[the other guy]

Got a letter from my insurance company yesterday explaining that due to the mandates of the AFFORDABLE CARE ACT my cobra health insurance rates will change from $773.00 to $972.00. Now that just seems like they should change the name to the unaffordable care act.

Here's my situation, I was granted social security benefits back at the first of the year(heart failure, back surgery) I had some money put back so we have made it pretty good so far. But how can someone survive for long on $2200.00 a month while paying out $972.00 a month for health care?

My son received a raise at his job in October. His company just told them that due to increases in premiums the employees share would have to be increased the increase wiped out his raise.
Just wanted to know how everyone else is doing on this?

[Stardust]

^ You have to understand, the Liberals don't work, so they get theirs for free. They don't care about your problems!

[Wildcatk23]

Working.....

[Harry Rex Vonner]

Exception to general rule.

[TheRealThing]

^I feel your pain other guy. Most people can't see the forrest for the trees when it comes to things like entitlements and ObamaCare. When I was 12 years old, we used to have what I like to think of as glorious summer vacations. Riding bikes, going to the city pool, playing baseball and ball tag, it was a time of wonderment. Ultra low crime rates ruled the day across the land and kids weren't threatened by drive by shootings and drug pushers. But, to my point, the highlight of my summer day was when we all rode down to the drug store soda bar and had a frosty mug of rootbeer. The owner graciously allowed us to peruse comic books that were for sale there, as we slurped down 5 cents worth of the brew. We passed a portion of every hot afternoon in that way. Therefore, a nickle was precious to me. I knew to hit the man cave with the guys, I would need one. No nickle, no rootbeer and comics.

The Obama administration and all the Keynesian Kooks never learned that simple lesson. To them it's a fundamental human right to just show up at the soda bar and get your rootbeer. If you can't pay for it, then that responsibility is merely passed on to the rest of the guys. Same thing with this idea of health care. It is not a fundamental human right to have health insurance. No nickle, no insurance. This nation, out of compassion, has always figured out a way to give health care to the indigent. This is not about compassion as the liberals would have us to believe. It's about a social reckoning dreamed up by la-la libeals, using the power of the federal government to force working folks to pay for the health care of people who lack the force of character to go out and earn their way through life. And it isn't just that we will pay for their care, we will have to let them get in line in front of us. No more embarrasing cattle call visits to the ER for the precious poor anymore. They have been elevated to near sainthood by the liberal loons. And the irony or all this is that the dems ran on this madness and the people voted for it, while the conservatives lolled away the day thinking everything will turn out alright. Hello! wake up, things are not alright, it's time to vote these goofs out of office.

How long can a man who makes $2,200 dollars a month pay a $972 dollar a month insurance premium? The answer is not very long at all. Like you, the cost of my insurance has skyrocketed. Working people of every stripe are literally staring down the gunbarrel at the very real and imminent possibility of losing their homes as the direct result of the passage of the ACA. I can tell you this, 9 out of every 10 homeowners, with a family of four will not be able to pay the CBO projected $16 thousand dollar a year in healthcare premium scheduled to kick in by 2014. I expect premiums to escalate towards that number during the next four years, so it's not like we will be insulated from the fiscal mayhem until then either. That $16 thousand dollar number (bronze level coverage) covers only 60% of one's health expenses at the doctor or hopital, that means you will still have to come up with 40% of the bill out of your pocket. Now folks, I don't know about you but, according to my calculations, that represents an impossible burden on middle class Americans. Nobody will be able to add $20,000 dollars a year to their household budgets. And, that number is for the young and healthy. Any real health care costs will be devastating. And, for the record, your indigent brethern, will not pay a dime, no premium, no deductable and no co-pay, zilch.

Soon, those of us being forced by Obama and the liberals to pay for those who have chosen to conscienciously object to getting out to work for their livelihood, will be have to choose from among our home and food, or fines and healthcare. This administration are amatures and don't understand fundamental economics. Obama has had everything handed to him so he's clueless. Electing a Kenyan president who never had to work and live within a budget will take a terrible toll on the folks of this country. Even little kids can grasp the concept of fiscal responsibility at a rootbeer stand during summer vacations. The only way out of this nightmare is to vote out liberals at the polls. That means every last conservatively minded American must show up in force to meet the welfare challenge at the voting booth. Look at it like this. If an identity thief got your bank account number and began to take a couple thousand dollars out of your account every month, would you take action to stop it, or would you be so lazy and passive you couldn't make yourself do anything about it? Obama has your bank account number, Americans can stop it in the mid terms of 2014.

[Stardust]

Working.....

But you voted Republican :igiveup:

[nky]

^ maybe he's a log cabin Republican:eyeroll::biglmao:

[Wildcatk23]

But you voted Republican :igiveup:

Very True,

Hmmm.

[RunItUpTheGut]

We have an HSA at my company. You can also get a PPO plan but its over 50 dollars a week.

The HSA cost 13 dollars a week and you choose how much to put in your account every week, up to 3300. The deductable it 2500.
It raised from 2000 last year. Its already went up 500 in one year. What kills me is last year, the company reimbursed you for anything you spent over 2000. So in another words, the deductible was really 2400 last year, but once you met that, the company gave us 400 in cash back.
According to the meeting we had, the company is no longer allowed to give reimbursments due to the Affordable Care Act. So, the deductible raised a 100 this year, and the company is not allowed to give us 400.


Simply put, its a freaking mess.

[TheRealThing]

We have an HSA at my company. You can also get a PPO plan but its over 50 dollars a week.

The HSA cost 13 dollars a week and you choose how much to put in your account every week, up to 3300. The deductable it 2500.
It raised from 2000 last year. Its already went up 500 in one year. What kills me is last year, the company reimbursed you for anything you spent over 2000. So in another words, the deductible was really 2400 last year, but once you met that, the company gave us 400 in cash back.
According to the meeting we had, the company is no longer allowed to give reimbursments due to the Affordable Care Act. So, the deductible raised a 100 this year, and the company is not allowed to give us 400.


Simply put, its a freaking mess.

Employers will be dropping their employee health insurance coverage all over the place, opting to pay the fines in lieu of exorbitantly high premium costs associated with ObamaCare. Therefore, things will get much worse for folks who have employer provided or self paid health insurance, as they are eventually forced into the state exchanges. One way or the other, the cost of health care for the average household is set to quadruple from the 2010 rates which were in effect at the time of the passage of the affordable care act. Those of us who knew the true nature of what was coming did our best to sound the alarm but, to no avail. The true believers pooh-pooed our concerns about the coming crushing effects that ObamaCare would bring to the middle class.

[vundy33]

I thank God everyday that I don't have to worry about this. Hopefully our country doesn't fall apart and I still don't have to worry about it. Good luck to ya man.

[the other guy]

A local dairy queen just cut their full time employees down to 29 hours a week.

[Old School]

I thank God everyday that I don't have to worry about this. Hopefully our country doesn't fall apart and I still don't have to worry about it. Good luck to ya man.

Hopefully you'll never have to worry about health care. My biggest concern is that we will end up going to a single payer system, (which Obama prefers) and that over time our government will run it into the ground as they have everything else they have tried to manage.

IMO two things could or will happen if the government implements the single payer system, one health care cost will increase so much that in order to save money they will scale back on coverage, especially on the elderly and disabled and secondly the government will have to lower their pay scale and there will be a major shortage of medical professionals.

[Old School]

A local dairy queen just cut their full time employees down to 29 hours a week.

There will be a lot of companies doing this, it's either that or pay the insurance and raise the cost of their products, which we will pay for sooner or later.

[vundy33]

Hopefully you'll never have to worry about health care. My biggest concern is that we will end up going to a single payer system, (which Obama prefers) and that over time our government will run it into the ground as they have everything else they have tried to manage.

IMO two things could or will happen if the government implements the single payer system, one health care cost will increase so much that in order to save money they will scale back on coverage, especially on the elderly and disabled and secondly the government will have to lower their pay scale and there will be a major shortage of medical professionals.

Well, I worry about it because I have quite a few health probs, but don't have to worry about affording it because of the VA thankfully, that's what I meant.

I've seen so many cases like the other guys, that's what makes me so thankful. Hate that we have this problem and it just looks unfixable, alot like our country as a whole IMO.

[SKINNYPIG]

There will be a lot of companies doing this, it's either that or pay the insurance and raise the cost of their products, which we will pay for sooner or later.

Bingo! We (the working class of this country) and our children will end up paying for the ACA and everything else Obama shoves down our throats. Those that continue to support the man are just too stupid to realize it. If they haven't seen the light by now I wonder if they ever will?

The dream of our children living in the land of milk and honey and enjoying rainbow stew is quickly fading. What's it going to take to awaken the dumb masses?

[Wildcatk23]

A local dairy queen just cut their full time employees down to 29 hours a week.

Dairy Queen offers health insurance?

[the other guy]

Dairy Queen offers health insurance?

Under Obama care they would have to on full time employees so that why the cut back in hours.

[Wildcatk23]

Under Obama care they would have to on full time employees so that why the cut back in hours.

Was going to say I worked there for over a year and not one employee has insurance.

We didnt have insurance ill it switched to the American grill and Virgil loyd became the owner.

[Beetle01]

Have you asked your insurance companies, exactly what policies have increased their costs?

As for people constantly mentioning the 14,000 for a family by 2014 (premiums), I hope you are aware this is the same projection as before the ACA, and in fact, it is almost there now at nearly 13,000, as premiums have doubled in the last 5-6 years.

I can tell you, with the amount of money most hospitals were losing due to treating so many uninsured over the past 5 years, costs were going to skyrocket anyways, but eventually it would become to much, and the hospitals would be forced to shut down, this is after most hospitals are already running understaffed.

If many of you knew how understaffed these hospitals are, and how much of a risk it is to you all and your families, you would be outraged. Of course, this is likely why there are over 200,000 deaths related to medical malpractice every year.

[TheRealThing]

Have you asked your insurance companies, exactly what policies have increased their costs?

As for people constantly mentioning the 14,000 for a family by 2014 (premiums), I hope you are aware this is the same projection as before the ACA, and in fact, it is almost there now at nearly 13,000, as premiums have doubled in the last 5-6 years.

I can tell you, with the amount of money most hospitals were losing due to treating so many uninsured over the past 5 years, costs were going to skyrocket anyways, but eventually it would become to much, and the hospitals would be forced to shut down, this is after most hospitals are already running understaffed.

If many of you knew how understaffed these hospitals are, and how much of a risk it is to you all and your families, you would be outraged. Of course, this is likely why there are over 200,000 deaths related to medical malpractice every year.

I have a number of close friends who actually practice medicine, I will take their opinion (which differs from yours greatly) over a nursing home staffer, no offence intended. At any rate, I have been paying for my own insurance for a number of years now and I can tell you, insurance rates didn't start to go up at any appreciable level until ObamaCare was rammed through.

You need to understand something. A health insurance company is merely a group of people who work and have money and have banded together to share each other's health care costs. It's cheaper for each individual, to create a pool of money which is contributed to by many healthy folks who only need health care on occassion, than it is to just pay as you go. Especially in the case of catastophic illness. It's cheaper to share the risk among many contributors. But, when we add over 30 million freeloaders to the mix, that easing of sharing the risk goes away, and we're back to where we started or worse. You think about that for a while. IMO, when one doesn't work, they don't deserve top of the line health care. Unfortunate, but none the less, an entirely equitable and fair arrangement.

[vector]

I have a number of close friends who actually practice medicine, I will take their opinion (which differs from yours greatly) over a nursing home staffer, no offence intended. At any rate, I have been paying for my own insurance for a number of years now and I can tell you, insurance rates didn't start to go up at any appreciable level until ObamaCare was rammed through.

You need to understand something. A health insurance company is merely a group of people who work and have money and have banded together to share each other's health care costs. It's cheaper for each individual, to create a pool of money which is contributed to by many healthy folks who only need health care on occassion, than it is to just pay as you go. Especially in the case of catastophic illness. It's cheaper to share the risk among many contributors. But, when we add over 30 million freeloaders to the mix, that easing of sharing the risk goes away, and we're back to where we started or worse. You think about that for a while. IMO, when one doesn't work, they don't deserve top of the line health care. Unfortunate, but none the less, an entirely equitable and fair arrangement.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/27/politics/b...index.html


http://aspe.hhs.gov/health/reports/2011/...1/ib.shtml

[vector]

there not all bums like you think they are

[TheRealThing]

there not all bums like you think they are

It doesn't matter if they're all bums or not. If they can't afford insurance, they shouldn't have it. Same thing applies to car insurance or life insurance. Is the concerpt really that far over your head?

[Beetle01]

I have a number of close friends who actually practice medicine, I will take their opinion (which differs from yours greatly) over a nursing home staffer, no offence intended. At any rate, I have been paying for my own insurance for a number of years now and I can tell you, insurance rates didn't start to go up at any appreciable level until ObamaCare was rammed through.

You need to understand something. A health insurance company is merely a group of people who work and have money and have banded together to share each other's health care costs. It's cheaper for each individual, to create a pool of money which is contributed to by many healthy folks who only need health care on occassion, than it is to just pay as you go. Especially in the case of catastophic illness. It's cheaper to share the risk among many contributors. But, when we add over 30 million freeloaders to the mix, that easing of sharing the risk goes away, and we're back to where we started or worse. You think about that for a while. IMO, when one doesn't work, they don't deserve top of the line health care. Unfortunate, but none the less, an entirely equitable and fair arrangement.

That's great you have close friends who practice medicine, but generally most MD's have no idea how the billing and financial side of things work in the hospital. Some may know more than others, but most don't have time to deal with or be involved with it. I don't work in a nursing home, so not sure where that comes from, I work in an emergency dept.

Also, an insurance company is far more than a group of people who pool money to help covers everyone's expenses. It may have started that way, but they have turned into some of the most profitable corporations in the world, and determine what type of treatments, medicines, and procedures their customers can get.

The bottom line is you are ALREADY paying for the uninsured, it seems like you hardcore guys about this ACA can not seem to grasp that concept. You are paying for when more taxes are going to Medicare/Medicaid, along with other programs, and you are paying for it when it comes to the cost of your own health insurance, and the quality of care you are getting, due to limitations placed on your treatment by your insurance companies.

I start NP school in the summer of 14, so I have done quite a bit of research and talking to those involved in the actual financial side of running these hospitals, outreaches, and so on. I'm not going to go into 80k worth of debt if the new healthcare laws are going to reduce my pay to 50k a year. I can make double that as a nurse anyways, or get into device sales and make way more. Every person I have talked to who is involved with dealing in the financial mess that is going on with healthcare, is that the ACA, why not perfect, appears that it will improve all aspects of the healthcare experience. Hospitals will see increased profits, growth, and maybe KDMC can hire back some of the 2,000+ people they have laid off in the past 2 years. Healthcare workers should see pay increases, as well as staffing increases (e.g. MD's, NPs, PA's, RN's) which will improve your overall health care experience and quality.

TRT, you mention adding 30 million freeloaders to the mix, but do you not understand that those 30 million freeloaders are already in the mix. Once you can admit that to yourself, it really puts a hole in every single lame argument you present.

[vector]

That's great you have close friends who practice medicine, but generally most MD's have no idea how the billing and financial side of things work in the hospital. Some may know more than others, but most don't have time to deal with or be involved with it. I don't work in a nursing home, so not sure where that comes from, I work in an emergency dept.

Also, an insurance company is far more than a group of people who pool money to help covers everyone's expenses. It may have started that way, but they have turned into some of the most profitable corporations in the world, and determine what type of treatments, medicines, and procedures their customers can get.

The bottom line is you are ALREADY paying for the uninsured, it seems like you hardcore guys about this ACA can not seem to grasp that concept. You are paying for when more taxes are going to Medicare/Medicaid, along with other programs, and you are paying for it when it comes to the cost of your own health insurance, and the quality of care you are getting, due to limitations placed on your treatment by your insurance companies.

I start NP school in the summer of 14, so I have done quite a bit of research and talking to those involved in the actual financial side of running these hospitals, outreaches, and so on. I'm not going to go into 80k worth of debt if the new healthcare laws are going to reduce my pay to 50k a year. I can make double that as a nurse anyways, or get into device sales and make way more. Every person I have talked to who is involved with dealing in the financial mess that is going on with healthcare, is that the ACA, why not perfect, appears that it will improve all aspects of the healthcare experience. Hospitals will see increased profits, growth, and maybe KDMC can hire back some of the 2,000+ people they have laid off in the past 2 years. Healthcare workers should see pay increases, as well as staffing increases (e.g. MD's, NPs, PA's, RN's) which will improve your overall health care experience and quality.

TRT, you mention adding 30 million freeloaders to the mix, but do you not understand that those 30 million freeloaders are already in the mix. Once you can admit that to yourself, it really puts a hole in every single lame argument you present.

you can't talk to TRT it's like pissing in the wind he's got his screw everybody else

[RunItUpTheGut]

It doesn't matter if they're all bums or not. If they can't afford insurance, they shouldn't have it. Same thing applies to car insurance or life insurance. Is the concerpt really that far over your head?

This nailed it.
If you cant afford it, you dont get it.
There should be no hand outs period!

[vector]

This nailed it.
If you cant afford it, you dont get it.
There should be no hand outs period!

you don't understand you are already paying for everybody else if you have insurance

[judgementday]

This nailed it.
If you cant afford it, you dont get it.
There should be no hand outs period!

I agree with this, however, the problem then arises that these people abuse the local ERs and must be treated, especially if they have been in a trauma. So paying for their care ultimately comes out of tax payers money because private hospitals will not accept them so state funded hospital will care for them.

My thought, if you cannot afford health insurance, you get insurance, but it only offers mediocore care by mediocore physicians. If you want better care, get a job. It shouldn't be like my brother in law in which his family doesn't have health insurance but has flat screen tv's, every video game console you can think of, the newest of smart phones, DVR, digital cable, etc... and gets assistance because his wife got fired from her job for being a horrible employee.

[RunItUpTheGut]

you don't understand you are already paying for everybody else if you have insurance

Thats exactly the problem!
Lets end this socialist shit of spreading wealth period.
You work for money. Then that money pays for what you have.
If you dont work, you starve, oh well.