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Deep down I believe this is about control & not health care. I believe that this is another way the government is trying to control what we do with our money. If this was about health care then surly it would make more sense then what we're dealing with now. No, I'm not one of those conspiracy people but this crap doesn't make any real sense.
If you believe that is the goal than you are one of the conspiracy people. The idea that this was enacted just to give government more power is dumb. No other word for it.
Did you forget the problems that existed before the ACA was enacted? This country was chock full of people with chronic diseases like diabetes who couldn't afford treatment. Every year, fewer employers were offering health insurance as a benefit. We had 46 million out of a country of 300 million with no health insurance and the problem was growing. At the same time, overall health care costs were increasing at about the rate of 7% per year even though the inflation rate was consistently 1-3%.
I always knew the ACA would have trouble if some kind of cost controls were not put in place on health care. That, in my opinion, was always its weakness.
I support doing what we have to do to fix the ACA. With this new republican conservative Congress that is hellbent on nothing less than repeal, I'm skeptical a fix will be found.
Deep down I believe this is about control & not health care. I believe that this is another way the government is trying to control what we do with our money. If this was about health care then surly it would make more sense then what we're dealing with now. No, I'm not one of those conspiracy people but this crap doesn't make any real sense.
Here's what I think. I think the current administration wants us to go to a European healthcare model, but they know if they come right out and push for that, the American tax payers won't go for it. So it's like they're trying to "smoke us out." They're trying to up the ante so much that eventually those who are actually paying (and especially those who are not receiving subsidies) will scream "Uncle!" Companies will be forced to stop providing health insurance. Employees who are suddenly having to pay for the entire kit and kiboodle will be filled with outrage when they realize the total cost. And when people are finally at their wits' end, our "public servants" will say, "Well, there IS another option - the European model. Then all you have is higher taxes, not a monthly premium."
I'd almost go for that if only to get the private insurance companies out of the mix, if I hadn't experienced the European model first hand. Not only that, but we have so many people in the country who receive MORE from the Federal Government than they put IN, that I hate to think what the tax burden would be to those of us who actually write a big check on April 15 rather than look forward to a nifty tax return check.
Though I think those fun tax return checks would be lessened significantly too - and I know a lot of people who wouldn't be too happy with that either.
I also think it's worse now under the ACA than it's ever been.
It's the same, although deductibles are higher. For anyone who has had an individual policy (self employed) for any length of time, we've seen much larger rate increases in the past 8-9 years.
It's the same, although deductibles are higher. For anyone who has had an individual policy (self employed) for any length of time, we've seen much larger rate increases in the past 8-9 years.
My husband and I are self employed and have been for the past 5 years and have been carrying individual coverage for most of that time.
This year our premium DOUBLED - so though of course they've gone up a bit nearly every year, I've never seen anything like this.
We had ACA drama last year too, which I detailed in the OP. BCBS "canceled" our plan (the one that would have been grandfathered in under the ACA - the plan we were told we could keep if we liked it) and re issued an IDENTICAL plan, which was then considered "new" and couldn't be grandfathered in. It did not include maternity stuff - which was fine with me because I am 52 years old and don't need maternity coverage. Our premium actually went DOWN a little bit last year, if you can believe that ("down" meaning from about $680 a month to $575 a month - which shocked me). I can only assume it went down because the risk to BCBS went down somehow. So I can't for the life of me figure out how their risk suddenly DOUBLED and our premiums jumped from $575 to somewhere around $1150 (don't have the exact figure with me and I am not going to dig it back up right now).
It's like a mortgage payment each month. It's a crushing amount.
So it's not "the same" - because as you stated, deductibles are higher and that right there will hit you very significantly if you ever have any sort of health issue. We got to experience that first hand when I tore my Achilles tendon and had to write a check upon admission to the hospital (for 4 hours) for $5000 to cover the deductible. Good times, good times!
So now the deductibles are higher, and so are the premiums. Not only that, for some weird reason, we can't include a HSA (tax deductible funds set aside for health care costs) - I think it's because of some weird little part of the plan, but heck, I can't even remember now what the reason is. So we can't even catch that one break on our taxes.
Last edited by KathrynAragon; 12-10-2014 at 07:09 AM..
If you believe that is the goal than you are one of the conspiracy people. The idea that this was enacted just to give government more power is dumb. No other word for it.
When a government FORCES you to have something that you don't want what would you call it?
It should be an option NOT forced.
When a government FORCES you to have something that you don't want what would you call it?
It should be an option NOT forced.
Everyone should be required to have health insurance as long as emergency departments are required to treat everyone regardless of ability to pay. When congress scraps EMTALA, then people can choose to go without insurance.
My husband and I are self employed and have been for the past 5 years and have been carrying individual coverage for most of that time. This year our premium DOUBLED -
We've had an individual policy since the early 1990s. It has probably quadrupled since then, although that would be hard to determine with grown kids no longer included on the policy. I found an old statement when I was cleaning out files...what we paid then was so appallingly low that I was shocked. (And I thought a $250 per person deductible was high?)
Quote:
BCBS "canceled" our plan (the one that would have been grandfathered in under the ACA) - and re issued an IDENTICAL plan, which was then considered "new" and couldn't be grandfathered in. It did not include maternity stuff...
Have also had similar "cancellation" or "upgrade" problems for the past three years (as do young single adults with an individual plan in our state.) We all pay maternity now, as well as pediatric dental.
When a government FORCES you to have something that you don't want what would you call it?
It should be an option NOT forced.
Unless you get Congress to repeal it what you prefer is irrelevant.
That decision was made by your elected officials for you. That is the consequence of living in a political system that we call a Republic.
The constitutional objections to the ACA have largely been dealt with. The Supreme Court says Congress has the power to do what they have done. If I am wrong, the Court can say otherwise in a future decision. Until that day happens, the ACA remains the law of the land.
Here's what I think. I think the current administration wants us to go to a European healthcare model, but they know if they come right out and push for that, the American tax payers won't go for it. So it's like they're trying to "smoke us out." They're trying to up the ante so much that eventually those who are actually paying (and especially those who are not receiving subsidies) will scream "Uncle!" Companies will be forced to stop providing health insurance. Employees who are suddenly having to pay for the entire kit and kiboodle will be filled with outrage when they realize the total cost. And when people are finally at their wits' end, our "public servants" will say, "Well, there IS another option - the European model. Then all you have is higher taxes, not a monthly premium."
I'd almost go for that if only to get the private insurance companies out of the mix, if I hadn't experienced the European model first hand. Not only that, but we have so many people in the country who receive MORE from the Federal Government than they put IN, that I hate to think what the tax burden would be to those of us who actually write a big check on April 15 rather than look forward to a nifty tax return check.
Though I think those fun tax return checks would be lessened significantly too - and I know a lot of people who wouldn't be too happy with that either.
Unless you get Congress to repeal it what you prefer is irrelevant.
That decision was made by your elected officials for you. That is the consequence of living in a political system that we call a Republic.
The constitutional objections to the ACA have largely been dealt with. The Supreme Court says Congress has the power to do what they have done. If I am wrong, the Court can say otherwise in a future decision. Until that day happens, the ACA remains the law of the land.
I think we should ALL be up in arms considering that our "elected officials" who supposedly represent their constituents' wishes, voted NOT to be required to be covered under the ACA. What's in it that's so unappealing to them when it comes to their own families? Why do they get a pass?
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