Millions Paying 10k Plus inHealth Care Premiums and Remain Afraid

a reply to: ketsuko

They sure have.

I don't think those high costs are going anywhere. Once that money is flowing, they won't intentionally put and end to that cow.

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: JinMI

I think when the law first passed, we calculated that I would have to find a full-time job making no less than $20K/year in order for us to break even and most of my pay would simply be to pay for health insurance.

Obviously those numbers have changed a bit by now.

When the law first passed, it was geared to generate income for the Feds for two years. The 35 taxes on insurance companies, corporations, and wealthy individuals, kicked in on 3/23/2010. This was to fatten-up the piggy bank in preparation for paying out billions in subsidy dollars, once ObamaCare plans went online on 1.1.2013, and to build the dysfunctional $1.7 Billion HealthCare.gov. (Nutty CBO estimated it at $500 million. FAIL!)

a reply to: Greven

A larger variety of policies could be offered that would better fit our needs and budget for one thing. For another, the crazy inflation of premiums had not yet taken place. Instead of the reliable 7%/year increase, we are now seeing double and even triple digit premium rate hikes that began with Obamacare's passage making it impossible for any kind of wage raise to keep up with premium increases.

Then there are the effects on the labor market with the employer mandate depressing the desire of employers to hire full-time employees which is the threshold at which important benefits ... like retirement ... are often offered. I've been stuck in part-time hell for nearly a decade now, but at least I've had work unlike many others.

a reply to: seasonal

You're right. Medical Costs and Insurance Costs were going up faster than overall inflation before ObamaCare. The difference was that you could CHOOSE not to have all the bells and whistles, if you didn't want them, or couldn't afford them. Tax deductible HSA plans were popular too. Democrats didn't like giving people the ability to reduce their Federal Income Taxes, so the HSA was nixed with ObamaCare.

a reply to: JinMI

But maybe a whole lotta pain is the only way the GOP agrees to single payer..

a reply to: carewemust

But then when you need those bells and whistles...and we all will. They wouldn't be there..

So you go to the emergency room or some other place that we end up paying for anyway..

We all pay reguardless... it's just that collectively we can cut out the dead weight of insurance companies and hospital shareholders..

Healthcare will never be profitable if you are actually taking care of sick people..

It's only profitable when they deny devices and people lose coverage without using it.

The profit machine is 100% based on screwing folks over.

originally posted by: JoshuaCox
a reply to: JinMI

But maybe a whole lotta pain is the only way the GOP agrees to single payer..

I send a message to WhiteHouse.gov every few days, recommending:

Total Free-Market Private Insurance for Anyone who can qualify for, and afford it.
Medicare for anyone who does not want Free-Market Private Insurance, and can afford the $300-$600 monthly cost.
Medicaid for those who cannot afford Medicare.

Hopefully, this is what will come out of this Repeal-Replace mess. After being implemented, the government can work to bring down these crazy medical care prices in America.

Does anyone else see a correlation with the opioid epidemic and Obamacare?

Or the higher death rates and Obamacare?

originally posted by: DBCowboy
Does anyone else see a correlation with the opioid epidemic and Obamacare?

Or the higher death rates and Obamacare?

It has always been a problem. We are just hearing about it now more because of the carfentanil problem. They will only use the issue to take more of our freedoms away. Mark my words.

originally posted by: JoshuaCox
a reply to: carewemust

But then when you need those bells and whistles...and we all will. They wouldn't be there..

So you go to the emergency room or some other place that we end up paying for anyway..

The most expensive "Bell and Whistle" today is Maternity coverage. Every ObamaCare policyowner pays $60 a month for this. It's hard baked into every policy, regardless of your age or sex.

originally posted by: JoshuaCox
a reply to: JinMI

But maybe a whole lotta pain is the only way the GOP agrees to single payer..

Yes, because putting the very same people who messed this up in full and complete control of your health is such a wise decision ...

But then, maybe you were educated in one of the newer interations of a public school and thus don't see the issue with it because the very same idiots carefully made sure that you never learned how.

originally posted by: DBCowboy
Does anyone else see a correlation with the opioid epidemic and Obamacare?

Or the higher death rates and Obamacare?

I see an annual uptick in ROAD RAGE from the guys who are self-employed builders. When Blue Cross of Illinois announces its 42% premium increase for 2018, there will some ballistic contractors around here!

originally posted by: carewemust

originally posted by: JoshuaCox
a reply to: carewemust

But then when you need those bells and whistles...and we all will. They wouldn't be there..

So you go to the emergency room or some other place that we end up paying for anyway..

The most expensive "Bell and Whistle" today is Maternity coverage. Every ObamaCare policyowner pays $60 a month for this. It's hard baked into every policy, regardless of your age or sex.

Maternity care, prostate exams, addiction treatment, psychological care, + any other care that might tangentially be related to health and could afford to lobby when they were writing the ACA. They all got packed in as mandated essential benefits you pay for even if you will never use them

Heck, they may even have sex re-assignment treatment tucked in there ...

originally posted by: JoshuaCox
a reply to: JinMI

But maybe a whole lotta pain is the only way the GOP agrees to single payer..

Yes, let's streamline the furthering of incompetency.

originally posted by: Logarock

All we hear about are those that will lose their insurance if the AHCA is axed. Nothing much about the reality millions of hard working americans face since this monstrosity was passed.

Here is some real numbers from someone you would put in that category.

Yearly salary - 52,000$

Monthly insurance payments - 750$
(For me and my daughter only) through work.

Yearly deductible - 5,000$

Tell me how that's affordable?

Last year I had to get knee surgery so with my insurance cost, deductible, co pay cost & physical therapy I was out about 15,000$ which has turned into debt I am now paying off.

It's not working for everyone that is for sure.

originally posted by: JoshuaCox
a reply to: JinMI

But maybe a whole lotta pain is the only way the GOP agrees to single payer..

WHATEVER comes out of this, its imperative that the public DEMANDS that Congress has the exact same plan for their families!

originally posted by: carewemust

originally posted by: JoshuaCox
a reply to: JinMI

But maybe a whole lotta pain is the only way the GOP agrees to single payer..

WHATEVER comes out of this, its imperative that the public DEMANDS that Congress has the exact same plan for their families!

THIS. if these a**holes think they can exempt themselves from this bullsnip, they have another thing coming.

Eh, who am I kidding. They willl give themselves free healthcare, paid for by us, every penny covered. No prior auths for meds or procedures needed.....becausd they deem themselves our betters, and we have failed to stop them from sticking it to us at every single turn.

a reply to: Logarock

The goal should be access to affordable healthcare for all. We shouldn't be pitting the middle-class against the poor but isn't that always the case?

What you seem to be missing is that health insurance premiums have been increasing since way before Obama was even elected.



"Obamacare" wasn't a solution in search of a problem.

Let's be honest. Obamacare was the biggest step the insurance lobby would allow toward the sort of universal healthcare system that we should have. It was never meant to be more than a step. Fix it or replace it with something better. Returning to the previous status quo is not a viable option and not just because millions will lose healthcare — because if you follow that readily apparent trend line, premiums wouldn't be any better.

I would also like to mention that the talk of not paying out the subsidies and the uncertainty it's wrought have actually contributed significantly to worsening the problem, prompting insurers to further raise premiums and pull out of additional markets.

Anyway, it's not one or the other. Just like the rest of the First World, we don't have to choose between healthcare for the middle and the bottom.

a reply to: Zerodoublehero

It's not working for everyone that is for sure.

Have quick gander at Anthem Inc (BCBS) stocks over the past 5 years.

originally posted by: ketsuko

originally posted by: carewemust

originally posted by: JoshuaCox
a reply to: carewemust

But then when you need those bells and whistles...and we all will. They wouldn't be there..

So you go to the emergency room or some other place that we end up paying for anyway..

The most expensive "Bell and Whistle" today is Maternity coverage. Every ObamaCare policyowner pays $60 a month for this. It's hard baked into every policy, regardless of your age or sex.

Heck, they may even have sex re-assignment treatment tucked in there ...

Yep.. some states REQUIRE that Health Insurers cover Sex Change surgery expenses.

""Many health plans are still using exclusions such as “services related to sex change” or “sex reassignment surgery” to deny coverage to transgender people for certain health care services. Coverage varies by state.""

Source: www.healthcare.gov...

If ObamaCare repeal-replace ends up allowing EACH STATE to choose what benefits to mandate, you'll see price variances from state-to-state that are incredible. Buying across state lines will become very interesting, if enacted.