Obamacare

My brother had an interesting post the other day about why the Republicans are so desperate to make The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) a failure.  He does a good job explaining it, so I won't add anything to that discussion.  What I'm interested in talking about is the law itself - what it will do to people like me, and what it won't do.

When I first left my job at Lester Electrical in 2006, I bought a health insurance policy on my own.  The first year, it was a fairly straight-forward process - fill out a 6 page form, pay the money, and you're done.  About the only claim I made on it was when I tore a muscle in my leg climbing out of a ravine on the golf course (don't ask!).  I made a trip to the doctor, and they ran some tests to make sure I hadn't developed a blood clot.  No big deal, and in a month or two, I was back to normal - or as close to normal as I ever get.

Imagine my surprise when I attempted to renew my policy the next year!  I had about 10 phone calls asking about my accident - did I have a history of problems with my leg?  Was I still having problems?  Do I often tear muscles?  They didn't want to insure me, unless they excluded this type of injury.  Keep in mind, this was a one-time deal - kind of a freak accident.  After much discussion, they finally agreed to write me a policy, but it was a very near thing.  That opened my eyes - what do you suppose would have happened if I'd have been diagnosed with cancer or a heart condition?

Because of my experience with buying insurance, we added coverage for me on Theresa's group policy the following year - no questions about pre-existing conditions, no cancellation (unless, of course, you  lose your job).

Fast forward 6 years, and here we are - retired, one of us is disabled, and we both have pre-existing conditions that would make buying health insurance impossible or unaffordable.  Fortunately, Theresa's company has kept her on insurance for 6 months, so we have not yet had to deal with it.  That will end in November, leaving us only a month until most of the new health law kicks in on the first of January.

After January 1st, insurance companies are no longer allowed to refuse coverage or charge extra for pre-existing conditions - a huge issue for us.  In addition, the lifetime limits are gone, so you don't have to worry about a single catastrophic illness making you uninsurable.

There are a few other nice features about Obamacare - young people can more easily stay on their parent's insurance until they get on their feet, and most people will be required to buy insurance.  In addition, health policies must cover certain procedures - mainly preventative care and women's health screening.  Early reports indicate premiums are lower than expected, but we won't really know about that until early next year.  All-in-all, it's a nice, modest improvement that helps a lot of people have just a bit more security.  What is it not? It's NOT a "government takeover of health care".  It doesn't let the IRS determine your health care.  It's not the end of freedom in this country.  It's a nice, modest improvement.

Is the Affordable Care Act perfect?  Of course not.  It falls short of what I think needs to be done - a "single payer" system like that in almost every industrialized nation on Earth.  I hear conservatives bray about "our health care is the greatest in the world", and I agree - if you have unlimited funds.  If not, you may or may not get the care you need.  In this country, we spend more on health care than any other country, with only fair results.  We need true universal coverage.  Until we do, the Affordable Care Act is at least a step in the right direction.

My New Fitness Buddy!

At one time not too many years ago, I was in pretty good shape.  4 or 5 mornings per week, I'd get up early and run anywhere from 3 to 6 miles.  On Sunday, I'd do my long run - somewhere between 6 and 20 miles, depending on my goals and fitness level.  I've always liked to eat, so I was never rail  thin, but I was reasonably lean and fit.  During this period of my life, I avoided the really bad foods, but didn't really worry about counting calories.

Unfortunately, a series of injuries has limited my ability to run long distances, and the resulting weight gain has made it harder yet to exercise.  I've fallen into some bad dietary habits, resulting in further weight, and even less exercise.  Lately, I've decided I need to get into a little better shape, so I'm trying to watch my diet and exercise at least a little more.

One tool I've discovered is a nifty web site - My Fitness Pal.  The web site syncs automatically with a free smart phone app, and tracks your diet and exercise.  There is a large database of food containing calorie counts and other nutritional information, including many restaurant menus.  If you can't find what you're looking for, it's easy to add foods on the fly.  You can save your common meals, and even input recipes to aid in measuring nutrition.  Best of all, it's free!

One thing I like about the software is it looks at both activity and food intake, lets you set a goal, then tells you how you're doing every day.  Obviously, the calories assigned to both food and exercise are estimated, but it gives you a reasonable approximation that helps keep you on track.  Just having to log your food makes you think about it, and you can see how exercising allows you to eat more (that won me over!).

There are some simple reports, displaying your caloric intake or weight loss graphically, but the biggest value is being able to measure your input and exercise.  It sets up a plan for you to lose one pound per week - a sensible weight loss. 

There's no such thing as a sure-fire weight loss trick.  It all comes down to controlling your diet and developing a habit of regular, fat-burning exercise.  Towards that end, My Fitness Pal can be an effective tool to help you modify your behavior.  If you're losing the "Battle of the Bulge", visit the web site, download the app, and give it a try.