Am I The Turkey?
Truth is Stranger Than Fiction: The ACA Debate is Making Us Dumber
More Interesting Variations on a Theme
We need a break, jeezus.
I have known Kevin Cole since I was 9 years old. Y’all think I’m specific? Verrrrrrry funny, hold my beer.
What ChatGPT said about this video:
Jae sits down with Kevin Cole—widely hailed as the world’s leading Gershwin pianist—to talk about his “Cole in Your Stocking” holiday concerts in Bay City and Chicago, why a nine-foot Steinway changes everything, and how he helped restore the original Rhapsody in Blue. Kevin shares stories of playing on Gershwin’s own piano, working with the University of Michigan’s Gershwin Initiative, and honoring mentors like Marvin Hamlisch and Stephen Sondheim. He also opens up about surviving a brain tumor and creating his autobiographical one-man show, “Have Fingers, Will Travel.” If you love Gershwin, the American Songbook, or just great storytelling from the piano bench, this Jae’s Corner conversation belongs on your playlist.
ACA: What You Can Do
Opponents of the ACA have had more than a decade to propose a coordinated alternative to the ACA, without success. Let’s presume you were a hater, that would be okay. Complaining is fine, complaining without a solution makes you a Healthcare Karen.
I have said that “I can get you to a stalemate” a million times. All I have to do, is say “Let’s say that YOU were in that position,” and I pointed out what that position is (e.g., you are an overworked underpaid nurse working in unsafe conditions, you are -$300,000 in educational debt as a primary care physician), you start retreating. You are STUCK. Stalemate.
As of right now, the enhanced APTC are set to expire at the end of this year. Current quotes, without the enhanced APTC, are available here.
As of this writing, you deploy many different approaches.
You can apply for ACA-compliant by December 15th, which is now 3 weeks away, and hold payment until the end of the year.
You can purchase short-term health insurance for January, and purchase ACA-compliant by January 15th, and hold payment until the end of January. Your coverage begins on February 1. You can send us an email to ask for these quotes, which are largely unavailable for public viewing. If you are greatly affected by the loss of APTC, then that is entirely reasonable.
Note that none of this is advice, we would need to know a LOT of stuff about you (your health, your location, your family situation, your financial situation). This is more complicated than Medicare due to the larger differences in financial outcomes.
December 7th
Thank you to the 1000+ who have sought our guidance this year. To those who have expressed gratitude for our work, you make it worthwhile. We know that the backdrop is unstable and difficult, and the stability provided by Medicare and its options are valuable.
I even continued to update Maximize Your Medicare. You can pre-order it here. No matter how many times I say “stay updated, changes inevitable,” I am always surprised by the number of changes I have to make, when I revise it.
By the way, pre-ordering and reviewing the book is one of the ways that you can continue to receive our free Part D guidance in 2026. As explained earlier, we are discontinuing our free Part D guidance unless you meet certain criteria, which we explained here.
For the procrastinators this year, start where you are, and that means we will do our best to help you not miss December 7. Press here to receive our free guidance immediately. Well, almost immediately.
Two Pictures
If you want to understand the price of something today, just follow the uncertain cash flows in the future, in different scenarios. Can we agree these are not the same? If you do not see this, then please send us an email and we will continue to explain with unending patience, it is a vital skill.
Don’t call it a duck if it has a long grey trunk and tusks.
Unfortunately, strictly educated people are intentionally misguiding you, as if these graphs were somehow untrue.
With that: Happy Thanksgiving to All.
