I wish I were older all the time, so I could move into an active adult community and not spend so much time alone and have activities all day long ..... I'm a grateful 49 year old retired widow.... but I do pay 640.00 per month for health insurance it's Cobra, I have spent the last week online and talking with a broker trying to understand it all, I worked for the phone company for 25 years and had excellent insurance and then was covered under my husband it was all so easy, this is another situation , along with taking out the garbage and paying the bills that I really realize how much I miss my Jim.... I am healthy no pre existing anything , I am so afraid of picking the wrong plan and not having proper coverage if I should get Cancer ...I know how much my husbands bills were and what his Chemo cost per infusion and I want to be certain if the care I will receive, Healthnet is the broker I spoke to Saturday and when I asked about Mayo or MD Anderson the answer was no coverage , so I need to talk to someone who can help me understand it all ... wish you luck lots of info on line if you understand it ! Hugs Tracy

My RR health coverage thru United heathcare runs out next week. I've been well spoiled for the past 27 years... I asked & will get whatever the group coverage is thru my charter school job starting the 1st rather than making me wait another month (which would mean going a month w/no health coverage). It's a basic plan w/ high deductibles - can't seem to get a whole lot of details just yet - but at this point anything is better than nothing & they will pay $200/mo for whatever plan I choose... Which any other year I'd probably say just go for it I'm a healthy relatively young 58, but the way this year has gone - don't see taking the chance when the other is available. My oldest D has a friend that is going to research all my options for me now that I have somewhat sketchy information about what is available to me thru the school. The Cobra was just way out of my league - over $600/month just for me & right this moment, my income doesn't even cover my mortgage payments - tho hopefully that situation will soon be different - not the income:) My two youngest boys have been without health insurance for a while now, but I just can't swing it for them & at this point am going to have to let them deal w/being young adults (tho neither has a job at the moment!). Have to deal w/this for 7 more years til Medicare kicks in... Not fun.

Well, if I had a choice, I'd pick younger. That way I could get a decent job that pays my insurance. You're right though, this in-between stuff ain't nothin' nice. I gotta wait 3 years for medicare myself....and even now, those premiums aren't exactly cheap!

Oh, and here is what I lost when I lost my job.....I paid less than $27 bi-monthly for all this.......

Comprehensive Medical/Dental/Vision Plans
Disability Plan
Life and Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance
Reimbursement Accounts
Long-Term Care
401(k) Retirement Plan
Employee Stock Purchase Plan
Basic Employee Life Insurance
Basic Personal Accident Insurance
Business Travel Insurance
Prepaid Legal Assistance
.............................OUCH.....................................

I just wish that I could go back in time to my younger self - and shake some sense into me! Sometimes I wish I was old enough for a senior discount - God willing I will have plenty of time to use it. G-

I've been wanting to be older since my husband passed. Thinking about the same things you are. Insurance is expensive in the US. And the other day I had a mini stroke(I don't believe it). Now, I'm uninsurable and with a job in sales, well, you know where my mind is going.

We do have one thing going for us. The health care bill starts rolling in in a few years. And once you hit 60 you can collect social security benifits. If you become disabled, you can collect it even before that age. So take care and try not to worry.

As my Mom told me, time flies. Enjoy your youth while you can. I can't believe that those words still apply to me at my age. I'm so excited. In two months I'll be 55. I can't wait. LOL.

Tracy, there's a website called www.healthcare.gov. The website has a sortable list of evey plan sold in your state. The site was recommended by Consumer Reports.