ObamaCare Info

[barkley]

I think you are spot on with your point above- in fact seems almost everyone says the same things, joe six pack, economists, pols from all parties, etc. Small business job growth is what is/will drive the economy going forward.

So when as i read more and more of my fellow small business owners getting the apparent shaft in this thread, i have to wonder how much damage this giant law with it's mess of related unfocused regulations is going to do to the economy.

I say wonder in that i hope once the smoke clears in a few weeks that the truth is all will be well for this group (who knows, when i asked my broker at renewal a few months ago he sounded optimistic that in fact my deductibles and out of pockets would actually go lower on my old plan...) . But in the vaccum of information today (all we know is our existing plans have been destroyed by the law) it doesn't look good.

i'm fearful for the small businesses in my area, their owners and staff.

beyond the direct implications of the health insurance issues, it's the trickle down effect that I foresee huge implications from. we live in an area with allot of small businesses, and both the locals and college students seem to make an effort to utilize them over the big box or nationalized chain competitors, even if the cost is a bit higher. what I foresee though, is that allot of the locals are like our household-ineligible for tax credits because of employer sponsored insurance. in the bulk of these households premium rates are skyrocketing (if they haven't already gotten layoff notices which are becoming more frequent this month). then you've got the college kids-a BIG percentage were just getting by on what was provided through their university health fee, but the university made a big point of alerting parents/students that this is NOT insurance and does not meet the mandate, so either those kids will have to get insurance on their own OR their parents will have to add them back on-either way, that's additional expenses to those students (or their parents) which results in reduced expendable income.

I don't know too many people in our area that are living large-they get by, save what they can for retirement, build that emergency fund, and help their kids with college if they can. if faced with several hundreds more a month in insurance costs (my personal experience) they will have to cut back where they can. it could be that instead of using the local guy to provide your propane, you opt for the big chain company that offers a few cents off per gallon, instead of going to the local beautician for the kiddos-it's supercuts, instead of the local pharmacy it's mail order b/c your monthly prescription share of cost has quadrupled. if the college student's parents aren't helping out with as much $$$ then those kiddos won't be stopping in at the little local diner-it's the chain sandwich shop or fast food (or brown bagging it).

people who swore they would never abandon their local businesses to shop at big box stores are now finding they have no other option when it comes to the dollars and cents of it.


yes, I know-there will be some who can spend more by virtue of what they will save under this program, but I suspect the larger number will be those who will not and it's that impact I am fearful of for my friends who own their own businesses.

 

[njcarita]

Same spot as you- I have a partner but he is covered under his wife. All our handful of employees work maybe 100 hrs a year oer diem basically. (when the economy tanked we were forced to let our only full timer go so he came off) So my family is the only covered in the group.

On the exchange I've gotten to make an account, security questions, reply to email verifying address, fill out application. But can't get my identity verified by experien (well today i can't even get on the site to see if i was experien verified)

We got the letter ~2 weeks ago that our NJ small business plan (horizon BCBS) is no longer allowed to be renewed- so keep checking the mail. there's a nother thread about private insurance here. SEEMS THIS MAY BE A WHOLESALE OCCURRENCE. Posts from people in CT and i think Michigan also getting nuked. Seems the lie about keeping the insurance we have is the biggest political lie ever short of read my lips (which honestly was a flip flop not a lie in my humble opinion- haven't seen anyone come out and say 'never mind we did in fact outlaw all the current plans')

I did read someplace they have to notify you x days in advance that they will not renew but think it was just like 30 or 60. So you may not get a letter till much closer to year end.

My broker can't get access to 1/1/14 plans just yet. So i'm stuck with looking at the exchange for now.

But someone suggested checking the individual websites of BCBS, etc and the 'individual plans' sounds like they are obamacare plans (the use the same bronze, silver, etc thing)- and i can save you the time- THOSE LOOK HORRIFIC. All just EPO's - ZERO NADA ZILCH out of network allowed. rates much worse than our current direct access small business plan. When ever I can get on the exchange then I'll confirm that my sinking suspicion is true. If i ever get there i will post back. Also- about half (the small handfull) of companies listed on the NJ insurance and banking regulator website tell you screw off when you put in you wnat ccoverage beginning 1/1 so looks like just 3-4 will be left in NJ on 1/1 - so much for competition helping to control costs....

actually this is all quite depressing........ i have struggled to pay my health insurance premiums every single month for the past 18 years.......... even though our income was low enough for the goverment plans all these years ( NJ Family care) etc I scrimped ....saved...couponed etc ... have gone into credit card debt to pay my premiums to have good insurance.......... where i didnt need referrals and could go out of network........... all on an income that i could have gotten government insurance all these friggen years ...... now it looks like i am going to get government insurance no matter what....... boy does this figure....... should have saved all my premiums these years ...lived off the government ...... have no credit card debt.......sorry but sometimes doing the RIGHT THING....can turn out to be stupid.......

 

[lauradis]

actually this is all quite depressing........

Right there with you on the depressing part..

Worked long and hard to get to this point in our lives

Seems like I fight harder and harder to keep the wealth that we have built over the years.

When will it end? What is next? Who else wants what we have earned?

Sure some say I'm lucky to get here but then it would have been heck of lot easier to be one of the takers.

Now the government has asked me to support family's that make 94k a year give me break. The government has to be joking right?

 

[lauradis]

well my hsubands grandfather was full blooded black foot indian..... that make us exempt??lol........... i am now more confused........

My mother is a member of her mothers Indian tribe and she has a card Id to prove it. Which basically gives her the rights to live on Indian reservation.
Not sure if that protects her from some federal laws, but pretty sure she would have to move to the reservation.

Maybe that's the requirement or proff?

 

[lauradis]

with all due respect- it is REALLY HARD TO SEE THE OTHER SIDE when you are the flip side that is paying several hundred dollars more a month.

that's the thing- there shouldn't be winners AND losers. And if there are losers it should be a handful not wholesale.

Don't give up. You are going to make it threw. Never lay down and die march on money making warrior other need your support.

Don't you dare pay that tax. support the insurance companies.

 

[mikek]

... support the insurance companies.

As I ponder, I think the insurance companies are LAUGHING all the way to the bank and all becasue of the LAW.

They now are limited to no more than 15-20% (depending on the plan i believe) over actual medical outlays. So sure add in free dental- that's another 100 bucks a year in outlays so they can pocket another 15 or 20 bucks per policy. Do that with all the other newly required mandates and even with "limiting their premiums" they will make piles more in absolute terms for profit. Seeing as how they've driving all the competition away too - there's no reason to compete on price.

Yep the insurance companies will do well with all this but not becasue of their own, becasue the government mandated it.

 

[lauradis]

Maybe we should invest. The part I find lolable is they get taxes dollars but how much are they going to be paying back in tax dollars.

I bet they can make those numbers dance in their favor

 

[njcarita]

okay day 5........... still trying to access system............ maybe today i will be able to get passed the 3 security questions

 

[lauradis]

okay day 5........... still trying to access system............ maybe today i will be able to get passed the 3 security questions

good luck

 

[njcarita]

good luck

Please note that two or more answers to the security questions cannot be the same. You must provide distinct answers to the chosen security questions.

Please wait a few moments and try again..................... MAYBE I NEED PIXIE DUST

 

[lauradis]

Please note that two or more answers to the security questions cannot be the same. You must provide distinct answers to the chosen security questions.

Please wait a few moments and try again..................... MAYBE I NEED PIXIE DUST

Anything to help it work

 

[mikek]

we are self employed in nj too........ if u figure anything out please pass on the info........ my husband and i are our group..... still havent been able to get on the website past the 3 security questions............. my renewal is up in feb...... and i honestly dont think my plan will be available anymore....... the info is very confusing...........

i doug out my cancellation letter- and it says they have to give 90 days notice.

 

[mikek]

well - I'm a complete glutton for punishment so i tried to see about getting 'verified' again online.

It only balked at letting me login once then the second attempt 10 mins later worked. So seems they're catching up some.

It gave me a number to call- so i called and i found out that the credit report they are pulling is from experien. The operator (who answered right away) identified himself as experien. Then he asked why i'm calling and i explained I am trying to get verified for healthcare. He said "let me set your expectations first thing" and he explained that the government side of things is still a mess and backlogged. Then he asked if i wanted him to look into it to try and force things along. So I gave him my info and he looked it up and found that the experien computers had not yet been queried by the feds.

So it's not that the NSA(er uh Experien- lol) doesn't know who i am, it's that they haven't been asked to try and look just yet. The experien guy told me to give it 24hrs more for the government computers to catch up and make the request of experien.

we'll see tomorrow.

I couldn't get on yesterday or the day before- just got blank screens. Finally got on just now (about 5th try today). Still says I'm not verified and tells me to call the number again. I call the number. It plays a recording that says they are too busy call back later and hangs up.

I WAS able to 'upload documentation' to prove who i am. It just gave a laundry list of options and didn't explain how many or which you need to upload. So I picked my Drivers License and sent them a scan. Maybe some time next week they'll get me into the system so i can check the prices.

 

[lauradis]

i doug out my cancellation letter- and it says they have to give 90 days notice.

what are you tired of mb already, made my eyes cross

 

[johde]

okay day 5........... still trying to access system............ maybe today i will be able to get passed the 3 security questions

I still haven't been able to get on either. If you know the insurance companies in your area, you can try contacting them individually. So far I've only look at 2 companies, 1 I got information off their website, the other I got by calling. They are my current provider and was wanting other information as well.

 

[mikek]

what are you tired of mb already, made my eyes cross

laughing- yep- i have ADD i suppose- no magic band fun!

it's ALL DISNEYS fault!!!!! if I'd just get my darn MB's already then I'd have no reason to log in here at all so I could avoid the obamacare exasperation- lol

I'm trying not to post anything that isn't factual and hopefully helpful to others to know what to expect. People's opinions are set and if i get roped into 'discussing it' i'm afriad i'll eventually get banned.

 

[lauradis]

laughing- yep- i have ADD i suppose- no magic band fun!

it's ALL DISNEYS fault!!!!! if I'd just get my darn MB's already then I'd have no reason to log in here at all so I could avoid the obamacare exasperation- lol

I'm trying not to post anything that isn't factual and hopefully helpful to others to know what to expect. People's opinions are set and if i get roped into 'discussing it' i'm afriad i'll eventually get banned.

If you get banned, just make a new name. No big deal.

Trying really hard to stay positive, so hard cannt keep big mouth shut, help

Got MB, have all fp+ set think I get how to change them extra hubby not thrilled about rfid chips,

 

[tinker&belle]

The way I finally got in to make my mom an account.
1. Used google chrome browser.
2. Opened a few browsers to wait so when one went to 'waiting'I tried the next.
3. If a user name wouldn't verify make a new one ( I got it on my fourth username)
4. This all finally worked late at night.
Good luck!

 

[njcarita]

Anything to help it work

thanks you....... but no luck..... must not work on government sites....

 

[njcarita]

The way I finally got in to make my mom an account.
1. Used google chrome browser.
2. Opened a few browsers to wait so when one went to 'waiting'I tried the next.
3. If a user name wouldn't verify make a new one ( I got it on my fourth username)
4. This all finally worked late at night.
Good luck!

i am using google........ and my username is always good.... its those darn questions............ whats my radio statio????? etc that get me everytime....... keep getting i need to give them different answers........ I am..............