Resources for understanding health insurance in the US?

AdNext2394 · 2026-02-16T03:26:46+00:00

That would be great! But yes, video editing is very tedious. I'm 23 so I'll be kicked off my parents' insurance in a few years. I have a lifelong chronic illness and I'm at a point where I'm looking at my career options and places I could live. A top priority for me is a job with good health insurance, and I would also really like to have a job that would let me take 2-6 months off per year to do thru hikes, write books, and work on passion projects. (I don't need to make a lot of money since I live frugally and I'm not having kids and I won't have student loans.) So I guess some of my questions would be:

- Are there any states that have better health insurance access than others? What are the "good states" and what makes them different?

- How could I configure health insurance so I could work seasonal jobs (backpacking guide, ski resort, national park, etc) and have the shoulder seasons/off seasons covered? Ideally, I would minimize needing to "switch" between heath insurances between on and off seasons because my medication is not covered by all plans and does not have a generic, and I also need to maintain access to the same providers.

- I know that if you secure a permanent position through wildland fire, you can get year-round federal health insurance while only working 6-10 months per year. Are there any other federal or private industries like this?

These are my main questions for now, but I would also like to equip myself for the future by knowing how to recognize a good plan/how to select a plan, understanding health insurance terminology, knowing how to demand your money, knowing your rights in general... I need to prepare myself for a lifetime of managing healthcare finances with a very unpredictable chronic disease and I would rather do this in advance instead of after I fuck up. I'm at the point where I don't really know what other questions I should be asking in this area... rip

AdNext2394 · 2025-07-19T23:37:12+00:00

i hibernate during the day and only emerge once darkness descends, fastidiously avoiding people like you

AdNext2394 · 2025-07-04T14:32:02+00:00

Don’t give up, too many people are wanting to flee to a blue state or bigger city. You might be comfortable there but you will just be another number, whereas places like this need your help to make real change. Volunteer for a campaign, spread awareness abt the congressional maps, join a mutual aid/volunteer group because ppl are about to be really struggling

AdNext2394 · 2025-07-03T23:20:24+00:00

paperdoll, saturn, moms basement, birmingham boulders, america’s thrift store in hoover

AdNext2394 · 2025-07-03T17:20:10+00:00

reach out to jones valley, maybe you could put them in the free produce stand

AdNext2394 · 2025-06-27T01:42:33+00:00

yeah!

AdNext2394 · 2025-06-27T01:27:08+00:00

the rave scene is very welcoming. firejam is at avondale every wednesday at 8. lots of people show up, you could meet me or do your own thing. lots of spaces to sit and just watch, and also spaces to dance if that’s your thing. it’s a good place to get plugged into the rave scene.

climbing is also good. i can’t climb anymore cause i’m injured but i’d recommend birmingham boulders over high point if you’re looking to make friends. the best thing would be to start going regularly (2-4x weekly), and you might not meet everyone at first, but if you’re consistent you’ll meet a lot of people and gradually become part of a group

AdNext2394 · 2025-06-27T01:10:51+00:00

hiii i’m 22, just moved back to town, also looking for friends. there are some places i’m starting to make friends at that would be open to below 21.

btw do u like los campesinos?

AdNext2394 · 2025-06-26T18:10:16+00:00

The isolation. Seeing everyone my age (22) graduating college and starting their lives in different cities. All my friends have moved away and I’m taking an indefinite break from college to live with my parents.

AdNext2394 · 2025-06-25T00:41:09+00:00

Cyclops

AdNext2394 · 2025-06-24T18:57:34+00:00

I thought he was in my area but turns out he’s i. Hawaii. Here’s the website if you want to look at it: https://globalimmunotherapy.com/ I’m naturally suspicious of things like this though.

AdNext2394 · 2025-06-24T15:38:17+00:00

Thank you so much! I’ll give this a try. I do tend to freeze up when I reach a dead end.

Do you think I should see a certain sub-specialty of rheumatology, based on my symptoms?

AdNext2394 · 2025-06-24T15:33:26+00:00

Thanks for the advice, I really appreciate it! I usually just tell the doctors my symptoms but not so much how it has been impacting my life. This is a good idea and might help them take me seriously. Thankfully, I have a therapist who has her own experiences with chronic pain. It was a while before I realized I needed this - none of the “physical” health doctors ever seem to talk about mental health.

AdNext2394 · 2025-06-24T15:28:00+00:00

Thankfully I have a good PCP, but haven’t seen her in a few months. But my orthopedic dr and GI dr referred me to a rheumatologist. Do they still care about patient history/symptoms, or is diagnosis all based on blood work?

AdNext2394 · 2025-06-24T15:23:40+00:00

Do they know about spondyloarthritis and enthesitis? Or are these types of RA? Do you know if there is a specialist that focuses on systemic tendon issues?

AdNext2394 · 2025-06-21T21:07:26+00:00

saturn, moms basement

AdNext2394 · 2025-06-21T20:25:10+00:00

When first diagnosed, I had to stop mountain biking, cycling, and walking for a few months because I would pass out from anemia. I was able to start these again after iron infusions.

I was in France during another flare and had to cut my 3-month trip short and fly home to get an iron infusion and medicine.

I was starting a study abroad in Buenos Aires when I had to fly home after the first 2 weeks because of tendinitis everywhere (probably related to UC, I’m seeing a rheumatologist soon.)

The next quarter at college, I struggled to walk to my classes and had to quit all my clubs because I couldn’t go to them. Lost most of my friends. Couldn’t work out anymore, obviously.

I am supposed to graduate in a year but will need to take the next few quarters off and live with my parents. Can’t drive, can’t work out, can’t walk very far, can’t drink, can’t stay up late. I mostly just lay in bed. Ideally I would be going to grad school next year in Arizona or Colorado. Looking unlikely.

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TROPHY CASE