1/7/09: Is that Fahrenheit or Celsius?

[davidlevine]

Word count: 3727 | Since last entry: 559

The story keeps chugging along (the streak now stands at seven days). It's still awfully talky and I am certain the first draft will be far too long for the story's weight, but I can already see places to trim it. I also begin to see a possible ending, though not how to get there.

Kate thought the new hot water heater was set a bit too high, and I agreed, so I went to turn it down. The temperature control knob is labeled as follows: a dot, LOW, another dot, another dot, a triangle, A, B, C, VERY HOT. I turned it down from B to A.

We're looking into health insurance options. I had resisted the idea of a Health Savings Account, but after our insurance broker explained how it works it might actually be simpler (no claims to process... you just pay all your medical bills with the HSA debit card) and, as long as we stay generally healthy, cheaper. Has anyone reading this used an HSA? Any opinions on US Health Group as an insurer? The other option is a conventional plan with ODS. Any opinions on them?

Comments

[farmgirl1146.livejournal.com]

First, I was bitten by one of my cats when he was ill, about three years ago, and the two trips to the emergency room (of course no one else could see me after 4:30 p.m.), cost $10,000. There were two visits because I received only pills at the first visit, not a shot. The bite was in the fleshy area of the palm of my hand below my thumb. I have been bit by cats before and after with no infection. This was a raging infection. All paid by traditional insurance. I was shocked/pissed at the cost, and it would have been devastating to us financially without insurance. I have never won a fight with a hospital except when I could turn the fight over to the insurance company for double billing.

I think that HDHP is an insurance accountant's wet dream. Very bad for the insured, but great for the insurer. Also, some doctors and hospitals, after being burned by this, don't accept it, so you might have to leave an open credit card. Averaged over years, even at today's high rates, for me insurance saves me money. Also, it is tax deductible, to a point, for the self-employed.

Second, look at odd places to get health insurance, such a AAA and AARP (I don't know if one of you is over 50, probably not). Maybe I am not as healthy as you two, but after reading about Kate's illness near Xmas, food poisoning (which I think she may have had from the description) has little to do with health.

Also, I think that you travel too much for a HSA debit card, as I understand how they actually work. Look at the new Group Health (do you have that in Portland?) options, it's general insurance. While the Blues have their problems and very poor dental, they are reliable in my experience, and will cover you when out of the country, if you notify them (or they used to do this). In the past I have had Aetna, Travellers, and Blue Cross/Regents. Now I have an occupation specific one through the Husband. They all work about the same. A few years ago, it was my job to choose the insurance for a company I was working with. After extensive cross referencing I chose Blue Cross/Regents -- it had fewer exclusions and a shorter time for covering the new employees. Pre-existing conditions are the key. Please remember that. No matter what way you go, look into AFLAC. It was redundant with Blue Cross, but not the others.