How has Obamacare affected YOUR OWN health care? (HSA, medical, plan)

[jtur88]

Please DO NOT use this thread to debate other posters.
Please DO NOT use this thread to comment on Obamacare overall.
Please DO NOT comment anecdotally on somebody else's coverage.
You may explain how YOUR family's coverage has changed, but do not comment on another poster's explanation.
Any comments in violation of this will be considered off-topic.

[marcopolo]

Two things. Although the Affordable Care Act is a mixed bag, my own insurance coverage became much worse and more expensive. Partisan enthusiasts always flame me for this, but I have much higher premiums, NO INCREASE in maximum coverage limits since I had unlimited coverage, NO BENEFIT from pre-existing condition elimination since I already had coverage, a 50% coinsurance out of pocket after a $5,000 deductible. (I never heard of 50% coinsurance before the ACA.) I also got gouged for a $12,700 out-of-pocket annual max, far higher than the $5,000 limit I had before. Plus my taxes went up to help pay subsidies for those less valuable to the rest of society.

And that's all OK with me. It is the truth, so don't jump me about it. You can like Obamacare, but don't pretend like it helped every person. And do NOT repeat the lie that I could have been dropped if I had claims--that went out the door decades ago. There were laws and regulations before Obama came along, you know.

The second thing is a very, very powerful and good thing. Our old health system and our new health system are such a hash, I decided to begin eating right and exercising and getting good sleep habits and working on better mental health. My ultimate health care plan is to stay the hell away from health care. And this will help me live longer.

So on balance, I am a lot better off with Obamacare. It scared me into better health.

[lubby]

I have empire blue cross which is good but the deductible for just my husband and I is $9,000. We have a HSA with his job and we get $50 a month on a debit card to use as payment for prescriptions and medical visits but that's not enough. On top of that Empire will not pay anything until our deductible is met. I have a bill for about $491.00 from 2 mammograms I had to have. Luckily the hospital has a payment plan so I pay them $50 a month. I have 2 more bills, one is from the lab for abut $68 and the other is from PC doctor for $95. This is only the second time in my 44 years of living that I had insurance with a deductible. It stinks but at least I have coverage. Unfortunately hubby has some health issues and needs to be on some meds. Thyroid slow, back pain and tennis elbow, depression. He's on 3 meds.

[charolastra00]

My insurance has not noticeably gone up. In fact, after one year where the copay for imaging went up to $75 per scan, it's now back down to $50 each up until your 3rd, covered in full after that.

How the ACA really impacts me is it opens a world of potential for me. I was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer at 23 and will have lifelong side effects due to treatment, mostly in the form of lung damage but also at risk for problems with my heart and kidneys down the line. Even *before* I got sick, I was denied health insurance coverage due to preexisting conditions which included treatment for depression following a rape, PCOS, a bladder condition that I had when I was 8 that had resolved itself, and being overweight. Had I been diagnosed with cancer just 4 months earlier, I would have been uninsured and that gives me night terrors. My insurance has been billed over $500,000 and even if I was charged a fraction of that, it would have been impossible to pay as someone just out of college whose career was derailed due to lifethreatening illness.

Now, I can consider freelancing, opening my own business, or other employment ventures that are not tied to an employer who offers health insurance. Due to my issues stemming from cancer - as well as my risk for relapse - no insurer would willingly cover me. Now, I can rest assured that I would never be in a position where health insurance was not offered to me.

[Hollytree]

Not much. Insurance through employer goes up slightly and regularly every couple of years due to insurance cos. raising rates. This has been a pattern over many years.

[MissTerri]

We lost the ability to afford health insurance (doubled in price) but we have a membership model plan for our primary doctor and we joined a health sharing ministry for big things that hopefully don't come up. It's not great by any means but neither was the health insurance plan we lost or the one that we can't afford that is available through the exchange.

[cb at sea]

3 of my doctors have retired, specifically because they wouldn't put up with the ridiculous amount of paperwork that was being required. Now, I have to search for new doctors, and there seem to be fewer and fewer choices....and/or very long waits to see a new physician.

I don't have the "government plan", but my personal insurance has skyrocketed in price....it's absurd.

[katjonjj]

We rarely go to the doctor and maintain our health with diet and exercise. I feel like the cost of the premium each month is far more expensive than the cost of the penalty. If we do need routine exams or an ER visit then we just pay it.

Our insurance would have tripled in cost per month if we had signed up under ACA.

[Qwerty]

Other than having kids on the policy until they are 26, very little. Most of the ACA provisions/changes were already standard in our state well before the ACA.

[Hollynla]

We have had an individual healthcare policy for our family for 20 years due to self employment. Before ACA, we had a great plan with low copays, lower deductible, and even dental and vision benefits. We lost that plan because it did not offer maternity (I am the only female in the family and 40). The new plan that was ACA compliant doubled our monthly premium, and our copays ($60 general, $100 specialist) and deductibles are much higher ($12,700 family). We also lost the dental and vision benefits. We do not qualify for any subsidies.