Figures! My 1st post over here and I booger up the HTML tags. To make matters worse, I'm a software developer that has created hundreds of web pages from the code level and still messed it up! ;)

I'll repost for clarity.

2gifts:

OK, I didn't realize that was a political question. Forget I asked.

Should I have the post pulled so as not to drive the board down that path?

You don't have to get political when discussing health care. Regardless of what the gov't does now and in the future regarding health care, ER people would be wise to adjust and adapt to whatever changes are made.

As far as I'm concerned, my number one goal and objective to reduce health care expenses is to live a clean healthy lifestyle with plenty of nutritious food, the avoidance of harmful food, the right amount of sleep, a generous amount amount of exercise, fresh air, pure water, sunshine and the continued pursuit to relieve myself of stressful situations (quitting work and RE'ing will be a huge step in that direction ;) )

You do that and you'll elimate the vast majority of possible health/disease problems. Even in old age.

I expect to FIRE in roughly 8 years when I'm 53. Assuming health care is in the same condition as it is (that is, inflationary growth at about twice that of everything else) my plan is to have a catastrophic health care plan for me and my wife with a high deductable of around 5-10k per year. I will maintain a separate investment fund to self insure for all the small stuff and to satisfy any deductable. Hopefully, that fund can be wrapped around an MSA. But that is 8 years away so who knows if they will be available or in what form.

intercst had an excellent suggestion over on the REHP board several years ago about investing the "self-insure" account in health care stocks. I have since bought one health care related stock and will add to that position, as well as others, as I approach FIRE.

If you still have kids at FIRE time or some very expensive health care problems, that approach may not work.

Tis a very good reason for a FIRE wannabee to piously guard his/her health (with the approach I mentioned in the 2nd paragraph) as they approach that magical FIRE date.

decath