ziggy29
Moderator Emeritus
So, like so many other people, I've struggled to look at what will be available to me on the "federal" exchange. One error and timeout after another, one "website down" and "wait in line" after another, one website glitch after another, it's been rather irritating.
So today, I got through the application but called in to the number listed so I can try to deal with the "prove your identity" thing. I tried to upload a copy of my driver license, but it thought my 91KB file was larger than the allowed 10MB. Tired of that, I called in.
I was on hold for 20 minutes.
Now a year ago, all of this would have sent me off into a rage. I'd be really mad the instant someone finally picked up the phone on the other end, even though I knew the frustration I endured was not their fault. (And keep in mind that I worked tech support for several years in my career, so I know all too well about giving bad news and hearing about product failures for software I didn't build.)
But one of the first things that also "left" with my regular Megacorp employment was anger. When I was laid off at the beginning of April, which I was not expecting at all, to my surprise my initial reaction wasn't horror and fear -- a little shock, yes, but not horror and fear -- but *relief*. I didn't have to go to my wife and say "honey, I gave my notice today, my BS bucket overflowed" -- Megacorp made that decision for me. And my better half had already noticed in the weeks and months since that I was much more easygoing and mellow. And that my health was improving from the lack of stress.
Anyway, back to the ACA/"Obamacare" call-in story. When I was finally connected I heard a woman in a nearly robotic voice respond and asked me what I needed. I told her and she started asking a few questions. Instead of being pissed at the process and being on hold for 20 minutes, I injected a few jokes into the conversation. I made a throwaway crack that made her laugh almost hysterically and she said that was the best one she heard all day. I recognized the change in her attitude and it uplifted and inspired me. From that point on, I made it a point to inject more levity wherever I could. Hers has to be a really miserable job right now.
And when she asked me for all my personal information, she told me that the computer told her she needed to log out and log back in again. She said it a little sheepishly, like she thought I'd flip out. (And a year ago, I might have.) No worries, I said, and we waited. She did one thing that earned a gold star -- before she logged out, she wrote down everything I already told her so she didn't have to ask me again. That was appreciated.
So then she logs out and in, and enters all the stuff and then asks me the security questions. By this time I can hear an upbeat attitude in her voice. Then she says, "OK, all entered. Let's see what we get."
I reply, "Cool. Drum roll, please..."
And to my astonishment, she starts making a drum roll sound for probably five seconds until the results came up -- then she laughed again. "OK, you're verified!" She was no longer a robot. She sounded a little... happy.
So tomorrow I'll probably try again and see if that really did the trick so I can submit the application and actually see the plans and premiums based on our income.
I told my wife this story and she was so proud of me for "making her day." I don't think I made her day, but I will take credit for making it a little bit brighter, and that makes me feel good. And if I were still tethered to my Megacorp job I think I would have just dragged her down into the vortex of my own misery because my own j*b stress would have come out.
I can tell you that the last six months of semi-FIRE have changed my life.... much for the better. Yes, the lost paycheck sucks and if I still had that j*b, I wouldn't be dealing with this exchange.... but that's a small price to pay for feeling less stressed, healthier and just generally being a much nicer and happier person.
TL : DR version -- Being relatively FI totally rocks and changes your life. Go for it!
So today, I got through the application but called in to the number listed so I can try to deal with the "prove your identity" thing. I tried to upload a copy of my driver license, but it thought my 91KB file was larger than the allowed 10MB. Tired of that, I called in.
I was on hold for 20 minutes.
Now a year ago, all of this would have sent me off into a rage. I'd be really mad the instant someone finally picked up the phone on the other end, even though I knew the frustration I endured was not their fault. (And keep in mind that I worked tech support for several years in my career, so I know all too well about giving bad news and hearing about product failures for software I didn't build.)
But one of the first things that also "left" with my regular Megacorp employment was anger. When I was laid off at the beginning of April, which I was not expecting at all, to my surprise my initial reaction wasn't horror and fear -- a little shock, yes, but not horror and fear -- but *relief*. I didn't have to go to my wife and say "honey, I gave my notice today, my BS bucket overflowed" -- Megacorp made that decision for me. And my better half had already noticed in the weeks and months since that I was much more easygoing and mellow. And that my health was improving from the lack of stress.
Anyway, back to the ACA/"Obamacare" call-in story. When I was finally connected I heard a woman in a nearly robotic voice respond and asked me what I needed. I told her and she started asking a few questions. Instead of being pissed at the process and being on hold for 20 minutes, I injected a few jokes into the conversation. I made a throwaway crack that made her laugh almost hysterically and she said that was the best one she heard all day. I recognized the change in her attitude and it uplifted and inspired me. From that point on, I made it a point to inject more levity wherever I could. Hers has to be a really miserable job right now.
And when she asked me for all my personal information, she told me that the computer told her she needed to log out and log back in again. She said it a little sheepishly, like she thought I'd flip out. (And a year ago, I might have.) No worries, I said, and we waited. She did one thing that earned a gold star -- before she logged out, she wrote down everything I already told her so she didn't have to ask me again. That was appreciated.
So then she logs out and in, and enters all the stuff and then asks me the security questions. By this time I can hear an upbeat attitude in her voice. Then she says, "OK, all entered. Let's see what we get."
I reply, "Cool. Drum roll, please..."
And to my astonishment, she starts making a drum roll sound for probably five seconds until the results came up -- then she laughed again. "OK, you're verified!" She was no longer a robot. She sounded a little... happy.
So tomorrow I'll probably try again and see if that really did the trick so I can submit the application and actually see the plans and premiums based on our income.
I told my wife this story and she was so proud of me for "making her day." I don't think I made her day, but I will take credit for making it a little bit brighter, and that makes me feel good. And if I were still tethered to my Megacorp job I think I would have just dragged her down into the vortex of my own misery because my own j*b stress would have come out.
I can tell you that the last six months of semi-FIRE have changed my life.... much for the better. Yes, the lost paycheck sucks and if I still had that j*b, I wouldn't be dealing with this exchange.... but that's a small price to pay for feeling less stressed, healthier and just generally being a much nicer and happier person.
TL : DR version -- Being relatively FI totally rocks and changes your life. Go for it!
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