[Magdalen] celebrating at MGH

[Lynn Ronkainen]

M> Medicare for everybody!

not exactly... there are still those of us who fall into the donut cavern 
... in states without exchanges and the government insurance, comparable to 
what I'm already paying $360. a month for (privately insuring myself), is 
almost 2x as much  monthly and I don't qualify for a 'reduction'(complex 
mathmagic between my income, my taxes and my savings, both of which would 
qualify me in states with exchanges)... so it makes me wonder if the 
additional cost for people like me that is being subsidized is just going 
somewhere it should not... in other words, the subsidies I looked into 
before finding that I did not qualify, brought my monthly premium to about 
what I am already paying for private, non subsidized...

As Jim H once said about government health care - it won't really 'work' 
until the insurance companies make less money.

Here in TX (and perhaps elsewhere, I don't know) hospitals have gotten 
creative in emergency rooms... say you head to a hospital you KNOW is on 
your insurance for an emergency... you might/probably will see doctors who 
are not on your policy because they are private contractors with the 
emergency room and they won't/don't accept most insurance.  The 6 months in 
24 legislative legislature has already met and this never made it out of any 
'inner rooms' despite great hoopla last winter that "a law will be 
passed"...


they also never considered reducing the 'cost' that the company that is in 
charge of 'energy' distribution in Houston and more (but not the entire 
state) charges just to 'manage' distribution to your energy company of 
choice (unfettered deregulation here for 10 years which has our prices 
increasing and being structured in ways that are nearly impossible to figure 
out). If one uses less than 500kwh  per month, an automatic $10. charge. 
Their management fee for distribution is nearing $9. (and we were already 
assessed for 4 years to pay for 'smart meters' so their distribution cost 
could be 'kept down'.  My mom's condo bill - her tiny condo is still empty 
(I have a kitchen to tile and then it's on the market)  but has fridge and 
hot water heater running - for electricity is $24. a month, and she is 
actually paying the $10, the$9  plus her actual usage. Most months her total 
bill is $30.   Pre deregulation the only fee was straight kwh and it did go 
up every June, July and August...

better not get me started talking about 'Peeker plants' and other info 
recently that creates peak prices and billing which is always passed along 
to the customer - so what's the deterrent? and who's making all those 
profits when the use peaks drive up the cost and EVERYONE needs it so it 
gets purchased and passed on.  My ex was involved in monitoring 'Peeker 
plants' on the east coast about 15 years ago for his employer at the time. 
Huge Energy facilities that ONLY turn un when demand is so high they can 
charge whatever they get.

Lynn

website: www.ichthysdesigns.com

When I stand before God at the end of my life I would hope that I have not a 
single bit of talent left and could say, "I used everything You gave me." 
attributed to Erma Bombeck

--------------------------------------------------
From: "ME Michaud" <michaudme at gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, June 25, 2015 11:00 AM
To: <magdalen at herberthouse.org>
Subject: [Magdalen] celebrating at MGH

> I happened to be waiting for the (traffic) light at the corner of 
> Cambridge
> and North Grove (and listening to NPR) this morning when the Supreme Court
> decision was announced. I saw nurses high-fiving and dancing on the
> sidewalk.
>
> Medicare for everybody!
> -M