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Before you head onto the roads this December, remember to combat the practice of driving while impaired by alcohol and drugs as promoted by National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month. Originally getting its start in 1982 by former President Ronald Reagan, the month is dedicated to increasing awareness of this dangerous practice and decreasing the number of injuries and deaths as a result.

Why This Month is Important

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 36 people in the U.S. die every day from vehicle crashes that involve alcohol. The National Commission Against Drunk Driving also notes that 41 percent of all traffic crashes are alcohol-related. With these high accident rates, it's no surprise that in total, $51 billion in auto insurance and medical costs are associated with alcohol-related crashes every year.

Suggestions from the CDC

In honor of this special month, and to help you stay safe during the holiday season, the CDC offers tips to help protect you and your family:

• Plan ahead before partying: If you plan on drink while out celebrating the holidays, be sure to designate a non-drinking driver to help you get home safely.
• Take a friend's keys: If you are hanging out with a friend who drove alone and is now intoxicated, take the keys to stop them from driving under the influence.
• Be a good host: If you are throwing a holiday party and know you'll be serving alcohol, take on the responsibility of reminding your guests to either drink the clearly-marked alcohol-free beverages or ask them to bring or plan to leave with a responsible sober driver.

There is nothing more devastating than losing a loved one - or forcing someone else to lose a loved one - due to an accident caused by drunk driving. So take on the responsibility for everyone around you by promoting the message of National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month in December and beyond.

If you liked these, here are some other car insurance tips for you to consider.

As a part of Senate's ongoing work on the health care bill, they are now discussing ways to expand the Medicare and Medicaid programs. In closed-door negotiations among 10 Democratic senators (five moderates and five liberals), proposals have emerged to break a deadlock that has managed to slow the Senate's action on the entire health bill.

Proposed Expansions to Medicare and Medicaid

Among the negotiations that took place on Monday, were the following:

• Age adjustment for Medicare: Currently, the starting age to receive Medicare benefits is 65. However, one proposal being considered by the small panel is to open the program up to people ages 55 to 64 if they can't find coverage elsewhere. The proposal would allow them to purchase coverage at subsidized rates under the program.
• Income qualifications adjusted for Medicaid: One scenario for Medicaid is that those with incomes up to 150 percent of the federal poverty level (currently at $22,000 for a family of four) would qualify for the program.

Why Discuss Expanding the Programs?

The reason that the Democrats are discussing an expansion of Medicare and Medicaid is to come up with an alternative to an extensive government-run plan (public option). Right now, the senators are divided on the issue and need trade-offs to back them up.

As for the public option, one proposal recently on the table has been to empower the government's Office of Personnel Management to come up with a new national health plan. With its power, the office would negotiate terms with private insurers and then contract with nonprofit organizations to run the program.

Trying to remain focused on the ultimate goal of the new legislation is what's causing a struggle for the Democrats. They need to control the growth of health-care costs while expanding insurance coverage to low- and middle-income families.

What do you think would be a good way for Senate to cut health care costs and expand insurance coverage?

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