Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

If senate republicans had any shame, they’d die of it.

I’m starting to think Jesus may have made a mistake saving people with no questions asked.

Innocent people do not delay justice.

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

There are no moderate republicans – only extremists and cowards.

Come on, man.

Speaker Mike Johnson is a vile traitor to the House and the Constitution.

If you are still in the gop, you are either an extremist yourself, or in bed with those who are.

Text STOP to opt out of updates on war plans.

… riddled with inexplicable and elementary errors of law and fact

People identifying as christian while ignoring christ and his teachings is a strange thing indeed.

The unpunished coup was a training exercise.

You can’t attract Republican voters. You can only out organize them.

Rupert, come get your orange boy, you petrified old dinosaur turd.

“Facilitate” is an active verb, not a weasel word.

We can’t confuse what’s necessary to win elections with the policies that we want to implement when we do.

Give the craziest people you know everything they want and hope they don’t ask for more? Great plan.

Putin must be throwing ketchup at the walls.

This blog will pay for itself.

The party of Reagan has become the party of Putin.

This must be what justice looks like, not vengeful, just peaceful exuberance.

Cancel the cowardly Times and Post and set up an equivalent monthly donation to ProPublica.

New McCarthy, same old McCarthyism.

Wow, you are pre-disappointed. How surprising.

You are here: Home / Anderson On Health Insurance / You love me, you really love me

You love me, you really love me

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Via Comments by Humboldt Blue:

I’m not sure what you motherfuckers are rambling about but I followed some advice from the front page health care guy who types out dense and incomprehensible phalanxes of text and double checked my policies today with covered California. Saved my stupid ass more than a hundred dollars per month with a far better and comprehensive option. Remember, you smug bastards, it aint easy going through life as a dumbfuck and some of us take longer to catch on.

Sure, that shit may be meaningless by summer, but at least Mr. Mind-numbing Actuarial tables got through to someone.

You love me, you really love me!!!

Really, I can’t tell you how much this means to me. Little wins are what I aim for. I needed this … so thank you.

Reader Interactions

53Comments

  7. 7.

    guachi

    People (friends/coworkers) think I know things about Obamacare. But basically everything I know I learned about Obamacare I learned here.

    “Saved my stupid ass more than a hundred dollars per month” is better than what Geico has, that’s for sure.

  12. 12.

    FlyingToaster

    I’m wondering on the over/under when Maura Healey files against the feds for:

    • Right to Work — breaking Mass regulations
    • OSHA — breaking Mass regulations
    • Romneycare — repealing Obamacare takes Romneycare with it
    • EPA — violating Mass clean air and water

    Her Tweet.

  16. 16.

    Spanky

    Just so you know, “Richard”, SOP around here is to be reading a post and monitoring for new ones. When one of yours comes up I always go and read it, but am rarely called to comment since I’m covered by my work insurance and I’m actuarially ignorant.

    So I’m pretty sure the number of folks who read your stuff vastly outnumbers the number that comment.

  19. 19.

    mattH

    You love me, you really love me

    Yes Sally, we really do. Never stop. I’m working on a “free marketer” now and need all the help I can get. Your posts have been invaluable.

  23. 23.

    J.

    I, too, am a big fan of the “front page health care guy.” Thanks for making me a little less ignorant when it comes to health care/insurance. :-)

  24. 24.

    Bob2

    I am a huge fan like I’ve said in the past, but I read dense blocks of text and learn and don’t have much to say if I don’t have anything to add.

    One of my friends kept checking plans repeatedly over the last couple months and found that his area added a lot more than the initial 5 carriers he saw on his first check. Then he checked yesterday and found a great priced silver plan they added at some point after 9pm last night, even though it wasn’t up at 7pm.

    Is this a tactic of insurers trying to pick off low risk younger people who sign up last second?

  25. 25.

    currants

    @rikyrah: Seconded. ME TOO. Richard/David, LOVE these posts. Haven’t been able to convince my brother (in PA) to keep his insurance: he’s self-employed and in the group where he makes just enough to not qualify for subsidies. He’s going to have a heart attack, but I can’t do anything about that or his insurance, though I (and his son) have tried.

  26. 26.

    pluky

    Another thumbs up from an actual Health Actuary. I’ve learned more about the workings of the ACA (especially the game theoretic bits on optimal silver plan design) from your posts than I have from any publications by the SoA or AAA.

  29. 29.

    StringOnAStick

    One more vote here for how great your posts are.

    My husband and I were counting on using the ACA so he could become a part time contractor at his job, so I devoured all your posts. Obviously that changed in November.

    The uncertainty in the health care market is just one of many things that has turned my normally fun and happy boss into someone consumed by stress. His 18 year old son became a quadriplegic last July in an swimming accident, which just absolutely crushed this super-involved, loving dad. He worries about what happens once their son can no longer be on their health insurance since he now has a huge pre-existing condition and that’s about to become relevant again. The burdens on this family now are enormous.

  30. 30.

    Juju

    I know I’m late to this, but I wouldn’t have insurance, or I’d have a bare minimum do nothing policy if it weren’t for Richard/David. His, as it turned out, simple suggestion put me in a position to get into a silver subsidized policy that has helped me in so many different ways financially. I owe him a baked good, dinner, gift card, or some sort of something to express my gratitude.

  32. 32.

    The Moar You Know

    I deal with our workplace’s health insurance(s) (multiple states, you may feel sorry for me now) and I read every one of your posts, even though I rarely comment. But I can sometimes bitchslap our Trump-loving C-level dolts with actual facts and numbers that will affect our bottom line.

    (I’m also the corporate IT/infosec guy, my main job, so you can REALLY feel sorry for me now)

    So yes, I really do love you, you are an invaluable resource for my continued employment, as is Silverman. Between you two, the C-level guys think I have a for-real crystal ball. Nope, just solid facts.

  33. 33.

    Juju

    @StringOnAStick: It’s terrible to lose that peace of mind. I got my own health insurance for the first time in my life at age 53 because I have a pre existing condition, and policies were useless and outrageously expensive. I worry daily about what’s going to happen, and do what I can. I think my Representative’s office people must be sick of hearing from me. Every time I see Paul Ryan’s smug face, I am not sure wether I want to smite him or put a fatwa on him.

    The stress of an injury likes your bosses’ son suffered would be bad enough, but the ACA uncertainty must make the situation unbearable. We need to keep working to prevent repeal.

  34. 34.

    randy khan

    Richard/David deserves many pats on the head (or baked dinners!) for all of the work he’s done helping us to understand health care issues. It’s a real public service.

  36. 36.

    Aurona

    To the once anonymous to the famous, Richard Mayhew to David Anderson, thank you for the help. I’m an infrequent commenter but always reader and have been a healthcare maven in the biz myself for the Big Blues (only admin/office) and learned a lot. Not as much as Mayhew Insurance prepared me for, though. I use your writings for my yearly Medicare choices (for however long that may be) and found the right choice for my pocketbook with The Best Network. Here in Seattle, United Healthcare Plan 1 HMO (AARP sponsored), works for me as I am on no meds and have no major health issues. That’s my line and that’s what I stick to, so thanks Richard/David! We really really like you.

  37. 37.

    Humboldtblue

    I still don’t what your name is, but it was the last two weeks or so that you regularly put up posts to check or sign up or double check and considering me and my brothers and sisters are coordinating the recovery of our father who fell and broke a hip two months ago (he’s doing fantastic and being the Econ/Finance guy he has always been he was well-covered and prepared compared to his youngest son who is a dumbass) I figured it’s better to check and see what I had.

    The comments above certainly validate your contribution and your excellent posts and understanding of the process.

    Sincerely, thank you.

  39. 39.

    sheila in nc

    David/Richard, I post your stuff all the time. And my friends “like” it!
    Also I was at a postcard party Monday night. I chose one of my topics as ACA. Started to write a tome and realized it wouldn’t matter. Just kept it to “HIGH RISK POOLS DON’T WORK”

  40. 40.

    proudgradofcatladyacademy

    Dave/Richard:

    Your advice and information actually allowed me to humiliate a Senior VP at UHC during which he tried to explain how “flawed” ACA was and how UHC did not screw up it was the law itself. Armed with what you posted here, I was able to dispell that nonsense. He said, “well, I see you are channeling your inner Steve Hemsley* as I just finished a meeting with Steve and he said the exact same things.”
    I could not have done those things nor continue to advocate without your “mind numbing actuarial tables” and email advice. I did use your line more money for hookers and blow in a team meeting, which was accidental I swear! Turns out that is frowned upon in business settings. Who knew ? /wink

    *Steve Hemsley is UHC CEO.

  41. 41.

    Raoul

    I know we already have too many tags, but really, shouldn’t dense and incomprehensible phalanxes be added? Seems like this community, perfectly encapsulated!

  42. 42.

    phantomist

    I’ve always found David’s posts very informative and really appreciate that he took the time to answer my question via email. You can never learn too much about the ever evolving health care system we choose to employ her in the u.s.

    Only negative, his referee posts now have me watching soccer on Saturday mornings.

  43. 43.

    JustRuss

    Kudos to David. I see links/mentions of your posts here fairly frequently on other sites. You’re making a difference.

  44. 44.

    PhoenixRising

    @proudgradofcatladyacademy:

    At work when I’m explaining to software designers *why* the price for a simple database is a gazillion dollars if it’s HIPAA compliant, I use ‘strippers and blow’. YMMV.

    Also, mind numbing actuary, it works! Thank you.

  47. 47.

    J R in WV

    David, (who used to hide as Richard)

    I want to thank you for your impenetrable dense actuarial data, as well as the common sense perspective on health care. I had an actuary math Professor for Calc IIII a very long time ago, and so I know that being an actuary is no guarantee of having the ability to explain complex concepts – perhaps quite the contrary.

    Without skilled experts willing to attempt to explain complex stuff most of us would lost in the high brush!

    Thanks for the time you invest here… I hope you can reuse most of it (especially the thinky parts) in your more profitable employment down south. Duke? Really?

  48. 48.

    horatius

    Nobody told me it was Mind-Numbing-Actuary-Appreciation-Day. Count me in as a silent appreciator.

  49. 49.

    Sandia Blanca

    How does that saying go? Balloon-Juice, come for the Cole-injury stories and pet pix, stay for the incomprehensible phalanxes of text.

  52. 52.

    humboldtblue

    @Raoul:

    I like the way you think.

    @DAVID ANDERSON:

    So says you, soooo says you. But then I remember you don’t live in Brazil, so that may be a solid alibi. Cuz he aint been posting and he really needs to do so. I demand he freely give of his time, expertise, and effort for my benefit.

    Worked with you, didn’t it?

  53. 53.

    Aaron

    could someone put a disclaimer up top on the homepage so all the people I told “read Richard Mayhew’s stuff at Balloon Juice if you want to understand the health insurance issues” – so they know where they should actually be looking.

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