Completely agree with this. I had AETNA for many years, last year I got a notice saying they were dropping everyone in my state, I was paying 800 a month, I got in touch with an insurance agent and she hooked me up with Obamacare and I'm now paying 270 a month. The insurance I have actually costs much more than that, but I was able to fudge some numbers which qualified me for a big discount
Winkyduck Update
- Thread starter winkyduck
- Start date
It is not a discount. It is an advance premium tax credit. I disagree that it is ObamaCare's fault that Aetna dropped you! ObamaCare helped make insurance affordable for you again.
You are not even bitter that Aetna dropped you-they were most likely caught in a death spiral. Premiums were not enough to pay the claims - so they raise the premiums and they lose some healthy customers who switch - raise the premiums some more and more healthy people switch. They were left with a block of business they could not manage and they were losing money on. So, they wanted out.
The individual market is so much harder to prosper at than the group market because of adverse selection. Individuals only want insurance when they are sick or injured because they do not have an employer paying for it. They will buy it if it is affordable and within reason to their income. Without ObamaCare you could have found new insurance but it would have likely cost a more correct scientific rate of ?1200 or so ??? You would need a 6 figure job to afford that kind of a premium.
So, people blame ObamaCare for rising premiums. ObamaCare is helping people get health care and get their medical bills paid. Why health care costs so much is very dependant on how much providers charge. Nobody seems to be mad at them? If their services go up 10% a year there is no way the insurance companies can pay the claims unless they raise their premiums 10%, also.
I apologize in advance if my comments sound abrasive. That is not my intent. Healthcare insurance sales is my profession and I do not know where individual America would be without these advance premium tax credit subsidies.
You are not even bitter that Aetna dropped you-they were most likely caught in a death spiral. Premiums were not enough to pay the claims - so they raise the premiums and they lose some healthy customers who switch - raise the premiums some more and more healthy people switch. They were left with a block of business they could not manage and they were losing money on. So, they wanted out.
The individual market is so much harder to prosper at than the group market because of adverse selection. Individuals only want insurance when they are sick or injured because they do not have an employer paying for it. They will buy it if it is affordable and within reason to their income. Without ObamaCare you could have found new insurance but it would have likely cost a more correct scientific rate of ?1200 or so ??? You would need a 6 figure job to afford that kind of a premium.
So, people blame ObamaCare for rising premiums. ObamaCare is helping people get health care and get their medical bills paid. Why health care costs so much is very dependant on how much providers charge. Nobody seems to be mad at them? If their services go up 10% a year there is no way the insurance companies can pay the claims unless they raise their premiums 10%, also.
I apologize in advance if my comments sound abrasive. That is not my intent. Healthcare insurance sales is my profession and I do not know where individual America would be without these advance premium tax credit subsidies.
I got weighed Tuesday when I got to the doc's office...............163
I had to go back Wednesday (today)................................................158
Seriously
5 pounds in 24 Hours. "Nice" thing is I can eat as much Ice Cream and all as I want - for the time being. Before this all started I weighed 190-ish and had muscle. Now 160-165-ish and no muscle so you see how far I have fallen and need to recover.
Getting more support than I ever dreamed possible made this a LOT easier to handle
I had to go back Wednesday (today)................................................158
Seriously
5 pounds in 24 Hours. "Nice" thing is I can eat as much Ice Cream and all as I want - for the time being. Before this all started I weighed 190-ish and had muscle. Now 160-165-ish and no muscle so you see how far I have fallen and need to recover.
Getting more support than I ever dreamed possible made this a LOT easier to handle
It was a HARD fight. There is no way to describe what Chemo does to a person's body. And more importantly - their mind. Chemo is a deadly toxin. DUH! Getting blasted by it for almost 100 hours for 6 times over a 3-4 month period is something for which there are no words.
As for hoops: I wanna do it. I also wanna win the Lottery. As much as I wanna officiate this season I am realizing that probably won't happen. I have time but I doubt it will happen. Cancer ate away part of my bone on my right leg. Not much but it did. No complaints knowing things could have been worse. A LOT WORSE! My first week out, I do a LOT of sleeping. I am in bed by about 9P and in bed until about 9A. I then MUST take about a 3-4 hour nap during the day so between Noon-4Pish I sleep for about 3-4 hours. I have no choice. I simply cannot make it thru the day w/o this nap. By Sunday/Monday I should bee good on not sleeping as much and no nap or not as long.
Next week I will join Mom when she takes the pooch for her daily nightly walk of around a mile, or 3/4 of one. It is not easy but doable. I struggle to do that. I will start PT soon. I would love to be able to ref hoops but realize the odds of getting in shape for the season are long even though the season does not start until after Halloween. I just can't see myself being able to get in good enough shape to run up and down the court as much as I need to do. I am most "upset" about NOT being able to officiate the "Nike 3-on-3" the first weekend of August. This is the 11th year. I have done the past 9. It is played on the streets and surrounding area of Staples Center and is an all day event in the hot sun. There is a -100% chance I will be able to do this - this year. But I am motivated for next year and will try to do HS this season but I really don't see myself being able to do so. If I never do another game it would suck but a many games as I have done and knowing what I have overcome - you will NEVER hear me utter a single complaint.
I was one of the rare people given a "2nd shot at Life" and know that is better than anything I could ever hope to do from this day, on. It has made me realize NOT to sweat the stuff I have no control over. As you said: I fought the toughest battle of my life - and won. I had a HS Classmate die of Breast Cancer a month ago so I know things can get worse
As for hoops: I wanna do it. I also wanna win the Lottery. As much as I wanna officiate this season I am realizing that probably won't happen. I have time but I doubt it will happen. Cancer ate away part of my bone on my right leg. Not much but it did. No complaints knowing things could have been worse. A LOT WORSE! My first week out, I do a LOT of sleeping. I am in bed by about 9P and in bed until about 9A. I then MUST take about a 3-4 hour nap during the day so between Noon-4Pish I sleep for about 3-4 hours. I have no choice. I simply cannot make it thru the day w/o this nap. By Sunday/Monday I should bee good on not sleeping as much and no nap or not as long.
Next week I will join Mom when she takes the pooch for her daily nightly walk of around a mile, or 3/4 of one. It is not easy but doable. I struggle to do that. I will start PT soon. I would love to be able to ref hoops but realize the odds of getting in shape for the season are long even though the season does not start until after Halloween. I just can't see myself being able to get in good enough shape to run up and down the court as much as I need to do. I am most "upset" about NOT being able to officiate the "Nike 3-on-3" the first weekend of August. This is the 11th year. I have done the past 9. It is played on the streets and surrounding area of Staples Center and is an all day event in the hot sun. There is a -100% chance I will be able to do this - this year. But I am motivated for next year and will try to do HS this season but I really don't see myself being able to do so. If I never do another game it would suck but a many games as I have done and knowing what I have overcome - you will NEVER hear me utter a single complaint.
I was one of the rare people given a "2nd shot at Life" and know that is better than anything I could ever hope to do from this day, on. It has made me realize NOT to sweat the stuff I have no control over. As you said: I fought the toughest battle of my life - and won. I had a HS Classmate die of Breast Cancer a month ago so I know things can get worse
We don't agree on politics but we agree here
Needless to say I have received a MOUNTAIN of bills. We look over ALL of them. We get bills that say the Doc saw me in my room for 30 minutes
BULL-FUCKING-SHIT THEY DID!
Try 5. IF THAT
I don't "fight" it because my part of the bill is about $15 and also because I blew past my Co-Pay MAX so long ago the visit is "free" and I don't have to pay for it but if I did...........damn well better believe I'd be bitchin' about it
Needless to say I have received a MOUNTAIN of bills. We look over ALL of them. We get bills that say the Doc saw me in my room for 30 minutes
BULL-FUCKING-SHIT THEY DID!
Try 5. IF THAT
I don't "fight" it because my part of the bill is about $15 and also because I blew past my Co-Pay MAX so long ago the visit is "free" and I don't have to pay for it but if I did...........damn well better believe I'd be bitchin' about it
Thanks. Not bad. It has been 2 months since I have been done with Chemo (July 23). I was as low as 153 but now up to about 175. I was 190 and want to stay around this weight so I can add muscle for the rest. Soon ref meetings for HS hoops start. But not for me since I can't run one step. Walking is something I do with a slight limp - for now, hopefully. On Sept 8 (2 weeks ago) I drove a car for the first time since around Valentine's Day. I didn't drive before because I was taking a ton of pills and Opioids and I didn't want to risk getting a DUI, I now have a beard on my face because I didn't have to shave my face for 5+ months so I want to let it grow some since I now have to shave.
And now comes the "fun" part..............looking for employment. The resume is out there. Sis living in Vegas helps because now I can put a Vegas addy on a resume which can only help. If someone calls for an interview I can just schedule it for 48-ish hours later and I can be out there with no trouble and never have them know I live 20 minutes from Disneyland.
Not gonna lie - it it tough. But it is supposed to be since what I had was not easy to overcome. I was told by people who went thru Chemo a full recovery takes TWICE as long as the amount of time you went thru Chemo. For me that was about 4.5-5 months so the math puts me around Memorial Day before I can be 100% or closer to it than I am now.
Things could be worse. Last Sunday I got a text from a long-time friend (30 years) that one of his long-time friends (and someone I have known for about 25 years) had an accident while traveling. He fell the wrong way and is now paralyzed pretty much from the chest - down. Doctors are not sure if he will be able to breathe on his own - via a tracheotomy or with a machine. He is not dead but not far from it. It makes what I went thru seem like nothing so I appreciate every day and know how lucky I am. I also know there is NO WAY I could have gotten thru all of this without all of the incredible love and support from family and friends. As I have said since Day 1: Beating cancer is a WE and NOT a ME effort. I would not have beaten cancer if I had to do it by myself. I know it and I have made sure all who were there for me when I REALLLLLLLLLLLLY needed them know how much I am grateful for all they did.
And now comes the "fun" part..............looking for employment. The resume is out there. Sis living in Vegas helps because now I can put a Vegas addy on a resume which can only help. If someone calls for an interview I can just schedule it for 48-ish hours later and I can be out there with no trouble and never have them know I live 20 minutes from Disneyland.
Not gonna lie - it it tough. But it is supposed to be since what I had was not easy to overcome. I was told by people who went thru Chemo a full recovery takes TWICE as long as the amount of time you went thru Chemo. For me that was about 4.5-5 months so the math puts me around Memorial Day before I can be 100% or closer to it than I am now.
Things could be worse. Last Sunday I got a text from a long-time friend (30 years) that one of his long-time friends (and someone I have known for about 25 years) had an accident while traveling. He fell the wrong way and is now paralyzed pretty much from the chest - down. Doctors are not sure if he will be able to breathe on his own - via a tracheotomy or with a machine. He is not dead but not far from it. It makes what I went thru seem like nothing so I appreciate every day and know how lucky I am. I also know there is NO WAY I could have gotten thru all of this without all of the incredible love and support from family and friends. As I have said since Day 1: Beating cancer is a WE and NOT a ME effort. I would not have beaten cancer if I had to do it by myself. I know it and I have made sure all who were there for me when I REALLLLLLLLLLLLY needed them know how much I am grateful for all they did.
Every 3 months for the first full year I have to undergo a PT Scan to make sure I am clean and free from Cancer and/or if not it is caught in Stage 1 and doesn’t progress to Stage 4 (once again). Wednesday, Nov. 6, I got up at “too-bleeping-early-AM” to go to Hoag Hospital for PT Scan #1. I see my fabulous Doctor on Wednesday Nov. 13 to go over the results but I stopped by Hoag on Friday and picked them up. As expected – or rather as hope for – CLEAN! This doesn’t mean I can relax. I know this is something I will have to be vigilant about for the rest of my life and make sure my life lasts longer than if I don’t.
The next one will be around Valentine’s Day.
When I underwent Chemo I didn't have a single hair on my body. Not on my head, chest, back, arms, legs and anywhere else. Not even eyebrows. I now have hair on my body. Sadly more elsewhere than my head but who cares. My weight which was around 190 got as low as 155. I am now back up to about 185. I can walk but do so with an ever so slight limp. I cannot run. I am seeing an Ortho doc on Monday to see if my limping is because my right leg is now a tad shorter than my left since the cancer ate part of the bone or my hip is out of alignment or.............??? HS Hoops season is underway some and it pains me not to be able to do it but since I cannot run I cannot do it. I hope to be back next season but if I never ref hoops again I am OK with it knowing what I have overcome.
I also know that I had a 0% chance of beating this without the help of an amazing support staff who would not let me quit when I was like most cancer patients who undergo the brutality of Chemo - and I wanted to quit. I will be forever grateful to all who helped me get thru this. I am the one who underwent BRUTAL Chemo treatments. I am the one who beat Cancer. But i am the one who could not have done it without all of the encouragement from family and friends. Thank you to each and every one of you who took the time to comment here or reach out to me or............... I have not forgotten all that was done and never will.
The next one will be around Valentine’s Day.
When I underwent Chemo I didn't have a single hair on my body. Not on my head, chest, back, arms, legs and anywhere else. Not even eyebrows. I now have hair on my body. Sadly more elsewhere than my head but who cares. My weight which was around 190 got as low as 155. I am now back up to about 185. I can walk but do so with an ever so slight limp. I cannot run. I am seeing an Ortho doc on Monday to see if my limping is because my right leg is now a tad shorter than my left since the cancer ate part of the bone or my hip is out of alignment or.............??? HS Hoops season is underway some and it pains me not to be able to do it but since I cannot run I cannot do it. I hope to be back next season but if I never ref hoops again I am OK with it knowing what I have overcome.
I also know that I had a 0% chance of beating this without the help of an amazing support staff who would not let me quit when I was like most cancer patients who undergo the brutality of Chemo - and I wanted to quit. I will be forever grateful to all who helped me get thru this. I am the one who underwent BRUTAL Chemo treatments. I am the one who beat Cancer. But i am the one who could not have done it without all of the encouragement from family and friends. Thank you to each and every one of you who took the time to comment here or reach out to me or............... I have not forgotten all that was done and never will.
