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Poor Ol' Rooster

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humblescribe
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Poor Ol' Rooster

#576

Post by humblescribe »

Foggy, I notice that your mood of the hour/day/week is missing.

That was one of my little pleasures each day whilst I perused many of the topics on this here site.

:cry:
"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go." O. Wilde
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#577

Post by Foggy »

Oh man, I scotched it. Or irished it, or britted it or sumpin'.

Here I thought it was getting old and tired. So this morning I was listening to Behind Blue Eyes by The Who, and I decided to change my signature to some lyrics, like I have done. I'm all over the map with signatures, I confess.

And then I decided the lyrics from the song were too big - I like a reasonably condensed signature, or it takes up too much real estate.

So I deleted that too, and I got nothing.

But I can put a mood back in. Today I'm feeling ... antifascist. 8-)
Out from under. :thumbsup:
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#578

Post by humblescribe »

:like:
"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go." O. Wilde
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#579

Post by bill_g »

Foggy - put on your resident Medicare Expert hat to answer a basic question please:

I just got on Medicare last June. It took effect the first of July. I'm perfectly happy with my plan. Do I have to re-enroll during this sign up, or can I let it slide through without any notification?

At work, every year like clockwork they sent out re-enrollment notices towards the end of May that we had to return our applications by the first of June even if we were making no changes. Used to just frost my bisquits that I had to rush through, check all the same boxes just to keep on keepin on.

Thank you
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#580

Post by Foggy »

I think it's automatic but you should make sure!
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#581

Post by bill_g »

Thanks. I couldn't locate an answer on my first crack. My Google-Fu failed. So, I asked here, and your response spurred me to refine my search terms. Ouila! Found a definitive answer (which I will share).

KFF - Kaiser Family Foundation FAQ pages

Q: I am enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, and I’m happy with my coverage. Do I need to do anything during the Medicare Open Enrollment period?

A: No, you do not need to do anything during the Medicare Open Enrollment period if you like your current Medicare Advantage plan, as long as it continues to be offered the following year. However, it is still a good idea to compare your plan options each year, since plans often make changes to their benefits, cost-sharing, premiums, and/or provider networks from year-to-year. By comparing your current plan to others available in your area, you can confirm that your plan is still the best plan for you.
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#582

Post by Foggy »

Yeah, that's what ol' Wifehorn does, she looks at your current plan and even if you like it she might have something better. That's her magical power, she knows all the plans and all the companies and what's going on behind the scenes. A plan may look good, but what if the company is getting shaky? :shock:

If you can find a good agent, they get paid commission by the company, so it doesn't cost you anything extra. And if you have a problem over the course of the year, she knows who to call to make things right. A good agent not only explains everything, they are there throughout the year if you need help.

Having said that, we talk to agents all the time who don't explain anything and just sign people up for whatever plan pays the most commission, but you know there are bad eggs in every profession. Ol' Wifehorn's approach feels ethical and super helpful, and her business has grown just as fast as the anything-for-high-volume mills.

And our reputation is so good, our parent company just offered us 200 leads, but we can't take them, because we're never going to become a mill, and there isn't enough time between now and the end of Open Enrollment to talk to another 200 people and explain things to our general standard of service. We're not going to just rack 'em up and roll in the commission checks.

If you want to be one of our clients, you are going to learn more about health insurance than you ever really wanted to know.

But it's for your own good. You're going to end up with the best available policy and you're going to understand it better than 90% of the public.

:towel:
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#583

Post by Kriselda Gray »

Can you guys work with people outside NC?
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#584

Post by Foggy »

No, we're only licensed in North Carolina. Which is a good thing, really, because we would have to learn insurance laws in other states to get licensed, and there are 57 states. Or so, I forget. It would be a hassle to get licensed in a lot of states.

And we would have to be appointed to represent the insurance companies in each state, because each state has different insurance companies and we technically represent the company, and we have to qualify with each company separately, and the policies they offer are different in each state, so you have to learn what's available in each state, and whew! Only the ripoff giant 800 number Tee Vee commercial guys are big enough to have agents who are licensed in every state.

:violin: :crying:
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Lani
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#585

Post by Lani »

I have Kaiser through my employer, but also have Medicare. Kaiser works with both, so they check which coverage is the lowest price. When I had the 3rd surgery to reconstruct for my leg, the insurance coverage was sending me home. But Kaiser worked with medicare, and I had 3 more weeks of care.
Image You can't wait until life isn't hard anymore before you decide to be happy.
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#586

Post by Foggy »

Here we have about 8 companies and each of them has lots of different policies to choose from, and each of them cover different areas of the state. So if a client calls, you have to figure out what's available in their area, and then start looking at all the different options in the policies.

And every company has a network of doctors that accept their insurance, and sometimes the networks are really thin. Sometimes the doctor you like isn't in the network. It gets complicated, just here in little ol' Cackilacki.
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Kriselda Gray
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#587

Post by Kriselda Gray »

Foggy wrote: Sat Nov 12, 2022 6:15 am No, we're only licensed in North Carolina. Which is a good thing, really, because we would have to learn insurance laws in other states to get licensed, and there are 57 states. Or so, I forget. It would be a hassle to get licensed in a lot of states.
I thought that was the case, but figured I'd ask. My husband's work provides us with insurance, but I've apparently been paying for Medicare for years and the insurance company is now wanting info on any other insurance I might have. So, since I'm going to have to tell them about the Medicare, I'm going to have to start making use of it and am not sure if I should just stay with the plain vanilla stuff I get direct from the government or if I should get an Advantage plan - and I have NO idea who to trust when it comes to figuring it all out.

Right now I'm leaning towards just sticking with the plain stuff and seeing how it goes, and then make any changes next year if it seems any need to be made.
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#588

Post by Kriselda Gray »

Lani wrote: Sat Nov 12, 2022 6:20 am I have Kaiser through my employer, but also have Medicare. Kaiser works with both, so they check which coverage is the lowest price. When I had the 3rd surgery to reconstruct for my leg, the insurance coverage was sending me home. But Kaiser worked with medicare, and I had 3 more weeks of care.
Nice!
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#589

Post by Foggy »

Find a good agent to help you through this stuff.

We get paid by the company, it costs you nothing.

But the hard part is finding a good agent. I can't help you there.
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FiveAcres
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#590

Post by FiveAcres »

We have been using an agent recommended by our financial advisor for years: even prior to ACA since we were using the Colorado Exchange before that.
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#591

Post by Kriselda Gray »

No worries :)
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#592

Post by Foggy »

Hokay!

In Fizzikal Therapy news, I am only going to do one of these tonight for oblivious reasons.

Sit toward the edge of the chair, but firmly planted butt, firmly planted feet shoulder-width apart, sitting straight, head up, right arm resting on the arm of the chair, left arm straight down in front with thumb pointing directly away from you. Look straight ahead, point your thumb there.

Keeping your arm straight and your thumb pointing forward, lift your arm (we're still on the left arm now) as high as you can lift it comfortably. Just rotate up with your shoulder as the pivot point, but keep the arm straight and the thumb in position.

You should be able to lift it up 170°, which is almost aligned with your spine, neck, etc. As you remember from math class, 180° is half a circle. You should be close.

I can lift my right arm to 170°, no problem. My left arm went to 68° and would not listen to reason. If I tried to get it any higher, it said, "Remember when every doctor you can even remember in your little tiny brainbone told you explicitly: 'Let the pain tell you what you can, and can not do' and you were supposed to be listening to them, because they were doctors? Well, this is what they were talking about. I am the pain and I am telling you right this very minute, Mister, that you can NOT lift your arm another degree higher. Are you listening to the pain?"

I hate my arm and I hate all my doctors, but here's the thing, this Fizzikal Therapy dude works on your good arm (or whatever you have left that's any good at all), so now I'm supposed to do this:

Same position, stick your right (good) arm all the way up, straight spine, sit tall as possible, stretch that good arm up and hold it ......... and hold it ........ and do that as many times a day as possible and at least 10 minutes total, which lemme tell ya, a minute is a looooooooong time.

Okay, and that's after he took 15 or 20 measurements like that and picked three to start with. That's the arm exercise, and he gave me a leg and a torso exercise, ten minutes total every 24 hours for each of the three equals 30 minutes a day.

And he's just getting started, so more will be revealed abused ...
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#593

Post by humblescribe »

And then, those sneaky Fizzical Therapists will add weights to your exercise. First, one pound, then two pounds, then . . .

I had some minor issues with one of my shoulders two years ago. I did not do that particular exercise. But I did do a bunch with an elastic band and weights up to three pounds.

My issue was with my acromion bone (not the brain bone, fortunately). The acromion is the part of the scapula that sticks out and can be straight, curved, or hooked. I don't recall these days what my diagnosis was. Something about a moderate tearing of thus-and-such.

But all better now. Just no more arms extended above my head holding heavy items like boxes or other things that my wife wants me to place on an 8-foot shelf.

I try to look at the bright side of things. :rotflmao:
"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go." O. Wilde
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#594

Post by Foggy »

Yes, well, about that ...

My doctors have been explicit about my future, too also.

When the cortisone stops working, when your shoulders are getting so bad that they're really affecting your way of life, then it's time for the surgery. Meaning reverse shoulder replacement.

In both shoulders.

And reverse shoulder replacement does not mean they pull both my arms off and switch 'em around. Which would be a funny joke, except that would be WAY better than an actual reverse shoulder replacement, which is ...

You know how your arm bone (humerus) has a ball that fits in the socket of your shoulder? They cut them both off and put a ball on your shoulder and a socket on your arm bone, because the shoulder is a bad design anyway.

So that's nice.

And lately, my shoulders have gone downhill fast. The cortisone isn't working. It's really affecting my way of life. This is what the doctors meant. I know there are people here who are going through a lot worse than I am, so I'm just explaining, because I'm not gonna complain when my friends are suffering. I'm just saying, this is a last resort before surgery.

I can only put off the surgery for a year or two at most. I'm just staving it off at this point. If it works, it works. I'm giving it a shot.
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pipistrelle
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#595

Post by pipistrelle »

humblescribe wrote: Sat Nov 12, 2022 8:09 pm And then, those sneaky Fizzical Therapists will add weights to your exercise. First, one pound, then two pounds, then . . .
Yesterday mine had me do step-ups. I noticed the step was a higher one than the previous times and pointedly said I hadn't missed that.
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#596

Post by Foggy »

Oh, I don't mind the work, even if it's painful, as long as I make some progress. I'm gonna be a little manic about the exercises, tbh. What I hate is just plain pain for no particular reason except you're an old. Or in my case, because I played a lot of touch football in a prior century.

How is it fair that I'm hurting from that, in the year 2022 almost 2023? :?

It's not, that's who.
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#597

Post by Foggy »

There are days when I wonder what planet ol' Wifehorn grew up on.

How can you be a, umm ... middle-aged American and have never heard trail mix referred to as "gorp"?

Me: I bought a bag of gorp at BJ's, and it's actually pretty good stuff.

Her: What's "gorp"? What is this "gorp" of which you speak? :confuzzled:

What is rain? What are trees? What's a chia pet? :daydreaming:
Edit: The Urban Dictionary says it might even stand for Good Ol' Raisins and Peanuts.
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pipistrelle
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#598

Post by pipistrelle »

Never heard of “gorp.”
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#599

Post by RTH10260 »

"gurp" what happens after consuming "gorp" ;)
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#600

Post by Maybenaut »

Foggy wrote: Thu Nov 17, 2022 7:02 am

How can you be a, umm ... middle-aged American and have never heard trail mix referred to as "gorp"?

:yeahthat:
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