rvSeniorMoments

Dec 24

Merry Christmas!

And what’s Christmas without a new season of Terrace House: Tokyo 2019-2010 (Part 2).

Of course we all remember the spectacular Girl Fight episode in Part 1 between Haruka and Risako . . .

Ho, Ho, Ho!

Dec 20

Batteries are heavy

Geez Louise, I was feeling my age (70 in January) today.

I replaced our RV’s two engine batteries (12V Interstate 31-MHD) and four house batteries (6V Lifeline GPL-4CT).

Heavy and lots of wires

I thought it would be a 1-hour job. Two-and-one-half hours later I was done. Really done. All tolled I schlepped 768 pounds of lead (removing 384 pounds of old lead and then lifting in 384 pounds of new lead).

Out with the Old

Why?

I tried to start our Newmar last week, and it wouldn’t turn over. A 12V battery should actually be over 12 volts . . .

Good Batteries

However, my engine batteries weren’t even close. Then I remembered that they were probably over 10 years old . . .

Bad Batteries

Since I had to replace the engine batteries, I thought it was also time to replace the four, 7-year-old house batteries.

Heavy and expensive, but this should be the last time.

Nov 28

2 Comments

Happy Thanksgiving!

Unlike past years at Crazy Horse, we’re doing Thanksgiving for Two this year.

Our 3rd guest

What’s a Thanksgiving without The Expanse?

Before eating, I took Flirt on our first walk on the Island . . .

Visited Stubby’s grave

Flirt off leash . . .

COMING SOON . . .

What’s in the Box?

Oct 31

8 Comments

2020 Affordable Care Act (ACA) Update

If you’re a full-time RVer under 65 (Pre-Medicare) and buy your own health insurance, then you should consider purchasing a plan from the ACA (aka “Obamacare”). ACA health insurance plans accept pre-existing conditions, are available in every state, and if you qualify, part or all of your premium cost may be covered by a subsidy. Signup for 2020 ACA plans begins November 1 and ends December 15. See https://www.healthcare.gov/

To be eligible for a premium subsidy, you must earn between $12,490 and $49,960 for a single applicant. For a family of three, the limit is between $21,330 and $85,320. See https://www.healthcare.gov/lower-costs/qualifying-for-lower-costs/

However, not all health plans are “portable” — that is, a plan that can be used equally in every state. Non-portable plans typically require you to return to your home state for medical services or pay costly out-of-network fees. While you can use emergency services in any state, non-portable plans can require you to pick up most of the costs while out of state (or out of network).

So for a full-time RVer who travels around the country, a portable health insurance plan with a nationwide network of providers is usually a requirement. The Gold Standard of portable plans used to be a Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) health insurance plan. BCBS PPO plans typically came with a nationwide provider network so you could visit a doctor or hospital anywhere without paying an arm and a leg for treatment. However, though BCBS still remains a prime choice, there is no guarantee that a PPO plan has a nationwide network. Some PPOs are limited to a single state or a group of states.

States with Health Insurance Plans that have Nationwide Networks

These are the states that I believe have BCBS plans with nationwide coverage. For each state shown below, the lowest cost non-HSA plan is listed:

NOTE: I only checked 5 to 10 ZIP codes for each of the states below. Also, these prices reflect the premium cost for a 63-year-old Male who is not eligible for a subsidy. Finally, don’t take my word for it. Make sure you contact the plan provider for specific information, especially on the network. Finally, I did NOT check the health plans in every state . . . so there may be more out there.

ALABAMA

Nationwide Network: BCBS of Alabama
Lowest Priced Plan: Blue Saver Bronze PPO
2020 Monthly Premium Average: $875 (6.7% increase from 2019)

ALASKA (no state income tax)

Nationwide Network: Premera BCBS of Alaska
Lowest Priced Plan: Preferred Plus Bronze 6350 PPO
2020 Monthly Premium Average: $1,137 (3.2% increase from 2019)

ARKANSAS

Nationwide Network: Arkansas BCBS
Lowest Priced Plan: Preferred Plus Bronze 6350 PPO
2020 Monthly Premium Average: $739 (2.2% decrease from 2019)

CALIFORNIA

Nationwide Network: Blue California
Lowest Priced Plan: Bronze 60 PPO
2020 Monthly Premium Average: $1,191 (7.2% increase from 2019)

FLORIDA (no state income tax)

Nationwide Network: Florida Blue
Lowest Priced Plan: Blue Select 1452 PPO/EPO
2020 Monthly Premium Average: $937 (1.4% decrease from 2019)

NORTH DAKOTA

Nationwide Network: BCBS of North Dakota
Lowest Priced Plan: Simply Blue 60 PPO
2020 Monthly Premium Average: $734 (0.9% decrease from 2019)

WYOMING (no state income tax)

Nationwide Network: BCBS Wyoming
Lowest Priced Plan: Blue Select Bronze Core PPO
2020 Monthly Premium Average: $1,377 (2.3% increase from 2019)

How to Check a Health Plan’s Network Coverage

I use Health Sherpa ( https://www.healthsherpa.com/ ) to do this.

First, you’ll need the ZIP code of where you reside. Use it to generate a list of health plans.

In this case, because Florida is a full-timer favorite, I’ve chosen the Sumter County, FL ZIP code (33597) and selected the lowest cost plan with a nationwide network — a BCBS PPO/EPO plan: