Health Insurance

I've been putting this off for as long as I can. Today I decided to face the fact that since I'm not quite old enough for Medicare, I need to find some affordable health insurance until I'm once again employed.

Fortunately, I'm pretty healthy. I eat (more or less - mostly more) healthful meals, drink plenty of water, get enough sleep and exercise regularly. I pay attention to my stress level and this health insurance issue is beginning to cause me some stress, so I need to tackle it.

For most of my life my medical costs have been limited to routine check-ups and tests. There have been just enough serious diseases in my family that I know it *can* happen to me event though it probably won't. Back in 1973, I fell while climbing Mt. Monadnock and broke my ankle. A few years back I had some problems with arthritis that required seeing a specialist and also some physical therapy. Yoga has kept the stiffness under control.

Since CMRLS no longer exists, COBRA is not available to me. I logged onto Mass Health Connector to see what my options are. At CMRLS, I was covered by Blue Cross/Blue Shield so I also called them for a quote.

Given my medical history and because I'm sure I'll be covered by an employer's health insurance plan soon, I'm choosing a Bronze Plan. That has the lowest monthly premiums and the highest deductables, but covers basic wellness visits for just a co-pay.

In the meantime, I'll continue regular Yoga exercises and I'll stay away from Mt. Monadnock.