Most enlightening insight into Obamacare so far

[sjfcontrol]

But the administration is putting word out it's only going up 7%. You guys must not be smart enough to read your notices. You should send them to Jonathan Gruber so he can interpret them for you. It's us stupid conservatives that need progressives to look out for us.

I think that 7% number is for people in states with state-run exchanges. Since Texas doesn't run it's own exchange, we get higher rates.

[mojo84]

I think it's a another lie.

[mojo84]

Here's an article from the New YorkTimes.

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/11/15/us ... &referrer=" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I think the 7% may come from them factoring in changing to a higher deductible. I'm still analyzing what they are doing for my clients.

[The Annoyed Man]

Well, whatever bull they are selling us, we not only could not keep the plans we liked before Obamacare, we can't keep the one we picked under Obamacare. We are going to have to drop the Obamacare plan we chose, and go for one with fewer benefits, worse coverage, and higher out of pocket costs because we cannot afford it. Eventually, we will be forced onto Medicare......which is of course what the democrats really wanted in the first place, because that is eventually EVERYBODY's premature fate unless this abomination is overturned.

Honestly, I almost hope that this thing pushes us over the edge of a social meltdown, and the democrats all starve to death when people realize that they are nothing more than dead weight on society. What we need is a crisis so deep that people begin tarring and feathering liberals whenever they open their puss-filled yaps.

We received our letter after election day. I suspect that the administration may have had something to do with that. If these notices had gone out a month earlier, republicans would have picked up the New Hampshire and Virginia senate seats, raising the total gain to 10 instead of 8. The House could have been even more dramatic.

As it is, when 2016 rolls around, voters will have either been living with their insurance premium increases, or coverage downgrades, for 2 years, and I don't think democrats will have a prayer.

OTH, I'm no longer convinced that republicans, majority notwithstanding, have all the answers either......or the ones they have are not much better than the democrats. I no longer trust their talk. Now, they'll have to walk the walk if they want my support.

A republic, if you can keep it.

[mojo84]

I hear you. I promise you the administration made sure the rates didn't come out prior to the election. It was scheduled to happen the day after the election.

The Republicans that are running the show are the same people that were there when all this was rammed down our throats. Nothing like getting the majority back and putting the same old people in leadership. I know many do not agree with me, but we need term limits or to at least eliminate the gerrymandering of districts.

[Dave2]

I hear you. I promise you the administration made sure the rates didn't come out prior to the election. It was scheduled to happen the day after the election.

The Republicans that are running the show are the same people that were there when all this was rammed down our throats. Nothing like getting the majority back and putting the same old people in leadership. I know many do not agree with me, but we need term limits or to at least eliminate the gerrymandering of districts.

I'd even be happy with getting rid of John Boehner as speaker (I don't know much about Mitch McConnell), but I doubt that'll happen.

[LDB415]

It would be a big improvement if we could get rid of both Boehner and McConnell. Trey Gowdy would be a good replacement in the House I think. I don't know who in the Senate but we've seen how mediocre McConnell was and how AWFUL Reid was. We don't need more of that.

[cb1000rider]

Well, whatever bull they are selling us, we not only could not keep the plans we liked before Obamacare, we can't keep the one we picked under Obamacare. We are going to have to drop the Obamacare plan we chose, and go for one with fewer benefits, worse coverage, and higher out of pocket costs because we cannot afford it. Eventually, we will be forced onto Medicare......which is of course what the democrats really wanted in the first place, because that is eventually EVERYBODY's premature fate unless this abomination is overturned.

OTH, I'm no longer convinced that republicans, majority notwithstanding, have all the answers either......or the ones they have are not much better than the democrats. I no longer trust their talk. Now, they'll have to walk the walk if they want my support.

Realistically, pre-Obamacare, that's the way things were going too, at least for me.. Heath care costs were going up every year (for employers, who often passed the expense to employees). In order to counter, every year or two we lost slight benefits, had our providers changed, and had deductibles raised.

Obama really got it wrong by indicating that you could keep your own plan. That's absolutely true.. Not a good call, for sure.. I don't believe it was a "lie" as that implies an intentional falsehood.. I do believe that he got it wrong. And I think that point isn't the real problem.

Costs are still increasing. It's easy to blame Obamacare. Course, costs were increasing pre-Obamacare too, but at least now we've got someone to point a finger at as it works well for political function. The real question, to me, is are costs increasing more or less than they were before? I'd like to see that answered by a neutral 3rd party using real math.

There are other fundamentals driving the costs of healthcare... And mark my words, when we get a Republican president, if those fundamentals aren't changed - which means more than just "abolishing Obamacare" - then the Democrats are going to use the same strategy and point out the failure of the Republican party. I'd be very wary if I was a Republican running on an "abolish Obamacare" platform, as that celebration is only going to last long enough for the next round of health care cost increases.

Reversing Obamacare won't change it... It may give back high deductible plans with relatively low benefits, which DO cost less... But you can always buy less with less.. That's not a solution.

Removing Obamacare won't won't solve the implosion that will eventually occur with our heathcare system if things continue.

I don't trust the talk of either party. Being a politician is perhaps a good career and you get elected by promising the cut taxes and increase benefits, it's a pretty well established way of doing business. The political party differences simply seem to be which priorities and by how much you're going to spend or cut. Neither party has shown any capability of real fiscal restraint or ability to actually do the basic math required to keep this country solvent long term. Make promises, get elected, pass the debt on to future politicians and generations...

[cb1000rider]

Well, whatever bull they are selling us, we not only could not keep the plans we liked before Obamacare, we can't keep the one we picked under Obamacare. We are going to have to drop the Obamacare plan we chose, and go for one with fewer benefits, worse coverage, and higher out of pocket costs because we cannot afford it. Eventually, we will be forced onto Medicare......which is of course what the democrats really wanted in the first place, because that is eventually EVERYBODY's premature fate unless this abomination is overturned.

OTH, I'm no longer convinced that republicans, majority notwithstanding, have all the answers either......or the ones they have are not much better than the democrats. I no longer trust their talk. Now, they'll have to walk the walk if they want my support.

Realistically, pre-Obamacare, that's the way things were going too, at least for me.. Heath care costs were going up every year (for employers, who often passed the expense to employees). In order to counter, every year or two we lost slight benefits, had our providers changed, and had deductibles raised.

Obama really got it wrong by indicating that you could keep your own plan. That's absolutely true.. Not a good call, for sure.. I don't believe it was a "lie" as that implies an intentional falsehood.. I do believe that he got it wrong. And I think that point isn't the real problem.

Costs are still increasing. It's easy to blame Obamacare. Course, costs were increasing pre-Obamacare too, but at least now we've got someone to point a finger at as it works well for political function. The real question, to me, is are costs increasing more or less than they were before? I'd like to see that answered by a neutral 3rd party using real math.

There are other fundamentals driving the costs of healthcare... And mark my words, when we get a Republican president, if those fundamentals aren't changed - which means more than just "abolishing Obamacare" - then the Democrats are going to use the same strategy and point out the failure of the Republican party. I'd be very wary if I was a Republican running on an "abolish Obamacare" platform, as that celebration is only going to last long enough for the next round of health care cost increases.

Reversing Obamacare won't change it... It may give back high deductible plans with relatively low benefits, which DO cost less... But you can always buy less with less.. That's not a solution.

Removing Obamacare won't won't solve the implosion that will eventually occur with our heathcare system if things continue.

I don't trust the talk of either party. Being a politician is perhaps a good career and you get elected by promising the cut taxes and increase benefits, it's a pretty well established way of doing business. The political party differences simply seem to be which priorities and by how much you're going to spend or cut. Neither party has shown any capability of real fiscal restraint or ability to actually do the basic math required to keep this country solvent long term. Make promises, get elected, pass the debt on to future politicians and generations...

[mojo84]

I don't think anyone is saying things were good before. I think anyone with any sense at all will admit the healthcare and health insurance industries needed to be reformed. The problem is, we were lied too regarding the Obamacare bill and nothing had changed other than who controls these industries. This was nothing more than some wealth redistribution and a huge step to single payer. The more government involvement and less competition, the higher the costs and get options we'll have.

Based on a guy that was paid nearly $6,000,000 to help craft, promote and support the lies is telling us they LIED along with what I see from working in the insurance industry, we were LIED to.

[anygunanywhere]

There were plenty of people and .orgs working against us on this. AARP is one such org. Plenty of blame to go around.

[mojo84]

I see now why the Obama administration made sure the new individual rates weren't released until after the election. Been running quotes for some folks and I am .

[cb1000rider]

I don't think anyone is saying things were good before. I think anyone with any sense at all will admit the healthcare and health insurance industries needed to be reformed. The problem is, we were lied too regarding the Obamacare bill and nothing had changed other than who controls these industries. This was nothing more than some wealth redistribution and a huge step to single payer. The more government involvement and less competition, the higher the costs and get options we'll have.

I think a lot of people either forget or don't realize the trend that we were on. The focus is clearly on Obamacare now.. And for all it's failings, of which there are many, it was a change... I'm ready for another change. It is wealth distribution or perhaps a movement toward socialized medicine, I think that's true..

It's going to be used as a tool again over the next 2-6 years if overturned. And this time Republicans are going to get the brunt of it... The best strategy (in my mind) wouldn't be to kill Obamacare, but to cut the objectionable parts such as no more high deductable plans.. At least that way you'd have someone to blame.

Really fixing the US heathcare system - I don't think that can be done within current bounds. There is too much money involved... It's going to need to implode.

[mojo84]

Believe me, I am well aware and remember the trend we were on. I could sit down with you and show you hard data from actual quotes and you would see the trend we were on continues and is worse in many cases.

My comments are not a republican vs democrat or conservative vs progressive. My comments are based on hard facts from actual cases I'm working on for actual United States citizens. The only two that are better off now than they were before are two peopke that are being treated for cancer. There insurance costs the exact same as someine that is healthy with no medical conditions. I know that sounds great for the cancer patients. However, it's the healthy people and the older people that are taking the brunt of Obamacare.

We are not better off and my comments have nothing to do with politics.

[talltex]

We got a notice from Blue Cross/Blue Shield 4 or 5 days ago. Beginning on January 1st, our Obamacare coverage goes up $220.00 per month—an increase of 17.26%. That's quite a handsome piece of inflation. I hate democrats.

Forget the debate over Democrat vs. Republican...neither party has an answer to the health industry problem, and they are not really trying to fix it. The entire industry is controlled by the health care and insurance lobby. They contribute hundreds of millions to BOTH parties. They don't care who has the majority in the Senate or the House, because that doesn't matter as long as you control the legislation. Stop and consider the fight over the ACA...despite all the rhetoric, the insurance providers have now increased their client base by millions of previously uninsured customers due to the legislation that was passed, despite the hand wringing and speeches about how this was a step toward socialized medicine that they ostensibly opposed. Compare the premiums for the ACA plans vs. private sector...there is very little difference bottom line for comparable benefits. The providers are not being forced to sell insurance at lower rates. What they gained was the federal government paying individuals a SUBSTANTIAL subsidy, so they can afford to buy the insurance at the market rate.

I'm a "small group category" employer and have had the same provider for over 15 years. This major hospital group has their own health insurance plan and they provide excellent care and treatment. When I started with them, we had a $0 deductible plan with one price for all employees ( same as large group plans), no exclusions for pre-existing conditions (which was the primary reason I changed to them, as I had two employees that had suffered heart attacks and couldnt get insurance under my existing plan at that time. Every couple of years I had to go to a higher deductible to try and keep the insurance affordable for me and my employees. We went from $0 ded. to $500, then to $1000, then to $2000, $4000, $5000, and for last 2 years I'm at $7000 deductible. During that time the premiums for my wife and I (both employees), have gone from $419 per month w/$0 ded. to $845 w/ $7000 ded. in 2014 ( also from 80/20 plan to 70/30). My quote for 2015 just came in last week and the same coverage is going to $989...that's a 16% increase for a non-obamacare plan. It's not JUST the ACA plans that are going up...they all are.

I'm as ardent an Obama critic as you will find, but as CB1000 stated, the Republican party is not going to have Obamacare to point their fingers at and blame for all the issues moving forward, and they have no solution either. One huge advantage for a large group of people is that now they have a source that does allow them to get insurance with a pre-existing condition which previously has kept them tied to their provider and at their mercy. I've been in that category for a number of years. Since I had 3 heart stents put in in 2006, I have been unable to get coverage anywhere else, and have had to accept whatever increases they put on me. This was discussed in an earlier post on this thread by Mojo84 and SFJ control. I tried to see about getting a $10,000 ded. policy from the Texas Health Pool for myself and change my wife's coverage from my company plan to an individual plan with the same hospital group that would be at about $200 per month less than my "rated" premium for employees. They declined to cover her individually although she has been covered by them for 15 years, based on a pre-existing condition, citing a diagnosis of a herniated disc ,resulting from an accident in 1984, when a vehicle she was a passenger in, was struck by a train. She took pain meds for a couple of months following the wreck, and has never had any further treatment for it. They said they would be happy to continue her present coverage as long as we maintained our existing plan uninterrupted. I was told by the Texas Health Pool that I didnt' qualify for their coverage because I WAS able to obtain private coverage, regardless of price. When we checked with other providers for my wife, one of the first questions asked is "have you ever been declined coverage by another provider"...she now has been, and because of that, they also declined. So we have been bent over a barrel for awhile. There are A LOT of folks in similar situations that now, at least have a way to get coverage of some kind that was not an option before. It is extremely difficult to take something away from people once you've given it to them and I doubt any politician of either political party has the stomach to try it in this case. I suspect there will be all the usual posturing, speechifying, and finger pointing...in other words, business as usual, and no real solution.