I am concerned about our healthcare over the next 5 years. Some of the medications that I am on are very expensive. With my first purchase of medications each year my $2000 deductible is used up. considering that most of us would be considered to have a per-existing condition, as I understand what was just passed by congress, we would be without health insurance.
What steps do we take? My senators and rep did not vote to kill ACA (Obama Care as the GOP has labeled it). Did your senators and Reps?
While I appreciate the serious concern of this post, i will caution now regarding politics.
By all means this can become a very useful sharing of coping and managing for anyone faced with absence of medical insurance, or difficulty in financially maintaining adequate medical care, please just avoid discussion of any perceived causes of those difficulties if they are based on any "political" events.
One of my drugs runs about $1000 / month. It is for what is considered a pre-existing condition: diabetes. If we were in other major nations this may be covered. Our medication costs in the US are much higher than else where. This issue affects millions of people in the USA since we do not have a single payer system.
Our current system allows Drug, insurance, and hospital corporations to extort as much as they can from the patients. Often forcing us into bankruptcies.
Most Americans do not understand that the ACA (Affordable Care Act) that one party re-branded is almost identical to what the re-branding party had proposed and that is why we got it to begin with.
When I look at legislation, I ask "How much will it cost?", "Who is going to benefit?", and "Who is going to pay for it?".
I do not know how many on this forum are in the United States. Those that are are affected by this.
Starting in October I will start on Medicare ( I am 59 & on disability) and my husbands
insurance will then become my secondary. I do not think my having "2 insurance" will
benefit me much.
Joe, are you on medicare yet?
shelly
I have about 2 years. Jan has about a year. If I choose, I could go to the VA. I do not like that option but it is a place to die. It sounds Like those programs may be cut also.
With out insurance I think my medications run about $2500/mo I run about $500/mo supplements. Our home is paid for, we have no real estate tax but we do have a car payment and other expenses.
Social Security is limited.
I hope to have a couple of new tone generators and maybe a greenhouse for herbs before things get too bad. I will have to see how it goes.
This is worrisome for all of us in the USA and I have increasing medication expenses and some of it is brought on by the increase in the number of drugs that I take. This too, is a quandry cause just how many medications do we have to take to be comfortable? I have no idea cause like most of us we sort of get drawn into adding a medication and there comes a time when we have to get rid of some for financial reasons and maybe we don't need it anymore.
The thing is, right now we are living in a wild time here and there is so much information being bantied about that it is hard to often know what to believe. I choose to think that we need to wait and see what comes down the pike. I know this is scary, but sometimes just waiting to see is the best option.
We have so many drugs that are so over priced and I think that the time is coming to change this. I just paid 350$ for an inhaler of Atrovent. I almost fainted at the counter. Granted, this was during my deductible period, but I don't know what I will do the next time. I will have to do some searching and see what company is making a cheaper version, I imagine. I am diabetic also and a 1000$ for monthly diabetic meds is totally ridiculous. Somebody is making a lot of money and it ain't us.
Now, I am not going to hit the politics of this whole thing, but it has gotten out of hand and hopefully there will be some changes in the future. For now, I guess I will just have to hang in there and see what happens.
It is beyond unbelievable the prices that are charged for medication. If you take one medication it has a different price for every insurance company and within that company a different price for every one of the policies sold. Then when you break down a lot of the other options, etc there are different prices. It is a crap shoot that is for sure. Heaven help us all. Irish
Joe, my dad gets healthcare through the VA and is happy with it. He had a couple of major surgeries there, gets routine/ maintenance care and prescription prices are reasonable. Wait time and care probably vary by location, but it might be worth it for you to check out your local VA's reputation. Granted, he does not have chronic autoimmune issues that cause or require him to use services often or for a variety of problems so that might make a difference.
On the general topic, though, the pre-existing condition issue in the US is quite concerning, as is coverage caps.
Another thing that adds into this whole equation is the number of people in this country who have retired and those who are just getting ready to retire.The number of people who are retiring at age 62was just released and it is high. How our country is going to take care of the older population is going to be a challenge.
I have always wondered why we haven't had more than one person or one couple living in one household. It would help to split costs and share household chores. Probably too good to be true as people would end up fighting. In the twin cities of MN I read an article about 2 widows and 2 widowers who lived in a house together and shared all the bill, including the groceries. They each had their own room and bathroom and women did the washing, cooking, etc and men took care of yard, household respairs, snow remoal, etc.
They were able to retired to their own bedroom and watch tv read, or sit out with each other and watc tv,etc. It would have to be people who could get along, but it would sure help solve problems and keep people in their homes longer. Just my take on this. I am 74 today so I am looking at life differently than I did.lol Irish
Eyetodry,
Why can't you use your husband's insurance as primary?
Irish, I looked into Sr. Cooperatives as an option for reduced costs. I have thought about Seniors putting their homes in a trust that is held by a cooperative. The cooperative would put up a small green house (10x12) and some solar. Two members of the cooperative would do yard work, Green house and some help inside with cleaning, food management, and visiting.
The green house would provide enough income to provide some food, solar heat, and some income. The solar electric would provide some power and some income. If the two helpers did 10 properties per week there should be enough income to pay them a living wage, and take care of the home maintenance, taxes and other costs of keeping the seniors in their homes as long as possible.
My pipe dream. I have no energy to put it together. Maybe someone else will.
There has got to be some way that this country can figure out how to provide housing, medical care, etc for seniors (and younger people who have high priority) using common sense.
If people are able to do some feasible work in exchange for some services things make more sense. When it comes to people like us who can look so healthy and not be worth a hoot for strength and endurance the picture can sure change. Some good ideas out there at times but a lot of things that enter in when it comes to carrying out the idea or plan. Take care Joe. Irish
Irish and Joe - that has also been my dream. I'm hoping that another contribution the Boomers can make to our culture is a way to grow old and not be isolated. I have 3 cousins in faraway places who have virtually no one nearby they can call on for help, other than paid people they find from a services directory.
Many of us growing old now, have lived in shared households in our youth and have fond memories of it. I really enjoy having someone to share a cup of tea with in the morning, especially if talking is optional ;)
When we're no longer able to work, we will have social security as our only income. We have some equity in our house, but not enough to downsize into a fully paid-for house. If we bought a large house with one or two more parties, we could all be mortgage free. There are legal ways to do this, but if it becomes common for seniors, it will be easier to advertise, connect, and figure out how to work transitions over time. Having models of how this might work will be really helpful.
Social interactions become even more important as we age. Mental stimulation is key to cognitive abilities. It's better financially. And can be much more fun.
There is some limited Senior cooperative housing that has been developed that I have read about on line. I think Boulder, CO and New Jersey. Catholic charities and a few others have web sites on the topics. In these communities of condominiums everyone has a buy-in rate that is controlled by an executive board. The board controls maintenance and assessments on the properties.
There usually are community rooms and a number of guest suites for visiting family. The units are typically one, or two bed rooms.
The costs when I looked at it a number of years ago were more than I could afford. That is why I advocate for the retire-in-place cooperative model. My home is paid for and I would not be required to move. I would be part owner in the services of the cooperative as I would also be consumer of those services. The side benefits of those services would produce the funds to cover them. While we look healthy we can not do work. R. Buckminster Fuller suggested that there are advantages to pay us to stay home.
Down around the area that I live there are some coops that look interesting. The initial cost is not that bad---usually 30-40,000$ which is probably more feasible for people who sell their home. Living in an apartment doesn't tend to encourage saving money though.
The monthly rate is about the same as an apartment and included everything except the electricity and more complicated cable, ie., phone and internet and increased number channels. The taxes and insurance are in the monthly fee and the maintenance is also included. A garage is included at a small monthly fee.
I have looked at these just for the heck of it and they are adequate but not many windows and quite dark and dreary. Also, the big thing is if I die or go to long term care, etc. the monthly payment has to be kept up until it is sold. That is really a discouraging aspect as sometimes it can take many months. My family doesn't think I should do this because they think I will feel claustrophobic and that bigger monthly payment for a long period of time can really be tough.
I will tell you that I have thought about doing this but when I get in the building I almost croak. It is so darned hot in the hall and activity room that I almost faint. I would not be able to exist and socialize while trying to cope with the heat. I could keep my place the temp I want but it would defeat the issue because I would not be able to be out and about much. Irish
Joe, just a few thoughts for you. You've probably looked into this already but some drug companies have patient assistance progams and you can quality even with good income b/c the drugs are so darn expensive. Have you checked the drug's website to see if they have any coupons?
I better stop here. I am angry about the health care situation for us in the USA.
Thanks for the input. Jan and I are covered until next year with health insurance Through the company that she worked for. In January the plan was that she would go on medicare. My PTSD is linked to the VA. I start shaking and have a bad Anxiety attack as I approach the building that continues until I leave. We will see what changes come.
I now use overseas drug companies for my high tier drugs. I have had no problems. Several of them actually list where the medications are produced. I am currently using Plaquenil, Vagifem, Restasis, and Ursodiol from manufacturers in the UK and will add more if prices continue to skyrocket.
Katie1111