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Barbaraok

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Posts posted by Barbaraok

  1. Scott, this is exactly what has happened to us, only medical problems are finally the deciding factor.  And we had a feeling such would be the case when we started looking for a house last fall.  Though I must say, while we lived in the desert when in our 20s, summer didn't feel as hot as it does now. I know it could have anything to do with being in our late 70s!     But life goes on and we adapt and it is great 9 months of the year here, no snow to shovel and we can always take the car for short visits in the summer to relatives in the PNW.  

  2. After Dave's quad bypass I reviewed ALL of the bills that Medicare received.  What was interesting  that if something was billed under Part A (ie, the actual hospital stay) it was billed either right at, or pretty close to what Medicare would pay.    If it was billed under Part B (like physician's charges, etc.) that was where there were WIDE differences.   Same hospital when Dave had his pacemaker implanted, he had to stay overnight, but whole thing was billed as a day surgery and under Part B - widely different bill from what Medicare paid.   

  3. They bill, expecting to be told that no, the procedure/item is worth x,y,z and then take the difference between what they bill and what is paid AS A LOSS on their corporate returns.   This is especially true when things are billed onto Part B.  Usually Part A billing is close to what Medicare approves.   But part B (office visits, lab work, outpatient surgery) have the huge gaps.   Another reason why more and more procedures are now "day surgery" not overnight, so considered part B.   

  4. Why have you not contacted Senator Murray's office?  Or Senator Cantwell's?   Both of those senators really do work for people in Washington State.  Federal agencies tend to respond rather quickly when a Senator's office makes an inquiry.   Send all of the documentation you have along with the narrative you've put together here, to both of their offices and let them know that you are sure you aren't the only one in the state who is getting gouged by the agency.   

  5. When you are on a major US Highway, like US Highway 95. with no constructions signs saying that the section is gravel due to road construction, then one should know they are not where they should be!   I am sorry, but trying to blame the GPS for getting SO FAR off of the road they were using to go to Las Vegas gets away from the fact that it was HUMAN ERROR.  Now the human error could be not looking at a whole map showing US 95 from Reno to Las Vegas, to not understanding what your particular GPS unit does or doesn't do based upon what you set up.  Early days of computers the term GIGO was widely used when something didn't work right.   

  6. They are looking at a slightly different vaccine for fall. Problem is the new variants are mutating so fast and when you have so many people NOT getting vaccinated, it means  that more mutations will occur.   The virus has become endemic and they will be tweaking the vaccine (sort of like what is done each year for the flu) for a while until the next new virus emerges and we are again in lockdowns.   

  7. 2 hours ago, mptjelgin said:

    "You also state that you are almost 80 years old. So my question remains: What are you waiting for?  If there are things that you want to do, and can afford to do, when will you do them? Sooner? Later? Never?

    I offered an opinion in response to your post. Consider it, ignore it. It's your life. 

    I turn 77 this May.  My mom died at 97, her youngest sister at 90, and my Aunt Barbara (whom I am named for) is now 98 on the way to at least 100.   My great grandmother (mom's side) lived to be 96.   Longevity runs in both sides of the families, so I have to plan accordingly.    Dave on the other hand has already outlived his father, grandfather, but largely due to the increases in medical care in the past few years.    We have enough to do everything we want to right now and hopefully at least 20+ yrs worth a portion of which I will live with my daughter and son-in-law and anything left goes to her.  

     

  8. Whether SS or other investment types, the thing going for you is TIME.   The longer you are able to invest, the greater the return.   We've 16 years worth of pulling retirement income and all of our investments are worth more now than when we retired, in fact we have recouped (so to speak) all of the initial investments through our withdrawals and now have investments returns making more returns for us.   And if it weren't for the RMD, we would have even more still working for us.   The trick is to be able to enjoy the early years of retirement when the body is still in good enough shape to get out and about.  I use to think the downhill slide after 40 was something;  that's just a teaser to what happens after 70.   But advances in medicine (a lot due to Medicare being in place) means that we are still going, just a little more rest stops along the way. 😎

  9. 3 hours ago, Dutch_12078 said:

    Lung transplants are already being done, and there have been significant advances in spinal repairs, including disc replacements and repairing damaged nerves allowing people previously considered crippled for life to walk again. There's a long way to go, but advances are happening almost daily.

    We have a friend who had both lungs replaced in 2005.   She's still going strong, plays golf in the transplant games almost every year, usually in the top three women finishers.   

  10. The lack of imagination even when one is old is truly sad.   My grandfather was born in 1880, died in 1960 and got to ride on an Airplane.  He rounded up wild horses in Montana in the early 1900s for the Army for WWI, had a livery stable in Montana that also became a motor vehicle service station (where else would one go?), helped build Grand Coulee Damn and Baker Dam to supply power to the PNW which in turn gave Boeing enough power to build bombers for WWII, saw the atom split and so much more!   Radio and TV were unheard of when he was born.  Indoor plumbing and lighting - not in the Soddy where my mom was born.     We have no idea what our dependents will do 2-3 millenia from now.   Huge space stations where many generations will be born, live, and die as they make the trek to Alpha Centuri?   Someone developing Warp speed?  Medicine that would make Star Trek practices seem quaint?   Just imagine. 😉

  11. I agree with Kirk, except I'd get over on I-5 as soon as possible as Highway 99 is a mess clear up to Lodi (or was when we went up last spring).   Not that I-5 is that much better, but 99 was just brutal!  

    Plan on stopping for the night at Weed and getting an early morning start so you have plenty of time to go over the Siskyous.   Remember that there are 5 passes to go over before you get to Roseburg.   Not terrible, just take your time and don't let others push you.   

     

  12. 7 minutes ago, Pat & Pete said:

    And , where exactly does the federal budget come from ? 

    We often don't know all of the things that any scientific endeavor will unleash.  Given the anti-science bent of so many in this country, it is amazing that we have been able to move forward as a society at all.   

  13. 2 hours ago, sandsys said:

    I asked for small bills when getting cash back at Walmart. No special trips required.

    Linda

    I don't shop at Walmart and I use one of the credit cards with a rewards feature at the stores I do shop at.   

  14. 11 hours ago, sandsys said:

    I also make it a point to have some smaller bills on hand ever since I read about the guy who needed to buy a bottle of water but only had $20 bills and the seller would not make change. 

    Linda

    Getting smaller bills during the shut down in 2020 was really hard as the ATMs don't dispense ones and fives (at least BOAs doesn't)) so I had to find a bank that was open and stand in line in order to get small bills for tips for takeout, etc.    

    Since I don't see anyone putting location information (which would soon be out of date) in their signatures, not sure how one could be located by reading this forum.

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