AUTHOR: Scott Dichter on 2/19/2025 FIRST: stelea99 on 2/19 | RECENT: Scott Dichter on 3/22
Comments
I think Rick Connor covered the real issues in deciding when to take SS. That made much more sense than leaning into breakeven. Breakeven doesn't address the underlying issue people face, rather it's how much do I need that extra COLA adjusted longevity protection. I think the math may be more complicated than a lot of people want to wrestle. I also think people get very emotional about longevity and death issues. Which will tend to circumvent logical, mathematical thinking. That's my 2 cents. That people lean into ideas like breakeven because it's a more emotional than logical way of thinking and that people are prone to that around issues that touch on death.
The ones you list? I'm thinking you didn't actually look at the EO, just someone else's summary. The entire EO is meant to address a decades old imbalance where American consumers have been forced to eat R&D costs because big pharma found it the easiest way to profits. Other nations have engaged in this type of group bargaining since the end of WW2. Why do you think it is that Americans often pay 10x as much as other western nations (lets exclude charitable pricing to poor nations) for their Rxs.
That's a little part of the order and it in no way excludes those other providers from also selling at most favored nation pricing (in fact the entirety of the order makes this clear). Weird cherry picking of a detail where the order is looking to do the opposite of what you're implying.
Same forces that push equity prices higher push food prices higher. I know exactly how you feel about the spending side but we have to accept that as we benefit from the investment side we have costs on the pricing side. (why I don't like fixed income so much, I fear inflation more than I fear deflation)
This strategy was referred to as seasonality. It would have earned people massive extra returns (from about 1900 to 1990) as there were reasons why market dips often happened during the summer (very few people remember how different NYC and businesses operated before AC became widespread. After Memorial Day until Labor Day you were in the part time season, vacation season.) It also included things like The Santa Claus rally. Whenever something like seasonality is discovered and millions start using it in some fashion, it changes the original dynamics such that it's not useful any longer.
The Guardian is known for a certain style of reporting that's designed to create gasps. And they adore misleading headlines. They buried the lead (because it's not quite as sensational):
Dad developed memory difficulties in his 90s – “Perfectly normal for my age,” he’d chuckle – and would occasionally fall, though he still exercised every day.
Day one when he started having memory issues, falling, was when you get on the waiting list for memory care, assisted living. If you do that, this story doesn't happen, which is what the readers really need to hear about.
he would require full-time skilled nursing to stay in his apartment, at over $1,000 a day
And the solution was leaving a place for promises of care at 1/3 the cost. That's self deception. Don't think you're clever enough to find great care at 70% off. I'm insanely empathetic to this family. They're good people not wanting to face bad options. But the issue was what happens if you don't deal with something in a timely way. Dad needed extra care for YEARS. It's right in the article. I can so easily see how this happens. Who wants to think, dad, who made it 90 sharp as a tack, needs memory care, diapers and is starting his wind down.
Happy Mother's Day, it's not the 10 mile as much as what you find when you're there. I really miss the old days when I shopped at different stores for produce, meats, bakery and the rest. You develop a relationship changes everything.
Glad you made it out of this fairly unscathed. Embrace train travel, it gives a different flavor to your travel. I'll never forget the Grandma from Southern Italy, that I met traveling near Florence. We could barely communicate but it was priceless.
Comments
I think Rick Connor covered the real issues in deciding when to take SS. That made much more sense than leaning into breakeven. Breakeven doesn't address the underlying issue people face, rather it's how much do I need that extra COLA adjusted longevity protection. I think the math may be more complicated than a lot of people want to wrestle. I also think people get very emotional about longevity and death issues. Which will tend to circumvent logical, mathematical thinking. That's my 2 cents. That people lean into ideas like breakeven because it's a more emotional than logical way of thinking and that people are prone to that around issues that touch on death.
Post: Breaking even? Why should anyone care? I don’t
Link to comment from May 15, 2025
The ones you list? I'm thinking you didn't actually look at the EO, just someone else's summary. The entire EO is meant to address a decades old imbalance where American consumers have been forced to eat R&D costs because big pharma found it the easiest way to profits. Other nations have engaged in this type of group bargaining since the end of WW2. Why do you think it is that Americans often pay 10x as much as other western nations (lets exclude charitable pricing to poor nations) for their Rxs.
Post: Quinn’s latest rant has serious consequences
Link to comment from May 15, 2025
That's a little part of the order and it in no way excludes those other providers from also selling at most favored nation pricing (in fact the entirety of the order makes this clear). Weird cherry picking of a detail where the order is looking to do the opposite of what you're implying.
Post: Quinn’s latest rant has serious consequences
Link to comment from May 14, 2025
Same forces that push equity prices higher push food prices higher. I know exactly how you feel about the spending side but we have to accept that as we benefit from the investment side we have costs on the pricing side. (why I don't like fixed income so much, I fear inflation more than I fear deflation)
Post: A Rant about the Price of Gas
Link to comment from May 14, 2025
This strategy was referred to as seasonality. It would have earned people massive extra returns (from about 1900 to 1990) as there were reasons why market dips often happened during the summer (very few people remember how different NYC and businesses operated before AC became widespread. After Memorial Day until Labor Day you were in the part time season, vacation season.) It also included things like The Santa Claus rally. Whenever something like seasonality is discovered and millions start using it in some fashion, it changes the original dynamics such that it's not useful any longer.
Post: Ch-Ch-Changes?
Link to comment from May 14, 2025
The Guardian is known for a certain style of reporting that's designed to create gasps. And they adore misleading headlines. They buried the lead (because it's not quite as sensational):
Day one when he started having memory issues, falling, was when you get on the waiting list for memory care, assisted living. If you do that, this story doesn't happen, which is what the readers really need to hear about. And the solution was leaving a place for promises of care at 1/3 the cost. That's self deception. Don't think you're clever enough to find great care at 70% off. I'm insanely empathetic to this family. They're good people not wanting to face bad options. But the issue was what happens if you don't deal with something in a timely way. Dad needed extra care for YEARS. It's right in the article. I can so easily see how this happens. Who wants to think, dad, who made it 90 sharp as a tack, needs memory care, diapers and is starting his wind down.Post: Assisted Living – How will you choose?
Link to comment from May 12, 2025
Had a great dinner at Schmuckers entirely too much to eat, but yum
Post: Retirement as you like it
Link to comment from May 11, 2025
Happy Mother's Day, it's not the 10 mile as much as what you find when you're there. I really miss the old days when I shopped at different stores for produce, meats, bakery and the rest. You develop a relationship changes everything.
Post: Retirement as you like it
Link to comment from May 11, 2025
Agreed, sometimes a car is the only viable choice
Post: A Tale of Excess
Link to comment from May 8, 2025
Glad you made it out of this fairly unscathed. Embrace train travel, it gives a different flavor to your travel. I'll never forget the Grandma from Southern Italy, that I met traveling near Florence. We could barely communicate but it was priceless.
Post: A Tale of Excess
Link to comment from May 7, 2025