This post is long (as always) You might think it isn't about Health Care, but I think it is. Don't read it if you are easily bored.
I don't understand anything involved with health insurance. I have someone who tells me which health insurance company is best for me.
Every year I give him a list of my medicine (I only take a very few) and he does whatever it is (puts it in his computer) and he and I meet.
He asks for a check made out to the company and that's it. For the past 3 or 4 years he's had me go with companies he doesn't even represent.
He's amazing. I've been with him since my husband died in 2004. Every year I sweat out if he's going to retire because he makes all of this so easy (for me).
I have medicare and a supplement. I never pay a penny when I go to the Drs.
I just had an evaluation at the eye Drs, then went back two days later and spent another 2 hours there. I only paid 45$ so far.
I have to go to another Dr to set up removal of cataracts.
I'm lucky and I know it. Everything would be an entirely different situation had my late husband not been extremely successful.
I live on the interest of his investments and don't have to touch the principal (it's invested with a large envestment company). Every month they put in an amount I decided and that's what I live on. Plus I get a little over $2,000 a month from HIS social security.
That's what makes me realize how lucky I am. You see I worked for 7 years for the Federal Government. At that time they had their own retirement program. But when I had my first daughter, I quit. It was only a few thousand dollars and that's what we used to buy our first house. I never had to go back to work.
But my point is, if we'd divorced, I'd be living on whatever my alimony was and that would be it. I wouldn't have his social security!
It boggles my mind to think there are people who are expected to live on less than $2,000. The reason his is over $2,000 is because he paid a lot more into it. Otherwise it would be less which is what a lot of other's are.
My oldest daughter manages my investments (I guess she keeps an eye on things). She reminds me when to send it estimated taxes, etc. But the accountants I have make out everything except the check (I do that).
She draws a salary (like I did when I worked for my late husband) by working for her husband's company. It's a two person business.
Many (maybe even most) people have no idea how to do the things she manages (I should say the mazes) the government puts these people through who manage their own businesses.
THAT'S how people get behind in their taxes, etc. I pay huge amounts of money in taxes because of my investments but it would be a lot more if I didn't hire accountants (they are worth their weight in (sorry...gold).
The only reason I am mentioning this is because I have a problem with the way the government forced me to go on Medicare. I have the money and had excellent health insurance. I didn't mind that I was paying $1,000 per month for my insurance.
I just feel like people who can afford to pay for insurance should be expected to pay for it.
But then other's say that the money would just be mis-managed (like it is now). I think it's sad/funny when people say things like I do "That the money could be used for good for others" because I worked for the Government. I saw tremendous waste.
My friend's General she worked for had her entire office redecorated in Air Force blue. The way the government is there is a feeling if they don't spend all of the money, they won't get that amount (and more) next year. It's simply wasted, wasted.
I don't know how it works in other places around the country, I can only speak for what I saw and my friends saw working for the government in the DC/Md/Va area.
I'm 72 and I'm convinced things won't change. I'm to the point where I think, "Shoot! The money will always be mis-managed....you'll never convince me otherwise."
I often wonder what people who aren't working for the government like here in the DC area must think of us (former and now government workers).
Most people do the work they're paid for, but if you think about it, it's mostly shuffling papers here and there.
Where there was a shut down, the country ran just fine for the most part, didn't it? OK, so some of the museums and parks, etc felt the pain, but I'm talking about the Federal government (as we think of it).
I always say I have two pesky sides of my brain. I'm grateful that I was able to work for the government.
Did you non-government people know that even as a lowly secretary I always got a raise? Yepper, I turned down having to go to DC over and over (I worked at the Pentagon and loved working there). But I always got a promotion (you slide down the grade (called steps).
I often what it would be like if those Senators and Congressmen had to live like people in other parts of the country. It would be very interesting, wouldn't it?
My Congressman here in Virginia fought so hard to try to make Congress stay in session this Summer because they didn't get anything done. Nothing, zip.
He said they are the only people who still get paid and don't have to prove what they've done to get paid. He makes a lot of sense.
People in private sector, if they don't work, they either don't get paid or they loose their job, right? Well, it doesn't work that way around here.
I've never heard of a government employee getting fired. They mostly just get moved somewhere else.
I know there are always a FEW exceptions to the rule, but a very few exceptions.
I know this was about Health Care. My reason for posting all of this is because it seems like, in this country, which I love more than anything is the rich get richer and the poor....well..they don't.
My mother used to say, "One half doesn't know how the other half lives." She sure was right.
I know there are going to be people who'll come on here and tell me how wrong I am. That's their perogative. I'm expressing why actually, in my opinion, I think it all dribbles down to health care.
You guys want to blame someone? Start with the lobbyists. Why do you think Amazon wanted to move to the DC area? Why do you think Google gets away with all they do?
It's all about money. My youngest daughter says that to me all of the time. My middle daughter is going through a terrible divorce. She's lucky she has me to fall back on but most single mom's don't.
If I feel for any group it's single mom's and elderly. They seem to be this country's throw-aways......
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