The Hidden Cost of Retiring Early

[foxfirev5]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Senator I get free VA healthcare, all I have to do is wait for it... If I was on welfare, I would get it faster, and still free. It's amazing we treat people that have never contributed a dime to society, to better health care than a veteran.

Very true and needs to be addressed rather than the lip service currently provided

[ERhoosier]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Senator I get free VA healthcare, all I have to do is wait for it... If I was on welfare, I would get it faster, and still free. It's amazing we treat people that have never contributed a dime to society, to better health care than a veteran.

And keep in mind that most vets are not even able to enroll in VA system to begin waiting for care. Enrollment is based on a strict Priority system (e.g. service-connected disability, ex-POW's, low-income/low net worth, etc.).
VA Health Care Eligibility | Military.com

[user5027]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Senator I get free VA healthcare, all I have to do is wait for it... If I was on welfare, I would get it faster, and still free. It's amazing we treat people that have never contributed a dime to society, to better health care than a veteran.

If you are as your name implies...fix it.

[scrabbler1]

This is a hidden cost? There was nothing secretive about health insurance when I was putting together my ER budget. The cost of having to pay for my HI premiums was roughly the same as those hidden savings in my ER budget. You know, those deeply hidden savings such as no more commutation expenses and no more FICA taxes. And this was before the ACA reduced my premiums versus what I wa paying for when I first ERed and began paying for my own HI (non-COBRA) back in 2009.

Somehow, I don't expect to see an article from that writer (if you can call him that) about all those hidden expense reductions!

[daylatedollarshort]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scrabbler1 Somehow, I don't expect to see an article from that writer (if you can call him that) about all those hidden expense reductions!

No work clothes, less taxes, no commute costs, less lunches out, more time to cook, more DIY projects, more time to review expenses and price shop - we have been truly amazed at how much less we spend these days overall.

[Mulligan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ERhoosier And keep in mind that most vets are not even able to enroll in VA system to begin waiting for care. Enrollment is based on a strict Priority system (e.g. service-connected disability, ex-POW's, low-income/low net worth, etc.). VA Health Care Eligibility | Military.com

Interesting link as I never knew how the system worked or eligibility requirements. My brother served a couple tours and never has used it and I just assumed it was because he didn't put enough time in and because he was not injured. I was listening to a round table talking head discussion over the VA medical problems and one person made a comment that went unchallenged by the others and I certainly do not know it's accuracy. He said one part of the problem was too many veterans accessing the medical care system with health issues unrelated to their service time. In essence he was saying certain people using the system should not be even accessing it. I wish more had been said as I assumed it was available for all veterans of a certain length of time, and maybe somebody challenge his comment, but nothing was mentioned in support or against it either way.


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[Al in Ohio]

Quote:

Originally Posted by seraphim It's CNN - what do you expect?

I'd expect to hear that slant from Foxy News quite frankly. "Work till you die to make the rich richer"

[Al in Ohio]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scrabbler1 This is a hidden cost? There was nothing secretive about health insurance when I was putting together my ER budget. The cost of having to pay for my HI premiums was roughly the same as those hidden savings in my ER budget. You know, those deeply hidden savings such as no more commutation expenses and no more FICA taxes. And this was before the ACA reduced my premiums versus what I wa paying for when I first ERed and began paying for my own HI (non-COBRA) back in 2009. Somehow, I don't expect to see an article from that writer (if you can call him that) about all those hidden expense reductions!

Right on. Great counter comparison.

[nun]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Senator I get free VA healthcare, all I have to do is wait for it... If I was on welfare, I would get it faster, and still free. It's amazing we treat people that have never contributed a dime to society, to better health care than a veteran.

It's always interesting to compare this outlook on life with the foundations of the National Health Service in the UK which was set up to provide healthcare to everyone in the UK funded from general taxation and free at the point of service. The size or nature of a persons contribution to the country was not a criterion for the delivery of healthcare. So a penniless hobo would get the same care on the NHS as anyone else. That's something I can support. Here is the pamphlet that introduced the system to the public in England and Wales (Scotland got its own version later on). Seems a lot simpler than Obamacare.

Chatango!

[nun]

The VA system is under a lot of pressure. US healthcare cost inflation has gone down in the last 5 years, but the costs are still far higher than in any other nation. With so many veterans from recent wars with significant health issues and an aging population the strains on the VA will only get worse. With so many employers reducing or eliminating benefits for retirees surely the VA system should be reformed too, just as it has been for many other government and private employees and retirees. Of course the same could be said for Medicare

[aja8888]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mulligan Interesting link as I never knew how the system worked or eligibility requirements. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Mulligan, as an example:

Last year I applied for VA medical benefis since I am a Vietnam era veteran who was rated as combat status. I served four years. I have an Honorable Discharge. Guess what? I didn't qualify based on the income amount and I have a legitimate medical claim, even though it was a long time ago. If I was doused with Agent Orange, I would have been considered, I suppose.

Actually, just using our SS income put me out. My BIL, who served the same time I did, but is jobless, ended up with medical benefits, free prescriptions, and a pair of $5,000 hearing aids. Good for him, he needs all they can give him for help.

I'm not crying sour grapes here, just showing how the system is unfair to veterans in some cases. I really don't care that much about not qualifying for VA benefits as I can handle my own costs and have Medicare and other insurance.

[nun]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aja8888 I'm not crying sour grapes here, just showing how the system is unfair to veterans in some cases. I really don't care that much about not qualifying for VA benefits as I can handle my own costs and have Medicare and other insurance.

Means testing for benefits would be seen as totally fair and appropriate by many.

[aja8888]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nun Means testing for benefits would be seen as totally fair and appropriate by many.

And for those who served and put their life on the line with a promise of the availability of future VA benefits, it may not be seen as "fair".

[Walt34]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aja8888 And for those who served and put their life on the line with a promise of the availability of future VA benefits, it may not be seen as "fair".

My thought too.

[Chuckanut]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Al in Ohio I'd expect to hear that slant from Foxy News quite frankly. "Work till you die to make the rich richer"

Remember the slogan at the entrance to the death camps - Work Will Make You Free.


Sent from somewhere in the world with whatever device I can get my hands on.

[nun]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aja8888 And for those who served and put their life on the line with a promise of the availability of future VA benefits, it may not be seen as "fair".

I agree.....but many people have had their promises of healthcare broken and given the trend towards less government spending things like VA benefits are going to be pressured. The same will likely be true for Medicare and SS. We should fight for these benefits, but many in Congress want to see them reduced.

[Fermion]

I am a bit with nun (or at least what I think nun is getting at). We need healthcare for everyone, not just healthcare for those who we think deserve it. Yes the people who served in the military are quite deserving of healthcare, but so are the firemen who fight the wildfires that keep those veteran's homes safe and the police who keep the neighborhood safe. The teachers are pretty important too, because without them we wouldn't have the training needed to do the other jobs. The engineers who design the body armor and vehicles are fairly important, as are the workers who assemble those.

Maybe we can just agree to deny healthcare to lawyers.

[robnplunder]

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Originally Posted by Fermion Maybe we can just agree to deny healthcare to lawyers.

I agree. Throw in congressmen and senators and that's a deal.

[nun]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fermion I am a bit with nun (or at least what I think nun is getting at). We need healthcare for everyone, not just healthcare for those who we think deserve it. Yes the people who served in the military are quite deserving of healthcare, but so are the firemen who fight the wildfires that keep those veteran's homes safe and the police who keep the neighborhood safe. The teachers are pretty important too, because without them we wouldn't have the training needed to do the other jobs. The engineers who design the body armor and vehicles are fairly important, as are the workers who assemble those. Maybe we can just agree to deny healthcare to lawyers.

You almost get my point. I believe a hobo is as deserving of healthcare as a firefighter or a soldier. I reject any scale of worthiness. If you are ill you should have access to healthcare irrespective of your ability to pay or what you've done in your life.

So I think the VA is good and all military retirees should have access to it. My fear is that escalating costs and the mood of Congress will start to cut into the existing VA benefits.

[marko]

We figured out (roughly) that between commute, lunches, clothes, "soft expense"(paying someone for minor repairs you could do yourself...if you were home), that DW and I saved about $10K each when we RE'd. Makes HI costs a wash.