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I'm with teacherdad, not going to get into the weeds. However, I would like to leave a few bullet points. re: Government/Civil Service Worker. To answer the shipyard and asbestos plant questions; no.
- Many don't know after being federally employed if you show interest in attending college, and that it benefits the command, the government will pay for your tuition. The employee/student must use his own annual leave to attend, but many have taken advantage of the benefit. What the civil servant lacks in compensation is easily justified when analyzing the complete hiring package.
- Many Federal Civil Servant Positions are open to 'All US Citizens'. A quick cursory look at USA Jobs, the resource data base used for Federal Job advertisements, they're many opportunities for everyone to apply. One just needs to meet the qualifications to be considered.
I hold my head high. I'm a proud veteran and a long time civil servant. I owe no one any apologies.
To those who are planning to retire before 65, how do you plan to get health insurance?
You know Medicare kicks in 65. And for people like me born after 1960, it kicks in at age 67
What am I missing here?
Fair question.
We purchase health insurance through my wife's former employer. She gets about a 20% discount. We are on a United Healthcare HSA plan which is NOT cheap BUT I know on January 1st what the maximum I could pay that year. Then, we budget for it like any other expense. The advantage of this plan is that we can select about 90% of the doctors in this area and do not have to run up to Tucson 25 miles away for service.
We COULD use one of the "A"CA plans. That would pretty much require us to use a HMO-type plan which means that we would need to change all of our doctors to about 10% of the doctors in the area and would require us to head to Tucson for many of our specialist visits.We would also be required in a good number of the plans to use one hospital that we very much dislike and for our primary care, use a local clinic. And since many of the "A"CA plans in Arizona are hemorrhaging money, we may be changing plans each year until we hit Medicare.
I have talked to a couple very experienced health care brokers and both have recommended that I remain with the current plan. When a salesman tells you that you have a good deal, you listen.
To those who are planning to retire before 65, how do you plan to get health insurance?
You know Medicare kicks in 65. And for people like me born after 1960, it kicks in at age 67
What am I missing here?
You can go to the unaffordable Obamacare exchanges - for wife and I, about $1600/mo for a plan with a decent deductible. However, if you can manage to keep your taxable income low enough, you get a subsidy (still trying to figure out how to keep my taxable income low enough). We went with Medi Share for under $400/mo instead....we are assuming some risk so it's a bit of a gamble.
About the age, I think SS kicks in later but not Medicare....you sure about that?
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Quote:
Originally Posted by misterno
To those who are planning to retire before 65, how do you plan to get health insurance?
What am I missing here?
Retired at age 49 and was able to get by 8 yrs till A(?)CA showed up and excluded all my affordable options. Now... Several yrs from 65 and we are un-insured / un-insurable. If you are too rich for a subsidy, A(?)CA is not affordable in many rural regions (10x city premiums). So... We get sick?, we die. If you are on state aid, no issue. You will get great subsidy and care.
If we are well enough we will go on a medivacation, millions do this every yr.
There are also a couple 'medical sharing' plans in USA that keep you excluded from the A(?)CA fines. They are very cheap compared to insurance (which they are not). You probably want to avoid prison, their healthcare is not great.
Many countries will welcome you if you come with minimal investment of USD. Malaysia is actively courting USA early retirees. That option is not tolerated to be discussed on this forum (largely populated by fed and state 'pensioners', who all expect you are drinking their koolaid, too. Or at least you MUST!)
Why would someone need a new pair of $700 glasses every year for 30 years?
1. If you read the Caregiving Forum, you'll see where I'm coming from.
2. My math was based on the OP supporting a spouse and every two years.
Yes you need new lenses every two years when your prescription changes which it will if you have cataracts. Everyone has them it's just a matter of when they start to bother you. Usually 60ish they show up on your exam. But you can live with them until glasses can't correct enough.
It is not recommended to get them removed too early.
Just like with caps on your teeth, you can have to have replacements done.
Which brings up another point. DENTAL. Most dental plans do not cover full restorations (caps, implants etc) or even root canals. A mouthful of caps you're talking >20K minimum. Lots of people make the mistake of doing dental restoration when they come into money without realizing they have to keep doing it over and over every ten years potentially.
Of course you can get by without Progressive lenses. You can even live with a single vision lens and limit your tasks and just buy cheapies for reading until they don't work anymore. It's possible the OP's govt insurance pays full vision they didn't mention it. But my "Cadillac plan" from a Fortune 10 company does not. Only the surgery.
Kind of like everything when you're on the budget plan. Cheaper used cars, cheaper living arrangements, cheaper you name it.
It's all choice like everything else - driven by personality and habits.
Probably a good choice to steer clear of those Fed govt jobs since they're all doomed to an early sudden death at age 62.
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