Oh I know one that hit me hard, and I’ve been spreading the news with my coworkers. Many of us are eligible to retire before 65 & Medicare. I can go at 55. Originally this was the plan. But then I started getting cold feet, and when I found the following out it put the final nail in the coffin.
I knew buying health insurance on the exchange was pricey. I finally got the nerve to check and was pleased it wasn’t near as bad as I thought. We aren’t high income people. But what I didn’t know was….
The exchange insurance doesn’t cross state lines.
This is a dealbreaker living here. We live in a small community on the state line. I don’t want to say every doctor is horrible. Some are friends! But in general, you don’t come here for health care. You run anywhere else, especially if it’s even somewhat significant like a colonoscopy.
Fortunately for us, we have three great cities with excellent to outstanding health care within 1:00-1:30… but they are all across the state line. If you want a comparable health care system in my state, it’s 2:30 hours away.
For me this still isn’t a HUGE deal, except 10 years is a long time to hope nothing goes wrong. But H has CLL. He has a fantastic doctor in an outstanding place that I’m not ready to give up.
So now my plan is to work until I’m 60 and H is 64. Maybe COBRA outs for a year, or if H is doing well try to time appointments and skip a calendar year. Or work until I’m 61.
A coworker called me yesterday asking about H’s shoulder surgery. That we actually do in-state, 1:30 away. I love that ortho facility. This coworker is getting ready to retire in his early 60s and found out the same thing. Can’t go to any of the doctors people in my town are used to going. And he needs a new ortho.
But nobody around here (my world IRL) seems to know this restriction!