tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10690613.comments2023-09-29T08:25:34.726-05:00Jim Thomason's "The Business of People"Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12327900069847576688noreply@blogger.comBlogger217125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10690613.post-76030583104336983932015-10-10T11:41:11.252-05:002015-10-10T11:41:11.252-05:00Anonymous I apologize for just now seeing your que...Anonymous I apologize for just now seeing your question. Medicare is always the payor of last resort. After your wife's insurance has paid, you can then use the EOB from that payment and file with Medicare. I do not know what your Medicare deductible is so I can't say for certain what they would pay; but in theory if it is less than $5,000 they should pay something. The question for you is whether what you anticipate claiming from Medicare each year (how many years in the past five has your wife reached her deductible?) is more or less than your wife's insurance premiums.<br /><br />Best,<br /><br />JimAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12327900069847576688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10690613.post-6385844313899287712015-07-08T10:09:11.106-05:002015-07-08T10:09:11.106-05:00My wife is turning 65 in Sept. of this year. Her c...My wife is turning 65 in Sept. of this year. Her company insurance has a $5000 deductible before paying anything, but after that they pay 100%, so she would like to keep it until she retires next year. Would Medicare part B pay 80% of the first $5000 after the Medicare deductible is met? If so, it would more than pay for the yearly payments for part B.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10690613.post-83440811206762449212013-10-06T08:55:16.965-05:002013-10-06T08:55:16.965-05:00Update on airline rewards. In booking vacation tr...Update on airline rewards. In booking vacation trips American Airlines requires 12,500 miles per segment for back-of-the-plane seating and restricted flight times, usually very early morning or very late evening flights. For anytime tickets it is 25,000 per segment. This means a roundtrip free ticket is 25-50,000 points. conversely, Southwest is charging 5-9,000 per segment or about 14-15,000 points. By checking in early using my SWA iPhone app I should get a high boarding number and thus good seats. This is part of my decision to start using Southwest's Rapid Rewards Visa for all my travel instead of AMEX: I will get more SWA points, which in turn will go farther.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12327900069847576688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10690613.post-84453830705303700732013-10-06T08:51:51.698-05:002013-10-06T08:51:51.698-05:00Update on AMEX: I decided to redeem my 70,000+ AM...Update on AMEX: I decided to redeem my 70,000+ AMEX points for vacation coming up in a few weeks. I discovered that the exchange rate of points to dollars is 10,000 points = $100. So my 70,000 points accumulated over 10 months is worth $700. Meanwhile I have been paying 18% interest and, due to the volume of my travel, maintaining a $10-12,000 balance. Most likely I have paid interest far in excess of the rewards that I'll get. This is a big disappointment and I am switching over to Southwest Rapid Rewards Visa for my travel. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12327900069847576688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10690613.post-81375375398352502012013-06-17T15:10:34.510-05:002013-06-17T15:10:34.510-05:00Jim, the book "Your Financial Ratios", w...Jim, the book "Your Financial Ratios", which talks about 8 ratio tests to help see if everything is OK, also provides some reasonable guidance that is ad-free. I've found it very helpful in addition to all the calculators on the web.Joe Sheehanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03681063582209655413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10690613.post-40216089898925071832013-05-12T07:34:35.236-05:002013-05-12T07:34:35.236-05:00Very well said Jim. Thanks...Friday was one of th...Very well said Jim. Thanks...Friday was one of the hardest days ever in my almost 7 years there. My time is short too and I do hope future employers will think as you have expressed when considering their next hire.Ms. Elainehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09919582889159621449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10690613.post-6556140443334275732013-04-09T23:32:16.240-05:002013-04-09T23:32:16.240-05:00Anonymous,your question is a tax question rather t...Anonymous,your question is a tax question rather than simply a benefits question, and I claim no expertise in tax matters. I suggest you contact the IRS Telephone Assistance line at 1-800-829-1040. I find that when you reach out to the government for assistance you are pleasantly surprised with the service, which is free. If you don't want to ask the government you can of course go to your own tax preparer, but since you have Turbo Tax I assume you prefer to do your own. Either way, best of luck!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12327900069847576688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10690613.post-63089310539828434152013-04-09T19:19:06.782-05:002013-04-09T19:19:06.782-05:00Question for you: I was on a High Deductible Heal...Question for you: I was on a High Deductible Health Insurance plan in 2012, paid for by my employer. I didn't work over the summer, so I enrolled in Medicare part B for three months. Then I went back to my High Deductible plan through my employer for the remainder of the year. I also have an HSA that I used to pay my medical expenses. Now I'm doing my taxes, and I'm getting a message from Turbo Tax saying that none of my medical expenses are deductible. Please help! I think I might have done something wrong by having an HSA for even 3 months while on Medicare Part B. Also depend on deducting medical expenses on my tax return for the credit. THank you for any help you can give!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10690613.post-89624395529792676972013-04-07T16:19:21.912-05:002013-04-07T16:19:21.912-05:00Can’t wait to see what you have, Jim. I may do the...Can’t wait to see what you have, Jim. I may do the same. ;-)Michael Hyatthttp://michaelhyatt.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10690613.post-40069608760503402712013-03-29T15:35:54.759-05:002013-03-29T15:35:54.759-05:00Jeff,
Just saw your comment so I'm very sorry...Jeff,<br /><br />Just saw your comment so I'm very sorry to take so long responding. These are statistics that I received going through Lee Hecht Harrison's outplacement program, plus some other web sources that I came across during my search. <br /><br />Thanks,<br /><br />JimAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12327900069847576688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10690613.post-3068334283476771722013-03-05T08:10:03.335-06:002013-03-05T08:10:03.335-06:00Hi Jim,
I was wondering where you got your statis...Hi Jim,<br /><br />I was wondering where you got your statistics on how people find jobs today? Are they from the parachute book or generally accepted stats for job searching or did you find them in a research paper on the subject?<br /><br />Thanks, <br />JeffJeff Fleminghttp://jeffonjobs.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10690613.post-1278837011178961482013-02-26T08:59:29.020-06:002013-02-26T08:59:29.020-06:00Good overview, Jim. I agree with you - complicate...Good overview, Jim. I agree with you - complicated and flawed, but a step in the right direction. It will be a brave new world in just a few months...and we thought high deductible plans with HRAs or HSAs were a challenge...Wendy Spiranoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10690613.post-13646093567346056882012-10-28T11:41:39.445-05:002012-10-28T11:41:39.445-05:00Thank you Brian. Hope all is well with you.Thank you Brian. Hope all is well with you.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12327900069847576688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10690613.post-17560390270870511482012-10-28T11:41:20.865-05:002012-10-28T11:41:20.865-05:00Thanks Elaine. I will be relocating to Indianapol...Thanks Elaine. I will be relocating to Indianapolis right after Thanksgiving but keeping the house here since I probably can't sell it right now. I will be able to do some commuting out of Nashville when I cover the west coast. Hope things are going well for you there.<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12327900069847576688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10690613.post-59906407626591499462012-10-25T10:30:52.518-05:002012-10-25T10:30:52.518-05:00Hey Jim...this is great news! Will you be relocat...Hey Jim...this is great news! Will you be relocating or since it is a regional postion will you just commute from time to time. I am excited for you and your new opportunity...Take that cruise and relax! Ms. Elainehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09919582889159621449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10690613.post-67200313500424365182012-10-24T16:47:34.295-05:002012-10-24T16:47:34.295-05:00Congratulations, Jim. Very happy for you!!Congratulations, Jim. Very happy for you!!Brian Bishophttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00771137918983783710noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10690613.post-74136517787162190722012-09-19T06:28:51.897-05:002012-09-19T06:28:51.897-05:00I think this is a brilliant idea to document this,...I think this is a brilliant idea to document this, Jim. It will be a huge help to people who are in a similar transition. Thanks.Michael Hyatthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08557423750960485716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10690613.post-50471048506966081802012-09-11T09:02:38.699-05:002012-09-11T09:02:38.699-05:00Well said my sweet, dear friend. Many blessings ar...Well said my sweet, dear friend. Many blessings are coming your way. You have indeed left your mark. Thinking of you and all of your com-padres this week. Godspeed to each and every one. Joannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10690613.post-15001453036820617412012-04-25T18:08:24.258-05:002012-04-25T18:08:24.258-05:00Isn't every workplace competitive? I know tha...Isn't every workplace competitive? I know that every "job" or career change I've made since college is ultra competitive between it's workforce. I've seen it a million times, the brown-nosing, the smiles to the superiors and down-talk of co-workers, etc. I can't think of a single place other than a mom and pop run business that doesn't have cutthroat culture.Guy In Nashvillehttp://insuranceagencynashville.com/Health-Insurance-Nashville.htmlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10690613.post-61969922743257228802011-04-15T16:20:13.896-05:002011-04-15T16:20:13.896-05:00I understand and still look forward to hearing wha...I understand and still look forward to hearing what you've got to say!Lindsey Nobleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14721367002471253277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10690613.post-48533122633274093732011-03-28T15:05:41.149-05:002011-03-28T15:05:41.149-05:00I had a Christian friend who worked in communicati...I had a Christian friend who worked in communications for a large consumer brand. While they encouraged her to be active on social media, they discouraged her sharing anything about her faith - they thought it might offend people. It made me so thankful that I work someplace where I can be myself both in person and online.Lindsey Nobleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14721367002471253277noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10690613.post-5440398557506326252011-03-09T23:26:59.964-06:002011-03-09T23:26:59.964-06:00Anonymous,
Not being a medical professional I had...Anonymous,<br /><br />Not being a medical professional I had to look up ESRD. Unless I pulled the wrong link, it appears to be End Stage Renal Disease. My post was relating to Thomas Nelson employees at or near age 65 and how they might coordinate Part B with our HDP plan. I know nothing about Medicare as it relates to non-retirees with chronic or critical care issues and would not hazard a suggestion.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12327900069847576688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10690613.post-82026981074922119362011-03-09T13:53:46.466-06:002011-03-09T13:53:46.466-06:00Question for you:
My son is an ESRD patient and i...Question for you:<br /><br />My son is an ESRD patient and is in the first 30 month period.<br /><br />We have a primary plan with a $2000 deductible. He also has Medicare Part B. <br /><br />From what you say, will medicare pay 80% of that deductible after its deductible (I thought it was $115)? <br /><br />So I come up with (2000 - 115) * 80% = 1508.<br /><br />Am I doing something wrong?<br /><br />Will medicare pay 80% of the doctor copay as well?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10690613.post-76273557203682375122011-02-25T09:14:22.909-06:002011-02-25T09:14:22.909-06:00Great question. Being only able to estimate what y...Great question. Being only able to estimate what your doctor charges for an annual physical or well-woman visit, I'll try to give you a rough comparison.<br /><br />First of all your dental and vision coverage is separate from your medical, so those services aren't changed if you move to an HDP or stay with a PPO.<br /><br />Let's say that your doctor is thorough and your annual visit costs $200. Under Health Insurance Reform both plans will pay 100% of those expenses.<br /><br />Now let's say that of that $200 there was a $100 test that Blue Cross considered outside the scope of an annual visit. You would pay that and it would apply toward your $2,400 deductible (assuming you are taking EE + 1 coverage).<br /><br />The PPO plan will cost you $127.64 per pay period (again assuming EE + 1) or $3,318.64/yr. The HDP will cost you $27.38 per pay period, or $711.88/yr. You save $2,606.76/yr that you put into a Health Savings Account, pay the extra $100 test from that, and put away $2500 pre-tax for future medical, dental, or vision bills as HSA money is yours and rolls forward from year-to-year unlike the FSA that is paired with the PPO plan.<br /><br />How does that sound?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12327900069847576688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10690613.post-39443471072753498162011-02-24T19:49:16.762-06:002011-02-24T19:49:16.762-06:00Jim, all this info about the different types of he...Jim, all this info about the different types of health insurance is really helpful. But it begs the question... If I usually only do the routine physical, dental, and eye check-ups every year, how much are those office visits and examinations going to cost me if I go with an HDP?Misty Bournehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08387253132549154504noreply@blogger.com