Payday

Today is payday.  I get a workmen’s compensation pension for having been paralyzed while working as a logger 33 years ago.

There are essentially 3 payment schemes after getting paralyzed: 1) getting a big fat lump sum settlement; 2) pension from work or settlement; 3) nothing but SSI (at best).  Getting a pension worked well for me especially in light of my serious addiction issues. 

My workmen’s comp is run by the State of Washington.  There is security over being funded by a for-profit corporation.  There is no doubt in my mind that insurers have looked into ways of bundling these pensions in something similar to sub-prime loans that go belly-up.  The State of Washington is a reasonable financially sound institution compared to, say, the city of Detroit.

The medical insurance with my pension is 100% — for what is covered.  I tried to get acupuncture for back pain from an MD today.  That is not covered.  It is still vastly better than Medicare.

Many people I know are really struggling financially.  There are at mercy of the 21^st century version of a debtor’s prison.  Landlords in Arkansas can have tenants late on rent jailed.

I am grateful for my pension and for the financial security of my pension funding.  Money is really close to freedom for me.  If I can afford a legal activity and want to do it, I am free to do so.