Paul Schnitman

Investment Advisor, Money Management, Cash Flow Management

[Paul Schnitman @pschnit]

@Support I pay for no ads. Yet a pop up for the X Money credit card comes up periodically which cannot be closed. I'm forced to sign up or "Remind me Later". I don't want to be reminded and I don't want your credit card

[Paul Schnitman @pschnit]

@AmericanAir we flew from DFW to RSW June 26 Flight 2446. Just before the flight my wife receives notification from American that her seat was changed from 17 F to 19 F. Mine was not changed. A flight attendant was sitting in the seat she was supposed to be in. I am a gold member not the that counts for much, and we paid for main cabin extra seat seats. Being a goal member we are in boarding group 4. There were two flight attendant sitting next to me and they were already on the plane before my wife and I boarded. I would like for you to explain how a flight attendant was put in my wife's seat? I would also like you to explain why a supervisor at the gold desk number I called tells me I might have to wait for 21 days to receive a refund for the main cabin extra seat that we did not get. This is not the first time something like this has happened to us.

[Paul Schnitman @pschnit]

Same here. Plan G 39% increase just arrived today

[InterestArb @InterestArb]

No Way, I Challenge that!!!!!!
Today, I just happen to post how my plan G Supplemental Medicare coverage just notified me it is going up 20.3%, this is after the 11% increase last year. Plan B coverage only increased 9.7% in 2026, unless you got crushed with IRMA like me.

[Paul Schnitman @pschnit]

@Starlink you cannot make it easier to install a Starlink dish. Just did my third install which is a fixed dish at my residence in Abilene,TX. Have a mini on my truck and an actuated dish at a house in the mountains (our first one). Two different accounts. All three installed seamlessly and quickly. I haven't needed to contact customer service except on a shipment and that was very easy and quick. No more cable ISP with crappy customer service. Great product and great service! Nice job!

[Paul Schnitman @pschnit]

@Support
The update of the X app today completely messed up my Following timeline. What happened?

[Paul Schnitman @pschnit]

Just found out this past week that Federal employees have the old plan like I described available to them now!

[Paul Schnitman @pschnit]

The old way discouraged over-utilization because you must pay the medical provider at time of service, then file a claim with your insurance company to get reimbursed.

We would have much better healthcare because the doctor/medical provider is encouraged to provide great service to attract patients (customers). And they can spend their time with patients instead of dealing with insurance companies and bureaucracy.

[Paul Schnitman @pschnit]

Acquiring Greenland by the US seems familiar to why the US acquired Guam and Hawaii. @realDonaldTrump @elonmusk

From Grok:
Acquisition of Hawaii

The United States acquired Hawaii through annexation in 1898, driven by economic interests in sugar plantations, missionary influences, and strategic military needs amid rising American expansionism. The process began with a coup in 1893, where American businessmen and planters, supported by U.S. Marines from the USS Boston, overthrew Queen Liliuokalani and established a provisional government led by Sanford B. Dole. Initial efforts for annexation under President Benjamin Harrison failed when President Grover Cleveland withdrew support, viewing the overthrow as unlawful. However, the Spanish-American War in 1898 shifted priorities, as Hawaii’s location made it valuable as a naval base and coaling station for operations in the Pacific, particularly against Spain in the Philippines. President William McKinley, who favored expansion, signed the Newlands Resolution (a joint resolution of Congress) on July 7, 1898, formally annexing Hawaii as a U.S. territory. It remained a territory until becoming the 50th state in 1959.

Acquisition of Guam
Guam was acquired by the United States in 1898 as a direct result of the Spanish-American War, primarily for its strategic value as a naval outpost and coaling station in the western Pacific, facilitating U.S. projection toward Asia. 3 4 Under Spanish control since the 1600s, the island was captured bloodlessly in June 1898 when the USS Charleston arrived, and the unaware Spanish garrison surrendered after a brief exchange. Formally, Spain ceded Guam (along with Puerto Rico and the Philippines) to the U.S. via the Treaty of Paris, signed on December 10, 1898. President William McKinley oversaw this acquisition as part of broader wartime expansion. Guam remains an unincorporated U.S. territory today, with its residents as U.S. citizens but without full voting rights in federal elections.

[Paul Schnitman @pschnit]

Wow! I'm on original Medicare plus supplements (medicare & Rx). 20% on Medicare supplement and pay $0 premium on WellCare Rx supplement.

[InterestArb @InterestArb]

@pschnit That's another story, I am not including the IRMAA adjustment from the letter I received.

[Paul Schnitman @pschnit]

Sounds like it is due to an income spike two years ago. No?

[InterestArb @InterestArb]

Inflation & Healthcare:
My Medicare Plan B increasing 51%, Plan D 29%

[Paul Schnitman @pschnit]

The old way discouraged over-utilization because you must pay the medical provider at time of service, then file a claim with your insurance company to get reimbursed.

We would have much better healthcare because the doctor/medical provider is encouraged to provide great service to attract patients (customers). And they can spend their time with patients instead of dealing with insurance companies and bureaucracy.

[Paul Schnitman @pschnit]

We need to go back to the old way of health insurance:
1) the doctor decided what you needed
2) you filed a claim with the insurance company, not the medical provider
3) the insurance company had "reasonable & customary" charges tables of what they would reimburse
4) you paid the balance.

And we need to go back to proving insurability for lower premiums. Those that are unhealthy cost the system more so they pay higher premiums.

An let us buy a high deductible policy like we had before if we can afford to self insure some part of our medical costs

That system worked fine. There was competition among insurance companies and medical providers.

[Paul Schnitman @pschnit]

We need to go back to the old way of health insurance:
1) the doctor decided what you needed
2) you filed a claim with the insurance company, not the medical provider
3) the insurance company had "reasonable & customary" charges tables of what they would reimburse
4) you paid the balance.

And we need to go back to proving insurability for lower premiums. Those that are unhealthy cost the system more so they pay higher premiums.

An let us buy a high deductible policy like we had before if we can afford to self insure some part of our medical costs

That system worked fine. There was competition among insurance companies and medical providers.

[Mike Lee @BasedMikeLee]

If government interference could make healthcare cheaper, it’d be free by now

Federal interference in healthcare doesn’t work—quite to the contrary

It makes healthcare unaffordable

[Paul Schnitman @pschnit]

There are most likely many hard working immigrants who are not American citizens (who also are legally here) who do not receive government benefits and subsidies. I'm ok with that. However, many of those workers are paid wages in cash. They don't pay income taxes, and they don't pay into Social Security and Medicare. Non-citizens of the United States should not receive the benefits hard-working Americans receive, in my opinion.

The money we are giving to non-citizens could be distributed to our citizens who are in need.

[The White House @WhiteHouse]

🚨 "I will permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries to allow the U.S. system to fully recover, terminate all of the millions of Biden illegal admissions... & remove anyone who is not a net asset to the U.S., or is incapable of loving our Country..." - @POTUS

[Paul Schnitman @pschnit]

Grok, do congressmen continue receiving paychecks during a government shutdown?

"Yes, members of Congress continue to receive their paychecks during a government shutdown. This is because their salaries are protected under Article I, Section 6 of the U.S. Constitution, which states that senators and representatives “shall receive a compensation for their services, to be ascertained by law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States.”

Perhaps this should change?

[Karoline Leavitt @PressSec]

One of my favorite TRUTH BOMBS💣from President Trump at the United Nations:

"What makes the world so beautiful is that each country is unique. But to stay this way, every sovereign nation must have the right to control their own borders—and to limit the sheer numbers of migrants entering their countries. Proud nations must be allowed to protect their communities and prevent their societies from being overwhelmed by people they have never seen before. Where migrants have violated laws, lodged false asylum claims, or claimed refugee status for illegitimate reasons, they should in many cases be SENT HOME. And while we will always have a big heart for places and people that are struggling, the truly compassionate answer is to solve the problems in THEIR countries, not to create new problems in OUR countries.

According to the Council of Europe, in 2024, almost 50% of inmates in German prisons were foreign nationals or migrants. In Austria, the number was 53%. In Greece, the number was 54%. In Switzerland, it’s 72%.

When your prisons are filled with so-called asylum-seekers who repaid kindness with crime, it is time to END the failed experiment of Open Borders."

AMEN!

[JD Vance @JDVance]

To my friends on the political Right: I understand the feeling that people are putting words into Charlie Kirk's mouth. At some level, I agree and share your frustration.

Try to remember: a lot of people loved Charlie. It is natural for them to debate his views and his legacy. In fact, I think Charlie would welcome that.

But for now, let's celebrate our friend, remember his impact, and save the debate for after his funeral.

[JD Vance @JDVance]

If we want to stop political violence like what happened to Charlie Kirk, we have to be honest about the people who are celebrating it and the people who are financing it.

My closing remarks on today's episode of the Charlie Kirk Show:

[Speaker Mike Johnson @SpeakerJohnson]

Charlie knew the Truth. 🙏 https://t.co/p8hljD5r4X via @YouTube

[Bishop Robert Barron @BishopBarron]

I’d like to respond to a disturbing contention from Senator Tim Kaine, during a recent confirmation hearing.

[JD Vance @JDVance]

This is a major moment for our country!

[Paul Schnitman @pschnit]

That would be interesting to count only American citizens!

[Charlie Kirk @charliekirk11]

We should redo the census and only count Americans.