Health insurance decisions

[iris lilies]

So are roads, fire and police, and libraries.

I can show you both my tax bill and my paycheck from a library that prove these services are not free. They are government provided.

[catherine]

I can show you both my tax bill and my paycheck from a library that prove these services are not free. They are government provided.

That's my point. I believe that universal healthcare should be put in the same bucket as public education and public safety.

[Tradd]

That's my point. I believe that universal healthcare should be put in the same bucket as public education and public safety.

I’ve talked with a number of people of all ages who think govt provided healthcare is free. When you explain that there is no cost at point of service, but it’s paid for through taxes, they just don’t get it.

[Alan]

That's my point. I believe that universal healthcare should be put in the same bucket as public education and public safety.

Those other things are traditionally provided by state and local governments although our increasingly behemoth federal government has intruded into some areas by providing money received from one state to help fund things such as education in another state. I think we've given up an awful lot of autonomy in hopes of receiving other peoples money and would hate to see our federal government have so much power over us. But maybe that's just me.

[JaneV2.0]

I have never had a problem paying taxes that solve a genuine problem that citizens have. I have a big problem funding graft and war.

[rosarugosa]

I don't like "free" and I don't like "government provided." I think "publicly funded" is more accurate.

[ApatheticNoMore]

I guess I'd compare the coverage network, deductibles etc. between options 2 and 3 and if one has doctors they are heck bent on keeping which plans they are "in-network" for. Coverage networks in the ACA can be a pretty small network, "narrow networks", so that's one thing to look out for. Deductibles for say a silver plan are over 2k. Does taking #2 affect the amount you would get in pension in any way? I mean my general experience is employer provided plans are much better plans than ACA plans, but much does depend on the details.

ACA may work well for early retirees, what I've said many times is it doesn't work well for the unemployed, because it requires one to estimate yearly income because one can earn too much money for ACA subsidies but one can also earn TOO LITTLE money for the ACA (and yet to get Medicaid one needs no assets pretty much - is that a hole in the safety net or what?). When one is looking for work by definition they can't estimate this, it' the very nature of looking for work, the unpredictability of income. But a lot of people are pandemic unemployed now, and so the constituency for single payer only grows. I suspect many people just drop healthcare coverage altogether when unemployed, certainly I know those who do and they aren't all young and in great health either.

[iris lilies]

I guess I'd compare the coverage network, deductibles etc. between options 2 and 3 and if one has doctors they are heck bent on keeping which plans they are "in-network" for. Coverage networks in the ACA can be a pretty small network, "narrow networks", so that's one thing to look out for. Deductibles for say a silver plan are over 2k. Does taking #2 affect the amount you would get in pension in any way? I mean my general experience is employer provided plans are much better plans than ACA plans, but much does depend on the details.

ACA may work well for early retirees, what I've said many times is it doesn't work well for the unemployed, because it requires one to estimate yearly income because one can earn too much money for ACA subsidies but one can also earn TOO LITTLE money for the ACA (and yet to get Medicaid one needs no assets pretty much - is that a hole in the safety net or what?). When one is looking for work by definition they can't estimate this, it' the very nature of looking for work, the unpredictability of income. But a lot of people are pandemic unemployed now, and so the constituency for single payer only grows. I suspect many people just drop healthcare coverage altogether when unemployed, certainly I know those who do and they aren't all young and in great health either.

APN, you are wrong about needing to have no or low assets to jump on the Medicaid train.

The program known popularly as “expanded Medicaid” looks at income, not assets. There are MANY multimillionaires on Medicaid in “expansion” states. Just skim the thread on Mr. Money Mustache to see all of the high asset/low income people who use the ACA and Medicaid because those programs work in their financial favor.

It was, er, quaint when due to the fked up way the gubmnt run ACA exchange couldnt recognize DH as a joint income person. he was poor! In their eyes. And since he had no income, They insisted he should take Medicaid services.

This was a laughable experience for us, and all we had to do to humor them for a few months was to keep sending the income tax returns until he could hop onto the other gubmnt program, Medicare. I pity the poor fools who actually had to deal with the ACA bureaucrats for a length of time longer than a few months. They are ridiculous. But sure, let us have “them” fund And run the whole shebang. Ugh. Inflexible and idiotic are two words that come to my mind.

But back to Tammy’s question: if she has regular income stream, APN is right that it is easier to Estimate if an ACA policy works for her.

[Tammy]

Is insurance through your SO not an option? Do you carry coverage for SO or only yourself?

I carry coverage for both of us. He retired a year ago but isn’t old enough for Medicare.

[Tammy]

Ok.

the complaining about ACA policies that obviously work well for many people is what makes me skeptical of there EVER being healthcare that satisfies everyone, a world where I dont have to listen to complaints about what gubmnt isnt handing out.

ACA policies fit early retirees very well. Of course, they have to pay something in some way. I guess it is all supposed to be “ free.”

If I don’t qualify for long term disability and still can’t work, then yes Obamacare is good. Less than 500 for two of us.

If I qualify for disability the cost of any of these 3 options will eat up at least half of my disability income.

Maybe it’s sticker shock but that seems wrong. Insurance will cost 3 times as much as my house payment in this situation.