The accountant says we can retire early. Woohoo!!!

[ericm979]

25% of US healthcare costs is in administrative. Over 2x what it is to the next highest country.

Plus there are middlemen like Pharmacy Benefits Managers in every process who exist only to siphon profits out of patients. AI powered consultants that insurance companies hire to raise their denial rate and thus profits. This is why the US spends twice what any other rich county spends on health care yet we have the worst outcomes. We're the only rich country without universal health care and the only one where people are regularly rendered bankrupt and homeless due to medical bills. We have a system that only works for the 1%.

Sorry for the rant but watching my wife deal with insurance company rejection after rejection is really pissing me off. They usually pay after an appeal but that's an extra hassle that she doesn't need.

 

[Tomtint]

I think you could buy coverage on the marketplace for less. Wow

Being retired, my income is something I can control now, so affordable coverage is easy to find on the marketplace. Looks to be $215/mo in 2025.

In the Peoples Republic of Mass... Insurance is stupid expensive

 

[gsganzer]

Plus there are middlemen like Pharmacy Benefits Managers in every process who exist only to siphon profits out of patients. AI powered consultants that insurance companies hire to raise their denial rate and thus profits. This is why the US spends twice what any other rich county spends on health care yet we have the worst outcomes. We're the only rich country without universal health care and the only one where people are regularly rendered bankrupt and homeless due to medical bills. We have a system that only works for the 1%.

Sorry for the rant but watching my wife deal with insurance company rejection after rejection is really pissing me off. They usually pay after an appeal but that's an extra hassle that she doesn't need.

I understand completely. Not to be political, this is a simple matter of costs and coverage. I fall into the "fiscally conservative, socially moderate", genre and I'm 100% in favor of a universal healthcare system. The current system is on track to bankrupt the US government and is unsustainable.

Anyone that's been to another country and has seen how their healthcare system works, will realize that it might not be perfect, but it's still leaps and bounds better than our system. Especially if it can be combined with private insurance to fill the gaps.

Edit: This chart shows that approximately 70% of the populace of every country that has Universal Healthcare, either are very satisfied or neutral on their satisfaction. Less than 30% are dissatisfied.

Healthcare satisfaction survey

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

We went from an annual income of $300k, to $50k

It's better to be rich, or poor, and not in the middle. The middle is a terrible place.

 

[Snobdds]

Plus there are middlemen like Pharmacy Benefits Managers in every process who exist only to siphon profits out of patients. AI powered consultants that insurance companies hire to raise their denial rate and thus profits. This is why the US spends twice what any other rich county spends on health care yet we have the worst outcomes. We're the only rich country without universal health care and the only one where people are regularly rendered bankrupt and homeless due to medical bills. We have a system that only works for the 1%.

Sorry for the rant but watching my wife deal with insurance company rejection after rejection is really pissing me off. They usually pay after an appeal but that's an extra hassle that she doesn't need.

California is wild when it comes to healthcare.

 

[ultrarunner]

And the battles continue...

Hospital groups that dominate a region might say take it or leave it to Insurance

An area with a mix of providers may find insurance dictates...

I think it's a battle of the Titans.

The middle can mean being squeezed.

In my area a Catholic Hospital did the lion share of under or no insurance and the big players even contributed to make it viable.

The mandates came for reproductive rights and sisters sought religious exemption and denied.

The sisters left California.

The data shows there are many ways to loose money as a provider... especially small regional hospitals that continue to shutter...

 

[Snobdds]

I just looked at the bill this month.. 2177.00 per month for the 2 of us.. 26124.00 per year. I have no doubt it will be north of 30K in 8 years.

That's nothing...

A typical family premium for 2025.

People would be shocked if they knew just how much an employer was paying on their behalf.

 

[Tomtint]

That's nothing...

A typical family premium for 2025.

People would be shocked if they knew just how much an employer was paying on their behalf.

What is complete BS is that with a family plan here.. It makes no difference how many kids are on it.. You can have 1 kid or 30 and it's the same price. It works out to a bit over 1080.00 each for my wife and myself every month..

 

[JJT]

Property taxes are our #1 expense, over $10K/yr, followed very closely by healthcare, at just under $10k/yr. This is for a no deductible, platinum plan with $20 co-pays. We could switch to a $200/mo silver plan, but the out of pocket costs would increase with high deductibles and co-pays.

I have a blood draw/test every two months, with a $20 co-pay, the insurance company gets billed $965/test. One of my prescriptions is $200/month, I pay $10 out of pocket.

It's not health insurance that is too expensive, it's health care...... All it takes is a few frequent flyers, (heart issues, cancer) and the entire insurance pool has to pay more to keep the insurance companies profitable.

 

[Snobdds]

Property taxes are our #1 expense, over $10K/yr, followed very closely by healthcare, at just under $10k/yr. This is for a no deductible, platinum plan with $20 co-pays. We could switch to a $200/mo silver plan, but the out of pocket costs would increase with high deductibles and co-pays.

I have a blood draw/test every two months, with a $20 co-pay, the insurance company gets billed $965/test. One of my prescriptions is $200/month, I pay $10 out of pocket.

It's not health insurance that is too expensive, it's health care...... All it takes is a few frequent flyers, (heart issues, cancer) and the entire insurance pool has to pay more to keep the insurance companies profitable.

We have calculated out, that in 5 years, we have mass people just drop health insurance due to cost.

Then soon after, the medical industrial complex, sees huge lay off as people just forgo care.

It's coming if something doesn't change.

Oh BTW...the obmamacare subsidies sunset at the end of 2025. So everyone with plans that have a precious metal in their naming convention...watch out.