I read Margie's blog post yesterday regarding the cost of health insurance. They will now be paying $1093 a month for insurance for the two of them, with a $5000 deductible. Unfortunately, I don't think the new health care bill is going to help, in fact Margie was told her increase in premium was because of the new health care bill. I think many people are just now finding out what this new bill is going to mean to our pocketbooks. There are some 20 states fighting the bill as unconstitutional, so we'll have to see how that plays out. I certainly agree that something needs to be done, however I just don't trust our government to do it right.
Al and I have been lucky (so far) with our health insurance. We've had very minimal increases, if any but with the new laws coming into play, I'm expecting some changes. I retired from USAA Insurance, and we have very good retiree health care coverage. They are self insured, so I don't know how much affect the new law will have. We are due for our annual sign up next month, so I guess we will find out then. I'm worried!
Al is planning to head back home from Tampa today. I sure have missed him. He's expecting a home made pizza tonight, so I guess I'll have to have one ready when he gets home.
Tomorrow is another garage sale day. I have been gathering more stuff to take to the sale, but I think I need to really get busy and get more junk out! We're not selling anything that will help to make the house look nice to a potential buyer. The furniture will stay until we sell it, as well as pictures, knick knacks, and accessories.
We've collected things over the years that we thought may be worth some money some day. The newspaper from the two Shuttle explosions, some 1950's Miami newspapers, original pictures of the moon walk, some albums and 45's, coins, guns, etc. I'm finding most of that stuff isn't really worth much, at least not now while the economy is so bad. I have checked on eBay and found some newspapers selling from when Roosevelt was president and no one was buying. I guess my Shuttle Explosion papers really aren't going to sell, however, I still find myself wanting to keep them and some of the other stuff as well.
This week-end after the garage sale, we're going to have to work on the lawn. It's been growing even though we are in a drought. I hate to cut it when it's so dry, the mower just blows all the dust at me and it doesn't look nice when you cut brown grass.
Wish us luck at our garage sale tomorrow!
Good luck with tomorrow's garage sale. I live in fear of increases in our retiree health care coverage costs, or worse yet, having it cancelled.
ReplyDeleteHaving experienced first-rate, affordable universal health care coverage for my entire life, I'm continually mystified why the USA, with the strongest overall economy in the world, and unlike every other country in the G20 group of nations, cannot or will not, ensure that every citizen can obtain affordable health care regardless of any current or pre-existing health care concerns they may have??
ReplyDeleteAs you say "something needs to be done" and that simply echoes what was being said long before the current Health Care Act was passed in the US just this year.
After puzzling over this for years and watching with shock and amazement at some of the premiums folks have to pay, I'm not so sure that "something needs to be done" at all.
I've simply become absolutely convinced that most Americans are getting the health care coverage they require at a cost they are willing to pay. The big thing is to make sure it's run by private health care insurance companies no matter what the cost.
At least, until they're old enough to qualify for the government run Medicare and Pharmacare programs - then, all bets are off!!
I simply don't understand it, but then I don't understand a lot of things and luckily, I'll never have to worry about this one!
Good luck on your garage sale..
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to Health Insurance I wish we were in Canada or the UK. I pay $950 per month for just myself. I have tried to get other insurance and have been denied for some very ridiculous reasons. This was before I had cancer.
ReplyDeleteI think one of the reasons many people don't understand the concept of Universal heal coverage is because they have been getting their coverage thru an employer. What would you have to pay if you had to cover yourself 100%.
My biggest objection with the new Obama Care is it doesn't go far enough.
We also have a drawer full of Newspapers. I think with the internet people aren't as fascinated with old newspaper pages.