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[Travellin Dave]

I haven't been able to relax for the past week and a half due to, "It's that time of the year again..."  Annual Health Insurance Enrollment....  This year the month premiums have completely eaten through my wife's Soc. Sec. and then some coming in at a total of right at $9,000 (just an extra $750 a month.)  I've been looking over the various plans that I'm still offered from AT&T retirement, thinking there's got to be a better selection. 

I called my doctors office and asked to talk to the person that does the billing.  Do you know of which insurances seem to be the most popular, and may be cheaper...?  Aaaaaa, Aaaaaa, why would I know that...?  Well, you do have to deal with insurance payments all day, don't you...?  Oh yes... but, but, but, it's up to the people to select their own insurance.  Damn, they do nothing but deal with health insurance companies all day, and have no idea of what they are doing...  Unbelievable...!

I called my enrollment benefit office, and they were a little helpful.  But their answers always made you wonder if they really knew what they were talking about.  If I have a $100,000 hospital bill, this plan will pay 90% right...?  Oh yes, of course it will, (duh, duh) I think...?

Finally I call the actual insurance company help line (United Health.)  I explain that a $9,000 policy ($750 a month), seemed pretty steep for what we were using it for. Four visits each, 8 total to the doctors office $145 x 8 = $1,160, plus our pills were mostly generic ($7 - $18 retail.)  So I asked about one of the 5 insurance plans, Southwest SelectMed Option 1 for only $145.00 a month. Now that would be nice to save $600 a month...!  My question was, "The total annual out-of-pocket maxiumn is $4,000 ($2,000 for each of us), what does that mean...?"  Answer, "Ok, let's take your wife for example. She pays all of her deductibles and copayments and it reaches $2,000. After that the insurance pays 100%."  Same for you, once you've paid all the copayments and have reached $2,000, you will receive 100% too.

Ok, let me get this straight.  I can take this cheap $145 a month insurance policy, and once it hits $4,000 for the both of us, it pays 100%.  So, $4,000 + ($145x12=) $1,740 for a total for both of us would be: $5,740.  And if only one of us was sick, it could be as low as $3,740.  Now this does not include our meds, but our meds only come to around $400 a year since they are all generic. 

I asked, "Why would I take a $9,000 policy which pays everything, when I can take the cheaper policy that at the worst maxes out at $5,740....?  I'd save on the min. $3,260 and possible as much as $5,260.  The girl at the help desk said, "I always wondered that myself...!

I'm turning 65 next May, so if any of you have recently gone through the Medicare Part A, Part B, and other parts and have any good advice, please message me and let me know.  I have studied the Medigap programs yet, but I think there's some thing fishy there too...  (Don't hold me to this), but I was looking at one Medicare gap coverage insurance and it said something like, "$350 deductible for emergency room, $50 deductible for lab work, etc (x-rays and whatever).  Then I looked at what Medicare part A covered, and it was 100%, and there were no deductibles for those things.  So you think your paying for this extra coverage, but they're taking advantage that you didn't know these bill are already covered... ugh..!!!

Well, that's enough of that..!!!!

I'm so glad Obama fixed the health insurance in this country.

I also have open enrollment this week. It gives me hot and cold fevers.

Yeah, he fixed it alright!  Real Good he fixed it for you and Dad has a very typical story of the fix.

Trump conspiracy driving the prices up to benefit all the Republican Insurance stockholders.

[South Carolina Redfish]

Good morning Dave, Fishy, Mr. Mayor, and DeductibleDad.  Lack of cigar deals is becoming endemic.

The bid sites are still very good if you're patient

Actually there are still a lot of good deals to be had they are just not in our usual easy places and not usually as apparent as we have become accustomed to prior to the FDA rape of the industry.  Just like Fish said about the bid deals, you got to be patient and watch for the right deal to come along.  Also, you might have to buy in larger quantities than we became accustomed to over the past 10 years.

[Travellin Dave]

Time to shut down for boarding...later.

[South Carolina Redfish]

I haven't been able to relax for the past week and a half due to, "It's that time of the year again..."  Annual Health Insurance Enrollment....  This year the month premiums have completely eaten through my wife's Soc. Sec. and then some coming in at a total of right at $9,000 (just an extra $750 a month.)  I've been looking over the various plans that I'm still offered from AT&T retirement, thinking there's got to be a better selection. 

I called my doctors office and asked to talk to the person that does the billing.  Do you know of which insurances seem to be the most popular, and may be cheaper...?  Aaaaaa, Aaaaaa, why would I know that...?  Well, you do have to deal with insurance payments all day, don't you...?  Oh yes... but, but, but, it's up to the people to select their own insurance.  Damn, they do nothing but deal with health insurance companies all day, and have no idea of what they are doing...  Unbelievable...!

I called my enrollment benefit office, and they were a little helpful.  But their answers always made you wonder if they really knew what they were talking about.  If I have a $100,000 hospital bill, this plan will pay 90% right...?  Oh yes, of course it will, (duh, duh) I think...?

Finally I call the actual insurance company help line (United Health.)  I explain that a $9,000 policy ($750 a month), seemed pretty steep for what we were using it for. Four visits each, 8 total to the doctors office $145 x 8 = $1,160, plus our pills were mostly generic ($7 - $18 retail.)  So I asked about one of the 5 insurance plans, Southwest SelectMed Option 1 for only $145.00 a month. Now that would be nice to save $600 a month...!  My question was, "The total annual out-of-pocket maxiumn is $4,000 ($2,000 for each of us), what does that mean...?"  Answer, "Ok, let's take your wife for example. She pays all of her deductibles and copayments and it reaches $2,000. After that the insurance pays 100%."  Same for you, once you've paid all the copayments and have reached $2,000, you will receive 100% too.

Ok, let me get this straight.  I can take this cheap $145 a month insurance policy, and once it hits $4,000 for the both of us, it pays 100%.  So, $4,000 + ($145x12=) $1,740 for a total for both of us would be: $5,740.  And if only one of us was sick, it could be as low as $3,740.  Now this does not include our meds, but our meds only come to around $400 a year since they are all generic. 

I asked, "Why would I take a $9,000 policy which pays everything, when I can take the cheaper policy that at the worst maxes out at $5,740....?  I'd save on the min. $3,260 and possible as much as $5,260.  The girl at the help desk said, "I always wondered that myself...!

I'm turning 65 next May, so if any of you have recently gone through the Medicare Part A, Part B, and other parts and have any good advice, please message me and let me know.  I have studied the Medigap programs yet, but I think there's some thing fishy there too...  (Don't hold me to this), but I was looking at one Medicare gap coverage insurance and it said something like, "$350 deductible for emergency room, $50 deductible for lab work, etc (x-rays and whatever).  Then I looked at what Medicare part A covered, and it was 100%, and there were no deductibles for those things.  So you think your paying for this extra coverage, but they're taking advantage that you didn't know these bill are already covered... ugh..!!!

Well, that's enough of that..!!!!

I'm so glad Obama fixed the health insurance in this country.

I also have open enrollment this week. It gives me hot and cold fevers.

Yeah, he fixed it alright!  Real Good he fixed it for you and Dad has a very typical story of the fix.

Trump conspiracy driving the prices up to benefit all the Republican Insurance stockholders.

Excuse Commie Dave he is practicing for his visit to the  college campus where they can't even eat Mexican food because it insults the Mexicans.

[A Friend of Charlie]

Time to shut down for boarding...later.

Be safe.

[South Carolina Redfish]

Sounds good, right?  Quite the honorable gentleman, right?

Wells Fargo CEO Stumpf Steps Down After Fake Accounts Scandal

"I have decided it is best for the company that I step aside," he said in a statement.

So how does it sound now?

Stumpf received a $100,000,000 severance package and will also benefit from an additional $24,000,000 pension package.

[sfish]

Has anyone tried a Diesel Rage? For some reason it's a cigar I want to try

[South Carolina Redfish]

Has anyone tried a Diesel Rage? For some reason it's a cigar I want to try

Not I

[Threebean]

Sounds good, right?  Quite the honorable gentleman, right?

Wells Fargo CEO Stumpf Steps Down After Fake Accounts Scandal

"I have decided it is best for the company that I step aside," he said in a statement.

So how does it sound now?

Stumpf received a $100,000,000 severance package and will also benefit from an additional $24,000,000 pension package.

Far too many zeros in those numbers.  Looks he gets to keep the spoils from fk'n his customers.  Nice.

[Threebean]

Has anyone tried a Diesel Rage? For some reason it's a cigar I want to try

Nope.  Was not terribly impressed by the Wicked, so not in a rush to try this one.

[South Carolina Redfish]

Sounds good, right?  Quite the honorable gentleman, right?

Wells Fargo CEO Stumpf Steps Down After Fake Accounts Scandal

"I have decided it is best for the company that I step aside," he said in a statement.

So how does it sound now?

Stumpf received a $100,000,000 severance package and will also benefit from an additional $24,000,000 pension package.

Far too many zeros in those numbers.  Looks he gets to keep the spoils from fk'n his customers.  Nice.

Exactly, the big cheeses never lose in the deals while 5,200 mostly minimum wage and part-time employees have their lives and reputations destroyed.

[LuvTooGolf]

Sounds good, right?  Quite the honorable gentleman, right?

Wells Fargo CEO Stumpf Steps Down After Fake Accounts Scandal

"I have decided it is best for the company that I step aside," he said in a statement.

So how does it sound now?

Stumpf received a $100,000,000 severance package and will also benefit from an additional $24,000,000 pension package.

I'd have stepped down, too.

[South Carolina Redfish]

Sounds good, right?  Quite the honorable gentleman, right?

Wells Fargo CEO Stumpf Steps Down After Fake Accounts Scandal

"I have decided it is best for the company that I step aside," he said in a statement.

So how does it sound now?

Stumpf received a $100,000,000 severance package and will also benefit from an additional $24,000,000 pension package.

I'd have stepped down, too.

Now Days Getting fired is a Get Rich Quick Scheme, a Badge of Honor and a Resume Booster  for College Football Coaches, CEO's, City Managers and School Superintendents.

[Threebean]

Since the cigar deals are so scarce, here's one for all you baseball fans.  BOGO!  http://www.lesliespool.com/Leisure-90844-Baseball-Glove-Float---Buy-1-Get-1-Free/90844.htm

[South Carolina Redfish]

Since the cigar deals are so scarce, here's one for all you baseball fans.  BOGO!  http://www.lesliespool.com/Leisure-90844-Baseball-Glove-Float---Buy-1-Get-1-Free/90844.htm

Oh yeah, I can just see (puke) Tony float'n and smok'n on a blow up baseball glove