New Healthcare Changes – What Do They Mean to Me?
Dear Friends:
Healthcare costs can be prohibitive. My wife, Judy, and I are both over the age of 65, and we’ve seen a distinct increase in our cost of healthcare over the last several years due to the natural effects of the aging process. Just yesterday, my wife went to two doctors.
It’s not just people who are Social Security age who feel threatened by the rising cost of health care, though. Whether you are a recent college graduate who can only find contract work with no benefits, instead of a full time position, whether you are a small business owner who is struggling to provide benefits for yourself and your staff, or whether you are a person who has a pre-existing condition that threatens your health coverage, the rising cost of health care is of concern to you.
While we need to be aware of the changes that our government imposes, as they relate to our specific health care needs, we also need to be pro-active in taking responsibility for the future of our health costs. This pro-activity can, of course, involve taking care of our bodies well. Exercise, good food, adequate rest and water, and stress management skills are all part of caring for our bodies. I Corinthians 6:19-20 in The Message translation says it well, “Or didn't you realize that your body is a sacred place, the place of the Holy Spirit? Don't you see that you can't live however you please, squandering what God paid such a high price for? The physical part of you is not some piece of property belonging to the spiritual part of you. God owns the whole works. So let people see God in and through your body.”
Additionally, though, we need to be realistic about our financial priorities. The only way to save money for future healthcare costs is by having margin now. Just like any long-term goal, saving for healthcare involves being intentional now about how we spend and save our money. Any long-term expense – housing, college, joblessness, health care, retirement, etc., is paid for out of money that we set aside today. So, I really encourage you to pursue margin in your spending plan, so that you can save for tomorrow’s unexpected (and expected) needs. As my wife is fond of saying, “How do you eat an elephant?” “One bite at a time!” May you find the courage and self-discipline to save some each day toward tomorrow’s needs.
Blessings,
Ron
Click here for the video transcript
Healthcare costs can be prohibitive. My wife, Judy, and I are both over the age of 65, and we’ve seen a distinct increase in our cost of healthcare over the last several years due to the natural effects of the aging process. Just yesterday, my wife went to two doctors.
It’s not just people who are Social Security age who feel threatened by the rising cost of health care, though. Whether you are a recent college graduate who can only find contract work with no benefits, instead of a full time position, whether you are a small business owner who is struggling to provide benefits for yourself and your staff, or whether you are a person who has a pre-existing condition that threatens your health coverage, the rising cost of health care is of concern to you.
While we need to be aware of the changes that our government imposes, as they relate to our specific health care needs, we also need to be pro-active in taking responsibility for the future of our health costs. This pro-activity can, of course, involve taking care of our bodies well. Exercise, good food, adequate rest and water, and stress management skills are all part of caring for our bodies. I Corinthians 6:19-20 in The Message translation says it well, “Or didn't you realize that your body is a sacred place, the place of the Holy Spirit? Don't you see that you can't live however you please, squandering what God paid such a high price for? The physical part of you is not some piece of property belonging to the spiritual part of you. God owns the whole works. So let people see God in and through your body.”
Additionally, though, we need to be realistic about our financial priorities. The only way to save money for future healthcare costs is by having margin now. Just like any long-term goal, saving for healthcare involves being intentional now about how we spend and save our money. Any long-term expense – housing, college, joblessness, health care, retirement, etc., is paid for out of money that we set aside today. So, I really encourage you to pursue margin in your spending plan, so that you can save for tomorrow’s unexpected (and expected) needs. As my wife is fond of saying, “How do you eat an elephant?” “One bite at a time!” May you find the courage and self-discipline to save some each day toward tomorrow’s needs.
Blessings,
Ron
Click here for the video transcript
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