Obamacare

[Astroruss]

Here's one that'll affect millions of Americans in 2014, and already changing health insurance as we know it.

What is Obamacare?
How do we feel about it?
Is it a good idea or not?
Will it work?
How will it affect people that do not have insurance and those that do?
Are you planning on signing up for it in the next few months?

I ask this because I am a librarian, and we have been trained to help library patrons sign up for a number of govt programs, Obamacare simply being the most recent of them. As the open enrollment period for this program begins in October this year, more and more people at work are asking me about how to sign up for this program, and if they should.

For the non Americans on this site, of which are many if not half of all the site's demographic, I know that you do not know of the program either. But this is true of most Americans I meet, as well. As this is such an important, if controversial, law and healthcare measure, I feel that we should talk about it here too.

[marle]

It's better than all other politically possible options.

I prefer single-payer though.

"How will it affect people that do not have insurance and those that do?"

People who do not have insurance and want it will clearly benefit, because the exchanges make it more affordable.
People who do not have insurance and do not want it and are lucky not to need any significant health care will lose because they're forced to buy it or pay a fine.
People who have insurance will benefit because it seems that Obamacare is helping to reduce the rate of premium increases.

"Are you planning on signing up for it in the next few months?"

I have coverage through my employer so I won't be signing up in one of the exchanges. Also, I think of the whole set of health care reforms as 'Obamacare', not just the insurance exchanges part.

[Astroruss]

Interesting you say that, because nearly all the articles I have read say that premiums will increase in most states, and not by a little either.

Also, a lot of companies seem to be dropping employees to part time status because of these rising insurance costs.

[Astrodog]

Are dogs covered under this plan? I hope so. I can't afford my worm medication.

[Astroruss]

Well, so far not so good it seems. The healthcare.gov website does not work, the healthcare costs are rising for most states in the country by a lot, and roughly half a million people have already had their insurance programs cancelled because of this program.

For myself, this program is projected to double my own insurance costs, so I am not going to be able to keep my own plan at this rate.

[marle]

It seems like I should post a follow up, so here goes.

On the specific point about premium increases, it is true that we're not seeing a decrease yet in the rate of increases. I believe that will come in time. The overall increase that is happening now (something like 7%?) is a normal rate of increase, about average based on the yearly increases that have been happening over the past 15 years.

That's just an overall picture. There are some people who will be worse off premium wise, because of the requirements of insurance companies now to provide a minimum amount of coverage, for things like maternity, mental health and physical therapy. There are supposed to be things like subsidies to help people in that situation to afford their new health insurance, but I wouldn't be surprised if there are still people who fall through the cracks and have to face significantly higher insurance rates. I heard this is a small percentage of people, but this is bad nonetheless. It's the harsh side of helping the people who need those required services. It's basically a trade-off situation.

Russ, if you've been adversely affected by this, I'm really sorry to hear that. Are you able to get on another plan?

Yes, apparently the website is a mess. That doesn't look good. Eventually it will work.

A positive thing that should be noted though, is that insurance companies can no longer kick people off of their policies when they actually need it, by combing through their records and finding anything that can remotely be considered a "pre-existing condition."

[Astroruss]

Nov 5, 2013 21:13:26 GMT -5 marle said:

It seems like I should post a follow up, so here goes.

On the specific point about premium increases, it is true that we're not seeing a decrease yet in the rate of increases. I believe that will come in time. The overall increase that is happening now (something like 7%?) is a normal rate of increase, about average based on the yearly increases that have been happening over the past 15 years.

That's just an overall picture. There are some people who will be worse off premium wise, because of the requirements of insurance companies now to provide a minimum amount of coverage, for things like maternity, mental health and physical therapy. There are supposed to be things like subsidies to help people in that situation to afford their new health insurance, but I wouldn't be surprised if there are still people who fall through the cracks and have to face significantly higher insurance rates. I heard this is a small percentage of people, but this is bad nonetheless. It's the harsh side of helping the people who need those required services. It's basically a trade-off situation.

Russ, if you've been adversely affected by this, I'm really sorry to hear that. Are you able to get on another plan?

Yes, apparently the website is a mess. That doesn't look good. Eventually it will work.

A positive thing that should be noted though, is that insurance companies can no longer kick people off of their policies when they actually need it, by combing through their records and finding anything that can remotely be considered a "pre-existing condition."

Hi Marle,

You're corect, I have been canceled from my original plan I had before. As I work part time I couldn't get coverage through my current employer yet so last year I enrolled in private insurance plan, only meant to last for a couple of years though. But still my plan was cancelled, and now I have to wait for the obamacare website to be fixed so I can enroll. And the projected costs for my coverage are supposed to increase to approximately 120-150% of my previous monthly premiums. I got a prelim estimate from healthcare.gov before October.

The website will be fixed eventually, I know that. That's not a problem.

I'm not sure I will enroll, though. Hopefully I won't need to in the near future. Also, I am healthy and don't really need any med coverage at this time. That will change as I get older, of course.

All the same, the more I read about Obamacare and the huge problems built into it, I don't see much good coming out of it. Of course, you are right that people with prexisting conditions cannot be turned down now, but I don't that positive will outweigh the negatives in this case. Nearly every doctor or nurse I talk to dreads the new extensive regs they have to put up with, and will need more time and more staff to help manage the paperwork required along with the insurance companies. This means that cost of care will increase across the board. Also, I hear a lot of the docs don't want to have to put up with the mandated insurance requirements now through Medicaid and will retire because of it.

All in all, I see a lot fewer docs and nurses available in the coming years, and many more patients. This can only lead to healthcare rationing and slowing up care itself. Also I see medical drug research slowing and stopping alltogether under the new laws, as most research comes out of private owned drug companies in the US.

But I thank you for your sentiments and understanding, Marle. Like I said, hopefully I'll be able to get employer coverage soon and not have to deal with all this.

[Astroruss]

All right, now I've successfully signed up with my employer insurance plan now, so I don't have to worry about signing for Obamacare. I was recently made full time at my job, thankfully. This was worrysome for me, as I couldn't afford the premiums I would have had. My previous plan was cancelled last year, but that was okay as I only intended it to be temporary anyway while I was between full time jobs.

All in all, from what I've seen the health care website seems to be much better now. I'm glad they got it working right, as it was the primary means for people to sign up. It wasn't the only way, of course. At my own workplace, healthcare navigators frequently hold help sessions for uninsured people, and they've been using the old fashioned paper forms to sign up people. It's slower, but it does work. Wes till have lots of paperwork in the 21st century, apparently.

From what I've read, about 4.3 million people have signed for ACA, short of estimated 7 million they needed to make the system work. I think it's likely the HHS or the President will extend the enrollment periods because of this

I oppose the ACA in principle, of course, but I hope it does work out for people who need it. All in all, it seems to have hurt more people so far than it has helped, but of course that's the short term. Time will tell in the long term how well the system works and how many people benefit.

I have heard the argument that ACA was set up to fail, in order to transition to single payer national system. While I don't agree this is the case, I also don't believe that kind of system can work well for U.S. Single payer may work in small countries with efficient health services, like germany or sweden, and our country is anything but that.

Instead, an alternative would be to create regional health systems like Canada has, one per province. Of course, we have far more people than Canada, but it could still work. We could have a regional system for each state, provided by the state govt and overseen and subsidized by the fed govt. In short, take Medicaid and transform it into a well organized, efficient healthcare system for each state separately, based on the needs of each state's citizens. It works in Massachussets, but it works there because it's done at the local level and not the national level. Local govts tend to connect better with citizenry and are more efficient than national ones.

I don't agree with the liberals' version of obamacare, one size fits all application, though. Healthcare should be distributed differently for each state. It also should be optional to join. Forcing people to pay and participate doesn't mesh well for efficient and competitive healthcare; it drives out the smartest, best working doctors and companies and slows down research/development. That's why all the prescription drug research is done mostly by American companies, with the 'single payer systems of the world' buying drugs from us and selling them, or reproducing the drugs as generic versions.

I've talked with several of my parents' doctors and their staffs over the last few months, both public and private practice, and asked them how the new laws will affect them. For the most part, the docs say they will continue to practice but do not understand the new laws and will need help in applying them. Also, they are concerned with payments and if the insurance companies will continue to honor old plans under the new legal requirements. In short, there is a lot of uncertainty among the doctors and their nurses/techs.

[snfu]

I'm not in to politics, but can someone let me know when dental care is more or less than it was during the Bush administration? I'm still paying the same while I listen to all the mud-slinging scumbag BS.. Dental insurance still covers 50% of the same things and is under $2,000 a year..

US medical is private practice and free market.. If they are price gouging it's not 1/10 of the government, which doesn't override the senate by the way, causing it.. Can't wait till we get a fire brand republican in office so I can point this out again..