Happy Birthday, JKEerie!

[draclvr]

At least I THINK it's your birthday! Our birthday app is off by a day. Anyway, happy birthday and hope your day is awesome!

[mbday630]

Happy birthday JKEerie!

[Val]

Happy Birthday JK!! Hope you have a wonderful day.

[JKEerie]

You got it right, Drac! Another year closer to Medicare.

Thank you, MBday and Val!

[draclvr]

Given all the medical issues I've had this year, Medicare has been VERY good to me! I still find it hard to understand why we can't have this system for ALL our health care.

[JKEerie]

Geez, Drac...don't you know that would be socialized medicine?!

The Insurance companies have to make their money somewhere. All the issues with the Obamacare premiums are due to young folks not signing up. The insurance companies aren't making enough profit. They certainly don't want to sell policies only to people who will actually USE them! So...because lower premiums for all were supposed to be subsidized by young folks who would pay premiums and never access usage...now we're all forced to accept higher premiums. When I retired at 60, I needed to find an affordable health plan. The first year I paid lower than what we paid as employers for a single insured premium, and it was a great plan (but I had to pay the entire premium myself, not the 10% contribution I paid as an employee). The second year, my premium actually dropped $45. Then this past year, the premium dropped even further...another $17. My increase for 2017 will be $78...but only $16 more than my first year in the plan. So, I'm not sure if I want to pay a lower premium with a higher deductible or stick with what I have. My Mom's Medicare part B premium is going from $0 to $65 per month. She'll accept it as it's virtually the same plan she had and she doesn't want to switch carriers.

Those that argue that increasing competition by allowing insurance providers to cross state lines are naive. They'd only want to compete for the healthy young individuals. I learned an awful lot about insurers and premiums by negotiating for employee plan coverage at the bloodbank. It's a lot like cable/satellite dish companies. You're first year, they'll give you a bargain. Thereafter, your initial rates go away and you're paying through the nose. You are now bundled with the "community" experience rating...in addition to your own.

So...there I've gone and done it. Hijacked my own birthday thread to discuss the cost of health care in the US.

[draclvr]

You are preaching to the choir! Much of this all due to the "for profit" motives of the insurance companies. I read a piece on the compensation to the major insurance company executives in 2015 and it was astronomical!

Ask Rosaboobie how much she loves her socialized medicine! I sure do like mine right now after looking at the hospital bills coming in and how little I owe.

[Stella]

Happy Birthday JKEerie!

[JKEerie]

Thanks, Stella!

[Winfrey]

Happy birthday JKEerie!

[JKEerie]

Thank you, Winfrey! Hope your gaming has been glitch free!

[LadyKestrel]

JK! I hope you had a wonderful day!

[Jude]

Best wishes for a wonderful year, JKEerie!

[JKEerie]

Thank you Lady K and Jude. I didn't get my birthday wish...the first female president and a Bills win. I'm hoping the year to come is a good one for all of us!

[Rosaboobie]

Very very belated Birthday wishes, JK