Attention, chocolate lovers: You may not be able to help yourselves. Swiss and British scientists have linked the widespread love of chocolate to a chemical "signature" that may be programmed into our metabolic systems.
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Quick Facts About Medicare
A glance at Medicare:
_ Medicare is the federal health insurance program covering nearly 42 million Americans _ 35.4 million seniors and 6.3 million people under age 65 with permanent disabilities.
_ Total Medicare benefits are expected to reach $325 billion in 2005, accounting for 13 percent of the federal budget.
_ Net federal spending on Medicare is estimated to reach $444 billion by 2010.
_ Medicare has four parts: Part A, hospital insurance, accounts for 45 percent of the spending in 2005; Part B, physician, outpatient and preventive services, accounts for more than 35 percent of 2005 spending; Part C, for those enrolled in HMOs, is 15 percent; Part D, the drug benefit, begins in 2006.
_ Reports show 71 percent of beneficiaries have two or more chronic conditions, 29 percent are in fair-to-poor health. And 51 percent live on incomes below 200 percent of the poverty line.
(Source: The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.)