#the times in my life i’ve had marketplace health insurance

[idsb]

So just wondering basically whatever you can think would be good advice or insight or tips for someone wanting to move to Melbourne from the UK

Doesn't have to be limited to the likes below;

healthcare, prescriptions (I have a few chronic illnesses; nothing too serious, but I do need different medications etc), Visas, nominations, what sort of yearly wage/income would I need to be comfortable, taxes/insurance, bills, education (I don't have a family; but say I wanted to do a uni course, could ?); rent or buy, is a car needed, should I look into city living or suburb living, is it safe for a single female to move there & live on her own... and yeah just anything else you or anyone else can think of, l've never moved abroad before

Okay I can help with a lot of this!!! Great news re: health insurance, I know this from having a British housemate - your UK Medicare is 100% valid at any public doctors office in Australia! I’m not sure how this works with prescriptions because I don’t know how that works for you guys in general, but I know everything you have works just like if you were an Australian citizen and your Medicare transfers over (whatever that means). It’s, like, actually incredible.

I’m not sure how old you are, but a UK -> Australian working visa is literally one of the easiest work visas in the world to get as of July 2024! You literally can just go and work for up to 3 years if you’re under 35. The terms each last 1 year, and you can renew for 3 years and they do not have to be consecutive. Previously you had to do farm work to stay that long, but they’ve completely rescinded that for UK citizens. I would recommend just getting that and going to start off, and once you’re actively on the ground there I think a lot of possibilities will open up to you to get a sponsorship to stay permanently, if you want to. If after a year you don’t have any kind of leads for a path to sponsorship, that’s when I’d speak to an immigration lawyer and try and figure out a plan. But I think the possibilities are pretty open if you’re a UK citizen. You can also very much take uni there, but you won’t get any kind of financial aid outside of what’s available to you in your country. You can do that on a working holiday visa (WHV 417 is the one I’ve described), or there’s also a separate student visa you’re able to go on. I personally would do them separately, because you can apply for residency after 5 years. So if you’re a student for 2 years and then do your 3 year WHV, bam you can apply for PR. It buys you some more time if you can’t get a sponsor.

Suburb vs city is really down to personal preference, and same with car - I find amenities are incredibly close together in suburbs, and know heaps of people both in the city and suburbs who did not have cars and got around just fine. I had a car because I wanted one, but I don’t feel it’s 100% necessary, although imo it is if you’d like to go far outside the city and see all of beautiful regional Victoria, which to me is SO valuable. I wouldn’t want to live downtown in the city (called the CBD) with one because all parking is metered and v hard to find, so for that reason I chose to live in the suburbs. I thought it was a very easy process to buy a car, and I bought one on FB marketplace and just sold it when I left the country. Thought that all and getting the car registered was a very easy process, but the girl I sold it to was from the UK and called it a headache so I think selling cars is easier for you guys 😅

I’m from the US and it’s pretty unsafe there objectively so like, lol take this with a grain of salt, but Melb is the safest place I’ve ever been in my life. I could walk around at night and not really think anything of it, even at like 4am in the “nightlife” sort of area I worked in. I think there’s petty crime in areas like that like cars getting broken into and stuff, but yeah I’ve legit never felt safer in my life and I am a very tiny blonde girl who was always alone so!

A lot of aspects are VERY difficult (buckle up if you’d like to hear about my experience, happy to tell you about it) in that the startup tasks can be A Lot when you first arrive and you have to be prepared for anything and everything to go wrong - not that it will, but just in case. But I think Melb is the best place you could POSSIBLY move to and I think it is so so so SO worth it to give it a go, esp w how easy it is for UK residents!!!

There are TONS of specifics I’m happy to talk about that I didn’t want to put all in one ask such as the vibes of diff suburbs / pros and cons and how to choose, where to find housemates/ a place to live, what you need for taxes & to hold a job once you arrive, how to become a legal driver and car owner if you want to go the car route, etc. I’m more than happy to answer hyper specific things like this and you can feel free to DM me!

[impuretale]

Health Update

So the last anyone heard, I was waiting to hear from the government still about disability, and there was finally a good outcome! This and more under the cut. 

So if you’re new, then this all started back in Nov 2020 when I at a far too young age had a stroke, caused by a mixture of having been diabetic and undiagnosed for years +  the doctors suspect now that I had COVID early last year, as early as late Dec 2019, early Jan 2020 (which makes sense, I get the flu sometimes but at that time I was bedridden for a long time due to uncontrollable vertigo, which had never happened before. 

So I was actively having the stroke all day because lol when you don’t have healthcare you hope whatever is wrong is something you can sleep off because it’s that, bankruptcy, or death. So I wake up, think I’m having the worst migraine of my life, sleep, wake up, right arm asleep -- I’m bigger and a side sleeper, so normal, turn over. Next time I’m up, have vertigo, sleep it off, etc. About 4 is when I get up and realize both my right arm and leg are asleep. That’s when 911 gets called.

So thankfully marketplace approved my insurance while I was pretty much enroute to the hospital. Right side is affected. I spend two weeks in the hospital (and I’m fired from my editing job for not being better after a week, btw) but I can’t do most things I would need to be able to do to survive at home on my own, so I spend the next month in a nursing home, which was one of the singlemost traumatizing experiences of my life. Ask me if you want to hear more.

Early January 2021 I return home able to walk with the help of a walker for like,,,a minute, tops. But I’ve been making active plans to change my eating and activity habits, because diabetes, hypertension and a slew of bad readings in my bloodwork (my A1Cs were at 11.6, to give you a snapshot). I have applied for disability by this point, and they tell me that the wait’ll be like 2-5 months. Manwhile can’t work, can’t do anything U used to love like write, draw, typing is hard and I can’t even play most video games.

Fast forward: most of you know I survived and maintained a diet I otherwise wouldn’t have afforded (I lived on like 20 a week before) through donations while waiting for disability.

It took nine months (huge backlog because of COVID) to get approved and part of that was because they weren’t receiving all the records they were supposed to get. A small part but it led to delays. But I am at last approved and safe.

That is not the only news. ALL my bloodwork is better (A1Cs are 4, for comparison) for one. For another, I can draw with a tablet, which followers have seen examples of. All my cognitive problems are mostly solved. I can play video games again -- that’s actually been very good therapy for my hands and brain. 

I can stand up long enough to make my meals without being in pain, and I can go for walks now (but I have to take my rollator with me; I have leg neuropathy on top of my other mobility issues). I have goals for things I would like to do to celebrate recovery. Visit the Cincinnati Zoo, for instance.

Finally, I have as of writing this lost 97 lbs. Started at 365 lbs in November 2020 and am down to 268; I am fitting into 26′s for the first time since I was an undergrad and my bra has gone down 8 inches and 3 cup sizes. I don’t overheat as easily, like I used to. My back problems are much more manageable and no longer lay me up once or twice a year.

Mentally, I’m in a really good place too. Evening out chemically has helped to significantly reduce my anxiety and depression, too! So overall, I’m happy to be reporting a lot of good news rather than begging for help.

[alittledizzy]

More on my doctor visit, since I had a lot of people express that me talking about it helped them out. I’m only just realizing myself how useful it is to know how other people’s experiences went in order to judge my own. Also, it’s long, I’m sorry. 

First, some back story: I went to city clinic that is geared toward low income people. I do fit the low income category but there’s no qualification needed, you apply for sliding scale once you’re there. I do have insurance (through the healthcare marketplace) so if my insurance doesn’t cover enough I will take advantage of that. Before Obamacare, I couldn’t afford insurance so I simply did not go to the doctor. 

A low income clinic is not only helpful with the overall costs but the doctors there know their patients don’t have the income to pay for a lot of extra procedures and that was incredibly helpful to me. He wanted to address the ways to make my life easier, not just order a lot of unnecessary things. 

But - okay, backing up. Based on the advice I got on tumblr, beforehand I wrote out a single page summary of my medical history with this issue. At the top I had my current symptoms, then I had a bullet point list of treatments tried (both from a doctor and also just at home/myself, like yoga) and then I did a list of my prior doctor visits, what they said, and what roadblocks I encountered. Not only did this mean I didn’t have to worry about forgetting, it also meant that I didn’t have to worry about wording things in a way that would lead to a doctor dismissing my pain. I’m better in text than I am in person, that’s an undeniable thing for me. I trusted my ability to write out things in an impactful way, whereas if asked directly my instinct might be to underplay out of anxiety or nerves. 

Luckily this doctor wasn’t dismissing anything. I will say there were a few elements that worked in my favor that I had no control over, and I hope any of you reading this in a similar situation get similar doctors. He didn’t ask what caused my pain - he didn’t try to imply that it was something I’d done, or should stop doing, which other doctors have. He didn’t say it was weight related. He didn’t say a single thing about my weight. He didn’t ask if it was related to my chest size, which other doctors have. I’ve even had some recommend a breast reduction (which insurance wouldn’t pay for). This dude - not a word. 

The things he did want to talk about: my options, the fact that I need to do a risk-benefit analysis for myself, why insurance might have denied things before and what he could do as a doctor to make sure they don’t deny them now. I’m paraphrasing of course, but he said that there are certain buttons you have to push to get insurance companies to do what you want. Some doctors don’t know the right buttons. Some know and don’t really care. But he knows the buttons to push, and he’ll push them. He said the non-negotiable things would be an xray and physical therapy, insurance requires those first, and that it all has to be done within a six month window (which I did NOT know before and might be why my appeal was denied - by then it had been more than six months since my xray, because I had done physical therapy for three months and could only get in to see the neurologist every two months or so). He handed me the paperwork for the xray that day, told me where to go to get it, and said I could do it any time in the next two weeks because he wanted to see me again in two weeks to discuss my results and get the physical therapy scheduled. He’s being snappy about everything to make sure we can get it all done in that six month window.  

In terms of pain management options: he gave me something to counter the issues with naproxen (which is just prescription strength Aleve) hurting my stomach so I can continue to take the medicine that was already helping me, and he put me on gabapentin with a big enough prescription (up to four a day) that I can try it out for two weeks and see what dosage works for me. He also gave me muscle relaxers so I can get some sleep at night on heavy pain days. I specifically did not want painkillers of any kind, just because of a history of family addiction, so I didn’t bring that up and neither did he. He talked about the fact that I don’t need an MRI for pain management but that he ‘had a feeling’ I was the kind of person that wanted to know how bad it was (he’s right. I do.) and that the only step beyond pain management is surgery, which is where the risk-benefit analysis comes in. He explained that when it comes to spinal or back issues there’s only a 40-60% chance that I’d walk away feeling any different. I don’t think that’s going to be an option I personally pursue, but just throwing that out there in case it’s helpful for anyone else. 

Another note: I did this all under the umbrella of a wellness visit/establishing care because my insurance offers a wellness visit free every year. This means I also got a general health exam and blood tests drawn. He’ll be able to check to see if the NSAIDS I was on before are impacting any of my organs using that, plus I’ll know if there’s just generally anything else funky going on.

I’m so happy that this is the experience I had - because trust me, I’ve walked out of a lot of doctors office over the past three years feeling nothing but discouraged and, for lack of better word, small in the face of their attitude toward me and my situation. 

[violetsystems]

I received a single piece of mail last night. It was from my new health insurance provider. Same as my current one but under the ACA not COBRA. It was to inform me that “there were a number of errors on the advertised coverage you purchased (and paid up front in full) on the marketplace.” Specifically it was to inform me that mental health emergencies and mental health were not covered by the gold plan I selected. No suggested course of action. Just tough shit. Maybe reach out to your local homeless shelter or the loving arms of a manipulative church body. I’ve never had a mental health emergency in the twenty or so years I’ve had health insurance. I also keep my spiritualism to myself. But contextually it’s both shady and hilarious if you know me. It was delivered during the most fucked up, batshit crazy, and literally unbearable times of my life. Especially when ninety percent of the stress is caused by other people with clear intention to harm. I wonder if it was intentional. Like “are you going to get a lawyer now?” Not unless it’s free. I keep hearing every body out here saying “freedom isn’t free” when they want to sound bad ass. Neither is ACA healthcare. And if you advertise something on a government sponsored healthcare marketplace and pay for it… it’s like ordering a cheeseburger and getting a hamburger. You can add the cheese yourself can’t you big guy? I’ll have a tumblr burger with fries with a side of trauma dumping. Guess I’ll just keep writing through the silence. If my healthcare provider has some witty shit to add under an anonymous account I’m going to block them too. Call it preventing a mental health emergency. ✍🏻

[pictureofsoph1sticatedgrace]

So I don’t think I ever really fully explained what’s been going on my life lately, and I need to word vomit it somewhere because I’m having a night so...

You’ll remember back in July I took a job with an airline. Things did not go great there to say the least and my mental health spiraled out incredibly quickly. My supervisor was incredible and I still feel horrific for letting her down because she went out of her way to try to make things work for me, but it just wasn’t something she could fix. I unfortunately had to quit back in September.

I also turned 26 in the middle of that mess, which meant I lost my health insurance. While I had my job, I was able to pay for a plan through the marketplace. After that, though, I was put on Medicaid - which I am incredibly grateful for because it makes everything affordable - but I lost my therapist because of it.

Prior to leaving her, she (and another therapist) recommended I start an intensive outpatient program. I’ve been describing it to people who’ve seen CXG as the equivalent of Rebecca’s therapy bubble - 3 group days a week, 3 hours each day, plus one-on-one therapy and medication management. I was put on the wait list for that in August and finally got in on October 22nd. Tomorrow starts my third (full - I missed two days for Dallas) week and I have incredibly mixed emotions about it. I’m getting handouts on handouts and work pages that would make Rebecca Bunch green with envy, but I don’t feel like I’m getting the practical help that I need. I’m also very afraid to speak up in the limited opportunities we have to do so for a few reasons... one, there is one person in the group with incredibly violent tendencies who makes me very uncomfortable, so there’s that complication. Secondly, I feel incredibly guilty talking about what I’m dealing with when there are people in the group who are in custody battles over their children. One woman can’t afford non-slip work shoes. It’s hard for me not to feel like I’m just wasting time with my first world problems because I have parents who love me, I have a roof over my head and food to eat and nothing really to worry about financially. I’m trying to keep in mind that it’s still early in the process. I’m trying to keep an open mind. But it’s so hard. I want to give up already even though I know I can’t... because I don’t have any other options. No plans for my life. I’ve been hoping this program would help give me a tiny bit of clarity on that front, but absolutely nothing yet.

And as many of you know, in the midst of all this, I sustained a vestibular concussion at my first night back in the gym post-nationals. Since September 19th, I’ve been dealing with chronic headaches, dizziness, balance issues, memory fog, and basically every other concussion symptom you could possibly think of. I am thankfully working with an INCREDIBLE team of doctors and therapists (they work with the Pittsburgh Penguins and my doctor in particular treated Sidney Crosby’s second concussion) and things are slowly starting to get better. Today, we figured out it’s my right eye specifically that is the problem child, and so we’re focusing on retraining my eyes to stay in alignment. It’s been absolutely fascinating to learn about how the human body compensates when injured, I will say that, but the recovery is unbelievably slow moving and I’m naturally frustrated and ready to get back into the gym as soon as I’m given the all clear.

Between IOP and therapy and med management and concussion specialists and vestibular therapy and PCP appointments and dentist appointments and OBGYN appointments and GI specialists, my health has become my full time job. It is overwhelming and some days I just want to say fuck it and roll back over and pray that I wake up in a different, normal, healthy body. So far, no luck on that front. So I trudge on.

I also got the news a week ago today that my beloved Nana most likely has an internal GI bleed caused by some form of cancer. She left us a living will that she created when she was first diagnosed with Alzheimer’s stating that she didn’t want any kind of medical testing or intervention, so we can’t know for sure, but she has been moved to hospice. I’m devastated and frustrated that we have no way of knowing what’s happening, but I do know my Nana has been fighting this disease for close to ten years now and is tired. I’m trying to take peace in knowing that years ago when we would sit on her patio and drink iced tea, she’d say the lord could take her then and there and she’d be happy to go home because she lived a good life. It doesn’t make letting go any easier though, especially when you don’t know when that last goodbye will be.

So... that’s everything in a very large nutshell. Naturally, my mood has been in the shitter. The seasonal affective disorder hits me hard as it is, and all of this on top of it has made for an incredibly difficult few months... probably the worst few months of my life. I have relapsed. The panic attacks have lessened but not dissipated. I have had passive ideations. But I am still here. I am still trying to plow ahead and be strong. It is so hard some days, but I’m doing it. No matter what, I’m doing it. I am trying. I’m trying to get better. Maybe someday I will.

So many of you have sent encouragements or little notes of love without knowing any of this and I can’t tell you how much it means to me. Most of you are Crazy Ex fans and get the mental health side of things, and it’s just so comforting to know I’m not alone in the struggles I sometimes face. Some of you aren’t from that fandom and send your love anyway... and to know that someone is going out of their way to send a little heart or note of encouragement when it would be just as easy to keep scrolling? That’s so special. Thank you. Thank all of you so much. I save it all and look back on it on bad days.

And as always... I wouldn’t be here without my absolute rocks. @faith-trust-magic-pixie-dust, who has inspired me endlessly with her strength in the past few months, my tumblr-less friend Lindsay who is constantly texting to check in on me despite me being the world’s worst human at responding to texts, and @heartbash and @itsme-ashley-marie - my gurl group, same size burritos, my sisters. You all deserve the world and I can’t emphasize enough how much your unwavering support and love and faith in my abilities when I have absolutely none have meant to me.

If you read this far, you deserve a cookie. Thank you for reading my spewing of emotions - it feels good to get this all off my heart and into writing. ❤️

[mindmusicspirit]

Sick, tired and broke...

While it took the coronavirus to get people to genuinely realise this : our healthcare system is trash when it truly doesn’t have to be.

That technically feels like the end of my Ted talk, but I’ll go into some slightly repetitive data about it, because what I ultimately discovered is that this healthcare system is costing the most financially and humanely for Millenials.

Let’s start out with 2019 when 137 million Americans faced financial hardship due to medical costs. Scary part is, regardless of age, high healthcare bills are the number one reason people would consider taking money out of their retirement accounts or filing for bankruptcy, while 66.5% of all personal bankruptcies are tied to medical issues. ( CNBC).

According to the NYTimes, Americans borrowed $88 billion in 2018 in order to pay for their healthcare. If we’re borrowing $88 billion to pay for healthcare, imagine the profit that these healthcare companies are enjoying!

Why is healthcare so expensive? The best answer I could find is due to a “free” market and lack of regulation by our government as well as a lack of transparency when it comes to medical billing. According to Public Health Policy Professor Marty Makary of John Hopkins, the healthcare marketplace is “irrational”-- though I prefer the term uncontrolled-- where price gouging has become the norm. Heart surgery at one hospital may cost $44,000 while the same surgery will cost $500K at another facility, and the kicker here is, despite the disparity in price, there is no marked difference between the quality of care in the different facilities (CNBC).

As for lack of transparency for medical billing, I can personally attest to that ( though clearly I’m not a unique case). Last year I was hospitalized at Tulane University Medical for Diabetic Ketoacidosis, brought on by food poisoning, and I received 3 seperate bills for that one stay. One bill was about $350, the second bill was for $2200 , and the third bill was for $14.99 with no thorough explanation about what I was being billed for ( no general explanation provided either). The bills were just medical coding with no legend of what the coding represented, leaving me angry and confused. How does one hospital stay, at one facility come with 3 seperate bills? Sad thing is, I had health insurance, and seeing as health insurance comes with deductibles and out of pocket limits, I figured those hospital bills hit that, at the very least. Apparently it did not for reasons not even the health insurance reps could explain to me. How do I spend $2500 out of pocket, when my limit is $1500, and you’re telling me that that $2500 doesn't count toward my out of pocket? A clear lack of transparency in not just medical billing, but health insurance as well.

The general high cost of medical care is another reason we’re just out here remaining sick and in debt: The average hospital stay in the US costs about $5220 per day, whereas in Australia where the nation's wealth is comparable to the US, it’s about $765 per day. It is not even hospital stays that are the initial causes/starting causes of medical debt either: 65% of medical debt started out with either diagnostic testing or a doctor’s visit followed by Lab fees, ER visits, drug prescription costs and outpatient services (SingleCare.com). Why would something/someone whose job it is to cure or heal you be what brings you into debt? Even more so, why does something as primary and preliminary such as diagnostic testing or seeing the doctor be the main cause of medical debt? We’re in debt before we can even know what’s ailing us? Drug prescriptions are no different either. About a month and a half ago I lost insulin vials and needed to get replacement vials from the pharmacy: I’ve never actually lost insulin before in my twenty years as a diabetic, so you think that my pristine record would count for something. It didn't. Health insurance was not going to cover it, and the cost of one vial was going to be $900. Keep in mind, one vial will last me about two weeks. Maybe three if I make sure to not eat. $900 is more than my half of rent to put that cost into perspective relative to my monthly bills, and it was only going to last me half the month. If prescription costs are that drastic, I can only imagine the average cost of the diagnostic or doctors visit that affect the 65% that fall into debt because of it.

In addition to costing us financially, high medical care and medical costs affect our quality of life and ability to accumulate wealth, especially Millennials. According to a 2016 study published by Health Affairs, Millennials carry the most medical debt in the US as well as incur it more frequently: the article focused more on the fact that the debt starts at the age of 27 once the medical care/insurance for young adults under their parents insurance ends at age 26. The age group that ended up accumulating the most debt was also age 27 ( PBS.org) The Millenial age group also accounts for 35% of the overall population, so that could be another reason why we hold the most medical debt as well ( Single Care).

Quality of life is also affected in that Americans are foregoing medical treatment or medical visits due to cost. In fact, 21% of Americans had to do that in 2016 alone. That is 21% of people not getting the necessary healing treatment they need, or living in the dark of what’s ailing them.

32% have postponed medical care due to cost. When I hear “postpone”, I assume that the only reason they end up getting medical care is because their ailment got worse or to a point where they couldn’t avoid not getting the medical care that they needed.

40% of adults ages 18-64 have relied on at home remedies or over the counter drugs instead of going to the doctor due to medical cost ( Singlecare.org)

I have fallen into all 3 categories: In fact, once , in order to avoid a hospital visit, I treated my own onset of ketoacidosis. For those of you not sure what that entails, it basically includes taking my insulin through my veins as opposed to subcutaneously ( injecting my arm or stomach) while avoiding any liquids or food, including water for at least 24 hours. The reason you have to do that is because your body’s acid level is falling to a dangerous level so it won’t react to insulin being delivered into your fat stores or beneath the skin: It has to be delivered directly to your bloodstream to have an effect. This acidity level will also cause your blood sugar to rise to dangerous levels, and potentially even lead to a heart attack if not treated in a timely manner.The low acidity level is also why the body won’t tolerate any food or liquid, as it tries to purge every possible foreigner from the body in order to normalize its pH level. Imagine not being able to drink water without violently vomiting it up. So there I was at home, a young twenty year old, injecting insulin into my veins, every hour for at least twenty four hours, until my body was on the mend again. I had to be my own doctor in order to avoid a $2k-$3k plus bill that I knew I couldn’t afford. Was it risky? Yes. But, I was forced to be concerned not only for my life but for my financial well being simultaneously. Sad fact of the matter is, I’m confident that I’m not the only type 1 diabetic with a story like that, and I’m not the first to have to weigh my life versus my finances.

In order to pay for medical costs:

53% work out payment plans with their provider. That’s probably the best option, although it ends up being one more bill to add to the list at the end of the month. I’m still paying off that $2500 hospital bill I previously mentioned.

37% have had to borrow money from family or friends

34% have increased their credit card debt

70% say they cut back spending on food, clothing, or other basic household items.

41% say they took an extra job or worked more hours.

59% say they used up most or all of their savings.

35% say they have been unable to pay for basic necessities like food, heat, or housing. (Singlecare.org)

The statistics at the bottom are exceptionally high and staggering. 70% have to cut back on basic household items/comforts in order to pay medical bills: Is it really a succesful or efficient healthcare system if you have to choose between food or medicine?

In addition to our quality of life/quality of health being impacted, I mentioned our ability to accumulate wealth, which for Millenials have proven more difficult than prior generations: According to Caroline Ratcliffe, a senior fellow at the Urban Institute who studies asset building and poverty, wealth is stagnating for younger generations compared to their parents and grandparents. For people under 40 years old: their wealth has only inched up compared to their parents in the 1980’s, and many factors affect that: Credit cards ( see prior posted article on credit card debt), Student loans ( future article) and of course medical debt:

When one in six Americans have past due medical bills on their credit report, it affects their ability to secure a good interest rate on a home or auto loan. ( PBS.org) We’re constantly told how real estate is one of the best ways to accumulate wealth, yet these unnecessary and predatory forms of debt make it harder for us to do so. A lot of these past due bills average about $600(CNBC), but when most of us have credit card bills, monthly living expenses, student loans, and living paycheck to paycheck, how easy is it to pay $600, realistically?

The additional injury to injury ( because we’re long past insults to injury), is the fact that medical care is slated to become even more expensive. It’s expected to hit $6 trillion by year 2027, and it’s already 2020!

When individuals, the federal and state government, and private business seem to share an equal balance of overall medical expenditures ( be it through medicare, the cost of employee covered insurance etc etc), why then would medical costs go up?

It goes back to the beginning of the article, where we pointed out how unchecked the healthcare industry is. Despite the fancy words and round about explanations we may get from lobbyists and those in healthcare, in addition to being gaslit by them that rising costs are unavoidable, it most certainly is avoidable.

Don't forget, compared to other countries that have comparable wealth to us, everything is more expensive here in the US, and there doesn’t seem to be a disparity in the actual quality of care. For example, the total health spending per capita is 84.8% more expensive in the US than in Canada.

In America, they perform 322 C-sections for every 1000 live births, which average a cost of $16,000. In the UK, it’s 264 C-sections per 1000 live births with an average cost of $6k.

An MRI averages about $1115 in America, yet averages to about $215 in Australia. (Singlecare.com).

These countries are comparable in wealth to us, so is affordable and universal health care really that far fetched or radical of an idea in America? Especially when it’s driving such a staggering amount of people into debt? The answer is NO. Based on the medical cost and quality in other countries, not only is it possible, but easy to make it affordable and universal. There are so many different models that are currently working that we can choose from to emulate even.

Health insurance, healthcare and pharmaceutical companies need to be governed or regulated here in the US. Otherwise, the health care system is just another player in the systemic debt traps that seem to be set for the poorer masses, and it’s a problem that’s only projected to get worse, especially for Millenials. It’s grossly affecting our overall quality of life and ability to generate wealth. These statistics show that while the sick get sicker and entrapped by debt, the healthcare industry and those at the top will benefit the most financially from our plight. This current system is neither logical, nor sustainable for the masses, the greater good, or for the economy.

What ever happened to the Hippocratic oath to do no harm?

References:

137 Million Americans are struggling with medical debt. Here’s what to know if you need some relief.

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/11/10/americans-are-drowning-in-medical-debt-what-to-know-if-you-need-help.html

2020 Medical Debt Statistics

https://www.singlecare.com/blog/medical-debt-statistics/

Millennials rack up the most Medical Debt and most frequently.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/millennials-rack-up-the-most-medical-debt-and-more-frequently

Americans borrowed $88 billion to pay for healthcare last year, survey finds

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/02/health/americans-health-care-debt-borrowing.html

Survey: 79

million Americans have problems with Medical Bills or debt.

https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/newsletter-article/survey-79-million-americans-have-problems-medical-bills-or-debt

[identybeautynet]

How to turn ethical beauty into a business 21

How to turn ethical beauty into a business SKINIRVANA founder Mary-Rose Lobo Mary-Rose has been shortlisted for the Natural Health Beauty Awards (Image credit: mary-rose lobo) Mary-Rose Lobo, 40, lives in Hove with their daughter Anaïs, six. She is the founder of SKINIRVANA, an ethical beauty oil designed to nourish, protect and hydrate skin. The idea As a teenager, I struggled with acne and rosacea. Working part-time in a cafe, I spent all my wages on skincare, convinced the more I spent, the clearer my skin might be. In my 20s things got worse and for the first time, I read the ingredients on the products I was liberally applying to my face. I was shocked by the long list of toxic, chemical compounds so I started embracing ethical beauty by making my own blend of nourishing, natural oils which I massaged into my face twice daily. Within a month, my skin was unrecognizably nourished and radiant. I vowed never to use any products except my own ever again. In January 2014 I opened a salon in London, offering bespoke oil blends and facial massage. But two years later, I moved to Hove in Sussex and closed the salon. While I was busy settling into our new life, clients from London were getting in touch and begging me to make them up a bottle of my mix of oils. I decided to work out what I believed to be the ultimate blend of seven pure plant and seed oils and, in July 2017, launched SKINIRVANA Business Breakdown (Image credit: Mary-Rose Lobo) Start up costs: £12,500  Comprising... - Design: £2,000 - Ingredients and packaging: £5,000 - Marketing and PR: £5,000 - Admin: £500 Turnover: £25,000 Website: skinirvana.co.uk What happened next I borrowed £5,000 from my brother to buy the initial ingredients in bulk from an ethical wholesaler. My recipe includes geranium bourbon to balance and moisturize, neroli, which reduces inflammation and irritation, and juniper berry, a fantastic antiseptic with incredible healing properties. I chose not to outsource production or try to grow too quickly, making the oils in small batches myself, so there’s no wastage. The recyclable glass bottles go into handmade cotton pouches that decompose in compost within five months. Big brands manufacture in bulk and stock is stored in warehouses, often reaching the consumer years later. If the product is not sold, it goes to a landfill. SKINIRVANA customers receive the freshest product within weeks, even days, of production. A retail consultant advised me to bring out a cleanser, moisturizer, and make-up remover but I refused, believing the beauty oil I had created was all anyone needs. Further lines may have increased profits but I don’t want to create unnecessary products. Breakthrough moment When I closed my salon and left London for the south coast, I was so busy resettling I didn’t have time to think about what I was going to do next. But I was so inundated with requests from old clients, I couldn’t ignore the fact I had a product people really wanted. It was amazing to launch an ethical beauty business knowing there was already demand. “I want to make each bottle myself and find customers who believe in my philosophy” Steepest learning curve I spent thousands on marketing in the first year and it proved an entirely futile and expensive lesson. The most rewarding way to reach new customers was to attend wellness festivals and give demonstrations and facial massage workshops while telling my own story. I don’t want to take over the world and sell thousands of bottles a week, I want to make each bottle myself and find customers who believe in my philosophy. Where I am now I’ve been shortlisted for the Natural Health Beauty Awards. I’m learning facial acupuncture and will keep demonstrating facial massage and reflexology in my online membership area. I sell on my own website, as well as Organa Beauty & Wellbeing, Amazon and Wellbeing Sisters. Customers tell me my oil blend has changed their complexion and their lives. I know how awful it feels to have bad skin and how much of a relief it is to heal. I’m delighted my experience might help others. Best advice?  Start small and grow as demand grows. More from woman&home: Ksoni co-founders Banasa Williams and Joti Sohi Banasa (left) and Joti share a dream to help save the planet (Image credit: Banasa Williams) Banasa Williams, 41, lives in north London with husband Sebastian, 43, and her step-children. Banasa co-founded the plastic-free haircare range Ksoni with Joti Sohi, 34. The idea A mutual friend suggested Joti and I meet, as I had experience in retail and Joti was running a gourmet samosa business. We met on my office rooftop one beautiful sunny day in June 2018, spent 15 minutes talking samosas before our shared enthusiasm for treating the planet kindly led us off on a tangent. Joti had recently been in South East Asia where she’d seen plastic waste floating in the ocean. She had taken to diving with a bag and attempting to collect litter but it felt futile. Keen to address her own contribution to the problem, she’d made changes in the kitchen, but found bathroom product swaps more of a struggle. I already made my own ethical beauty products to counter the waste problem. We discussed the shocking fact that 90% of kitchen products are recycled but only 50% of bathroom products are. By 2050 it is estimated there will be more plastic than fish in the sea. For us, sustainability is about wanting to make changes where you can. One place where you easily can is the bathroom. The idea for a plastic-free haircare brand in the spirit of ethical beauty was born. Business Breakdown (Image credit: Ksoni) Start up costs: £18,000  Comprising... - Marketing: £1,000 - Materials and packaging: £11,000 - Formulations research and development: £5,000 - Printing and postage: £1,000 Turnover: £50,000 Website: ksoni.co What happened next We spent a year researching “product-market fit” to ensure there was an audience for a liquid shampoo in a plastic-free container. The bathroom should be a sanctuary, so we infused the range with essential oils to give customers a mood-enhancing aromatherapy experience. We opted to use aluminum cans because they are infinitely recyclable and can be back on the shelf just 60 days after recycling, but also because shampoo in a can is a fun and unusual experience. In October 2019, we launched Ksoni, which means “earth” in Sanskrit. Breakthrough moment We’d been to a few trade shows but the Zero Waste Goods Market in London was special—and we seemed to have the right product at the right time, in the right place. We had our best sales day yet and it felt like the time and money we’d invested was worth it because we had made something people loved. “It’s important to balance profit and purpose and be part of a community driven by the very best practices” Steepest learning curve Like many small businesses, we panicked when the UK went into the first lockdown as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. We were only a few months into trading and had been steadily gaining momentum at shows and markets, with many more events in the diary. But we pivoted online, figuring out how to recreate the experience of meeting customers and giving them a sense of discovery, digitally. I would not want to repeat the pandemic period but we knew people were at home, wondering what they could do to play their part in a more sustainable future and we worked hard to reach them and tell our story. (Image credit: Ksoni) Where we are now We wanted to infuse the ethos that nothing matters more than the planet from the start, so we applied to become a certified B Corporation, which means we meet a high standard of verified social and environmental performance. It’s important to balance profit and purpose and be part of a community-driven by the very best practices. We work in the spirit of continuous improvement, listening to customers to improve our range. We’re stocked on our own website as well as Wolf & Badger, Amazon, and independent retailers. Our favorite is Janet’s Life, a pop-up and internet marketplace for women of color. They champion us and we’re so grateful. Launching just months before the pandemic, I’m so proud of us for surviving and hopeful for what’s to come. Best advice?  Research your market so you know there are enough people who will buy your product. Awake Organics founder Melissa Kimbell Melissa's confidence has grown with her brand (Image credit: Awake Organics) Melissa Kimbell, 42, is the founder of Awake Organics. Originally from Saskatchewan, Canada, Melissa lives with husband James, 46, and children Sophie, 15, and Ben, 14, in Northamptonshire. The idea When we settled in the UK five years ago, the landscape for natural skincare and ethical beauty was bleak. There were no basics, such as deodorant and shampoo, that were made with healthy, natural ingredients. Plus everything was sold in plastic bottles. I’d been making my own soap, body wash, and moisturizers for years so I knew how to make natural products that worked and I could see there was a need for everyday products that were good for you and easy on the planet. What happened next In October 2018, I launched Awake Organics with a face cream, serum, and an ethical beauty deodorant. I had worked as a graphic designer and studied web development so I had a knack for design and building a website, which saved money. I had no customers but learned how to set up as a seller with Amazon and that really helped, especially as there weren’t many independent sellers on Amazon back then. Slowly, I built a reputation and customers kept returning. As I made everything myself, I could test new ideas without having to order 10,000 units from a manufacturer, which kept risk and cost down. Business Breakdown (Image credit: Melissa Kimbell) Start up costs: £6,000 Comprising... - Production and development: £4,250 - Marketing, website fees and software: £1,000 - Insurance and accountancy: £750 Current turnover: £130k Website: awakeorganics.co.uk Breakthrough moment Last year, I invented the UK’s first plastic-free, water-activated shampoo concentrate. One tiny 55g bottle is equal to 350ml of regular shampoo, a blend of caffeine, guarana seed, and rosemary, it’s designed to boost volume and reduce hair thinning and loss. It was a problem I was dealing with myself, which is why I started tinkering with the idea. Once I’d cracked the formula, I could hardly keep up with demand. Customers came for the shampoo, couldn’t believe how good it was, then came back to try other ethical beauty products. Steepest learning curve I started at the kitchen table, making little pots of beautiful things. When we moved into a 1,500 sq ft barn conversion last year, scaling up was challenging as small and large batches don’t always behave the same way. (Image credit: Melissa Kimbell) Where I am now The quality and sustainability of ingredients is paramount but packaging matters too. Awake Organics is plastic-free and we are committed to a small supply chain, with almost 100% of our suppliers based in the UK. Our packaging and cartons are made seven miles away with biodegradable veggie ink. So much care goes into every step of production and every ingredient must meet at least one of five criteria. They must be Soil Association Certified Organic, Fair Trade, Wild-Crafted, Food Grade/Local Organic, and Biodegradable. It would be cheaper to buy lesser ingredients but I believe you pay in other ways, by burdening the planet or contributing to terrible working conditions in other countries. If we start with the best ingredients, it translates into the best final product. We’re certified Cruelty Free by Leaping Bunny, the best assurance a company has made a genuine commitment to ending animal testing. “Sometimes I have to pinch myself because I have my dream job” We’re about to launch a hibiscus and peppermint scalp scrub that stimulates hair follicles. It’s a game-changer and probably my favorite product yet. We’re stocked in Selfridges and dozens of gorgeous independent businesses throughout the UK and online. Sometimes I have to pinch myself because I have my dream job. My confidence has grown with the brand, so where once I used to wonder what I might be able to achieve, now I ask myself what I want to achieve. Whatever I’m doing seems to be working so I just keep setting the bar higher in the ethical beauty stakes. Best advice?  You don’t need to invent something new, but you do need an original spin and your product needs a reason for being. beauty tips: How to turn ethical beauty into a business, beauty tips: How to turn ethical beauty into a business, beauty tips: How to turn ethical beauty into a business, beauty tips: How to turn ethical beauty into a business Read the full article

[cynthiadshaw]

Community Member Spotlights

It’s more important to understand someone than to judge them. We think the first step to understanding someone is asking them the fundamental questions about who they are and how they became the person they are today. Understanding and empathy are essential building blocks for a better, more compassionate world. We’re incredibly fortunate to be able to ask these questions each week through our interview series. Below you’ll find interviews from our community members and content partners – the folks who’ve been heavily involved with us, collaborating with us on content, sponsoring our mission and spreading the word about the work we do.

Marc Liu | Entrepreneur, Brand Strategist, Marketer

Marc is a digital marketing strategist with over 15 years of experience creating and executing marketing strategies for brands such as Bonchon, The Halal Guys, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Ultimate Fighting Championship, The Bazaar by Jose Andres and Abasolo. Marc is a business leader and serial entrepreneur, having co-founded, lead and sold two marketing agency brands. Marc has a particular passion for travel, hospitality, restaurant, and spirits industries. Read more>>

Rebekah Jensen | Founder & Visionary

Sanara’s Tranquila Collection was launched in 2019 by Rebekah Jasso Jensen. Since 2016 Rebekah has been creating her own products in her kitchen having lived with Psoriasis since her teens. Rebekah has worked in women’s health as an OB-Gyn and Maternal-Fetal Medicine Diagnostic Medical Sonographer for over a decade. She’s seen first-hand the course life can take and impact on a woman’s life when she feels empowered by her own self-care and health advocacy. Read more>>

Akea Collins | Branding & Business Strategist

My name is Akea Collins. I am a serial entrepreneur. I am the Owner & Founder of The Resume Chop Shop, The Branding Bandit Academy and AKC Rentals LLC. I created this businesses because I have some secrets, I want to share to obtaining a 6-figure Salary. I love to assist and motivate everyone in my network to be a better version of them. I have deep desire to take my knowledge and experience and allow for others to pick my brain for success. I have Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a concertation in Marketing. Master of Business Administration with a concentration in Health Care Administration. Read more>>

Rola Jabri | CEO of MAOC Studio & Marketer

I am Rola Jabri, founder of MAOC Studio. I founded my marketing agency 15 years ago with a modern mindset that favors creating new ideas rather than falling for the ordinary. I always believed that standing out in the crowd is the best approach to succeed, lead, and make a difference. Therefore, I created the extraordinary for my marketing agency, I set it apart in a very competitive market. I market, brand, and structure my clients’ products or services with the same approach of creating authentic strategies that help them build the extraordinary and reach their short and long-term goals and vision. Read more>>

Marguerite Knowles | Watercolor and Acrylic Artist

My name is Marguerite Knowles, and I am a 22-year-old artist from Dallas! I went to college in Scotland to study Art History and am about to move to London to get my master’s in Art Business. I create acrylic paintings as well as watercolor paintings and most importantly, greeting cards! Recently, my handmade watercolor greeting cards have been my most popular product and are sold at Needle in a Haystack on Preston Rd. as well as on my online Etsy store! Read more>>

Erin Willis | Owner & Executive Chef

My name is Erin Willis. I was born and raised in Texas and have lived here all my life. I got into the hospitality world starting as a server in Fort Worth while in high school and continued to work in and out of the industry through college. After graduating, I applied to numerous culinary schools yet couldn’t obtain any financial aid. During this time, I was working as a server at Patrizio’s in Highland Park, where the then executive chef offered me an apprenticeship where I worked for 3 years. 30 years later, with more experience and understanding of the business, I now own my own restaurant, RM 12:20 Bistro, located in Lake Highlands. Read more>>

Durant Searcy | Singer, Songwriter, and Performer

I am a Singer, Songwriter, and Actor from Fort Worth, Texas. I started singing at the age of four. In 2005, I released my first independent EP called “The One 4 Me”. Local self-promotion for my first EP led me to performing professionally in DFW area theatre. To this date, I have performed in over thirty local professional plays/musicals throughout the DFW area. My most recent EP “CRASH” was released two years ago, and since then I’ve released several singles such as “Rose-Colored Glasses”, a Christmas song called “This Season (Jingle Bells)”, and my most recent single “Summer Fling (‘21 Re-Vamp)”. During the day, I am an 8am to 5pm corporate employee, which provides me the income to pay for all of my independent artistic endeavors. Read more>>

Demetrie King | Entrepreneur

My name is Demetrie King. I am from Waxahachie Tx and the Founder of the company Vending Mychine. This mobile application is disrupting the vending industry by bringing the best win/win situation to consumers and vendors. Vending is a quiet but very lucrative industry. A lot of new entrepreneurs have created a side hustle by purchasing machines or micro markets to place in various locations and I am here to help their customer engagement. Read more>>

Preach The Poet | Teaching Artist/ Orator/ Activist

My name is Preach the Poet. I am an activist, a poet, and an Educator. Im a descendent from the rhetoric of Fred Hampton. Born in Chicago, IL my roots are rich with culture and community service. I’m the epitome of the work as my Mentor would say. Born from struggle to end struggle. I spend a lot of my time in a classroom using poetry to teach different subjects to scholars and also grow them emotionally in order for them to work out traumas. I would call my classroom the hospital disguised as a playroom. Read more>>

Shamela Clark | CEO/Nail Professional

My name is Shamela Clark, CEO of Jux Like Honey,LLC since 2016. I am responsible for creating Jux Like Honey Hair Oil. Also the owner & License Nail Professional of Too Pedi. Read more>>

Rebecca Spears | Artist

My name is Rebecca Spears I am the a creator Awkward Citizen apparel. I creat design all the of Awkward Citizen’s apparel. Read more>>

Tina Lytch | Co-founder of Love 41

Love 41 was started by Suzette Munson (wife of Dave Munson, Saddleback President) and her sister Tina Lytch. They were motivated by a deep desire to help the many hurting orphans, widows, and street children Suzette found on her first visit to the country of Rwanda in 2010. Rather than try to accomplish this monumental task on her own, Suzette realized that she and Tina could multiply their efforts by partnering with like-minded women. To gain their attention, Suzette began to do one of the things she does best – design. Since Saddleback already had the capability of manufacturing high-quality leather goods, the best plan was to use those facilities to produce women’s leather products such as backpacks, totes, and purses. The profits from the sales of those products would be used to further the mission of helping the helpless around the world through education, job training, the teaching of God’s Word, and numerous other avenues. With that, Love 41 was born and today continues toward its goal of reaching those less fortunate in places far and near. Read more>>

Pamela D. Smith | Author, Mentor, Speaker

I am Pamela D. Smith, a Wife, Mother, Prayer Leader, Speaker, Author, and Mentor. I help women use prayer, writing, and self-care to live purposefully and serve authentically. My books are written for the modern-day woman of faith who desires to live a lifestyle of prayer and demonstrate her faith in the marketplace. The pages of my books, my speeches, and my mentoring ministers to the woman who wants to walk boldly in her purpose and understands that faith and purpose is not limited to those behind a pulpit or a podium. Read more>>

Artisha Moore | Noninvasive Body Sculpting Aesthetic Nurse

My name is Artisha Moore. I am the owner of Boomin’ Body Spa by Artisha LLC. I run a noninvasive med spa that specializes in gut health, not just body sculpting. I have been a nurse for 21 years and I love making people feel great about themselves. I am currently in medical school retaining my doctorate degree in Functional Health, or Holistic Medicine as some people refer to it. Read more>>

Rogers Healy | Owner, CEO, Realtor, Music Enthusiast

I am the Owner and CEO of the Rogers Healy Companies. I have been in the real estate industry for over 20 years, and I am continually looking for ways to evolve the industry. Read more>>

Antonio Paden | Upick Mobile Oil owner

My name is Antonio. I’m 28 year old. I’m originally from Arkansas. I’ve been in the DFW area for about 8 years. I started college a Southern University of Arkansas and I dropped out. I tried again at Texarkana college, and guess what. I dropped out there too. Once I moved to Dallas, I got into entrepreneurship. My kids were all babies and I needed to provide for them. I have 4 kids (Ryder, King, Iyah, and Princeton). I’m married to Jameshia. She owns a women’s online boutique (Queen Lux Boutique). We’ve been married for 9 years. I’ve been a CPR trainer, a Chargeback Analyst, an Insurance agent, a Auto Damage adjuster and I’m a musician. Last thing is I’m working on my real estate license for the state of Texas. I’ve started multiple “ventures” I believe that Upick is my most successful one. I started Upick in 2019. I have a business partner who works just as hard as I do. Lastly, I’m apart of the Church of God in Christ. I’m a cool and laid back guy. I love traveling and Tequila. They go together well. I love trying new things. I’m a aircraft lover and I love art. Read more>>

Kristo Blanc | Record Producer, Recording Artist, Creative Director, Creative Production, Artist Manager, Executive Producer

My name is Kristo Blanc. I am a recording artist, producer, designer, creative director, artist developer and much more. I was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. I’ve been making music and creating since I could formulate my own creative visions. My connection with music began in a small studio space at a very young age and I’ve loved music ever since I could remember. Read more>>

The post Community Member Spotlights appeared first on Voyage Dallas Magazine | Dallas City Guide.

source http://voyagedallas.com/2021/08/27/community-member-spotlights-2/

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Becerra Has Long Backed Single-Payer. That Doesn’t Mean It Will Happen if He’s HHS Secretary.

“Becerra supports Bernie’s government takeover of your health care, eliminating your employer-provided coverage.”

— TV ad funded by Cotton for Senate, Feb. 22

This story was produced in partnership with PolitiFact. It can be republished for free.

A digital ad running in Georgia and New Hampshire says Xavier Becerra, President Joe Biden’s nominee for Health and Human Services secretary, supports “Medicare for All.”

“Becerra supports Bernie’s government takeover of your health care, eliminating your employer-provided coverage,” the narrator says.

The ad, funded by the campaign PAC of Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), is part of a blitz from conservative groups against Becerra’s confirmation. It first aired last week and will continue until the Senate’s confirmation vote. The gritty, foreboding ad includes a range of other attacks, including criticisms of California’s covid-19 response and Becerra’s role in legal cases on reproductive rights.

Another ad, this one funded by Heritage Action for America and airing in the Washington, D.C., market, uses similar talking points, including Becerra’s support for “government-run health care.”

Becerra underwent two Senate hearings last week in which he faced questions about his support for Medicare for All.

“Your long-standing support for single-payer, government-run health care seems hostile to our current system from my perspective,” Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) said during Wednesday’s Senate Finance Committee hearing. “What assurances can you give to Americans who currently have private insurance, including through Medicare Advantage, and are satisfied with their insurance provider that they will not lose their coverage in the future to some sort of Medicare for All approach or federal takeover of health care?”

Becerra responded that he was asked to serve at the pleasure of Biden, who has made it clear he wants to build on the Affordable Care Act. “That will be my mission,” he said.

Since a vote on Becerra’s nomination could happen this week, we thought it was important to check the claim from this ad and give context to what power HHS secretaries actually have.

We reached out to Cotton’s press team to ask for evidence to support the ad but didn’t hear back. The ad does cite a December New York Times article with the headline “Becerra Supports ‘Medicare for All’ and Could Help States Get There” to back up the claim.

Noah Weinrich, press secretary for Heritage Action for America, did provide evidence of Becerra’s support for Medicare for All. Weinrich sent clips of press interviews, as well as links to House of Representatives Medicare for All bills that Becerra co-sponsored over his years in Congress.

Where Becerra and Biden Stand on Health Care

Xavier Becerra was elected as a Democrat to represent a Los Angeles district in the U.S. House in 1993. He stayed in Congress 24 years. He resigned in 2017 to accept the position of attorney general of California, which was offered to him by then-Gov. Jerry Brown.

As attorney general, Becerra brought more than 100 legal challenges against the Trump administration for various health, environmental and immigration issues. One of his best-known lawsuits was in support of the Affordable Care Act. California took the lead with 18 other states in arguing against overturning the law before the U.S. Supreme Court. That decision is expected by the end of June.

Since Becerra was first elected to Congress, he has been an advocate for single-payer, or universal, health coverage. This type of coverage can take many forms, but by most definitions, it means the federal government would have some role in funding and administering health insurance for the public.

“I do, as I said before, join my colleagues who support the single-payer plan,” Becerra said during a congressional hearing in 1994. “For me, meaningful health care reform means that we must have universal coverage. We must have portability. We must have choice of provider.”

More recently, this approach took on the moniker of Medicare for All, in reference to Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-Vt.) health care bill with the same name. Sanders’ bill, first introduced in 2017, was designed to eliminate private health insurance after phasing in government-run health care, funded by raising taxes.

In 2017, Becerra said he would “absolutely” support Sanders’ bill. “I’ve been a supporter of Medicare for All for the 24 years that I was in Congress,” Becerra said during a Fox News interview. “This year, as attorney general, I would fight for that if we had an opportunity to put that forward in the state of California, because I think what we do is we give people that certainty that they’re going to be able to access a doctor or a hospital.”

And in 2019, Becerra told KHN’s Samantha Young he’s “been a single-payer advocate all my life.”

Reviewing Becerra’s statements, it’s clear he does support Medicare for All or similar plans.

But, if confirmed as head of the Department of Health and Human Services, Becerra will be a member of Biden’s Cabinet, and the president dictates policy priorities. During the Democratic presidential primaries, Biden was unwavering in his opposition to Medicare for All, instead throwing his support behind implementing a public option health plan and expanding the ACA. A public option is a government-run health insurance plan that would exist beside private health insurance coverage as a choice in the ACA marketplace.

It’s also important to note that while the ad says Becerra supports Medicare for All, thus “eliminating your employer-provided coverage,” that doesn’t mean your health insurance would be eliminated. Rather, it would be replaced by government-run health insurance.

“The notion that by having Medicare for All you’re going to lose insurance coverage is bizarre,” said Mark A. Peterson, a professor of public policy, political science and law at UCLA. “The whole point of Medicare for All is that everyone has health insurance.”

What an HHS Secretary Can Actually Do

Since Biden doesn’t support Medicare for All, would Becerra’s stance really matter?

No, said Joseph Antos, a health care scholar at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute.

“He will not be able to, in this role, push the executive branch or the Congress in this direction in any perceptible way,” said Antos. “About all he could really do is use the waiver process and loosen up the various restrictions that the Trump administration tried to impose on states in the Medicaid programs. But that’s not the same thing as single-payer.”

Antos was referring to waivers that states can ask for in order to change how they administer the ACA exchanges or Medicaid.

Larry Levitt, executive vice president for health policy at KFF, said it certainly is possible Becerra could be called upon to consider state waiver proposals to implement single-payer systems. (KHN is an editorially independent program of KFF.)

“He would likely look more favorably on waivers like that than the Trump administration, which was quite clear they wouldn’t consider them. He might also view such waivers more positively than an HHS secretary that has not supported Medicare for All,” Levitt wrote in an email. “However, Becerra would not be making decisions on state waivers of such consequence unilaterally. He would certainly consult with the White House.”

Levitt added that it seems unlikely at this point any state could implement a single-payer system. Vermont dropped its efforts to do so after it became clear how much taxes would increase. California does have significant support for single-payer, but it seems unlikely to be realized in that state.

Plus, establishing a national single-payer system would require the support of both the president and Congress — and neither is ideologically there.

The White House maintains Becerra would be focused solely on Biden’s priorities and not Medicare for All.

Andrew Bates, a transition spokesperson for Biden, said in a statement that “Xavier Becerra will support and work to enact President Biden’s health care agenda — building on the ACA with a public option — as was made clear immediately after he was selected.”

But Heritage Action’s Weinrich took a different view: “The HHS secretary holds considerable policy-making and rule-making power, and Becerra’s long record indicates he would use that power to expand government’s role in health care in any way he can, with the ultimate goal of a single-payer option.”

Rhetoric Around Medicare for All, ‘Radical’ Californians

In the 2018 and 2020 elections, it was common for Republicans to paint Democrats as “socialists.” Sometimes this was illustrated through their support for Medicare for All or simply being from California.

The same rhetoric is being employed here, said Peterson.

“That Biden, by bringing in these officials from California, and the fact that Nancy Pelosi is speaker of the House, they’re arguing it’s just showing the infiltration of the radical socialist California state into the federal government,” he said. “But this is ridiculous, because there are not socialist politics, per se, happening in California, and often the California Democrats in Washington are moderate.”

Ultimately, though, the goal of an ad like this is to lay the groundwork for future campaigns.

“In a Senate that is split 50-50 and that 50th Democrat is a conservative Democrat, there is opportunity and leverage for Republicans to try and stand in the way,” said Peterson. “The less effective the Biden administration can be, the more effective campaigning will be for Republicans.”

Our Ruling

The ad states, “Becerra supports Bernie’s government takeover of your health care, eliminating your employer-provided coverage.”

Becerra’s past remarks illustrate he does support Medicare for All or other programs in which the government would run and fund health insurance.

We rate this claim True.

Sources:

California Healthline, “With Becerra as HHS Pick, California Plots More Progressive Health Care Agenda,” Dec. 10, 2020

CNBC, “Biden Suggests He Would Veto ‘Medicare for All’ Over Its Price Tag,” March 10, 2020

CNS News, “California AG Would ‘Absolutely’ Support Medicare for All Plan,” Oct. 23, 2017

Congress.gov, S.1804 — Medicare for All Act of 2017, accessed Feb. 24, 2021

C-SPAN, HHS Secretary Nominee Xavier Becerra Testifies Before Senate Finance Committee, Feb. 24, 2021

Email interview with Larry Levitt, executive vice president for health policy at KFF, Feb. 23, 2021

Email statement from Andrew Bates, transition spokesperson for Joe Biden, Feb. 23, 2021

JoeBiden.com, Health Care, accessed Feb. 24, 2021

KHN, “Xavier Becerra in His Own Words: ‘Health Care Is a Right,’” Dec. 7, 2020

KHN, “For California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, Resistance Is Personal,” Feb. 4, 2019

KHN, “What to Know as ACA Heads to Supreme Court — Again,” Nov. 9, 2020

KHN, “Politicians Hop Aboard ‘Medicare-for-All’ Train, Destination Unknown,” Oct. 22, 2018

The New York Times, “Biden Picks Xavier Becerra to Lead Health and Human Services,” Dec. 6, 2020

The New York Times, “Becerra Supports ‘Medicare for All,’ and Could Help States Get There,” Dec. 10, 2020

Office of Attorney General of California, Attorney General Xavier Becerra, accessed Feb. 24, 2021

Phone interview with Anthony Wright, executive director of Health Access, Feb. 23 and 24, 2021

Phone interview with Mark A. Peterson, professor of public policy, political science and law at UCLA, Feb. 24, 2021

Phone interview with Joseph Antos, Wilson H. Taylor Scholar in Health Care and Retirement Policy, American Enterprise Institute, Feb. 24, 2021

Politico, “A Trio of Conservative Groups Tries to Torpedo Two Top Biden Nominees,” Feb. 18, 2021

Twitter, @ddiamond tweet, Dec. 6, 2020

TomCotton.com, “Senator Cotton Launches Ads in Georgia and New Hampshire Targeting Xavier Becerra,” Feb. 22, 2021

U.S. House of Representatives History, Art & Archives, Becerra, Xavier, accessed Feb. 24, 2021

YouTube, “Becerra Can’t Be Trusted — New Hampshire,” accessed Feb. 24, 2021

YouTube, “Becerra — Not the Right Choice,” accessed Feb. 24, 2021

Kaiser Health News (KHN) is a national health policy news service. It is an editorially independent program of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation which is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.

USE OUR CONTENT

This story can be republished for free (details).

Becerra Has Long Backed Single-Payer. That Doesn’t Mean It Will Happen if He’s HHS Secretary. published first on https://nootropicspowdersupplier.tumblr.com/

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Becerra Has Long Backed Single-Payer. That Doesn’t Mean It Will Happen if He’s HHS Secretary.

“Becerra supports Bernie’s government takeover of your health care, eliminating your employer-provided coverage.”

— TV ad funded by Cotton for Senate, Feb. 22

This story was produced in partnership with PolitiFact. It can be republished for free.

A digital ad running in Georgia and New Hampshire says Xavier Becerra, President Joe Biden’s nominee for Health and Human Services secretary, supports “Medicare for All.”

“Becerra supports Bernie’s government takeover of your health care, eliminating your employer-provided coverage,” the narrator says.

The ad, funded by the campaign PAC of Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), is part of a blitz from conservative groups against Becerra’s confirmation. It first aired last week and will continue until the Senate’s confirmation vote. The gritty, foreboding ad includes a range of other attacks, including criticisms of California’s covid-19 response and Becerra’s role in legal cases on reproductive rights.

Another ad, this one funded by Heritage Action for America and airing in the Washington, D.C., market, uses similar talking points, including Becerra’s support for “government-run health care.”

Becerra underwent two Senate hearings last week in which he faced questions about his support for Medicare for All.

“Your long-standing support for single-payer, government-run health care seems hostile to our current system from my perspective,” Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) said during Wednesday’s Senate Finance Committee hearing. “What assurances can you give to Americans who currently have private insurance, including through Medicare Advantage, and are satisfied with their insurance provider that they will not lose their coverage in the future to some sort of Medicare for All approach or federal takeover of health care?”

Becerra responded that he was asked to serve at the pleasure of Biden, who has made it clear he wants to build on the Affordable Care Act. “That will be my mission,” he said.

Since a vote on Becerra’s nomination could happen this week, we thought it was important to check the claim from this ad and give context to what power HHS secretaries actually have.

We reached out to Cotton’s press team to ask for evidence to support the ad but didn’t hear back. The ad does cite a December New York Times article with the headline “Becerra Supports ‘Medicare for All’ and Could Help States Get There” to back up the claim.

Noah Weinrich, press secretary for Heritage Action for America, did provide evidence of Becerra’s support for Medicare for All. Weinrich sent clips of press interviews, as well as links to House of Representatives Medicare for All bills that Becerra co-sponsored over his years in Congress.

Where Becerra and Biden Stand on Health Care

Xavier Becerra was elected as a Democrat to represent a Los Angeles district in the U.S. House in 1993. He stayed in Congress 24 years. He resigned in 2017 to accept the position of attorney general of California, which was offered to him by then-Gov. Jerry Brown.

As attorney general, Becerra brought more than 100 legal challenges against the Trump administration for various health, environmental and immigration issues. One of his best-known lawsuits was in support of the Affordable Care Act. California took the lead with 18 other states in arguing against overturning the law before the U.S. Supreme Court. That decision is expected by the end of June.

Since Becerra was first elected to Congress, he has been an advocate for single-payer, or universal, health coverage. This type of coverage can take many forms, but by most definitions, it means the federal government would have some role in funding and administering health insurance for the public.

“I do, as I said before, join my colleagues who support the single-payer plan,” Becerra said during a congressional hearing in 1994. “For me, meaningful health care reform means that we must have universal coverage. We must have portability. We must have choice of provider.”

More recently, this approach took on the moniker of Medicare for All, in reference to Sen. Bernie Sanders’ (I-Vt.) health care bill with the same name. Sanders’ bill, first introduced in 2017, was designed to eliminate private health insurance after phasing in government-run health care, funded by raising taxes.

In 2017, Becerra said he would “absolutely” support Sanders’ bill. “I’ve been a supporter of Medicare for All for the 24 years that I was in Congress,” Becerra said during a Fox News interview. “This year, as attorney general, I would fight for that if we had an opportunity to put that forward in the state of California, because I think what we do is we give people that certainty that they’re going to be able to access a doctor or a hospital.”

And in 2019, Becerra told KHN’s Samantha Young he’s “been a single-payer advocate all my life.”

Reviewing Becerra’s statements, it’s clear he does support Medicare for All or similar plans.

But, if confirmed as head of the Department of Health and Human Services, Becerra will be a member of Biden’s Cabinet, and the president dictates policy priorities. During the Democratic presidential primaries, Biden was unwavering in his opposition to Medicare for All, instead throwing his support behind implementing a public option health plan and expanding the ACA. A public option is a government-run health insurance plan that would exist beside private health insurance coverage as a choice in the ACA marketplace.

It’s also important to note that while the ad says Becerra supports Medicare for All, thus “eliminating your employer-provided coverage,” that doesn’t mean your health insurance would be eliminated. Rather, it would be replaced by government-run health insurance.

“The notion that by having Medicare for All you’re going to lose insurance coverage is bizarre,” said Mark A. Peterson, a professor of public policy, political science and law at UCLA. “The whole point of Medicare for All is that everyone has health insurance.”

What an HHS Secretary Can Actually Do

Since Biden doesn’t support Medicare for All, would Becerra’s stance really matter?

No, said Joseph Antos, a health care scholar at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute.

“He will not be able to, in this role, push the executive branch or the Congress in this direction in any perceptible way,” said Antos. “About all he could really do is use the waiver process and loosen up the various restrictions that the Trump administration tried to impose on states in the Medicaid programs. But that’s not the same thing as single-payer.”

Antos was referring to waivers that states can ask for in order to change how they administer the ACA exchanges or Medicaid.

Larry Levitt, executive vice president for health policy at KFF, said it certainly is possible Becerra could be called upon to consider state waiver proposals to implement single-payer systems. (KHN is an editorially independent program of KFF.)

“He would likely look more favorably on waivers like that than the Trump administration, which was quite clear they wouldn’t consider them. He might also view such waivers more positively than an HHS secretary that has not supported Medicare for All,” Levitt wrote in an email. “However, Becerra would not be making decisions on state waivers of such consequence unilaterally. He would certainly consult with the White House.”

Levitt added that it seems unlikely at this point any state could implement a single-payer system. Vermont dropped its efforts to do so after it became clear how much taxes would increase. California does have significant support for single-payer, but it seems unlikely to be realized in that state.

Plus, establishing a national single-payer system would require the support of both the president and Congress — and neither is ideologically there.

The White House maintains Becerra would be focused solely on Biden’s priorities and not Medicare for All.

Andrew Bates, a transition spokesperson for Biden, said in a statement that “Xavier Becerra will support and work to enact President Biden’s health care agenda — building on the ACA with a public option — as was made clear immediately after he was selected.”

But Heritage Action’s Weinrich took a different view: “The HHS secretary holds considerable policy-making and rule-making power, and Becerra’s long record indicates he would use that power to expand government’s role in health care in any way he can, with the ultimate goal of a single-payer option.”

Rhetoric Around Medicare for All, ‘Radical’ Californians

In the 2018 and 2020 elections, it was common for Republicans to paint Democrats as “socialists.” Sometimes this was illustrated through their support for Medicare for All or simply being from California.

The same rhetoric is being employed here, said Peterson.

“That Biden, by bringing in these officials from California, and the fact that Nancy Pelosi is speaker of the House, they’re arguing it’s just showing the infiltration of the radical socialist California state into the federal government,” he said. “But this is ridiculous, because there are not socialist politics, per se, happening in California, and often the California Democrats in Washington are moderate.”

Ultimately, though, the goal of an ad like this is to lay the groundwork for future campaigns.

“In a Senate that is split 50-50 and that 50th Democrat is a conservative Democrat, there is opportunity and leverage for Republicans to try and stand in the way,” said Peterson. “The less effective the Biden administration can be, the more effective campaigning will be for Republicans.”

Our Ruling

The ad states, “Becerra supports Bernie’s government takeover of your health care, eliminating your employer-provided coverage.”

Becerra’s past remarks illustrate he does support Medicare for All or other programs in which the government would run and fund health insurance.

We rate this claim True.

Sources:

California Healthline, “With Becerra as HHS Pick, California Plots More Progressive Health Care Agenda,” Dec. 10, 2020

CNBC, “Biden Suggests He Would Veto ‘Medicare for All’ Over Its Price Tag,” March 10, 2020

CNS News, “California AG Would ‘Absolutely’ Support Medicare for All Plan,” Oct. 23, 2017

Congress.gov, S.1804 — Medicare for All Act of 2017, accessed Feb. 24, 2021

C-SPAN, HHS Secretary Nominee Xavier Becerra Testifies Before Senate Finance Committee, Feb. 24, 2021

Email interview with Larry Levitt, executive vice president for health policy at KFF, Feb. 23, 2021

Email statement from Andrew Bates, transition spokesperson for Joe Biden, Feb. 23, 2021

JoeBiden.com, Health Care, accessed Feb. 24, 2021

KHN, “Xavier Becerra in His Own Words: ‘Health Care Is a Right,’” Dec. 7, 2020

KHN, “For California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, Resistance Is Personal,” Feb. 4, 2019

KHN, “What to Know as ACA Heads to Supreme Court — Again,” Nov. 9, 2020

KHN, “Politicians Hop Aboard ‘Medicare-for-All’ Train, Destination Unknown,” Oct. 22, 2018

The New York Times, “Biden Picks Xavier Becerra to Lead Health and Human Services,” Dec. 6, 2020

The New York Times, “Becerra Supports ‘Medicare for All,’ and Could Help States Get There,” Dec. 10, 2020

Office of Attorney General of California, Attorney General Xavier Becerra, accessed Feb. 24, 2021

Phone interview with Anthony Wright, executive director of Health Access, Feb. 23 and 24, 2021

Phone interview with Mark A. Peterson, professor of public policy, political science and law at UCLA, Feb. 24, 2021

Phone interview with Joseph Antos, Wilson H. Taylor Scholar in Health Care and Retirement Policy, American Enterprise Institute, Feb. 24, 2021

Politico, “A Trio of Conservative Groups Tries to Torpedo Two Top Biden Nominees,” Feb. 18, 2021

Twitter, @ddiamond tweet, Dec. 6, 2020

TomCotton.com, “Senator Cotton Launches Ads in Georgia and New Hampshire Targeting Xavier Becerra,” Feb. 22, 2021

U.S. House of Representatives History, Art & Archives, Becerra, Xavier, accessed Feb. 24, 2021

YouTube, “Becerra Can’t Be Trusted — New Hampshire,” accessed Feb. 24, 2021

YouTube, “Becerra — Not the Right Choice,” accessed Feb. 24, 2021

Kaiser Health News (KHN) is a national health policy news service. It is an editorially independent program of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation which is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.

USE OUR CONTENT

This story can be republished for free (details).

Becerra Has Long Backed Single-Payer. That Doesn’t Mean It Will Happen if He’s HHS Secretary. published first on https://smartdrinkingweb.weebly.com/

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The best cheap car insurance in Kentucky

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The best cheap car insurance in Georgia is the Travelers Insurance. They get excellent ratings with and . Their rates are cheaper than most but you have to get your own . I did get a quote for the best cheap car insurance with Travelers but the best cheapest was with Travelers and the last three are $1,200. I was looking for low cost auto Insurance but a cheaper auto insurance company and i get a full coverage. I can’t recommend them at all. I want to be sure for me to drive my car in some accident in the middle of the road if it’s a covered property accident. I want to be sure if I can get a replacement car for my family. I want to save them money but we had no insurance! They are rude and just didn’t even want to help me. It’s a terrible insurance company and one of the worst I’m ever been in. We’ve had 2 accidents, with a second.

I m a financial planner, and I almost always recommend the same type of life insurance to my clients

I m a financial planner, and I almost always recommend the same type of life insurance to my clients. It is, that way you can have your financial future prepared and protect your loved ones. If you buy permanent, permanent life insurance, you will own your permanent coverage if you die during the term of your policy. If you need your current life insurance policy, you may also want to consider a non-temporary life insurance policy. I don t understand how an insurance company would work like that. My parents just retired in 2016, and as far as I know, they don t have life insurance. So they have no need for permanent coverage even though they haven t died yet. I would expect it to be in an amount less than their monthly income, in most cases. What we should focus on is you can see if you need permanent coverage — how long that coverage will last — for your parents (and if they can t take their future with these people with you). But I ve seen some examples where temporary life insurance policies aren t even useful. If your parents have more than 30.

7 reasons you may need life insurance, even if you think you don t

7 reasons you may need life insurance, even if you think you don t need it.  Some people may buy life insurance, but are uninsured, or don t know why they need it or if they should. As part of your life insurance policy, you, as a consumer, are responsible for paying the price of your policy.  When reviewing your rates, the insurance agent should help you determine your eligibility and provide you with a quote. If you still have questions about your life insurance policy and would like to make a payment, the insurance agents will call you at your convenience to make sure you have everything you need. If you don t, you may need to pay a fee. If you need to make a payment, you must pay in the order shown on your policy in order to get approval. The application process varies by state. In some states, you may want to do the entire thing on your phone or via snail mail. For these reasons, it is best to file online as soon as possible on time. When you need life insurance, the one time.

Insurance

Insurance coverage includes: If you don’t think you qualify as a high-risk driver, you might think it’s no use. Your car insurance coverage for low-income drivers is high. A car insurance policy is designed to cover the costs that unexpected accidents and injuries may unleash. If the other party can’t afford the damages and expenses that this situation incurs, the car insurance policy can cover the cost of their medical bills and vehicle repairs for you. A car insurance plan is designed to cover you and your family in the event that an accident or accident costs you too much money to cover. So, if you’re looking to save on your car insurance policy, there’s an easier way to save that extra amount. If you are in a situation that you’re not yet at fault in causing damage that may make it difficult to afford repair, the next step is to consider your options and consider some steps you can take to save on a car.

A million-dollar life insurance policy sounds like a lot, but you might want to consider it

A million-dollar life insurance policy sounds like a lot, but you might want to consider it to be at least your first choice when you’re looking for affordable insurance. Life insurance isn’t an investment… there’s a life insurance policy you can buy for your spouse that will give you a huge payout in case of your passing. But it’s also not an asset. Many people only want or , but the value at that point is just an asset and not a permanent asset. Most people don’t own a car, even though it is almost as safe to buy as a home, get to enjoy and live another day. What a great option to consider when considering life insurance for your spouse. There are two ways you can use life insurance: By working with an agent, or . You can usually . But life insurance isn’t an asset. If you’re in the middle of life, getting a policy is your best bet, and should be the last option before your spouse or anyone else you’d expect to.

4 reasons to get disability insurance, even if you don t think you need it

4 reasons to get disability insurance, even if you don t think you need it. Disability insurance covers a wide range of tasks, from transportation to daily work. You can get $1260+ in disability insurance with just $500 of coverage, and $200+ in lifetime, lifetime, or annual premium. You can get your disability insurance policy as easily as the day before and get the policy in force (within 45 days of starting coverage). This provides more peace of mind and protection in case your disability benefits are exhausted. If the disability insurance your employer offers is $25,000, you can get coverage as soon as the next day. How does disability insurance affect my salary? Unlike most insurance companies, disability insurance companies will consider your salary and the amount of coverage purchased as earnings (earning you the benefit of a percentage of your regular salary), not your actual salary. So don t get disability insurance. Ask your insurance agent if you can buy disability insurance to get a lower level of coverage and greater peace of mind. It s best to compare quotes.

[nicosroom]

New year, same pandemic

Hello, 2021! It’s been a while, Tumblr. 

Given 2020, it seems strange to set goals for the new year ahead. Yet, here we are...

This is a work in progress organized by categories for now; I’m not sure yet if I can muster a 21 for 2021 or a 52 list as I’ve done in years past.

Fitness:

Nine months of stay at home have forced us all to get creative, it seems. I started strong with this in March, when a friend invited a group to do Yoga with Adriene’s 30 Days of Yoga series, aptly called “Home” (having released it in January, I guess Adriene couldn’t have known). I was a bit nervous. The last time I’d done Adriene’s 30 Days of Yoga (January 2016), I injured my wrist and it took about 8 weeks to heal/recover; then, for me, about a year to get back on the yoga mat; and when I did, I would only go to professionally guided classes. So this March, I started slow with an every-other-day routine. l had some trouble forming a habit, though, especially on the weekends, so I shifted to a Monday through Friday commitment; this, I found much more compelling because soon enough, the yoga sessions marked the end of my (at home) workday and the start of my evening “me time.” This yoga habit is one of the better “silver linings” that I exit 2020 with.

Other fitness activities have been hit or miss all quarantine long. I’ve had a fairly strong habit of 20-30 minute daily walks and when I was still in Colorado, I tried to get on the hiking trails each week. Still, I had to lower my daily step goals from 10,000 of the past many years of using fitness trackers, to the far more realistic 5,000. With the gym closed, living in a studio apartment, walking was all I could really manage; and being the stress chef that I am, from March through June (like many), I saw the scale going up ever so slowly. When I got to Ohio, where I’ve tried teaching remotely while living with my parents, I had much more luck thanks to the wide open spaces of their farmland, an enthusiastic walking buddy in their 10-year-old Pomeranian, and both an elliptical (mom’s never realized New Year’s resolution in 2017) and a treadmill (perhaps from the early 1990s). Yet, living with my parents has seemed to wreck my diet, both because they’re such meat eaters, my stress eating (provoked by Zoom university and them), and all the fall/winter holiday foods I can’t resist). While I haven’t been gaining as I was earlier this year, my weight has hovered at 140, about 10 more than I want.

Now, I’m packing up once more and heading to a new state and my own apartment once again. I’m excited to take control of my own grocery shopping, food prep, and space again, but I’m nervous about saying goodbye to the cardio machines and the wide open spaces. It seems, just in time, a friend has introduced me to Cassey Ho’s Blogilates channel and monthly workout calendar, a trove of at home cardio and Pilates  videos that are apartment friendly and largely equipment-free. I started incorporating these into my routine in early December and enter the new year four weeks ahead of the curve on habit-formation. So, here are some fitness goals for 2021:

Daily, 10-min wake up & stretch video 

January 4-25, I’m tackling the Blogilates #21DayTone

After that, my workout routine will be: 

Monday thru Friday, Yoga with Adriene video

Monday thru Friday, Blogilates video(es)

By Dec. 25, 2021, I want to be able to do the splits

Buy a new yoga mat: I’ve had the same one since college (12+ years!), so it’s past due, and I feel really compelled by the product placement in Adriene and Cassey’s videos. And Target just started carrying Blogilates products. But, given how much I now am using my mat these days, it feels like an investment rather than a once-in-while accessory. And actually, I might buy two. Are there recommended folding mats for that are easy to pack when traveling? I’m traveling by car most often now, so it isn’t the worst to bring mine rolled, but when we can resume plane travel...

Work/Productivity:

My research has seriously suffered during the pandemic. There are a lot of explanations: grief and depression and a daily onslaught of bad news; my contingent status in the academy and the overall trash fire of the profession’s unpredictable financial future; and being completely unsettled in my home life while working from home. I’ll feel a lot better if I can produce some writing that I like, so after I get settled in the new place, I have some goals...

First, I’ve arranged to do a book review, which is due February 1, which I hope will be the gateway to feeling like I accomplished something.

Then, I’m aiming to draft this article I’ve been wallowing with for most of 2020. My “deadline” is June 30, which I hope is both generous and realistic, given that the new semester promises more of the same at global Zoom university.

To help me achieve these goals, I’m re-instating one of my dissertation writing techniques, which is a minimum of 40 minutes of timed writing per (non-teaching) day. Many days, those 40-minute writing intervals got repeated 4-5 times; but there are just some days where 40 minutes is all I have, whether its for scheduling reasons or for bandwidth or because it’s the weekend.

Sleeping & waking:

A constant, it seems, is to work on sleep and waking habits. Actually, my sleep habits have improved drastically over the past several years. During the pandemic, I’ve maybe even been sleeping more than ever. And as such, it’s my waking habits that have suffered, given the drastic disruption of routines and the total collapse of any separation between living space and workspace. I’m used to waking up about two hours before I need to be somewhere or do something; I take long showers and like to linger over breakfast. For months now, I find myself lingering in bed for 45 minutes to an hour after my initial alarms, not usually dozing off and repeatedly snoozing them even, but browsing social media (despite there being few updates since the previous night). Subsequently, I feel rushed as I shower, dress, and take in breakfast, hoping that I’ll hit my “home office” space by 9am.

In 2021, I’m striving to…

spend 20 minutes of non-screen activity immediately before bed, whether reading, drawing, coloring, etc.

live by a one snooze limit and get out of bed within 10 minutes of the alarm

also meaning, no social media browsing in bed in the mornings

(as noted above) start each day with a 10-minute stretch routine (even the weekends)

get back to hearty breakfasts… in my rush, I’m reaching for yogurts and various packaged breakfast biscuits or cereals. When I plan ahead and actually prep overnight oatmeal or organize some kind of breakfast bowls, where I only have to add an egg or an avocado in the mornings, I feel much better and my morning work flows more smoothly.

Spending:

Four months living with my parents rent free (down from nearly $1200 a month I was spending on rent), I expected to pad my savings accounts with quite a bit of money in the fall semester, even as I was on a part time salary. But alas, I seem to have not… Like a lot of people, retail therapy has been a favorite way to cope with the pandemic… candles, new boots, a two year supply of Korean facemasks, yet another set of Pyrex, books and more books. I purchased a few things I’ve been putting off for years, including a new laptop (mine was 10 years old) and a proper desk chair (which I’ve never had). In October, I was advised to get new tires before the winter set in ($494). And, my marketplace health insurance plan (including vision and dental), $244 per month… It added up fast.

In the new year, I’ll be on full time salary and have employer benefits, lowering my out of pocket costs on insurance. And although living on my own means my living expenses will surely rise (rent, utilities, grocery, and house supplies), I hope to calm down my discretionary spending once I get the new apartment set up––admittedly, there are some furniture purchases I want to make first (a real couch, a couple bookshelves, a baker’s rack for the kitchen).

Eating/ Recipes:

2020 was such a wreck for my eating habits, even before the pandemic as I navigated my interview schedule, travel, and stress during the tenure-track job market;  and the college’s block schedule (ironically, I was teaching food literature, yet I barely had time to cook or feed myself fresh foods). Then came the pandemic, where I had all the time to cook for myself… and cooking and eating seemed to be the only thing to do. So, I occupied myself planning complicated recipes, brainstorming how to use up any out-of-the-usual ingredients I would need for them. And I also noticed myself picking up new, not healthy habits, like buying non-dairy ice creams on my bi-weekly, masked up and high stress grocery forays. And on top of that, I felt compelled to support local businesses with huge takeout orders that might last me two or three days.

Spring faded into summer, summer into fall and I was settling in for the long haul at my parents’ house. They’re eating habits are generally pretty healthy (my mom has a degree in nutrition after all), but they are also truly midwestern “meal = meat” types. Probably as part of my grad school budgeting, I’ve long adapted to eating meat sparingly, preparing it at home just a few times a month or, more typically, getting it at restaurants while eating mainly vegetarian at home. I also found in my mom’s house that it is stocked with sweets and snacks like it never was when I was a kid––potato chips, cookies, chocolates, sugary drinks. Alone, I manage my inability to resist by simply not buying many of these things, but here they were all the time.

Moving into my apartment this January, it very much feels like I’m setting myself up for success in 2021, as I take control of my grocery trips once more, re-establish my meal prep habits, and dial down meat consumption/dial up veggies.

Here are some recipes I’m excited to try this year:

Oat and banana based breakfast muffins

Crock pot butter chicken

Various waffles (I got a mini waffle maker!), especially scallion waffles; leftover Thanksgiving stuffing waffles; hash brown waffles; and zucchini fritters (I tried to make these on the frying pan last year, but I think I’ll get a better crisp in the waffle maker)

Sweet potato biscuits (for a breakfast sandwich)

Various soups, including Chicken & Hominy Stew with Greens

Hasselback Potato with Cilantro-Peanut Dressing

Cookies: coffee (winter/Christmas), pumpkin (fall)

Read/Watch:

Finish The Bluest Eye (Morrison) - I’ve been stalled on p. 130 since July 2020. Help.

Laura Kang, Traffic in Asian Women

Charles Yu, Interior Chinatown

Tommy Orange, There There

The Lunchbox

History and Memory

Minari

Taxi Driver

90 Day Fiancée (for research)