The "It's Time For Another Trip. Where Should We Go?", edition.

iPad shuffled to Amel Larrieux, "Get Up".  "I see you down, when you gonna get up?"   More snow. Time to start planning a trip.  Well  let me back track here. Back to insurance.  We left off with me needing to call Medicare back in early February.  I'm set.  Good to go.  I won't miss a beat transferring.  Then I get some cryptic media message that there's been a settlement with the City and the retirees.  Something about more money going toward insurance for those of us under 65 and an extension until December 2014.  Whaaaaat?  I briefly thought that I'll wait it out.  I like my current health coverage.   I THINK Medicare with the supplemental Medicare Advantage plan will be sufficient and comparable to what I currently have. "Grapevyne", Brownstone. This is the perfect song.  And the vocals. I know I know.  I say the same thing every time this doing comes on. Lol. Still not tired of the song. Good thing it's on shuffle. :)

Anyway, with the news of the agreement I briefly thought about waiting it out. I decided not to. I can't afford to have any windows of no coverage waiting on the City and the Emergency Manager and the retirees to come to an agreement. Today, I am calling Medicare and will sign up for the Advantage Plan. It comes out to less than $20 / month. Hey, Medicare costs me $104 / month and with cost of the advantage, my insurance coverage is less than $125 / month. This is offset with my disability checks.  I never thought in my life, I'd have this conversation. To make me feel better, my financial advisor said I'm just getting my social security checks earlier. Well, ok.   Why do I have to pay premium?  Pat, didn't you say ESRD is automatically covered. Well yes it is, but I'm still under 65. Eh. 

Did you know that your Social security benefits are dependent on how much you made prior to applying?  We've established the ESRD automatically puts us in Medicare.   But Medicare pays 80% of the expenses.  If you fall below a certain income level, state Medicaid picks up the difference.  If you are over that income level you need to get a supplemental plan.  Here's the rub. If you haven't worked enough or have a job that didn't take out social security *cough* Detroit Police and Firefighters *cough*, you are shit out of luck.  I'm reading the stories of ESRD patients who can't get disability because of scattered or no work history.  I asked Brian what's wrong with this picture?  I get more because I made more. Now don't get me wrong, I appreciate the assistance, but I'm being rewarding for having.  Those who have less are being punished for having less. ;-(

"D.M.S.R.", Prince. "Dance. Music. Sex. Party". Party starter!!   So back to travel.  Medicare and Advantage will allow me travel in the US.  I think most clinics will accept it. Yes, I ran into clinics that did not accept my Blue Cross (what was up with that???).  However, Medicare won't pay for out of the country. ;-(.  Canada?  Carribean?  Dialysis at Sea Cruise?   No.  But I'll get more clarification.  

Ok. I was looking at places to go. Hawaii?  Puerto Rico?  Brian has never been to Manhattan.  That sounds like a good one. Maybe Boston.  We visited Boston on the great college visit road trip. We'd like to go back and see more. I guess I have plenty of options, but I still feel limited. We'll see. Sam and Dave, "Hold On, I'm Coming". Good old 60s soul. 

Signing off with Ramsay Lewis, "Sun Goddess". EWF vocals. :-)  Get your neighborhood kids to shovel the snow (again). Make sure you have salt or whatever you use to make your sidewalk passable. Lol. Anyone else seem to have stocked up on food for the rest of winter?  Feeling like the ant.  Who wants to be a grasshopper?   Lol.  Oh yeah, old guy is back at dialysis!!!  And my partner is back!!! Yay.