Para 10).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The COSO framework describes internal control as a procedure, influenced by an entity’s management, board of directors and other workers, which is planned to provide reasonable assurance concerning the attainment of objectives. As stated the earlier Stone Creek Church in Urbana, Illin ois has used the COCO framework model. The Stone Creek Church in Urbana always has to in excess of two persons to handle the cash. The money is never in one person’s situation anytime for protection. ... And it protects the person and the structure. The Stone Creek Church in Urbana provides cash dispersement process. It means payment or Cash outflow of money to resolve commitments for instance interest payments for loans, operating expenses and accounts receivables throughout a particular period so as to carry out business actions. Usually in the form of plastic money, cash, check, Electronic fund transfers and warrants. CoCo model distinguishes four interconnected elements of internal control such as containing purpose, commitment, capability and learning and monitoring. An industry that performs a task is directed by an understanding of the function of the task and supported by ability. To execute the task well over time, the industry wants a sense of commitment. At last, the industry has to monitor task performance to develop the task process. These fundamentals of control, which contain twenty particular control criteria, are seen as the steps an industry takes to promote the rig ht action. As mentioned earlier Stone Creek Church in Urbana, Illinois has adopted the COCO framework model. The task was to evaluate the accounting control systems of Stone Creek Church in Urbana, Illinois on the basis of the interview of the Stone Creek manager and the attached notes on COCO framework. The Coco framework states that the organizations should be able to measure their performance in quantitative terms and should use budgets and financial statements to evaluate their performance. The Coco framework also advocates the use of qualitative measures such as target setting in order to assist the performance of a firm. In the Stone Creek Church case no quantitative measures like the setting up of budgets has been done as well as no qualitative measures like

Effect of Ocean acidification upon ability to adapt to climate change Research Paper

Effect of Ocean acidification upon ability to adapt to climate change in Nereis species - Research Paper Example These pH levels range from 6.6-7.3 in the CO2 vents that exist in Ischia (Calosi, et al, 2013, 1208). Nereis zonata also has the ability to survive in low pH areas, if conclusions made after research on the relationship between Nereis Zonata and the level of organic enrichment of the sea-water holds (Murphy & Measures, 2014, 442). Imaging of Nereis succinea subjected to increased pH indicates that the pH of the porewater depended on the size of the organism, the rate of irrigation and the profile of the burrow (Davidson, 2013,17). Before the introduction of variations in the pH, the Nereis diversicolor indicate a mean pH of 7.73. This internal pH is the same when compared to the other individuals in the same species (Calosi, et al, 2013, 1221). With differences in the pH, the individuals of the Nereis genus undergo some changes. With high salinity, they tend to lose energy. However, the Nereis Succinea loses more energy when compared with the Nereis diversicolor (Davidson, 2013, 19). However, with a drop in the salinity, the Nereis succinea loses considerably less energy compared to Nereis diversicolor. The P. dumerilii loses even less energy compared to all the others, because of its ability to survive under extremely low pH levels in the CO2 vents (Sommer, et al, 2000, 283). There is a notable and consistent difference in the effect that p CO2 has on the metabolic rate between the tolerant and sensitive species of polychaete. The patterns of response as observed after research may have been arrived at through either adaptation or acclimatization. It is a fact that organisms may have the ability to change their physiology through phenotypic plasticity, also known acclimatization (Armstrong, 2013, 593). For the P. dumerilii, acclimatization takes place through selecting genotypes that have a link with phenotypes that possess the best ability to

Friday, November 1, 2019

COMPARE AND CONTRAST THE LAWS AND POLICIES OF HEALTHCARE Term Paper

COMPARE AND CONTRAST THE LAWS AND POLICIES OF HEALTHCARE IN(REPUBLICAN) GEORGIA AND (DEMOCRATIC)MARYLAND - Term Paper Example Georgia health policies also provide tax breaks to individuals and small employers in order to assist the insurance health policy companies to provide incentives to citizens who practice healthy lifestyles like tobacco cessation and regular physical exercises (Atlas 60). Georgia republican leaders have actively opposed the Patient Protection and Affordable care Act with lawmakers taking any necessary action to prevent the Act being implemented in Georgia. The federal law which was sponsored by Democrats gives each state the option of designing and implementing its own marketplace but the federal government has the powers to design a marketplace for states that fail to comply with the provisions of the law. Republican health laws hold that no individual should be compelled to purchase insurance health coverage and no employers should be fined for not providing their workers with health care cover. Unlike Maryland (Democratic) health laws that aim at assisting uninsured individuals gain coverage through universal health plans, Republican health care laws in Georgia are not aimed at helping the uninsured get coverage but reward the citizens who already have health insurance coverage. Currently, the Supreme Court has ruled that Obama’s health ca re Law is constitutional. In Maryland (Democratic) health care laws and policies require all insurance companies to adhere with the rules of the insurance policies and desist from dropping patients after they become sick or refusing to cover pre-existing conditions. Additionally, the insurance companies are expected to extend the coverage to preventive care like cancer screenings. The health care policies require parents to include their children less than 26 years who have no work-based coverage in their health insurance plans. Medicare in Maryland also receives rebates to cover the costs of prescription drugs. Health