Some people buy entertainment centers out of necessity, while some buy it to make it a centerpiece of their home. Like many people, the entertainment center is one of the most prized possessions in the home. Others are content with a table and chairs as their entertainment center and while that’s not a bad idea, it just doesn’t look appealing. There are many things to consider when buying entertainment furniture.Your television-The TV is one of the largest pieces of electronics and whether it’s a flat screen or not, it is still an essential part of your entertainment needs. Find a system that can comfortably fit a television.Surround Sound-The sound system can come with a few accessories or plenty of accessories. Know how many accessories your system has and find an entertainment system that’s right for that.DVD Player or Media Player-Some come pre-installed with the television, but not always. If they have to come in separate boxes then room must also be made for them. There are those that come in slim forms and ones that come in large sizes.Compartments-Some entertainment furniture have a basic layout where there are few compartments to hold your equipment while some have a compartment for everything. There are several types available and the kind that you get is determined by how intricate you want your entertainment furniture to be.These are just a few of the things that are looked at when considering an entertainment center. There are others, but ultimately the buyer must decide how much they want to spend and what kind of design best fits their needs.
Decorating Your Home With Art Deco Design
There are many style options you can choose from to decorate your home in today’s day and age, even options that one would never have considered back in the 20th century or even in the past few decades. This includes one style from the 20th century that seems to be regaining some popularity recently, and that style is art deco.Back in the 1920s to 1930s, art deco design was very popular. In that time period, art deco was considered to be functional, elegant, and ultra modern. Art deco designers would often reject the traditional ideas and materials of decoration and interior design, instead opting to use more unusual materials such as ebony, marble, stainless steel, lacquer, aluminum, inlaid wood, sharkskin, and zebra skin.The use of harder, metallic materials to construct the furniture used in art deco design were to reflect the celebration of the machine age. Sometimes, art deco designers would alter the furniture they had to give it more of a look that fit the art deco interior design. This is why the process of Lacquering (or giving the furniture a glossy finish) was created.In addition, art deco designers liked to emphasize clean lines and geometric shapes. Strong, sharp angles were often added to the layout of the room to emphasize the art deco interior design.If you are considering turning your living room or bedroom into a room that accentuates the art deco design, here are some ideas and tips to consider.Realize that there is often a pyramidal effect on the rooms that use the art deco design, thanks to the Aztec and Egyptian elements that influence art deco.Giving your room a gradual lessening of form can present a perception of strength and endurance to those who experience your room. That is why this type of interior design was very popular back during the days of the Great Depression, as people tried to display their financial strength and stability in that dark economic period.There are other ways to emphasize the art deco interior design in your room.One way is to add more furniture pieces and accessories that have black and green tones to your room, as black and green are primary colors in art deco design.Adding intriguing and unusual accessories, such as distinctive artwork, is another way to add to the art deco flavor of your room.Another way is to have wall-to-wall carpet that coordinates well with the art deco design of your room. This would include having neutral color carpet to help soften up the intensity of the art deco interior design.You should also pay attention to the lighting in your room, as it should match up well with art deco decorating. Lamps with geometric glass shades often work best with art deco interior design.In addition to artificial lighting, you should also consider the natural lighting from your windows and the window treatments. With art deco design, going with ordinary-looking drapes may be your best option, though if you want to have people focus on your window style, you could consider using vintage drapes instead.Decorating your home with art deco design involves using materials that are different from traditional materials, such as ebony, marble, stainless steel, sharkskin, and zebra skin. Lacquering is also a key component in art deco design. Art deco also emphasizes clean lines and geometric shapes, especially strong, sharp angles. Art deco design continues to make a comeback after being very popular in the 1920s and 1930s; if you want an ultra modern, functional, yet elegant design, art deco would likely be your best interior design option.
Small Business Medical Insurance and the Impact of Health Care Reform
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), otherwise known as the “Health Care Reform Act” was signed into law on March 23, 2010 by President Obama. Most of the initial provisions did not go into affect for 6 months, or September 23, 2010. The bill is a whopping 2000+ pages long, with a 14-page Table of Contents! It’s no wonder that most employers have little comprehension of what is contained in the bill, and less understanding of how the bill will affect their business. To understand the impact of the bill on your business, you should contact a specialist who is an expert on small business medical insurance plans and is familiar with the Act.In the meantime, we will take a cursory view of health care reform, and a year-by-year snapshot of changes to come. Hopefully, it will provide a starting part for discussion.The Act contains five key provisions:1. The requirement for all US citizens and legal residents to have health insurance;2. Penalties for employers who do not offer health insurance for their employees;3. State Based Health Exchanges created to offer cost effective insurance options4. Premium credits for low income individuals;5. Eliminates pre-existing condition and annual/lifetime benefit limitsA Year by Year Look at Health Care ReformSome changes went into effect in 2010, such as coverage for adult dependents (dependents until age 26), and several more will happen in 2011. The most significant changes, however, will not go into effect until 2014. Below is a snapshot of key changes that will be going into effect in the coming years:2011· No pre-tax reimbursements from “health accounts” for non-prescribed, over the counter medications,· 20% tax on nonqualified HSA withdrawals,· Reporting the value of employer sponsored coverage on w-2′s (delayed)· Automatic enrollment in long term care program, employer may opt out (delayed),· Drug company fees: $2.5 billion in 2011, $4.2 billion in 20182012· Uniform explanation of coverage,· Pre-enrollment document sent explaining benefits and exclusions,· 60 day notice for material modifications, if not provided in uniform explanation of coverage,2013· FSA contributions limited to $2,500,· New federal employer tax, $2.00 per covered individual per plan year· Medicare payroll tax increase from 1.45% to 2.35%,· Employer notice to employees of exchanges, premium subsidies, and free choice vouchers,2014· Individual mandate – every citizen must have coverage,· Individual penalties for not purchasing coverage,· Guaranteed issue,· State health exchanges effective· Standard benefit plans, (bronze, silver, gold, platinum),· Waiting period not more than 90 days,· Employer penalties for not offering coverage or at least one FTE receives a tax credit,· Health insurance company fees: $8 billion 2014, $14.3 billion 2018, 2019 prior year amount increased by premium growth rate.2018· Cadillac Tax. 40% tax on plans value in excess of $10,200 single, $27,500 family.Penalties for Non-CoverageAs stated, most of the act’s important provisions will become effective in 2014. The most relevant law for employers is the penalty they will face for non-coverage of employees. The exact penalties are complicated to calculate, base on numerous factors. Some of the basic guidelines are outlined below:Employers with more than 50 employees: · If coverage is not offered by the employer and even one full-time employee (FTE) receives a premium tax credit, the employer will pay a fee of $2,000 per FTE, excluding the first 30 ee’s.· If “affordable” coverage is not offered and one FTE receives a premium tax credit, the employer will pay the lesser of $3,000 for each employee receiving a tax credit, or $2,000 for each FTE. Affordable coverage is defined as an employee cost of health insurance, less than 9.5% of household income and the actuarial value of plan is at least 60%.· A Voucher will be required if the employee contribution exceeds 8% of household income.All Employers: · Employers that offer coverage are required to provide a free choice voucher to employees with incomes less than 400% of the Family Poverty Level (FPL), whose share of premium exceeds 8% but less than 9.8% of their income and who chose to enroll in a plan in the Exchange.· A Voucher equals to what the employer would have paid to provide coverage under the employer’s plan. Employers providing free choice vouchers are not subject to penalties.Employers with 200 or more employees· Required to automatically enroll employees into health plans offered by employer. Employees may opt out.If the provisions of the health care reform act sound complex, they are! We highly recommend you consult with a specialist who is an expert on small business medical insurance plans and is familiar with the Act. Feel free to contact CPEhr’s benefits specialist with any health care reform questions.