#healthcare spending accounts
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Types of Health Plans
This post is going to suck to read. I know it will, because it sucks to write it because it’s boring.
Time to put on your big kid pants, because it’s important.
Let’s talk about the three major types of plans and three major types of healthcare accounts, and the talking points of each.
Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) - A general health insurance plan, and (in my experience) the most common. You can go wherever you want for healthcare, but you’ll pay less if you stay within the preferred provider list (a fancy way of saying in-network providers). You don’t need a PCP to refer you to a specialist.
Exclusive Provider Organization (EPO) - You only have coverage for in-network providers. You have no out-of-network coverage, except for emergencies. You don’t need a PCP to refer you to a specialist.
Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) - A very specific insurance policy that covers only certain healthcare provider systems (think hospital systems across a large metroplex). It is usually cheaper, but your choice is significantly more limited. You will need a PCP to refer you to a specialist, and you’ll need special permission from your insurance for an out-of-network provider to be covered.
Fun, right? Not confusing at all. It gets better! There are also healthcare accounts that your policies can offer. Let’s talk more about them.
Health Savings Account (HSA) - Pre-taxed money lets you pay for medical expenses (that qualify). You can invest money into the HSA and it rolls over every year to any employer. Basically, the funds never go away—new employer, new policy, and retirement don’t affect your HSA. This is usually associated with a high deductible, lower premium plan.
Flexible Spending Account (FSA) - This is associated with more traditional health plans. It’s also pre-taxed money, but it expires at the end of the year. Both you and your employer contribute to the fund, but anything you don’t use goes back to the employer, not you. The money doesn’t roll over each year or accumulate between employers. There are FSA plans all over the map in terms of deductibles/premiums, so it’s hard to generalize which one it’s associated with the most.
Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) - I’m going to be honest, I don’t know as much about this one because I personally haven’t worked with one. From what I know, it’s an employer-owned and funded account to help members bridge the gap on their health insurance. You can usually use it to pay copays, deductibles, and coinsurance. This doesn’t roll over and you don’t carry it with you, but your employer is the only one who pays into it.
Confused? Yep.
So how do you pick one? Well. I can't tell you, because it's up to you. But in my opinion...
I have a lot of health problems, so I want the largest network possible. I don't want to try to make a PCP appointment every time I need to see my specialist(s). I'm young and I don't plan on staying at the same employer forever. I'd pick a PPO HSA plan, because of the flexibility of the provider network and the rollover of the account. This will probably be a more expensive premium each month, but for me, it's worth it.
Maybe you're in excellent health. You've worked at your company for decades and have no plans of leaving, and you go to your annual check-up and that's it. Great! Maybe you are fine with an EPO or HMO plan and an FSA. Those could be cheaper premiums.
It's up to you. It depends on your needs and your spending preferences.
#health insurance struggles#health insurance#healthcare#health care#medical#medicine#insurance#medical care#ppo#hmo#epo#hsa#fsa#hra#healthcare spending accounts#healthcare accounts
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"a dude in Texas legally changed his name to "Literally Anyone Else" and he's attempting to run for President against Biden & Trump" [source]
okay, but putting aside the comedic aspect of this, it is concerning the amount of people who are prompted to vote for candidates just because it's funny. I'm not the biggest fan of how his policy about the boarder sounds [Site], but I do implore anyone who is able to vote in the 2024 US election to please research other candidates.
The media is only going to continue pushing the idea it's inevitably going to be Trump vs Biden 2.0 and we have no other options, that we have to vote for Biden again because of Project 2025. Is that whole thing terrifying?
Yeah, fucking absolutely.
But voting for Biden will not solidify our safety from that. Biden is exactly like the rest of them. He always has been. You can't make the lesser of two evils argument when they're both just plain evil.
You cannot say that Biden is even mildly a better choice than Trump when he is currently directly involved in a genocide. That is not some little fucking thing. That in and of itself disqualifies him as a lesser evil. Biden is just as bad as him and he will not save us because he doesn't fucking care.
Cornel West [Site] is an Independent candidate running for President in the 2024 Election. [Policies]
Claudia De la Cruz and Karina Garcia [Site] are running for President and Vice-President as the candidates of the Party for Socialism and Liberation in the 2024 Election. [Policies]
There are options.
There are people trying to change the corrupt foundation our system is built on, but we have to help amplify them because the mainstream media will not.
#have you looked at what's happening in New York & the subways#There's so many reported shootings and deaths and it just seems to be getting worse.#I just looked up subway shooting ny because I wanted to check before saying something#There's reports from like 3 hours ago about someone getting pushed in front of one of the moving subways & there's so many others#or how about the like thousands of police officers that they've got stationed at subways in ny literally doing fuck all#or how everyone's going through a housing crisis and cant afford rent and cant get medical care because it can cost#$4000 to get a fucking ambulance and that's cheap. That's a ride to the hospital less than 20 minutes away probably.#or the rise in hate crimes and bigotry and all the shit they're now trying to censor with the kosa bill#or how terrifying places like Florida have became for anyone thats not seen as an equel by people who dont view most others as equels.#or how they're pouring billions into wars while we're in the midsts of a homeless crisis#suicide rates are at record levels in the us and it's only going to get worse. theyre pulling telehealth which will take away#life saving medical care for people who dont have the ability to go in person. people's ability to get therapy and meds being taken away#Is going to kill people. or how the Biden administration has fucked up their Covid response so goddamn badly#people are referring to the pandemic in past tense and have lost understanding for others who they'd have understood before#they've lied and they've concealed and its killing millions of people and disabling even more. but they will not take accountability.#long covid is ruining people's lives and they've successfully led the narrative that its not real or not that serious.#they will sit there and they will lie. they will say they've protected women's rights and that its a top priority.#they'll say that healthcare is a top priority but have suggested that they'd veto a healthcare for all bill because of its price tag#but will spend billions and billions and billions on a genocide that the majority is against. the system isn't going to begin collapsing#it already is.#its crumbled and we must demolish the corrupt remains and rebuild a better government that gives a shit about people#ALL people.#they use basic human rights as bargaining chips.#the Democrats and Republicans on a Venn diagram is a circle. wake up.
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#i know this is cheesy and sounds like insincere platitudes but idgaf because i mean it#i can't wait until i can come onto tumblr to report good news#and to be in a position to help others instead of asking for help#society revolves about money which is sick and gross but i want to be in a position where i have enough to spare#so i can give it away freely and without financial fear#i want the anxiety around money gone of course#but i also what to have the ability to give to others and tell them there is no shame or embarrassment in asking for help#to be able to do that from a place of knowing exactly what it's like to feel that shame and that dread of an empty bank account#i want to truly live my philosophy that money should not need to be earned through labor when money is necessary to stay alive#labor does not need to be necessary to stay alive anymore#our technological advancements are too great#the only reason we have to work to survive to get healthcare to eat to have a roof over our head#is for the purpose of exploitation and feeding power-hungry gremlins more money than they could spend in over 1000 lifetimes
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I still wonder about the people who double down on communism... and not even like me when I was younger where I got (not the full extent, but got) that the soviet union and such were awful, but just thought that maybe with less terrible people at the helm it could work (later realizing that these kind of things always have power hungry people rise to the top)
Anyway, no I just don't get the "well see, you've admitted your great grandpa owned a chicken, sounds like he deserved to die" people... like the fuck is there even to gain here about being smug while dying on a particularly stupid hill?
#I'm not even gonna try and define what I am with this stuff#cause see; everyone's decided that these terms have super solid cut and dry definitions#when it's like man... people obviously use the same terms to describe wildly different things#you're just being pig headed if you don't accept that and work off what they're saying rather than latching onto a single word#but pig headed they be; so no tossing out single words to latch on to#So what I think is that some level of welfare is both good and also required#and that currency is one of the more effective ways to distribute resources and labor without a whole lot of headache#I want social programs; and if your no details given ask me if I want more or less I'm gonna lean towards more#because apart from the humanitarian point of view; from and economic point of view I think poor people spend money cause they need to#so I think giving benefits; giving health insurance; giving a universal basic income#all end up being good ways to slush money through the system; because things like hospitals benefit from steady use#you want people to have access to them; because that's how they continue to operate#and I think that theft or not taxes are a fact; and I'd rather they go to shit like that#(and I still say senators and the house should only have the healthcare and pay they'd normally qualify for)#(see how long medicaid for all takes to pass if they don't get special insurance; ya dig?)#so that's my point of view; businesses are good; regulation is good; welfare is good; government accountability and transparency are good#I have some terms I could mash together to kinda describe it; but I won't cause that's a fool's errand#so you assign whatever term you want for that in your head; I ain't naming it#but tankies are dumb as shit; I'll say that much; just kinda cruel for the sake of getting a chance to be the one being cruel
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My ideal economy is highly authoritarian which sucks because who the hell is ever going to get on board with that
#my posts#people hate being told what to do especially by strangers but the problem is if we let people do whatever we want then people act evil#but i want a government to calculate exactly how many jobs are needed in Every sector in order for everybody's needs to be provided equally#and then to create quotas and incentived and early track education programs to ensure that these jobs are filled#and in theory because theres so many people and people are so productive that if we just had a neat enough system#then disabled people and children wouldnt Have to work to get their needs met#but they would have a very easy to navigate system for finding remote & temp jobs when they wanted to work#because in my ideal society everyone has their needs met so everyone only works to generate fun spending money#for like tourism and arts and research projects and eccentric coin collections or whatever#i think if someone told you that you would never have to pay for rent or veggies again but u had to work to pay for movie tickets#you'd still want to work a little right? youd want to work a job that Matters so you could clock out and go bowling#basically my ideal society is one where productivity is motivated out of desire for fun rather than a need to survive#and sure not every job is FUN but some people are good at farming and some people are good at accounting and some people are good at making#coffee and all of these things are useful so if you didnt have to worry about working to survive wouldnt you Eventually get bored#and want to fill your time up with Something that contributes to society?#maybe no you wouldnt. but what if you grew up in a community that taught you that 'work' is all about giving back to your community?#that to 'work' is to invest in a society that provides all your basic needs and never leaves you hungry or homeless or without healthcare#and the reward for working is not only that you get to come home to a house that you will never* be evicted from#but All the money you make gets to go towards Whatever you want. it doesnt Have to go towards maintaining the life you already have#all that you earn can be put towards upgrading and expanding your life. instead of rent or mortgage bills#your money can save for a ~fancier~ house or a bidet. or something idk. can you see it?#the biggest problem is wtf is a bureaucracy that is 'easy to navigate' ROFL have you fucking Ever heard of that??#how tf do i invent a government system that understands how all sectors of society work together and can easily & clearly#explain that dynamic and track All of the necessary jobs + resources + people that go into a society#like imagine if a government was there to help make your life better And it actually did that?? doesnt exist. how do i invent something#that does not fucking exist?? im not an inventor im a prenursing student ;-;
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Methods To Save On Health Care Spending In Retirement
Methods To Save On Health Care Spending In Retirement
Retirement is a time to relish the fruits of your life’s labor. A financially secure retirement necessitates a significant amount of effort.
Budgeting, consistent savings, and debt management before retirement are a few examples.
However, healthcare costs can quickly add up and deplete your savings account. Knowing a few things about retirement healthcare spending can help you save…
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#Health Care Spending#Health Insurance Policy#Health savings account#Healthcare Expenses in Retirement#Retirement Health Care
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A big cost and concern for many seniors in the U.S. is the price of prescription drugs and other healthcare expenses—and this year, thanks to The Inflation Reduction Act, their costs may go down dramatically, especially for patients fighting cancer or heart disease.
I learned about the new benefits because my ‘Medicare birthday’ is coming up in a couple months when I turn 65. I was shocked that there were so many positive changes being made, which I never heard about on the news.
Thousands of Americans on Medicare have been paying more than $14,000 a year for blood cancer drugs, more than $10,000 a year for ovarian cancer drugs, and more than $9,000 a year for breast cancer drugs, for instance.
That all changed beginning in 2023, after the Biden administration capped out-of-pocket prescriptions at $3,500—no matter what drugs were needed. And this year, in 2024, the cap for all Medicare out-of-pocket prescriptions went down to a maximum of $2,000.
“The American people won, and Big Pharma lost,” said President Biden in September 2022, after the legislation passed. “It’s going to be a godsend to many families.”
Another crucial medical necessity, the shingles vaccine, which many seniors skip because of the cost, is now free. Shingles is a painful rash with blisters, that can be followed by chronic pain, and other complications, for which there is no cure
In 2022, more than 2 million seniors paid between $100 and $200 for that vaccine, but starting last year, Medicare prescription drug plans dropped the cost for shots down to zero.
Another victory for consumers over Big Pharma affects anyone of any age who struggles with diabetes. The cost of life-saving insulin was capped at $35 a month [for people on Medicare].
Medicare is also lowering the costs of the premium for Part B—which covers outpatient visits to your doctors. 15 million Americans will save an average of $800 per year on health insurance costs, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services.
Last year, for the first time in history, Medicare began using the leverage power of its large patient pool to negotiate fair prices for drugs. Medicare is no longer accepting whatever drug prices that pharmaceutical companies demand.
Negotiations began on ten of the most widely used and expensive drugs.
Among the ten drugs selected for Medicare drug price negotiation were Eliquis, used by 3.7 million Americans and Jardiance and Xarelto, each used by over a million people. The ten drugs account for the highest total spending in Medicare Part D prescription plans...
How are all these cost-savings being paid for?
The government is able to pay for these benefits by making sure the biggest corporations in America are paying their fair share of federal taxes.
In 2020, for instance, dozens of American companies on the Fortune 500 list who made $40 billion in profit paid zero in federal taxes.
Starting in 2023, U.S. corporations are required to pay a minimum corporate tax of 15 percent. The Inflation Reduction Act created the CAMT, which imposed the 15% minimum tax on the adjusted financial statement income of any corporation with average income that exceeds $1 billion.
For years, Americans have decried the rising costs of health care—but in the last three years, there are plenty of positive developments.
-via Good News Network, February 25, 2024
#united states#medicare#healthcare#healthcare access#big pharma#prescription drugs#health insurance#us politics#good news#hope#seniors#aging#healthy aging
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hi!! new pinned post, because the last one had gotten long again-- if you want to read previous posts, here's the first one, here's the second one. the tl;dr from those is that my dad got wrongfully imprisoned abruptly, our place was raided, the cops broke a bunch of shit and took a bunch of our things and still haven't returned them, they left all the broken things for us to spend money in repairing, we had to spend money on a lawyer, trips to visit him, new clothes, medicine and food for him in jail, etc. it was a mess, way more details in both posts. he's back home now, with an ankle monitor because technically his case isn't being investigated yet, they haven't done anything about it at all, the case hasn't moved one ounce lmao it's great, always trust the judicial system and cops!! ugh, anyway!
we found a therapist for my dad who can help her deal with all the stuff he had to deal with while in prison, all the bullying, the depression, the starving, the separation, etc. he needs to get a bunch of other medical appointments, has to get surgery, among other things, but for now things are much better on that front. that being said, he did lose his job and my old redbubble account got suspended without a warning months ago, plus argentina's economy is... really bad right now. food prices rise every day, public transportation prices went up like a 200% in a couple of weeks, salaries are low and stuck there, subsidies are gone, the local peso keeps falling, we have an absolute psychopath as a president who spends more time insulting or threatening anyone who oppose him than caring about people. it's a disaster. for updates on argentina in english, this person on twitter makes very good informative threads if you're interested.
anyway, i used to make around 30/40 dollars a month in redbubble, and that used to help adding up to the donations i got here, and it got suspended, so now i make like 1/2 dollars on teepublic monthly. so... it's a huge loss. there's a lot of things me and my mom are in charge of paying-- groceries, power and water and gas, medicine (she's diabetic, i have some sort of chronic sinusitis), our dog and cat's food and medicines, wifi, phone bills, public transportation, healthcare, my dad's new therapist... so, you know, i really need anything people can donate. even if it's just a single dollar, literally any amount helps. i love fashion so much and i love this blog, i work really hard on it even when my brain says no, and i really appreciate how much you guys love it too. i love seeing people discover new styles, new designers, new things to be inspired by. so, yeah... i'm never going anywhere, but i do need help to basically stay afloat.
as usual, my kofi link is this one: https://ko-fi.com/fashionrunways and my teepublic link is this one: https://www.teepublic.com/user/dinah-lance. thanks for being around and sharing and reblogging my posts, thanks for asking questions about fashion, and of course thanks for helping to the ones who can, and thanks to the ones who can't too, i know how that feels like, don't worry about it. love you 💖
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if we're like, showing graphs and stuff, this is the type that i think a lot of people on tumblr are thinking of when they think about the economy.
Only one third of people with family incomes below $50k spent less than their income each month. I would guess that a lot of people on tumblr who get aggro about this topic (and the vast majority of people on r/povertyfinance, who discuss this sort of thing a lot) fall into this earning category.
Real wage increases only matter if you got a raise (one third of workers got a raise last year, which means that 2/3rds didn't - included in the economic wellbeing report linked above). Whether or not rent is outpacing wages only matters if you're not going to be rent burdened (more than a third of renter households are cost burdened in every state and 12 million rental households spend more than half their income on rent). Employment rates lose a lot of meaning when you're working multiple jobs to make ends meet (the percentage of multiply employed workers was falling in the US from 1996 to the 2010s, when it plateaued, then it started rising slightly then collapsed in 2020 and has been rising steeply since then and it's too soon to tell if it's going to go back to the plateau or keep going up).
Four in ten adults in the US is carrying some level of medical debt (even people who are insured) and 60% of people with medical debt have cut back on food, clothes or household items; about 50% of people with medical debt have used up all their savings.
Tumblr is the broke people website and yeah, people who are working two jobs to afford $900 for one room and utilities in a three bedroom apartment are not going to feel great about the economy even if real wages are raising and inflation-adjusted rents are actually pretty stable. "The Rent is too Damn High" has been a meme for 14 years so, like, yeah. Even if it's pretty stable when adjusted for inflation it is stable and HIGH.
It's hard to feel good about the economy when you're spending the last few days of the pay period hoping nothing unexpected hits your account, and it's VERY frustrating to be told that the economy's doing well when you've had to start selling blood to buy groceries.
Sure, unemployment is low, that's neat. It's good that inflation has stabilized (it genuinely has; prices are not likely to fall back to pre-inflation rates and eventually you'll likely be paid enough to reach equilibrium, but a lot of people aren't there yet).
But, like, it costs eight thousand dollars a year out of pocket to keep my spouse alive. I'd guess that we've paid off about a third of the 40-ish thousands of dollars he's racked up since his heart attack. His medical debt is why I don't have a retirement plan beyond "I guess I'll die?" So talking about how good the economy is kind of feels like being chained in the bottom of a pit that is slowly filling with water while people on the surface talk about the fact that the rain is tapering off. Neat! That's good! But I can't really see it from where I'm standing.
Inflation really is getting better. My state just enacted a $20 minimum wage for fast food workers. The Biden administration has worked hard to reduce many kinds of healthcare costs. A lot of people have had significant portions of their student debt cancelled.
But a lot of people are still having trouble affording groceries and it doesn't seem helpful to say "your perception of the economy is decoupled from the reality of the economy" on the "can I get a few dollars for food today?" website.
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🦋 THAT GIRL CHALLENGE 🦋
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Start a daily gratitude journal to cultivate a positive mindset.
Practice mindfulness meditation for at least 10 minutes each day.
Set specific, achievable goals for yourself in all areas of your life.
Read a self-improvement book or listen to a motivational podcast each week.
Create a budget and track your expenses to improve your financial literacy.
Take a new fitness class or try a different workout routine to stay active and healthy.
Volunteer your time to a cause you're passionate about.
Practice self-care regularly, whether it's through skincare, baths, or relaxation techniques.
Develop a morning routine that sets a positive tone for your day.
Learn a new skill or hobby that interests you, such as painting, cooking, or coding.
Practice forgiveness and let go of grudges or resentments from the past.
Surround yourself with positive, supportive people who uplift and inspire you.
Start a savings account or investment portfolio to secure your financial future.
Practice assertiveness and boundary-setting in your relationships.
Spend time in nature to recharge and reconnect with yourself.
Take a solo trip to explore new places and gain independence.
Eat a balanced diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
Schedule regular check-ups with your healthcare providers for preventive care.
Practice saying "no" to obligations or activities that drain your energy.
Explore different forms of spirituality or connect with your spiritual beliefs.
Declutter your living space to create a more organized and peaceful environment.
Practice random acts of kindness to spread positivity in your community.
Learn to manage stress through techniques like deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation.
Attend workshops or seminars to continue learning and growing personally and professionally.
Set aside time for creative expression, whether it's through writing, drawing, or crafting.
Practice self-reflection to identify areas for growth and improvement.
Cultivate a mindset of abundance and gratitude rather than scarcity and fear.
Set boundaries around technology use to prioritize real-life connections.
Experiment with different styles and fashion choices to express your unique personality.
Create a vision board to visualize your goals and aspirations.
Practice self-compassion and treat yourself with kindness and understanding.
Explore your passions and interests to find what truly lights you up.
Develop a morning or evening skincare routine to care for your skin.
Take up a regular exercise routine, whether it's yoga, running, or weightlifting.
Practice effective communication skills to express yourself clearly and assertively.
Set aside time for hobbies and activities that bring you joy and fulfillment.
Invest in experiences rather than material possessions for long-lasting happiness.
Foster gratitude by expressing appreciation for the people and things in your life.
Practice forgiveness, both towards others and yourself, to release negative emotions.
Engage in acts of self-love, such as positive affirmations and pampering sessions.
Cultivate a sense of curiosity and wonder by exploring new ideas and perspectives.
Invest in your education and personal development through courses or workshops.
Practice empathy and compassion towards others, seeking to understand their perspectives.
Practice mindfulness in everyday activities, such as eating and walking.
Set realistic expectations for yourself and celebrate your progress along the way.
Surround yourself with supportive friends and mentors who encourage your growth.
Create a financial plan to save for future goals, such as buying a home or traveling.
Practice gratitude by keeping a daily journal of things you're thankful for.
Take time to relax and recharge by engaging in activities you enjoy.
Reflect on your values and priorities to ensure your actions align with your true self.
#that girl#it girl#self improvement#soft life#soft girl#glow up journey#glow up#level up journey#level up#self care journey#self care practices#self care#self love journey#self love tips#self love#that girl aesthetic#mental health#women deserve better#love yourself#health and wellness#healthy lifestyle#that girl lifestyle#it girl mentality#it girl aesthetic#it girl energy#that girl energy#it girl era#girl advice#girl experience
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@biggyb I wanted to answer you and then it became so much that i felt it needed to be it's own post.
So, if it was enacted on a large or ubiquitous scale, that is absolutely a concern, that if everybody had more money prices would just increase, rendering the UBI useless.
what would we do about that?
One the one hand that is basically already what happens anyway, which is why cost of living increases etc are a thing. And on the other hand there are a few mechanisms that can curb that, things like rent control laws.
But ultimately, personally, i believe the real answer is to remove the money aspect and provide the basic necessities directly.
When we say UBI we’re basically talking about the government giving us money (which has to come from somewhere, and that probably means some kind of progressive wealth tax, which is really just wealth redistribution at that point but whatever)
Anyway I believe it would be more effective for the government to provide those things directly (but not exclusively). I believe the baseline for society is everybody has free access to:
HEALTHCARE
All forms of healthcare (this is an important one, the very best we can do should be available to anyone who needs it, with no conditions, no barriers to entry like complicated paperwork, if you need health care you should get it, period.
INFORMATION
This means a free press, and education, true, but i also mean internet access, which at this point in our society i think is necessary for equality
NUTRITION
So, not just food, but a complete diet. This can still be very basic, little more than rice and beans, with medical exemption options of course, but it can be enough that it is the bare minimum food types, maybe rice beans and a couple types of dark green veggie and a couple types of vitamin C fruit. Possibly eggs or peanuts or something. Nothing fancy, just good quality ingredients that contain enough nutrition to keep you not only alive but fully healthy. And i think this should be provided in both raw ingredient form and cooked form.
CLOTHING
This one gets overlooked a lot, but kids need shoes, and struggling people need blankets and jackets, and everybody needs access to clothes, actually. Again, can be very basic, maybe government issued overalls, socks, jackets, blankets, and some kind of cheap tennis shoes would be most of it, but everybody needs access to clothes.
And finally HOUSING
So for example, the government would build apartment complexes that were just freely available to the public, first come first serve, you sign for it and the apartment is yours until you give it up or take another apartment.
We already have our government building and running public schools and libraries, we just need to upgrade those a bit. We already have governments building and running hospitals, we just need to do a lot more of that a lot better and get these private insurance companies to fuck off.
And then we just need to provide the clothes, open the Food Distribution Centers and build the housing.
Because then it won’t be money, so you don’t have to worry about the prices of everything going up because everybody has more income, which you are correct, is a concern. So just provide those things directly.
This is much less like taking money from the super wealthy and putting it into the bank accounts of everyone else, and much more the way taxes are supposed to work taking money from those that can spare it and using it to build a society that is better for everyone - even improving things for those super wealthy people (who now at the very least get to walk around safer from the sick and the homeless and the desperate - i mean violent crime alone would probably do whatever the opposite of sky-rocket is. Ground-dive.)
And people will still get jobs and spend money! Like, just because you provide government overalls, doesn’t mean people will stop wanting fashion brands. But now nobody will die of exposure from not having clothes. Same with everything, for example, the government school system is extremely developed, but there are still private schools, right?
That would be true of all this. If you gave everyone access to basic nutrition, there would still be steak houses and sushi restaurants and stuff. But now you could actually have the public boycott foods they felt were sourced unethically, or you could, say, regulate the fishing industry into sustainability even if that meant fish became so expensive that the average person could only eat fish once a year or whatever. Businesses might die from it, but no people would. Not even the people who used to own those businesses.
For my money, no money is where it’s at. But UBI would be a nice stepping stone.
What UBI experiments show us is that when you give people money and they DON’T get a job, but just exist at the minimum level, they are usually only doing so to accomplish something like go back to school for a degree or take care of a disabled or elderly loved one.
And the same would be true if we just provided everyone with the basics (except healthcare, everybody must get the best we have when it comes to healthcare, anything else is a moral failing that doesn’t bear contemplating)
but yeah, there would be people who would only wear government issued overalls, only live in government barracks, and only eat government rice and beans… but UBI experiments show us that it would be a small percentage of the population, and they'd only be doing it either to accomplish something worthy, or because they were in some way impaired. 90% of everyone else would still be out there getting jobs so they could move into a nice house and eat fish, but now with the security to quit if those jobs didn’t treat them well!
imo, THAT’s how you fix the economic issues surrounding UBI, you take the “income” out of the equation and you just straight up provide the Universal Basics themselves.
"but how would we build all these apartments and run these food distribution centers?"
well, this dovetails into my other favorite solution for the united states.
See, we spend a FUCKTON on the military, and we're just never going to make that stop happening, apparently.
So I say, we INCREASE the military. I say double it even.
And then we use them here, keeping them sharp and employed and trained etc by doing public works.
The military is already full of engineers and cooks and doctors and electricians and forklift operators and everything else.
So get them building apartments and running food distribution and supplementing hospital staffs etc.
All that stuff involves, logistics, and teamwork, and knowing how to run projects and accomplish missions, it's all good training even for the combat personnel, which is only 15% of the people in the military btw.
The rest are those other jobs i mentioned. So hire and train even more of them, and then deploy them here, repairing bridges and building hospitals and managing clothing warehouses and stuff.
anyway. Food for thought.
#ubi#sorry if this is a longer answer than you wanted#i do the words it's what i do#these are the things i think about
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Thank you for reporting on this InstaJock app. It's been helpful to get more information. I work in healthcare and a lot of people ask me about it. So much so that I downloaded it myself to explore the app's features. I wouldn't use it on myself though. I just graduated from med school and I'm not about to waste that education. But one thing I've noticed is this "location feature" where it seems the quality of the jock it might change you into has to do with your surroundings. I have to drive through some more rural parts to get back home and the number of redneck jocks here is freaky. Wondering if you've got more insight into all that.
I’m really glad that my work has been helpful, and I’m also very impressed that you know so much about the app. I’ve never met another person who was able to get the app without falling into its enchantment. You must have protections like I do, or an incredibly strong will. I’m surprised people are interested in the app for healthcare reasons, but I suppose it makes sense. InstaJock turns anyone who uses it into a jock instantly, and jocks are muscular and healthy as shit. If I had to choose between being deathly ill and a dumb jock, I might do the same thing. But we’ll explore the interesting connection between InstaJock and healthcare some other time. Today let’s look at the location feature.
You’ve basically got it all figured out. InstaJock has a feature that tracks your location and turns you into a certain type of jock based on where you are. Or, more accurately, where you spend a lot of time, since it accesses your location history too. Just like all the features it can be turned on and off when setting up an account, or in settings afterwards, but unlike other features it is usually turned on to begin with. It makes sense when you think about it. The app may turn the user into a jock, but they’re still a version of themselves. So their new self should reflect their surroundings. Since you’re in a rural area, it seems most of the InstaJock users there would become redneck jocks.
It is strange that you’re seeing so many though. InstaJock is meant to spread, but… not that quickly. A guy gets turned by the app, maybe invites a couple of his old nerdy friends, and then enjoys being a buff, dumb, sexy jock. The jocks aren’t organized or intelligent enough to turn people on mass. So… someone must be directing them, telling them what to do. They’d have to be smart, but someone the jocks would listen to. There are only a handful of people who could do that. It’s probably the same person whose been using the app to torment nerds, who tricked that nerdy frat president into turning himself, who told that bullied kid InstaJock could help him steal muscles.
I have some theories on who it is. But I shouldn’t say anything until I have more proof. Be careful though. If it’s who I think it is, then our protections… may not keep either of us safe for long.
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i CANNOT stress this enough, but if you prioritize literal FICTIONAL CHARACTERS over a GENOCIDE—you need mental fucking help. The people saying they “can’t” post about palestine due to the most MINUSCULE reasons like “oh i’m a small page!” Or “it doesn’t match my account aesthetic” needs a fucking lobotomy. There is a GENOCIDE going on in the world right now, and the least you could do is spend one—maybe two at most seconds reblogging a post to help spread awareness. now is not the time to be boosting smut fics about characters who dont fucking exist.
And for the people getting pressed about their tags getting flooded with posts about the palestine—like i said, there is a WAR going on. just take a second to use your fucking brain.
#free palestine#free gaza#abby anderson x reader#abby anderson#the last of us#tlou#ceasefire#palestine#anti israel
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Dream Come True - Part 2
Summary: The “Garbage Men” are the guys in the mob who get the dirt on others and clean up after the higher ups. They have many different ways of gathering intel by running legitimate businesses. One such business is Jefferson/Jensen’s cyber cafe where you regularly go to work. You’ve actually become good friends with Jefferson’s daughter and Jensen’s niece. You even volunteered as their after-school tutor. One day, there’s a robbery attempt where you get hurt protecting the girls. This is how you are introduced to Curtis Everett, the guy in charge of the “Garbage Men”.
A/N: Reader is plus sized, femme. No other descriptors used.
Warnings: Shooting mentioned, not written. American healthcare system. Insecure reader. Bullying with an emphasis on fat shaming. Please let me know if I miss any!
Part 1 -- Part 3
Series Masterlist
It's only been a few days but you find yourself unable to follow the advice of the medical staff and get some rest. Your brain won't let you. You've got budgets to consider, a resume to update, and follow up appointments to schedule. Thankfully when Jake and Jefferson had brought the girls for a visit they made sure to bring your laptop.
Because you hated not knowing, you opted to spend your time researching to see about how much you might be getting from that back-pay promised by Curtis. Jefferson had assured you that Curtis did, in fact, have that kind of pull but "please don't dig too much into it." You got the impression not everything was on the up-and-up but you have bills to pay so you agreed.
On day four you got a notice of deposit from your bank. You took a look and your jaw dropped. That couldn't be right! You'd done the research. There's no way even an experienced, highly qualified tutor would ever be earning that much! There must've been a mistake! You immediately make a note to tell someone who knows Curtis.
Curtis and Mace were going through their weekly itineraries. Between the two of them nothing got lost. Mace would, occasionally, grumble about needing a vacation but the two of them were the only people who keep all the moving pieces in mind.
"At least we can check a few things off the list this week," Curtis grunted. "Hal's got the bugs planted in the Smith law building. Jake's confirmed they're working."
"Fowler confirmed McMann won't be a problem," Mace reported. "Apparently the guy's busy trying to hunt down the guy that ran away with his wife."
Curtis chuckled at that. "That was Nat, right?"
Mace smiled, "yeah. Nat called "dibs" and we didn't have a counterargument."
"McMann's gonna spend a long time searching," Curtis shakes his head. "Nat's the best at not being found when she doesn't want to be."
"And the Missus is definitely better off," Mace agreed. "Nat's setting her up for life."
"That reminds me," Curtis interjected. "How's the back-pay for Hero doing?"
Mace double checked a few things on his phone before replying, "it's been deposited into her account."
"Good. One more thing we can cross off the list."
"Not yet, actually," Mace hesitated. Curtis gave him a curious look. "Turns out, she's trying to get ahold of you to talk about the amount. Beck says she's adamant that it's too much."
"Huh," Curtis's eyebrows raised. "There's something you don't hear every day. I'll talk to Barber and got some legal-ese that'll explain without explaining."
Mace nods and the two continue their meeting, switching to ongoing tasks.
"Excuse me?" It's been a few days since the money hit your account and you've finally gotten a visit from Curtis.
They kept you at the hospital longer because your stress levels made it "irresponsible" for Dr. Beck to discharge you, lest you have a heart attack as soon as you get outside. At this point you're certain Dr. Beck wants to get as much money from your stay as he can. Everyone who visits, however, says otherwise.
"Hazard pay," Curtis patiently repeated. "That's why there's so much more money than you expected."
"You can't expect me to believe that!" You are indignant. "That's not how hazard pay works. I've done my research Mr. um, Mr." you pause because you realize you don't know his last name. You feel the pang of embarrassment because you've been saying you've done your research but you don't know something as simple as a last name! You push past it and continue, "I've done my research, sir!"
You open up your laptop and bring up all of your documents of notes, focusing in on the bibliography. "I've got data from reputed tutoring websites, the Department of Labor, Glassdoor, even the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and none of them support the amount I was given."
Curtis finds himself smiling. He's been talked back to plenty of times, but never like this. "You're cute," he blurts out.
Thinking he's making fun of you, you look away from him and try not to show too much hurt. Curtis assures, "I'm not saying that to belittle you. You really have put a lot of work into this."
You shake your head, "it's besides the point, sir. You've grossly overpaid me. I know you've overpaid me. Yet you are refusing to acknowledge this."
"That's partly because I'm not sure why it's such a big deal to you," he calmly states.
"Because I don't want to cheat you!"
"Are you saying there's a price limit for saving my nieces?"
"I mean, technically there is. Could probably use some actuarial tables used in life insurance policies to find it out." Curtis gives you a hard glare but you persist, "I'm not saying that your nieces aren't priceless. I'm saying that I don't want to take what isn't mine. This is a lot of money and I don't want you going hungry or something because you feel you owe me when you don't. I only did what any decent person would do!"
"It's been my experience that decent people are rarities," Curtis stated. "As such they, and by extension you, should be treated well and given plenty."
"That's another part of the problem," you sighed. "I have not been told anything specific but I've seen and heard enough to suspect that this money might not be... legitimate."
Curtis's jaw tensed up. He'd have to have a word with the J's about being more careful. "I assure you," he nearly growled, "that the money you received was honestly earned by us and then you. All tax forms have been taken care of. All employment paperwork is settled."
You meet his gaze, undeterred by the intensity in his eyes. You see no signs of trickery. Nothing in those icy blue eyes indicating he was hiding the truth from you. You nod your acceptance and he relaxes a bit.
"Now," he says in a much lighter tone, "was there anything else?"
"Um, just one," you replied. "You said that I'm officially employed? That you might have more work for me? Who am I employed by and what other work should I be ready for?"
"The official name of my company is Everett Enterprises," he explained. "That's the company title on your W-2. As for the "other work" that was implied, it's simply a notice that I may have other employees in need of a tutor. I know Hal has been looking at getting his GED."
"So all you would need from me is more tutoring?"
Curtis can hear the tremor in your voice. You're a good person who doesn't want to get mixed up in anything illegal and he's happy to accommodate that. "Yes," he asserts. "Though that may involve helping some of my people learn how to cite their sources like you did."
That gets a half smile from you and Curtis considers the conversation done. "Now please follow the doctor's orders and rest up," he pleads. As he turns to leave he says, "make sure to get your beauty sleep."
Because he's facing away he doesn't see your face fall at the comment.
Part 1 -- Part 3
Tagging @alicedopey because I promised I would.
@dontbescaredtosingalong
@icefrozendeadlyqueen
@texmexdarling
@veltana
@winter-soldier-101
Let me know if you'd like to be tagged.
#curtis everett x reader#curtis everett x plus size!reader#plus size!reader#mob!curtis everett#mafia!curtis everett#dream come true
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On your becoming more well read: what are some reliable somewhat accurate news apps you’d recommend? Also can you make a post on books to read?
The reality is that no media is fully reliable. There’s no such thing as fully accurate reporting. The best we can do is read everything with a pinch of salt.
The next bit could be a little controversial but it is something everyone needs to hear.
In order to form opinions, you must be able to read and consume all sides and spectrums.
That means reading left wing AND right wing news, no matter how aggravating either are.
You can’t tell good journalism from bad journalism unless and until you’ve experienced both. The same way, you cannot form opinions about a certain topic until you’ve seen all major sides to the topic.
Having said that:
News:
* Annual Review (website) : academic articles, short academic articles, popular articles
* CNA Luxury (website) : all things lifestyle, luxury, fashion, food, living
* BBC
* CNN
* Fox News
* Medium (for personal opinions and weird reads)
* Bloomberg
* Wall Street journal
* Yahoo finance
* New York Times
* Google news app (great if you want to quickly consume news without spending too much time)
* The rest are specific to my native country and my native language
Newsletters:
* Bloomberg open and close (markets and finance)
* Emerging tech brew (technology)
* Morningbrew
* CFO brew (because I’m interested in finance)
* Seedtable (this is the best newsletter you could subscribe to if you wanted to subscribe to just one. It’s business and entrepreneurship related but it’s very diverse- biotech, healthcare, money… it’s fabulous. A man called Gonz Sanchez sends the newsletter).
* A couple of others which are personal and selective because I belong to a certain HNI business organisation because of my family
Being well read doesn’t just meaning the act of reading in today’s world. You have to know things, people and communities.
Other methods:
I’m constantly on the look out for events, conferences and networking opportunities. Regardless of whether it’s virtual or in person (I appreciate both). The said organisation I’m a part of arranges some of the best, most influential personalities in the world to come and talk (I attended a business conference where Mona Kattan spoke; another one where Terry Crews spoke about failures; so you get my point about how big these things are).
If you don’t know where to start, I’d say start with asking your bank. Banks in my country tend to host events, lectures and conferences and as your account grows, your access to selective conferences gets stronger.
Another avenue is work; college; university, you know the usual. Ask your boss if they know of any work related conferences happening.
Look up online to see what’s happening as well in your city. Museums often host events too.
Try attending a wide range of events - art, classical music, finance, motivational speaking, history, religion - it will shape you up a lot.
Charity/ volunteer work is another solid way. You need to interact with a lot of people. Choose what you truly like - is it nature, animals, children, old people, education? Do what you gravitate to naturally. And do it because you genuinely want to help, not just for networking and brownie points.
And I’ll definitely make a reading list sometime :)
Edit: I’ve created a free newsletter with the intention of making you well-read with minimal effort on your side. Sign up here! Launch: 8th January 2023.
#c suite#powerful woman#strong women#ceo aesthetic#c suite aesthetic#personal growth#beauty#working woman#empire#that girl#q/a
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Hey 👋
I’ve been thinking for a while about the potential of me having autism or Asperger’s—
But I’m having the awkward feeling that I’m wrong, and I’m only saying it because I want to be part of it.
stupid, I know.
Im trying not to contradict myself to claim that I have something like this— And k feel like if I do have it, people would be dissatisfied and expect higher things.
…yeah.
Hi there,
It sounds like you are dealing with something called imposter syndrome.
I found an article talking about it.
Why do we have autistic impostor syndrome?
1. We spend our whole lives adapting to what people think we should be. We are human chameleons. In essence, we are empathic metamorphs (a being from an episode entitled The Perfect Mate, from Star Trek: Next Generation), a being that can sense what people around her desire and react accordingly. It is telling that at age 22, I identified heavily with this character. An often misunderstood trait of autism is internal empathic accuracy. This means we make superb social psychologists or are astute in predicting another person’s thoughts and feelings. We are agile in these insights because of our pattern recognition. When we find out we have the traits of autism, we then wonder if this is just another one of our adaptations.
2. We are lateral thinkers. Our superior lateral abilities generate multiple relevant possibilities for any problem. So we hypothesize what we might actually be and come up with many alternatives. Even if autism perfectly describes us, we may still have doubts because some of our behaviors can be attributed to other conditions.
3. Medical professionals do not recognize adult autism, especially late-diagnosed adult autism. Many people I assess describe being turned away by assessors, mocked by health care practitioners when they propose the possibility of autism. There is an acute absence of understanding that our preferred job choices tend to be actors, healthcare workers.
4. Some conditions often co-occur with autism, such as ADHD and alexithymia. This can cause confusion and feelings of being an impostor post-diagnosis since we may not neatly fit the description of autism. Quite possibly, it’s more than just autism that will comprehensively account for our behaviours and feelings. Until we find out what that is, we can still have doubts about our diagnosis.
5. We don’t fit the stereotypes. Sheldon Cooper, Spock, and The Good Doctor are popular TV characters that have greatly influenced the public perception of autism. Yet we often don’t fit these stereotypes. I identified with Deanna Troi, an empath from Star Trek, more than anyone else. Her job was to inform the captain of what other people were feeling and predicting their actions. Research shows that we excel at that. Yet most people will choose Spock—not Deanna Troi—as the most likely autistic on Star Trek.
6. With 90% of funding and websites focusing on autism in children, people do not know our traits. We are not children. People don’t understand how we make it to adulthood without being identified. I can tell you. We act and simulate neurotypical behaviour. We learn from the looks on people’s faces, and we alter our behaviour.
7. Our loved ones tell us that we cannot be autistic. In my journey of processing and understanding, I failed to understand that everyone close to me was also reevaluating their perceptions. They, too, were going back in time and having similar revelations. While we often turn to our loved ones for validation, this is an impossible thing to ask of them. More beneficial is to talk to other autistics or an autistic therapist.
8. Until recently, autistic females without an intellectual disability were often misdiagnosed or overlooked. Irrespective of gender, autistic people without high support needs or who otherwise defy the public or even clinical perception of autism are frequently misdiagnosed. It can obviously create a lot of doubt when medical professionals you assume understand these conditions, tell you that you are something you are not.
The full article will be below:
I hope this helps. Thank you for the inbox. I hope you have a wonderful day/night. ♥️
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