COBRA or Obamacare?

Posted on August 3, 2015 by dwreese

I had to decide whether or not to sign up for COBRA coverage from my former employer.  COBRA, or the “Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act” allows former employees under certain conditions to continue to receive certain of their health benefits for a defined length of time, normally 18, or 36 months.  Here are some links explaining it:

FAQs about COBRA Continuation Health Coverage

An Employee’s Guide to Health Benefits Under COBRA

I am fortunate in that my former employer is continuing to subsidize my insurance for several months, which means I can continue to pay the rate I had been paying a little while longer. I have to pay the full amount afterwards, for up to 18 months, until I can get covered for health insurance at my new employer, or else sign up for benefits at HealthCare.gov (Obamacare).

I registered on the HealthCare.gov website so I could see the level of benefits and costs.  For the next several months the choice is easy, keep on COBRA and continue current costs.   If I still need it in a few months, will have to decide to stick with COBRA or sign up for Obamacare.

From what I can tell, comparable plans cost just about the same to the full amount I would pay under COBRA.  Problem is I’m above the cutoff in pay, so I’m not eligible for subsidies to help pay for insurance.  So, in a few months I’ll have to look more closely at it.  Maybe I’ll stick with COBRA so I can keep my same level of health insurance.  Maybe Obamacare will be cheaper and better.  Will see…

To those in the same boat, I would encourage to examine all your options.

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Go After that Dream Job!

Posted on July 30, 2015 by dwreese

Had an article from The Muse in my inbox this morning encouraging me to go for that dream job, even  when I may think I might not be qualified.  It was written by Ellen Fondiler, entitled “4 Reasons You’re Much More Qualified for Your Dream Job Than You Think You Are“.

  • You Have Passion
  • You Have Fresh Ideas
  • You Can Adapt Quickly
  • You Have Real Skills

I almost always excel in each of those areas.  However, there have been a few instances where I declined a higher level position, either because I wasn’t ready to move on, or felt unqualified for that level of responsibility.  One in particular I felt “not ready” to hold that much responsibility, even though there were a number of aspects of that position that not only I was ready and anxious to explore (Passion); I had a number of (Fresh Ideas) of my own I was ready to implement.

As the author eloquently states, don’t let some perceived lack of qualification hold you back.  Go for that dream job!!

Your passion for what you do; your ideas based on your unique qualities; your ability to adapt and deal with change; the skills you have acquired over the years from ALL of your experiences – both professional and personal – those are how you are going to excel and be successful in whatever you do.

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