Hello from North East Pennsylvania

[PoconoMike]

Hello to all. I have been reading the posts on your site for some time now and am impressed by the quality and quantity of the information posted. I'm 55 soon to be 56 and ready to retire. The one thing that is an issue is health insurance between now and medicare. Otherwise I'm ready to go. Any guidance on this issue would be appreciated. This will be a learning experience as I have never participated in a forum like this before. Much of the lingo I still don't understand.

 

[bots2019]

Hi Mike -

Health insurance is a big obstacle to retirement for many. There are a number of threads about this in the "Health & ER" forum.

Stats? Dependent status, pension, savings, etc. Folks will be able to provide some good feedback with the right info!

As far as the lingo, here's a link that should clear up some of your questions -
http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f32/acronyms-slang-frequently-used-forum-19058.html

Best of Luck!

Bots

 

[RetireeRobert]

Hello to all. I have been reading the posts on your site for some time now and am impressed by the quality and quantity of the information posted. I'm 55 soon to be 56 and ready to retire. The one thing that is an issue is health insurance between now and medicare. Otherwise I'm ready to go. Any guidance on this issue would be appreciated. This will be a learning experience as I have never participated in a forum like this before. Much of the lingo I still don't understand.

Welcome to the forum, and welcome soon to ER!

As to health insurance, I presume you have talked to your employer's HR Dept? If not, do so soon. Ask about continuing your current health insurance on a self-pay basis, ask about COBRA rights for 18 month (maybe longer) for your current health insurance, look up your state's Dept. of Insurance or Insurance Commisioner and get info from them on what alternatives are or may be available to you.

Check out your area's Regence affiliate and see what individual policies they offer and pricing. Check out ehealthinsurance.com, plug in your data, and see what comes up.

 

[Coach]

Mike, welcome aboard!

Martha has written a great FAQ on buying private health insurance -- check it out in the Early Retirement FAQs Forum.

I hope you find a good resolution to that very difficult problem and can stop working and start living!

Coach

 

[PoconoMike]

Thanks, the links and information you guys suggested are very informative. Sounds like I have to call Blue Cross / Blue Shield and get an idea of what the HIPPA? insurance rates are so I can do a reality check on early retirement. I have budgeted a big chunk for health care but don't really have any idea what the cost will be. I guess we'll find out.

A complicating factor is that I want to move back to Michigan to be near the grandkids after I hang it up. The various states handle the insurance issues differently and I'm sure there is some timing issues involved with a move like that.

 

[RetireeRobert]

Thanks, the links and information you guys suggested are very informative. Sounds like I have to call Blue Cross / Blue Shield and get an idea of what the HIPPA? insurance rates are so I can do a reality check on early retirement. I have budgeted a big chunk for health care but don't really have any idea what the cost will be. I guess we'll find out.

A complicating factor is that I want to move back to Michigan to be near the grandkids after I hang it up. The various states handle the insurance issues differently and I'm sure there is some timing issues involved with a move like that.

You definitely want to talk to BCBS (and other insurers) in Michigan to find out costs and availability there for health insurance.

 

[mathjak107]

hi pocono mike. we just bought a 2nd home in lale wallenpaupack this past summer

 

[layla17]

Hi, Pocono Mike it's great to meet you and good to know there is another member from the NEPA area.

 

[PoconoMike]

Wallenpaupak is a nice spot. This is my primary residence but there are probably more second homes up here than primary residences. Imagine there are a few of us up here trying to figure out how to retire. I was out of town this week watching the weather channel and expected to come home to a huge blizzard but it's only a couple inches of slush where I am. I guess the big one's coming Sunday.