Good Morning!
Well, it's been quite a week. As most of you know, I'm on new job number two for 2009, and have spent all of the last week in training (and away from dear bloggie!). Next week it's more of the same, only I'll be with my team and learning what it is I'm *actually* supposed to do.
I'll be eligible for benefits in 30 days, which comes as a great relief. I've been on COBRA since February. You know I live in the only state that has a mandated (and unfunded) universal health care requirement. The way Mitt had the law written, everyone in this Commonwealth is required to purchase healthcare. We get a little document from our carrier every year at tax time stating this, or we face a major tax hit. (Yes, we're penalized if we don't have insurance.)
In order to make it 'easier' for folks to comply, Herr Romney created something called the
Commonwealth Connector. All the insurance providers in Massachusetts got together and tried to come up with some 'affordable' options for people to buy. Why doesn't everyone take a minute to check it out. Click on the 'find insurance' button and pretend you live here. How much does your plan cost? (remember, that's out-of-pocket to you.)
When I was first out of work, I priced several plans. One of the options wound up being about $100 less than my COBRA payment, but as I read further into it, the copays, deductibles, and other patient responsibilities kept adding up and it didn't make sense to switch. In the end, we qualified for ARRA payments and have been paying roughly what I would normally contribute in an employer-based plan.
But is RomneyCare working? It's true that the majority of persons in the Commonwealth are covered,
but at what cost?
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