Just trying to enjoy the ride

1. OPEN ENROLLMENT BEGINS IN 2 WEEKS

2. OPEN ENROLLMENT WILL ONLY BE HALF AS LONG THIS YEAR

3. THE DEADLINE FOR OPEN ENROLLMENT IS DECEMBER 15TH THIS YEAR

4. INCREASED SCRUTINY MEANS IT WILL BE HARD TO SNEAK ON AFTER OE ENDS, FROM NOW ON

5. IF YOU MAKE UNDER $20,000 A YEAR IT IS WORTH APPLYING TO SEE IF YOU CAN GET MEDICAID!

and lastly:

6. NEVER EVER EVER EVER WORK WITH AN AGENT WHO WON'T SHOW YOU THEIR LICENSE!!!!*

*Jesus Christ the sheer amount of, not even fraud, but grift, completely legal ways to screw other people over, it makes my teeth hurt! Some names to watch out for (but not the only ones): Golden Rule, Manhattan Life, Philadelphia Life, First Health. Freedom life has 2 great plans and 1 Not Great plan, and if you're looking at them, PLEASE call me directly and I'll tell you which it is.

Your options are by STATE! If you have moved states since you last checked, you have an entirely new pool of options.

Every insurance company offering ACA coverage has their plans separated by state and the risk pools are based ONLY in that state. That means there may be options that appeal to your state's specific health trends.

Cost is always king, but keep in mind stability is a big indicator of a strong plan. That means middle of the road cost in general, but a long term successful plan means they have circled back to a large network that is underpinned by years of cost reduction measures (like process improvement, better targeted care for that state, yearly plan growth, etc).

The ACA is a long game for everyone involved, and this is the main reason folks working within the ACA machine are buckled down and closing care gaps where reach allows and bolstering processes in anticipation of a future rush of enrollees in future years. The name of the game is "resilience" and the ACA is ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS strongest when people use it!!!

The eligibility changes are tragic and there was a sickening shudder through the entire industry when they were introduced. We are losing the most vulnerable people the ACA exists to serve. The changes have been described as "the cruelty being the point". It is horrendous. It is a ham fisted mockery of the monumental paradigm shift the ACA brought to the USA. The ACA is proof that healthcare belongs to everyone and healthcare becomes better when everyone uses it. Chronically ill, healthy, truly everyone's participation is what rockets the ACA to greater reach to more people. Insurance companies are federally required to invest a minimum of 80% revenue back into the plan benefits or directly into the pockets of customers. The growth is the point!

Preventative care, cancer treatment, pregnancy, ART, diabetic management, asthma/COPD care, there is SO much these plans have enshrined to serve you. Please, explore your options!

Angel City FC vs Portland Thorns

10/19/25

Final home game of the season

put dates on everything

don’t believe digital stuff is preserved forever - if it’s really important (documents, photos, etc) print it out

name your files accurately I know it sucks but please

don’t destroy the original just bc you scanned it

rubber cement is the devil’s adhesive use photo corners and quit gluing shit

you will NOT remember write it down

if you staple things to the inside of a folder I will find you

How to identify, and then deal with, your emotions

Emotional regulation skills

Conflict resolution skills

Creating and enforcing boundaries

Dialectical Behavioural Therapy skills

Emotional intelligence ideals to aim for

Axes of self-care/wellbeing

Self-care self-evaluation (find out where you’re starting)

How to make a self-care checklist

How to start a self-care habit

Reparenting resources

Crash Course Psychology

KhanAcademy: Understanding the Self and Society (some units more relevant than others)

Emotional education activities for children and teens