3 million Californians insured under Obamacare - is "full repeal" realistic anymore?

[unsmiley 111]

Most people who have signed up get Medicaid (free) or Obamacare heavily subsidized (mostly free).

Boiler, I must point out that medical care is never "free." There are huge costs involved, enormous risks taken to advance care, many years involved in training doctors and nurses, developing medicines, research, etc. Someone has to pay the bills. What Obama worshippers want is for someone else to pay these costs for them.

[Danno 1,228]

It was stuck to the young and healthy and everyone else that carried insurance all along. You make it sound like that's a new feature. It isn't. Only now those young and healthy and others that used to be free riders no longer get a free ride. Everyone's on the hook for health care. And that's exactly how it should be if everyone has a right to be treated in the ER regardless of the ability to pay.

NOw since heath care is a right (according to you) why should poorer people have to pay for it when they don't even pay taxes?

In fact many get money from the IRS every year.

How long will it be before we use this same concept to help out working low to middle wage earners?

I predict there are too many opportunities for political gain to be had from promising "obama care" relief as the cost begins to soar.

Just like with taxes, the haves will be pulling the wagon.

The numerically superior have-nots will be the vote-rich group to please.

[Boiler 45,525]

Boiler, I must point out that medical care is never "free." There are huge costs involved, enormous risks taken to advance care, many years involved in training doctors and nurses, developing medicines, research, etc. Someone has to pay the bills. What Obama worshippers want is for someone else to pay these costs for them.

Free to them.

[BatmanUSA 105]

It was stuck to the young and healthy and everyone else that carried insurance all along. You make it sound like that's a new feature. It isn't. Only now those young and healthy and others that used to be free riders no longer get a free ride. Everyone's on the hook for health care. And that's exactly how it should be if everyone has a right to be treated in the ER regardless of the ability to pay.

Nope. Absolutely incorrect.

The young and healthy previously had an option not to purchase, and therefore not subsidize, other's healthcare. This group by definition is the healthiest cohort and utilizes very little resources from our health care system. There was no "free ride" if they were not taking anything. Making them pay now is simply a new transfer of their money to the older (and hence less healthy) older citizens.

Additionally, everyone always has had - and continues to have - access to emergency treatment regardless of ability to pay. It is the law of the land, and it was enacted well before Obamacare.

But when the young and healthy had an emergency, they went to the ER and how many just blew off the bill.???

Now they are required to pay something, even if it is just an upfront monthly insurance premium, maybe they will still blow off the ER bill, but they still are required to buy health insurance.

Also, if you look at all the independent contractors from various professions who were not allowed to buy discount health insurance thru a group, now they have that option thru the exchanges...

[UncleBeer 244]

Most people who have signed up get Medicaid (free) or Obamacare heavily subsidized (mostly free).

As Jimmy Fallon quipped:

It’s amazing what you can achieve when you make something mandatory and fine people if they don’t do it

Yup.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Nope. Absolutely incorrect.

The young and healthy previously had an option not to purchase, and therefore not subsidize, other's healthcare. This group by definition is the healthiest cohort and utilizes very little resources from our health care system. There was no "free ride" if they were not taking anything. Making them pay now is simply a new transfer of their money to the older (and hence less healthy) older citizens.

Additionally, everyone always has had - and continues to have - access to emergency treatment regardless of ability to pay. It is the law of the land, and it was enacted well before Obamacare.

And thereby unload the eventual cost of their own healthcare onto everyone else. The fact is the matter is that those that carried health insurance - that was the vast majority of Americans of all ages - paid for those that did not. Among the latter were those that wanted to but could not carry health insurance because none was available to them and those that chose a free ride at everyone else's expense. Their free ride now came to an end. And I think that's a good thing.

Nope. Absolutely incorrect.

The young and healthy previously had an option not to purchase, and therefore not subsidize, other's healthcare. This group by definition is the healthiest cohort and utilizes very little resources from our health care system. There was no "free ride" if they were not taking anything. Making them pay now is simply a new transfer of their money to the older (and hence less healthy) older citizens.

Additionally, everyone always has had - and continues to have - access to emergency treatment regardless of ability to pay. It is the law of the land, and it was enacted well before Obamacare.

Yes, and now everyone finally pays for that guaranteed access to the ER as well. Finally.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

But when the young and healthy had an emergency, they went to the ER and how many just blew off the bill.???

Now they are required to pay something, even if it is just an upfront monthly insurance premium, maybe they will still blow off the ER bill, but they still are required to buy health insurance.

Also, if you look at all the independent contractors from various professions who were not allowed to buy discount health insurance thru a group, now they have that option thru the exchanges...

Bingo! Some of the young and healthy also found out that they weren't so healthy after all. And everyone got to pick up their tab even though they could have afforded to cover themselves if they had chosen to do so. They just thought it would better to drive that B-mer and have you an me pay the hospital bills. Funny how the oh-so conservative crowd hates so much on this oh so conservative concept of personal responsibility. There's a reason that the health insurance mandate policy was born within the sacred walls of the Heritage Foundation.

[Boiler 45,525]

Most Health costs are outside of the private Insurance system.

Roughly heath care costs about 20% of GDP and about one third comes through the Insurance system.

A significant number remain outside any of the schemes or private Insurance.

[Danno 1,228]

Bingo! Some of the young and healthy also found out that they weren't so healthy after all. And everyone got to pick up their tab even though they could have afforded to cover themselves if they had chosen to do so. They just thought it would better to drive that B-mer and have you an me pay the hospital bills. Funny how the oh-so conservative crowd hates so much on this oh so conservative concept of personal responsibility. There's a reason that the health insurance mandate policy was born within the sacred walls of the Heritage Foundation.

Come on BD, who do you think you are kidding?

Do you really expect everyone to believe we had to wreck the whole system just to make the ER freeloaders pay?

Let me tell you something

The Gov't finds a way to track you down and make you pay child support.

Get a speeding ticket in one state and don't pay.... you can't renew your license in your home state.

Fail to pay your taxes and no one just walks away.

But some how you want everyone to believe taking over health care was the only way to keep ER deadbeats from skipping out free and clear.

We could have put people on payment plans and enforced it just like they do school loans tax leans and debt to the criminal justice system.

Now tell the truth, you just have a fondness for socialism and this is a huge step in taking over the whole medical system.

Admit it.

[Peikko 1,575]

Come on BD, who do you think you are kidding?

Do you really expect everyone to believe we had to wreck the whole system just to make the ER freeloaders pay?

Let me tell you something

The Gov't finds a way to track you down and make you pay child support.

Get a speeding ticket in one state and don't pay.... you can't renew your license in your home state.

Fail to pay your taxes and no one just walks away.

But some how you want everyone to believe taking over health care was the only way to keep ER deadbeats from skipping out free and clear.

We could have put people on payment plans and enforced it just like they do school loans tax leans and debt to the criminal justice system.

Now tell the truth, you just have a fondness for socialism and this is a huge step in taking over the whole medical system.

Admit it.

Actually, most people would prefer a single payer system. Socialism or not, its the most cost effective and fair system for citizens of a country like the US but ohhhhhhhhhh noooooooo the repubs couldn't have this lucrative marketplace disappear into thin air.

[JohnR! 5,495]

Boiler, I must point out that medical care is never "free." There are huge costs involved, enormous risks taken to advance care, many years involved in training doctors and nurses, developing medicines, research, etc. Someone has to pay the bills. What Obama worshippers want is for someone else to pay these costs for them.

But if that were the case they would have voted with the GnOP and TBs who believe all the insured should pick up the tab for the deadbeats who are just too lazy to get insurance for themselves...

[JohnR! 5,495]

But when the young and healthy had an emergency, they went to the ER and how many just blew off the bill.???

Now they are required to pay something, even if it is just an upfront monthly insurance premium, maybe they will still blow off the ER bill, but they still are required to buy health insurance.

Also, if you look at all the independent contractors from various professions who were not allowed to buy discount health insurance thru a group, now they have that option thru the exchanges...

And that is precisely what is at the crux of the issue. Everyone uses the expression 'young and healthy' as though they would not need periodical exams, preventive care and other similar care to stay that way, not to mention when they need to be rushed to an ER, testimony to the indiscretions of youth. These people are drinking some heavily laced Kool-Aid when they pretend that no young and healthy person ever need a doctor.

[JohnR! 5,495]

Actually, most people would prefer a single payer system. Socialism or not, its the most cost effective and fair system for citizens of a country like the US but ohhhhhhhhhh noooooooo the repubs couldn't have this lucrative marketplace disappear into thin air.

The hypocrisy of it all is that the very notion of the single payer system was concocted by the GOP, before it was highjacked by the fifth columnists of the Teaparty. To be sure, they were for it before they were against it... It is just sheer partisanship. Nothing else.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Come on BD, who do you think you are kidding?

I'm not kidding anyone. Who do you think you're kidding?

Fact of the matter is, I lived in two places with functioning, efficient and effective health care systems and then I came to experience the poor excuse for what passes as a healthcare system in this country. Healthcare in America is a sad joke. Less so today than a half decade ago but it is still a sad joke.

[Boiler 45,525]

Sadly I have yet to experience a functioning, efficient and effective health care system,