So last month, Doug and I sat down with our new budget (the one that is devoid of checks coming in from Mickey Mouse) to try to figure out how many extra gigs he will have to do each month to allow us to pay all of our bills…provide for Noah’s biomedical treatment…and, you know…eat. Sitting down at the breakfast table, we totaled our new monthly income, took out our tithe…and began.
A few days prior to our session, I prepared a list of every single monthly expense that I could think of. Doug read the list, calling out each expense and its corresponding amount. I used a calculator and subtracted each item as he read it off.
When we were finished our “virtual” paying of every bill, we were left with a teeny, tiny amount to treat Noah, buy gas and eat. Since we’re both pretty warped, this was a very, very funny thing.
Now. Let me stop here and say that I’m not trying to “poor mouth” our situation. Nothing sticks in my craw much worse than someone in ministry making a big deal out of how much money they “don’t have”. Just sayin. We are just fine and our budget…such as it was…had definite room for cuts. The cable TV can go…we can adjust our thermostat…etc., etc., etc. So no “poor mouthing” here.
Anywho…when we arrived at the hysterical total that was left for gas, food and Noah’s stuff, we figured that it was either (A) time to cut way back on our spending or (B) make sure that Doug scored at least one extra gig per month or (C), do both (A) and (B).
About a week after our “budget workshop”, an unexpected means of balancing our budget surfaced.
Did you know that COBRA participants are allowed to go through their former employer’s benefits enrollment process, just like the regular employees? Change health plans just like them? Well, I sure didn’t know it. I figured that we were just stuck with the same old, same old until our COBRA eligibility period expires in 2010. So when Disney’s online cast portal (that we can still access since Doug is still technically an employee) popped up with our options for next year, I was all over it.
The first thing I noticed, is that our current coverage…an HM”Oh no we don’t cover that” plan that we are continuing for Doug and the boys…is set to increase in price on January 1.
Our new monthly payment for health and dental insurance was now going to be greater than our mortgage payment. Oh. my.
I continued to study the information that was listed on my screen…and then I saw it.
A different…and much, much cheaper plan.
A “bare bones” plan. (Really? Something more “bare bones” than an HMO?) One with a yearly cap on benefits.
The plan’s name?
“Health Value”.
The first thing that I thought of was…hmmm…that phrase sounds akin to “the honeymoon suite at the Motel 6″. It doesn’t instill a great deal of confidence, now does it?
But it’s cheap. As in we will save $500 a month on this plan cheap.
Yo…sign me up.
Actually, it’s not a bad little plan. The boys will keep their pediatrician and Doug will keep all of his docs. Office visits are $15 and generic prescriptions are $2. I don’t know what happens if anyone’s arm falls off, but there is hospital and ER coverage, so I guess they would be okay.
God is so awesome. Who knew that there was going to be a blue light special on health insurance? That $500 cushion was completely unexpected…and is going to be a huge help. It’s nice to have a little “wiggle room”.
So there it is…the weird and wonky way that we are going to balance our new budget. I guess we get to keep ESPN after all.
