The Healthcare Bill – An explination of what just passed

Bottom line: Like it or not, you’re going to pay more, either as part of your insurance company’s plan to cover the mandatory changes as outlined by this new healthcare bill, or by way of direct government taxes.

Here’s the breakdown, as copied from REUTERS

WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR OF ENACTMENT

*Insurance companies will be barred from dropping people from coverage when they get sick. Lifetime coverage limits will be eliminated and annual limits are to be restricted.

*Insurers will be barred from excluding children for coverage because of pre-existing conditions.

*Young adults will be able to stay on their parents’ health plans until the age of 26. Many health plans currently drop dependents from coverage when they turn 19 or finish college.

*Uninsured adults with a pre-existing conditions will be able to obtain health coverage through a new program that will expire once new insurance exchanges begin operating in 2014.

*A temporary reinsurance program is created to help companies maintain health coverage for early retirees between the ages of 55 and 64. This also expires in 2014.

*Medicare drug beneficiaries who fall into the “doughnut hole” coverage gap will get a $250 rebate. The bill eventually closes that gap which currently begins after $2,700 is spent on drugs. Coverage starts again after $6,154 is spent.

*A tax credit becomes available for some small businesses to help provide coverage for workers.

*A 10 percent tax on indoor tanning services that use ultraviolet lamps goes into effect on July 1.

WHAT HAPPENS IN 2011

*Medicare provides 10 percent bonus payments to primary care physicians and general surgeons.

*Medicare beneficiaries will be able to get a free annual wellness visit and personalized prevention plan service. New health plans will be required to cover preventive services with little or no cost to patients.

*A new program under the Medicaid plan for the poor goes into effect in October that allows states to offer home and community based care for the disabled that might otherwise require institutional care.

*Payments to insurers offering Medicare Advantage services are frozen at 2010 levels. These payments are to be gradually reduced to bring them more in line with traditional Medicare.

*Employers are required to disclose the value of health benefits on employees’ W-2 tax forms.

*An annual fee is imposed on pharmaceutical companies according to market share. The fee does not apply to companies with sales of $5 million or less.

WHAT HAPPENS IN 2012

*Physician payment reforms are implemented in Medicare to enhance primary care services and encourage doctors to form “accountable care organizations” to improve quality and efficiency of care.

*An incentive program is established in Medicare for acute care hospitals to improve quality outcomes.

*The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which oversees the government programs, begin tracking hospital readmission rates and puts in place financial incentives to reduce preventable readmissions.

WHAT HAPPENS IN 2013

*A national pilot program is established for Medicare on payment bundling to encourage doctors, hospitals and other care providers to better coordinate patient care.

*The threshold for claiming medical expenses on itemized tax returns is raised to 10 percent from 7.5 percent of income. The threshold remains at 7.5 percent for the elderly through 2016.

*The Medicare payroll tax is raised to 2.35 percent from 1.45 percent for individuals earning more than $200,000 and married couples with incomes over $250,000. The tax is imposed on some investment income for that income group.

*A 2.9 percent excise tax in imposed on the sale of medical devices. Anything generally purchased at the retail level by the public is excluded from the tax.

WHAT HAPPENS IN 2014

*State health insurance exchanges for small businesses and individuals open.

*Most people will be required to obtain health insurance coverage or pay a fine if they don’t. Healthcare tax credits become available to help people with incomes up to 400 percent of poverty purchase coverage on the exchange.

*Health plans no longer can exclude people from coverage due to pre-existing conditions.

*Employers with 50 or more workers who do not offer coverage face a fine of $2,000 for each employee if any worker receives subsidized insurance on the exchange. The first 30 employees aren’t counted for the fine.

*Health insurance companies begin paying a fee based on their market share.

WHAT HAPPENS IN 2015

*Medicare creates a physician payment program aimed at rewarding quality of care rather than volume of services.

WHAT HAPPENS IN 2018

*An excise tax on high cost employer-provided plans is imposed. The first $27,500 of a family plan and $10,200 for individual coverage is exempt from the tax. Higher levels are set for plans covering retirees and people in high risk professions. (Reporting by Donna Smith; Editing by David Alexander and Eric Beech)

And here’s a nice interactive piece to go along with the timeline above. The presentation sums it up pretty well. “All options will cost me more… All I can choose is how my money is taken from my pocket.” (slides 43-45)

The IRS will enforce the healthcare bill – fine Americans without coverage

Not a joke. Not “fringe” news.

“The health care overhaul will expand IRS authority by giving agents the power to verify acceptable health care coverage and fine or confiscate the tax refunds of Americans without coverage.”

You can read the article at NASDAQ or at the Wall Street Journal.

Change you can believe in go to jail for!

This is not what I voted for.

Tim Pawlenty’s interview in Esquire March 2010

Normally I only post the “News You Missed” on Saturdays and I’m done until Monday, but since I’ve been going through my stack of magazines tonight (and I have a touch of insomnia), I wanted to post something that really got my attention.

Esquire in March 2010 (yes, I’m a month behind!) had an interview with Tim Pawlenty, the current Governor of Minnesota and potential Republican candidate for 2012.

Seriously? This man gets it.

In the interview, he says…

“…the Republicans had their shot not long ago to address the real needs and concerns of everyday Americans, and they blew it. I think that’s mitigated by the fact that we had a terrorist incident, there is a war, and there was a lot of proper focus on those issues, but over the time that they were there and had the leadership opportunity, they blew it. We got fired for a reason.”

Hmm. That’s a pretty accurate analysis there. He also says…

“…there are a bunch of people who went and voted for Barack Obama who are now concerned that he’s taken the country in a direction that they don’t like. And they’re not necessarily back to supporting Republicans, but they’re available for us to persuade, and that’s a huge opportunity. Our opportunities for 2010 are tremendous.”

…and my “eyebrows over the forehead” moment came when he said…

“Medicare was started a long time ago, and medicine had changed, having gone from clinical practices and hospitalizations to treating more and more conditions with prescription medicines. So it makes sense to extend Medicare benefits to prescription medicines.”

Ho-lee crap. That’s the only health care reform we need! Brilliant!

I have a feeling this man is going to pull an “Obama” on his political party. Right now everyone is focusing on Mitt Romney like the Democrats initially focused on Hillary for 2008. But Pawlenty is the man I would vote for in 2012, especially if Obama continues to bait-and-switch on promises he made during his campaign. (IE: Authorizing ongoing illegal spying on American citizens, continuing the war(s) overseas, not implementing transparency on all government matters, pushing through a mandatory healthcare reform plan where if you don’t accept it you will get fined and possibly put in prison, etc.)

The interview also goes over Pawlenty’s upbringing in a real working class family and also some of his other beliefs on the current state of the union.

You can read the full Esquire interview with Tim Pawlenty here and the “photo” filled version of the interview here.

News stories the mainstream media missed : 03/20/10

Here are some news stories from this week that I think the mainstream media completely missed out on. All links are from legitimate news sources and not the fringe / wacko sites.

* This did make the mainstream news, but it’s important to mention again… Walgreens said they are not accepting any new Medicaid patients as of April 16 because they are losing money on them. This might be important to remember later on when this national health care bill comes around. [SEATTLETIMES]

* Meanwhile, Sen. John McCain [R, AZ] and Sen. Joseph Lieberman [I, CT] have proposed legislation… “which they are calling the Enemy Belligerent Interrogation, Detention and Prosecution Act, would empower the U.S. military to arrest anyone, U.S. citizen or otherwise, who is suspected of terrorist associations and detain them indefinitely, without right to a trial.” I put a lot of that sentence in bold because every so often, I remember why I voted for Obama. I think if McCain made it into the White House, we would’ve all had draconian legislation like this enacted by the first month. Obama may be screwing up a lot of things, but he’s still the lesser of two evils. [OPENCONGRESS]

* Viacom is suing YouTube for $1 billion for hosting copyrighted video Viacom owns. Thing is, Viacom uploaded the videos themselves! And since YouTube is owned by Google, they have tons of proof on where the uploads came from. Hey Viacom, next time try picking on someone from your own century. [CONSUMERIST]

* WTF! Texas Stadium is set to be demolished with a giant explosive show on April 11? I’m out of Dallas for a while and everybody gets delusions of grandeur! Original story at [WFAA] and a more modern followup at [WFAA].

* An 11 year old picks 3 of the top gunlocks in a few seconds with a flathead screwdriver. Now all the hoplophobics are screaming that gun locks don’t work and are useless. Using their same argument that “since the lock didn’t hold forever it’s useless”, door locks, car locks, drawer locks, cabinet locks, and safes are useless too! [ENGADGET]

* CNN has an interview with Father Gabriele Amorth, Chief Exorcist, Exorcism Department, Vatican City – Rome. Now THAT’S a business card! [CNN]

* Fortis, an insurer, had an in-house computer program to find HIV members on their policies and get rid of them so they did not have to pay their medical bills. Nice company! [REUTERS]

* Madoff was beaten in prison. That is all. [WSJ]

* What does a spacewalk feel like? As described by an astronaut? “WOW!” I knew it! My turn! My turn! [UNIVERSETODAY]

* Basic training has gone back to the basics! “The reshaped 10-week course reduces the amount of physical stress on recruits — fewer pushups and shorter foot marches — and increases marksmanship. And adds more sleep.” The sad thing is that the changes are the result of the new recruits being too tubby to do pushups and march too long! Somebody take the jelly donut away from Private Pyle! [ARMYTIMES]

* Oklahoma has a new law for those citizens who don’t use the city’s water supply but instead use their own free well water. Those citizens will now be charged $20 a month. Wait, what? [KFOR]

* Brain scans are getting closer to accessing your memories. Right now what they see is abstract and pixelated to hell and you can’t see anything in detail, but then again, so were video games 20 years ago. I think I’m going to invent “concentration aversion meditation” to my list of things to do, because that’s the only thing that’s going to keep your private thoughts your own property in 20 years or so. [SCIENCEBLOGS]

* A microphone no bigger than a match head gives the original location in 3-d of any sound in battle. The idea is to immediately locate snipers and the exact location of incoming enemy fire in seconds. This is terrifying and awesome at the same time! [DVICE]

* Octopuses like high definition television! But only the first showing. They think all the repeats suck. [BBC.UK]

* Another week, another looming financial disaster. There’s a junk bond tsunami coming in 2012. Specifically, “$700 billion in risky, high-yield corporate debt begins to come due”. Move along people. Nothing to see here. [NYTIMES]

* Dude. The Toyota acceleration thing? Totally caused by cosmic rays. F’shur. [Jalopnik]

* Newsweek has a photoessay on things that are no longer made in the USA. Chuck Taylors, Fender Stratocasters, Radio Flyer Wagons, Craftsman Tools, and Stanley Tools only make half the list. How’s this for a scavenger hunt idea… find 5 things with a “Made In the USA” label in three different stores that you actually want to own. [NEWSWEEK]

* The Japanese were working on their own “nuke” back in World War II. A series of bombs that were biological in nature. Anthrax bombs. Plague bombs. Cholera bombs. Plus they experimented with these on live prisoners of war, even dissecting them while they were still alive. The “Japanese officials were impressed that germ warfare had been banned by the Geneva Protocol of 1925. If it was so awful that it had to be banned under international law, the officers reasoned, it must make a great weapon.” WARNING: Graphic story. [ARCHIVE.ORG]

* Gustave the killer crocodile has been terrorizing the locals of Lake Tanganyika in Burundi for the last 20 years. He is over six meters long, weighs one ton and has allegedly eaten over 200 people. “Using his fearsome tail, he has been known to swipe children playing on the shore of the lake, and has been caught on camera hitting a fisherman. Now Frenchman and Burundi resident, Patrice Faye has become a local hero after devoting his life to capturing the killer.” Helloooo Hollywood?! I got your blockbuster summer movie right here people!! [BBC.UK]

* A Forest die-off is sweeping North America. And a website in England has the news about this? [GUARDIAN.UK]

* Apparently the hillbilly idiots working in the po-lice department in Medford Oregon have no concept on the whole “innocent until proven guilty” thing. A man gets fired from his job and is anonymously reported as being “disgruntled” to the police, so two Medford SWAT teams show up, storm his house on a warrantless search, and throw him on the ground to cuff him after he willfully walks out of his home and surrenders. A press release from PD touts they “were able to successfully take a potentially volatile male subject into protective custody for a mental evaluation”. The community at Medford Oregon needs to fire every single badge wearing jackass in their local po-lice department that was involved in this BS. [REASON]

* A tantric guru named Pandit Surender Sharma said he had the pow-ah to kill someone with his jedi-like mind powers anytime he wanted to. Sanal Edamaruku came forward and challenged Sharma to kill him on live TV. Sharma accepted, and on live TV, in front of millions of viewers… absolutely nothing happened! Mr. Sanal Edamaruku lived, and continues to actively pursue and challenge those in his country who say they have mystical power, often confronting them on live TV. If I was a millionaire, I would fund a worldwide tour for Sanal Edamaruku and sell the series to USA or SPIKE. Instant hit! [TIMESONLINE.UK]

* And the winner of the solid gold WTF crown this week is SAUDI ARABIA! Because in this day and age, 20-freakin-10 AD, a man is going to be killed for sorcery. No kidding! The “Saudi Arabian religious police (known as the Mutawa’een)” arrested this man (Ali Hussain Sibat) in 2008 for “predict(ing) the future on his show and give(ing) out advice to his audience.” And their appeals high court upheld the death sentence! The judges said that killing Ali Hussain Sibat “would deter others from practicing sorcery”. WTF!! Shouldn’t Saudia Arabia handle “sorcery” claims by calling Sanal Edamaruku? Or at least see if Ali Hussain Sibat weighs the same as a duck first? [CNN]

* And finally, in happier news, science has discovered that babies are born to dance! Well, duuuuuh! My nephew showed me this years ago! Excuse me, but I’ve got to go and get down with him to Mickey Mouse’s “hot dog” song now! [SCIENCEDAILY]

Have a great weekend ya’ll! Be back Monday!

The new Predators trailer is out. “Royce” is played by Adrien Brody.

The new Predators trailer is out!

The main character named “Royce” is played by a fairly fit Adrien Brody. I was hoping for a Vin Diesel meets Bruce Campbell type, but so far, it looks good.

Danny Trejo and Laurence Fishburne are in it too as Royce’s partners. I don’t know who the rest of the cast is, but these three should be able to kill off a planet full of Predators just fine.

And you know I’m going to be there on opening day!

Is your twitter account sending out spam in your name? Try this…

If you have a twitter account that’s posting spam messages without your permission, you should follow these 7 steps to clear it up…

#1 – Log in to your Twitter account

#2 – Go to SETTINGS on the top right of the page

#3 – In the new page that appears, click on CONNECTIONS

#4 – Under the “You’ve allowed the following applications to access your account” headline is a list of every application and website that has permission to post to your twitter account. REVOKE ACCESS on everything. (You can keep “Google by Google Inc : Google/Twitter integration”, but that’s all I would recommend.)

#5 – Now click on SETTINGS  on the top right menu

#6 – In the new page that appears, click on PASSWORD

#7 – Change your password to something new

That should clear out the ghost in your twitter account.

Recall : Counterfeit surgical mesh under the C. R. Bard/Davol brand name

First of all, what kind of evil bastich sells fake surgical supplies? That’s going to max out the Bad Karma Card pretty quick!

The FDA announced a recall on “counterfeit surgical mesh being distributed in the United States under the C. R. Bard/Davol brand name.”

“Investigations by the FDA and Bard show that the following products, sizes and lots of counterfeit flat sheet polypropylene surgical mesh are not manufactured by Bard. To date, four product sizes have been identified:

0112650 – Bard Flat Mesh 2”x 4”
Lot 43APD007
Lot 48HVS036
0112660 – Bard Flat Mesh 10”x 14”
Lot HURL0336
Lot HUSD0629
0112680 – Bard Flat Mesh 3”x 6” Lot 43HPD027
Lot 43HPD032
Lot HUSG0540
Lot 43HDP027
Lot HUSE0532 Lot 43LPD507
Lot HUSF0763
Lot 43IOD011
Lot 43IPD038
0112720 – Bard Flat Mesh 6” x 6” Lot 43FQD327

It should be pretty easy to catch whoever is manufacturing and selling these. Just arrest the sales reps who showed up with these items, offer them reduced (or no) jail time in trade for information on where they got it, and backtrack where they got it from. And then put the manufacturers of this in jail for a long time, because messing with ER supplies is directly messing with people’s lives.

Here’s the link to the official FDA recall notice.

Recall : All food products with HVP made by “Basic Food Flavors” as ingredient

You ‘member the Pringles Potato Chip recall from last week? How I said it was gonna’ snowball because it wasn’t really Pringles that had salmonella, but an ingredient Pringles outsourced that had salmonella?

Bingo.

The FDA announced today a major recall of most everything with HVP in it made by a company called Basic Food Flavors. Apparently a mega-sized batch of their HVP product had salmonella all over it. Unfortunately, “Hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) is a flavor enhancer commonly used in processed foods”, which means a lot of products are going to be recalled on this one.

The FDA has a spreadsheet that lists what has been recalled so far…

Brand Name Description Recalling Firm Pack Size Lot Numbers
Johnny’s Fine Foods French Dip Powdered Au Jus Johnny’s Fine Foods 6oz bottles Expiration date: 0332
Johnny’s Fine Foods French Dip Powdered Au Jus Johnny’s Fine Foods 1.1oz foil packets Expiration date: 02212
T. Marzetti Southwest Ranch Veggie Dip T. Marzetti 15.5 ounce plastic tubs Best By dates: APR2010F, APR2810F, MAY1610F, MAY3110F, JUN0610F, JUN1410F, JUN1910F
T. Marzetti Fat Free Southwest Ranch Veggie Dip T. Marzetti 13 ounce plastic tubs Best By dates: MAY1610F, MAY3010F, JUN0810F, JUN1210F, JUN2510F
T. Marzetti Spinach Veggie Dip T. Marzetti 15 ounce plastic tubs Best By dates: APR1910F, MAY0910F, JUN0710F
T. Marzetti Spinach Veggie Dip, Epinards, Trempette A Legumes T. Marzetti 340 gram plastic tubs Best By dates: 10AL11F, 10AL17F, 10AL24F, 10AL30F, 10MA08F, 10JN12F
T. Marzetti Southwest Ranch Veggie Dip, Ranch style sud-ouest americain Trempette A Legumes T. Marzetti 340 gram plastic tubs Best By dates: 10AL17F, 10AL24F, 10AL30F, 10MA08F, 10JN05F, 10JN14F
Oak Lake Farms French Onion Chip Dip T. Marzetti 16 ounce plastic tubs Best By dates: APR2310F, JUN1110F, JUN2610F
Great Value Ranch Chip Dip T. Marzetti 16 ounce plastic tubs Best By dates: 042810F, 050810F, 052910F, 053010F, 053110F, 060410F, 060510F, 061110F
Castella Chicken Soup Base Castella Imports 1 lb. plastic jar Lots numbers: 0912039918, 1001121915, 1002013074, and 1002194266; Exp. dates: 12-3-2010 through 2-28-2011
Castella Chicken Soup Base Castella Imports 25 lb. white bucket Lots numbers:0911259508, 0911259508A, 0912150738, 0912180973, 0912211087, 1001192342, 1001282925, 1002194267; Exp. dates: 11-25-2010 through 2-28-2011
Hawaiian Kettle Style Potato Chips – Sweet Maui Onion Tim’s Cascade Snacks 1 ounce bags Code dates: MAR 09 10 up to and including JUN 07 10
Hawaiian Kettle Style Potato Chips – Sweet Maui Onion Tim’s Cascade Snacks 1.5 ounce bags Code dates: MAR 09 10 up to and including JUN 07 11
Hawaiian Kettle Style Potato Chips – Sweet Maui Onion Tim’s Cascade Snacks 2 ounce bags Code dates: MAR 09 10 up to and including JUN 07 12
Hawaiian Kettle Style Potato Chips – Sweet Maui Onion Tim’s Cascade Snacks 5 ounce bags Code dates: MAR 09 10 up to and including JUN 07 13
Hawaiian Kettle Style Potato Chips – Sweet Maui Onion Tim’s Cascade Snacks 8 ounce bags Code dates: MAR 09 10 up to and including JUN 07 14
Hawaiian Kettle Style Potato Chips – Sweet Maui Onion Tim’s Cascade Snacks 18 ounce bags Code dates: MAR 09 10 up to and including JUN 07 15
Hawaiian Kettle Style Potato Chips – Sweet Maui Onion Tim’s Cascade Snacks 32 ounce bags Code dates: MAR 09 10 up to and including JUN 07 16
Hawaiian Kettle Style Potato Chips – Sweet Maui Onion Tim’s Cascade Snacks 2 ounce 15 pack Code dates: MAR 09 10 up to and including JUN 07 17
Hawaiian Kettle Style Potato Chips – Sweet Maui Onion Tim’s Cascade Snacks 1.5 ounce; It’s Time for Tim’s Variety Pack, 36 count Code dates: MAR 09 10 up to and including JUN 07 18
Hawaiian Kettle Style Potato Chips – Sweet Maui Onion Tim’s Cascade Snacks 70 gram bags Code dates: MAR 09 10 up to and including JUN 07 19
Hawaiian Kettle Style Potato Chips – Sweet Maui Onion Tim’s Cascade Snacks 210 gram bags Code dates: MAR 09 10 up to and including JUN 07 20
Hawaiian Kettle Style Potato Chips – Sweet Maui Onion Tim’s Cascade Snacks 908 gram bags Code dates: MAR 09 10 up to and including JUN 07 21
Hawaiian Sweet Maui Onion Rings Tim’s Cascade Snacks 0.75 ounce bags Code dates: MAR 23 10 and all dates up to JUN 21 10
Hawaiian Sweet Maui Onion Rings Tim’s Cascade Snacks 1.5 ounce bags Code dates: MAR 23 10 and all dates up to JUN 21 11
Hawaiian Sweet Maui Onion Rings Tim’s Cascade Snacks 4 ounce bags Code dates: MAR 23 10 and all dates up to JUN 21 12
Hawaiian Sweet Maui Onion Rings Tim’s Cascade Snacks 42 gram bags Code dates: MAR 23 10 and all dates up to JUN 21 13
Homemade Gourmet Tortilla Soup Mix Homemade Gourmet 1.96 oz packages Lots: S1004812411 and S1004912111, Sold 2/17/2010 through 3/1/2010
Homemade Gourmet Tortilla Soup Mix Homemade Gourmet 1.96 oz (55.6 g) pouch part of Let’s Make Dinner Collection Lots: S1004812411 and S1004912111, Sold 2/17/2010 through 3/1/2011
Homemade Gourmet Tortilla Soup Mix Homemade Gourmet 1.96 oz (55.6 g) pouch part of $800 pre-select order for consultants Lots: S1004812411 and S1004912111, Sold 2/17/2010 through 3/1/2012
Follow Your Heart BBQ Braised Tofu Earth Island 10 oz Use By: 11/10/09 through 03/09/10
Follow Your Heart BBQ Braised Tofu Earth Island 8 lb Use By: 11/10/09 through 03/09/10
Follow Your Heart Cheezy Garlic Pasta Earth Island 8 oz Use By: 11/10/09 through 03/06/10
Follow Your Heart Cheezy Garlic Pasta Earth Island 7 lb Use By: 11/10/09 through 03/06/10
Follow Your Heart Curried Tofu Earth Island 10 oz Use By: 11/10/09 through 03/09/10
Follow Your Heart Curried Tofu with Rice Earth Island 7 lb Use By: 11/10/09 through 03/09/10
Follow Your Heart Heartsmart Burger Earth Island 7 oz Use By: 11/10/09 through 03/19/10
Follow Your Heart Kung Pao Tofu Earth Island 10 oz Use By: 11/10/09 through 03/08/10
Follow Your Heart Kung Pao Tofu with Rice Earth Island 7 lb Use By: 11/10/09 through 03/08/10
Follow Your Heart Savory Tofu Saute Earth Island 10 oz Use By: 11/10/09 through 03/10/10
Follow Your Heart Savory Tofu Saute Earth Island 7 lb Use By: 11/10/09 through 03/10/10
Follow Your Heart Smoked “Chicken” Pasta Earth Island 8 oz Use By: 11/10/09 through 03/14/10
Follow Your Heart Smoked “Chicken” Pasta Earth Island 7 lb Use By: 11/10/09 through 03/14/10
Follow Your Heart Sweet & Sour Tofu Earth Island 10 oz Use By: 11/10/09 through 03/08/10
Follow Your Heart Sweet & Sour Tofu Earth Island 7 lb Use By: 11/10/09 through 03/08/10
Follow Your Heart Thai Peanut Tofu Earth Island 10 oz Use By: 11/10/09 through 03/08/10
Follow Your Heart Thai Peanut Tofu Wrap Earth Island 12 oz Use By: 11/10/09 through 03/11/10
Follow Your Heart Thai Peanut Braised Tofu Earth Island 8 lb Use By: 11/10/09 through 03/08/10
Follow Your Heart Texas Tofu Earth Island 10 oz Use By: 11/10/09 through 03/12/10
Follow Your Heart Veggie Burrito with Cheese Earth Island 12 oz Use By: 11/10/09 through 03/05/10
Follow Your Heart Low Fat Veggie Burrito Earth Island 12 oz Use By: 11/10/09 through 03/05/10
Follow Your Heart Beef Al Jus Earth Island 224 oz Use By: 11/10/09 through 03/19/10
Follow Your Heart Organic Creamy Ranch Dressing Earth Island 12oz Use By: JUN 14 10, JUN 21 10
Follow Your Heart Organic Creamy Ranch Dressing Earth Island 32oz Use By: JUN 14 10, JUN 21 10
Follow Your Heart Organic Creamy Ranch Dressing Earth Island 128oz Use By: JUN 14 10
Trader Joe’s Organic Creamy Ranch Dressing & Dip Earth Island 12oz Use By: JUN 13 10
Reser’s Ranch House Dressing Reser’s Fine Foods, Inc. 8 lb. Carton Use By: 1/23/10 – 4/27/10
Reser’s Creamy Ranch Dip Reser’s Fine Foods, Inc. 8oz. Plastic Cup Use By: 5/12/10 – 6/9/10
Reser’s Clam Dip Reser’s Fine Foods, Inc. 8oz. Plastic Cup Use By: 3/22/10 – 6/5/10
Reser’s French Onion Dip Reser’s Fine Foods, Inc. 8oz. Plastic Cup Use By: 3/1/10 – 6/5/10
Reser’s Cheese and Bacon Dip Reser’s Fine Foods, Inc. 8oz. Plastic Cup Use By: 4/2/10 – 5/27/10
Reser’s Creamy Ranch Dip Reser’s Fine Foods, Inc. 8 lb. Carton Use By: 5/2/10 – 6/4/10
Reser’s Creamy Ranch Dip Reser’s Fine Foods, Inc. 4oz. Plastic Cup Use By: 4/29/10 – 6/5/10
Reser’s Redskin Potato Safeway Reser’s Fine Foods, Inc. 16oz. Plastic Container Use By: 3/14/10 – 4/10/10
Reser’s Potato RedSkin Walmart Reser’s Fine Foods, Inc. 16oz. Plastic Container Use By: 12/27/09 – 4/6/10
Reser’s Potato RedSkin Walmart Reser’s Fine Foods, Inc. 32oz. Plastic Container Use By: 12/27/09 – 4/6/10
Reser’s Redskin Potato Reser’s Fine Foods, Inc. 5 lb. Plastic Tub Use By: 2/24/10 – 4/5/10
Reser’s Ranch Dip Reser’s Fine Foods, Inc. 8 lb. Carton Use By: 4/25/10 – 6/5/10
Herbox Beef Bouillon Creative Contract Packaging Corporation 1.13oz (32g) 8 packets Code Date: Mar 2012 V02220
Herbox Chicken Bouillon Creative Contract Packaging Corporation 1.13oz (32g) 8 packets Code Date: Mar 2012 V01280
Herbox Chicken Bouillon Creative Contract Packaging Corporation 7.05oz (200g) 50 packets Code Dates: V01290, V02040, V02080
Herbox Vegetable Bouillon Creative Contract Packaging Corporation 7.05oz (200g) 50 packets Code Date: V02020
Herbox Beef Bouillon Creative Contract Packaging Corporation 7.05oz (200g) 50 packets Code Date: V01190
Herbox Beef Bouillon Creative Contract Packaging Corporation 4.0oz (113g) Jar Code Date: Feb 2013 V01210
Herbox Chicken Bouillon Creative Contract Packaging Corporation 4.0oz (113g) Code Dates: Feb 2013 V01200, Feb 2013 V01250, Mar 2013 V02030
Concord Foods Foods Vegetable Dip Seasoning – Homestyle Concord Foods Inc 1.5 oz (43 g) Best By: 07/27/12
McCormick French Onion Dip Mix McCormick & Company 0.53-ounce packages Best Buy: OCT 06 11, OCT 07 11, NOV 03 11, NOV 06 11, DEC 04 11, JAN 04 12, JAN 23 12
McCormick Vegetable Dip Mix McCormick & Company 1.25-ounce packages Best Buy: JUN 08 11, JUL 09 11, JUL 28 11, JUL 08 11
McCormick Onion Gravy Mix McCormick & Company 0.87-ounce packages Best Buy: OCT 08 11, OCT 11 11, OCT 17 11, OCT 18 11, NOV 01 11, NOV 03 11, NOV 15 11, NOV 17 11, DEC 01 11, DEC 02 11, DEC 28 11, DEC 29 11, JAN 22 12, JAN 23 12, JAN 26 12, JAN 30 12, FEB 12 12, FEB 13 12, OCT 7 11, OCT 9 11, OCT 10 11, OCT 16 11, NOV 2 11, NOV 16 11, JAN 29 12
McCormick Corn Bread Stuffing McCormick & Company 42-ounce (2 lb. 10 oz.) Product Code: 4519BH, 4520BH, 5019BH, 4520AH
Delicioso Spinach Dip Fresh Food Concepts 12 oz USE BY dates 04/30/10 and before
De la Casa Spinach Dip Fresh Food Concepts 32 oz USE BY dates 04/30/10 and before
Rojo’s Garden Fresh Spinach Dip Fresh Food Concepts 14 oz USE BY dates 04/30/10 and before
Fresh Food Concepts Garden Fresh Spinach Dip Fresh Food Concepts 16 oz USE BY dates 04/30/10 and before
Fresh Food Concepts Spinach Dip with Real Yogurt Fresh Food Concepts 12 oz USE BY dates 04/30/10 and before
HK Anderson Honey Mustard Pretzel Bites National Pretzel Company 3.5 oz JUN 11 10 G6, JUN 11 10 I3, JUN 11 10 I5, JUL 01 10 G6, JUL 22 10 I3
HK Anderson Honey Mustard Pretzel Bites National Pretzel Company 9 oz MAY 14 10 G5, MAY 14 2010 I4, MAY 14 10 I4, JUN 11 10 G4, JUL 01 10 I5, 35139CP
HK Anderson Honey Mustard Pretzel Bites National Pretzel Company 18 oz Use By: MAY 14 2010 H4, MAY 14 2010 I4, JUN 11 2010 G6, JUN 11 2010 H5, JUL 01 2010 G6, JUL 22 2010 G4, JUL 22 2010 I3
CVS Honey Mustard Pretzel Bites National Pretzel Company 18 oz Use By: SEP 15 2010 G5, SEP 15 2010 G6, SEP 15 2010 G7, SEP 15 2010 H4, SEP 15 2010 H5, SEP15 2010 H6, SEP 15 2010 H7, SEP 15 2010 I4, SEP 15 2010 I5, SEP 15 2010 I6
President’s Choice Honey Mustard Onion Pretzel Bite National Pretzel Company 300 gr. Use By: 2010 MA 14 I2, 2010 MA 28 G3, 2010 MA 28 I2, 2010 JL 15 H7
Safeway Honey Mustard Onion Nugget National Pretzel Company 10 oz Use By:  MAY 11 10 I5, JUN 25 10 I3, JUL 01 10 I5
Sunflower Markets Honey Mustard Nugget National Pretzel Company Use By: MAY 14 10 H4
National Pretzel Company Honey Mustard Onion  Pretzel Pieces National Pretzel Company Bulk Use By: MAR 21 10 I3, APR 11 10 H3, APR 11 10 H5, MAY 01 10 G6, MAY 22 10 G4
National Pretzel Company Honey Mustard Onion Pretzel Bites National Pretzel Company Bulk Use By: 05 FEB 2010 I, APR 11 10 I5, APR 25 10 I3, MAY 0110 I5, 012710I, 0127I3
National Pretzel Company Whole Grain Honey Mustard Nuggets National Pretzel Company Bulk Use By: APR 11 10 G6, APR 11 10 H6
Great Nut Supply Honey Mustard Pretzels GNS Foods, Inc. 12oz Bags Lot/Code of 61150/0280
Spec’s Wines & Fine Foods Honey Mustard Pretzels GNS Foods, Inc. 10oz Plastic Jars Lot/Code of 61181/0330 or 210462/0320
Great Nut Supply Bar Mix GNS Foods, Inc. 1 lb Bags Lot/Code of 61147/0260
Spec’s Wines & Fine Foods Bar Mix GNS Foods, Inc. 26oz Plastic Jars Lot/Code of 61190/0330 or 210462/0320
Rouses Louisiana’s Best Bar Mix GNS Foods, Inc. 12oz Plastic Tubs Lot/Code of 60998/0120
Spec’s Wines & Fine Foods Honey Cheddar Mix GNS Foods, Inc. 10oz Plastic Jars Lot/Code of 61183/0330 or 210462/0320
Herr’s Cracked Pepper and Sea Salt Flavored Kettle Style Potato Chips Herr Foods Inc. 8.5 oz Code dates from FEB 27, 2010 up to an including May 15, 2010
Herr’s Cracked Pepper and Sea Salt Flavored Kettle Style Potato Chips Herr Foods Inc. 1.875 oz. Code dates from FEB 27, 2010 up to an including June 12, 2010
Pringles Restaurant Cravers Cheeseburger Procter & Gamble Company Super Stack Canister, 181 grams Best By: 02/2011, 04/2011
Pringles Family Faves Taco Night Procter & Gamble Company Super Stack Canister,
181 grams
Best By: 03/2011, 04/2011, 05/2011
Healthwise Cream of Mushroom Soup Nutritional Resources, Inc Foil lined pouches Lot number: 22267
Garden Harvest Special Blend Seasoning Olde Westport Spice 5 oz. jars Purchased from November 1, 2009 thru February 28, 2010
Garden Harvest Special Blend Seasoning Olde Westport Spice 10 oz. jars Purchased from November 1, 2009 thru February 28, 2010
Garden Harvest Special Blend Seasoning Olde Westport Spice 20 oz. bags Purchased from November 1, 2009 thru February 28, 2010
Dean’s Creamy Taco Dip Ventura Foods, LLC 8 oz. Sell By Dates: MAR 27 10, APR 29 10, JUN 02 10
Dean’s Green Onion Dip Ventura Foods, LLC 16 oz. Sell By Date: APR 30 10
Dean’s Ranch Dip Ventura Foods, LLC 16 oz. Sell By Dates: MAR 27 10 2020, MAR 28 10
Dean’s Guacamole Dip Ventura Foods, LLC 12 oz. Sell By Dates: MAR 28 10, MAR 29 10 0608
Dean’s Guacamole Dip Ventura Foods, LLC 18 oz. Sell By Dates: MAR 29 10, MAR 30 10
Dean’s Zesty Guacamole Dip Ventura Foods, LLC 12 oz. Sell By Dates: MAR 29 10, MAR 30 10
Dean’s Zesty Guacamole Dip Ventura Foods, LLC 18 oz. Sell By Date: MAR 29 10
Dean’s French Onion Dip Ventura Foods, LLC 8 oz. Sell By Dates: APR 29 10, APR 30 10
Dean’s French Onion Dip Ventura Foods, LLC 16 oz. Sell By Dates: MAR 28 10, APR 30 10, MAY 01 10, MAY 02 10, JUN 02 10, JUN 03 10
Dean’s French Onion w/Bacon Dip Ventura Foods, LLC 8 oz. Sell By Dates: MAR 27 10 1701 17-536, APR 29 10 0220 17-536
Dean’s French Onion w/Bacon Dip Ventura Foods, LLC 16 oz. Sell By Dates: MAR 27 10, JUN 02 10
Quaker Snack Mix Baked Cheddar Quaker 8 oz. Sell-by date: June 15, 2010
Quaker Snack Mix Baked Cheddar Quaker 1.75 oz. Sell-by date: June 15, 2010
French’s Thick Spaghetti Sauce Mix ACH Food Companies, Inc. 1.63 oz foil paper laminate pouches OA14B53
Durkee Thick and Rich Spaghetti Sauce Mix ACH Food Companies, Inc. 1.63 oz foil paper laminate pouches OA18B43
Durkee Grill Creations Marinade Mix Italian Herb ACH Food Companies, Inc. 1.12 oz foil paper laminate pouches 9K24B44, 9K12B44
Weber Grill Creations Italian Herb Marinade Mix ACH Food Companies, Inc. 1.12 oz foil paper laminate pouches OA18B43, OA19B43
Publix Mushroom Gravy Mix Publix Super Markets 0.75oz
Publix Meatloaf Seasoning Publix Super Markets 1oz.
Publix Beef Flavored Stew Mix Publix Super Markets 1.45oz.
Publix Au Jus Gravy Mix Publix Super Markets 1oz.
Kroger Onion Soup & Dip Mix Kroger Co. 2-ounce packages Sell-by dates: JAN 06 11 through FEB 17 11
Kroger Beefy Onion Soup & Dip Mix Kroger Co. 2.2-ounce packages Sell-by dates: DEC 28 10 through FEB 23 11
Mrs. Gerry’s Crab Creole Spread Mrs. Gerry’s Kitchen, Inc. 6/7oz plastic container Use by Dates: 4/20/10
Mrs. Gerry’s Old Fashioned Spinach Dip Mrs. Gerry’s Kitchen, Inc. 12/12 oz. plastic container Use by Dates: 1/27 – 4/22/10
Mrs. Gerry’s Old Fashioned Spinach Dip Mrs. Gerry’s Kitchen, Inc. 2/5 lb. plastic container Use by Dates: 1/27 – 4/14/10
Mrs. Gerry’s Old Home Spinach Dip Mrs. Gerry’s Kitchen, Inc. 12/8 oz. plastic cup Use by Dates: 1/27 – 4/22/10
Culinary Circle Pesto Ranch Dip Orval Kent Food Company, Inc. 10 oz Use By dates between 12/12/09 and 4/16/10
Culinary Circle Cucumber Dill Dip Orval Kent Food Company, Inc. 10 oz Use By dates between 12/12/09 and 4/16/10
Culinary Circle Spinach Dip Orval Kent Food Company, Inc. 10 oz Use By dates between 12/12/09 and 4/16/10
Austinuts Honey Mustard Pretzels Austinuts 16 ounce clear zipper bags
Minor’s Bacon Base Nestlé Professional North America 1 pound plastic cups Est. number: 1045; case code number: 00 074826 08606 7-00 G 11003264; package code numbers: 92815489, 93095489, or 93385489
Tornados Ranchero Beef & Cheese Ruiz Foods, Inc. 8.4 ounce boxes Est. number 17523A; code numbers: 09357, 10023, 10028, 10030, 10031, or 10032
Giant Eagle Steak Taquitos Windsor Foods 1.25 pound cartons Est. number: 5990; package code: 3350025
Jose Ole Taquitos–Shredded Steak Rolled in Corn Tortillas Windsor Foods 1.25 pound cartons Est. number: 5990; package codes: 3359327, 3359334, 3359337, 3359338, 3359342, 3359343, 3359344, 3359345, 3359353, 3359354, 3359355, 3359356, 3359363, 3350002, 3350004, 3350007, 3350008, 3350012, 3350016, 3350017, 3350018, 3350023, 3350025, 3350026, 3350029, 3350031, 3350033, 3350036, 3350040, 3350042, 3350046, 3350047, 3350055, 3350057, 3350060, 3350062
Jose Ole Taquitos–Shredded Steak Rolled in Corn Tortillas Windsor Foods 2.5 pound cartons Est. number: 5990; package codes: 3359340, 3359357, 3350005, 3350014, 3350028, 3350037, 3350053, 3350020, 3350044
El Pasado Beef Taquitos Windsor Foods 1.6 pound cartons Est. number: 5990; package codes: 3350017 or 3350029
El Pasado Shredded Beef Mini Taquitos Windsor Foods 4 pound cartons Est. number 5990; package codes: 3350002, 3350005, 3350023, 3350037
Casa Solana Shredded Beef Mini Taquitos Windsor Foods 4 pound cartons Est. number: 5990; package codes: 3359344 or 3350060
E-Z Eats! Beef Taquitos Windsor Foods 12.5 pound cartons Est. number: 5990; package code: 3350042
Jose Ole Beef Taquitos Windsor Foods 20 pound cartons Est. number: 5990; package codes: 3359337, or 3350012
Posada Taquitos Corn Shredded Beef Windsor Foods 3.3 pound cartons Est. number: 5990; package codes: 3359357, 3350005, 3350020
Jose Ole Taquitos–Shredded Steak Rolled in Corn Tortillas Windsor Foods 15 ounce cartons Est. number: 5990; package codes: 3359342, 3359354, 3350018, 3350031, 3350047, 3350051
El Pasado Grilled Chicken Quesadillas Grilled White Meat Chicken, Cheese & Salsa Folded in a Flour Tortilla Windsor Foods 15 pound boxes Est. number: P-34708; package codes: 3530028 or 3539352

That’s a lot of products.

Here’s the link to download an Excel spreadsheet from the FDA with more product details and lot numbers on this recall.

Here’s the official FDA recall list and general FDA recall article on the giant mess. And there’s even a brief article on MSN on the recall.

And so much for Kettle Chips and Follow Your Heart products being “all natural”. They’re in this recall too!

UPDATE: According to Wikipedia, HVP = MSG!

Using HVP “circumvents the necessity to add the controversial monosodium glutamate [MSG] on the label” of foodstuff. It is so similar, “people sensitive to MSG should avoid hydrolyzed vegetable protein.”

WTF! So HVP is the equivalent of an end-around play so food manufacturers don’t have to put MSG on their ingredient labels but still have it in their product?

That’s pretty damn rotten.