ways of dealing with ER health care costs

[Martha]

We dealt with health care costs in ER by NOT folding the corporation. Instead I'm "awarding" DW 50% of the stock. There will be no payroll, therefore no payroll taxes. In NY a group must have a minimum of 2 employees. There are other conditions but when compared to individual rates its a no-brainer.

BUM

BUM, how do you fund the health costs? What income does the corporation have? Tell me more.

Martha

[JWV]

In medicine, we (generically) say 90% is prevention, 90% is preventable. *But there are billions of people in the US, so the odds ratio is that **** happens. Okay, last post on this, EOR (I've been waiting to use that one *)

Right on, P.S.

Judy

[dlhanson]

"Billions of people in the US" - actually there are millions

"90% preventable" - but Americans are NOT doing what they need to do to prevent disease. Americans eat the fat and sugar laden American diet, don't exercise, and don't eat vegetables (except for the garbage called french fries) and fruits so they die of heart disease and cancer for the most part.

You want to save on medical care, then do what we do. I have retirement family medical through a previous employer which we use for my wife. We are paying $39 per month for the high deductible policy. I am covered at no cost at my current employer.

We eat no meat, no dairy, no processed food, loads of vegetables and fruits, brown rice and beans. My blood pressure is lower now than when I was 18. My total cholesterol level is 135. My resting heart rate is 50 bpm. You want health then don't follow the culture into their early graves!

[Caroline]

Has anyone had any experience with healthcare in the UK or Ireland?

I was born in the UK so I got a UK passport a few years back -- I was planning to travel and they were pushing Americans off cruise ships at the time so it seemed like a good idea.

Given the war they're killing Limeys too now, so I'm getting Irish citizenship through my Irish mother.

I'm covered through work but have been wondering about ER. Given great health thus far (knock on wood), could I rely on British health care for a few years between ER and medicare?

Am I bloody daft, or has anyone had a good experience, whether just on vacation or otherwise, with the UK system?

Cheers!
Caroline

[Caroline]

If you REALLY want to go with #5 and take care of your health, you might want to consider the low-calorie, high-nutrient diet found at this site:

http://www.walford.com/

I saw this on "Scientific American Frontiers" and there seems to be some hard evidence that you can extend both your life and more importantly, the QUALITY of your life with this eating program.

On the other hand, the reduced-calorie diet may just cause you to FEEL like you're living forever, since the time between each meal seems to stretch on forever. ;-D

Just fyi...
Caroline

[cute fuzzy bunny]

We did a modified version of the "dean ornish" diet, and we liked it. There are studies saying its great and ones that say it sucks. We felt better, lost weight on it, and two months into it my wife ended up pregnant...which at our age isnt exactly a gimme. So something there was working. We had to go off of it a month into the pregnancy as my wife WANTED meats and fats and those are all that quelled the nausea.

My favorite part was the simplicity. Minimize meat, fats, sugars, nuts, avocados. Eat as much of everything else as you want, as often as you want.

It helps to be retired for such a diet, as it requires some creativity and time to cook...its a lot easier to throw a rib eye on the grill and dump some caesar salad dressing on a bag of romaine.

I made it a series of ethnic days...we'd have indian, japanese, greek, morroccan, italian meal plans. I also fished for a lot of menu ideas and had good luck as long as I didnt try to recreate some sort of meat dish with a soy product...that just isnt gonna work. Sweet potato stew and wild mushroom stroganoff are pretty dang good though.

Its also a CHEAP diet. I was spending about 1/3 on our food bills for that lifestyle than previously.

Health care costs do vary by area though...and like someone said, you can pick a place with half million dollar homes, 12k a year property taxes and 12k a year health care costs...or just as easily find a place like we did with really nice 250k homes, $1500 property taxes and full coverage individual hc plans in the $200-350/mo range.

[laurence]

We do a weight watcherish diet that sounds similar. I'm the cook and I too do an ethnic theme night to keep it interesting. Last night was an Irish lentil soup with shredded carrots. Tonight is Tandori Chicken with Couscus. Ran out of plain yogurt for the Tandori sause, had to use vanilla-wish us luck!

[haha]

Ran out of plain yogurt for the Tandori sause, had to use vanilla-wish us luck! *

You have a dog?

Mikey

[laurence]

Why can't I spell today? No, but I have two cats, wouldn't want to clean the box tomorrow, though!

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I recommend lots of cumin and lots of red pepper flakes.

Not for the dog, of course

Three people, three dogs and three cats here. Not much protein or dairy ever goes to waste around here...

[lazyday]

If you REALLY want to go with #5 and take care of your health, you might want to consider the low-calorie, high-nutrient diet found at this site:

http://www.walford.com/

There's a society of people following his diet, trying to extend their lives. It works very well on rats and some other creatures, and many think it works on people too.

I've been meaning to make a post about it, as many/most ER people are trying to have more life in their years. The CRON diet should add more years, to have even more life. Seems like the kind of person to go for ER could also be one for CRON. (Calorie Restricion Optimal Nutrition)

Walford says in his book Beyond the 120 Year Diet, not to do the diet without the help of a doctor. It is too easy to shorten lifespan by malnourishing yourself, and your dr can give blood tests and other tests to help ensure you are doing ok.

He also suggests that you only eat CRON type foods for 6 months first (but as much as you want) before trying to start the diet. I think you can "cheat" but only to the extent you would on the Walford diet... CRON foods are unlimited for you in those 6 mos, but not high calorie foods.

I did that for maybe 2 years, and for the first time in my life, was able to be thin without being hungry or skipping most meals. WOrked great til I got a girlfriend who insisted on having "real" food in the house. (I only had vegetables, fruits, and a few whole grain things and a few protein sources.)

I decided against doing the diet, at least for the time...

He has a new edition of another book out, I haven't read yet. Under $11: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg.../-/1569243832/

[laurence]

FYI. The Chicken Tandori was a sucess, and it's a weight watchers core meal, so no points spent eating it! I'm down to 203 lbs.! (I'm 6'2")! Yay!

[BUM]

BUM, how do you fund the health costs? What income does the corporation have? Tell me more.

Martha

Hi MJ and Martha,

According to my agent my healthcare carrier looks as members qualifications
1. At application
2. About 2 months before annual renewal

A 2 member group must meet either of the following; 20 hours on the payroll....but thats a pain due to withholding and payroll tax paperwork.
OR both must demonstrate that they substiantially and materially contribute to the business. So DW becomes a partner and (as always) pays all the bills as a signator on the company checkbook.

The company has some residual income. But I dont think thats an issue unless I'm missing something. Premiums can probably be paid from any personal check account.


I'm procrastinating (my chief skill) for awhile since we signed on as a group of 3 (daughter/employee she will be off in May) and renewal is in 3/06

bum

BUM

[Nords]

Originally Posted by lazyday

He has a new edition of another book out, I haven't read yet.

He hasn't either. He died last year of ALS.

He claimed it was brought on by lack of O2 in Biosphere2 but of course he's the only case of it from that small group of people. I'd hate to find out that ALS could be precipitated by not eating enough.

FWIW I think Walford's nutritional tables are quite useful for spotting holes in one's diet. And it's quite compelling to think that eating less will prolong one's life... but OTOH it might only make it SEEM longer.

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Originally Posted by Nords

He claimed it was brought on by lack of O2 in Biosphere2

Now if we can only find a way for it to have the same affect on Pauly Shore...