gaaah. finally biting the bullet and looking at ACA.

[magical thyme]

When I ran the Kaiser calculator last year, it showed me as qualifying for a completely subsidized bronze plan, so I went from hating ACA to neutral since shitty insurance was cheaper than the penalty.

Ran the same Kaiser calculator this year, and now I'm only partially subsidized, and the amount I pay exceeds the penalty, which has increased to $240 for me based on last year's income (which could easily change dramatically, not for the better).

As a per diem, I don't get health insurance with my MLT job.
As a part timer, I am offered health insurance at my other part time job -- which works out to just a hair under 9.5% of my annual income, so if I keep that job I don't qualify for subsidies. Frankly, just the cost of insurance makes it unaffordable for me to stay there; they already pay much less than the MLT.

So while I've been thinking of quitting that job and just doing the per diem MLT, I had also been thinking of just taking the summer w/out pay during the MLT high season, and then returning during the other job high season. Now, I think that 2nd option is gone. I will either have to quit in order to qualify for the subsidies or just pay the penalty.

No matter what, it is cheaper for me to just pay the effing penalty.

At least I have a choice other than Harvard Pilgrim, the scumsucking thieves who left me to die 30 years ago when I was septic.

[Tobin S.]

1. Look at it this way

Odds are that you will need health care that will cost a whole hell of a lot more than your health insurance premium at some point in the future. If you are particularly unlucky, you may need a million dollars worth of health care in the near future. I'd look beyond the basic economics of premiums and penalities versus money in your pocket.

[magical thyme]

2. I had health insurance. I got sick. Harvard Health left me to die.

My dentist saved my life and I paid out of pocket, as I always have for my actual health care no matter how much "health insurance" I had.

Frankly, I prefer to live at least a little bit now while I still have almost a chance, than to continue scraping by hand to mouth only worse. I have managed to stay very slightly in the black (other than my student loan ruination). One more added expense means I'm no longer living in the black.

I've been inching along, treading water, for quite a few years now. That extra $1800/year might not be anything to you, but to me it drowns me just as I thought I could see land.

If I get very sick, insurance or not, I expect to die. It is that simple. Insurance companies make a profit by denying care, not by paying for it. And when you are alone and sick, you can't fight two big battles at the same time. The insurance companies (and everybody else in the world, for that matter) know that.

I didn't want to have to totally quit the part time job, because keeping my foot in the door there gives me a little leverage in dealing with the lab. The lab pays more, but they are sleazy as all get out and treat me, quite frankly, like shit. I have been bullied, coerced and verbally abused by the lab manager and 2 coworkers. I was set up to be stalked by another coworker there. I really am afraid to lose my leverage in dealing with them, and the part time job gives me that leverage.

I did see that if I work less than 20 hours/week at the parttime job, they don't pay into my health care. That would push the cost well over the 9.5% of my gross, enabling me to qualify for the subsidized plan.

Maybe I'll be able take the summer off without pay and then just go back on their 2 busiest days/week if/when I return. That will keep my foot in the door there, so help keep the lab at bay, while enabling me to maintain or boost my income while expanding my garden this summer to cut my expenses. And enable me to qualify for subsidies.

[Tobin S.]

3. You're probably not going to get health insurance anywhere for cheaper than $150 a month.

You will also probably not see single payer in this country within your lifetime.

If it's going to hurt you that bad, just pay the penalty.

[magical thyme]

4. at this point, paying the penalty for this year is my fallback

since it enables me to keep the status quo at work long enough for me to get through negotiations in May.

Basically, I'm going to ask the parttime job about taking the summer off without pay. Their peak season is now through April.

Then I'm going to open myself up to more per diem time at the lab. Their peak season is over the summer when the snowbirds and tourists return. We've already had preliminary conversations, and they may (finally, after 3 years) cross-train me at the lab at the sister hospital so I can get 3-4 days/week. But I need the back up job so I can put my foot down about 1 thing: I cannot work nights, period, end of discussion. I don't ever want them putting me on the night schedule again. Ever. I have chronic insomnia issues. I've nearly been killed (and nearly killed others) driving home after working forced night shifts. They pushed me to the brink of suicide 3 years ago. I am not a 20 or 30 year old starting on my career and able to pull all-nighters. I am old and effing tired. I am less than 2 years away from collecting social security and I want to live long enough to be able to rest and have a little time to be left the fuck alone and not bullied or threatened by anybody every again, and maybe even have a little enjoyment of life again.

[No Vested Interest]

5. Sign up and take it month by month.

You can always drop out- or not pay - if necessary.