Yep. I went decades without using my health insurance. I paid and paid, complained I was being used to cover older peoples health problems. I’d rather pay out of pocket, etc. I now meet my deductible within a few months each year. My attitude has changed a little about health insurance.
Social security by the numbers
- Thread starter cgasner1
- Start date
I have a catostrophic plan & Medicare. Been covered on 98% of costs. Stage 4 Cancer.
Just slid into another year of one of the medsl free, $3300/mo.
Irrelevant
Well-known member
idk jack about it. But I could see them saying that they need to cover the costs for the emergencies with the inflated prices for the rest of it.
Again I don't know, but it feels like if we cut out insurance completely people wouldn't be able to rack up 100k in medical debt. But even at that amount, it only equates to 4 years of premiums for our family. If my company would just set that money aside for catastrophic, then have everyone else just use pay-to-play drs, we could self insure and (I feel) come out ahead from a business and family perspective.
Nick87
Well-known member
A guy I work with used to work for a non union contractor (no insurance) racked up a pretty significant medical bill, iirc tens of thousands of not a hundred. Owner of the company picked up the whole thing supposedly. I'd like to believe that story bit I take it with a grain of salt. Not that a good employer wouldn't do it. But pretty much everything that guy says is bullshit so who knows.
Bonasababy
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 16, 2024
- Messages
- 1,953
The reason they are taking off in popularity is due to how well they work. Know several folks on them who weren't in bad shape health wise. but needed to lose weight. Serious dieting for them--no cheating for months--and they might lose a bit of weight, but they diets they were on weren't sustainable long term (and WAY less than what many people think would cause them to lose weight). GLP1 and they are losing weight--while dieting--like they have never been able to before.
This idea that some have is that it's just diet and excersize for anyone and everyone just isn't accurate. Some metabolisms in some people are tough to overcome, GLP1s have made that possible.
The caveat is whether they will eat right when they settle out at a much lower weight. If they stop the drugs and revert to eating poorly many of the benefits can be wasted. But more and more we are hearing people can stay on the drugs longer term without any ill effects.
Bonasababy
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 16, 2024
- Messages
- 1,953
Brother is on a hospital board has been for years. Close to my PC doc too and they both sing the same thing. Blame mostly on insurance, but there are lots of other factors. The plans to cut medicare and medicaid will probably kill the small town hospital my brother is on the board for, for example.
Few know that in most places in the country, ER's can't turn people away. Guess who pays for that? The ACA in part addressed that issue, point being--health care just for me and only if I want it does NOT just effect you--we all pay for the poorly insured or uninsured.
My doctor told me that the way things are, he--a general practitioner--is costing the people he works for more than he is bringing in. He told me this in response to my concern that every podunk little practice is buying more specialized and highly expensive equipment and we have too much of that which drives our costs up. Yes he said but those are the money makers for the health system.
I also know someone who was getting by fine that was sent in to bankruptcy after a bad car accident that was not his fault but coverage wasn't enough to allow him to get by for the months it took to get back on his feet--in a different job he couldn't work the same one due to the accident. Nearly 7 years later they are getting on their feet again. In the interim while it pained them they had to go on county assistance for some years--again we all pay for that!
As bad as healthcare is, IMO Dental is far worse.
Correct, and this is an under-appreciated concern. A lot of rural hospitals get by on increased critical access reimbursement, and barely so.
If this goes (and it sounds like it will be disrupted at the very least), so do a lot of rural hospitals.
That said, we do not have a hospital shortage in the US overall- in many areas we probably have too many. But there is certainly a location problem that is likely to get worse in the short term.
Letthemgrow
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 8, 2017
- Messages
- 694
Hope she is doing better.
rjthehunter
Well-known member
The underlined part is such a big part of this whole medical equation. It's such bullshit that these meds cost so much.
I'm not going to ask what meds your wife was on, but Mark Cuban started a business a few years back to stick it to big pharma. Cost plus drugs is the site. You can take the prescriptions there and save insane amounts of money on certain drugs. He's clear with the cost and markup on items. Some of the meds are marked up 1000% or more by most companies.
D
Deleted member 27192
Guest
Thank you. Yeah, they have it figured out now. A cocktail of meds every day and she is living a fairly normal life and is starting to workout again. Very thankful for the neurologist that put so much time into it.
D
Deleted member 27192
Guest
Even meds aside, weeks in a hospital is going to add up. I'm thankful for my coverages. My insurance has been amazing.
I think pharma can definitely take advantage of the people and insurance companies. Not a political statement, but the Obamacare era was a big part of the change in health care. It was also what brought on the amazing part of eliminating pre-existing issues being denied. A lot of good and bad came from it. Im a federal employee and worried about my future. I can always find a job, but I will be hard pressed to find an insurance that I trust like I have now.
D
Deleted member 27192
Guest
I checked out the website. Pretty cool, and I'm sure it's really helpful for people. They don't carry 3 of the meds and the other one is twice the price as sams club. I hope you posting it on here helps someone out.
El Jason
Well-known member
Did you support Michelle Obamas healthy lunch campaign?
Cost-plus.
I get one of my cancer meds there. It was $500/mo and down to $50. 5 years ago it was a common $20 med.
Like a Medicare drug plan, it does not cover most of my meds nor secure a fair price or access every month.
In NM a Medicare drug plan is useless. No security in price or access.
All medical ins. plans run thru Medicare. Private & public.
Looks like my SS office closed. Gallup.
Luckily I do everything online with SS. I'll have to get my 1099 online because it has not been delivered.
My check came 2 days early. Usually one.
I have a bad feeling it will be my last if the signs and speeches are correct.
I get one of my cancer meds there. It was $500/mo and down to $50. 5 years ago it was a common $20 med.
Like a Medicare drug plan, it does not cover most of my meds nor secure a fair price or access every month.
In NM a Medicare drug plan is useless. No security in price or access.
All medical ins. plans run thru Medicare. Private & public.
Looks like my SS office closed. Gallup.
Luckily I do everything online with SS. I'll have to get my 1099 online because it has not been delivered.
My check came 2 days early. Usually one.
I have a bad feeling it will be my last if the signs and speeches are correct.
WyoCoalMiner
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 14, 2024
- Messages
- 507
This is where a meaningful change would need to start.
Nick87
Well-known member
Shot my big $*)Q!#@$ mouth off there. Finally found a speech pathologist for my youngest. Lady was awesome, something git mixed up. Not in network. First time we've ever had that problem.
SAJ-99
Well-known member
If it works, it is worth the $$$.
Nick87
Well-known member
Debating that at the moment. Both boys are in speech. We get free speech service from the school but that leaves a LOT to be desired compared to either of the private places we have been to.
cgasner1
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2016
- Messages
- 5,635
Life skill may wanna spend the money on that
Pucky Freak
Well-known member
Today 40% of retirees have no defined benefit OR defined contribution income, and rely solely on social security to survive. Social security is the only thing keeping tens of millions of older Americans out of severe poverty.
It is significantly inadequate in that function though, as the age to attain needed benefits is far beyond how long people are actually capable of working. The average retirement age in the US is 62, whereas the highest SS payment is achieved by waiting to draw SS at age 70. People working physically demanding jobs overwhelmingly get stiffed because they often don’t have extra $ to set aside for retirement during their working years, and when they are forced out of work due to health, they are stuck settling for a greatly reduced benefit by pulling the benefit early.
It is also an enormously wasteful, inefficient, and convoluted program. SS is a regressive tax, so the poorest workers pay the most into the program proportionate to their income. The benefits, however, are highly progressive. Retired white collar workers collect much higher monthly checks because their incomes were higher during their working years, and they can also delay the age to start collecting on account of their better health. Illegal workers, which our country relies on heavily to make our economy work, are left out entirely.
We’re robbing the young and poor to enrich the old and financially stable.
I am all for phasing out the program as it exists today and replacing it with a program funded by progressive payroll tax, and pays out regressive benefits. The career roofer should pay little to nothing in, and be able to collect when their body gives out. The six-figure desk jockey should pay a lot in and collect nothing unless their defined contribution IRA falls through.
It is significantly inadequate in that function though, as the age to attain needed benefits is far beyond how long people are actually capable of working. The average retirement age in the US is 62, whereas the highest SS payment is achieved by waiting to draw SS at age 70. People working physically demanding jobs overwhelmingly get stiffed because they often don’t have extra $ to set aside for retirement during their working years, and when they are forced out of work due to health, they are stuck settling for a greatly reduced benefit by pulling the benefit early.
It is also an enormously wasteful, inefficient, and convoluted program. SS is a regressive tax, so the poorest workers pay the most into the program proportionate to their income. The benefits, however, are highly progressive. Retired white collar workers collect much higher monthly checks because their incomes were higher during their working years, and they can also delay the age to start collecting on account of their better health. Illegal workers, which our country relies on heavily to make our economy work, are left out entirely.
We’re robbing the young and poor to enrich the old and financially stable.
I am all for phasing out the program as it exists today and replacing it with a program funded by progressive payroll tax, and pays out regressive benefits. The career roofer should pay little to nothing in, and be able to collect when their body gives out. The six-figure desk jockey should pay a lot in and collect nothing unless their defined contribution IRA falls through.
