Friday Nite Check In

 

It was one Wet Week here on The Ranch..., 2.5 inches of rain on Monday..., 1.5 on Tuesday..., 2.0 on Wednesday..., before it tampered off on Thursday to just .2 inches.  But I had already ordered up a new set of rain gear after the Monday deluge.  We didn't set any records or experience any flooding in our immediate area..., the area East of us and north of Seattle got hit a little harder..., and while the flood waters were receding today..., my Google News Feed was still using headlines from a couple days ago to capture your interest.  The picture of The Ranch driveway was actually from November of 2022 and we didn't experience that much water this year..., or maybe I had a little better drainage plan executed after that 😀

In the other good news category I got a nice surprise from my Deferred Compensation Plan in the form of my minimum distribution check..., it will easily cover the increase in my "health insurance coverage" premiums.  By themselves the increases in premiums and deductibles would be bad news.  I could scare you with percentages like the headlines regarding the Unaffordable Care Act news that I wrote about in a FNCI post on 11/7/25.  Yeah..., my supplemental plan premium increased 79%..., though the actual dollar amount isn't that scary..., just $97.10 per month increase..., because the cost itself is..., or was..., reasonable.  Medicare itself has raised its Part B premiums and deductibles 10%.  The Part A Hospital deductibles and co-pays were raised 3.6%.  

My Medicare Part B monthly premium raised 6% last year..., 10% this year and now costs me $202.90 a month.

The cost of my supplemental plan was $122.42 because I am a Public Employee Retired..., it has now raised to $219.43..., a 79% increase.  I would venture a guess that percentage is close to what nearly all plans..., including the Unaffordable Care Act plans premiums are increasing this year.  Most of the media reports try to "imply" that the huge increases in cost are the result of the expiring enhanced subsidies.  To put it mildly..., that is pure Bullshit.

We need Medicare for all and reasonable supplemental plans for all.  With the increases in my premiums I will pay $422.33 a month next year for health insurance..., compare that to the $2000.00 Unaffordable Care Act premiums without the increase that is yet to be announced for next year..., it's enough to make you sick (pun intended). As it is now..., the insurance companies..., and the politicians..., are raking in the big dough.  It is time that it STOPS !!!