I'm joining this thread late, and this is the answer to the original question about health care premiums.
I lucked into a state retirement health care plan that has no premium, and theoretically a relatively small out-of-pocket limit each year, although it doesn't cover everything of course. I've been enrolled since I officially retired about four years ago. So far, the premium has not gone up (from zero). However, the State keeps switching administrators (the State provides the money and is self-insured, but hires a 3rd party administrator). This latest switch is to an organization with a preferred provider network that has almost no members in this State. So according to a friend (I have been lucky and made no claims since the switch) the insurance company reimburses only a small part of what the doctor charges, saying it is more than we'd have to pay in Seattle (may be true but we're in Anchorage!), and doesn't count the extra expense towards the out-of-pocket limit.
So my premiums have not gone up, but my medical expenses are now highly unpredictable unless I can fly to Seattle every time I need a doctor (and of course the plane flight would not be covered).
So this is just another way that health insurance companies can deny coverage to those they are supposed to cover.
That is assuming Ill be alive 3 or 4 years from now from when it will start working.
