Obamacare success stories please

[crisi]

But can't you see once you make the middle class more dependent on programs they are in the same boat of welfare recipients. The only difference is you have better paying job or a job of some kind. If you take more then you give, someone has to pay for this mess we have created.

In which case, you of course support living wage proposals so that someone who is working class can afford shelter, food and health insurance.

We have a number of unsustainable economic situations in our country. One is that the amount of wealth held by the top 5% is increasing disproporationally, and the top 1% even more so. Another is that income is doing the same thing (and wealth and income are conflated in these discussions, but are two very different things). A third, one that fights against the other two is that our middle class wants to maintain a middle class standard of living - that means having food, shelter, insurance - and having things above subsistence level because otherwise in this country you wouldn't be middle class, you'd be poor. But with the rich getting a bigger and bigger piece of the pie, and the poor not having any income to lose, the money that the rich take is coming from the middle class.

Hell, yes, there should be class welfare - I should get eaten. And from where I sit in the 5%, it really looks like we should all take pitchforks and torches to the 1%.

 

[luvmy3]

Sorry. My bad for not making myself clear.
The problem with regressive taxes is they punish the people who are working hard to provide for themselves. They're caught in the gaps of everything. ACA is no exception. It's criminal that these hard working Americans are faced with choices like moving away from their support systems to states that did expand Medicaid or getting a second job. Or a third. Or going without.

I completely agree.

 

[nunzia]

I don't know how much this changes the numbers- but there are some services that will be covered 100% before you pay a cent of your deductible. So if you go for a physical or it's a year for a mammogram, I'm guessing a colonoscopy since that is routine, vaccinces, etc. So you may be paying more OOP for your premiums but your "maintenance" for the year may be anywhere from $0 to thousands of deductible on the other plan. You never know which year that "free" checkup will catch something that would have been a million dollar ER bill 6 months down the road. Chance are if it's already paid for you will go to your check up, but most people don't go if it's going to cost you $200 OOP.
In your case it's probably not positive in your checkbook, but as time goes on more and more people are going to have lives saved just by the doctor perusing their chart on occasion because they paid up front.

I do not believe this..there will be a doctor shortage so being seen will be even more difficult. And it is difficult enough now. For those saying we have a shared responsibibility..to a certain degree, OK, but NOT for the many many many that abuse the system,are lazy and takers. My whole family is on that average cusp..the 50k and less range..and it is hurting US..those that work and do our best to support, many times, those that don't and don't do their best. My son is a cop..he made 40k last year..he has 3 kids..according to a paper he got at work, he is not eligible for subsidies because his employer offers health care..yes, at 600 month for just the two of them (kids are on medicaid). Surprise, they do not have 600 month, so they will pay the penalty and still have to pay out of pocket for any health costs. My original plan also covered 'free' wellness visits, so that is not new with the more expensive same as the old plan.

All this said, one more little whine before I go (and to the person who called me a whiner..wow..this thread was asking about Obamacare experiences..I shared mine..I was not 'whining'..I was expressing my experiences ..sorry they weren't sunshine and roses) to me my biggest issue with Obamacare is we are NOT GETTING THE PLAN THAT WAS PASSED...Obama cannot legally make all the changes etc to the bill..he doesn't have that power...17 times he has changed things in the bill that was passed..you try doing that with a contract you sign and see where that gets you. Anyway..we should sink or swin with the bill that passed..period..no excemptions, or Congress bow outs or corporate delays. Either we are all in it together..now THAT would be fair...or we are not. Period.

 

[dansamy]

In which case, you of course support living wage proposals so that someone who is working class can afford shelter, food and health insurance.

We have a number of unsustainable economic situations in our country. One is that the amount of wealth held by the top 5% is increasing disproporationally, and the top 1% even more so. Another is that income is doing the same thing (and wealth and income are conflated in these discussions, but are two very different things). A third, one that fights against the other two is that our middle class wants to maintain a middle class standard of living - that means having food, shelter, insurance - and having things above subsistence level because otherwise in this country you wouldn't be middle class, you'd be poor. But with the rich getting a bigger and bigger piece of the pie, and the poor not having any income to lose, the money that the rich take is coming from the middle class.

Hell, yes, there should be class welfare - I should get eaten. And from where I sit in the 5%, it really looks like we should all take pitchforks and torches to the 1%.

Thank you. I had written a long post about this very thing, but the Wi-Fi decided to act dumb & give me the circle of doom.

My husband and I are producers of revenue for our companies. He's a mechanic and I'm a nurse. Our labors are what the hospital and the maintenance company sell. We each make less than $50k/year. Meanwhile, at the top of both the hospital and the aviation maintenance facility are executives making very large salaries. When the hospital makes certain markers, they give the floor staff a tiny bonus. Under $1k. Meanwhile, the executives all get another 6 figures as a bonus in addition to their 6+ figure salaries.

If American companies paid fair wages to the people who actually produce the company's earnings, the American middle class would not be shrinking.

 

[luvmy3]

I do not believe this..there will be a doctor shortage so being seen will be even more difficult. And it is difficult enough now. For those saying we have a shared responsibibility..to a certain degree, OK, but NOT for the many many many that abuse the system,are lazy and takers. My whole family is on that average cusp..the 50k and less range..and it is hurting US..those that work and do our best to support, many times, those that don't and don't do their best. My son is a cop..he made 40k last year..he has 3 kids..according to a paper he got at work, he is not eligible for subsidies because his employer offers health care..yes, at 600 month for just the two of them (kids are on medicaid). Surprise, they do not have 600 month, so they will pay the penalty and still have to pay out of pocket for any health costs. My original plan also covered 'free' wellness visits, so that is not new with the more expensive same as the old plan.

All this said, one more little whine before I go (and to the person who called me a whiner..wow..this thread was asking about Obamacare experiences..I shared mine..I was not 'whining'..I was expressing my experiences ..sorry they weren't sunshine and roses) to me my biggest issue with Obamacare is we are NOT GETTING THE PLAN THAT WAS PASSED...Obama cannot legally make all the changes etc to the bill..he doesn't have that power...17 times he has changed things in the bill that was passed..you try doing that with a contract you sign and see where that gets you. Anyway..we should sink or swin with the bill that passed..period..no excemptions, or Congress bow outs or corporate delays. Either we are all in it together..now THAT would be fair...or we are not. Period.

That was me and I think you misunderstood my intent. In my own sarcastic way I was trying to say that alot of people out there think we should just quit our complaining, suck it up because we are "lucky" enough not to be one of ones who need help.
When of course, the reality is that many many people need it, not just the poor and low income families.

 

[Muushka]

Off topic ...

Why? It didn't work in Florida, what makes you think it will work elsewhere?

Again, why? They are limited on the number of minutes they can use so why does it matter? Being able to use a phone away from home is probably more important than using one inside your home.

No argument from me. My best friend is one of the working poor. She makes too much to qualify for much but lives paycheck to measly paycheck. She's also a homeowner who struggles by and rents out rtooms in her house to pay her mortgage and taxes. She would be sunk if she had to pay for her housing.

If only landlines were given away, it would prohibit people from getting multiple phones.

Oh what am I talking about? There is absolutely no fraud or abuse in that program.

This is where you are wrong. Being from every "class" in my life time I have had the privilege of feeling the pain and the success of every level.

Personally if the government went to universal coverage, I really wouldn't have a problem with the program. Aca isn't going to work for the simple fact that nothing has been done to address the cost control, maybe I'm wrong we will have to wait and see, but in mean time most Americans really can't afford the cost of aca , but that's ok because everyone is required for the most part to have insurance. Insurance doesn't really promise that you will be able to afford to go get medical treatment if you are sick.

Insurance in simple is to protect you from $$$ loss not medical care. That's the sticking point most supports seem to ignore.

I've also been in a few classes (not the upper one though) in my lifetime.
From the very bottom to where I am today.

I wonder if that's why some people (like you and me) have a hard time with welfare abuse?

No cell phone? Try going without a cell or a landline

 

[daughtersrus]

The US gives billions to other countries while we have our own citizens starving and without health care. Maybe it's time we take care of our own first.

 

[Lita]

Well I have to agree that I fit into the "DIS demographic" being a nurse and having insurance through work. And one thing I have learned at the hospital is we spend millions every year on "charity care" as we call it. The number of people we see in the ER for non-emergent illness or conditions is a good 40% and most of those are there because they don't have insurance to go to a primary doctor. It will be quite a relief on those that are seeking emergency/urgent care to have 40% less people to wait behind. ER's are the most expensive care on the planet and the costs just get passed on to others. Allowing coverage for most people will reduce cost for everyone in the long run. I am very happy that so many people will now be able to get coverage. I think it is a good system on the whole and while it may not change my life too much, it will certainly help others immeasurably!

Very good point! I work for a hospital corporation and so many people do not realize the millions of $'s of charity care that hospitals provide. The costs to provide care to uninsured get passed onto everyone else in many different forms. I am excited to see this play out.

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[Lita]

Did I miss something in ACA are hospitals now charging up front before care like dr offices do???? Not trying to start argument, that could possibly help to lower cost

Hospitals have been doing this for years for scheduled procedures. Hard to do that in the ER when you cannot ask about financial ability to pay before stabilization due to EMTALA laws.

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[lauradis]

The US gives billions to other countries while we have our own citizens starving and without health care. Maybe it's time we take care of our own first.

Here here.

The problem is government stinks at it.

We as a young nation haven't learned from history that nation building isn't such a hot idea.

We the people are responsible for our government.

We don't vote we don't really scream for what we want. We take what we can get and let's just admit it USA isn't a horrible place to live. Don't rock the boat.

The sad part is ACA doesn't seem to be the solution.

Every one I talk to and warn that they have to look in this law and sign up for health insurance. Looks like a lost child. Most of them say I thought it was going to be free or cheap.

Guess we are all stuck with the newest social experiment.

 

[Robbi]

The US gives billions to other countries while we have our own citizens starving and without health care. Maybe it's time we take care of our own first.

Yes, the US gives 55 billion dollars a year in foreign aid. Then in our own country, hundreds of millions are spent on stupid things like $175,587 to determine if cocaine makes Japanese quail engage in sexually risky behavior, $3 million to researchers at the University of California at Irvine to fund their research on video games such as World of Warcraft and $615,000 was given to the University of California at Santa Cruz to digitize photos, T-shirts and concert tickets belonging to the Grateful Dead to name a few. Not to mention Fannie Mae asking for another 4.6 billion.

All of this money would go a long way toward buying insurance for the indigent in this country.

 

[eMd]

I just received my 2014 benefit information today. My premium has not increased for health it vision, and has increased by only $1 per paycheck for dental. We also have more health plan options available.

I'm counting that as a success story from where I am concerned as someone who is already insured.

 

[Muushka]

I just received my 2014 benefit information today. My premium has not increased for health it vision, and has increased by only $1 per paycheck for dental. We also have more health plan options available.

I'm counting that as a success story from where I am concerned as someone who is already insured.

I would call that a success too.

I keep asking my husband to see about ours, but no news yet. Fingers crossed that we don't have huge increases.

Good for you!

 

[j's m]

I just received my 2014 benefit information today. My premium has not increased for health it vision, and has increased by only $1 per paycheck for dental. We also have more health plan options available.

I'm counting that as a success story from where I am concerned as someone who is already insured.

Congrats!

Can you tell us are you large group, small group, union?

 

[moburg]

I like this success story:

"Vinson, of San Jose, will pay $1,800 more a year for an individual policy, while Waschura, of Portola Valley, will cough up almost $10,000 more for insurance for his family of four."

"Of course, I want people to have health care," Vinson said. "I just didn't realize I would be the one who was going to pay for it personally."


And these are supporters of the ACA. Or maybe, soon to be ex-supporters?

http://www.mercurynews.com/nation-world/ci_24248486/obamacares-winners-and-losers-bay-area

 

[gray52]

I talked with a long time friend today. He's self employed. He will save $800/month with Obamacare. I was very excited for him.

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[gray52]

Remember... The United State is the only developed country in the WORLD where it's legal to make a profit off of someone's health care.

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[deedisneydream97]

Gray52....can you elaborate on your friend's success story a little? By self-employed, do you mean he owns his own small business or is he a muscian or makes crafts? Is it single care or for a family of four? spouse coverage? If he is saving $800/month, how much was he paying and for what type of coverage before Obamacare? Does he live in a big city with many services or a rural area with few places to choose from? Is he considered "poverty level"? Does he pay rent or does he get help from the gov't? Does he own his own home?

I have been trying for a week now to just get basic info and cannot get past the log-in page (after finally getting a log-in name on Sat......took hours just for that). My underemployed college grad kids can no longer afford the $400/month each it is costing them....we are trying to make budget plans.

Thanks in advance. Were you able to find out any info for yourself?

 

[lauradis]

Remember... The United State is the only developed country in the WORLD where it's legal to make a profit off of someone's health care.

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So true and now we that tax payers will be paying the government to pay private corp again.

scary

not to mention the fact that corporations have been given the rights of being a person, which is more scary and this isn't new like ACA.

Keep looking for the silver lining in ACA, but the more personal stories from my daily travels of how this is effecting them.

People are scared, worried, confused for the most.

Here's the success story of the day.

My Son in laws employer has decided to keep a "whole" family plan. (whole means spouse included) The deductible is double but coverage level is the same, employer has decided to eat the premium increase, but he is a really great man to work for.

wonder who gets to eat the price increase

 

[lauradis]

Gray52....can you elaborate on your friend's success story a little? By self-employed, do you mean he owns his own small business or is he a muscian or makes crafts? Is it single care or for a family of four? spouse coverage? If he is saving $800/month, how much was he paying and for what type of coverage before Obamacare? Does he live in a big city with many services or a rural area with few places to choose from? Is he considered "poverty level"? Does he pay rent or does he get help from the gov't? Does he own his own home?

I have been trying for a week now to just get basic info and cannot get past the log-in page (after finally getting a log-in name on Sat......took hours just for that). My underemployed college grad kids can no longer afford the $400/month each it is costing them....we are trying to make budget plans.

Thanks in advance. Were you able to find out any info for yourself?

That's like 9 questions in a row On the Obamacare info thread they have link to more pricing info.