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Such a scam. Healthcare.gov shows me cheaper individual plans available for 2027 from ambetter that ambetter doesn't show on their website. Looked it up. I've spent $68,000 in premiums the last 5 years and got nothing out of it except a few doctors visits and labs.

osu1991 said:

Such a scam. Healthcare.gov shows me cheaper individual plans available for 2027 from ambetter that ambetter doesn't show on their website. Looked it up. I've spent $68,000 in premiums the last 5 years and got nothing out of it except a few doctors visits and labs.

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have you even been abroad. talk about the cost of health care the whole cost of living in merica is a scam. were taxed to death so bad everyone's a slave to the govt. explore the cost of living in other countries it might blow your mind!!!

I've had CTs etc within MINUTES of entering an ER (A&E).

In Canada, they publish wait times (months) for CTs. And track the number of deaths of such people while waiting.

slow_poke_pete said:

have you even been abroad. talk about the cost of health care the whole cost of living in merica is a scam. were taxed to death so bad everyone's a slave to the govt. explore the cost of living in other countries it might blow your mind!!!

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OK

Examples of Tax Rates in Universal Healthcare Countries

• • Denmark
    • Tax Wedge / Top Rate: Has some of the highest income tax rates in the world, with top marginal personal income tax rates reaching around 55.9% to 60.5%.
    • Tax-to-GDP Ratio: Around 45.2% (one of the highest in the OECD).
    • Healthcare Funding:
  • France
    • Tax Wedge: The average single worker's tax wedge is approximately 47.0% to 47.2% of labor costs.
    • Tax-to-GDP Ratio: Around 43.5%.
    • Healthcare Funding: Funded via Statutory Health Insurance (SHI) payroll contributions, income taxes, and specific levies on alcohol and tobacco. Patients typically pay 20% to 30% out-of-pocket or use complementary insurance
  • Germany
    • Tax Wedge: The average single worker's tax wedge is approximately 47.9% to 48.3%.
    • Healthcare Funding: Dual statutory and private health insurance model funded by joint employer-employee payroll contributions (calculated as a percentage of gross wages up to a ceiling) plus general federal subsidies
  • United Kingdom
    • Tax Wedge / Rates: Progressive income tax rates range from 20% to 45% for individuals, plus a 20% Value Added Tax (VAT) on goods and services.
    • Healthcare Funding: The National Health Service (NHS) is funded primarily out of general national taxation rather than a dedicated social insurance contribution.
  • Canada
    • Tax Wedge / Rates: Progressive federal and provincial income tax brackets vary by province, with top marginal rates generally scaling from 40% to 53% combined.
    • Healthcare Funding: Canada's public medicare system is tax-funded through federal and provincial revenues, though prescription drugs outside hospitals, dental, and vision care often require private insurance or out-of-pocket payment.
  OECD Average Reference
  • Across OECD countries with universal coverage, the average single-worker tax wedge sits at 35.1% of labor costs, showing that rates range drastically from lower-tax systems (like parts of Latin America or Asia) to high-tax European welfare states.

Well done

Just got our renewal and its going up to over 1900 a month. Deductible is going up too.

Im probably dropping myself off of it and just keeping it on my wife and daughter. This is utterly ridiculous and pisses me off on a yearly basis.

navychop said:

I've had CTs etc within MINUTES of entering an ER (A&E).

In Canada, they publish wait times (months) for CTs. And track the number of deaths of such people while waiting.

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Must be nice. My mother waited hours in the ER for that when she fell over the summer and hit her head.

Heaven forbid they think you have a swallowing issue. They'll just let you die unless you void a DNR order and agree to be intubated with a feeding tube. Hospitalist refused any other option and told me to prepare for the end. I had to call a doctor friend that recommended that I move my mother to hospice care which would take over care from hospital staff and approve giving her something. She didn't pass their swallowing test but had no problem actually swallowing. 2 days after hospice took over and she actually had some nutrition she was back to normal. After that I refused any more $2100 ER transports from long term care. They did the same to my dad 6 years ago when he was in the hospital and couldn't pass their swallowing test even though he had been fine eating and drinking for a week while there under the care of the cancer hospital before being moved to the main hospital. It led to his health decline after showing improvements towards being released.

I know more now and will push back if ever in those situations again. Also ticks me off the hospitalist doctor has final say over any of the specialists actually caring for the patient. In my opinion all of these hospitals and clinics being bought by two or three large national groups has led to poorer care.

Washington Post

SpaceX has held talks with Boost's parent company EchoStar in recent months about launching its own signature wireless service through a deal with the company, according to two people familiar with the negotiations.
Musk, the SpaceX CEO, has discussed the deal personally, meeting with EchoStar chairman Charlie Ergen last month, according to the people. The potential deal may result in SpaceX acquiring Boost Mobile or SpaceX gaining access to its network, which it leases from AT&T and T-Mobile US, the people said.
Access to those lease agreements would be a coup for SpaceX. The back door would allow Musk to make a play for a U.S. wireless market that equity research firm MoffettNathanson estimates is worth $235 billion. But the proposed service may need consent from those carriers for the service to actually launch, the people said.

nelson61 said:

Washington Post

SpaceX has held talks with Boost's parent company EchoStar in recent months about launching its own signature wireless service through a deal with the company, according to two people familiar with the negotiations.
Musk, the SpaceX CEO, has discussed the deal personally, meeting with EchoStar chairman Charlie Ergen last month, according to the people. The potential deal may result in SpaceX acquiring Boost Mobile or SpaceX gaining access to its network, which it leases from AT&T and T-Mobile US, the people said.
Access to those lease agreements would be a coup for SpaceX. The back door would allow Musk to make a play for a U.S. wireless market that equity research firm MoffettNathanson estimates is worth $235 billion. But the proposed service may need consent from those carriers for the service to actually launch, the people said.

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Can't remember where or who I saw predict this.

It wouldn't surprise me to see Elon soon own all of DISH / Echostar in the future.

Scott Greczkowski said:

Can't remember where or who I saw predict this.

It wouldn't surprise me to see Elon soon own all of DISH / Echostar in the future.

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elon and charlie will have a sat phone network.. i just have a gut feeliing

Scott Greczkowski said:

Can't remember where or who I saw predict this.

It wouldn't surprise me to see Elon soon own all of DISH / Echostar in the future.

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So Charlie is going to sell out and give it all the Elon?

MikeD-C05 said:

So Charlie is going to sell out and give it all the Elon?

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My opinion: Charlie is getting old and his business is dying, so yes, he'll sell out. His situation is akin to a lone holdout who owns property that a big developer wants.....after a while they give in to the inevitable.

Already Gone - The Eagles

Where Have You GONE-Alan Jackson

Gone At Last - Paul Simon And Phoebe Snow

Chasing Cars - Snow Patrol

Night Patrol - Michael Martin Murphey

ElectionHQ mixes testing with BBC News, CNBC, CNN, FBN, FNC, MSNOW, NewsMax and NewsNation

Some more reshuffles

Updating the TMSIDs for KSBI and KQCW to use the cable feeds with Thunder games instead of the OTA feeds

An additional commercial PPV channel is now on 9530

Monday 11/2 is a full slate for NBA League Pass as all 30 teams are playing and 14 out of 15 total games are on NBALP. Only one national TV game on Peacock/NBCSN (Thunder @ Cavs).

DirecTV is even having to use several MLB EI channels (from 745-748) and a NHL CI (770) channel to fit all of them in the guide close together. 5 games at 7:30 ET, 3 games at 8 ET, 2 games at 8:30 ET, 1 game at 9 ET, 3 games at 10 ET. Luckily NHL CI is light on Monday (3 games on CI).

DirecTV is providing both broadcast feeds for all League Pass games except Hornets, Magic, Bucks & Raptors that night. These are all teams that have local broadcasts via a OTA channel which is on spotbeams and have streaming deals (DTC) that are not exclusive DAZN teams which DirecTV just signed a deal with (à la Spurs, Grizzlies, Cavs, Pacers & T'Wolves). Its also very common that we don't get Raptors broadcast very often from TSN or Sportsnet Ontario on League Pass.

Only the Knicks, Nets, Wizards, Bulls, Celtics, Rockets, Lakers, Warriors, Avalanche, Sharks and Bruins feeds will be using remaps of 24/7 RSNs that night. The rest will be relying on the part time feeds, including the Nuggets, Blackhawks and Kings who will be on their alt/overflow channels, and MSG Western NY will be live on channel 635-1 to carry Buffalo area ads during the Knicks game.

The NHL Network alternate will be live on channel 215-1 with Red Wings @ Panthers for those blacked out of Golden Knights @ Bruins on the main feed.

The Thunder @ Cavaliers game will be on one of Peacock Game Pass channels that night for commercial customers, they'll also have the back to back U-Conn Women's and Men's Basketball. One of the part time feeds will also be in use for WWE Raw via Joe Hand promotions.

I could be wrong but the only RSN we dont have is NBC SN Philadelphia .

The Election HQ Mix is now live on channels 71, 200, 202-1, 307-1, 349-1, 356-1 and 360-1, there's also a red button app on CNN, NewsNation, BBC News, NewsMax, CNBC, MS Now, FOX Business and FOX News.

I'm at a limit for TV sizes at this time. My Father-in-Law crafted a custom entertainment center for our family room and we were restricted from going too big based on the side cabinets and central bridge fitting in the width of the room. It turns out to be where a 55" screen with bezels fits but no 65" bezel-less screen can fit. I think there was a brief period where 58" screens where a thing, but no more.

So, no huge screens for the Foxbat's…

Foxbat said:

I'm at a limit for TV sizes at this time. My Father-in-Law crafted a custom entertainment center for our family room and we were restricted from going too big based on the side cabinets and central bridge fitting in the width of the room. It turns out to be where a 55" screen with bezels fits but no 65" bezel-less screen can fit. I think there was a brief period where 58" screens where a thing, but no more.

So, no huge screens for the Foxbat's…

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55" is plenty big.

TRG said:

55" is plenty big.

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And to think....I was SO proud of myself when I bought a 27 in TV in the late 80s. Everyone just had a 25 in so I was really in high cotton.

dishstaller said:

And to think....I was SO proud of myself when I bought a 27 in TV in the late 80s. Everyone just had a 25 in so I was really in high cotton.

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I remember buying my 1st Sony .... a whopping Big 27" CRT XBR .... $1200.

I bought my 50" Mitsubishi rear projection in 1981!

Jimbo said:

I remember buying my 1st Sony .... a whopping Big 27" CRT XBR .... $1200.

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Yep....because they weren't going to get any bigger and the CERTAINLY weren't going to get any cheaper.

I remember MANY years ago I went into Sams Club and saw a thumb drive on sale for $49.88....the storage capacity was a whopping 256mb....yes, MB. I just KNEW that was as cheap as they could ever go and there was simply NO way they could fit any more memory into something that small.

I use to have a projector and a 133" screen. I had that house wired just for that screen. Now I have a 75" Sony. If you really want to have the biggest and best check into AWALL CoB MicroLED Display C Series , but you better have a lot of $$$$. I was involved in a group buy with AVSForum for one the first LED TV's. The TV's has changed a lot since then.

They have one less as of May 15th. I just couldn't justify almost $150 a month any more. I went to Fubo. Edit: And I've been a Directv customer for 30 years!

raoul5788 said:

They have one less as of May 15th. I just couldn't justify almost $150 a month any more. I went to Fubo.

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Fubo would be a non starter for me. Missing channels:

• NBCUniversal Channels: NBC local affiliates, USA Network, Bravo, CNBC, MSNBC, E!, Syfy, Telemundo, and the Golf Channel.
• NBC Sports: Regional sports networks like NBC Sports Bay Area, Boston, California, and Philadelphia are also off the air.
• Warner Bros. Discovery Channels: TBS, TNT, TruTV, CNN, Discovery Channel, TLC, HGTV, Food Network, and Animal Planet.
• A&E Networks: A&E, History, Lifetime, and Vice.
• AMC Networks: AMC, IFC, SundanceTV, and WE tv

Plus most of its live TV channels and sports broadcasts are currently delivered in 720p.

b4pjoe said:

Fubo would be a non starter for me. Missing channels:

• NBCUniversal Channels: NBC local affiliates, USA Network, Bravo, CNBC, MSNBC, E!, Syfy, Telemundo, and the Golf Channel.
• NBC Sports: Regional sports networks like NBC Sports Bay Area, Boston, California, and Philadelphia are also off the air.
• Warner Bros. Discovery Channels: TBS, TNT, TruTV, CNN, Discovery Channel, TLC, HGTV, Food Network, and Animal Planet.
• A&E Networks: A&E, History, Lifetime, and Vice.
• AMC Networks: AMC, IFC, SundanceTV, and WE tv

Plus most of its live TV channels and sports broadcasts are currently delivered in 720p.

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YouTube TV

b4pjoe said:

Fubo would be a non starter for me. Missing channels:

• NBCUniversal Channels: NBC local affiliates, USA Network, Bravo, CNBC, MSNBC, E!, Syfy, Telemundo, and the Golf Channel.
• NBC Sports: Regional sports networks like NBC Sports Bay Area, Boston, California, and Philadelphia are also off the air.
• Warner Bros. Discovery Channels: TBS, TNT, TruTV, CNN, Discovery Channel, TLC, HGTV, Food Network, and Animal Planet.
• A&E Networks: A&E, History, Lifetime, and Vice.
• AMC Networks: AMC, IFC, SundanceTV, and WE tv

Plus most of its live TV channels and sports broadcasts are currently delivered in 720p.

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Understandable. It's always a choice of price vs channels. The $60/month difference made my choice easier.

Jimbo said:

YouTube TV

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YTTV don't carry the Regional sports channels

Arctic_fox said:

YTTV don't carry the Regional sports channels

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RSN's ... are they still Alive ?

Unless your looking for the Non Major sports,,they are pretty pointless.

raoul5788 said:

Understandable. It's always a choice of price vs channels. The $60/month difference made my choice easier.

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I see Fubo is getting the NBC Universal channels back. That will help them.

NBCUniversal Channels Like Telemundo and Bravo Are Returning to Fubo

Jimbo said:

RSN's ... are they still Alive ?

Unless your looking for the Non Major sports,,they are pretty pointless.

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NESN and spectrum sportsnet is i don't know about the others

b4pjoe said:

I see Fubo is getting the NBC Universal channels back. That will help them.
NBCUniversal Channels Like Telemundo and Bravo Are Returning to Fubo

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And my package is going up $15/month!

raoul5788 said:

And my package is going up $15/month!

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have you tried to call in and threaten to cancel and see how that works out??? have you tried going back onto directv.com and making a new acct for discounts posing as a new sub.. it worked for me when ATT destroyed it

Arctic_fox said:

have you tried to call in and threaten to cancel and see how that works out??? have you tried going back onto directv.com and making a new acct for discounts posing as a new sub.. it worked for me when ATT destroyed it

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I got a big discount for returning.

raoul5788 said:

I got a big discount for returning.

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When I( talked with them a few weeks ago, they called me.
They offered me the Choice package (I had the Ultimate) (I also wasn't in from of my computer , so I couldn't check things out)
I figured if they could beat $80, I'd listen ... her best offer was $120, PASS...

The package I HAD with Sat was costing me $140 ... again HARD PASS.

Jimbo said:

When I( talked with them a few weeks ago, they called me.
They offered me the Choice package (I had the Ultimate) (I also wasn't in from of my computer , so I couldn't check things out)
I figured if they could beat $80, I'd listen ... her best offer was $120, PASS...

The package I HAD with Sat was costing me $140 ... again HARD PASS.

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they offered me the new customer deals and a 300.00 prepaid visa to leave DISH along there were going to waive the 49.00 activation fee , the deal breaker was id'e be stuck with an HR-54 and not an HS-17. and there's no more wired gemini's for new subs or that's what i was told. and billing and tech support is still in the ATT eco system

Leaving Hopper Land for buggy whips?

Arctic_fox said:

they offered me the new customer deals and a 300.00 prepaid visa to leave DISH along there were going to waive the 49.00 activation fee , the deal breaker was id'e be stuck with an HR-54 and not an HS-17. and there's no more wired gemini's for new subs or that's what i was told. and billing and tech support is still in the ATT eco system

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Personally, IF I ever went back with Sat, I would definitely take the HR54 ... but each set up is different from house to house, what works for you ... in reality, I would probably go streaming instead, as my needs have changed, I no longer need a portable recvr to use while camping.

Arctic_fox said:

NESN and spectrum sportsnet is i don't know about the others

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I doubt NESN is doing great with the Sox in the tank.

Bruce said:

Thanks to Fitch Ratings ( who gives the ratings on Credit and debt, as approved by the SEC, so they have accurate numbers) we have the totals.

DIRECTV's video subscriber base is the third-largest traditional multi-channel video programming distributor (MVPD) in the U.S. with about 8.2 million subscribers at the end of 1Q26.

The last time it was reported, it was 8.8M at the end of 2Q25, so only a 600,000 loss for 3 quarters, which is a major improvement, since for many years before that, it was losing 500,000 a quarter, 2 Million a year.

It is now losing less than Dish/Sling combined, I believe the Genre Packs are helping to retain and get subscribers.

https://www.fitchratings.com/research/corporate-finance/fitch-rates-directv-proposed-senior-secured-debt-offering-bb-rr2-11-05-2026

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New numbers are out-

DIRECTV was the third-largest U.S. traditional multichannel video programming distributor (MVPD) with about 8.0 million subscribers at the end of 2Q2026

Still an average of 200,000 lost per quarter ( for the last four quarters), less than Dish/Sling, which lost 241,000 in the second quarter, 366,000 in the first quarter.

navychop said:

Leaving Hopper Land for buggy whips?

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no the hopper makes me stick along with customer service with dish has been much better than DTV wich there customer service completely sucks..