Brent Nyitray
Fairlington Blade
Let the mutherfuker burn!
jnc4p
Kevin S. Willis
Michigoose
lmsinca
markinaustin
Arcanaut
novahockey
quarterback
ScottC
yellojktJust thought I’d post an open thread so that folks can throw anything up. Shamelessly stolen from Ezra Klein’s Wonkblog:
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The Best Sentences We Read Today
— “I’m going to look them in the eye and say, ‘You must be confusing me with someone who gives a f— about your opinion.'”
I hope that link works. I had to google the sentence to get to the article from Wonkblog’s link.
— “So hang on tight because you are going to get some clear and true facts without rumor and innuendo, or any accompanying B.S. and mush.”
— “Chicken-sh— editors who wouldn’t touch stories like that, they love documents, so he changed the whole ball game.”
— “The Administration has had nearly two million minutes to implement this law.”
—Lydia DePillis
What else do we have? Both MSU and UM have byes this week, so I don’t have much in the way of football to watch today.
Filed under: Open Thread, Saturday |
All Things in Moderation 
Also from Ezra –
http://tinyurl.com/jwalmsk
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Mark–I saw that. Interesting idea. . . Sarah Kliff has been doing a lot of good writing on the ACA roll out.
Is there anybody else here besides me who’s going to be signing up for insurance through an exchange?
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Michi…. I “was” going to sign up under the Federal exchange since OK did not set up a state exchange.
However, upon researching I discovered that with only my husbands SS disability check, we would only qualify for Medicaid, no exchange plan.
HOWEVER (#2)… since OK did not accept the Medicaid expansion, I am left with nothing. While I wait for my disability approval, with no income from me of course, and our income currently too low to qualify for an insurance plan via the exchange… AND… we make too much to qualify for Medicaid in OK… about $400/mo too much (total income $1637/mo for family of 2).
So my only path (not a choice) is to wait until I am actually approved for my disability… then I can apply to get insurance via the Federal exchange as with my disability check, in combination with my husbands, we will have an income level to purchase on the exchange and probably receive “some” kind of credit… although I have no idea about the credit amount or which plan until I know what my disability award will be… although I have a good idea my award will be just over $2k/mo. That will allow us to purchase a plan for me (hubby gets medicare Nov 1, but he has VA as well, for now)… and then once I qualify for Medicare (Jan 2015), I can switch to a supplemental plan only.
Bottom line… OK refused the Medicaid expansion which when combined with qualification rules of the Federal exchange…. My only option is to wait until SS approves my disability. The clock is ticking.
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So, bias is also about the stories not covered?
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Just thought that you conservatives would enjoy the fact that I’m getting raked over the coals today on PL for defending the right of conservatives to not vote for Democrats.
And, McWing, I don’t understand your question.
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Just an observation that media bias is more about what isn’t written then how it’s written.
http://www.theguardian.com/media/media-blog/2013/sep/27/seymour-hersh-obama-nsa-american-media
Though Hersh may not be the most honest of messengers.
http://www.commentarymagazine.com/article/the-deceits-of-seymour-hersh/
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Geanie–
What a mess! I’m so sorry you’re having to go through all of this (along with the house flooding debacle). Just in case I didn’t understand you correctly, you guys know that your husband is still eligible for VA benefits even after he becomes eligible for Medicare, right? I don’t know the details of how the two work together, but he will always be eligible for VA benefits if he is now.
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Michi… yea, life has surely become quite “exciting” for us these past few years. Yes, we know he will actually have both VA and Medicare… however (there I go with the however’s again)… his VA is dependent upon our income… when he first applied this spring he was denied… they used our 2012 income…. but we learned he could file a “hardship” application since our income drastically reduced… he got his VA on the hardship…. which means, if I also get disability, with my income then… he can lose his VA… it’s not forever anymore since it’s now based on income.. not really on service.
How the 2 work together: If he needs medical care he can opt to use EITHER Medicare or VA… not both… and each event is separate… so he could use Medicare for some things (if not covered via VA, or use VA… since VA is 100% covered except for his $8 copay for prescriptions and Medicare is 80%… he will be using VA whenever possible. And as long as he can keep VA, he won’t need a supplement to go with Medicare… but once my disability is approved, we are supposed to let them know that our income has changed and they can then remove him from VA which then he would need a supplemental.
So.. even with his VA, it’s a waiting game to see if he will continue to have VA or do we get a supplemental plan for him, once I have my disability or not.
Story of my life… nothing straight forward, nothing simple… and a TON of waiting.
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Geanie, I’m curious how you found ATiM. I’m shutting down my participation here as there just isn’t enough interest in my part of it any longer or enough people to keep it interesting to me, but I’m wondering if there is some way to attract more participants via however you found us.
If I don’t see you again, good luck with all your health and related issues.
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LMS… ooh please!!! YOU CAN’T GO!!!! I think the way I found it was by some article I found online at the time which lead me to ATiM… I can’t tell what article or where I found it.
I know I’m a member of the minority here at ATiM, but I still like to keep up with reading the posts as I still do learn things, even if they’re things I don’t like. I read every ATiM email that hits my inbox and when I’m feeling decent enough AND I feel like I can comment intelligently enough, I do.
I hope to see you again…. and thank you for your wishes on all the crap in my life right now. BTW… if anyone wants it, my personal email is geanie.tilley@gmail.com
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Thanks for the info. It’s something I’ve wondered about for awhile but kept forgetting to ask you. Doesn’t really sound like we have or had any control over that, just luck I guess. I’m sure ATiM will continue to give you what you’re looking for.
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Geanie–got it. For some reason I had it stuck in my head that he had a service-connected disability or combat service. Yes, the VA is great, but with two current wars’ veterans to have to care for, everything is being dialed back. I have my own views on that, but they’re not really fit for public consumption. 🙂
I’m glad you’re here, and I hope you continue to stick around.
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Michi… I do plan to stick around, even if I end up being the only one that doesn’t always side with Scott or McWing LOL…. I’m open to learning from all sides… it helps me understand how individuals think about societal issues.
Please feel free to share with me what you think about VA health benefits for veterans… even if only via my personal email 😀 we may agree, we may not, either way I’m sure I would learn something.
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No prob, Geanie. I’m a veteran myself (as are Brent, McWing and Mark) and my former husband was a physical therapist at the VA for 17 years, so I’ve seen it from both the patient and provider side.
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I’m not a veteran. My Daddy was, Korean war… he lied about his age and enlisted at age 16, received 2 purple hearts and a silver star, and something else I can’t remember what though, and was one of the few survivors of Pork Chop Hill… after his first purple heart and discharge, after he healed, he re-enlisted and after his 2nd purple heart remained discharged (lost most of his right calf)… he did run into problems once he became disabled because he lied about his age to enlist… his birth date was wrong and it took awhile to straighten out. When he had open heart surgery, they found several pieces of shrapnel in his chest and when they opened his leg to retrieve tissue for his heart, they found the field needle used to sew his leg up still in there. I also have a brother who retired from the Marines, early retired due to arthritis, but he did spend 12 years in the Marines. And my daughter is a member of the Oklahoma Air National Guard. I’m a huge believer in taking care of our veterans, especially if their disabilities are due to their service. My husband’s are not and we understand the need to help those whose disabilities are service related receive help before anyone else. We won’t mind if he loses his VA benefits if my SS award kicks him out of it. We’d rather pay for a supplemental plan to go with Medicare than to see someone else who should be taken care of not be.
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I am posting these rounded numbers as a healthy 70 YO male on Medicare with a Scott and White Advantage program. I got my 9 mos. report. I thought this would be my first year to make money off Medicare, but apparently not yet.
This was the year for my 5 yr colonoscopy. Retail at S&W $3500. Medicare paid $390. I paid $170.
Had a stress test. Retail at S&W 1120. Medicare paid 130. I paid 40.
Total other stuff [physical, lab tests] Retail at S&W 800. Medicare paid 185. I paid 33.
Over the same 9 mos I paid Medicare premiums of $1100.
Over the same 9 mos I paid Scott and White premiums of $1250.
So I put out $2590 for retail services that would have cost someone uninsured but solvent $4420, is one way to look at it.
Or I paid Medicare $1100 and Medicare paid out $705.
Does S&W take it in the drawers this year because I had a five year colonoscopy and a three year stress test?
What are the appropriate ways to view this?
In all previous years, I had paid way more to S&W then it would have billed me at retail, uninsured and solvent. My previous colonoscopy and previous stress test both predated my enrollment in Medicare.
Next year I will probably have the cataract fix. Might catch up a bit there, too.
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