Thinking About Unretiring

[Martha]

Refugee, I hope you continue to post. I for one would be interested in how you work things out.

 

[texascashranger]

Hello There Refugee!
Greetings from Springbranch, TX. I also recently retired after two kids graduated college. Worked hard to keep them from any student loans. We retirees always have to worry about the "insurance gap" before 65. If that's not enough we have to worry about our retirement income being eaten up by inflation. Being able to have some control over your future income is important. I got into a "cash-gifting" program several months ago through the advise of another retiree and added a very substantial cash income to my retirement. I know it sounds corny and hype, but it does work. Good luck!

 

[Alan]

Anyway, thanks for the comments. I'll keep quiet now.

Please don't stop. I'm due to RE in 22 months and my megacorp is in the process of being acquired by another megacorp and the talk around the coffee pot this week is that the new megacorp wants to immediately eliminate the final salary pension plan and retiree health insurance. It is something many of us face and worry about regularly.

 

[SkisALot]

I've been lurking around this site for awhile, but just had to register to respond to Sticks' idea that not obtaining individual health insurance is "only" about not being able to pay for it. It is extremely difficult - if not impossible - to get individual health insurance in this country. The insurance companies do not want to insure individuals and will use any excuse, no matter how simple, to decline applicants. If you're willing and able to pay and the health insurer will not accept you, there is nothing you can do. It's time people woke up and realized just how broken this system is.

 

[BunsGettingFirm]

Rambler and Billy both mentioned that health care seems to be actually affordable in Asia. I wonder why. My grandfather died of cancer and had a long hospital stay. I don't recall what kind of insurance he did or didn't have, but financial ruin was never even a topic of discussion. My grandma continued to live in her house, and my aunt continued to go to her 9-5 government job after my grandfather died.

 

[Ronstar]

I've been lurking around this site for awhile, but just had to register to respond to Sticks' idea that not obtaining individual health insurance is "only" about not being able to pay for it. It is extremely difficult - if not impossible - to get individual health insurance in this country. The insurance companies do not want to insure individuals and will use any excuse, no matter how simple, to decline applicants. If you're willing and able to pay and the health insurer will not accept you, there is nothing you can do. It's time people woke up and realized just how broken this system is.

This is exactly the point. People can claim that health care and health insurance are an individual's responsibility, but the system is broke beyond an average individual's ability to use it. Maybe it isnt government's responsibility to provide free health care, but it should be their duty to regulate the quality of and one's ability to access health care.

 

[Alan]

This is exactly the point. People can claim that health care and health insurance are an individual's responsibility, but the system is broke beyond an average individual's ability to use it. Maybe it isnt government's responsibility to provide free health care, but it should be their duty to regulate the quality of and one's ability to access health care.

Our 25 yr old son graduated from college last March and came home to stay with us while he looked for a job. He had let his health insurance drop even and had also been through a bout of depression, had been under a Dr's care and on prescription drugs for a few months. I was mortified he had no insurance and set about trying to get him some catastrophic insurance. I fully expected that depression would be excluded but in fact he was refused insurance all together. Fortunately he got a job within 6 weeks and is fully covered but I was truly shocked that an otherwise healthy 25 yr old guy could be refused for basic, catastrophic high deductible insurance.

 

[Refugee]

Didn't mean to imply that I wouldn't post at all. I really learn a lot from others here. Thanks for taking the time to comment.

 

[SteveR]

Refugee,
There are a lot of very smart and experienced people on this forum that can and do help folks get the facts on many things. Listen to them and look where they tell you to look but decide on the path that works best for you.

I hope you can find a way to make it work without having to take a j*b to get your coverage. But, it that is the ONLY way you find that works for you, then so be it.

Good luck and keep posting to keep us informed of what is going on.