Affordable Care Act...isn't Affordable

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/theapothecary/2013/06/23/even-in-over-regulated-washington-state-obamacare-will-increase-individual-market-premiums-by-34-80-percent/?partner=yahootix

Despite every attempt to regulate healthcare insurance costs to keep it affordable in Washington state, the Obama plan will override the state's efforts and raise premiums 30-80%

Somewhat different than than the 3000% decrease Obama promised (persons not mathmatically dysfunctional always knew 3000% was very unlikely)

The USA already pays the highest amount per capita for medical care in the world and Obama is determined to increase profits for insurance companies and drug companies with his plan.

[Darnell 8,478]

Yay Drug Companies !! Obama Rocks, and Stuff!

[Protocol417 161]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/theapothecary/2013/06/23/even-in-over-regulated-washington-state-obamacare-will-increase-individual-market-premiums-by-34-80-percent/?partner=yahootix

Despite every attempt to regulate healthcare insurance costs to keep it affordable in Washington state, the Obama plan will override the state's efforts and raise premiums 30-80%

Somewhat different than than the 3000% decrease Obama promised (persons not mathmatically dysfunctional always knew 3000% was very unlikely)

The USA already pays the highest amount per capita for medical care in the world and Obama is determined to increase profits for insurance companies and drug companies with his plan.

Oh, Forbes. Gotta love 'em. Just the other day they were pulling a mea culpa for ragging on the ACA because the author found out that California saw a drop in costs.

(BTW, I say this as a person who is not particularly a big fan of ACA/Obamcare. I find it quite sad that our current political climate has dragged everyone so far to the right, so that something like Obamacare is considered the most liberal option and universal healthcare is off the table completely.)

[RGinWA 816]

Yawn....another doom and gloom article on getting people insured.

When they passed the auto insurance law's making coverage mandatory, people ran out and got insurance and at first it was expensive...then suddenly the rates started to drop. Funny how competition for a larger market do that. Companies sprang up overnight and rates dropped. Now insurance is a few clicks away.

But we didn't have the internet then to wail about being forced to be responsible.

Requiring health insurance is so horribly I know. Its better if they use the emergency rooms like always. Please....

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Obamacare is considered the most liberal option and universal healthcare is off the table completely.

Exactly. The so-called "free market" model hasn't worked, because it isn't. So, if you are going to continue to have the largest consumers of healthcare in the US already subsidized by those that consume healthcare the least, you might as well admit the US has de facto socialized medicine, that American healthcare expectations are unreasonable, and that expecting employers to provide medical insurance for their employees is counter-intuitive. It is time for government to nationalize the entire healthcare industry, and pay for those services through a combination of tax revenue and fee for service. Single-payer healthcare is the only solution.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Oh, Forbes. Gotta love 'em. Just the other day they were pulling a mea culpa for ragging on the ACA because the author found out that California saw a drop in costs.

(BTW, I say this as a person who is not particularly a big fan of ACA/Obamcare. I find it quite sad that our current political climate has dragged everyone so far to the right, so that something like Obamacare is considered the most liberal option and universal healthcare is off the table completely.)

Forbes? Gotta love Avik Roy - the author of all this garbage. Looks like he's still in campaign mode for Mitt.

Someone go tell this dude that the election is over and the guy on whose campaign he worked lost in a landslide. He should have noticed that he's not getting paid by Mitt anymore. Or is he?

Exactly. The so-called "free market" model hasn't worked, because it isn't. So, if you are going to continue to have the largest consumers of healthcare in the US already subsidized by those that consume healthcare the least, you might as well admit the US has de facto socialized medicine, that American healthcare expectations are unreasonable, and that expecting employers to provide medical insurance for their employees is counter-intuitive. It is time for government to nationalize the entire healthcare industry, and pay for those services through a combination of tax revenue and fee for service. Single-payer healthcare is the only solution.

Yup.

[RGinWA 816]

Exactly. The so-called "free market" model hasn't worked, because it isn't. So, if you are going to continue to have the largest consumers of healthcare in the US already subsidized by those that consume healthcare the least, you might as well admit the US has de facto socialized medicine, that American healthcare expectations are unreasonable, and that expecting employers to provide medical insurance for their employees is counter-intuitive. It is time for government to nationalize the entire healthcare industry, and pay for those services through a combination of tax revenue and fee for service. Single-payer healthcare is the only solution.

Yet I don't think we can get there now, without going here first. Make this a painful pill to swallow.

That was suppose to be the idea originally, but it was bastardized by the fact that no republican's would ever vote for anything that could be construed as a socialized program. Because that's communist talk!

So why isn't the VA considered a communist plot on our Military?

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

One of the consequences of the current system, is that it limits worker mobility. For instance, an individual may be prevented from changing jobs, solely because they may lose family benefits at one job and have to wait for a probationary period at another job, usually one year, before the family can receive similar benefits. For a worker, spouse, and a couple kids, changing jobs may not be affordable in the near term.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Yet I don't think we can get there now, without going here first. Make this a painful pill to swallow.

That was suppose to be the idea originally, but it was bastardized by the fact that no republican's would ever vote for anything that could be construed as a socialized program. Because that's communist talk!

So why isn't the VA considered a communist plot on our Military?

Or Medicare, for that matter, the trimming of which Republicans have complained about during the 2012 campaign cycle.

The long and short appears to be that America is not sufficiently convinced that aside from huge cost, the private, primarily profit oriented health care system we have in this country hasn't delivered. Any socialized healthcare system anywhere in the developed world - including here in this country - delivers health care more efficiently - i.e. delivers the same or better overall health outcomes at a fraction of the cost.

[Glyn and Kathy 288]

Or Medicare, for that matter, the trimming of which Republicans have complained about during the 2012 campaign cycle.

The long and short appears to be that America is not sufficiently convinced that aside from huge cost, the private, primarily profit oriented health care system we have in this country hasn't delivered. Any socialized healthcare system anywhere in the developed world - including here in this country - delivers health care more efficiently - i.e. delivers the same or better overall health outcomes at a fraction of the cost.

I am going to miss the NHS...yes its got its problems, but having dealt with BOTH, private(expensive) insurance in the US, and the NHS here in the UK, I have to say I FAR prefer the NHS. This weekend...daughter on Friday came home from school in pain. She has a small kidney issue. Stopped into our GP to see if they had any appointments for the day. Yep, its a child we'll squeeze her in. 15 minutes later, doctor...send for blood tests. Call from the doctor at 7pm, blood tests haven't come back yet please take her to A & E just to be safe. A&E 1 hour wait, into a room...more blood tests, other tests, exam, 6 hours later everything checks out but for throat infection. Sent home with antibiotics, and an outpatient appointment for an ultrasound. Total cost....£0.00

I don't even want to think about what that would have cost us without insurance in the US and even with insurance we would have been out of pocket a good deal of money. Like I said, the NHS has some REAL problems, but it does work most of the time...and a lot better than the US system does! I know we have fabulous doctors and hospitals in the US, but who the heck can afford to use them!?!

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Oh, Forbes. Gotta love 'em. Just the other day they were pulling a mea culpa for ragging on the ACA because the author found out that California saw a drop in costs.

(BTW, I say this as a person who is not particularly a big fan of ACA/Obamcare. I find it quite sad that our current political climate has dragged everyone so far to the right, so that something like Obamacare is considered the most liberal option and universal healthcare is off the table completely.)

So because it was in Forbes, health care costs ARE NOT rising? Great news.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

I am going to miss the NHS...yes its got its problems, but having dealt with BOTH, private(expensive) insurance in the US, and the NHS here in the UK, I have to say I FAR prefer the NHS. This weekend...daughter on Friday came home from school in pain. She has a small kidney issue. Stopped into our GP to see if they had any appointments for the day. Yep, its a child we'll squeeze her in. 15 minutes later, doctor...send for blood tests. Call from the doctor at 7pm, blood tests haven't come back yet please take her to A & E just to be safe. A&E 1 hour wait, into a room...more blood tests, other tests, exam, 6 hours later everything checks out but for throat infection. Sent home with antibiotics, and an outpatient appointment for an ultrasound. Total cost....£0.00

I don't even want to think about what that would have cost us without insurance in the US and even with insurance we would have been out of pocket a good deal of money. Like I said, the NHS has some REAL problems, but it does work most of the time...and a lot better than the US system does! I know we have fabulous doctors and hospitals in the US, but who the heck can afford to use them!?!

We have the same in Vermont. That is in the USA. Why doesn't your state? The premium is 11% of my income, half paid by the employer and capped for low income people.

In Vermont if you had no insurance (how would that happen?) you would be put into the financial aid system, a private charity funded by the statewide non-profit healthcare provider and would pay a maximum $500 deductible before all other costs were paid. In fact it is cheaper to go without insurance provided all your medical needs occur here.

We subsidize our system with money from the Canadian health system that cannot handle the needs of Canadians. They pay for them to come here and support a huge medical industry far beyond what the population of Vermont could sustain itself. Maybe your state is too far from Canada?

Our outstanding health care (because we do not depend on Obama) and microscopic crime rate (because we can all carry guns) outstanding education (3rd best in the country) lowest obesity rate, cleanest environment, abundant outdoor activities and a high level of family values has earned the rating of "best place to raise children" and "most livable state" and "safest state" many times over.

Obamacare sucks.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

One of the consequences of the current system, is that it limits worker mobility. For instance, an individual may be prevented from changing jobs, solely because they may lose family benefits at one job and have to wait for a probationary period at another job, usually one year, before the family can receive similar benefits. For a worker, spouse, and a couple kids, changing jobs may not be affordable in the near term.

Medical insurance needs to be detached from employment. It was forced there by government in the 40s when they capped pay raises during WW2. Employers began to offer "benefits" to circumvent the law. We got used to it. Pity.

You should be able to buy health insurance the same as you buy car and home insurance. There should be a little talking lizard (lose the annoying accent please) on TV to sell you health insurance.

THEN it would be affordable.

Option 2 is to get hold of yout state representatives and get it done on your state level.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Oh, Forbes. Gotta love 'em. Just the other day they were pulling a mea culpa for ragging on the ACA because the author found out that California saw a drop in costs.

(BTW, I say this as a person who is not particularly a big fan of ACA/Obamcare. I find it quite sad that our current political climate has dragged everyone so far to the right, so that something like Obamacare is considered the most liberal option and universal healthcare is off the table completely.)

I am guessing that being "dragged to the right" is NOT George Bush's fault.

Universal Healthcare (single payer) was proposed by our Independent/Socialist Senator Bernie Sanders during the healthcare debate. It was ignored and shot down by Democrats. Universal healthcare does not offer political power to anyone. This is why it works in Vermont but not in Washington.

The entire debate on healthcare was among Democrats. NO Republican voted for it and NO Republican vote was needed. All the wrangling and debate and maneurvering was to get Democrats to vote for it by giving them special treatment for their states and adding enough pork to the whole thing to satisfy all the Dems.

Obamacare is not what we needed, is not what we wanted and will not work to make healthcare more afffordable.

Oh, Forbes. Gotta love 'em. Just the other day they were pulling a mea culpa for ragging on the ACA because the author found out that California saw a drop in costs.

(BTW, I say this as a person who is not particularly a big fan of ACA/Obamcare. I find it quite sad that our current political climate has dragged everyone so far to the right, so that something like Obamacare is considered the most liberal option and universal healthcare is off the table completely.)

I am guessing that being "dragged to the right" is NOT George Bush's fault.

Universal Healthcare (single payer) was proposed by our Independent/Socialist Senator Bernie Sanders during the healthcare debate. It was ignored and shot down by Democrats. Universal healthcare does not offer political power to anyone. This is why it works in Vermont but not in Washington.

The entire debate on healthcare was among Democrats. NO Republican voted for it and NO Republican vote was needed. All the wrangling and debate and maneurvering was to get Democrats to vote for it by giving them special treatment for their states and adding enough pork to the whole thing to satisfy all the Dems.

Obamacare is not what we needed, is not what we wanted and will not work to make healthcare more afffordable.

[Glyn and Kathy 288]

Well, we lived and will be living again in New Hampshire. Hubby had employer provided insurance thru Aetna and it cost a fortune every month.Even then we still had horrible medical bills because we had a HUGE deductible and when we hit the deductible, we still had to pay 20%. We spent over $100.00 JUST on medicine every month. That doesn't include doctor's bills, lab tests, etc. I'm STILL paying off a hospital bill. I had an ambulance ride back in 2009...literally less than a mile to the hospital and it cost over $1000.00 and out of that, we ended up owing just over $300.00 and that doesn't even touch my stay in the hospital. Its so scary when just one illness or injury can bankrupt a person. I just always pay what I can every month and luckily that keeps them happy!