ACA and what I would supposedly not save.

[washacked]

So basically this is for poor people only, and people who work are going to get the shaft?

lol, poor people can't afford it, that's why they're exempt from the fine because the US knows they can't afford it

if you're under 150% of the poverty line, which is just shy of $17,000 a year, you're exempt from being fined for not having insurance

[wfredlund]

The healthcare system in the US is grossly unfair. I haven't had health insurance for 6 years because I flat out could not afford it. I am fortunate enough that my children qualified for Healthy Families.

Personally, I do not think that ACA is a step in the right direction. It sidesteps the fact that health insurance is just to damn expensive. Putting a tax on those that will continue to struggle with the costs is even more absurd. When my wife and I broke down our budget and included the added cost of insurance for the 2 of us, it raised our monthly budget by $380 dollars. In all reality, we can make an extra $400 works. The hard part is going to be the extremely high co-pays that we will have to shell out.

[Endus]

So basically this is for poor people only, and people who work are going to get the shaft?

It's for people who don't have insurance.

People who have employer-provided health insurance will be seeing very little effect, overall.

[KOMO1211]

as in it has not changed but goes by year by year with any changes being made the plan at the begining of the year. speculation is speculation. at worst it would go back to what it was a few years ago 80% paid for.

[Felya]

This is the quote I got from the website so I could continue in to seeing my doctors because it looks like we're going to be dumped onto the exchange, per my employer. I need to get some more information which I will on Monday, but so far this is not looking good.

It looks like your employer dropped your coverage and you are better of just going to the exchanges to talk to a representative. Your insurance, maybe even HR, might be fluent in your health plan, but I doubt they are in the available subsidies. I'm the sort that doesn't trust anyone, so if I was being jammed like you are, I'd check with HR and the exchanges.

[Deathcries]

The healthcare system in the US is grossly unfair. I haven't had health insurance for 6 years because I flat out could not afford it. I am fortunate enough that my children qualified for Healthy Families.

Personally, I do not think that ACA is a step in the right direction. It sidesteps the fact that health insurance is just to damn expensive. Putting a tax on those that will continue to struggle with the costs is even more absurd. When my wife and I broke down our budget and included the added cost of insurance for the 2 of us, it raised our monthly budget by $380 dollars. In all reality, we can make an extra $400 works. The hard part is going to be the extremely high co-pays that we will have to shell out.

Yeah I know. I do good for myself, but my insurance rates are doubling which I'm not caring for too much. I also agree our insurance here in America is whacked but because of our immigration issue I do not think single payer healthcare is the solution and will only drain our money that much more.

[Gsara]

Is red stated, or blue stated another term for Anal Rape?

Kind of, basically its states that are making it very difficult for the ACA to easily function on different levels in their state.

[KOMO1211]

Yeah I know. I do good for myself, but my insurance rates are doubling which I'm not caring for too much. I also agree our insurance here in America is whacked but because of our immigration issue I do not think single payer healthcare is the solution and will only drain our money that much more.

well we could, you know, cut defense spending by 20-25% and reinvest that money in education, immigration and a great many other areas to improve the country across the board or we could i dont know keep throwing away money on defense spending we dont need or even raise it even higher again which is what a lot of republicans are suggesting.

[The Casualty]

Insuring my family of 4 has stayed roughly the same, with same copays. Actually I was able to work with my girlfriend's insurance outside of her open enrollment and they were nice enough to pick up my biological son on her plan, which has saved me ~$310 a month.

I'm still paying crazy amounts, but then again, we aren't married yet, so we still have to insure a 3 person family plan, and then a plan for just me.

[Felya]

He could also be a percentage of the people right in the middle that are getting "red stated" as they say. (It is happening in blue states also)

I just googled blue cross and exchanges. Read the first few links, well technically four, one was paraphrasing the other. I really have no clue what's increasing prices. No one seems to know and there does not appear to be a universal reason for every state. Which leads me to agreeing with you, as it does seem like local politics or even local insurance branches that dictate what in ACA increases their price.

- - - Updated - - -

Insuring my family of 4 has stayed roughly the same, with same copays. Actually I was able to work with my girlfriend's insurance outside of her open enrollment and they were nice enough to pick up my biological son on her plan, which has saved me ~$310 a month.

I'm still paying crazy amounts, but then again, we aren't married yet, so we still have to insure a 3 person family plan, and then a plan for just me.

Keep an eye out for family discounts/subsidies to take effect on the first. Might be state/insurance based on when, but by the first of next year. Might help you out a bit.

[Deathcries]

well we could, you know, cut defense spending by 20-25% and reinvest that money in education, immigration and a great many other areas to improve the country across the board or we could i dont know keep throwing away money on defense spending we dont need or even raise it even higher again which is what a lot of republicans are suggesting.

Defense spending is 20% of the budget. So are you saying you want to get rid of the military all together?

[The Casualty]

I just googled blue cross and exchanges. Read the first few links, well technically four, one was paraphrasing the other. I really have no clue what's increasing prices. No one seems to know and there does not appear to be a universal reason for every state. Which leads me to agreeing with you, as it does seem like local politics or even local insurance branches that dictate what in ACA increases their price.

- - - Updated - - -



Keep an eye out for family discounts/subsidies to take effect on the first. Might be state/insurance based on when, but by the first of next year. Might help you out a bit.

I'm already happy with the savings so far. That would be icing on the cake.

Defense spending is 20% of the budget. So are you saying you want to get rid of the military all together?

20% reduction of something that comprises 20% of the total does not equal 0%.

[ptwonline]

OP, you're in New Hampshire? I am not totally familiar with how it was set up in that state, but my understanding is that the state screwed up the implementation by trying to protect the one big provider--Anthem--which meant lots of hospitals not getting included and little if any real competition and so rates are extremely high in that state.

Anyway, I just tried HealthCare.gov and looked for Hew Hampshire rates for a family. The estimates (given without applying) were $530/mo for catastrophic to $1033/mo for the most expensive plan. Lots of decent-looking plans in the $600-$800 range for you, spouse, and family. Of course that may differ by county or some specific circumstances.

[Deathcries]

I'm already happy with the savings so far. That would be icing on the cake.



20% reduction of something that comprises 20% of the total does not equal 0%.

There are already huge cuts. I mean huge cuts to the military. We're not even allowed to hook up coffee makers or electrical alarm clocks to any outlets. Battery powered only.

[KOMO1211]

Defense spending is 20% of the budget. So are you saying you want to get rid of the military all together?

your good at math arent you

[Shelly]

Well I'm dirt poor and live in Oregon, just me. My insurance will run me $71/mo for the bronze plan with a $5k deductible and I qualify for a $131/mo credit to help me pay for it.

Congrats on being low to mid middle class. I wish I was so lucky.

Oh and because your health insurance premiums have been ruled by law to be a TAX there's a good chance you will be able to straight out deduct them. Only good if you own your own home or are itemizing for whatever reason but that will help a lot. Though do wait until the Pub 17 is printed from the IRS in January before quoting me on that.

Speaking of quotes, the woman you quoted was Margaret Thatcher. Here's the thing though, you need both capitalism and socialism to effectively run a country.

Other examples of socialism you may need to be acquainted with:
Police
Firemen
Public Education
The road department
Any public works such as your sewer lines

In some cases - such as Electricity - it actually started out with socialism at least in regards to transmitting power to rural areas - but was then turned into capitalism with the government selling or giving transmission lines to the various power companies.

Which actually leads to a funny thing, when you pay your electric bill - typically to a private company - you're participating in a socialistic endeavor with a good part of your funds going to maintenance and upkeep of the power grid. Weird eh?

Anyway, I'd have much preferred a single payer system but this is a step in the right direction.

Other things that I would prefer both right and left wing:
Do away with the Earned Income Credit - this is also known as the "single mom needs an Xbox and big screen TV credit to folks who do taxes.
Add the social security and medicare tax (15% for self employed people, 7.5% for those employed by others - your employer picks up that other 7.5%) at the 7.5% rate to capital gains. This would increase capital gains tax to 22.5% which is more in line with what just about everyone else is paying.
Increase the income cap at which you "cap out" of Social Security to $204k dollars a year per person. It's currently $104k, per person after you exceed that level of income you don't pay any social security taxes on the income over $104k.
Increase the minimum wage, phase it in starting with large employers - those who employ 3,000 or more people, then the next year to those employing 1,500 people or more and finally for all employers. Bring it up to $12/hour or so. By stepping it up gradually it should keep inflation in check and allow small businesses time to for their revenues to catch up so they can afford the higher wage. Heck, just by doing this we could do away with the Earned Income Credit which was started as a working welfare program and has just become the reason you make dick-ass-shit at Walmart.

[Gsara]

I just googled blue cross and exchanges. Read the first few links, well technically four, one was paraphrasing the other. I really have no clue what's increasing prices. No one seems to know and there does not appear to be a universal reason for every state. Which leads me to agreeing with you, as it does seem like local politics or even local insurance branches that dictate what in ACA increases their price.

It is the state level policy makers doing this. The term "red stated" refers to Republican controlled states that are boycotting the ACA and making it rather hard for enrollment. Some states have even went so far as to infringing on the current plans many employers use basically forcing cut backs etc on the employers. There is also lots of reports on this as well, it is interesting reading I must say.

This is why we are hearing mixed results about the ACA as well. It is doing well in states that have embraced the law and not so well in the states fighting it.

[Felya]

Defense spending is 20% of the budget. So are you saying you want to get rid of the military all together?

Check how much goes to healthcare and wonder why you still pay for insurance out of pocket. We spend more than any country as a percentage of GDP, by over 6%. ACA does not change the rigged game of insurance, it just evens out the table a little. It's still slanted, but fewer people fall through the cracks. I personally believe in the free market to an extent, which includes lower cost of insurance, when more companies start to join exchanges and compete.

Before ACA, we take on the most expensive clients through Medicare, permit turning down of remaining expensive clients. This lets insurance be responsible and reap the rewords of the healthiest people out there. We also have tax rebates if 1:1.4 for each dollar employers spend on employee insurance. There is no reason that we should be spending as much as we do on healthcare, without universal care. Military budget is another story, we should have enough for healthcare with what we already pay for healthcare.

[Deathcries]

1) I'm not on BC/BS. I'm on United Health Care (my employer's plan). BC/BS is the exchange provider.

2) BC/BS only dropped hospitals and providers for ObamaCare subscribers. They'll still cover all 26 NH hospitals for subscribers on non-exchange plans.

3) BC/BS admitted they dropped those hospitals to avoid a 40% increase in Premiums to make up for lower reimbursement rates and increased cost of administering exchange plans.

4) Without Obama Care EVERYBODY in the state on MediCare/MediCaid/State Exchanges would still have access to all 26 hospitals. They just lost access to half of our states medical facilities as well as Specialty hospitals in Boston.

5) Prior to ACA, NH guaranteed health care to every child in the state through a non-profit organization called "NH Healthy Kids". Coverage was free if parents made less than $72,000 and only $26/child of they made more than that. That plan doesn't qualify anymore so was absorbed into one of the state plans. Children in NH are no longer guaranteed health insurance, a direct consequence of ObamaCare.

Hopefully that answers more to people's inquiries.

[Felya]

1) I'm not on BC/BS. I'm on United Health Care (my employer's plan). BC/BS is the exchange provider.

http://health.wusf.usf.edu/post/54-million-rebates-mail

Second-highest rebate total for Florida is $11.7 million, from UnitedHealthcare Insurance Co. Both Golden Rule and UnitedHealthcare Insurance Co. are part of UnitedHealth Group, the largest single health carrier in the country and state.

First is BC/BS...

2) BC/BS only dropped hospitals and providers for ObamaCare subscribers. They'll still cover all 26 NH hospitals for subscribers on non-exchange plans.

According to the link above, they did it because hospitals were charging segnificantly more than others.

3) BC/BS admitted they dropped those hospitals to avoid a 40% increase in Premiums to make up for lower reimbursement rates and increased cost of administering exchange plans.

That's not what the link above said.

4) Without Obama Care EVERYBODY in the state on MediCare/MediCaid/State Exchanges would still have access to all 26 hospitals. They just lost access to half of our states medical facilities as well as Specialty hospitals in Boston.

What in ACA caused this? The link I provided from another state, did not blame ACA, but the hospital's relativley high prices.

5) Prior to ACA, NH guaranteed health care to every child in the state through a non-profit organization called "NH Healthy Kids". Coverage was free if parents made less than $72,000 and only $26/child of they made more than that. That plan doesn't qualify anymore so was absorbed into one of the state plans. Children in NH are no longer guaranteed health insurance, a direct consequence of ObamaCare.

That's strange, you can still apply here:
http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dfa/apply.htm

Hopefully that answers more to people's inquiries.

Actually, 3 of your points are the same and none of them explain what in ACA caused these.