HELLO

Many species of whales have vestigial legs. The likely evolved from a hippo-like ancestor.

Hippos are aquatic waders and swimmers.  

True, but it still amuses me when I mention something to someone (who has no idea who I am/was), and they're left wondering how in the hell I know things. 

It's replies like "but your profile page says you haven't been here long enough.. so how do you know that?" 😁😁.   Besides, the only time I should bothered is when I forget I was here 🤣🤣🤣

  Kohai,....  I love my new place. It's 1000% better for my mental health, but it IS a little smaller. I had to downsize a little. Also, I'll be 65 in a few weeks and my  Social Security will go down some as I will pay for Medicaid part B.

You may mean Medicare. I figured a mnemonic bit to separate them. MedicAID is for poor people, MediCARE is for the elderly.  We care for the elderly, we don't give a damn about the poor.

Your Social Security doesn't go down. You just have Medicare taken out of it. So your net payment goes down.  Medicaid doesn't have a premium that I know of (though this may vary from state to state) but does have a "spenddown"  amount: a monthly figure for health expenses that you must meet before they start paying. You can either pay the spenddown up front and always be covered OR submit bills to the state's Medicaid office that show you are paying that amount out of pocket and then they'll start covering the difference.

If you get a HUD subsidy on your unit, you'll still show the original pre-deduction amount as the income and the deduction for Medicare would go under income deductions and only starts taking money off income for that part which exceeds 3% of annual income. Right now the main Medicare part is $148.50/month. It should go up next year with the COLA. The prescription plan costs way less (I'm not sure but it may be about $20 or so). You also can get private insurance that covers the difference between Medicare and what you pay, but that is optional.

   Very well explained Dr,...I agree with everything you said. I'm still comfortable at the Veterans Administration for most things. Age & health go hand in hand. When you're young most people are healthy. When you get old its, well you know.....colonoscopies & cateracts.

I went years without medical insurance in grad school and pretty much until 2000.

   Here's some inspiration for anyone on Medicaid part B.....                                   

Medicare, part B

I think Ron would look good in blue slacks and spats!

My dear sister has macular degeneration and has  only 90%  vision and 10% hearing. Remains very cheerful though which I think is amazing.. I have glaucoma, a common side effect of diabetes. Have you tried blind chess. I have. It's a hoot!

Lovely to see you. All the very best. xxx

No glaucoma here!  No macular degeneration either.  I have my annual eye appointment coming up.

My main worry now is CKD.  Trying to avoid dialysis.

I'm glad Jamie.  Good luck with avoiding dialysis.

Well, my kidney function is down to 20%.  And I have a family history of CKD.

tick, tick, tick

Not good! Transplant?

   Same here, but I will pray for Jamie.

I am not a God botherer but I am sending her positive healing thoughts and my love.

When you are under 15% function CKD is considered "severe."

For me it is about controlling blood pressure and blood sugar.

I have no problem with my blood pressure but they want to put me on daily insulin injections. I have been resisting that for about 2 years!

How did I end up the healthiest person in the room?