Just Lost My Insurance

[mojo84]

Sorry to see this. I was hoping you would be one of the few that may benefit from the "Affordable Care Act" in the short term. Just think, if you had two dependent children, you would qualify to get most of your premiums covered by the government. Just another incentive for those that want to maximize their government handouts to have more babies which will grow up to be voters. It is very scary what is going on.

On a side note, in completing the training so I can help people with obtaining coverage through the exchanges, I have come to two conclusions.

1. We are now much more of a socialist country than I realized.
2. The government has even more control over the health insurance and healthcare systems than I anticipated.

I am impressed your agent was able to get online to obtain the marketplace quotes. I've been trying for two days to get on so I can properly advise my clients and haven't been able to access the system.

[sjfcontrol]

Sorry to break it to you, TAM, but walmart no longer has greeters. That was kinda my last resort too.

[Teamless]

Sorry to break it to you, TAM, but walmart no longer has greeters

at the walmart by my house, there is still a person at each entrance watching, they just rarely 'greet' you when you come in.

[SewTexas]

Sorry to break it to you, TAM, but walmart no longer has greeters

at the walmart by my house, there is still a person at each entrance watching, they just rarely 'greet' you when you come in.

ours has greeters

[bauer]

A Dr.'s take on Obummercare, sorry the "AFFORDABLE" healthcare act.

Here is how easy it could have been.....if every person who voted for President Obama in 2008 would have chipped in just $100, they could have created the 3rd largest health insurance company in the nation. They could cover whoever they want with whatever benefits they want at whatever prices they want to charge - and then they could have left the rest of us alone.

If only the government would stop meddling in stuff they have no business in and quit trying to make our lives "better".

[Jaguar]

A Dr.'s take on Obummercare, sorry the "AFFORDABLE" healthcare act.

Here is how easy it could have been.....if every person who voted for President Obama in 2008 would have chipped in just $100, they could have created the 3rd largest health insurance company in the nation. They could cover whoever they want with whatever benefits they want at whatever prices they want to charge - and then they could have left the rest of us alone.

If only the government would stop meddling in stuff they have no business in and quit trying to make our lives "better".

I don't think the intent is to make our lives “better” at all. I believe the intent of the power hungry people is more power over other people. How better to gain power over people than by having control of their health care.

There are a whole bunch of bliss ninnies who believe the poor, poor, pitiful poor need insurance and only the power of government can achieve that. I am related to some of the aforementioned bliss ninnies. They are smart, educated, successful professionals but somehow believe the government is the only one that can do anything without evil capitalist unfairly raping the poor and middle class. I can’t understand their love of socialism; they looked over the same wall I did in Berlin in 1972 and saw the same socialist “paradise”, complete with concertina wire, tank stoppers, armed guards, watchtowers, and no man’s land.

Now they are complaining about how high their insurance rate is - I told them, "you think it's high now, wait until it's free."

[bauer]

I don't think the intent is to make our lives “better” at all. I believe the intent of the power hungry people is more power over other people. How better to gain power over people than by having control of their health care.

There are a whole bunch of bliss ninnies who believe the poor, poor, pitiful poor need insurance and only the power of government can achieve that. I am related to some of the aforementioned bliss ninnies. They are smart, educated, successful professionals but somehow believe the government is the only one that can do anything without evil capitalist unfairly raping the poor and middle class. I can’t understand their love of socialism; they looked over the same wall I did in Berlin in 1972 and saw the same socialist “paradise”, complete with concertina wire, tank stoppers, armed guards, watchtowers, and no man’s land.

Now they are complaining about how high their insurance rate is - I told them, "you think it's high now, wait until it's free."

The intent isn't to make our lives "better", you are correct. However, that has been the selling point that so many have bought into.

[cb1000rider]

I don't think the intent is to make our lives “better” at all. I believe the intent of the power hungry people is more power over other people. How better to gain power over people than by having control of their health care.

I don't believe that. There are more effective ways to grab more power that aren't as controversial. The sheep notice this one and are paying attention, probably due to the media.
Largely the lawyers and corporations that have control over healthcare. New legislation doesn't change that. It just herds more of us into the system.
Remember the legislation sets limits to how much of premiums are *not* spent on providing care.... It'll probably be a net win for health insurers though.

There are a whole bunch of bliss ninnies who believe the poor, poor, pitiful poor need insurance and only the power of government can achieve that. I am related to some of the aforementioned bliss ninnies. They are smart, educated, successful professionals but somehow believe the government is the only one that can do anything without evil capitalist unfairly raping the poor and middle class.

Personally, I don't see the difference. Yes, only the government can compel people toward insurances - that I complete agree with. However, we're already funding the healthcare of the poor via underwriting their emergency room visits. Now we're just being taxed so that they don't have to go to the emergency room for care...

Is it Socialist? It's certainly more than it was before. They haven't gone so far as to ruin our medical system yet.

Because we already pay for the emergency room visits of those who can't pay and the emergency room visits of non-citizens, I want to see what the net-net is... Does this help or hurt? I know that lots of you have made up your minds.

When things settle down, I'll get a bid on the exchange and compare it to my current coverage -- I'll do it openly and honestly see what the initial cost trend is (for me).

[bizarrenormality]

I don't think the intent is to make our lives “better” at all. I believe the intent of the power hungry people is more power over other people.

It's often said that gun control is not about guns as much as it is about control. I think this law has a similar relation to health care.

IOW,

[sjfcontrol]

I don't think the intent is to make our lives “better” at all. I believe the intent of the power hungry people is more power over other people.

It's often said that gun control is not about guns as much as it is about control. I think this law has a similar relation to health care.

IOW,

"Health Control". I like it!

[The Annoyed Man]

I know that lots of you have made up your minds.

Dude, it's not that I have made up my mind in a vacuum. I have run the numbers. Did you read my last post? That information comes from MY INSURANCE AGENT. He happens to be the appointed Obamacare specialist for a statewide trade organization of insurance agents. He probably knows more about it than anybody in the state. The numbers don't lie. According to the law, in 2014, I will either pay a fine equivalent to 1% of my 2013 adjusted GROSS income, OR I will spend $13,572 on Obamacare premiums for 2014. What you should know is that, after all taxes, my NET income will be cut by a third by insurance premium alone.

My wife and I have been talking tonight about possibly selling our house and moving out of Tarrant County/Grapevine so that we can downsize and have lower property taxes...........so that I can afford Obuttfacecare. I love my house. I'd keep it forever if I could. I'm going to have to learn how to live on a bit less than half of my adjusted gross income in order to afford that crap........and I wasn't a rich man to begin with. You remember when libtards went on about old people having to eat dogfood? Those days are coming back.

Here that? I AM HAVING TO CONSIDER SELLING MY HOUSE, AFTER IT IS FINALLY PAID FOR, SO THAT THE COMMUNIST IN CHIEF CAN BULLY ME AND MY WIFE, IN WHAT SHOULD BE OUR GOLDEN YEARS!!!!!

Frankly, your "wait and see" attitude is fine for you, but don't you DARE suggest that I'm being close minded. Don't you dare.

You're "wait and see" obamacare is going to bankrupt me if I enroll, and if I don't I'll pay a fine so that shiftless gimme-free-stuff people can suck the financial blood out of me.

[cb1000rider]

I know that lots of you have made up your minds.

Dude, it's not that I have made up my mind in a vacuum. I have run the numbers. Did you read my last post? That information comes from MY INSURANCE AGENT. He happens to be the appointed Obamacare specialist for a statewide trade organization of insurance agents. He probably knows more about it than anybody in the state. The numbers don't lie. According to the law, in 2014, I will either pay a fine equivalent to 1% of my 2013 adjusted GROSS income, OR I will spend $13,572 on Obamacare premiums for 2014. What you should know is that, after all taxes, my NET income will be cut by a third by insurance premium alone.

I read your numbers and they're certainly not a great indicator of what's going on. I'm not challenging you on them and recognize that in your case, it's not a good deal.

I will ask you follow-up questions:
1) Is your insurance agent a captive or non-captive agent? It's important to be able to give you a full picture of the market.
2) Have you run the numbers anywhere else - without an agent or broker involved? I haven't tried the national exchange myself as I know that it's overloaded and I'd be taking someone's place that needs to get in.

I work in the "insurance space" - which includes healthcare. Right now we see lots of consumers tire-kicking at a rate which we've never previously seen. I suppose it's to be expected.

Frankly, your "wait and see" attitude is fine for you, but don't you DARE suggest that I'm being close minded. Don't you dare.

I'm not suggesting that you're closed minded as you've got data. On the contrary! You've got a bad situation that is being applied to you and I don't see how you can be anything but mad..

You're "wait and see" obamacare is going to bankrupt me if I enroll, and if I don't I'll pay a fine so that shiftless gimme-free-stuff people can suck the financial blood out of me.

I'm sorry if I'm on the slow side of the learning curve here. I'm certainly not out to bankrupt you or anyone else. Just hold your horses so I can run the numbers myself - for my situation - and I'll be 100% forthcoming about how they turn out. If it's a bad deal all the way around, I'll stand beside you, trust me...

BTW, I think *off the top of my head* my heathcare costs are in the $9-$11k range per year. That's part of being in a risk pool with around 60 other people and a family of 3. I'll recover the exact numbers. That rate is probably doubled in the last 5 years alone.

[cb1000rider]

A friend I trust pulled these - Travis county. Family of 4, non-tobacco users.

It looks like "bronze" - high deductible ($6k) out of pocket max $6k,
HMO: $530
PPO: $692

The idea here was to find lowest premiums (non-exchange). It's still a ton of money $6000-$7200 a year + another $6k up front for coverage. Yea, not real affordable.

I think this is not the national exchange.. IT appears to be blue cross blue shield... But it's a point of reference.
I can't compare it to what I have, as it's not apples to apples... More data to come later.

[cheezit]

i feel bad for so many people. im made a live change last year, i took a 20k a year + paycut. have been dead broke and im sick of it but one of the reasons idid was obummercare I have for the better part of my prior carrier worked at smaller dealerships.
The upside is my insurace cost only went up 5% this year. the company is pushing hard for the hsa style plans as they did last year. im opting to pay more for the ppo.

i hope you all fair well in this mess.
G_d bless

[VMI77]

My company just held a meeting in which we were just informed we are all going into the Obamacare exchange.

I'm curious - how big is your company? These exchanges are supposed to actually benefit in terms of bang/buck companies that have under 50 employees.

I take it that your employer will be providing you money to pay into the exchange?

No one likes the change here... How many of you have had increasing health insurance rates over the last 5 years? I'm not talking about just your portion (if your employer pays part of it) - I'm talking about total cost for the same coverage. Personally, I don't like Obamacare either, but if I'm honest, if I project what that cost will be to me and my family in the future before obamacare - assuming best case that I'm very healthy - it's a massive amount of money that the "average" joe isn't going to be able to afford.

I've heard that the health exchanges will take the cost of healthcare even higher. It's definitely forcing insurance on those who are otherwise healthy, which is, effectively, socialism...

I'm for tort reform. We could regulate the free market, but that's just as socialist...

*sigh*

It's basic arithmetic....a fixed supply of medical resources plus 30 or more million newly insured and not paying the full price, means prices have to rise for everyone else. And they will have to rise more than they would have otherwise.