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I will not have health insurance on Jan 1, 2014.
MGLICKER
Posts: 7,995 ✭✭✭
Same as Jan 1, 2013-2012-2011-2010-2009-2008-2007-2006-2005-2004-2003-2002-2001-2000-1999-1998-1997-1996-1995-1994-1993-1992-1991-1990-1989-1988-1987-1986-1985-1984-1983-1982.
Though unpopular in many circles today, I believe in personal responsibility. Eat right and in moderation, exercise daily, and don't get in a car with a drunk (unless he is sleeping in the backseat).
And when one requires a health professional, cash in some precious metals and negotiate like you are an insurance company.
Though unpopular in many circles today, I believe in personal responsibility. Eat right and in moderation, exercise daily, and don't get in a car with a drunk (unless he is sleeping in the backseat).
And when one requires a health professional, cash in some precious metals and negotiate like you are an insurance company.
0
Comments
Cancer, cranial aneurysm rupture, days in an ICU etc can and does quickly bankrupt many people young, old, fit or not!
Insurance is to guard against a cataclysmic event. You hope you never have to use it.
If you think it can't happen to you (or anyone) you are in denial, a gambler or nieve.
Best of luck.
JMHO but I have seen it happen very very often.
<< <i>We are a fear driven society. >>
" I am speachless!"
The president stated that the date to be insured has changed day to day while he was in Hawaii. I would think the major networks would scroll across the bottom of the screen the saying" If you do not have an insurance card in your possession, Do not assume that you have insurance". On the other side of the coin as screwed up as the ACA is I would love to see thousands that know that they don't have insurance flock to the ER;s and hospitals across the country and make it look like Wal-Mart when they have 4 tvs for 299 with 1200 people in line........
This is going to be worse than Katrina folks wanting all the gument aid...........
A wise man once said it will rain one day, you need an umbrella.
Too many positive BST transactions with too many members to list.
$1,000,000 each for what? really for what? 15 months of toxic poison coursing through their veins?
Let me drive the Italian convertible, not the Doc.
<< <i>Everyone needs AT LEAST catatrophic coverage heath insurance. If you are a financially responsible person, sensible in everyday life, and are a good planner, you don't need the Platinum health insurance plan with all the bells and whistles that you pay out of the nose for every month.
A wise man once said it will rain one day, you need an umbrella. >>
Half the nation is obese, nobody chastises them for committing suicide with a knife and fork. Guy comes along that takes care of himself and he is a pariah for being wise enough to stay out of the toxic insurance pool.
I knew it would happen.
Medical costs are 18% of GDP and we have pretty much destroyed our economy trying to cover this burden. Would you give up your home for insurance? Auto? A couple meals a day? Just how important is this guarantee worth to each of you?
Any random medical emergency could cost you a years salary in a week. If you have the insurance it will only cost 6 months .
Give Me Liberty or Give Me Debt
Before that, my job provided medical insurance, as it does now, and also these days I pay extra out of my check for 3 dependents.
That's great that MGLICKER can go it alone, Thoreau and Emerson self reliance and all that, but not practical nor advisable for a family man, IMO
Those two unplanned C-sections, plus a few other expensive procedures, would have wiped us out in the short and maybe long term
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
Obviously the OP hasn't really needed it yet. Continued wellness wishes to him and to everyone.
Too many positive BST transactions with too many members to list.
I knew it would happen.
Unless your tax. . . I mean penalty for no insurance is greater.
Give Me Liberty or Give Me Debt
<< <i>Any random medical emergency could cost you a years salary in a week. If you have the insurance it will only cost 6 months .
Not far off. I did call the ACA hotline a few months ago regarding the cheap plan. It was 60% coverage with a 40% copay. I asked the lady what my maximum deductible would be and she didn't know.
The symptom that brought me to the ER was an inability to urinate. I never thought this could happen to me! And let me tell you, having an insurance card is the difference between getting all of the necessary tests (catscan, MRI, Blood tests, etc). I was lucky as I could have also lost my ability to walk. $150k later (covered by insurance), I am well, not broke and appreciative of all the modern technology that essentially saved my life. Btw, the surgeon thinks that this type of tumor may have come from dental xrays I received as a child before protective lead shields were used (50's and 60's). This situation i encountered had nothing to do with obesity or drunk drivers.
Many small business owners know that times can get tough and money can get very tight. Had I been paying a 10% vassal tax to the Doctors all along, I would have had to fold at some point and get a real job.
Nothing wrong with that, but the economy of this great nation was built by individuals with a strong back, a keen mind and a will to succeed. And even by little guys like me that had a small payroll and a big dream.
I fear that by imposing this Obamacare tax on the young and healthy, we are adding one more barrier to those that want to excel on their own. They are already saddled with mega trillion dollar obligations that we and our parents decided was better to defer to the next generation, and now this ball and chain of the ACA is fitted on those that we should care most about.
so far this is the best online comparison of one man's ACA plans I've seen by anyone. devil is in the details
When you get down to the table scroll sideways to see the percentages on some common health problems. This guy slogged through dozens of plans and broke down what percentage different plans pay for things like diabetes and normal healthy pregnancies .
Imagine paying 500 a month premiums for a bronze plan then having to spend another $12,000 before your "insurance" plan will pay 16% of the bill for a normal pregnancy
None of it addresses the obvious question of if you have a health emergency that straddles the end of the policy year do you eat the deductible twice?
<< <i>Everyone needs AT LEAST catatrophic coverage heath insurance. If you are a financially responsible person, sensible in everyday life, and are a good planner, you don't need the Platinum health insurance plan with all the bells and whistles that you pay out of the nose for every month. A wise man once said it will rain one day, you need an umbrella. >>
Thing is, the catastrophic health care plan for people in the 50-60 range or older is probably 80-90% of the total cost of any plan. I've had a catastrophic health care plan policy for the past 5 years where I basically pay for
everything up to $10K per year. The cost has risen approx 8-14%% every year. The ACA "boost" gives it a 24% increase on January 1st to $960/mo. or $11,500 per year. This is crazy. And this is the cheapest plan
in the entire state that I can find offered by any state approved health care company. I'm willing to accept waivers for various diseases and conditions for a lower premium since I feel it is my responsibility to manage my personal
health and life style. But, these companies wouldn't possibly drop specific coverages for diabetes, specific cancers, Alzheimers, etc. for a net reduction in premium. It has gotten to the point where I may have to join the OP in the I
don't want health insurance line. I suspect that even once I make it to social security age (assuming it's not bumped to 70, then 75, etc.) that the current 20% not covered by Medicare will probably balloon to some obscene
amount like $1,000-$2,000/month. If I run into a very low cure rate cancer like pancreatic cancer more than likely I would attempt to treat it naturally with supplements, herbs, etc....and not drugs. Odds you will buy the farm
soon so why prolong the agony and bleed your financial resources to zero? Even with these catastrophic plans you can get there's going to be 10-30% of that $1 MILL that comes out of your pocket. They got you coming and
going. For living the most healthy lifestyle of my entire life the past 5 years what did I get?.....a nearly 3X increase in my premiums. And there's still 5-8 years to go before Medicare provides any benefit. 5 years ago I didn't
dream that I was signing up for the equivalent of a "second mortgage".....and it's still ballooning. Now I get it....this is what "balloon" payments are all about.
<< <i>
Though unpopular in many circles today, I believe in personal responsibility. Eat right and in moderation, exercise daily, and don't get in a car with a drunk (unless he is sleeping in the backseat).
>>
Unfortunately many other people do not believe in personal responsibility. All the responsibility in the world won't prevent some broke-ass drunk guy from crashing into you one day. It could rack up $100,000+ in medical bills in the blink of an eye.
<< <i>
<< <i>Everyone needs AT LEAST catatrophic coverage heath insurance. If you are a financially responsible person, sensible in everyday life, and are a good planner, you don't need the Platinum health insurance plan with all the bells and whistles that you pay out of the nose for every month. A wise man once said it will rain one day, you need an umbrella. >>
Thing is, the catastrophic health care plan for people in the 50-60 range or older is probably 80-90% of the total cost of any plan. I've had a catastrophic health care plan policy for the past 5 years where I basically pay for
everything up to $10K per year. The cost has risen approx 8-14%% every year. The ACA "boost" gives it a 24% increase on January 1st to $960/mo. or $11,500 per year. This is crazy. And this is the cheapest plan
in the entire state that I can find offered by any state approved health care company. I'm willing to accept waivers for various diseases and conditions for a lower premium since I feel it is my responsibility to manage my personal
health and life style. But, these companies wouldn't possibly drop specific coverages for diabetes, specific cancers, Alzheimers, etc. for a net reduction in premium. It has gotten to the point where I may have to join the OP in the I
don't want health insurance line. I suspect that even once I make it to social security age (assuming it's not bumped to 70, then 75, etc.) that the current 20% not covered by Medicare will probably balloon to some obscene
amount like $1,000-$2,000/month. If I run into a very low cure rate cancer like pancreatic cancer more than likely I would attempt to treat it naturally with supplements, herbs, etc....and not drugs. Odds you will buy the farm
soon so why prolong the agony and bleed your financial resources to zero? Even with these catastrophic plans you can get there's going to be 10-30% of that $1 MILL that comes out of your pocket. They got you coming and
going. For living the most healthy lifestyle of my entire life the past 5 years what did I get?.....a nearly 3X increase in my premiums. And there's still 5-8 years to go before Medicare provides any benefit. 5 years ago I didn't
dream that I was signing up for the equivalent of a "second mortgage".....and it's still ballooning. Now I get it....this is what "balloon" payments are all about.
You get a "balloon" angioplasty where the sun don't shine!
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<< <i>We were told that healthcare costs were out of control, and the government would step in to help us..... they did.... and now costs are so far out of control that many who had health insurance can no longer afford it. This is a disaster that I do not think we can recover from, since we have moved beyond the 'tipping point' and insurance companies could not go back even if the government plan was repealed...... what a mess. Cheers, RickO >>
I agree with you on this Rick. Unfortunately, I believe this is what the Washington group were hoping for, so they can then go to the next step... a single payer system totally controlled by Washington. You will be owned by the government and all health care will be at their discretion.
<< <i>
<< <i>We were told that healthcare costs were out of control, and the government would step in to help us..... they did.... and now costs are so far out of control that many who had health insurance can no longer afford it. This is a disaster that I do not think we can recover from, since we have moved beyond the 'tipping point' and insurance companies could not go back even if the government plan was repealed...... what a mess. Cheers, RickO >>
I agree with you on this Rick. Unfortunately, I believe this is what the Washington group were hoping for, so they can then go to the next step... a single payer system totally controlled by Washington. You will be owned by the government and all health care will be at their discretion. >>
This. By design. And confessed so.
BUT leading a healthy lifestyle, doing all the right things, etc... will not be enough. Not having at least catastrophic type of coverage is like throwing the dice. The odds may be somewhat in your favor but eventually you will have a bad throw that can wipe you out.
As mentioned, it can happen in a split second by another individual driving drunk and you may not even see it coming and thus no chance to respond.
It may be genetics... a recessive gene planted years ago that may suddenly flare up in you but not anyone else in your family.
All it takes is one cancerous cell to take root before your immune system can wipe it out, and it will be off and to the races.
How about the next unpredictable super bug to come along?
Even athletes in prime condition in their twenties can fall over dead from a heart attack or fluke stroke (I remember a couple of these in the news... one a track star and another a basketball player).
One can lead a very healthy lifestyle, that will improve the chances and the quality of ones life. But it will not overturn the laws of nature, and one's body will eventually be challenged by some medical issue. One does not get out of life... alive. But... if one can afford to cover whatever expenses may come up eventually, then perhaps they do not need insurance.
I see insurance as a protection from a catastrophe. Paying 50% of ones income for insurance is the catastrophe.
With that said, I personally see both sides and carry a high deductible policy.
<< <i>It's foolish not to have health insurance, just like not having a home owners policy or car insurance. >>
Yes, this is correct. A person can be very healthy and find themselves in the hospital the next day.
Appendicitis for example.
If a person doesn't have insurance they will have large hospital and doctor's bills. If they require medication, they
will have to buy it from the pharmacy at full price, or go without.
If the bills are large, the person will likely file bankruptcy and lose assets in the process.
Y is the people, which we don't, as in open borders
Z is the cost, which we cannot find
Impossible to attach healthcare issues without knowing who is here and who is taking and who is giving.
Second, if we feel compelled to move ahead anyway, why don't we just start with the children? Lets say we offer free healthcare to every child until age 12?(?) offering any and all preventative or catastrophic care. We as a society could afford and benefit from that in the long run. Same as we offer basic education. Who could argue that. Then, at some point in the future, when the Gubberment proves a worthy Shepard, creep the age up to someday have a working system that cares from cradle to grave (if that is the desire of the majority?) At this time the system swap from private to public is apparently logistically impossible.
With that said, there was once a drive that compelled us to crawl, then to walk. At what point does that desire fall off and we resign to have others do for us.
<< <i>I agree with those that believe that health insurance is a necessary evil. While some may disagree, and it is a very contentious issue, I believe that America should and will eventually go to a universal healthcare model where almost everything is done under the umbrella of the government. Now I hate government expansion but considering all of the wasted costs and the profits of such a disorganized mostly private healthcare system in this country today, I believe this would actually be more efficient. How much time and money is wasted on filling out one form after another every single year? Let alone all of the administrators at each insurance company having to review the forms, most unnecessarily. All of the forms that have to be filled out every time you see a doctor, let alone a new doctor or specialist or whatever. It would be more efficient from and administration point, to have all of the person's medical information in one data repository so that it can seamlessly follow you around.
As for those who decry that such a system would lead to worse healthcare, I have to wonder how much worse it could actually get from the poor textbook service that already exists. Bottom line, drug companies, attorneys and doctors (motivated entirely by profit) is the reason why things are the way they currently are. I see a huge conflict of interest between the Hippocratic oath and profit motivation as the basis for healthcare in this country. >>
Have to disagree with you on most of this baseball (but then we all have our opinions on this matter).
I have no confidence that having the government in charge of my health care will result in LESS paperwork. I expect the opposite, along with even more snafus.
I have to also think that if you think it is a problem that doctors are motivated by profit, which is what is contributing to the problem.... then all I can say is wait until doctors ARE NOT motivated any more by profit and then see what kind of health care you will get. I venture you will not be getting much care or concern at all. At least with a profit system, doctors are MOTIVATED to provide decent service (and yes, I do recognize that some beef it up some to maximize profit), otherwise they will not be in business very long (or so goes the theory).
IMO part of the problem with the existing system has been the litigation that occurs in our society. I think many doctors overprescribe services and prescriptions, etc., as a 'safety' net for themselves. If they DON'T order the MRI, even though they personnally may think it is not really necessary, if it turns out the patient ends up with something that had any chance at all to be found with the MRI, then the doctor most likely would be sued. So... they feel forced to follow the 'safe' route', even though it means much more expense.
<< <i>It's foolish not to have health insurance, just like not having a home owners policy or car insurance. >>
Most of us live under the Sword of Damacles, some prefer to just live.
It is almost as if we don't mind eating crappy, pesticide laden and genetically engineered food as long as we are covered. Cancer is fine as long as we have that piece of plastic in our wallets. Wise up fellas, the good doctors can do only so much and they bury the rest.
right when a medical emergency happens, you're going to start to sell some physical metals and begin shopping for a doctor and comparing prices on treatments?
that seems really inconvenient, depending on the nature of the affliction; do your dependents and other loved ones share your philosophy on this subject?
Liberty: Parent of Science & Industry
<< <i>The ACA was set up to fail. They wanted a single payer system from the get go and once the public outcry and anger against the ACA becomes so loud they will usher in a single payer system. >>
If you like your single-payer, you can keep your single-payer.
Welcome aboard comrade.
<< <i>The ACA was set up to fail. They wanted a single payer system from the get go and once the public outcry and anger against the ACA becomes so loud they will usher in a single payer system. >>
If ya gotta have socialized medical care, wouldn't it have just been simpler to apply medicare to all Americans? One of the beauties of ACA (for Washington) is all the new federal jobs and hidden revenue that it creates.
Give Me Liberty or Give Me Debt
<< <i>MGLicker, do you also not have life insurance under the same premise? So if you are hit by a drunk driver and rack up $100,000 in medical bills and they are not able to save your life, then your family gets stuck with all the medical bills and end-of-life bills? >>
No life insurance. My family is well taken care of.
Take back your insurance
Baby nothin's guaranteed
from "Jammin' Me".
I believe in personal responsibility as well. However, I have a wife, family and business to think about. Good luck.
Are you going to cancel you car insurance too?
<< <i>Tom Petty said it best:
Take back your insurance
Baby nothin's guaranteed
from "Jammin' Me".
I believe in personal responsibility as well. However, I have a wife, family and business to think about. Good luck.
Are you going to cancel you car insurance too? >>
Law requires it. I have never driven without auto insurance. I have never driven after drinking even one. Can all of you fine responders say the same?
Here lies poor Mark
He died in the street
Where the hospital orderlies dumped him
But he took personal responsibility for his health
So it was OK
CG
I agree. Health Insurance is a necessary Evil.
Most of us here are old enough to have had some type of unexpected medical issue. Mine was in the prime of my life. Excellent Health. I just happened to have took a breath when I shouldv'e been exhaling. Breathed in a fungal spore (Valley Fever), passed thru lungs into blood, passed thru meningis into my brain and spinal cord for a whopping case of Fungal Meningitis. First off, lucky to be alive, period. One year bedridden, couple more yrs not being able to physically function well, some permanent brain damage ...... and wiola, here I am not having been bankrupt with my family thrown out on the streets, all because of Insurance. S _ _ T Happens .......... you live long enough you'll get hit with a curve ball.
If I didn't have a family that needed me, perhaps I'd shuck the insurance and just die, idk. If you have a family, you gotta be smarter though.
I was just thinking how swell it was when I was in the Army. All my Medical needs taken care of with no premiums or deductibles. Perhaps we'd be better off with the Guberment controlling all of healthcare. Then I remembered the time I got pneumonia while jumping out of the Helicopters Hell Hole into Chesapeake Bay during late October in what they called 15 / 15 that quickly turned into 30 knots / 30 ft as the load lightened with every dropping body. After the clinic doctor told me all I needed was rest though I could hardly breathe, I spent several more days shivering in bed under the covers before the Barracks heat was turned on for winter. My Team Medic came to check up on me when he got back from TDY, breathing was almost impossible and he was astounded at how congested my lungs were, took me to the Base Hospital whereas the Doctor insisted I was fine and should go back to the Barracks because they didn't have room for me. My Medic stood his ground and insisted, and I mean insisted, before the Dr finally relented. Two wks in the Hospital with some of the prettiest Nurses finally kicked it. I personally don't want me / my family / or any decent person to be denied medical care in time of need. That's exactly what would happen though with the Guberment running the system with limited resources due to budget cuts etc etc ....... crap, who knows, could have another Guberment shut down and unplug all the respirators across the country at the flick of a switch, lol
<< <i>Can’t prove you can pay? They let you die in the street. >>
Not to mention the 100,000 plus that can pay and are killed by doctor error....but I digress.
The scenario that you hypothesize would be fine by me. Rates would drop considerably and I might reconsider buying insurance at the more competitive cost.
Make sure though that your policy number is tattooed to your keester as you may not have the card with you when fate strikes and you may suffer the same consequence as the uninsured.
So, you can have all the insurance at much higher rates (in order to subsidize those who can't pay for it, in spite of working your whole life while they partied down their whole lives), and all that extra high cost insurance with it's high deductibles still won't get you in the door to see a doc. So you'll still pay more out of pocket, if you can.
It's all about the money, folks. "Insurance coverage" is only the ploy.
I knew it would happen.
Government over-reach, from one point of view.
<< <i>Law requires it. I have never driven without auto insurance.
Government over-reach, from one point of view. >>
Have you ever been hit by an uninsured driver?
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
<< <i>
<< <i>Law requires it. I have never driven without auto insurance.
Government over-reach, from one point of view. >>
Have you ever been hit by an uninsured driver? >>
Yup. Last year. Got hit by an illegal fuddernutter who crossed a double yellow. Cost me $$$$.
<< <i>
<< <i>Law requires it. I have never driven without auto insurance.
Government over-reach, from one point of view. >>
Have you ever been hit by an uninsured driver? >>
Hard to tell if they are insured or not. In Arizona we have the highest hit and run rate in the nation.