1.) I was amazed to hear a "news story" this morning on NBC which focused on the new UN Ambassador, a mother! "Balancing diplomacy and diapers." Geez. Is this 1959? Are we still talking about women as the only partner in a marriage who has to deal with being a parent AND working? Samantha Power. The hook was about the fact that she is also
2.) And while I am on my "feminist" soap box. I have been looking for a new watch since mine is turning my wrist black after 12 years of wear. Tom sent me to a site he likes which makes high quality knock offs. I didn't find anything I liked and probably for this reason - their description of the difference between what women and men want in a watch:
Unlike most men who go after mechanical engineering, majority of women collectors and watch lovers prefer aesthetic value and style over construction. They pine after luxury watches who embody elegance with a hint of sparkle in them. For women, classic and timeless designs are works of art that display wealth and status in life.
3.) I went onto the website for the ACA pooled insurance plans in CA to see if we could do better than our current COBRA insurance plan. I knew the minute I saw the first question asking for our annual income that it wouldn't be good news and it wasn't. The very lowest cost plan was over $100 more per month and has not only a $10,000. annual deductible but requires a $60. co-pay. (My plan has a $3500. deductible and a $30. co-pay.)
I guess I hadn't realized that the insurance companies could charge based on our income rather than our needs or use of the medical care - though there were some questions along the lines of how often we go to the doctor and how many prescription we have, which I answered at the lowest level of use.
I keep hearing about people actually finding affordable care through the exchanges - so I am glad it is going to work for some people. I had hoped that it would be a better deal than through my employer so I could give up working in the next year or so.
2 comments:
I am incredibly grateful that we have [possibly the best possible plan in America] TriCare. (My husband is retired military.) I don't know how we would be able to afford a "regular" health care plan.
I'm not denying that there are problems with the military health care system, but when we can see a military doc, there are no co-pays -- and the copays we do have when seeing a doctor "in town" are usually only $12. I'm not a fan of going to the doctor or having sick kids, but when you need to do it, it sure is nice to know that it won't break the [piggy] bank.
My first child's birth would have cost us $18,000. Instead, we paid $35. Now that kid and his wife are uninsured adults because they cannot afford insurance.
I think that question is just screening for subsidy eligibility. I was impressed with the ballpark quote for if it had been just me shopping. Have you tried doing individual plans for you and hubs?
This won't be smooth in the beginning, but I hope it will become better.
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