Have you received your notification that Kaiser will not be offering an Advantage Plan for at least Washingtion State in 2026?

[Moonbeam]

Imagine want Trump Derangement syndrome is costing the nation in health care costs. Trump fixation is a good way to make yourself unnecessarily sick, one that he fully intends. Why cooperate

 

[Moonbeam]

I have the cash to do this but may be better invested than put to this use.

AI Overview


Alternatives to standard auto insurance, such as depositing cash with the DMV or obtaining a surety bond, are extremely rare in California
. Most Californians satisfy the state's financial responsibility law by purchasing a conventional auto insurance policy.

Reasons alternatives are uncommon

• High cost and limited coverage: The alternative methods provide only the minimum required liability coverage for a serious accident. The required cash deposit or surety bond was $35,000 as of 2024, but this figure does not offer as much protection as a typical insurance policy. For most drivers, paying for a policy is a far easier and safer way to ensure financial responsibility.

I hadn’t looked into it to that extent. The minimal coverage I can see would be an issue. The price of insurance is pretty annoying in my opinion especially as I have a car and a truck and drive maybe 4000 miles a year.

 

[Greenman]

I have the cash to do this but may be better invested than put to this use.

AI Overview


Alternatives to standard auto insurance, such as depositing cash with the DMV or obtaining a surety bond, are extremely rare in California
. Most Californians satisfy the state's financial responsibility law by purchasing a conventional auto insurance policy.

Reasons alternatives are uncommon

• High cost and limited coverage: The alternative methods provide only the minimum required liability coverage for a serious accident. The required cash deposit or surety bond was $35,000 as of 2024, but this figure does not offer as much protection as a typical insurance policy. For most drivers, paying for a policy is a far easier and safer way to ensure financial responsibility.

A bond will cover a minor accident that you'll still end up paying for, but it isn't going to be a drop in the bucket if you end up in a major accident.

 

[Muse]

A bond will cover a minor accident that you'll still end up paying for, but it isn't going to be a drop in the bucket if you end up in a major accident.

Yes, that's the thought. The law stipulates minimum but that's not the minimum you could be liable for, I suppose. Buying insurance I suppose means the insurance company is on the hook in the event of a big accident. It's their job to figure out how to balance premiums with all risk factors. You're paying for that when you buy insurance. I'm no kind of expert, I just try to make sure I don't have ANY accidents. No traffic violations either.

 

[WilliamM2]

I bypass all that drama by going with traditional medicare. I get bombarded 4x a day with calls and mail trying to hook me into advantage plans. Seems pretty fucking profitable to me if they can market that hard.
My brother had a mobile X-ray business and played hell getting them to pay for a valuable service.

I get 20 calls a day all year, telling me it's open enrollment time, they double when it really is open enrollment time. I'm not even on Medicare, because I'm not 65 yet.
I'm pretty sure the calls are all scammers.

I also get them year round for ACA (which I am using) telling me it's open enrollment time. One dead give away that it's a scammer, is when they tell me they are calling about/from Obamacare, not ACA.

Sound like I'll be losing that next year too, with premiums doubling or tripling, with no more extended tax credits.

 

[hal2kilo]

I'm not of age for Medicare, but I would think a longer-term trend with more seniors become aware of the downsides of Medicare Advantage plans, from limited physician networks to prior authorization requirements. Medicare Advantage plans have been marketed very aggressively by unscrupulous brokers. Wouldn't the original Medicare with a supplement plan be a superior option for most who can afford one?

Sounds like the same treatment when I had a supposed "Cadillac plan" that had when I was working. The gate keeping was worse.

 

[WilliamM2]

Yeah, that's a story but AFAIK it's not a done deal, it's a proposal and knowing Trump it's mostly propaganda and nothing will come of it at all. Anyway, I almost never take pharma anything. Never had an Rx that wasn't a one-time-deal.

He claims that we will pay the same as other countries. That gives the pharma companies 2 choices, lower our prices, or raise them for other countries. Which will they choose?

And he's putting tariffs on pharmaceutical companies at the same time...we'll save a fortune.

 

[IronWing]

The premiums on my HDHP are going up 7%, the deductible is going up by $300, and they are dropping the $100 eyeglasses credit. Overall, not horrible. Looks like I picked a good year to get cataract surgery so I won't need eyeglasses. The eyeglasses credit was BS anyway because the providers checked insurance before quoting prices, just another $100 in their pockets.

 

[dainthomas]

Yeah, that's a story but AFAIK it's not a done deal, it's a proposal and knowing Trump it's mostly propaganda and nothing will come of it at all. Anyway, I almost never take pharma anything. Never had an Rx that wasn't a one-time-deal.

I'm old enough to remember when republicans fought tooth and nail to prevent the government from negotiating on drug prices.

 

[Brainonska511]

The premiums on my HDHP are going up 7%, the deductible is going up by $300, and they are dropping the $100 eyeglasses credit. Overall, not horrible. Looks like I picked a good year to get cataract surgery so I won't need eyeglasses. The eyeglasses credit was BS anyway because the providers checked insurance before quoting prices, just another $100 in their pockets.

I had vision insurance through my work - some UHC vision plan. Used to be okay - basically covered eye exams and gave me $120 or so towards contact lenses, but in the last year, they shrank the network. My last use of it got me the eye exam, but then was only going to save me $10 for contacts. I skipped the insurance for contacts in the store and filed an out of network claim form: got $125 back from insurance, despite the store being in network... Thanks United /s

 

[hal2kilo]

I had vision insurance through my work - some UHC vision plan. Used to be okay - basically covered eye exams and gave me $120 or so towards contact lenses, but in the last year, they shrank the network. My last use of it got me the eye exam, but then was only going to save me $10 for contacts. I skipped the insurance for contacts in the store and filed an out of network claim form: got $125 back from insurance, despite the store being in network... Thanks United /s

Yea, when I was working I had a VSP plan. What a joke. They kind of drove you to small optometrist shops which are ridiculously expensive, and then only covered so much. I just found to easier to go to Costco.

 

[Brainonska511]

Yea, when I was working I had a VSP plan. What a joke. They kind of drove you to small optometrist shops which are ridiculously expensive, and then only covered so much. I just found to easier to go to Costco.

I was using a small optometrist shop because I liked the owner/optician and optometrist that were there, and didn't find their stuff any more expensive than other places. Plus, I could get better selection of non-luxotica things when I needed new glasses.

UHC's plan, which I dropped this summer for my wife's plan (which has a larger network), had a network of like LensCrafters, a local Warby Parker without an optometrist, and some small shop or two miles away.

 

[nakedfrog]

I was using a small optometrist shop because I liked the owner/optician and optometrist that were there, and didn't find their stuff any more expensive than other places. Plus, I could get better selection of non-luxotica things when I needed new glasses.

UHC's plan, which I dropped this summer for my wife's plan (which has a larger network), had a network of like LensCrafters, a local Warby Parker without an optometrist, and some small shop or two miles away.

That's how my UHC plan is, mostly LensCrafters etc, I did find a good small optometrist shop that I like in-network, it was great, showed up early and actually got started before my scheduled appointment time, was in and out in 20 minutes with my new prescription. Ordered glasses online, then submitted a claim to UHC.

 

[Brainonska511]

That's how my UHC plan is, mostly LensCrafters etc, I did find a good small optometrist shop that I like in-network, it was great, showed up early and actually got started before my scheduled appointment time, was in and out in 20 minutes with my new prescription. Ordered glasses online, then submitted a claim to UHC.

I would also add: I use local providers because I don't like ordering glasses online. I have a fairly strong prescription (like -7 to -8 in each eye), and as a medical device I rely on and wear most days, I want them to fit right, look good to me, and have lenses that are properly cut and adjusted for the frames and my face, things that could be difficult to get right from an online store.

 

[nakedfrog]

I would also add: I use local providers because I don't like ordering glasses online. I have a fairly strong prescription (like -7 to -8 in each eye), and as a medical device I rely on and wear most days, I want them to fit right, look good to me, and have lenses that are properly cut and adjusted for the frames and my face, things that could be difficult to get right from an online store.

"Fairly strong" he says, you probably can't find your glasses without your glasses

 

[Brainonska511]

"Fairly strong" he says, you probably can't find your glasses without your glasses

Yeah, can't really read anything unless it's closer than 1 ft from my eyes without glasses

 

[hal2kilo]

"Fairly strong" he says, you probably can't find your glasses without your glasses

I'm only at the point where I can't fix my glasses without my glasses.

 

[esquared]

Yea, when I was working I had a VSP plan. What a joke. They kind of drove you to small optometrist shops which are ridiculously expensive, and then only covered so much. I just found to easier to go to Costco.

I have the advantage plus plan at Kaiser and every two years I get credit for eyeglasses as well as a free eye exam.
Coming up again at the end of the year so I'll get another pair. I think last time they gave me 450 credit which I used
at their eye-wear store. Its called Vision essentials, I think.

 

[hal2kilo]

I have the advantage plus plan at Kaiser and every two years I get credit for eyeglasses as well as a free eye exam.
Coming up again at the end of the year so I'll get another pair. I think last time they gave me 450 credit which I used
at their eye-wear store. Its called Vision essentials, I think.

Yes indeed. I liked their optical shop. In in out real quick, but it took a couple weeks for the order to come in. Beware of what looks like your claim has been denied. It really hasn't, you paid your bill with the $250 deducted already. It's just weird.

 

[BoomerD]

The premiums on my HDHP are going up 7%, the deductible is going up by $300, and they are dropping the $100 eyeglasses credit. Overall, not horrible. Looks like I picked a good year to get cataract surgery so I won't need eyeglasses. The eyeglasses credit was BS anyway because the providers checked insurance before quoting prices, just another $100 in their pockets.

I hoped for that when I had my eyes rebuilt 2 years ago. I can see to drive or watch TV and such without my glasses, but I need them for reading, even on the monitor. I was AMAZED at the color change with the cataracts. I smoked for decades...when they did the first eye...the difference was obvious. The "old" eye was like looking out an old smoke stained window...everything had a brownish tinge. The "new" eye...everything was bright and the colors were vivid.

 

[IronWing]

I hoped for that when I had my eyes rebuilt 2 years ago. I can see to drive or watch TV and such without my glasses, but I need them for reading, even on the monitor. I was AMAZED at the color change with the cataracts. I smoked for decades...when they did the first eye...the difference was obvious. The "old" eye was like looking out an old smoke stained window...everything had a brownish tinge. The "new" eye...everything was bright and the colors were vivid.

Yep, the color shift was the first thing I noticed. In addition to removing the yellow-brown cataracts, the replacement lenses also allow more blue light to pass than healthy natural lenses do so the color shift to blue goes beyond restoring natural colors. Some providers offer "blue blocker" lenses though my surgeon didn't. My wife and I have spent a lot of time comparing notes on color.

I'll need readers for computer and reading or even seeing the food on my plate but insurance wasn't covering non-prescription glasses anyway.

 

[hal2kilo]

I hoped for that when I had my eyes rebuilt 2 years ago. I can see to drive or watch TV and such without my glasses, but I need them for reading, even on the monitor. I was AMAZED at the color change with the cataracts. I smoked for decades...when they did the first eye...the difference was obvious. The "old" eye was like looking out an old smoke stained window...everything had a brownish tinge. The "new" eye...everything was bright and the colors were vivid.

I wish I had anything as dramatic as that occur. I was hoping I wouldn't have to wear glasses anymore. Nope.