Random Political comments...

Loki said:
While there are some who dispute the findings below, we should all do our own research when it comes to the ACA

http://healthaffairs.org/blog/2016/07/21/obamacare-premiums-are-lower-than-you-think/

Obamacare Premiums Are Lower Than You Think


Since the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) health insurance marketplaces first took effect in 2014, news story after story has focused on premium increases for certain plans, in certain cities, or for certain individuals. Based on preliminary reports, premiums now appear set to rise by a substantial amount in 2017.
What these individual data points miss, however, is that average premiums in the individual market actually dropped significantly upon implementation of the ACA, according to our new analysis, even while consumers got better coverage. In other words, people are getting more for less under the ACA.
Covered California, that state’s marketplace, just announced premium increases averaging 13.2 percent. But even if premiums increase by the 10 or 15 percent overall that some are predicting for 2017, they will still be far lower than premiums otherwise would have been in the absence of the law. Moreover, this analysis does not include the effects of premium and cost-sharing subsidies that serve to make ACA marketplace plans more affordable for many people.

Lessons Learned

The ACA marketplaces, though imperfect, represent a clear improvement over the unstructured, non-transparent individual health insurance market that existed beforehand. They have been quite successful in lowering premiums for consumers while simultaneously providing better insurance. While guaranteed issue, required essential benefits, and restrictions on medical underwriting undoubtedly pushed up premiums, aspects of the ACA that created a far more competitive individual insurance market appear to have more than offset those effects. As a result, individual market premiums in 2014 were lower than they were in 2013 and lower than they would have been absent the ACA.
Experiences do differ widely across the nation, though, so consumers in some regions have fared more poorly and some markets suffer from minimal competition. The results of this analysis do not mean that no work remains. Health reform is an ongoing challenge, and there is still much room to increase the quality and competitiveness of marketplaces.
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Premiums were not lowered ($129 per month more) and lost vision coverage and dental coverage.
 
samson1701 said:
Bliss, could you tell me what state you're in? I'd sincerely like to research it more.
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samson1701 said:
Bliss, could you tell me what state you're in? I'd sincerely like to research it more.
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Not much to research..it's pretty much cut n dried with a few subsidy options if you're low-med income.
ACA PA OPTIONS EXPLAINED

*(Also, a lot of low-income people confuse State-issued Medicaid with ACA, two independents coverages.
Many States expanded Medicaid eligibility, and as such, previously unqualified became qualified...and had nothing to do with ACA.)

Here is a coverage link offering PA healthcare.gov options..
CHOOSE YOUR PLAN

No matter if you're 25 or 45... (example l show you: PHILA county, 40 yr old non-smoker (smoker is charged up to 50% more), household 3, earning $60,000...and 45, 3 household, earning $35,000.. but put in whatever age and income you want..

*Look at the cheapest premium, the Bronze's ridiculous $6000 deductible...former plans charged around $1000.
 
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Until there's a public option or universal healthcare, Congress needs to make common sense amendments to the ACA instead of voting to overturn it.

A truly bipartisan Congress could have fixed some of the issues cropping up under the ACA.

Better than nothing but it was a health program written by insurance companies.:smt013
 
andreboba said:
Until there's a public option or universal healthcare, Congress needs to make common sense amendments to the ACA instead of voting to overturn it.

A truly bipartisan Congress could have fixed some of the issues cropping up under the ACA.

Better than nothing but it was a health program written by insurance companies.:smt013
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Agreed, agreed and yes.
 
andreboba said:
Until there's a public option or universal healthcare, Congress needs to make common sense amendments to the ACA instead of voting to overturn it.

A truly bipartisan Congress could have fixed some of the issues cropping up under the ACA.

Better than nothing but it was a health program written by insurance companies.:smt013
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Republicans working to make the ACA more effective would require them to stop talking about how it's worse than slavery and how it would turn America into a third-world hellhole overnight. Since a lot of GOPers got elected on the premise that Obama wants to use socialized medicine to kill your grandparents that's probably not going to happen anytime soon.
 
Bliss said:
Curious what range her deductible was .. It's thousands and thousands of out of pocket dollars now for most everyone.
Which is why so many are struggling out here and foregoing treatment.
Almost 10 million Americans have even gone so far as to take the IRS fine hit, because it's cheaper than the cheapest Insurance offered under the ACA.
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By personal experience (with many clients involved in it) I haven't found this to be true at all. I deal primarily with elderly and those with cognitive issues of all ages. I also have some insight on what 20s have dealt with given my older children and their community of friends/co-workers. Many of which had no healthcare and could not afford it prior, and now can. Some did take the penalty the first year (often more out of the confusion in the beginning).

I definitely have my concerns and complaints about it all. But most that I have dealt with have reduced their costs. There are some who have had issues because they didn't know how to do things correctly and ended up costing themselves more. I won't get into the specifics because I know California is very different from other states when it comes to it.

For many it really didn't change anything. They had coverage through work and still do. For some the coverages increased, or changed.

In regards to vision and dental....that would depend on the plans they have specifically.
 
K said:
By personal experience (with many clients involved in it) I haven't found this to be true at all. I deal primarily with elderly and those with cognitive issues of all ages. I also have some insight on what 20s have dealt with given my older children and their community of friends/co-workers. Many of which had no healthcare and could not afford it prior, and now can. Some did take the penalty the first year (often more out of the confusion in the beginning).

I definitely have my concerns and complaints about it all. But most that I have dealt with have reduced their costs. There are some who have had issues because they didn't know how to do things correctly and ended up costing themselves more. I won't get into the specifics because I know California is very different from other states when it comes to it.

For many it really didn't change anything. They had coverage through work and still do. For some the coverages increased, or changed.

In regards to vision and dental....that would depend on the plans they have specifically.
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You said you deal with the elderly and people with cognitive issues in CA..so ya, they would be on Medicare and mostly Medicaid.

You then said for many workers it DIDN'T change for them. And if it did, increased coverage? Are you joking?
Written right here is the outline for PA on Vision and Dental. Its not considered essential thus not offered for adults.

What Marketplace health insurance plans cover
All plans offered in the Marketplace cover the same set of essential health benefits....

Pediatric services, including oral and vision care (but adult dental and vision coverage aren’t essential health benefits)
 
Bliss said:
You said you deal with the elderly and people with cognitive issues in CA..so ya, they would be on Medicare and mostly Medicaid.

You then said for many workers it DIDN'T change for them. And if it did, increased coverage? Are you joking?
Written right here is the outline for PA on Vision and Dental. Its not considered essential thus not offered for adults.

What Marketplace health insurance plans cover
All plans offered in the Marketplace cover the same set of essential health benefits....

Pediatric services, including oral and vision care (but adult dental and vision coverage aren’t essential health benefits)
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No actually....my clients are not mostly on Medicare and Medi-Cal (our version of Medicaid) My clients who do use Medicare use it as secondary coverages. I do some pro-bono work for those who do have MediCal and Medicare. I'm privately paid, those with govt programs usually can't afford my services.

There were changes for those I deal with who have govt coverages. Some did get more, many ended up with changes...that didn't mean reduced, it meant more red tape and they need to be able to navigate through more crap to get what they had before. Many people either get fed up with it or simply aren't capable of dealing with all that. A lot of those folks are running around saying their coverages were reduced though when it's simply not true but they don't know how to navigate it all. Some of the companies that accepted Medi-Cal no longer do and new ones have been added. This is something that has always gone on but there was definitely a lot more shuffling with the changes. There were changes with Medicare too but again it was more a matter of needing to change the way things were done and not that they were no longer covered. Plus, there were changes going on with those systems before the ACA.

There were those insurance companies that previously provided more than what the ACA requires and some of those reduced, some still offer them but the structure is different.

Medi-Cal expanded a large amount under the ACA. A huge number of people who could not get it before, now do. Which translates to a very large number of people who did not have health coverage before who now do. You may want to dismiss that to govt coverages, but you are talking about a significant number of people who did not have any coverage or only major medical who now have full coverage.

Lots of working poor, low to middle income, and middle income are able to get coverage at either no cost or very reduced rates. Many I know who have younger kids now have much better coverage at a much better rate than before.

Most people I know (and companies I work with) have always had dental and vision as separate policies that are offered by the businesses and paid for (partly or fully) by the workers. That's why there wasn't any change for those parts for them.

Those who are now included on Medi-Cal coverage were actually were given dental for adults (once a year and limited services). I was just at the dentist this week with my kids and had a long conversation with the supervising dentist there (it's a large facility) and she was talking about the huge number of new clients they had since the changes, most of the clients hadn't been to a dentist in over 5 years. They ended up having a big back log for quite some time. I realize this is something that CA decided to do on the state level, but it was all in with the changes.

Even though there is now the ACA, we have to remember that each state still does handle things differently in terms of Medicaid (MediCal or whatever other names the few other states use) Some things get credited/blamed on ACA that are are not necessarily on the ACA and more on the state or even individual insurance companies.

Also,, remember that what's required for the ACA is one thing, the insurance companies can still offer more services (i.e. dental, vision) and many of them do.

I'm not saying it's the greatest thing. I know full well the many issues with it.
 
K said:
No actually....my clients are not mostly on Medicare and Medi-Cal (our version of Medicaid) My clients who do use Medicare use it as secondary coverages. I do some pro-bono work for those who do have MediCal and Medicare. I'm privately paid, those with govt programs usually can't afford my services.

There were changes for those I deal with who have govt coverages. Some did get more, many ended up with changes...that didn't mean reduced, it meant more red tape and they need to be able to navigate through more crap to get what they had before. Many people either get fed up with it or simply aren't capable of dealing with all that. A lot of those folks are running around saying their coverages were reduced though when it's simply not true but they don't know how to navigate it all. Some of the companies that accepted Medi-Cal no longer do and new ones have been added. This is something that has always gone on but there was definitely a lot more shuffling with the changes. There were changes with Medicare too but again it was more a matter of needing to change the way things were done and not that they were no longer covered. Plus, there were changes going on with those systems before the ACA.

There were those insurance companies that previously provided more than what the ACA requires and some of those reduced, some still offer them but the structure is different.

Medi-Cal expanded a large amount under the ACA. A huge number of people who could not get it before, now do. Which translates to a very large number of people who did not have health coverage before who now do. You may want to dismiss that to govt coverages, but you are talking about a significant number of people who did not have any coverage or only major medical who now have full coverage.

Lots of working poor, low to middle income, and middle income are able to get coverage at either no cost or very reduced rates. Many I know who have younger kids now have much better coverage at a much better rate than before.

Most people I know (and companies I work with) have always had dental and vision as separate policies that are offered by the businesses and paid for (partly or fully) by the workers. That's why there wasn't any change for those parts for them.

Those who are now included on Medi-Cal coverage were actually were given dental for adults (once a year and limited services). I was just at the dentist this week with my kids and had a long conversation with the supervising dentist there (it's a large facility) and she was talking about the huge number of new clients they had since the changes, most of the clients hadn't been to a dentist in over 5 years. They ended up having a big back log for quite some time. I realize this is something that CA decided to do on the state level, but it was all in with the changes.

Even though there is now the ACA, we have to remember that each state still does handle things differently in terms of Medicaid (MediCal or whatever other names the few other states use) Some things get credited/blamed on ACA that are are not necessarily on the ACA and more on the state or even individual insurance companies.

Also,, remember that what's required for the ACA is one thing, the insurance companies can still offer more services (i.e. dental, vision) and many of them do.

I'm not saying it's the greatest thing. I know full well the many issues with it.
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90% of what you wrote is not ACA responsible.

Dental and vision was indeed included in most companies plans.

Here is the botton line...those poor who now pay nothing and are covered, are paid for by the people who were forced to buy insurance, and the working, who now pay more and often forego treatment because of high deductibles. You can't have one happen without the other.
Insurance companies are NOT going to give more to more people without charging more and giving less. It's a pipe dream. Someone is footing the bills for the poor and it's not the insurance companies or the doctors. Its the taxpayers.
If healthcare is a right for all then no one should have to pay.
 
Bliss said:
90% of what you wrote is not ACA responsible.

Dental and vision was indeed included in most companies plans.

Here is the botton line...those poor who now pay nothing and are covered, are paid for by the people who were forced to buy insurance, and the working, who now pay more and often forego treatment because of high deductibles. You can't have one happen without the other.
Insurance companies are NOT going to give more to more people without charging more and giving less. It's a pipe dream. Someone is footing the bills for the poor and it's not the insurance companies or the doctors. Its the taxpayers.
If healthcare is a right for all then no one should have to pay.
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Then how will it get paid for?

Yes, I'm fully aware of how it all works.

Those poor who are now covered who weren't before, were indeed still being paid for by the tax payers. I'd much rather be paying for preventative and maintenance care.
 
Trump versus family of killed muslim american soldier

https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-khan-sacrifice-black-soul-000000450.html

Republican nominee suggesting the mother did not speak on stage at last week’s Democratic National Convention because she was not “allowed” to, Ghazala Khan responding that she was in too much “pain” over the loss of her son to do so, and the father, Khizr Khan, calling Trump an ignorant, soulless candidate.
“This is the height of ignorance,” Khizr Khan said on CNN’s “State of the Union” Sunday. “For a candidate for presidency to not be aware of the respect of a Gold Star mother standing there, and he had to take that shot at her?
“This person is totally incapable of empathy,” Khan continued. “He is a black soul. And [he] is totally unfit for the leadership of this beautiful country.”


“Go look at the graves of brave patriots who died defending the United States of America,” Khan said. “You will see all faiths, genders and ethnicities. You have sacrificed nothing and no one.”
In response, the real estate mogul said he’s sacrificed plenty.
“I think I’ve made a lot of sacrifices,” Trump told Stephanopoulos. “I work very, very hard. I’ve created thousands and thousands of jobs, tens of thousands of jobs, built great structures. I’ve done, I’ve had… I’ve had tremendous success. I think I’ve done a lot.
“Those are sacrifices?” Stephanopoulos asked.
“Oh, sure,” Trump replied. “I think they’re sacrifices. I think, when I can employ thousands and thousands of people, take care of their education, take care of so many things, even in military. I mean, I was very responsible, along with a group of people, for getting the Vietnam Memorial built in downtown Manhattan, which to this day people thank me for. I raised, and I have raised, millions of dollars for the vets. I’m helping the vets a lot. I think my popularity with the vets is through the roof.”

___________________________________/__________

My take.... Trump is surely disconnected from reality. To him to compare his sacrifice to the sacrifice of military people is the same is crazy.

He looks down on the military. If you didn't get it when he slammed McCain for getting captured, then you should now
 
Trump is the ultimate troll. He says or does something fucked up and when he gets called on it, he flips, spins and dodges all forms of accountability for his words/actions often deflecting blame back on to the individual/individuals he offended.

Even worst is his demand for total respect from others and not giving any in return on any level.
 
Loki said:
While the ACA is far from perfect for all, there are plenty of ACA success stories...

http://floridachain.org/category/stories/aca-success-stories/

http://www.acasuccess.com/

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/...-Ryan-how-about-these-great-Obamacare-numbers

https://www.facebook.com/acasuccessstories
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Same here. Some were small business owners. Most of the people I know on a personal level who have harsh things to say about the ACA, also hate President Obama.

Thankfully, my employer-provided medical/dental insurance is great. That said... I'm glad the ACA is here even in it's water-down form. While no one enjoys paying taxes...I have no issue with my tax dollars helping those who are less fortunate. Just basic compassion for others, I'd say.
 
andreboba said:
Until there's a public option or universal healthcare, Congress needs to make common sense amendments to the ACA instead of voting to overturn it.

A truly bipartisan Congress could have fixed some of the issues cropping up under the ACA.

Better than nothing but it was a health program written by insurance companies.:smt013
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This!
 
K said:
Then how will it get paid for?

Yes, I'm fully aware of how it all works.

Those poor who are now covered who weren't before, were indeed still being paid for by the tax payers. I'd much rather be paying for preventative and maintenance care.
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Taxpayers were always paying for preventative and maintenance for the poor. Welfare have medical clinics in every city.

Paying for free healthcare for all, can come from the money we give to other countries.
 
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