Between FIRE and 65 paid healthcare options.

[MRG]

+1000

It's always the other guys who are getting a deal/steal. I benefited for many years of employer paid healthcare, as Megacorp did. Now I've taken advantage of the legal subsidies, not sure why I'd pay more to feel better about myself.

I paid for schools I didn't have children in and all kinds of social programs I didn't use. That's okay by me, it works out in the end.

It's human nature, also, that we tend to notice subsidies that *cost* us much more than we remember the ones that we benefit from. As a result it feels like almost everyone thinks others are getting fat at their expense, even if we are getting pretty close to a fair deal when everything is added up.

 

[Sarah S]

This is hopefully an exception but an article about a faith based health coverage program that is in trouble

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/bu...IcevM68zuo8DHyn-yv-EBRjeMcKHfgSE4STTnqnpC6sxo

 

[DawgMan]

I am looking at them now...would you mind sharing (no pun intended ) which one you went with?

Sorry, I have been a little MIA... Samaritan is the plan we went with. We also looked hard at Medi-Share. I realize these plans are not for everyone, but so far, this plan is working great for us both from a cost perspective and the freedom to choose my healthcare providers.

Good Luck!

 

[ncbill]

Are you saying you would rather have taxpayers cover your insurance cost versus your wife's employer?

There sure are a lot of rich people on this site who see nothing wrong with the rest of us supporting your medical costs (beyond Medicare which we all have been paying into for decades).

Marc

Sure, I'll take all the subsidies I can get!

(though, as noted, we don't qualify for ACA subsidies)

I put in a higher SEER heat pump a decade ago to get the federal tax credit when the original builder-grade unit died.

Taxpayers covered one kid's undergraduate degree...kid paid no tuition or room/board & taxpayers currently pay their salary & a decent pension after as little as 20 years.

And taxpayers are mostly covering undergraduate costs for another kid as well.

As for Medicare...recipients are being paid for by current workers...the relatively small premiums paid over one's working lifetime don't come close to paying for the actual costs of coverage.

I hope Medicare coverage is still as generous when I file for it in a decade or so, but I suspect it will be more like Medicaid by then.

 

[GenXguy]

Medicare isn't free! In fact, it is very costly as mentioned a few times earlier. I know senior couples that are spending over $10,000 per year on premiums for Medicare A, B, D, and supplemental to provide adequate coverage despite having paid into it all of their careers!


I would like to see this health care financial burden lessened for some of our most vulnerable citizens - those 65 years old and older, who deserve to be well taken care of after a lifetime of contribution to society and a legacy to be enjoyed by younger generations such as my GenX generation and milennials.

 

[COcheesehead]

The Prayer Page exists only for those people whose expenses were not shareable under the guidelines of the plan level they chose. Pre-ex exclusions, primarily. CHM Gold shares pre-existing conditions on a phased-in basis. Silver and Bronze level do not. For any member whose expenses don't qualify for sharing, their expenses are listed on (as you say) "a religious based Go Fund Me".

The Prayer Page is a backup for anyone who would otherwise "fall through the cracks". Does any conventional plan have such a backup?

Their "house of cards" has been in operation for 36 years and has shared multiple billions of $ in expenses. They're audited every year.

If you’re comfortable with it, I guess that is all that matters. I have read stories of claims being denied. I would hate to have a medical issue that wipes out my retirement savings too.

 

[joeea]

The Prayer Page is a backup for anyone who would otherwise "fall through the cracks". Does any conventional plan have such a backup?

Every plan is backed by a potential "I'm begging for your money" web page.

 

[joeea]

Unlimited benefits cost unlimited premiums.

Are you sure? It doesn't look that way.

 

[joeea]

I know senior couples that are spending over $10,000 per year on premiums for Medicare A, B, D, and supplemental to provide adequate coverage despite having paid into it all of their careers!

They should probably be looking at Medicare Advantage plans.

 

[ivinsfan]

Medicare isn't free! In fact, it is very costly as mentioned a few times earlier. I know senior couples that are spending over $10,000 per year on premiums for Medicare A, B, D, and supplemental to provide adequate coverage despite having paid into it all of their careers!


I would like to see this health care financial burden lessened for some of our most vulnerable citizens - those 65 years old and older, who deserve to be well taken care of after a lifetime of contribution to society and a legacy to be enjoyed by younger generations such as my GenX generation and milennials.

So part A is free and Part B cost nominal. This provides a floor. But yes it costs money to expand your Medicare coverage. The point is, someone has to pay. More then a few posters here have been unpleasantly surprised and yes almost angry, to see their almost free ACA coverage switch to Medicare and start to cost them money. But where do you stop with the subsided HC? Like I said someone has to pay for it..

 

[marko]

Medicare isn't free! In fact, it is very costly as mentioned a few times earlier. I know senior couples that are spending over $10,000 per year on premiums for Medicare A, B, D, and supplemental to provide adequate coverage despite having paid into it all of their careers!

This is interesting. I pay my $134 for B, plus $79 a month BCBS supplement and $17 for Rx for a total of $230 a month.

Having paid $24K for DW and myself pre-Medicare, my $2700 a year is 'free' enough for me!

I wonder how you get to $10K a year.

 

[marko]

Are you saying you would rather have taxpayers cover your insurance cost versus your wife's employer?

There sure are a lot of rich people on this site who see nothing wrong with the rest of us supporting your medical costs (beyond Medicare which we all have been paying into for decades).

Marc

For 30 years I paid more in taxes than most people make each year. Never had kids but paid for the schools, never knew anyone on welfare but paid for that too, never qualified for ACA but paid $24K for DW and I until Medicare came along.

Maybe I'm becoming a grumpy old man but I'm at the point in my life where I have to say "where's mine?" If I could have qualified for ACA, I'd have been the first in line.

 

[pb4uski]

For 30 years I paid more in taxes than most people make each year. Never had kids but paid for the schools, never knew anyone on welfare but paid for that too, never qualified for ACA but paid $24K for DW and I until Medicare came along.

Maybe I'm becoming a grumpy old man but I'm at the point in my life where I have to say "where's mine?" If I could have qualified for ACA, I'd have been the first in line.

Yes, grumpy old curmongeon. If you're seeking for sympathy, look in the disctionary between sh!t and syphilis.

 

[marko]

Yes, grumpy old curmongeon. If you're seeking for sympathy, look in the disctionary between sh!t and syphilis.

Not looking for sympathy. Can't even find your 'disctionary'.

What I'm looking for is my own handout beyond a senior citizen discount!

Harrumph!!

 

[Dtail]

This is interesting. I pay my $134 for B, plus $79 a month BCBS supplement and $17 for Rx for a total of $230 a month.

Having paid $24K for DW and myself pre-Medicare, my $2700 a year is 'free' enough for me!

I wonder how you get to $10K a year.

Perhaps they get to 10k yearly due to the IRMAA rules.

 

[Dtail]

For 30 years I paid more in taxes than most people make each year. Never had kids but paid for the schools, never knew anyone on welfare but paid for that too, never qualified for ACA but paid $24K for DW and I until Medicare came along.

Maybe I'm becoming a grumpy old man but I'm at the point in my life where I have to say "where's mine?" If I could have qualified for ACA, I'd have been the first in line.

Bolded by me- - nice to read some honesty on this comment. Thank you.

 

[johnhkc]

This is hopefully an exception but an article about a faith based health coverage program that is in trouble

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/bu...IcevM68zuo8DHyn-yv-EBRjeMcKHfgSE4STTnqnpC6sxo

I've read the same thing about Medishare several years ago. IIRC, they had problems in Idaho(?) paying for a cancer treatment that came close to $1M when the group was too small to handle it.

And in St Joseph, MO a ministry called MCS that was founded by a guy convicted of insurance fraud in the past went belly up after collecting premiums and not paying out.

There's another in Florida which has a suspiciously similar website to MCS and wording that people are skeptical about.

Under the law, these ministries are only ACA tax exempt if they're connected to one of the four ministries that existed prior to Dec 31 1999. I wonder which one they're attached to. I know it isn't CHM because they won't work with or be sold by any independent agent.

The four originals are CHM, Samaritan and Medishare and Liberty HealthShare.

 

[Bir48die]

$870/mth Kaiser with $3,500 deductible. If my wife didn't have Tricare I would still be working. One more year until Medicare. That will give us a nice two week trip every year from the savings.

 

[COcheesehead]

I've read the same thing about Medishare several years ago. IIRC, they had problems in Idaho(?) paying for a cancer treatment that came close to $1M when the group was too small to handle it.

And in St Joseph, MO a ministry called MCS that was founded by a guy convicted of insurance fraud in the past went belly up after collecting premiums and not paying out.

There's another in Florida which has a suspiciously similar website to MCS and wording that people are skeptical about.

Under the law, these ministries are only ACA tax exempt if they're connected to one of the four ministries that existed prior to Dec 31 1999. I wonder which one they're attached to. I know it isn't CHM because they won't work with or be sold by any independent agent.

The four originals are CHM, Samaritan and Medishare and Liberty HealthShare.

When I talked to a healthcare insurance broker, he said these are an option, but... even though they are audited, they are unregulated. So you take your chances.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Joe, some people don’t want advantage plans because you can’t go out of network if you need to. My sister in Chicago is paying 600 for Medicare just for herself. No clue what we will be paying because we get to stay on my retiree insurance until my husband is 65. It’s our biggest expense at 1k/month.

 

[joeea]

Joe, some people don’t want advantage plans because you can’t go out of network if you need to.

You can always go out of network if you need to.

 

[ivinsfan]

You can always go out of network if you need to.

Not without financial consequences....sometimes large financial consequences...

 

[ziggy29]

You can always go out of network if you need to.

Of course they can. They can also sign a blank check over to the provider if they choose.

 

[youbet]

This is interesting. I pay my $134 for B, plus $79 a month BCBS supplement and $17 for Rx for a total of $230 a month.

Having paid $24K for DW and myself pre-Medicare, my $2700 a year is 'free' enough for me!

I wonder how you get to $10K a year.

Among other things, he said the $10k was for a couple. After that, I'd note that your $79/mo for a BCBS supplement is cheap. My type F BCBS supplement is about $220/mo at age 72. That's still a bit short of $10k, but close enough that I get the point.

And, of course, for guys like you and me, there's IRMAA to be added in......... That takes us to well over $10k/yr but doesn't apply to most folks.

 

[BarbWire]

We ... went with Christian Healthcare Ministries. There are similar organizations for non Christians..

Has anyone found something similar for non-Christians? The folks I know who use a CHM are pleased but of course you have to pass the religious litmus test.