EastWest Gal
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
I decided to go back to work, and a non-burnout opportunity fell in my lap. The lowest cost bronze plan which wouldn't force us to change doctors and hospitals would cost us $21,600. Last year there were no bronze plans that fit the bill, so we went with the lowest cost silver plan which was about the same. If any plan was HSA compatible, we would probably be able to squeak into a MAGI of < $64,080 and get a huge premium break. But not a single plan is HSA compatible.
Last spring I got a call about doing some work at my local hospital in my old group, but working with an entirely new group of doctors who are really good. I figured I would work about 8 shifts a month or less, but they were so desperate at the start I worked 15. It is virtually all night work, which I really enjoy. Yes, it was too much. It seems every few shifts what I do makes a huge difference in a child's life, and I enjoy the detective working in diagnosing some of the unusual problems I see. Also, that health insurance premium is double what I expected to pay. I really don't want to spend so much for health insurance in the coming years, if it even will be available. If I can cut that expense for a few years and be happy, why not?
I'm actually enjoying the work immensely--it's such a different atmosphere. Our ER is so much better than it was before, and the young new ER docs are top notch. (As a peds hospitalist, working at night, a lot of the work is done in the ER). So I asked for a contract to work just enough to qualify for health insurance for the coming year, which is 11 shifts per month. The negotiation was really easy--I was offered the same salary as I was making working 20 shifts per month. And with other interesting benefits--Health insurance that will cost 4-5x less, my son can be carried on it for another year per their policy, which helps him, and a ROTH 401K, which didn't exist before, it is pretty attractive. I also have enough control over my schedule that I can travel the way I planned to anyway, build up a better cash position, help DS pay for grad school (local master's program), and do the music activities I want to do.
It's weird to be excited about working--I haven't been happy at work more than a couple of years in my career, but these past few months have been very enjoyable. I guess I'm not burned out anymore. The only problem is I need to become a much better gym rat than I've been.
Last, this is the first time I've been on salary with benefits without any debt at all. It's kind of nice to be able to pad our current and future lifestyle.
So move me out of the class of 2016 into the class of ?
Last spring I got a call about doing some work at my local hospital in my old group, but working with an entirely new group of doctors who are really good. I figured I would work about 8 shifts a month or less, but they were so desperate at the start I worked 15. It is virtually all night work, which I really enjoy. Yes, it was too much. It seems every few shifts what I do makes a huge difference in a child's life, and I enjoy the detective working in diagnosing some of the unusual problems I see. Also, that health insurance premium is double what I expected to pay. I really don't want to spend so much for health insurance in the coming years, if it even will be available. If I can cut that expense for a few years and be happy, why not?
I'm actually enjoying the work immensely--it's such a different atmosphere. Our ER is so much better than it was before, and the young new ER docs are top notch. (As a peds hospitalist, working at night, a lot of the work is done in the ER). So I asked for a contract to work just enough to qualify for health insurance for the coming year, which is 11 shifts per month. The negotiation was really easy--I was offered the same salary as I was making working 20 shifts per month. And with other interesting benefits--Health insurance that will cost 4-5x less, my son can be carried on it for another year per their policy, which helps him, and a ROTH 401K, which didn't exist before, it is pretty attractive. I also have enough control over my schedule that I can travel the way I planned to anyway, build up a better cash position, help DS pay for grad school (local master's program), and do the music activities I want to do.
It's weird to be excited about working--I haven't been happy at work more than a couple of years in my career, but these past few months have been very enjoyable. I guess I'm not burned out anymore. The only problem is I need to become a much better gym rat than I've been.
Last, this is the first time I've been on salary with benefits without any debt at all. It's kind of nice to be able to pad our current and future lifestyle.
So move me out of the class of 2016 into the class of ?