Health Insurance

[snfexpress]

Insurance is a factor that is keeping me from retiring full time (oxymoronic, I know, but I *really* want to retire). Right now, I pay $950/month for my wife and I (I am self-employed and must keep my business so that I am in a group). My rates increased by 28% over last year (and I am extremely upset). I remember an outdoor sign about 15 years ago that was advertising "You, Your Doctor, and Us" meaning the insurance company.

If you have a whole pie, and the insurance company wants a slice, then we all lose, because the insurance company wants a bigger and bigger slice, each year.

I am only 43 and I want to retire, but I can't due to insurance - I can't budget because I don't know what next year's premium will be. It could go up 10% or up 70% - I just don't know!

Since I will not be eligible for medicare for 20 years, I am *really* stressing over this. Unfortunately, I have had a stroke and a heart attack (from working too much), and I can't get affordable insurance outside my group (which is me!).

Something *really* needs to be done at the federal level, and I am a conservative (meaning that government should have a laissez faire approach to its citizenry).

I hope I have not offended anyone with my politics, but I believe that the billions of dollars lobbying congress could have been more wisely spent on providing health care to its constituents. Did you know that, as a result of lobbying, that the Congress, in 1974, made it illegal to sue life insurance companies? Makes you think, doesn't it?

And, the congressmen (and women) don't have social security or medicare - they have their own retirement system which is *much* better than we have to look forward to. And, I postulate that when I am 70 I *may* have medicare because of the increasing costs of health care and the lack of eligible workers contributing to social security.

Sorry - just *really* angry about this subject - I have lived abroad in countries that are considered socialist and their health care seems to cover their citizens at a *very* reasonable cost.

Just my 2 cents....

[TheCoachPotatoes]

Bob and Jan,
Thanks for the info regarding supplemental insurance. While we do have Insurance through my employer after retirement, I was really curious about what people do once they are on Medicare. As Parrothead mentioned, if you have a serious illness, Medicare might not be enough. Glad to see you can get a break in premium once on Medicare for supplemental insurance.

[dannyl]

My plans have changed somewhat.
Wednesday morning I had a "small" (nothing is small when it's yours), heart attack.
I had to have an artery cath and a stint placed in a narrow artery. The clot had already been dissolved.

I guess with this new situation, I'll stay at work, with insurance, until I can get this healed up.

Happy camping to all and God Bless you. Hope to see you on the road soon.

[toolmanroy]

Michael and Kathy it sounds as though we are in the same boat as far as health insurance. We are only 6 and 7 years from Medicare, but Roy has to keep a company that has too much competition around here just to be in the union where we get our health insurance. He had a melanoma a few years back and try getting into another "affordable" plan!! Basically between self-employment taxes and health insurance we are paying more and more than our fair share. Living costs are high here, healthcare is the highest in our state, and wages are the lowest in the state. I have thought of going to work for somoene else but I would make about half of what I do now, so even with paying health insurance out of pocket we are better off leaving things as they are. I am also too old to go back to an office situation. I have worked for myself for too long.

We are hanging in there but we just know our insurance will go up this year. We could sell our property and retire, but the cost of health insurance would eat up our income. It is certainly not what we expected when we reached this point in our lives.

[dannyl]

Just another side of the insurance game!!

Drugs?

What are you doing for prescriptions and drug prices?

My insurance has a $10 co-pay per script so I'll have to keep working until I can figure this out. Retail price of all my meds is around $400

[toolmanroy]

We do have a prescription plan with our insurance and a copay which is only $5 for generic but up to $25 for brand name, nothing compared to the actual cost. It is a good thing with paying close to $900 per month for the insurance.

[dsprik]

AARP seems like our best bet. I received something from them in the mail the other day - I believe it was supplemental ins - but I know they have other insurance. It seems to me that this is a huge national problem that will only get worse if something major is not forthcoming from congress. I am only 53, and I don't know what AARP is doing in this area? They had better be doing something.

[toolmanroy]

I have nothing nice to say about AARP. Anything I say will get me in trouble on here, so suffice it to say their money could be better spent.

[richfaa]

toolmary ...I second that.

[ols1932]

Toolmanroy, I agree.

Orv

[dsprik]

Wow, and to think I almost brought the "What truck is best" debate... Glad I didn't stir anything up...

HOWEVER... now that my curiousity is rather elevated... feel free to PM me with details. If it has to do with the med situation that went through Congress a while ago, I'm probably familiar with that little "spark". But I still want to be informed. Someone PM me please with your take on this subject.

Thanks

[richfaa]

quote:Originally posted by TheCoachPotatoes

Bob and Jan,
Thanks for the info regarding supplemental insurance. While we do have Insurance through my employer after retirement, I was really curious about what people do once they are on Medicare. As Parrothead mentioned, if you have a serious illness, Medicare might not be enough. Glad to see you can get a break in premium once on Medicare for supplemental insurance.

After retirement and when Medicare kicks in for you NORMALLY Medicare becomes the primary insurer and employer Insurance becomes secondary. In other words Medicare will pay whatever they authorize then your employer Insurance picks up whatever they authorize. In our case (Federal BC/BS) medical mutual in Ohio) We have never had to pay anything. Have a chat with your employer and find out how that will work for you..you MAY be in good shape.