how do you plan to handle medical insurance?

[Seraphim]

"

I am not sure 4% is viable for the future...I was using a somewhat lower rate of withdrawal.  Also, we will be in our mid 40s and might need our money to last more like 35 years (hopefully)."

Wise. DW's female relatives are genetically long-lived. Over a hundred is not uncommon. Use a long time horizon. 2% - if doable - provides a long term success rate of 100% on the historical calculator. Should also permit a bit of growth until you hit the age medical expenses started overwhelming finances.

 

[Lifemagician]

This has indeed been an interesting thread.&nbsp;&nbsp; I should add, that I had never heard the term 'medical bankruptcy' until I visited the US.&nbsp; I can't understand why those in charge are not hanging their heads in shame.<br /><br />Neither can I work out why health insurance should vary from State to State.&nbsp;&nbsp; Surely if you take out health insurance, you can keep that policy, no matter where you choose to live (in the US).&nbsp; And why can't all companies cover all States?&nbsp;&nbsp; As I see it, it is a ridiculous system.<br /><br />Here I choose to have health insurance purely to make sure that I can have a private room, should I need to be hospitalised.&nbsp;&nbsp; I do not want ever to be admitted to a ward.&nbsp;&nbsp; I pay less than $1400 per annum.&nbsp;&nbsp; Of course 85% of our Dr costs are covered by the tax levy everyone pays towards it.&nbsp; The other 15% comes out of the patient's pocket.&nbsp; <br /><br />Furthermore, there is a system in place to make sure that the well-to-do do not bludge on the public system.&nbsp; Anyone who has not taken out private insurance once their income gets to a certain amount (can't remember how much, I am not in that league) their levy is increased.&nbsp;&nbsp; Most find it cheaper to take out health insurance.<br /><br />As a further incentive, anyone who has not taken out health insurance by the time they turn 30, faces an age increase, each year (as well as the normal price increases).&nbsp; Every company covers all of the country, and the price is the same, no matter where you live in Oz.&nbsp; Nowhere is health insurance tied to employment.&nbsp; It is every person's own choice as to which policy they choose, what coverage they prefer.<br /><br />I can't understand why a wealthy country like the US can't get their act together when it comes to health insurance and taking care of their sick.&nbsp; <br /><br />Lifey

 

[bk2valve]

Hi Lifey, There is a lot of misinformation out there about the new healthcare plan called by some as &Ouml;bamacare"or by earlier ideas, "Romneycare" but here are some links to help better understand it....<br /><br />http://obamacarefacts.com/<br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patient_Protection_and_Affordable_Care_Act<br /><br />That is all I feel I can say before some will get upset about us talking "politics". The answers to your questions are completely political.<br /><br />Realizing that anything involving more than one person is indeed political. A lot of folks think "politics" is about making some outrageous, emotional remark when it is about talking calmly together to come up with solutions we can all accept...it means at times making some compromise and letting go of some of our personal opinions for the good of the whole...not something we need to yell at each other about.<br /><br />Anyway...I am leaving this AM for the west and ultimately the RTR....so will just lurk for a while....<br />Peace,<br />Bri&nbsp;

 

[Seraphim]

Lifey<br /><br />Just some undeveloped&nbsp;thoughts, as I'm not sure I have the info necessary for your question, but I'll toss them out anyway.<br /><br />There's a large faction of people who think the federal government should meddle as little as possible in the affairs of the people, leaving more detailed involvement to the state level. I see attractions to that line of thought myself. In the political arena, there's a lot of power behind the proponents of that line of thought (see 'Republican Party' lol) so there is a great deal of opposition to a national health care plan.<br /><br />Wealthy nation? Perhaps on a global scale.&nbsp; But, tossing out some numbers that were bandied around during the election, there is a large percentage of the population that, when the sheet is balanced out, does not pay anything in&nbsp;federal taxes (due to entitlements, credits, etc). One percentage tossed about was 47%, though I can neither credit nor discredit that figure.&nbsp; If true, then only 53% of the population is carrying the federal government's debt. Any&nbsp;additional funding for national health care will be borne by that 53%.<br /><br />While the population which comprises the lower income screams the wealthy must pay their fair share, people in the other half scream that those in the lower half are not paying any share at all, so the battle continues, often getting nastier than I have described.<br /><br />Historically, the American ethic has been one where people were expected to work hard and pay their own way. Governments were a necessary evil for dealing with the outside world. Right or wrong, change comes gradually.&nbsp; SS <em>forced</em> people to save for retirement, because they appeared incapable of doing so on their own. It helped a great many people, and only taxed those who participad - though not all who participate receive benefits, and those who contribute the least enjoya larger profit from the proceeds.&nbsp; Not a judgement, merely how the calculator works. Medicaid and Medicare joined the mix, supported by ALL taxpayers (with minor exceptions) whether they ever used the services or not. <br /><br />Each year (historically) more and more entitlements have been added to the federal benefits, with a larger percentage of the population&nbsp; receiving the benefits and a smaller percentage of the labor force bearing the brunt of the cost.&nbsp; This is a financial model doomed to eventual failure.&nbsp; Those who still have a strong work ethic as mentioned in the preceeding paragraph, often times feel they are being used by those who have no work ethic.<br /><br />Please bear in mind I am discussing <em>perceptions: </em>perceptions do not not always equate to fact, though many have difficulty with the difference.<br /><br />But taking the entire mix into account, I think it suggest an answer to your question about why the US does not have a national health care.<br /><br />I think the only way a solution will be arrived at is if the entire tax code is overhauled to something simpler which removes the entitlements for <em>everyone, </em>and provides a plain tax rate - graduated if necessary - across the field.&nbsp; No special consideration for any particular income level.&nbsp;&nbsp; I also don't see that occurring *shrug*, so a national health care plan can't be factored into the equation.<br /><br /><br />Again, these are my impressions without offering credence to eitherside of the battle.<br /><br />Bri - enjoy the trip.

 

[yesican]

I'm not positive but what I've learned from the health care company for our company is that once Obama care goes into effect, HSA's will be done...no more...Obama will want his money, so he'll take any extra you planned on saving.&nbsp;

 

[Lifemagician]

Bri and Seraphim, I understand what you are saying, and yes, am aware of much of what you are saying.&nbsp; <br /><br />But health care should not be a political issue, it is a human rights issue.&nbsp; It is the entitlement of every citizen, and should not be dependent on who is in power.... on political ideology. &nbsp; <br /><br />At least not in a country which likes to think of itself as a civilized nation, and pledges 'justice for all' (except when you are sick and vulnerable).<br /><br />Lifey<br /><br />

 

[Seraphim]

Perhaps this might be branched into a separate thread...

Realistically, how are 'rights' determined, and how are they acquired? Politically. Rights are not assigned by nature; they are acquired by one group of people from another. It's very idealistic to wish otherwise, but often idealism and reality clash. It has been my observation that reality generally wins.

You also make an assumption that people can be civilized. I've noticed they attempt the veneer of civilization, but I've yet to have to discover the reality of it anywhere.

I rarely offer my own viewpoints or opinions, but I'll offer this one: people should liberal, but governments should be conservative. It should be people caring for their neighbors, not mandates from governments.

Yea, I know - talk about idealism..

 

[bk2valve]

Hi guys,<br />I am at the MD's in Benson this am....the Love's truckstop here has an excellent, huge, paved parking lot and it says Trucks and RVs so it is sweet for a night.<br /><br />A couple things I want to inject and that is first a response to Seraphim and some things you said.<br /><br />Your stance goes out the window when much of the "civilized" world already has been treating health care as a right. All you have to do is to look. Not an idealistic fantasy....a reality.<br /><br />In our country we tend to look at thing from a very narrow, capitalistic viewpoint. In othe3r words, how can we have people still making obscene profits from the healthcare system and still pay for it for everyone.....surprise! We can't.<br /><br />It has to be slowly rebuilt in a way that it benefits the whole and not the few.<br /><br />We are so indoctrinated to "our" way that any other ideas can't take root. <br /><br />Example: here is Lifey presenting an idea that has proven to work in their country and yet we refuse to allow the idea into our mindset....amazing and seemingly true in every area of our thinking. Until we change that that thinking we are doomed to keep trying to fix a very broken system again, on every level. <br /><br />Very interesting and it takes us right back to the phenomena of 'reinvention of the wheel'."Oh we are Americans, we can't possibly follow another country's lead!"&nbsp; <br /><br /><br />I think this is a good time for us old guys to step out of the way and let the young decide the path we take.<br /><br />One de3finition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results....<br /><br />Funny to be having this discussion on a thread where most are either dropping out and not contributing&nbsp; much any more, if ever, and many are on an "entitlement" (terribly misused word in my view) of some sort5 or another....entitlement meaning any payments from the gov't I guess....like SS, medicare, medicaid, unemployment, food stamps, welfare, disability....i other words we are almost all part of the Romney 47%.....clumping into the mix, that which we or an employer paid into the mix.<br /><br />SS I paid for all of my working life, paying for mine and your father's Socialist Security. Now they are trying to tell us that it is somehow responsible for the debt....mostly in fact caused by money manipulation, bad loans, ripping off companies at the CEO and board of director level, a practice of gambling with workers lives by stockholders and 5 trillion dollars spent on the "War on Terror" ...I am here to tell you the "Emperor has no clothes on" &nbsp;<br /><br />Nuf.<br />Peace,<br />bri

 

[yesican]

One thing that was brought to my attention that made me look at Medicare and Social security&nbsp;differently.&nbsp; We view Medicare and Social Security&nbsp;as "entitlements".&nbsp; I always thought that "entitlement" meant being giving something whether you paid for it or not.&nbsp; Let me tell you, I've paid into Medicare and&nbsp;Social Security&nbsp;since I was 14 years old. That's almost 40 years...I don't see how they can be construed as "entitlements" as I have paid for them.&nbsp; (I also paid for insurance and retirement although I have little to no retirement due to divorce and changing jobs/location without being vested.) <br /><br />Truthfully, I think Seraphim hit the nail on the head.&nbsp; His points are quite valid and up to date with the current issue and with little to no prejudice talk between political view points. JMHO.<br /><br />Rae

 

[Sheryl]

I am in Canada too&nbsp;<img rel="lightbox" src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" class="bbc_img">&nbsp; but it's not that simple here.&nbsp;<br>In order to qualify for provincial health insurance, you must have a permanent land address. BC is the only province that allows folks to use a campground address where they live at least 6 mos of the year or a mile marker address on a highway for health insurance and drivers license. It's impossible to qualify for health insurance or to get a drivers license if you live mobile full time in the other provinces and we just don't have private health insurance plans that most people can afford. Some folks put their parents or kids addresses down as their permanent address but we don't want to do that.&nbsp;<br><br>It's archaic and controlling. They expect to force everyone to fit inside the box.&nbsp;Another reason we moved to BC...<br><br><br><br><br>

 

[user 2252]

I am a veteran and&nbsp;receive low cost medical insurance from the Veteran Administration, in fact to be more&nbsp;specific, I pay a small co-pay for my scrips but everything else is free! In patient and out&nbsp;patient&nbsp;care any where in the US of A. ( except dental )&nbsp;&nbsp;

 

[josephusminimus]

Interesting about the VA and veteran eligibility for services.&nbsp; A couple of acquaintances, both veterans, tell me I'm eligible, but I've never checked because I don't use medical care or go to doctors, except prilosec and blood pressure meds I buy online from India and China, or in Mexico.&nbsp; But lately I've been needing some new eyeglasses and haven't been able to afford them, nor an eye test.&nbsp; Been considering checking whether I might get them through the VA.&nbsp; Evidently Medicare doesn't take care of eye tests or glasses prescriptions, though I pay for Medicare every month and have never used it for anything.<BR><BR>I don't have any service-connected disabilities and I only served three years.&nbsp; And like 99% of all other veterans, I am not a 'combat' veteran, in the sense of ever having been shot at by someone qualifying as an 'enemy', and never shot at one.<BR><BR>Seems a bit weird there'd be any benefits for any of us without service connected disabilities or those who made a career of it.<BR><BR>But if it meant a new eyeglasses prescription and a new pair of specs I might sign up and ride the gravy train.

 

[bk2valve]

Hi Jack, VA services are a benefit you have earned as a service member and you may find you qualify. You have to fill out the paperwork and talk to a intake person in order to find out. A lot of the eligibility requirements have to do with the time period when you were on active duty and what your income is today.<br><br>No way to figure it without all the info and someone to walk you through it. You need to take any kind of paperwork you have and definitely your DD-214 to document your service record along with you when you go in. <br><br>Often there is a Veteran's Outreach clinic of some sort within a short drive or so from where you camp, depending on what your state does to work with veterans. When I first signed up, I lived in Alaska and there were Outreach centers everywhere and Idaho had the same but New Mexico is a little less helpful. Dunno much about Texas but I have used the VA Hospital on Fort Bliss in El Paso, for a while. Somehow there is a somewhat different approach to it all state to state....strange but true.<br><br>I was just given my first set of VA paid for glasses and they are really nice but i still had to go down to Mexico for another pair with transition lenses for the sun. They are usually done through a contract optometrist and a contract optician. The VA has just started supplying optical services to Vets not service connected.<br><br>As for me, I am a Vietnam combat veteran who served in a combat zone but it is more the time I was in that gives me the eligibility for being served(Vietnam era) . I do not have any service connected disabilities and our household income is enough that I am what is called the co-pay level and I can either use the VA or Medicare as my primary provider. I do either or depending on what my needs are. My backup healthcare plan picks up all or most of the rest of the charges.<br><br>I encourage you to go and use any benefits that you have coming. Hopefully you will continue to stay well enough to not have to use them or any other medical care.<br>Cheers,<br>Bri<br><br>P.S. Medicare doesn't pay for dental or optical for anyone. It isn't in the plan.

 

[peacetara]

It seems everyone here has their own definition for the term entitlement, and I just want to clear it up.&nbsp; There are of course many meanings:<br><div class="scnt"><span class="ssens"> <em class="sn">a</em> <strong>:</strong> the state or condition of being <a class="formulaic" href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/entitled" rel="nofollow">entitled</a> <strong>:</strong> <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/right" rel="nofollow">right</a> </span><div class="break">&nbsp;</div><span class="ssens"><em class="sn">b</em> <strong>:</strong> a right to benefits specified especially by law or contract </span></div><div class="sblk"><div class="snum">2</div><div class="scnt"><span class="ssens"> <strong>:</strong> a government program providing benefits to members of a specified group; <em>also</em> <strong>:</strong> funds supporting or distributed by such a program </span></div></div><div class="sblk"><div class="snum">3</div><div class="scnt"><span class="ssens"> <strong>:</strong> belief that one is deserving of or entitled to certain privileges <br><br>But, from a government, legal point of view (i.e. when talking about the government entitlements, then only definition #2 applies above), all the other meanings DO NOT apply from a government/legal perspective.&nbsp; I.e. it's not a 'right' or a 'privilege'.&nbsp; Government entitlements:<br>&nbsp;Medicare, medicaid, Social Security, etc, only come form the 2nd definition.&nbsp; And they are all specific to a particular group of people, SS is only for people of a certain age, etc, etc, etc.<br><br>Anyways, all the other definitions for entitlement do not apply from a government perspective, it is merely a way to differentiate them from other services the govt offers.<br><br>-----<br><br>Personally on the whole topic of healthcare, I think most everyone can agree our current system is not ideal. From what I understand, most every country that has worked hard at healthcare has gone down the give it to everyone method, Canada, most of Europe, Australia, etc, etc.&nbsp; They all do it in different ways, but it seems to be the norm.&nbsp; <br><br>From my perspective, I would hope that we can focus on overall HEALTH of everyone in the US, and pretty much all doctors agree the prevention is the best medicine, but we have little to no organized prevention plans in the US.&nbsp; This seems wrong to me.&nbsp; The only exception to this is Safety (and that's because companies got tired of paying workman's comp, from what I understand)&nbsp; I think we as a society need to focus on:<br><br>1) Prevention of sickness, increase awareness of overall health (to include MENTAL health).<br><br>2) A strong commitment to treat every human being, for any disease/sickness/etc, without them having to worry about paying their medical bill or buying food.<br><br>That's just me tho.&nbsp; Do I have any idea what that system should look like? Not a clue really, except I'm tired of kids eating terrible bad food (or eating NO food) and then parents wondering why their kids are sick and have health problems.<br><br>With Love,<br>Tara<br></span></div></div>

 

[josephusminimus]

Thanks Bri.&nbsp; Good info.&nbsp; I suppose I'd have some difficulties agreeing I earned anything, or anyone else earned anything&nbsp;by serving in the military, but as a practical matter I might need to use it whether I earned it, or not.<BR><BR>Tara:&nbsp; Seems to me there's a middling good&nbsp;model already out there for supplying health care to folks without health insurance.&nbsp; Native Americans with tribal census numbers get cradle-to-grave high quality health, dental and optical care in leading edge health care facilities.<BR><BR>By 2012, probably everyone born inside the boundaries of the US is a native American, since we're all born more-or-less naked and what happened to dead people a century or two ago can't be accused of happening to any of us alive today.<BR><BR>As it stands, government employees and elected officials, people with wealth inherited, or acquired, union workers, Native Americans, teachers, health care workers, even government garbage collectors&nbsp;and select corporation employees get health care without having to worry about the financial consequences of the bills.<BR><BR>The pizza delivery men, waitresses, landscape workers, people without jobs, house cleaners, private company garbage collectors either don't get it, or have to worry about the consequences financially.<BR><BR>Someone mentioned earlier the country has a tradition of everyone working hard and carrying his own weight, but a close look at the two groups, covered, and not covered, doesn't appear to have anything much to do with hard work, though in some instances&nbsp;in the first group there's probably a lot more weight per individual than in the second group.<BR><BR>I'm not so sure this has anything to do with politics, so much as it has to do with power and opportunism, along with an I've-got-mine indifference.&nbsp; Power wears a lot of masks.&nbsp;<BR><BR>

 

[bk2valve]

Hi Jack, I wasn't meaning to infer anything other than the benefits provided by the veterans administration is a part of the contract you and I agreed to when we signed the enlistment or draft papers. It is just part of the deal and if all the parts match up, you have the benefits coming.<br><br>Best of luck...<br>Bri

 

[josephusminimus]

Thanks again Bri.&nbsp; If I'm in a place where I can find out I'll check it out and certainly have no qualms about using it.<BR><BR>I stopped into a senior citizen center in Andrews, Texas recently and there was a box everyone had put their old glasses into.&nbsp; I tried on all of them, found a pair that would have worked if it hadn't been for the bifocles not being a match for closeup.&nbsp; If they'd worked I'd have taken them, even though Andrews is as foreign to me as a place in Texas [or almost anywhere else] could get without leaving the planet surface.<BR><BR>But you mentioned Mexico, and I'm figuring Mexico's my hole-card on the eyeglasses issue if I can remember to get my passport renewed.

 

[bk2valve]

Hi Jack,<br>I did mention Mexico and I have a couple of good places I go now in Palomas. I would not have needed anything this time but the VA only will provide plain glasses, not sunglasses of any kind so I needed their services. This time I bought a pair of bifocal glasses with Transition sun protection with frames and my own (VA) perscription although they would have given me an exam for no extra charge they said. It came to $165....the last time I bought them at the other shop a year ago they were $125 since I had bought a few pairs from them and had brought in several other folks for specs. Of course they are affected by rising costs in Mexico as well.<br><br>I do think this latest place is a little better in regards their quality, etc.<br><br>Funny story...I was chatting with the sales woman and she had moved to Mexico 2 years before with her hubby and they were buying a really nice house there. He worked in the lab that was part of the optometrist/optician store. She moved there from Gran Junction CO and he was originally from Mexico. She was Hispanic but had English as her first language and originally went down to teach English in Mexico as well as learn Spanish.<br><br>While we were there about 6 or 8 women came in for glasses or to look around and I asked her how business was since the media tells us about all the violence there.<br><br>I think she mis-heard me but her answer was to tell me how people kept asking her if it was dangerous and why had she moved there...etc. She said that in the 2 years she had not seen any indication of violence at all, but her daughter-in-law's mother in Colorado was shot in the leg in the movie theater shooting in CO and she was afraid to go to Colorado....<br><br>Sorry IGBT....Totally off topic but somewhat related and interesting stuff from the horse's mouth so to speak....LOL<br>Bri

 

[josephusminimus]

Thanks Bri.&nbsp; I bought my meds for a good many years at the pharmacia 3? maybe 4 blocks south of the International Boundary on the west side of the road.&nbsp; There was an eyewear, optical wossname place next door to the north in the same building, but I never went inside.&nbsp; But I loved dealing with the folks in that farmacia.&nbsp; Good people.<BR><BR>In fact, that entire Palomas Columbus series of experiences carry some good memories.&nbsp; Never had any trouble there at all of any sort.&nbsp; There's a hardware store a block or so south of the farmacia on the east side of the road I always enjoyed wandering around in when I went down, also.<BR><BR>Gracias,

 

[bk2valve]

Jack, My original optical place was the one you mention. There is now a brand new combo farmacia/convenience tienda in the first block on the east side of the main road that has some good things...but I use all the farmacias i I am buying meds for friends or dw.<br><br>I love the ferrateria and go there every time I am in Palomas...last time I bought a length of heavy duty 'oilcloth' like is in every home in Mexico...just the right length for picnic tables. The time before it was a really nice cast iron round griddle.<br><br>Last year there was a great handmade kitchen unit made of strap iron stock that had a place to load your water garrafon that was on a pivot so you could pour our water as you needed it...I wish I had bought one since they were only about $30 andthey haven't had them any more. The laterst thing in the store is a variety of handmade sheet metal wood stoves....a friend w2as going to go back and get one for his new garage....<br><br>Peace,<br>Bri