Thank you to everyone wishing my wife well in her Monday surgery. She's calming a little now that the doctor's nurse called yesterday and told her she has been assigned the earliest surgery time.
The hospital called at 7:11pm asking to be prepaid for our share of the surgery fees. That was disturbing. It was in the middle of Wheel of Fortune! LOL
@kyfdx said:
Current administration is asking for $6B to start expanding the charging network. It's going to happen, at some point, and I'll guess it will mostly leave out gas stations and oil companies from participating.
I don't think it's really feasible to start turning gas stations onto charging stations. Since charging takes much longer than gassing up a car it seems more logical to have the charging stations at parking lots of stores and restaurants.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Thank you to everyone wishing my wife well in her Monday surgery. She's calming a little now that the doctor's nurse called yesterday and told her she has been assigned the earliest surgery time.
The hospital called at 7:11pm asking to be prepaid for our share of the surgery fees. That was disturbing. It was in the middle of Wheel of Fortune! LOL
Wait, what? "our share of the surgery fees"?? Didn't you say earlier you were on Medicare?
"Automakers say opening the car’s mechanical data to anyone would be dangerous—and a violation of federal law. In November 2020, just after voters approved the ballot measure, a trade group that represents most major automakers sued Massachusetts in federal court. The group, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, argued that the federal government, not states, should control who gets access to cars’ telematics systems. The group also said that it would be irresponsible and dangerous to create the open data platform that the law required, especially by 2022. The Massachusetts Right to Repair Committee, representing more than.... "
Also… very tacky move on part of the hospital. Wow.
We have a deductible to pay and may have a percentage fee to pay. I am not sure. I hate to pay and then have to try to get a refund/adjustment if the hospital had the amount higher than it should be.
Also… very tacky move on part of the hospital. Wow.
Our local hospitals all do this.
Another part of the healthcare grift: If you are having outpatient surgery, the hospital will call up and ask if you want to pre-pay your bill, and offer you a 15% discount for doing so. Assuming you aren't on Medicare, this is probably a significant amount. The last two times I was in, the discount amounted to around $500, each time.
But, they don't tell the insurance company they've discounted your share, so you get full credit towards your OOP maximums and deductibles for the year. Great for the hospital (as I assume they get stiffed on a lot of bills), great for me, but not so good for the insurance company (or employer, if they self-insure).
Also… very tacky move on part of the hospital. Wow.
We have a deductible to pay and may have a percentage fee to pay. I am not sure. I hate to pay and then have to try to get a refund/adjustment if the hospital had the amount higher than it should be.
Part C? Medicare Advantage plan?
My wife is new to Medicare, and I'm still learning..
Current administration is asking for $6B to start expanding the charging network. It's going to happen, at some point, and I'll guess it will mostly leave out gas stations and oil companies from participating.
How do we go all electric because we can't produce enough electricity? And, as we discussed, how do people who park on the street, who live in older apartments, who park outside......hook their cars up?
And, how is the power grid going to handle cars going all electric?
How do we go all electric because we can't produce enough electricity? And, as we discussed, how do people who park on the street, who live in older apartments, who park outside......hook their cars up?
And, how is the power grid going to handle cars going all electric?
Just like not every vehicle fills up at a gas station at the same time, every EV won’t charge up at the same time, either.
Exactly. Power grids evolve as needs change, and not everyone will go electric, and those that do will migrate over the next 10-20 years. Power grids are set-up for maximum output, and most cars will charge overnight, when use is low.
Apartment dwellers and street parkers will likely be the last to switch over, if ever. Big apartment complexes will likely install chargers, just as shopping centers and parking garages are doing now.
Just because you as an individual doesn't want an electric car, or can think of those three days per year when it might be inconvenient, doesn't mean that the majority won't switch over. They will. It's coming.
How do we go all electric because we can't produce enough electricity? And, as we discussed, how do people who park on the street, who live in older apartments, who park outside......hook their cars up?
And, how is the power grid going to handle cars going all electric?
Just like not every vehicle fills up at a gas station at the same time, every EV won’t charge up at the same time, either.
I have also seen studies that say the power grid cannot handle the demand. Unlike gas stations EV drivers can fill up at home. Tell me what happens early evening when millions of EV drivers suddenly plug in their cars after their even commute?
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
it is going to take a long, long time before EVs become a significant portion of the pool. Gas engines aren't going anyplace. and IMO EVs need some technology breakthrough to even get there. They have to become cheaper and more efficient. Basically need new battery technology (something cheaper to make that uses much cleaner and abundant materials, and can charge quicker with more range).
And if the grid is too fragile to keep up, that to me means the grid should be getting upgraded now. Texas certainly proved that. EVs are still going to be a small portion of total electricity needs. So heck, how about the country goes back to being creative to solve problems and stop just whining that it can't be done!
Easyish solution for many people is home solar. That should add a ton of juice into the mix! I think a lot of warehouses and other huge industrial buildings (Amazon distribution centers?) are putting that on too to become self sufficient.
The local transit authority in my area (they run the bridges and a commuter train line into Philly) just put huge solar canopies over much of their parking lots at a couple of park and ride stations. I imagine those electric trains use a lot of juice. Curious how much of their needs are being covered now.
How do we go all electric because we can't produce enough electricity? And, as we discussed, how do people who park on the street, who live in older apartments, who park outside......hook their cars up?
Thank you to everyone wishing my wife well in her Monday surgery. She's calming a little now that the doctor's nurse called yesterday and told her she has been assigned the earliest surgery time.
The hospital called at 7:11pm asking to be prepaid for our share of the surgery fees. That was disturbing. It was in the middle of Wheel of Fortune! LOL
That’s pretty tacky. What if you didn’t have the ability to pay electronically, would they cancel the surgery?
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Also… very tacky move on part of the hospital. Wow.
We have a deductible to pay and may have a percentage fee to pay. I am not sure. I hate to pay and then have to try to get a refund/adjustment if the hospital had the amount higher than it should be.
Part C? Medicare Advantage plan?
My wife is new to Medicare, and I'm still learning..
Surgery in the hospital should be the original Medicare, no "Part B" or "Part C" or whatever. And it should be covered. Doctor visits, clinic visits, outpatient care would fall under either "Part B" or the Medicare Advantage plan, and there you have costs.
I had an outpatient procedure last September, a heart ablation. Went in early in the morning, got back home late in the afternoon. They asked for no money up front, and sent me no bills afterwards. I did receive a "Medicare Summary Notice" a few months later. I am signed up for electronic delivery of Medicare notices, but they still send a paper copy through the mail. The total cost was jaw dropping, a little over $96k, yes, ninety-six thousand dollars for an outpatient procedure. But it was covered under original Medicare, and cost me nothing.
Also… very tacky move on part of the hospital. Wow.
We have a deductible to pay and may have a percentage fee to pay. I am not sure. I hate to pay and then have to try to get a refund/adjustment if the hospital had the amount higher than it should be.
Part C? Medicare Advantage plan?
My wife is new to Medicare, and I'm still learning..
Surgery in the hospital should be the original Medicare, no "Part B" or "Part C" or whatever. And it should be covered. Doctor visits, clinic visits, outpatient care would fall under either "Part B" or the Medicare Advantage plan, and there you have costs.
I had an outpatient procedure last September, a heart ablation. Went in early in the morning, got back home late in the afternoon. They asked for no money up front, and sent me no bills afterwards. I did receive a "Medicare Summary Notice" a few months later. I am signed up for electronic delivery of Medicare notices, but they still send a paper copy through the mail. The total cost was jaw dropping, a little over $96k, yes, ninety-six thousand dollars for an outpatient procedure. But it was covered under original Medicare, and cost me nothing.
Medicare Part A (hospitalization) has a $1440 annual deductible. Of course, if you have an Advantage or supplement insurance, they cover that.
Also… very tacky move on part of the hospital. Wow.
We have a deductible to pay and may have a percentage fee to pay. I am not sure. I hate to pay and then have to try to get a refund/adjustment if the hospital had the amount higher than it should be.
Part C? Medicare Advantage plan?
My wife is new to Medicare, and I'm still learning..
Surgery in the hospital should be the original Medicare, no "Part B" or "Part C" or whatever. And it should be covered. Doctor visits, clinic visits, outpatient care would fall under either "Part B" or the Medicare Advantage plan, and there you have costs.
I had an outpatient procedure last September, a heart ablation. Went in early in the morning, got back home late in the afternoon. They asked for no money up front, and sent me no bills afterwards. I did receive a "Medicare Summary Notice" a few months later. I am signed up for electronic delivery of Medicare notices, but they still send a paper copy through the mail. The total cost was jaw dropping, a little over $96k, yes, ninety-six thousand dollars for an outpatient procedure. But it was covered under original Medicare, and cost me nothing.
Medicare Part A (hospitalization) has a $1440 annual deductible. Of course, if you have an Advantage or supplement insurance, they cover that.
True, I had forgotten that. I have never been without a Medicare supplement, and I was just assuming that he would also have that coverage. My bad.
I've got Parts A,B, D and G(Supplement plan). The bill recaps I get list the Hotel Rate, What Medicare pays, and what amount, if any, is not covered. So far, my supplement has covered anything not covered by Medicare coverage.
2024 Ford F-150 STX, 2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
I was so lucky that when I went through my cancer and when we had both kids I worked for a smaller company with amazing insurance. They picked up 100% of the tab except for the first doctor co-pay
My cancer surgery and radiation afterwards was upwards of 300K back in 2008. I don’t even know what the kids cost.
Even with the “good” insurance we have now each event would have been five figures OOP
Also with the hospitals here in NJ I’ve never heard of prepayment and my Mother worked in claims management for the largest hospital system here for 40 years.
Easyish solution for many people is home solar. That should add a ton of juice into the mix! I think a lot of warehouses and other huge industrial buildings (Amazon distribution centers?) are putting that on too to become self sufficient.
Up here in backwards-land the power utility is trying to discourage home solar. The existing rules allow a homeowner to put no more than (I believe) 10 kw annually back into the grid and get a billing credit dollar for dollar with what they would have paid for that same amount of power had they used it otherwise. The utility had a problem with that and wanted to add a charge to solar accounts for what they said were "subsidized" costs the utility was paying for related to the grid, which would stretch out payback periods by many years. The debate over this got very heated and the provincial govt finally weighed in and threatened legislation prohibiting the extra charge, so the utility backed down.
But in the discourse over that, I learned about that 10 kw maximum. Someone stated (and I assume accurately) that the big solar array on the roof of the massive Ikea store down the road from me is rated at something like 80kw, but is throttled back to 10 because of the rules that the utility will not bend on. You also apparently cannot get insurance on your house here if you decide to go off-grid totally and make the investment in a large enough solar system, powerwall, backup generation, etc. And the utility complained that too much solar made it uneconomical for them to invest in sufficient generation capacity that was needed for nighttime use or on days when little solar was being produced. I get that it is a complex problem and my head at times felt like it was going to explode but I'm sure it has been at least partly solved elsewhere.
I’ve never heard of prepaying a hospital bill before a procedure or surgery. On the rare occasion I see a bill, it’s usually mailed month or two after the date of service once the insurance claim was closed. I’ve also been very lucky to have great benefits with all my employers.
I have annual medication costs that exceed $120k a year and it’s been that way for the last 17 years or so. Then, 5 years ago I spent 3 weeks in the ICU for a very scary brush and that stay was about $1.2 million when all was said and done. I never saw a bill for the hospital stay and only see one bill a year for my medication that shows up in April or May for up to the deductible/OOP max (about $2000 total).
2025 Jetta GLI Autobahn, 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xE
I assume that as is common in government/public utilities, they are very resistant to change. They has their way of doing things and like it.
entirely possible the old model of needing a massive fossil-fuel based generating plant is no longer the way to go. Rather, smaller pod style generation could be the future. Which individual solar set-ups basically are. Even micro neighborhood generation might be the future, with the source being variable (solar, wind, hyrdo, even min-nukes (I read about that someplace).
anyway, not my field of expertise but the entrenched big money entities fighting change is a given. I would look to more progressive countries to see what they have done.
All in all, I’ve had a bit of a rough day. This morning the Cardiologist implanted a monitoring device under the skin of my chest. It will call home and rat me out if I suffer any atrial fibrillation. I had a heart ablation procedure a few months back, which fixed the atrial flutter, but they’re afraid I might develop atrial fibrillation now, so they want to monitor for that.
Then this afternoon I wound up getting 4 stitches in my hand, at the base of my left thumb. I paid a couple of handymen types to fix a leak in the roof of my storage shed, and they were arguing about how much of the radiant shield needed to be cut out and replaced. I climbed up on the ladder to check for myself, and when coming down my foot caught and I fell. I have sworn off ladders before, and I should have remembered that. Next time I’ll just call a professional.
Getting old sucks. 10 years ago, I would have fixed that roof myself, and done a better job, in less time. I guess I’m just going to have to get used to paying someone else to do it. I should be grateful that I have the money to pay the professional.
Yep, at our age, never let your butt get higher than your head normally is.
I was so lucky that when I went through my cancer and when we had both kids I worked for a smaller company with amazing insurance. They picked up 100% of the tab except for the first doctor co-pay
My cancer surgery and radiation afterwards was upwards of 300K back in 2008. I don’t even know what the kids cost.
Even with the “good” insurance we have now each event would have been five figures OOP
Also with the hospitals here in NJ I’ve never heard of prepayment and my Mother worked in claims management for the largest hospital system here for 40 years.
same here. I got shots after each treatment (Nulasta I think) that IIRC were about $8k each. Doctor had to get that pre-approved, but they were covered. Wife had the insurance at the time and thankfully it was still a good plan (my current one stinks) so we paid very little but the stack of invoices was impressive.
we still kid our son that we only paid $1.80 for him. Back then our plan covered everything. no co pay or deductibles for anything. So no cost to us when he was born, other than $.90/day for a bedside phone! I imagine doing it today would be many Thousands of dollars (the $2k deductible than 80-90% coverage reimbursement).
Current administration is asking for $6B to start expanding the charging network. It's going to happen, at some point, and I'll guess it will mostly leave out gas stations and oil companies from participating.
Some of them should use the mentality of “if you can’t beat them.. join them”
Start a new division and roll with it. The change to electric and less reliance on oil will happen with or without those companies.
That could be a smart business model for someone who is smart and has access to capital. Start a chain of restaurants with multiple charging stations and a menu that corresponded to the charging time of the vehicles. People could stop for a quick meal and a quick charge.
There are already restaurant chains that give me gas....
NEWS FLASH: There are folks in here that give me gas.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis Ultimate just like jmonroe's. '18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
I was so lucky that when I went through my cancer and when we had both kids I worked for a smaller company with amazing insurance. They picked up 100% of the tab except for the first doctor co-pay
My cancer surgery and radiation afterwards was upwards of 300K back in 2008. I don’t even know what the kids cost.
Even with the “good” insurance we have now each event would have been five figures OOP
Also with the hospitals here in NJ I’ve never heard of prepayment and my Mother worked in claims management for the largest hospital system here for 40 years.
Generally, any Affordable Care Act plan will have an individual OOP maximum for the year. Mine is $4750. Of course, one outpatient surgery, along with the visits to get you to that point, will just about get you to the maximum.
Of course, prescription medication is a whole different thing.
it is going to take a long, long time before EVs become a significant portion of the pool. Gas engines aren't going anyplace. and IMO EVs need some technology breakthrough to even get there. They have to become cheaper and more efficient. Basically need new battery technology (something cheaper to make that uses much cleaner and abundant materials, and can charge quicker with more range).
And if the grid is too fragile to keep up, that to me means the grid should be getting upgraded now. Texas certainly proved that. EVs are still going to be a small portion of total electricity needs. So heck, how about the country goes back to being creative to solve problems and stop just whining that it can't be done!
Easyish solution for many people is home solar. That should add a ton of juice into the mix! I think a lot of warehouses and other huge industrial buildings (Amazon distribution centers?) are putting that on too to become self sufficient.
The local transit authority in my area (they run the bridges and a commuter train line into Philly) just put huge solar canopies over much of their parking lots at a couple of park and ride stations. I imagine those electric trains use a lot of juice. Curious how much of their needs are being covered now.
A few things have to change for EV's to become mainstream. First of all, prices need to come down greatly. EV's start near the mid 30's which puts them out of the range of a lot of people. secondly there are way to many horror stories about the cost to replace the battery packs. Now while I like the idea of EV's I don't think the technology is there yet. However, I might be interested in a plug-in hybrid as many of them do have enough all-electric range to effectively make it as a pure electric vehicle for 80% of my driving.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
I was so lucky that when I went through my cancer and when we had both kids I worked for a smaller company with amazing insurance. They picked up 100% of the tab except for the first doctor co-pay
My cancer surgery and radiation afterwards was upwards of 300K back in 2008. I don’t even know what the kids cost.
Even with the “good” insurance we have now each event would have been five figures OOP
Also with the hospitals here in NJ I’ve never heard of prepayment and my Mother worked in claims management for the largest hospital system here for 40 years.
Generally, any Affordable Care Act plan will have an individual OOP maximum for the year. Mine is $4750. Of course, one outpatient surgery, along with the visits to get you to that point, will just about get you to the maximum.
Of course, prescription medication is a whole different thing.
I should mention that the share price of my funds went down commensurate with the gains reported, so I didn't actually end up ahead and I have to pay taxes on those gains. That's just the way things go sometimes.
This is the exact reason that I don't hold equity mutual funds in a taxable account.
If their tax situation allows it, some people just routinely sell those mutual funds in early December to avoid those situations, then buy them back as soon as they can avoid the wash rules and if the the fund price hasn't recovered from the big drop. Might also be a good time to buy those funds, if you didn't already own them, after that big price drop.
A friend ordered a new dining room set for his home. It finally arrived, but two of the legs didn't match. He called the store to try and resolve the matter. He said they told him the "Marketing Team" will look after it. I told him I don't like the sound of that, handing it to the "Marketing Team" sounds like it could mean trouble. I guess "Customer Service" is no longer used, that would imply they are there to actually help you.
How do we go all electric because we can't produce enough electricity? And, as we discussed, how do people who park on the street, who live in older apartments, who park outside......hook their cars up?
Thanks, very worthwhile. Explained really well......and recycling old batteries seems to be a real problem. I am sure they will solve all these problems one day, but by then my expiry date will have been reached. They said 1/3 of the cars will be EVs by 2030, that seems realistic. I have two ideas; 1) they need to find better more efficient and user friendly reusable batteries, or 2) send old batteries to some planet...like Jupiter, it's pretty big.
Thank you to everyone wishing my wife well in her Monday surgery. She's calming a little now that the doctor's nurse called yesterday and told her she has been assigned the earliest surgery time.
The hospital called at 7:11pm asking to be prepaid for our share of the surgery fees. That was disturbing. It was in the middle of Wheel of Fortune! LOL
Forgive me, I thought I wished your wife success but I guess I didn’t hit the Post Comment button. Not sure how that happened but I’ll check to make sure this post takes.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis Ultimate just like jmonroe's. '18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
I was so lucky that when I went through my cancer and when we had both kids I worked for a smaller company with amazing insurance. They picked up 100% of the tab except for the first doctor co-pay
My cancer surgery and radiation afterwards was upwards of 300K back in 2008. I don’t even know what the kids cost.
Even with the “good” insurance we have now each event would have been five figures OOP
Also with the hospitals here in NJ I’ve never heard of prepayment and my Mother worked in claims management for the largest hospital system here for 40 years.
Generally, any Affordable Care Act plan will have an individual OOP maximum for the year. Mine is $4750. Of course, one outpatient surgery, along with the visits to get you to that point, will just about get you to the maximum.
Of course, prescription medication is a whole different thing.
How are prescription meds handled with ACA plans?
Depends on the plan, but generally, any prescription costs borne by the insured do not count towards your maximum OOP (that's only for medical).
even fossil fuels are cleaner if used at a plant to generate electricity. Much easier to control the emissions. In theory.
1/3 EVs by 2030? Does that mean 1/3 of new car sales? that still means there is going to be a long time before they become the majority, and gassers sold are still going to be on the road for decades. But there is plenty of room for both in the market!
for me, a PHEV plug in would be perfect. our driving is usually either real short hop local stuff (I might not need to plug in more than once a week), or long distance (250+ high speed highway hauls into the boonies). Basically 2 usages that are suited to different cars. So unless I want to spend $100k to have a local car and a travel car, one PHEV is a fantastic compromise for us (and I bet a whole lot of other folks).
Generally, any Affordable Care Act plan will have an individual OOP maximum for the year. Mine is $4750. Of course, one outpatient surgery, along with the visits to get you to that point, will just about get you to the maximum.
Of course, prescription medication is a whole different thing.
I may have misspoke on our OOP maximum. My wife said it is nowhere near 10K. She holds the insurance for the family
Varies a lot by plan and meds. I only fill two prescriptions. One is $0 co-pay, and the other is $7. So, I’m not a good judge of actual prescription costs, just the mechanics of how the plan works. Fortunately.
By ACA plan, I didn’t mean a healthcare.gov marketplace plan (though they fit the definition). My employer based plan meets the requirements of the ACA.
Just throw it in the back hatch and run the wire out the side window to the plug.
LOL
Hilarious this depicts using fossil fuel to power the "clean" electric. More Nuclear power plants are the way to go to generate the electricity for clean power.
Speaking of gas/electric hybrids, we haven’t heard from our friend @suydam in a very long time. Hasn’t he had a transplant in the past - hope he is okay?
I was reading somewhere a few weeks ago (can't remember where) that in Montana and West Virginia driving an EV causes more pollution than an ice vehicle since coal is the primary source to generate electricity.
Comments
She's calming a little now that the doctor's nurse called yesterday and
told her she has been assigned the earliest surgery time.
The hospital called at 7:11pm asking to be prepaid for our share of
the surgery fees. That was disturbing. It was in the middle of Wheel
of Fortune! LOL
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I don't think it's really feasible to start turning gas stations onto charging stations. Since charging takes much longer than gassing up a car it seems more logical to have the charging stations at parking lots of stores and restaurants.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Expand to full screen.
Got to agree - definitely looking forward to this one!
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
@imidazol97
Add me to the list of wishing your wife well.
Also… very tacky move on part of the hospital. Wow.
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Icon I6L Golf Cart
https://www.wired.com/story/fight-right-repair-cars-turns-ugly/?utm_source=pocket-newtab
"Automakers say opening the car’s mechanical data to anyone would be dangerous—and a violation of federal law. In November 2020, just after voters approved the ballot measure, a trade group that represents most major automakers sued Massachusetts in federal court. The group, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, argued that the federal government, not states, should control who gets access to cars’ telematics systems. The group also said that it would be irresponsible and dangerous to create the open data platform that the law required, especially by 2022. The Massachusetts Right to Repair Committee, representing more than.... "
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
not sure. I hate to pay and then have to try to get a refund/adjustment if
the hospital had the amount higher than it should be.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Still pretty funny.
Another part of the healthcare grift: If you are having outpatient surgery, the hospital will call up and ask if you want to pre-pay your bill, and offer you a 15% discount for doing so. Assuming you aren't on Medicare, this is probably a significant amount. The last two times I was in, the discount amounted to around $500, each time.
But, they don't tell the insurance company they've discounted your share, so you get full credit towards your OOP maximums and deductibles for the year. Great for the hospital (as I assume they get stiffed on a lot of bills), great for me, but not so good for the insurance company (or employer, if they self-insure).
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My wife is new to Medicare, and I'm still learning..
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Just like not every vehicle fills up at a gas station at the same time, every EV won’t charge up at the same time, either.
Apartment dwellers and street parkers will likely be the last to switch over, if ever. Big apartment complexes will likely install chargers, just as shopping centers and parking garages are doing now.
Just because you as an individual doesn't want an electric car, or can think of those three days per year when it might be inconvenient, doesn't mean that the majority won't switch over. They will. It's coming.
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2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
And if the grid is too fragile to keep up, that to me means the grid should be getting upgraded now. Texas certainly proved that. EVs are still going to be a small portion of total electricity needs. So heck, how about the country goes back to being creative to solve problems and stop just whining that it can't be done!
Easyish solution for many people is home solar. That should add a ton of juice into the mix! I think a lot of warehouses and other huge industrial buildings (Amazon distribution centers?) are putting that on too to become self sufficient.
The local transit authority in my area (they run the bridges and a commuter train line into Philly) just put huge solar canopies over much of their parking lots at a couple of park and ride stations. I imagine those electric trains use a lot of juice. Curious how much of their needs are being covered now.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
I had an outpatient procedure last September, a heart ablation. Went in early in the morning, got back home late in the afternoon. They asked for no money up front, and sent me no bills afterwards. I did receive a "Medicare Summary Notice" a few months later. I am signed up for electronic delivery of Medicare notices, but they still send a paper copy through the mail. The total cost was jaw dropping, a little over $96k, yes, ninety-six thousand dollars for an outpatient procedure. But it was covered under original Medicare, and cost me nothing.
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Did you get a good deal? Be sure to come back and share!
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The bill recaps I get list the Hotel Rate, What Medicare pays, and what amount, if any, is not covered.
So far, my supplement has covered anything not covered by Medicare coverage.
I was so lucky that when I went through my cancer and when we had both kids I worked for a smaller company with amazing insurance. They picked up 100% of the tab except for the first doctor co-pay
My cancer surgery and radiation afterwards was upwards of 300K back in 2008. I don’t even know what the kids cost.
Even with the “good” insurance we have now each event would have been five figures OOP
Also with the hospitals here in NJ I’ve never heard of prepayment and my Mother worked in claims management for the largest hospital system here for 40 years.
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Icon I6L Golf Cart
But in the discourse over that, I learned about that 10 kw maximum. Someone stated (and I assume accurately) that the big solar array on the roof of the massive Ikea store down the road from me is rated at something like 80kw, but is throttled back to 10 because of the rules that the utility will not bend on. You also apparently cannot get insurance on your house here if you decide to go off-grid totally and make the investment in a large enough solar system, powerwall, backup generation, etc. And the utility complained that too much solar made it uneconomical for them to invest in sufficient generation capacity that was needed for nighttime use or on days when little solar was being produced. I get that it is a complex problem and my head at times felt like it was going to explode but I'm sure it has been at least partly solved elsewhere.
2017 Cadillac ATS Performance Premium 3.6
I’ve never heard of prepaying a hospital bill before a procedure or surgery. On the rare occasion I see a bill, it’s usually mailed month or two after the date of service once the insurance claim was closed. I’ve also been very lucky to have great benefits with all my employers.
I have annual medication costs that exceed $120k a year and it’s been that way for the last 17 years or so. Then, 5 years ago I spent 3 weeks in the ICU for a very scary brush and that stay was about $1.2 million when all was said and done. I never saw a bill for the hospital stay and only see one bill a year for my medication that shows up in April or May for up to the deductible/OOP max (about $2000 total).
entirely possible the old model of needing a massive fossil-fuel based generating plant is no longer the way to go. Rather, smaller pod style generation could be the future. Which individual solar set-ups basically are. Even micro neighborhood generation might be the future, with the source being variable (solar, wind, hyrdo, even min-nukes (I read about that someplace).
anyway, not my field of expertise but the entrenched big money entities fighting change is a given. I would look to more progressive countries to see what they have done.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
we still kid our son that we only paid $1.80 for him. Back then our plan covered everything. no co pay or deductibles for anything. So no cost to us when he was born, other than $.90/day for a bedside phone! I imagine doing it today would be many Thousands of dollars (the $2k deductible than 80-90% coverage reimbursement).
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
NEWS FLASH: There are folks in here that give me gas.
jmonroe
'18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
Of course, prescription medication is a whole different thing.
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2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
It finally arrived, but two of the legs didn't match. He called the store to try and resolve the matter.
He said they told him the "Marketing Team" will look after it.
I told him I don't like the sound of that, handing it to the "Marketing Team" sounds like it could mean trouble.
I guess "Customer Service" is no longer used, that would imply they are there to actually help you.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
I am sure they will solve all these problems one day, but by then my expiry date will have been reached.
They said 1/3 of the cars will be EVs by 2030, that seems realistic.
I have two ideas; 1) they need to find better more efficient and user friendly reusable batteries, or 2) send old batteries to some planet...like Jupiter, it's pretty big.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
I was doing my Sunday morning browsing and left the car idling. The led DRLs looked quite dynamic though this picture didn’t quite capture the look.
2021 VW Arteon SEL 4-motion, 2018 VW Passat SE w/tech, 2016 Audi Q5 Premium Plus w/tech
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
jmonroe
'18 Legacy Limited with 3.6R (Mrs. j's)
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https://electrek.co/2021/12/24/clean-energy-was-the-no-2-source-of-electricity-in-the-us-in-2020/
1/3 EVs by 2030? Does that mean 1/3 of new car sales? that still means there is going to be a long time before they become the majority, and gassers sold are still going to be on the road for decades. But there is plenty of room for both in the market!
for me, a PHEV plug in would be perfect. our driving is usually either real short hop local stuff (I might not need to plug in more than once a week), or long distance (250+ high speed highway hauls into the boonies). Basically 2 usages that are suited to different cars. So unless I want to spend $100k to have a local car and a travel car, one PHEV is a fantastic compromise for us (and I bet a whole lot of other folks).
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
I think the days of no copay > @kyfdx said:
I may have misspoke on our OOP maximum. My wife said it is nowhere near 10K. She holds the insurance for the family
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Icon I6L Golf Cart
By ACA plan, I didn’t mean a healthcare.gov marketplace plan (though they fit the definition). My employer based plan meets the requirements of the ACA.
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Since we are discussing EV's
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
LOL
Hilarious this depicts using fossil fuel to power the "clean" electric.
More Nuclear power plants are the way to go to generate the electricity for clean power.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
2025 Forester Limited, 2024 Subaru Legacy Sport