tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450128688601342756.comments2023-11-02T02:35:46.856-05:00Organized ExploitationPaul Kroenkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06905336586579220647noreply@blogger.comBlogger366125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450128688601342756.post-70428736884057561972013-11-30T10:44:27.781-06:002013-11-30T10:44:27.781-06:00I'm facing a very similar situation for my BCB...I'm facing a very similar situation for my BCBS HSA health plan. OTOH, I'll be saving hugely on my 22-year-old daughter's plan. Would be even without the subsidies.<br /><br />You and your readers might be interested in this calculator app I built to compare what health plans will cost, total?<br /><br />http://health-plan-compare.com<br /><br />This analysis is really hard. Way too many variables for any human to do in their head. I built a spreadsheet for myself a few years ago, just put it up as an app.<br /><br />Start plugging in some numbers, and you see that some plans are just obviously better deals. No way to suss that out without something like this.<br /><br />Full disclosure: if the page gets some traffic, I'm hoping to generate some ad revenue. To that end, I've just tried to provide the best app and information I could.<br /><br />Thanks for listening,<br /><br />SteveSteve Rothhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11895481216028771016noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450128688601342756.post-70791186849439976102013-10-31T14:22:46.029-05:002013-10-31T14:22:46.029-05:00Understood about the pre-existing conditions for 3...Understood about the pre-existing conditions for 365 days, and knew that going into the plan. It's also my perspective that health insurance should not be covering routine visits and tests. My reasoning for this has always been the comparison that your car insurance doesn't pay for your oil change. I think the whole idea behind purchasing the HDHP with HSA program in the first place was that I'd eventually be able to save up enough money in this program to not have to worry about deductibles, medical devices, etc. This came into play this year when a root canal I'd had done a few years ago failed, and I had to get a shiny new fake tooth. Insurance only covered the extraction. Everything from the bone graft up through the new tooth itself was considered cosmetic, since, quite frankly, it is. I was able to pay these costs out of the HSA, which was the point.<br /><br />I don't really even think this scenario that I'm facing right now hits me all that very hard (especially since the HSA I do have provides the option of putting some of your money into the market, if you wish, to compound it faster), and I kind of assume other people are getting hit harder than this in a lot of cases.Paul Kroenkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06905336586579220647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450128688601342756.post-66786147985344687902013-10-30T22:48:34.028-05:002013-10-30T22:48:34.028-05:00In fairness it looks like your current plan has an...In fairness it looks like your current plan has an actual OoP maximum of $4,750 since not everything is covered at 100%. Your plan also doesn't cover some things like preexisting conditions for 365 days, some routine visits and tests, most medical equipment, ongoing physical therapy, etc. <br />http://www.bcbsil.com/PDF/benefits/ind_blueedge_hsa_ooc_il.pdf<br /><br />Whether you like it or not, those things are all included in your new coverage. As a healthy young male, you are definitely far on the subsidization end of subscribers. Its unlikely you will be taking advantage of these new coverage items you are paying more for. <br /><br />I would agree that most healthy people are crazy to not take a HDHP with HSA. I'm happily on a plan similar to the Bronze PPO 006, but fortunate to have a company contributions to the premium and HSA incentives (getting screened, BMI value, no smoker) that basically zero out my cost.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03797899730462197475noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450128688601342756.post-66902058182488723992013-09-22T23:03:06.467-05:002013-09-22T23:03:06.467-05:00how would he have parents and be a puppy his paren...how would he have parents and be a puppy his parents found fin and raised him too so they were really there other then that this is pretty neatAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450128688601342756.post-43818579897030035152013-03-25T15:17:38.349-05:002013-03-25T15:17:38.349-05:00Nice! I'm glad I'm not the only person who...Nice! I'm glad I'm not the only person who keeps thinking this. Good analysis. Although I should point out there are a number of other old earth creatures still around; Foxes and sparrows are two that come to mind.DanielFontainehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00082511159119681114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450128688601342756.post-22131507901057461582012-08-04T10:33:44.411-05:002012-08-04T10:33:44.411-05:00very amusing!very amusing!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10710933317171626438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450128688601342756.post-23272006597436074832011-08-22T11:48:06.787-05:002011-08-22T11:48:06.787-05:00I find it interesting (no, not really) that the fi...I find it interesting (no, not really) that the first two points deal with a fear of dwindling jobs, and the last is a (sort of) answer that suggests a wealth tax as, ostensibly, a way to combat the problem. Again, we have a progressive who believes jobs have to come through government intervention instead of from the private sector itself.<br /><br />The idea of technology supplanting industries is as old as technology itself. Yet here we are, reinventing the wheel (so to speak), and it's the private sector which will inevitably lead.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450128688601342756.post-30405400458325858232011-08-15T18:45:54.712-05:002011-08-15T18:45:54.712-05:00What, that I deserve a Nobel Prize?What, that I deserve a Nobel Prize?Paul Kroenkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06905336586579220647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450128688601342756.post-16762409900009541562011-08-15T17:05:23.755-05:002011-08-15T17:05:23.755-05:00Is it bad that I think that's a valid point ma...Is it bad that I think that's a valid point made in an odd way?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450128688601342756.post-76619746752536045592011-08-12T09:56:13.133-05:002011-08-12T09:56:13.133-05:00I think it will be interesting to see what happens...I think it will be interesting to see what happens when Perry gets into the debates. Last night's debate was actually pretty excellent, and surprisingly Romney came across pretty strong across the board, and largely stayed out of the fray. He will be a target for Perry, so if nothing else, the debates going forward will be very entertaining.<br /><br />I think we are in a situation right now where just about any Republican is going to beat Obama, just as in 2008 any Democrat was going to win simply by running on not being George W. Bush.<br /><br />I don't think there are any candidates talking about ending Social Security or Medicare. Ending things "as we know them" does not mean killing them completely.<br /><br />The big push from a policy standpoint will need to be getting people to wake up and take responsibility for themselves for things like social security, medicare and unemployment. The government can help to provide the funds, but the consumer needs to be the one making the decisions with that money at the market level.<br /><br />It's a question of efficiency of the money. People spending money in the most cost effective way for themselves will ultimately drive prices down.<br /><br />This will be the change they all need to preach, rather than getting caught up in rhetoric about ending all benefits forever and pushing grandma off a cliff.Paul Kroenkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06905336586579220647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450128688601342756.post-54148994549204907972011-08-12T09:48:39.490-05:002011-08-12T09:48:39.490-05:00I agree that his social agenda will not stop him f...I agree that his social agenda will not stop him from getting the nomination, and may not even hurt him too much in a general. If Republicans nominate him, he has a chance. I still think it's too early to say whether he will be a real factor - don't forget that four years ago at this time we were gearing up for Giuliani vs. Clinton. Hell, Giuliani just beat Obama LAST WEEK in a poll from CNN. I'm a huge polling nerd, but even I am trying not to read too much into the numbers right now.<br /><br />The larger problem for Perry (although I know it doesn't bother you) is his extreme views on the role of government. He is willing to talk about ENDING Social Security and Medicare, and while that resonates with the Tea Party, it's going to be very hard to get mainstream Republicans and independents to buy into it. <br /><br />Perry can pander to the religious right during the primaries and then talk more rationally during the general. Obama did the same thing for the left in '08. Maybe I'm jaded, but that stuff doesn't bother me*. It's just part of the game. It will be much more difficult for Perry to run away from some of his other statements. I admittedly am not as much of a policy wonk as you are, but I do follow the political aspect of government closely. Right now I think that Obama has about a 50% chance of being re-elected. A lot (fair or not) depends on the economy, and a lot depends on who the GOP nominates. I just happen to believe that Perry is not someone who can win a general election.<br /><br /><br />*OK, it bothers me personally, but I am not going to spend my time looking for a non-hypocritical politician. They don't exist.jeffp80https://www.blogger.com/profile/16070924983634647011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450128688601342756.post-79269615921149949852011-08-11T07:54:12.200-05:002011-08-11T07:54:12.200-05:00I think maybe you give too much heed to the fact t...I think maybe you give too much heed to the fact that Perry is a Texas governor. I don't think he's personally, or politically, and definitely not economically, anything like Bush was.<br /><br />This is a different guy for different times. He's most certainly not winning the spot, assuming he does, because he's the next Good Old Boy Republican in line for the spot.<br /><br />If he wins it will be because he's a man of conviction that has concrete ideas about what he wants for the country, that a broad majority of the people will go along with.<br /><br />As to your argument about not wanting someone who would amend the constitution for the purposes of his personal morality, what else do you expect the constitution was ever amended for? Somebody somewhere sometime looked at FDR's reign and decided it offended their personal morality, and so offered up an amendment that the president could only serve two terms. Obviously this was a pretty commonly shared personal morality since it passed.<br /><br />Every decision anybody ever makes anywhere about anything is couched in his or her personal morality. You mention Obama's perfect world of universal healthcare. To me, that looks like a lot of waiting in line and denial of simple services, like dental maintenance or simple surgeries denied, as happens routinely with the NHS in Britain. That's a lot of other peoples view as well. Many more just see another "free" handout without thinking about the consequences. We're kind of at the brink of an era where we can no longer ignore future consequences for the sake of current free handouts.<br /><br />I can't say as I agree with Perry's social agenda, but I also can't say as I think he will run with much at all to say about social politics. I also don't think, if he becomes president, he will have any time or space to pursue any kind of social agenda, as we are staring down probably a decade or two of fixing our finances before all else. I think he's probably got the best conviction and character for that purpose among the Republican field, while also being a good enough politician to actually get things done, something that I think it's pretty abundantly clear our current president is not.Paul Kroenkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06905336586579220647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450128688601342756.post-24213850947616903992011-08-10T13:13:05.032-05:002011-08-10T13:13:05.032-05:00I understand how difficult it is to pass an amendm...I understand how difficult it is to pass an amendment like that. I can't imagine any social issue that would currently galvanize 290 congressmen, 67 senators and 38 state legislatures. The problem, as I see it, is that Perry holds the view that we should amend the US Constitution for the purposes of his personal morality. Someone with that worldview is far from the type of person I would want leading and representing our country. The fact that his goal will never come to fruition is not a reason to ignore it. For example, President Obama's perfect world would probably include universal health care. Doesn't mean it will happen, but it tells you something about him as a person. I would think that people take it into consideration when evaluating him as a politician.<br /><br />I also do not think that Perry is an emperor any more than I believe Obama is an emperor (as some claim). I don't think that the existence of the Constitution will be in jeopardy if Perry were president. We survived eight years of Bush, although I don't think we're better for it. <br /><br />As far as playing to the base, I agree with you. Politicians are disingenuous as a rule, particularly during the primaries. I don't think that President Obama places much importance on faith, for instance, but he needs to pay it lip service if he wants to stay in office. Perry's act might play well in GOP primaries, but I think he would have a very hard time in a general. Axlerod and company would have a pretty easy time showing that President Perry would bring us right back to the GWB years, and I don't think anyone wants that.jeffp80https://www.blogger.com/profile/16070924983634647011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450128688601342756.post-3341515810663862802011-02-07T10:38:30.333-06:002011-02-07T10:38:30.333-06:00If only the communists who ran the place were unde...If only the communists who ran the place were under those feet! Hey check out my website at www.blingforvets.comUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14380074765747136862noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450128688601342756.post-26490993146974204412010-11-15T00:05:44.814-06:002010-11-15T00:05:44.814-06:00That is hilarious.That is hilarious.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450128688601342756.post-7186405175986851412010-11-05T16:15:00.988-05:002010-11-05T16:15:00.988-05:00I would imagine corporate taxes are estimated in t...I would imagine corporate taxes are estimated in to the price point of goods to the extent that the market will bear it. A company does still need to sell its product, after all. At the end of the day, whatever was clear profit is what is taxed. Where you see it "passed on to the consumer" is more to the effect of a sin-tax on gas or cigarettes, which is piled on top of the production price. Value-added taxes like that are passed along pretty directly to the consumer.Paul Kroenkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06905336586579220647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450128688601342756.post-41605031936347306782010-11-04T12:01:17.190-05:002010-11-04T12:01:17.190-05:00That reminds me of the statement: "There is n...That reminds me of the statement: "There is no such thing as corporate taxes." The reasoning is that corporations will simply pass it on to the consumer.<br /><br />Whether you tax the rich or tax the poor, one has an effect on the other. Maybe less directly in one case or the other but it has an effect nonetheless.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450128688601342756.post-61085491358998917112010-11-04T09:05:11.079-05:002010-11-04T09:05:11.079-05:00Well written and honest.Well written and honest.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05908491348756484487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450128688601342756.post-79188991287061452962010-10-16T08:33:27.586-05:002010-10-16T08:33:27.586-05:00The pen is mightier than the bayonet. Joe Lake, Bu...The pen is mightier than the bayonet. Joe Lake, BucktownJoe Lakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13551008089683215106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450128688601342756.post-34493276343706472232010-10-12T12:37:41.623-05:002010-10-12T12:37:41.623-05:00Recalls are a waste of time. Voters have a chance ...Recalls are a waste of time. Voters have a chance every four years to change the governor. In extreme cases involving criminal acts (like Blago's), impeachment is an option. Messy as it may be, the system to remove a governor worked in that case.jeffp80https://www.blogger.com/profile/16070924983634647011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450128688601342756.post-52937569388331874772010-10-07T14:45:47.689-05:002010-10-07T14:45:47.689-05:00Your argument kind of contradicts itself. First y...Your argument kind of contradicts itself. First you say that there has NEVER been a recall that was ever one-sided. Then you say that if it's required to be bipartisan, it will never happen. If recalls ONLY happen with bipartisan support, how does requiring it to be mildly bipartisan preclude it from happening?Paul Kroenkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06905336586579220647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450128688601342756.post-1750766185412497582010-10-07T14:34:55.696-05:002010-10-07T14:34:55.696-05:00Out of 18 states in over 100 years, not ONCE has a...Out of 18 states in over 100 years, not ONCE has any instance been found were a purely partisan or special interest effort got even close to getting a recall on the ballot.<br /><br />The bipartisan cooperation requirement means no recall will ever occur. Under Blagojevich, the Senate Democrats were UNANIMOUS behind Rod (until his arrest of course). Maybe 2 House Dems would have signed the permission slip. The reality is, partisanship would ensure no recall would ever occur.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450128688601342756.post-88609029737754927642010-09-18T09:45:51.356-05:002010-09-18T09:45:51.356-05:00And now, post-seeing Mastodon, your "I put th...And now, post-seeing Mastodon, your "I put them in the Dragonforce category" is changed, right?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450128688601342756.post-65130544532662736242010-09-17T18:13:22.010-05:002010-09-17T18:13:22.010-05:00You are SOOOO welcome :)You are SOOOO welcome :)Amanda Gilliamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05060186091673862782noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2450128688601342756.post-27196927977022863032010-09-17T18:03:42.604-05:002010-09-17T18:03:42.604-05:00Passenger is actually an older one, but their new ...Passenger is actually an older one, but their new album is their best by far since White Pony. Highly recommended!Paul Kroenkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06905336586579220647noreply@blogger.com