While consumers search for affordable health insurance, they have price in their mind as the top priority. A general conception among the consumers is that cheap health plans should not be costly-the cheapest health plan available in the market is their target. However, this approach is not good. Sometimes, paying for a cheap health insurance plan but still not getting the required level of coverage results only in wastage of money.With the implementation of the affordable care act, the reach of affordable health plans is set to increase. Or at least, this is what is believed to be the objective of healthcare reforms. However, lots of consumers are still in confusion about how things would work. In this article, we will discuss some detailed options that consumers can try while looking to buy affordable health plans.To get a hand on affordable health insurance plans, consumers need to take of certain things. First among them is about knowing the options in the particular state of the residence. There are lots of state and federal government-run programs that could be suitable for consumers. Knowing the options is pretty important. Next would be to understand the terms and conditions of all the programs and check the eligibility criteria for each one of them. Further, consumers should know their rights after the implementation of healthcare reforms, and something within a few days, they may qualify for a particular program or could be allowed to avail a particular health insurance plan. If consumers take care of these steps, there is no reason why consumers can’t land on an affordable health plan that could cater to the medical care needs.Let’s discuss some options related to affordable health insurance plans state-wise:State-run affordable health insurance programs in CaliforniaWhile considering California, there are three affordable health insurance plans that are run by the state government. Consumers can surely get benefitted by these if they are eligible for the benefits.• Major Risk Medical Insurance Program (MRMIP)This program is a very handy one offering limited health benefits to California residents. If consumers are unable to purchase health plans due to a preexisting medical condition, they can see if they qualify for this program and get benefits.• Healthy Families ProgramHealthy Families Program offers Californians with low cost health, dental, and vision coverage. This is mainly geared to children whose parents earn too much to qualify for public assistance. This program is administered by MRMIP.• Access for Infants and Mothers Program (AIM)Access for Infants and Mothers Program provides prenatal and preventive care for pregnant women having low income in California. It is administered by a five-person board that has established a comprehensive benefits package that includes both inpatient and outpatient care for program enrollees.Some facts about affordable health insurance in FloridaWhile talking about affordable health insurance options in Florida, consumers can think about below mentioned options:• Floridians who lost employer’s group health insurance may qualify for COBRA continuation coverage in Florida. At the same time, Floridians, who lost group health insurance due to involuntary termination of employment occurring between September 1, 2008 and December 31, 2009 may qualify for a federal tax credit. This credit helps in paying COBRA or state continuation coverage premiums for up to nine months.• Floridians who had been uninsured for 6 months may be eligible to buy a limited health benefit plan through Cover Florida.• Florida Medicaid program can be tried by Floridians having low or modest household income. Through this program, pregnant women, families with children, medically needy, elderly, and disabled individuals may get help.• Florida KidCare program can help the Floridian children under the age of 19 years and not eligible for Medicaid and currently uninsured or underinsured.• A federal tax credit to help pay for new health coverage to Floridians who lost their health coverage but are receiving benefits from the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Program. This credit is called the Health Coverage Tax Credit (HCTC). At the same time, Floridians who are retirees and are aged 55-65 and are receiving pension benefits from Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PBGC), may qualify for the HCTC.Some facts about affordable health insurance in VirginiaWhile talking about affordable health insurance options in Virginia, consumers need to consider their rights:• Virginians who lost their employer’s group health insurance may apply for COBRA or state continuation coverage in Virginia.• Virginians must note that they have the right to buy individual health plans from either Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield or CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield.• Virginia Medicaid program helps Virginians having low or modest household income may qualify for free or subsidized health coverage. Through this program, pregnant women, families with children, and elderly and disabled individuals are helped.• Family Access to Medical Insurance Security (FAMIS) helps Virginian children under the age of 18 years having no health insurance.• In Virginia, the Every Woman’s Life Program offers free breast and cervical cancer screening. Through this program, if women are diagnosed with cancer, they may be eligible for treatment through the Virginia Medicaid Program.Some facts about affordable health insurance in TexasWhile talking about affordable health insurance options in Texas, consumers need to consider their rights:• Texans who have group insurance in Texas cannot be denied or limited in terms of coverage, nor can be required to pay more, because of the health status. Further, Texans having group health insurance can’t have exclusion of pre-existing conditions.• In Texas, insurers cannot drop Texans off coverage when they get sick. At the same time, Texans who lost their group health insurance but are HIPAA eligible may apply for COBRA or state continuation coverage in Texas.• Texas Medicaid program helps Texans having low or modest household income may qualify for free or subsidized health coverage. Through this program, pregnant women, families with children, elderly and disabled individuals are helped. At the same time, if a woman is diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer, she may be eligible for medical care through Medicaid.• The Texas Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) offers subsidized health coverage for certain uninsured children. Further children in Texas can stay in their parent’s health insurance policy as dependents till the age of 26 years. This clause has been implemented by the healthcare reforms.• The Texas Breast and Cervical Cancer Control program offers free cancer screening for qualified residents. If a woman is diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer through this program, she may qualify for medical care through Medicaid.Like this, consumers need to consider state-wise options when they search for affordable health coverage. It goes without saying that shopping around and getting oneself well-equipped with necessary information is pretty much important to make sure consumers have the right kind of health plans.

Financing a dump truck is different from financing a car, pickup truck, or any other vehicle. A dump truck buyer will probably find dump truck financing to be easier to get and more readily available than other types of commercial financing. For the most part, the reason for this is the high value of dump trucks and their high earning potential. Lenders still strictly view finance applications, but they are able to afford more flexibility in dump truck financing for these reasons.Lenders, in fact, are very aggressive in promoting dump truck financing. Obviously this is because loans for these trucks are profitable to lenders and are reliably serviced and paid by borrowers. This is an interesting distinction from most forms of commercial financing, and even most vehicle financing of any kind, in that vehicle loans can generally be hard to qualify for and secure. Dump truck loans, however, are seemingly more easily obtainable. Financing is available for both new and used dump trucks.Applicants for any kind of vehicle financing are normally screened as to creditworthiness. An applicant’s credit score will affect vehicle financing availability, as well as the rate and terms. The same is true with dump truck financing, but in fact many lenders feature financing targeted to buyers with bad credit. Credit is still an issue and lenders do qualify buyers in terms of credit, but buyers with bad credit are not excluded from financing. Given the high value of a dump truck and its potential profitability, lenders are able to extend credit to many buyers who might not normally qualify for vehicle financing due to credit.Lenders also stress the simplicity of applying for financing for these trucks, and looking at lenders’ websites, the process does seem simple. Applications are short, and lenders indicate that credit decisions are often made in one day or less. This is commercial financing, but financial statements are generally not required with an application. Applications seem to focus more on the type of equipment to be financed, and less on the party it is to be financed for. Lenders ask for details on the truck to be financed, such as type of truck, including standard, articulated, or transfer, make, model, and year, along with details on the bed and lift mechanism. Lenders also ask where the vehicle will be operated from, allowing even for the truck to be based at the owner’s home. Borrower details are also collected, including information on the operating company, if any, and details on the individual buyer or buyers. Social security numbers are taken from the individuals, and applications do require a release of credit information from the borrower. The applications are credit applications. Some applications, though, also ask the applicant to merely estimate his or her credit score or Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO) score.The hauling business can be a very profitable business. These types of trucks have the potential to earn very high incomes and create substantial cash flow for an operator. They also command high values, with new ones commonly selling for more than $200,000, and even used trucks three and four years old selling for $50,000 and more. Buyers needing financing will find financing to be available, even in the case of poor or bad credit. Of course, lenders are always strict in granting loan approvals as it is always necessary for a lender to have success in collecting loans. Still, given the unique business characteristics of these types of trucks, financing standards may be more flexible.

The Restaurant business is set for a revolution in technology but could there be looming problems?Having new technology like mobile phone ordering and tracking, ordering kiosks, custom mobile apps, table location using cell phones, online only ordering and a host of other technologies designed specifically for improving the customer experience sounds like a great idea… but are they?The rise and rise of the restaurant and eatery since 2007 is wonderful and everyone loves to eat in them. But there are a substantial number of potential customers that cannot use those technologies no matter how they try. And it’s not really their fault!There is no doubt that technology can improve customers experience. There is a substantial percentage of customers that are not at all savvy with using technology and that is a problem. Consider that the value of fast food restaurants in the UK in 2017 for fast food including takeaways alone was a massive £5.1 Billion but adding up across the whole sector to over £14 Billion and even what seems to be smaller percentages of potential customers adds up to massive loss of business.While 56% of consumers between the age of 45-64 do use technology in restaurants that leaves a massive 44% of that age group that do not use technology. Indeed, for the USA around 65% of customers over 55 prefer to be served by waiting staff.Careful consideration of how and where technology is used to improve customer experience is a key consideration for its success, after all who wants to ignore up to 44% of customers because the technology was less than perfect? Remember that the National Restaurant Association says that the number one feature cited by ‘baby boomers’ was a loyalty and rewards program so integrating that in to customer experience technology creates a win/win situation when enticing that sector of customer in to your restaurant or business.It is noted that in the UK the government has provided national statistics about personal wealth by age where the average liquid wealth was at its highest between age 55 to 64 so it makes a great deal of sense where technology could be introduced as a customer interface that the technology itself does not turn away the wealthiest people with disposable income in UK from any restaurant or business.Having a focus towards mobile phone ordering is fine for the younger generations, but most readers will know friends over 55 that struggle daily with their cell phone. Deloitte suggest that there has been a substantial increase of smart phone users over 55 between 2012 and 2017 by as much as 71% change but that certainly is no real reflection of how many of those over 55′s use the phone for smart apps. In fact, Deloitte estimates that at least 1 out of 4 consumers aged 55+ who own smartphones have never downloaded a single app. With that level of app use in the 55+ age group those problems for restaurant technology currently remain high on the agenda but seem largely unaddressed by developers and most often ignored by restaurant operators.It is also worthwhile noting from a recent ‘greenlight’ survey that where the internet is concerned the over 55′s currently spend over £14 Billion through online shopping and are the fastest growing demographic in that area but they tend to be largely ignored by retailers and restaurant customer facing technology development by manufacturers. Bear in mind also that ‘greenlight’ also commented that for 65+ demographic that spending actually reduces compared to the customer in the 55 to 64 age group. Understanding this fact can help to identify which technology will help or hinder that demographic with the resulting increase in sales.But technology in restaurants is not just about the front of house customer experience, there are other attributable technologies now appearing in restaurants that directly contribute to the overall customer delivery of quality service such as staff tracking that can provide key metrics about staff efficiencies to improve service levels and reduce costs accordingly.Thinking about current trends where this same demographic of 55 to 64′s is concerned the payment process can also be a hurdle. While many newer payment methods might involve mobile pay, or server tablets, kiosks or apps, consideration has to be given to the effects those technologies will have in deterring the 55 to 64 age group from visiting any restaurant.It is clear that over time younger generations will eventually migrate to being older technology savvy customers but ignoring the important 55 to 64 age range is not recommended if your restaurants are catering to that demographic already.Of course, there are other technologies that ARE friendly for the 55 to 64 demographics out there that don’t involve ANY difficult customer level high technology use by the customer such as a table tracking system by LRS of Dallas TX, USA. Their ‘Table Tracker’ is simple to use and the only customer involvement is to place a ‘puck’ on the table they choose to be seated at. Service is improved dramatically and it’s a fact that the over 55′s love great service demonstrated by their love for waiter service.So, there are a number of questions that need addressing where technology is either implemented or might be in the future, things like:• Are you limiting your own customer base to millennials? If not:

How does the customer experience technology impinge on potential client involvement of the 55 to 64′s?

Are you happy insomuch as the highest disposable income sector of 55+ might not visit your restaurant because of technology concerns?

Have you seriously considered the aspect of customer facing technology affecting your restaurant sales?

Do you propose further investigation of the technology products you currently use?

Review currently installed customer facing technology to address 55+ client sector

Consider the 55+ client base BEFORE committing to technologies that might not attract the 55+ demographic due to the technical complexity when presented to them.

Customer involvement from all adults is king when using technology to enhance customer experience in any restaurant environment especially where sales are concerned.