Getting old is rough

[Tom from Rubicon]

Irish comedian Dave Allen told the story while sipping whiskey, of the priest in the midst of a Fire and Brimstone sermon telling the parishioners "of the wailing and gnashing of teeth."
A old fellow stands up and says. "But Father, I don't have any teeff!" and the priest unfazed replies.
"And teeth will be provided!"

Tom

 

[fasteddy]

Turned 80, had to get new glasses, told I need to have cataract surgery and had to have a medical exam to see if I'm allowed to keep my drivers license since I am now 80 and I had to pay for the exam since our medical doesn't cover it, all in the same week. Teeth were gone years ago.

Steve.

 

[Greg58]

The snap-on tool thing reminds me of something that happened a couple of years ago at work, I was talking to my cousin who is our lawn mower mechanic at the school system, we were talking about Poulan chainsaws. One of the 20 something grounds worker asked me why I didn't sell mine and buy a Husqvarna, I told him when I wore out my 3700 Poulan I might. I bought the Poulan new in 1983, if it threw a rod tomorrow I have no complaints. I have nothing against Husqvarna, I own one, I'll bet it won't last 40 years like the Poulan, too much plastic.

 

[Oldbiscuit]

I wasn’t referring to a mechanics tool , I was referring to the one in my lower tool box.
The only thing worse than a woman with “falsies”, is a man with a “snap-on tool”

 

[Greg58]

I was aware of what you meant but was taking the high road to avoid it! It still reminds me of the chainsaw story.

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

What's that got to do with Falsies? Oh wait!

Steve, two cataracts @ 275 USD each. Mostly Medicare, but supplemental ins. paid some.
Vision now without corrective lenses is much better than before. C.S.S. up close without reading glasses. Got two B&L frames with redundant $$$ lenses.

Tom

 

[MEASURE TWICE]

Say, overall is it cheaper to have a whole spine transplant, than to try to fix disks individually?

Hey maybe forget about the part below the neck and go like in the Star Trek episode of: CAPTAIN CHRISTOPHER PIKE FROM THE MENAGERIE.

But, please, more than yes or no light. Though I though he was left on a planet that allowed him live out the rest of his life in something like virtual reality. Option for some I guess?

Better yet, change the wheel chair to an android body and preserve nerve communication with electric cables. 6 Million Dollar Man?

Oh, no flying cars are not yet as they promised..... I'll hold on for a while and wait to be back to see neurosurgeon again.

MT

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

Visit with the Electro cardiologist today. Battery in #2 pacemaker has about reached it's expiration date, it was plugged in Jan. 2013.
Replacement Pacemakers are a out patient surgery. A-hole Dr made a cameo appearance.

Most of his clients are massively ignorant and I got the short shrift too.
Looks like he and I need a chat in his office to clarify treatment I am paying for. Albeit Medicare will pick up some. The supplemental insurance, United Health Care coverage is a don't know.

Tom

 

[MEASURE TWICE]

Visit with the Electro cardiologist today. Battery in #2 pacemaker has about reached it's expiration date, it was plugged in Jan. 2013.
Replacement Pacemakers are a out patient surgery. A-hole Dr made a cameo appearance.

Most of his clients are massively ignorant and I got the short shrift too.
Looks like he and I need a chat in his office to clarify treatment I am paying for. Albeit Medicare will pick up some. The supplemental insurance, United Health Care coverage is a don't know.

Tom

If you have elective surgery and there is still time, see if getting a pre-treatment estimate with all insurances. The other thing is to also ask if you had no insurance at all (hypothetical in most cases), ask the doctor what the cost would be.

FYI, the wait time to get a response, about pre-treatment estimate dollar amount, can be a few weeks to a month and a half from my past experiences.

Medicare Advantage is well, not something I would ever choose, as it is privatized with investors. So, I have Original Medicare.

With the Original Medicare, you have to see if your doctors are part of what is call Direct Contracting Entity (DCE) or Accountable Care Organization (ACO) Realizing Equity, Access, and Community Health (REACH) Model. There might be a sign on the doctor’s office wall, but it is not guaranteed. The names of these have change since the past few years, presidential terms.

The above has been scrutinized by the Inspector General, but quietly announced to a great degree. Having past two years of Medicare history given to these organization as a result of visiting a doctor that had them offered this and them accepting into the DCE and ACO Reach, could possibly make thing better, but at times just the opposite.

This as I see it and some senators see this as part of invasive encroachment of Original Medicare to make it more like Medicare Advantage. So beware, ask questions. Do not sign anything without knowing if doctors are participating in these, that is unless you want to. Don't be pressured into signing anything is my last thought.

MT

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

There has been a faction trying to undo the New Deal and it's successors beginning in 1939.
I know one poor sod that got buggered good by the privatized con. His dislike of Big Brother done him good.
Only problem is a limit that the supplemental Insurance will cover. Doughnut they call it.
Medicare is golden. People whine about taxes instead of why their wage compensation limits their options.

Tom

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

Supplemental Ins. of Medicare, United Healthcare sent me a generous cheque for last major dental work. 1/3 of my cash out lay. Better than a invoice.

Tom

 

[curtisfox]

I have Medicare and Medica, Human for dental and drugs. Because of traveling a lot I get my prescriptions for Wal-Mart, they are about the cheapest anyway. Anyway you look at it it is costly. .................Curt

 

[MEASURE TWICE]

AARP has a branded Delta Dental Plan at 2 different levels max cap per calendar year. You have to be an AARP member, that does not cost much, but the Dental Insurance does. So choose if they have it in your state, if it is worth while. Just FYI, first year is limited on what is covered. This was the first Dental Insurance I had come across, that did not classify Dental Implants as Cosmetic, so I waited after 1st year to have an implant done.

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

Back again from 9 days of sorting thru BiL's estate.
We got a lawyer now to process the intestate estate.
Filled a third 10 yrd dumpster with water damaged property and mouse chit contaminated household goods.
Engaged a Estate Liquidator. Some positive remarks about sellable artifacts from the same.
Lots of Asian brass objects, as in lots. Wican stuff. Deceased BiL had a good eye for what is collectable.
The locally produced oil on canvas paintings were of high interest to the Estate liquidator.

The rascal BiL had other debts, just found. $9,000 outstanding to PayPal? Well bugger Elon.
Just add that to the pegged $24,000 Visa. Can't get blood from a turnip or a stiff.

Never ever had as much quality time with 78yr old BiL Mark as now. I ruff him up to get him moving.
He don't like it, but he was never a one to take command, and I come from a family horn grabbers.
Also got the bill from the business that dewatered the basement ie. dehumidify. $9,000.
Home Owners Ins. is supposed to as they authorized the work.
Such a racket I never knew existed.

Tom

 

[fasteddy]

Three, ten yard dumpsters. That's a lot of fun isn't it and the worst part is that the brother/brother in law isn't there to hear what you all think of his life style in great detail, room by room.

Nice to hear that the estate liquidator saw things they considered of value. Can Pay Pal and Visa put a claim against the estate for their money? Now you can understand more fully why insurance rates are so high.

Steve.

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

Three, ten yard dumpsters. That's a lot of fun isn't it and the worst part is that the brother/brother in law isn't there to hear what you all think of his life style in great detail, room by room
Steve, wished you were there. I turned the air blue. Much to the discomfort of the decedents siblings.

Nice to hear that the estate liquidator saw things they considered of value. Can Pay Pal and Visa put a claim against the estate for their money? Now you can understand more fully why insurance rates are so high.
The estate liquidator? You know them as well as I.

The PayPal and Visa will likely get paid. It may be worth a dicker.
Biggest concern is the house mortgage.
Default is inevitable as we do not want the property.
Minnesota takes about six months for mortgagor to reclaim a property.

I was shocked at the cost to just lower the humidity. Their full package service, was to remove the contents of the house, remove the wall to wall carpet, and return the contents of the house for an additional 30K USD! I told Mark to tell them to get buggered.

Tom

 

[fasteddy]

I'm willing to put money on it taking the blue air a week to clear. Yes, I wish I was there. I'm in the garage thinning out my pile of parts as much as I can. Down to 32F or less at night and it takes a while to get up to a working temperature for arthritis to slack off. Sending the best of it off to my son. Taking a long, hard, look at that there isn't much.

Estate liquidator. Having worked for an auctioneer for years I have my own opinion/reservations about that.

Pay Pal and Visa will be willing be to meet you in the middle. Just pay the whole amount.....Promptly.

Can the house be sold or has that hope flown with the damage.

Now don't you wish we'd started a building restoration and clean up company years ago?

Steve.

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

Estate liquidator. Having worked for an auctioneer for years I have my own opinion/reservations about that.
I hear ya Steve, I lobbied for an auctioneer. Estate administrator, older brother Mark did it his way.
Mark may be 78, but he is naive about a lot of things.
Pay Pal and Visa will be willing be to meet you in the middle. Just pay the whole amount.....Promptly.
Non of us have deep enough pockets to gamble on a losing hand.
Can the house be sold or has that hope flown with the damage.
Here is the kicker. The rascally decedent never before his stroke, built up equity in his house.
I suspect it never concerned him. Home ownership was his work around to not get evicted by landlords' that didn't approve of his house keeping standards.
There is a slim chance that the house can be brought up the top dollar sellable before the bank forecloses.
Now don't you wish we'd started a building restoration and clean up company years ago?
I did some, forty years ago, helping a buddy. There is money to be made that way. But I was never a money grubber. Pride in my tradesmanship and a comfortable living is enough.

This a bit of a wake up call though. You are sorting through chit and I better get at it too!

Tom

 

[Tom from Rubicon]

10/31 is new Pace Maker Day! Number three for me! Not my usual way to start a Tuesday.
Any further posts on this thread by yours truly will be a good sign.

Tom

 

[Greg58]

10/31 is new Pace Maker Day! Number three for me! Not my usual way to start a Tuesday.
Any further posts on this thread by yours truly will be a good sign.

Tom

I hope all goes well.