Health Insurance and Obama Care (Baltimore: 2013, purchase, subsidized)

[debold4215]

I liked the notion that everyone should have health coverage until I realized just how expensive it would be. I purchase my own health insurance for years now. In 2013 it cost me about $26,000 a year for a family of four. When I saw the news announcement that there were 230,000 new MA recipients in Maryland I almost died. So now I have to pay for my own health insurance and everybody else's health insurance. I don't think so ! Maybe I should join the ranks of those dependent upon the state for every -thing. After paying for health insurance I am almost at the poverty level. No joke !

[Sunflowery]

I understand your frustration. However, a lot of Marylanders work at jobs where health insurance isn't offered. You can't just assume that everybody who receives Obamacare is taking advantage of the system.

Plus, a lot of folks who are apart of the number that you've provided are disabled, me being one.

It sucks that America will never have universal healthcare, but there's nothing that we can do with the exception of moving to Canada or to a European country where it's offered.

[dogpark]

I hear ya on the health insurance - We're paying ~$10K a year with no dental, high prescription deductibles etc for a family of 4; it is a real impact.

[Michael21214]

I wonder if we could have something approaching universal health care by now if the Medicare legislation could have been modified to add people 60 years and older to the system in 1970, 55 years and older in 1975, etc. or some such algorithm that would ease more of the population into the Medicare system.

Employers wouldn't have to pay for coverage for those groups, unless they wanted to offer some form of supplemental coverage through private insurers.

As it stands, we're stuck with private insurers and million dollar salaries and bonuses for their executives.

[dogpark]

My understanding is that employer provided/subsidized health care began in WW2 when due to the demand of the war effort, wages were fixed and employers sought non direct payment/compensation incentives to lure desired workers.

Rising costs have led to a decline in employer health care; Obamacare basically killed employer health care for small companies and others. Since the legislation was written by the insurance companies and for the insurance companies, they are the ones benefiting. Working class/middle class folks like myself are paying more for lesser coverage.

[debold4215]

Originally Posted by Sunflowery

I understand your frustration. However, a lot of Marylanders work at jobs where health insurance isn't offered. You can't just assume that everybody who receives Obamacare is taking advantage of the system.

Plus, a lot of folks who are apart of the number that you've provided are disabled, me being one.

It sucks that America will never have universal healthcare, but there's nothing that we can do with the exception of moving to Canada or to a European country where it's offered.

I think health care should be paid by all of us and included in our taxes. Did you happen to see the 60 minute session where the head of a health insurance company was interviewed. He was making a million dollars every other day.

[dogpark]

Originally Posted by debold4215

I think health care should be paid by all of us and included in our taxes. Did you happen to see the 60 minute session where the head of a health insurance company was interviewed. He was making a million dollars every other day.

Things like this set the stage for single payer.

Deregulation was one of the worst things to happen to the middle and lower classes.

[lanhvtnymd]

Honestly you're not suddenly "paying for" a bunch of people. The fact is we all were paying anyway when an uninsured person goes to the ER/ED (which is exactly what happens). Don't think hospitals don't pass that bill right on to their paying customers! And specialty care (which is what ER/ED services area) are EXPENSIVE. Hospitals are businesses first. If not for regulations, they'd be turning people away in a heart beat. It's actually a better deal to pay for those people on Medicaid or push them to get insurance through the exchanges....truth. I am glad that uninsured people get their refunds reduced at tax time if they aren't insured, too.

We should have gone for single-payer back in the 50s and 60s (or earlier), but we kicked that can down the road so much, I'm not sure it's going to happen anytime soon. It's kind of how Baltimore should have gone with that crazy-awesome looking heavy rail system back when daddy was rich and cotton was high....now all we will get is light rail and there's a big maybe attached to that.

Pay now or pay later.

[debold4215]

Originally Posted by lanhvtnymd

Honestly you're not suddenly "paying for" a bunch of people. The fact is we all were paying anyway when an uninsured person goes to the ER/ED (which is exactly what happens). Don't think hospitals don't pass that bill right on to their paying customers! And specialty care (which is what ER/ED services area) are EXPENSIVE. Hospitals are businesses first. If not for regulations, they'd be turning people away in a heart beat. It's actually a better deal to pay for those people on Medicaid or push them to get insurance through the exchanges....truth. I am glad that uninsured people get their refunds reduced at tax time if they aren't insured, too.

We should have gone for single-payer back in the 50s and 60s (or earlier), but we kicked that can down the road so much, I'm not sure it's going to happen anytime soon. It's kind of how Baltimore should have gone with that crazy-awesome looking heavy rail system back when daddy was rich and cotton was high....now all we will get is light rail and there's a big maybe attached to that.

Pay now or pay later.

I agree with a single payer health care system. It would eliminate the paying for salaries of these Hugh health insurance companies. If you have ever looked at the salaries of
individuals who work for the health insurance companies you will see that there salaries are much higher than individuals in the same position in other jobs.

[cb at sea]

Insurance in general, and Medicare specifically, is the reason for the high prices of medical treatments. Get rid of all of that, and charge REASONABLE prices for services...and folks could PAY their own way!

When I see my elderly uncle's hospital bill...$114,000.00 that is reduced to $19,000.00 because of the insurance company, and then they pay a fraction of that....you know the pricing is out of wack.....and it's BECAUSE of the insurance that they jack up the prices!

Go to the emergency room and get a bandaid....see what they charge you for that little piece of plastic! Insane!