Healtcare costs (Was: Re: Beware: NET-A-PORTER)

[Rudolf Lippan]

On Tuesday, December 13, 2011 at 11:04:34 AM, Uri Guttman wrote:
> On 12/13/2011 10:33 AM, Jason Clifford wrote:
> > On Mon, 12 Dec 2011 22:58:29 -0000, Simon Wistow <simon at thegestalt.org>
> > wrote:

> > But in the US you have no cover once you stop paying so you need to
> > factor in additional money to cover premiums when you are between jobs
> > and consider the cost of premiums as part of your retirement planning.

Don't forget that the $100/mo that you were spending jumps to $600/mo on COBRA.

It costs ~800/mo month for one employee and myself + $2500 deductible 
for 100% coverage (including prescription).

> 
> if you retire after age 65 you do get medicare which is a national 
> health insurance plan. so you don't need to factor that in so much. you 
> do need to buy some extra plans to cover some gaps but they aren't that 
> expensive.

About $300/mo for a decent one. $1,177/mo is the average for a person on
Social Security. In NY property taxes on a modest residence can exceed
$1000/mo.  My mortgage, taxes, and homeowners combined comes to less than
this in Georgia.

>
> this is the screwed up mentality here. we have a decent national plan 
> for over 65 and for military vets all run by our government. but a full 

I doubt you'd want to be treated by the VA.

> plan for all is anethema. the pee tarty (sic :) cry "keep the government 
> out of my medicare" which shows their ignorance and worse.

I know some smart people that agree with the tea party, so I don't think it
is that simple.  There are legitimate complaints on both sides.


-r