Obamacare
SleevePlz
Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 5,408
I keep hearing from politicians and political ads about the outrage over having to change doctors or plans (even though he said you wouldn't have to). It occurred to me that I don't know anyone at all that was actually affected by the implementation of Obamacare. My insurance didn't change (the premium actually dropped about $50/month) and I was wondering if anyone here, not so and so's second cousin from Idaho, but an actual member of this forum that had to change insurance as a direct result of this legislation. And if so, why? I have to imagine I know someone affected by this considering how big of a deal everyone makes of it.
Comments
I wonder how much of this was ACA and how much was market...our health insurance costs have been steadily increasing for the last 12 years of marriage and coverage has typically gotten lower as the employers try to save money on their end. I'm not ready to blame Obama (except for maybe not nuking the health insurance industry, which has given me far more problems than the healthcare industry).
I had a friend today complaining about a problem with getting treatment and blaming the government's influence on his insurance for making him wait/adjusting treatment. Again, we've had to do that, in fact 12 years ago, when my wife was pregnant and having complications, our insurance did exactly what he described. More than that, this guy lost his job last year and is now self-employed; last year he wouldn't have been able to get ANY insurance because of preexisting conditions. He should be thankful, not complaining.
Conflicting stories are also coming from different states. A friend in RI loves his Obamacare improved coverage at 50% savings from what he was paying. A friend in TN went up about 15% for the same coverage he had before, that isn't quite as good as the RI friend and pays more, total than the RI guy.
Our plan drastically changed this year, but that's the employer's fault. If anyone on here is in a HR decision-making capacity, stay away from Humana. They are awful. That is all.
But, back to Mr sleeves question, I don't know anybody personally that had to change carriers, physicians, etc.
EDIT: Tried finding info on the website. Nothing about citizens living abroad. I might have to contact them.
Our rates went up considerably, deductibles went up and coverage went down.
Which I have a hard time understanding how that gets the coverage UP to par.
I would think if you file federal income tax, then you would have to have insurace or be fined/pay the penalty.
I could be wrong though.
Example..(in 2005 my wife shattered her tibia and broker her foot rollerblading, 7 surgeries and 2 years not able to walk later and it was a cost out of pocket to me of under 300.00, so ya pretty good coverage I thought)
For the last year I have not had any coverage for my wife and myself (haven’t worked since my injury in may 09 – my workers comp paid my surgery but is now done) I pay all my medical/prescriptions bills cash out of my savings & what I had saved for retirement myself nowadays
This Feb. I applied for coverage under the new regulations for my wife and I and was directed to “Nevada Health Link” was told it was because Nevada started there own state coverage under the new guidelines
After getting through it and getting (I thought) approved for a plan for her and I that was going to cost 59.00 per month (a fairly basic plan that was based off of our income/worth/assets) but that would qualify so we would be ok from the tax, and might even be able to use (not often though, as it was a basic low coverage high deductible type)
Then in Mar. we received a letter from the stat of Nevada that stated we were not approved for a medical plan under their guidelines because of our income, that in order to receive coverage we were to apply for state welfare medical benefits to receive coverage at all, well... we will be paying what ever (tax) we will be given at the end of the year because I refuse to apply for state assistance, Hopefully I will be able to be back in the work force by the end of the year and get some kind of coverage started next year for us.
Not sure if this is just a Nevada thing or what, but have found quite a few others here in Reno that have the same story, some that have more, and others that have less then my wife and I so, well, just waiting till next year as of now to see how it goes
Employer plan deductible went from 1500 to three grand. Dunno what he pays. Owner complains her diabetes drugs are no longer covered.
Grandson's wife complained they are paying 200 more a month for the same coverage. One small child.
Sister can't find catastrophic plan for her two college age daughters. Only available plan cost four times as much, with 5,000 deductible, and no doc anywhere in SoCal appears willing to accept it.
http://www.thegahlik.com/index.php?r=site/article&id=129
As a provider, we've had patients lose their plans despite the promise. We're in a small town surrounded by farmland and many of those farmers had plans through smaller insurance companies who have since stopped catering to individuals because they just couldn't offer competitive prices on ACA compliant plans in the individual marketplace. We've also seen an increase in records requests and claims denials since October of last year. Most of these denials involved Medicare supplemental policies that had previously covered everything in our office. Documentation requirements have increased for providers across the board with the reporting of PQRS made mandatory by the ACA and will only get worse once ICD-10 is implemented. In many cases, because of both the ACA and insurance industry requirements, it takes longer to document a visit than it does to treat the patient.
OK, I won't mention obozocare at all.
My office visit co-pay went up from 100 to 1000% depending what the visit is for. My scripts went up 540% and now there are meds that aren't covered at all. My doctor spends more time entering info into his laptop then he does on the actual reason I am there. And soon all of that info will be available to the IRS, your aware of that right? He hasn't yet asked me if I own any firearms.
The longest discussion we had during my last visit was about the loss of privacy this new "system" brings with it.