choose

Cases, or worse, hit the $200 million cap on hospital-provided Medicare payments early.The next time will probably be to see when Lucius' medical insurance will reach the payment limit.

Lucius didn't even want to think about what to do if his health insurance hit the cap.At that point, the great American welfare system might be able to do one thing that even Abraxas couldn't: force him to divorce Severus.It's ridiculous to say that while Lucius' income is not at all enough to cover potentially exorbitant medical bills, it's enough to make the two of them completely ineligible for any benefits.After the divorce, Severus, who had zero income, immediately met the conditions for applying for Medicaid medical assistance and other benefits.

Lucius was lost in his own thoughts, Odin patted him and said, "Have you considered other sources of income?"

Lucius nodded, not entirely sure what he was capable of.His own memory from Lucius Malfoy has given him a lot of language and art, but it is difficult to convert those things into dollars. Maybe he should ask Narcissa how to become an interior designer or fashion consultant; Lucius Malfoy It also provided a lot of knowledge about how to do business, but he didn't know whether those unspoken rules of the wizarding world were applicable to the Muggle world; at the same time, Lucius couldn't risk losing his detective work: the medical insurance provided by the state police system was not bad Yes, Severus might need the insurance anytime.

Lucius listened gratefully to the few small tasks Odin suggested to him, and really felt what it meant to collapse the three worlds into the current world.

Note:

Although food and clothing in the United States are relatively cheap relative to income, and a family of three can afford more than US$1 a year, the three mountains of tuition, housing and medical insurance definitely squeeze the middle class of the United States very hard. of.Once something goes wrong, the middle class will almost immediately fall into the lower class.

Speaking of housing costs, let's say property taxes and HomeOwner Association (HomeOwnerAssociation) fees are the best way to drive people out of the community when their incomes don't match the income levels of the community.For example, the annual property tax in Boston is about 1.3%, and the association of householders charges 100-700 yuan per month.Calculated based on the value of the house in millions of dollars, the property tax, property insurance, and the fee of the Household Association will be 50 dollars a year.When SS has an annual income of 6, $[-] doesn’t seem like much. You can ask LM, a person with an after-tax income of more than [-], to pay to see if the economy is in trouble right away.So, what to do with the middle class suffering from natural and man-made disasters?I had no choice but to sell the house (and be robbed by the national tax, state tax, land tax, real estate agent, etc.), and stop showing my predicament everywhere and adding trouble to other neighbors.

As for medical insurance, when a person has a good job, everything is easy to talk about. Once he loses his job, the whole family will suffer immediately.According to U.S. law, within 2000 months after a person loses his job, he can still purchase medical insurance provided by his original employer with full payment. ——Don’t think this is a punishment. Being able to buy 50 months of insurance at the original rate is definitely a benefit in the United States, because the insurance you buy from an insurance company is generally more expensive or worse than the insurance provided by your employer.Therefore, after unemployment, it is very easy for a family of four to spend an extra $[-] a month on medical insurance.At the same time, if a person is seriously ill, it will be even worse.The high medical expenses in the United States are world-renowned.For example, it costs US$[-] to make a CT in the United States, but only a few hundred RMB in China.Medical insurance is a little bit worse. The out-of-pocket part of a CT in the United States can exceed the self-payment part of CT in China.Even the American people with medical insurance are often forced to go to the third world countries they despise, such as Cuba or China, for medical treatment due to the high out-of-pocket payment - plus travel expenses and all out-of-pocket medical expenses, it is even worse than Health insurance is cheaper in the US.Under the condition of such abnormally high medical expenses, it is very easy to exceed the reimbursement limit of medical insurance after a serious illness.On the forums of overseas Chinese, people will ask for help in a few months, telling about a major car accident, reaching the upper limit of medical insurance, and the hospital is about to stop treatment other than life support, what should I do.Therefore, if SS is unemployed, according to the situation of LM and SS, in order to reach the medical insurance limit as slowly as possible, their strategy should be to purchase SS’s medical insurance at their own expense until SS’s medical expenses reach his original medical insurance limit , or eighteen months, and then he will switch to Lucius' medical insurance until he spends the upper limit of Lucius' medical insurance.What to do after that?Pay for it yourself.What should I do if I can't afford it?Uh, the hospital will transfer the debt to a debt collection company, and the debt collection company can sue and demand various properties of the debtor—for example, the house of LM and SS that exceeds [-] US dollars.

You may ask questions about government relief.However, for the middle-aged middle class like LM and SS who own a house and have a certain income, they are not eligible for government relief.So what to do?Spend your savings, sell your house, sell your valuables...

Well, at the end of the day, with Lucius' income, they still don't qualify for government handouts.Then, the best way is actually for LM and SS to divorce, and then SS, a poor person with zero income, immediately meets the conditions for assistance.The reason for the divorce is ridiculous, right?But this is the reason why countless American single mothers live with their lovers without getting married: after they get married, the combined income of the two of them immediately does not qualify for relief, and they cannot enjoy many government benefits.

[①] American shopping has a sales tax in most states. The sales tax in Massachusetts, where Lucius is located, is 6.25%, but you don't have to pay tax on clothes and groceries under $175.The state consumption tax in California, where Luciana is located, is 7.25%, and there are city and county consumption taxes, which can reach up to 9.75%, which is one of the highest states in the United States.If you shop online in the United States, many states do not actually pay consumption tax; but California has to pay tax.So, Californians often shop in other states.

[HP/Awake][LM/SS] selection - 15

15 Awake

Awake

Lucius walked into Severus' ward to find his dark-haired husband struggling to flip through a thick book propped in front of him while writing and drawing on Post-it notes.

—Merlin, Severus won't start studying again so soon, will he?What did the Sorting Hat think that it didn't sort him into Ravenclaw? !

Lucius just didn't know what to say.

Seeing Lucius come in, Severus avoided his husband's concerned eyes, as if he wanted to hide the book and the note.But, clearly, Severus' current situation made it difficult for him to do so.

Lucius came over and was about to tease Severus, but he saw the name of the book: "Guide to Choosing a Medical Specialty".He looked at the post-it note again, where several medical options were written: family doctor, public health, medical teaching.There were also several crossed-out specialties "diagnostic radiology", "immunology", and "pathology" on the sticky note, and a brief reason was written behind it: the time in hospital was too long.

Lucius looked at Severus distressedly, kissed his lover's chapped lips lightly, and said, "Honey, you're getting better now, who said you need to change majors?"

Averting Lucius' eyes, Severus scribbled on a post-it note, "Lucius, look at my hand! I can't feel or control my little finger, and I can't feel the outside of my ring finger. You call How do I continue to be a vascular surgeon?"

Lucius watched Severus' left hand stretched out in front of him: the thumb, index and middle fingers stretched out straight, while the ring and little fingers curled up uncontrollably.

The platinum-blonde detective took her husband's hand and kissed his fingers over and over again, hoping that her kiss would perform miracles.

Severus sighed, and continued to write on the note: "Lucius, good wishes and prayers won't change the facts. I have to do something. I checked just now, and my medical bills are almost 30 these days $. The hospital insurance limit is only $200 million.”

Lucius couldn't bear to look into Severus' dark eyes: God, my Severus is always so rational, always so strong, and always thinks so long-term.I wish he could be a little more innocent and less troubled now.

Severus continued with a wry smile: "If I can find a new job that includes health insurance before I hit the health insurance cap, I can have another health insurance. That means I may have to go through the hospital all over again Medical hell, fortunately, most residency training programs include health insurance. After I finish my residency, I will probably be able to find a new job and get a new insurance. -Of course, I You can also try to find a teaching job immediately, just hope that the salary of teachers will not be too low. I haven’t calculated carefully yet, whether my life insurance is enough for us to persist until I come back for a three-year residency.”

Lucius felt his eyes sting.He recalled how Severus worked 50-plus hours straight during his surgical residency. — God, how could Severus live like that for a few more years now?

After a long time, Lucius said: "Severus, don't put too much pressure on yourself. Don't forget, I also have medical insurance. In a few years, I will be able to retire from the state police system. At that time, I can also find a a new job."

Severus sighed again, and changed the subject stiffly: "Lucius, I read your father's case, and the success rate of the operation is quite high."

Knowing that Severus was reluctant to continue this topic, Lucius obediently changed the subject: "Well, I will pass on the diagnosis of one of the best vascular surgeons in the country to my father."

Hearing the word "vascular surgeon," a cloud of gloom flitted across Severus' face.But he quickly covered up his emotions with a deadpan face.

Lucius cursed himself for being an outspoken fool.He tried to find some good news to share with her husband, but couldn't find it.After a while, he found that Severus was rubbing his face comfortingly with the back of his right hand a few times, and heard his husband's staccato voice: "Lu——your father, you'll be fine."

The platinum-blonde detective looked at her husband guiltily, and felt more and more useless: let alone how I have been supported by Severus all these years, and now it is me who needs Severus' comfort!

Severus pinched the flesh around Lucius' cheek with his thumb and forefinger, imitating how Lucius had teased him over the years, and pulled up to lift the corner of Lucius' mouth, and said hoarsely, "I'm not afraid of..."

Lucius smiled wryly, buried his head in Severus' shoulder, and said sullenly, "Severus, I will support you!"

After a long time, Lucius felt that he had been slapped twice by Severus, and then he heard the choked up voice of his husband: "You are not allowed...to steal my...promise. I promised to let you buy...what you want. I I didn't do it, I never did it..."

"No, you did." Lucius raised his head and retorted, "I wanted you, and I wanted Draco. So, you've always done it."

Severus sighed and stroked Lucius' hair fascinatedly, as if it was the last time he'd be able to do so.

********************************************

Lucius walked slowly in the corridor of the hospital, he hadn't thought about how to face his father for a while.

At this time, Doctor Horace Slughorn chased up from behind: "Lucius, good afternoon."

Lucius turned around and instinctively put on a smirk: "Horace, good afternoon."

"It's great to meet you. I have something to tell you." The chunky chief of the radiology department panted slightly, signaling the two to find a place with a little privacy to talk.

Moments later, in a ward with several long-comatose patients, Horace spoke excitedly about his plans: "Look, Lucius, I have a help Minerva—help Severus, I mean help Severus— plan of."

Lucius knew that the original intention of Horace Slughorn's plan must be to help his live-in girlfriend become the head of Hogwarts Teaching Hospital, but, in a sense, helping Minerva was helping Severus.So, enduring his impatience with the old slug, he continued to listen politely.

"Now the hospital's medical insurance limit is only 200 million US dollars. For a nationally famous hospital like ours, such insurance is simply outrageous." Horace said angrily. "Given that in a few months it's time for the hospital to renew its health insurance contract with the insurance company, I think the hospital staff and families should do something about it."

Lucius quickly recognized the opportunity: if the hospital's medical insurance cap could be raised significantly before Severus disappeared from the hospital's employee list, they might not have to worry about exceeding the insurance cap for medical bills for a while.So, he asked hopefully, "You—oh, Minerva is going to lead this campaign?"—by the way buying the hospital's hearts?

Horace's head shook like a rattle: "Lucius, I...Of course I would. However, it's not appropriate for me or Minerva to do this now. You know, in this period, it's a little...sensitive."

Lucius, who has been a politician in another world for decades, quickly realized: this old walrus wants me to link up with the hospital staff and promote this operation.If it works, the credit goes to Minerva; if things go wrong, it's entirely Severus and I who provoked it for personal reasons.

One of the saddest things in the world is when you know that there is a hole dug by someone else, and you have to jump into it willingly, and you have to say "thank you" to the person who dug the hole. Lucius is facing this situation now.

The platinum-blond detective put on the most standard smirk, and said to the old walrus: "Horace, I can't express my gratitude for your reminder in words."

The fat old man who loves relationship studies suddenly felt a chill down his spine.

****************************

"Father, Severus thinks that you don't need to worry about tomorrow's operation at all." Lucius carefully mentioned his husband's name in front of his father.

Abraxas gave Lucius a blank look, and said with disdain, "Lucius, don't try. Although I admit that Dr. Snape is a respectable person, I will not recognize a person who cannot leave a family for the Britten family."

Lucius Malfoy's instinct was to say "I can give Severus a baby", but Lucius Britten swallowed that: he didn't want to be thought crazy just yet.What's more, what my father just said just mentioned one of Lucius' biggest regrets about the Muggle world: there is no male and female fertility here, and medicine is simply too backward!

Abraxas stared straight ahead, saying firmly, "As I learn more about middle-class life, I understand why you might feel that you are obliged to maintain your legal connection with Dr. Snape. - After a while, He probably needs your health insurance."

Lucius tried to ignore his father's disdainful reference to the "middle class" - the same tone he used as Lucius Malfoy when he referred to the Ministry of Magic's minor employees - hoping that his father's words meant that he no longer required himself to be with the Severus divorced.

"If that's your concern, an insurance company of which an old friend of mine is a director probably needs a medical advisor," Abraxas said calmly.

Lucius knew it was a big concession for his father.However, he couldn't accept the idea of ​​divorcing Severus.

Abraxas glared at Lucius again, and said bitterly: "Lucius, stop being indecisive! Accept it, or refuse it. My suggestion won't last forever."

The problem for Lucius now was that he wanted Severus to get the job and still want to stay married to Severus.

Abraxas stomped his cane and reprimanded, "Lucius, you really let me down. I didn't expect Dr. Snape to be the more sensible of the two of you. Don't force me to see Dr. Snape, it will be ugly."

Hearing such a threat, Lucius suddenly mustered up the courage to fight with his own portraits: "Father, I am sincerely grateful for your suggestion. However, I have to refuse your condition."

Abraxas stared at Lucius' eyes very similar to his own, and said, "Then, I can only say that you have chosen a path of no return leading to the lower classes of society."

Lucius bowed respectfully to his father and said, "Father, that is indeed my choice."

The white-haired old man looked at his son for a long time, and suddenly sighed in defeat: "I can't watch my grandson apply for a student loan, so I will set up a fund for Draco's tuition and living expenses."

Lucius looked at his father gratefully, and was about to say something when his father waved him out of the ward.

Note: I wrote earlier that Severus was fractured at C8-T1, but after being reminded by JMS, I realized that humans do not have C8 bones, only C1-C7, but the ganglion of C8 is still there. The damage in my impression should be C8-T1 nerve damage .Apologies to the boobies here.

[HP/Awake][LM/SS] selection - 16

16. Three worlds ready to be busy

HP#1

Lucius opened his eyes and found that he was indeed sleeping on the big bed in Malfoy Manor, with the portrait of Severus beside him.And very rarely, the portrait of Severus kept by his side.

Lucius happily kissed the oil painting, and said, "Severus, it's great to see you when I wake up in the morning."

The portrait of Severus dodged Lucius' kiss and said angrily, "You know why I'm here! How are the other two worlds going?"

Lucius snorted, and said, "Very well, in another magical world, the two of us just held a wedding ceremony. In the Muggle world, I just settled Draco's college tuition."

"You're all about getting married in the wizarding world?!" The dark-haired portrait just doesn't know what's going on in Lucius's head: doesn't the old bastard know that the longer it drags on, the harder it is to solve ?

Lucius stroked the face of Severus' portrait and said, "My dear, isn't this the most important thing? - Oh, of course, we also found the notes left by Salazar Slytherin and Tom Riddle."

The portrait of Severus wanted to rush out of the portrait to find the notes and find out what had happened.However, now he can only stay in the portrait, asking dryly about his lover.

Lucius then described to Severus what had happened at the Gaunt House.

After hearing his lover's description, Severus turned and rushed back to the headmaster's office to find Dumbledore's portrait. He had to let the old bastard with the white beard find his phoenix quickly.

Lucius shook his head: Alas, my Severus, always in such a hurry to get down to business.Can't we save it first?

At this time, Blinky appeared in front of Lucius tremblingly: "Master, Harry Potter wants to see you."

The fair-haired wizard raised his eyebrows: Well, Severus wasn't the only one in a hurry.

With the previous experience, Lucius and Phoenix Fawks who turned into wyverns quickly found the Parsel Notes in the basement of Gaunt's house.However, they now had a problem: the Headmaster of Hogwarts here was not Severus Snape, and there was no way Lucius and Harry could take things directly to the headmaster's office like they did in another wizarding world.

In desperation, Lucius had no choice but to take Harry back to Malfoy Manor.Facing Draco who was puzzled and the guards outside the manor, Lucius announced without changing his expression: "Dear savior, Mr. Harry Potter has decided to personally monitor our two suspects at Malfoy Manor."

Facing the inexplicably excited young Auror who had the chance to get close to the Savior, and Draco glaring at him, Harry secretly gritted his teeth and took Lucius into the Malfoy Manor with a look of righteous indignation.

********************************

HP#2

The youngest headmaster in the history of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry waved his wand, throwing out the newly promoted Animagus who was jumping on him: "Lucius, use your brain more or less for business! My portrait is for those notes. How do you say it?"

Lucius pouted, and got down to business: "Thank God, the portraits of my family—oh, our family—have many people who know Parseltongue. They have already begun to divide the labor and translate the notes we haven't seen here. The second half of it. Potter and I are taking care of the records."

"Very well, the portrait in the headmaster's office at Hogwarts here, together with the small portraits brought from Malfoy Manor, can take care of the first half of the translation notes. I will call the kid to Hogwarts for the reason of teaching Potter alone And you, you must get rid of the semi-literate state of Parselton as soon as possible."

Lucius, who was proud of his good education all his life, was suddenly called "semi-literate", and he was really uncomfortable.He said angrily: "Then where should I stay most of the time during the day? You know, Minerva and others still come to you often."

Severus thought for a moment, then pointed resignedly to his bedroom.

Lucius immediately rushed into the bedroom attached to the headmaster's office in a merry way - along with Severus who was struggling to escape from the clutches.

**************************

Awake

Lucius pushed the shopping cart, choosing the potion for termite prevention in the home improvement supermarket of Home Depot.Usually, Lucius hires people to do the "dirty work" of preventing termites.But now, Lucius had to carry out the activity himself.

The light-blonde detective rubbed his temples, knowing that he still needed to check all the electrical wiring, check the plumbing system, repaint a few places where the paint had come off, and replace the plants in the garden with very easy-to-maintain ones. type.He glanced at his watch and found that there was still half an hour before the appointment time for him to meet with the decoration studio recommended by Dr. Pomona Sprout of the rehabilitation department. Lucius sighed, hoping that the home improvement project wouldn't cost too much.

—Merlin, what a lot to do in the month or two before Severus and I in the wizarding world are ready to guide the collapse of three worlds into this world!If I can't hold on before that and go crazy, I should at least save Severus here from worrying about the leaking tap for a while.

With a wry smile, Lucius picked up a bottle of potion that claimed to be able to prevent termite invasion for up to five years, and once again felt that he was having a headache in one world looking for rare magic materials, and in another world looking for useful ones. Ridiculous headaches from bug spray.

Lucius rubbed his face as he walked towards the checkout counter, wishing he could wake up a bit: God, I'm going to see my father at night.If I told him now that I was considering accepting his terms and signing the divorce papers, but the divorce papers could only be given to him after Severus was released from rehab, wouldn't my father be happy?Unfortunately, that's not my purpose - if we in the wizarding world fail, or if I can't hold on, I need to give Severus a financial security. Merlin, if I'm really crazy, let Severus, who saw the divorce papers, hate me for being irresponsible, and immediately sign the papers and kick me out of the house.Too bad I haven't been in the state police long enough now to get my full pension and health benefits.However, I am penniless due to divorce, so I should be eligible for Medicaid, right?

(Have you found a potential big dog blood? Hahaha, the HE ending will be played tomorrow.)

[HP/Awake][LM/SS] Choice - 17 (top)

17([-]).HE ending

Awake

"My dear, I have discussed with Minerva and Pomona for a long time before they agreed to let you go home for one night before entering the rehabilitation center. Please take a look at the remodeling part of the house. If you are not satisfied, I Call them today to fix it." Lucius said as he moved Severus' legs out of the car, ready to help him into the wheelchair.

Severus silently put his arms around Lucius' neck, allowing Lucius to carry him to the wheelchair outside the car.He listened to the platinum-haired detective's story about how the car was modified for his own use, and he thumbed a lock of Lucius' hair: God, Lucius has already signed the divorce papers, and you let Why is Lucius so nice to me?

Lucius seemed to sense Severus' silence, and he quickly changed the subject, trying to cheer him up.

But how could Severus have been happier since Abraxas' visit a few days earlier?That day, Lucius' father showed him the divorce papers that he wasn't supposed to see until months later, when he was released from rehab.In the divorce agreement, Lucius left all the property of the two of them to him, and promised to give him half of his monthly income as a detective as alimony.At the same time, Abraxas also informed him that after the divorce, he would get a position as a medical consultant for a health insurance company, which would be enough for him to support himself.

Severus had prayed over and over again that Abraxas' words were false, and that the signature he had seen was also false.However, he was so familiar with Lucius' signature that he couldn't deceive himself.Struggling to maintain his dignity, Severus told Abraxas that he would never sloppy, and that when it was time for a divorce, he would sign it happily.But actually, he's still weak: up to this point, he hasn't told Lucius that he knows about his plan.He's also been making excuses for himself, saying that Lucius doesn't want you to know now, so just pretend you don't know.

Now, Severus struggled to hold on to the armrests of the wheelchair, but still watched himself slide under the wheelchair.Facing Lucius who was helping him to fasten the protective belt, he began to mock himself in his heart: Look at you, a waste who can't even sit still and can only be tied to a wheelchair, you really want Lucius to be tied to you by your side?Didn't he help you with what you should do?Thanks to his efforts, the upper limit of medical insurance for doctors in the Hogwarts Teaching Hospital has become 1000 million US dollars, and there is an additional year of disability insurance. You don't need to worry about medical expenses and living expenses for a while.After you leave the hospital, there will be a job waiting for you, not to mention half of Lucius' salary.Do you still have any dissatisfaction?

With that in mind, Severus gave Lucius a forced smile, and was immediately greeted with a broad smile in return.

Severus looked at Lucius' face, and was distressed to find that he had lost weight again, and the dark circles under his eyes were more obvious: God, Lucius has been suffering a lot these days, right?After we got divorced, Lucius didn't have to look at me every day and be tortured psychologically.

To this day, Severus still has no way to accuse Lucius of not loving himself, or being irresponsible: if Lucius doesn't love him anymore, then things will be easy, and Lucius won't torture himself like this; if Lucius doesn't intend to Now that he is responsible for himself, he doesn't need to decorate the house, remodel the car like this, and make all preparations for his future life. Everything Lucius did proved to be a true gentleman.

After working as a doctor for so many years, Severus was used to seeing couples divorced due to illness.It can be said that in this situation, divorce is the norm.It also said "couple".For a same-sex union that was inherently unstable, and for someone like myself who could no longer satisfy Lucius sexually, Lucius was quite lucky that he hadn't run out the door screaming.Also, those who decide to leave, especially those who marry men, generally do so in a difficult way.