Quick post for today - I didn't post this morning because I was attending a forum on the current state of healthcare as it relates to policy and the Affordable Care Act.
I realized two things - 1. My shoes were not shiny enough to blend in well with the crowd, 2. I'm really glad I work on the "grassroots" side of the issue as opposed to the policy side.
Healthcare in this country is a mess. Without getting political, it's obvious at every level that prevention will have the greatest impact on reducing the financial burden of healthcare.
They shared a statistic this morning - 86% of our healthcare dollars go towards paying for chronic and mental health conditions. Eighty percent of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease are preventable through diet and exercise (along with weight management). These are just two of the preventable conditions that are a huge burden to our collective quality of life and pocketbooks.
The situation is getting worse at a rapid pace. I carry a family policy through my employer. I have a high deductible plan with a health savings account. My benefits haven't changed in my favor for the last 6 years. What has changed is how much I pay yearly just to have that insurance (to the tune of $4000 more this year than it was in 2012!).
Most figures I see regarding healthcare and retirement is that couples need to set aside $275,000 just for their healthcare.
My main motivation for staying healthy, other than feeling better mentally and physically, is to STAY OUT OF THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM as long as possible (without ignoring issues) and to save money.
I view wellness as a collective term to include physical, mental, social, financial and spiritual health. I've admitted that getting more financially healthy will have the greatest impact on my personal wellness. Staying physically and mentally healthy, with a little luck, will hopefully repay my financial health in the long run.
I realized two things - 1. My shoes were not shiny enough to blend in well with the crowd, 2. I'm really glad I work on the "grassroots" side of the issue as opposed to the policy side.
Healthcare in this country is a mess. Without getting political, it's obvious at every level that prevention will have the greatest impact on reducing the financial burden of healthcare.
They shared a statistic this morning - 86% of our healthcare dollars go towards paying for chronic and mental health conditions. Eighty percent of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease are preventable through diet and exercise (along with weight management). These are just two of the preventable conditions that are a huge burden to our collective quality of life and pocketbooks.
The situation is getting worse at a rapid pace. I carry a family policy through my employer. I have a high deductible plan with a health savings account. My benefits haven't changed in my favor for the last 6 years. What has changed is how much I pay yearly just to have that insurance (to the tune of $4000 more this year than it was in 2012!).
Most figures I see regarding healthcare and retirement is that couples need to set aside $275,000 just for their healthcare.
My main motivation for staying healthy, other than feeling better mentally and physically, is to STAY OUT OF THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM as long as possible (without ignoring issues) and to save money.
I view wellness as a collective term to include physical, mental, social, financial and spiritual health. I've admitted that getting more financially healthy will have the greatest impact on my personal wellness. Staying physically and mentally healthy, with a little luck, will hopefully repay my financial health in the long run.
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