Well, I finally did it. Got DH on a non-Obamacare plan. It's a 4 month short term plan, that can be renewed. It starts effective 11/1. While the tax penalty is still in effect for 2018, it is not penalized if you had coverage for at least 10 months, so that is why I waited to start 11/1. I've been paying $560 a month for a bronze piece of crap plan. The 2019 rates are not out yet, but according to an article I read, this company had requested a 10% premium increase for 2019, so I'd most likely be looking at around $615/mo for next year. Just cannot do it anymore. The new plan is $181/mo. Compared to what I'd most likely have been paying in 2019, that's over $5000 savings for the year. If nothing else, I could stick that $5000 in a savings every year, just for health expenses. Maybe once the house is done and our monthly expenses are back to normal (and I know exactly what they are), I can start doing that, or at least put some of it in savings account for that.
That has been the one thing I am so disappointed with since Trump got elected and the republicans have both house and senate. They didn't do what they promised, to do away with Obamacare and costs just keep skyrocketing. But, at least the door got opened a crack, for these short term plans to start getting offered and the tax penalty done away with. I'm betting that with the tax penalty going away a lot more people are going to start opting for these cheaper plans.
Speaking of health insurance.....here is something I just do not get. A friend on Facebook recently shared a link to a go fund me page for a woman in her community. I can't remember now what was wrong with her medically, but the gist of why she needs money is she is a hardworking, single mother of 6, who doesn't have health insurance. How in the world doesn't she have health insurance?! Wasn't that the whole point of Obamacare - so those who couldn't afford it would be able to get free (or very subsidized) healthcare? Unless she makes a ton of money (I didn't get that impression) I would think that someone with 6 dependents would qualify for free healthcare? Why does she not have it? I'm required by law to have it (AND PAY FOR IT through the nose!!), but someone who can get it for free doesn't have it? Just stupid.
Small town life: I needed to update our mailing address for our property taxes and also our car vehicle registrations/titles. I just emailed our county records clerk to ask how I do it. She said she'll take care of it, no trip in to the county office needed. She's also the wife of the guy that did most of our excavating work, haha.
So, the roofer who did our shop roof stopped by yesterday. He's the guy our contractor uses most often, but he also said he has gone into "gouge mode" just like all the subs, so he's been having to find other roofers to stay in budget on his jobs. The guy now wants $300 "a sheet". Our contractor says that's ridiculous. A roofer can do 3 sheets an hour.....so he's making $600 an hour!! WTH?!! Then framer and contractor say "well, it costs whatever it costs". DH was like No! it's going to cost what you put in for the cost when you gave us (and the bank) the cost breakdown for this job!
The contractors HVAC guy was supposed to come yesterday to make sure the contractor's number is right (it's not, we already know that) and so we can compare with another bid we got ourselves from a different HVAC company. He never showed up, of course.
Hey! I finally found DH's missing password list. When we were packing to move (now I remember) he handed me a bunch of slips of paper with names and phone numbers and business cards, as well as his password list all folded up and told me to hold on to them. I put it all in a big envelope and forgot that I had it or what was in it. Came across it yesterday, as I was looking for something else.
Congratulations on the health care package for your hubs. Wow you were paying a lot of money and sadly it seems when the insurance companies (like the drug companies) decide to put their prices up there's not a lot anyone can do about it. Legalized robbery!
ReplyDeleteit's such a big scam, in my opinion. Like here in my state we only have 3 companies to choose from with Obamacare now. The rest have dropped out over the past few years.
DeleteSo glad I live in Canada and don"t have to worry about health care.
ReplyDeleteMy half sis lives in Canada and she is glad too!
DeleteMe, too!! 2 total knee replacements, cost to me? $14.00 for parking for a week. My son and daughter in law had twins last month, the little (4#) girl spent 4 days in the Neonatal Intensive Care unit); cost to them, zero. Seems ludicrous to me that the USA can't have a similar system.
DeleteLEfting - all that would cost thousands, even for a person with good insurance. Most employer plans (or at least all the one's I've had) only cover 80%. I've always heard that in Canada, there is a long wait to get these types of procedures done, is that part true?
DeleteI have a cousin in Canada, and waiting to get treatment for breast cancer almost cost her her life. While the Canadian health care might be thought of as free, it is paid for in other ways such as much higher taxes. Nothing in life is free.
DeleteYou are right - they definitely pay for it in their tax system.
DeleteHealth care is such a mess. I still have hope that Trump will make good on his promise to fix the disaster Obama created. I'm sure all the push back he has received from the Left on anything and everything he tries to do isn't helping the situation. Meanwhile, I'm glad you are getting some relief from those premiums.
ReplyDeleteGood thing you have a contract with your house. I agree with your DH. It will cost what they put in their bid!
It will be interesting to see what comes after these mid term elections. Most likely a bunch of nothing, which is what they all seem to accomplish.
DeleteI know of a single mother of four or five that does not want to be on food stamps or receive any welfare, so she lives high on the hot with continuous begging and listing on Amazon for what she wants and needs. I don't get it.
ReplyDeleteDoes she sell on Amazon? If so, she can make a good income doing so. As for the begging part, that is just not right.
DeleteI think Linda is referring to the practice of publishing/publicizing one's Amazon wishlist. I'd be surprised if many people are privy to the actual details of her income, however.
DeleteRe the woman who doesn't have insurance: the most likely reason is she lives in a state that opted out of the Medicaid expansion dollars -- states that took the funds saw double the enrolment of states that declined it. (If your unsubsidized costs for one adult are difficult on your income, which is well over the median, I imagine they could seem impossible to someone making less.)
ReplyDeleteFWIW,under the ACA, over 60% of adults uninsured in 2012 were insured by 2016. With the shorter enrolment period, decreased outreach, and elimination of the penalty, that percentage may have fallen (just a guess -- haven't seen figures).
Good info. The state she lives in did not opt out of the medicaid expansion dollars.
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