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Politics Obamacare

Discussion in 'Tilted Philosophy, Politics, and Economics' started by pan6467, Mar 28, 2012.

  1. snowy

    snowy so kawaii Staff Member

    Man, I'm so excited for my free birth control this spring! I use the Mirena IUS, and under the Affordable Care Act, it and the insertion procedure are covered at 100% by my insurer. I can't wait to see what the final cost is once I'm done. Oh, that's right--what was a rather spendy procedure (up to $1k depending on insurance coverage) that benefits nearly everyone by preventing unwanted children is now free to me.

    I did a little happy dance at the pharmacy the other day when waiting for my own medications, a young woman was picking up her birth control. Cost? Nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Zero.

    You will pry my free birth control out of my cold, dead hands.
     
    Last edited: Feb 19, 2015
    • Like Like x 1
  2. RedSneaker

    RedSneaker Very Tilted

    Yes @snowy that was a nice surprise to me last year, too. Not that my BC was that expensive, but every little bit counts.

    I'm not really happy with my monthly premium though. Sad face.
     
  3. Speed_Gibson

    Speed_Gibson Hacking the Gibson

    Location:
    Wolf 359
    My wife fell under the small percentage for that procedure where they had to go back and remove it after it relocated itself. Thankfully the damage was not too extensive or permanent.
     
  4. snowy

    snowy so kawaii Staff Member

    Honestly, our healthcare system is so FUBAR I'm not sure there is anything that can be done to fix it, save burning it to the ground and going single payer. Costs would be so much lower, and whoever argues that wait times are a problem with single payer has never lived somewhere with a doctor shortage. I have to wait a MONTH to see a physical therapist for my neck, and in trying to find a doctor to see about my neck, one health system here had a wait of a month to see a resident. Oh, see the internist! says my oh-so-helpful friend. Well, the internist also had a month-long wait. I gave up and went with another system.

    I don't want to know what the ultimate cost of my MRI today was. I paid $384.01 of it upfront. My guess is some of that went towards my deductible and some of it is coinsurance for after I hit the deductible, but I've yet to see the breakdown. Instead, I had to pay what I consider a pretty hefty chunk of change upfront, on the faith that this clinic isn't going to screw me over with billing.

    So far, my monthly premium has been absolutely worth it for the two of us. Without insurance, what I've been through would be financially devastating otherwise. It was really hard to make myself go to the doctor because I had no insurance for a while. I would have totally skipped the ER when my arms went numb. As it was, I went because I knew it was covered and I could afford to do so. I am glad that in Oregon, Obamacare has allowed for the expansion of OHP, which is and was already a fine program that meets the needs of thousands of Oregonians.
     
  5. Speed_Gibson

    Speed_Gibson Hacking the Gibson

    Location:
    Wolf 359
    The last time I saw a doctor I was still in the military. I suspect it will involve my knee(s) failing catastrophically before I do see one. Can't afford the premiums I have seen online that this plan would force on me. Hopefully it will be a moot point fairly soon when I have active coverage through work again that I resume ignoring again.
     
  6. rogue49

    rogue49 Tech Kung Fu Artist Staff Member

    Location:
    Baltimore/DC
    Oh...yeah...NOW they're worried. :rolleyes:

    Is GOP finally getting nervous that the Supreme Court might gut Obamacare?

    GOP states revisit Obamacare as Supreme Court weighs subsidies

    Just stupid.
    Like they're worried that they may have to go to the hospital for burns and pay tons...AFTER playing with fireworks and no safety for years.

    Sure, you're worried about getting blamed...we're STILL waiting on the ideas for the "replace".
    We're waiting...we're listening. *crickets*

    These folks have got to be the biggest cowards... (then again, the Dems aren't too inspiring either...but at least they're not making Elmer Fudd plays)

    You know, I don't mind ideas from the Right. IF they're good, balanced and practical.
    BUT I do mind the poor plays and conduct.
    AND just not thinking ahead.

    This is not what leadership is about. We vote for you to represent, to be intelligent...to act. (not "act up")

    And sure, some of your more passionate and verbal constituents may be short-sighted and linear.
    Doesn't mean you have to follow them...you're supposed to be better than that. You're a "leader"

    Well, you're just not "leading" well enough.
    Sound familiar??

    If you want something done better...you gotta DO something better. Not just wish it gone, just "because".
    Put up or shut up.
     
  7. snowy

    snowy so kawaii Staff Member

    And in today's "People Are Idiots" file:

    Who should save sight of SC man who can’t afford surgery? | The Charlotte Observer The Charlotte Observer

     
    • Like Like x 1
  8. Tully Mars

    Tully Mars Very Tilted

    Location:
    Yucatan, Mexico
    ^Darwin Award candidate?
     
    • Like Like x 3
  9. ASU2003

    ASU2003 Very Tilted

    Location:
    Where ever I roam
    If he lives in a $300,000 house, either he has enough in savings to cover the property taxes, he could take out a loan against the equity in his house, or he could get a medical loan from the bank.

    Or, the Democratic National Committee could pay to have Obama go down there with a big Publisher Clearing House type of check, and say, this is why you need to be covered. Or the Single Payer Action Network could go down there and do the same thing and say, this is why we want there to be universal healthcare that is funded by everyone. And the costs will be lower because there will be doctors that only do diabetes eye surgery all day, everyday. They might have to take a trip to the town where this doctor is, but it would be quality care.
     
  10. Aceventura

    Aceventura Slightly Tilted

    Location:
    North Carolina
    Obamacare front loaded benefits and back loaded the costs. From the start it has been clear this legislation was poorly crafted - at some point a Republican administration is going to have to fix this - hopefully it will be sooner rather than later.

     
  11. redravin

    redravin Cynical Optimist Donor

    Location:
    North

    And my response to that is screw the insurance companies.
    They don't get their ridiculous jacked up fees.
    They get what they agreed to in the first place and fucking like it.
    I'm tired of these bastards and the games they play.
    Screw them and the horses they rode in on.
     
  12. redux

    redux Very Tilted

    Location:
    Foggy Bottom
    Rate requests are one thing; approval is another

    The ACA required the states to adopt new (stricter) rate review process for any requested premium rate increase over 10% . And, final approval of the rate is still in the hands of HHS/CMS

    An effective rate review system:
    • Must receive sufficient data and documentation concerning rate increases to conduct an examination of the reasonableness of the proposed increases.
    • Must consider the factors below as they apply to the review:
      • Medical cost trend changes by major service categories
      • Changes in utilization of services (i.e., hospital care, pharmaceuticals, doctors’ office visits) by major service categories
      • Cost-sharing changes by major service categories
      • Changes in benefits
      • Changes in enrollee risk profile
      • Impact of over- or under-estimate of medical trend in previous years on the current rate
      • Reserve needs
      • Administrative costs related to programs that improve health care quality
      • Other administrative costs
      • Applicable taxes and licensing or regulatory fees
      • Medical loss ratio
      • The issuer’s capital and surplus
      • The impacts of geographic factors and variations
      • The impact of changes within a single risk pool to all products or plans
        within the risk pool; and
      • The impact of reinsurance and risk adjustment payments and charges under sections 1341 and 1343 of the Affordable Care Act.
    • Must make a determination of the reasonableness of the rate increase under a standard set forth in State statute or regulation.
    • Must post either rate filings under review or preliminary justifications on their websites or post a link to the preliminary justifications that appear on the CMS website.
    • Must provide a mechanism for receiving public comments on proposed rate increases.
    • Must report results of rate reviews to CMS for rate increases subject to review.
    Last year, quite a few rate requests for this year were rejected by states and HHS .
     
    • Like Like x 1
  13. Speed_Gibson

    Speed_Gibson Hacking the Gibson

    Location:
    Wolf 359
    Took a look at the rates for plans and they are completely out of my reach right now. It is cheaper for me to pay the penalty at tax time than to scrape up the money to fall behind on the monthly premiums.
     
  14. snowy

    snowy so kawaii Staff Member

    You don't have to pay the penalty if you can't afford a plan in your area.
     
  15. Aceventura

    Aceventura Slightly Tilted

    Location:
    North Carolina
    If we look back at some of the criticisms of Obamacare, one addressed the issue of medical provider shortages not being addressed. Proponents argued that system costs would go down with a decrease in emergency room visits and an increase in preventive care treatments. So far, the doctor shortage continues to be a problem and emergency room visits according to emergency room doctors have gone up. In addition Medicaid continues to be a problem as more people are being added to the system - a broken system - a system where people have worse outcomes simply due to being in the system!

    Contrary to goals, ER visits rise under Obamacare
    Being against this poorly crafted legislation - Obamacare - earned any objector the labels of being racist, anti-woman, anti-poor, anti-you name it. There are real substantial arguments against Obamacare.
     
  16. Speed_Gibson

    Speed_Gibson Hacking the Gibson

    Location:
    Wolf 359
    Interesting. All I want is a dental plan, hopefully one of those will be reasonable enough.
     
  17. redux

    redux Very Tilted

    Location:
    Foggy Bottom
    You would be exempt from the penalty if the lowest price ACA plan would cost more than 8% of your income. There are other exemptions that are not income based.
    Qualifying for an exemption from the fee for not having health insurance | HealthCare.gov

    But the issue now is that you are between enrollment periods so depending on your qualifications for an exemption.you could be penalized for not having an approved plan for either 2014 or 2015.

    As to the dental, you might be better off looking into dental discount programs, rather than dental insurance. They offer deep discounts at a low monthly fee and you can go month-to-month and only pay the monthly fee when you actually need the dental services.

    The National Association of Counties has a good dental discount program for $6.95/month. You can see the typical savings on services from routine cleanings to fillings to root canal, etc. and find the nearest dentists in the discount network:

    Discount Vision, Prescription & HealthPlans | NACo Health and Dental Discount Program

    In the longer term, seriously look into getting the cheapest ACA plan (catastrophic) when open season starts in Oct. You never know when a serious medical condition or serious accident will hit and you need some protection!
     
    • Like Like x 1
  18. Speed_Gibson

    Speed_Gibson Hacking the Gibson

    Location:
    Wolf 359
    I already know that the damn penalty will hit me. Almost makes me wish the serious competition for President had been more than the "Hell No!" category so I could have helped vote him out of office. Whatever. Still trying to pay off measly 2012-14 taxes, so my attitude at this point is "bring it on".
    Never mind me, I haven't cared for the standing President for at least 20 years and all prospects this time around have me wanting to retch or leave the country (edit: Bernie Sanders actually looks decent). Fortunately whatever goon is elected can't screw it up much worse. <steps off soapbox he had no intention of standing on>

    Thank you for the link on the Dental information. That is overdue for me but losing my insurance through a certain large retailer last year made that impractical to get.
     
    Last edited: May 22, 2015
  19. Aceventura

    Aceventura Slightly Tilted

    Location:
    North Carolina
    Some face a no win situation. Under the ACA true cat. plans are not allowed. Remember all the arguments about how bad those plans are for the uninformed consumer? Under the ACA (Obamacare) some face situations with relatively high premiums, depending on subsidies and unaffordable deductibles, virtually making the insurance unusable.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/18/us/unable-to-meet-the-deductible-or-the-doctor.html?_r=0

    The President needs to show some leadership and initiate fixes to his signature, legacy legislation. He also needs to apologize to the public for the deception and his dismissive attitude toward those who warned of problems. Each year this poorly crafted legislation is going to be more and more harmful to working class people who need individual coverage and to the nation. All while insurance companies, drug companies and the rest of the healthcare industry sing a tune all the way to the bank! Make it mandatory, and put limits on competition - the first thing to do is open the market across state lines - so people can actually shop and compare coverages!
     
  20. redravin

    redravin Cynical Optimist Donor

    Location:
    North
    As one of those working class people who has a medical condition that requites me to take drugs it would be impossible for me to afford, I don't think the President has a damned thing to apologize for except maybe not getting single payer and dumping the insurance companies completely but that was never going to happen so I really don't blame him.
    If it wasn't for the ACA I wouldn't have the insurance I need to afford the drugs that keep me from falling down in the street at random times and flopping around. Also the ones that keep me from dropping into a dark depression and wanting to kill myself.
    It's affordable and lets me use the doctors I want.
    I do know people who are having a seriously hard time but that's because the previous moron governor up here didn't take the federal money to expand health care coverage and screwed up the system so bad that the new governor is having a hell of a time getting it started.
     
    • Like Like x 1