On the health care issue, I had planned on retiring in early November, the year the new fed health care
deal started (will refrain from commenting on that!). Called BCBS in June to see about insurance for a couple of
years after my retirement, before Medicare. They said no info possible due to looming new fed healthcare.
OK, when? Call back in Sept. Yikes. OK, I call in Sept. Nope, still can give no info on prices, coverage due
to looming fed healthcare. Damn. Call in Oct, - say wait a week, will be on our web page.
OK, finally get data.....HOLY COW! Each of us middle level plan with $2500 deductible is going to be $1800/month.
So $22K per year per person, if you do not get sick. They would pay 80%, after $2500. Yikes. Bronze plan had, IIRC, $5
or 6K deductible, and still really expensive - no subsidy for us 'rich folks'. After maybe 8 calls trying to figure this out, each
time to the same woman, I found a $10K deductible plan that covered zip up to $10K, but was only $375/month. I figured
this was my best bet, called to line it up. NOPE - only for folks under 35 year of age - not on web page.
Checked continuing my company plan under COBRA, it was within $5 of the same $1800 monthly price, clearly set to
mesh with fed 'healthcare'.
Finally, I give up, call the BCBS lady and tell her that I will just have to go without insurance for the two
years., seems almost certain that my medical bills will be under $43K a year, so out of pocket will be less
money. She finally tells me, "Well, you CAN get a pre- FedCare plan for $650 for the two of you, but we
can't guarantee that you will keep it. May get cancelled in a year or two."
I jumped on it, managed to squeak in 2 weeks before that crack in the bear trap was closed out, so we avoided
the bear trap of the Fed healthcare. I will refrain from my normal comments at this point, too political.
Managed to bridge the gap, saving the better part of $30K per year over the federal stuff, so about
$60K did not flow out.
I really feel for those who are stuck in this, not a lot of good options. I have heard of this Healthshare
stuff, wondered how well it really works. Also have heard of some docs creating concierge plans with their
patients, pretty low fixed price plan, like $50 - 100 per person per month, all stuff covered in the
doc's office except surgery. No idea how well those are working out, either. Seems like, if you are starting
from scratch, there have to be something better.
When I was working a job in Canada, got a 1 hour tirade from a 65ish looking engineer up there that I was working
with, as we drove to a remote job location. His wife needed a hip transplant and after over a year and a half
of wait time where she went from walking with a bit of pain to a wheelchair, he flew her to Ireland, where
his sister is a doc and paid $50K out of pocket to get her implant done. All sorts of healthcare horror
stories out there, and "free" government care in Canada apparently has it's own issues, too.
Most free stuff is pretty expensive, it seems.
OTOH, if you can fund it, lots of really good care is possible due to modern technology.
Bill