Missourians & ObamaCare (St. Louis, Hazelwood, Belle: loans, attorneys, purchasing)

[lifelongMOgal]

Originally Posted by tambre

Have any Missourians on this thread ever had to COBRA health care benefits, and if so, what is your family size and how much did it cost? With rising unemployment, is this an issue for workers in Missouri? If you are on unemployment insurance, are you able to afford to COBRA your benefits? Are there any emergency plans available for those recently unemployed? Medicare? Medcaid? How about for children?

I was on COBRA for about 3 months nearly 20 years ago. It was extremely expensive then and I suspect now more so. When I say expensive I mean the premiums were more than 5x more than it cost me to insure myself with private health insurance.

Personally, I think one of the problems of the many that need addressed with healthcare is that people allow themselves to be tied to the health insurance offered by their employers. Historically this trend goes back to FDR and his attempt at the "Great Society" when he put a freeze on all wages. Employers found they could offer health insurance as a benefit to attract employees and it grew from there to todays dependance on job related/provided health insurance.

Since the career change that put me on Cobra some 20 years ago I have never again allowed my job to dictate my health insurance or medical providers. My life, my body, my choice of doctors! I carry catostrophic coverage for health insurance with a high deductible and a low (less than $150./mo.) premium. I invest in a health savings account, designate a portion of my savings towards healthcare in addition, and have also self-insured for long-term health insurance to cover a debilitating accident or disease.

It makes me very angry that people are willing to pay for multiple cars, cell phones, cable tv, internet access, drive-through fast food prices, liquor, cigs, tattoos & piercings, more cheap clothes than will fit in a closet, but not their own health insurance. Add these items up monthly and it more than covers health insurance , MSA contributions, and additional savings toward a catastrophic health decline.

Liberty is lost in this country everytime people relinquish personal responsibility for their own lives to Governement. If Freedom and liberty are to survive this administration we must all take personal accountability for our lot in life, regardless of skin color, gender preference, ethnicity, political party, etc.... .

It is not racist to disagree with our Republic being taken over by self-proclaimed Socialists and Communists in the Obama administration's cabinet and "Czar" network. Period. So, those playing the race card about people who disagree strongly with the direction this President and Congress are driving this country just get over yourselves: your accusations don't hold water.

For those living in rural Missouri look for Obama-care to even further limit the number of full-fledged English-speaking physicians. No, this is not racist, there is a real language barrier problem out there that is compromising the quality of healthcare delivered in rural hospitals and clinics in Missouri.

If you live and receive medical treatment in rural Missouri talk to your physicians and you will likely find they will retire or move their practice. Rural physicians barely eek out a living now. Just wait until they are further restricted. Right now the privately insured and cash patients pay for all those for whom the Dr. is only collecting 10% of every dollar billed to Medicare and Medicaid. When private insurance and cash pay options are eliminated......bu bye physicians and rural day-clinics.

Missouri needs statewide torte reform desperately. Gov. Nixon won't lift a finger to do squat about it. He is a trial attorney and doesn't care that OB-GYN's have left Missouri in droves because of the cost of their mal-practice insurance.

If Missourians could shop across state lines for their insurance it would help bring costs down too. Competition in the private sector, not placing the Government in as the middle-man. is another key to lowering the cost of health insurance.

There are two reasons the push for Obama-care is so intense, in my opinion:

Power & Control: Once the federal government controls health care delivery they control society from cradle to grave. This is not control granted to any branch of government by our Constitution and opens the door wider for tyranical rule and abuse of one social class by another more powerful. As it stands now government exists by the consent of the people of the United States through a contractual agreement called our Constitution. If the federal governemnt controls all aspects of health care management and delivery, it rules the people without their consent. No longer are we citizens but we become subjects, even slaves (yes slaves) to the governements whims and wishes.

Once one party courts those who are already a part of the "entitlement" class and offers them "free healthcare" at the expense of producer citizens, that party is almost guaranteed one party rule for 50 years to come. The old addage "When one robs Peter to pay Paul, Paul's support can always be counted upon" comes to mind. In otherwords, rather than voting for the Constitution, no matter the personal incovenience or hardship, people vote their pocketbooks and sell out their freedom and liberty, bit by bit, to the federal government.

It is not too late to save our Republic! Take personal responsibility for your lives rather than turning every aspect over so that the government can "take care" of you. Take care of yourselves and take care of each other. It does not require government involvement! The elected officials that comprise government, in general, and especially in Missouri, care about their own power and career paths, not yours, and not mine. We are but stones to be stepped upon as elite "public servants" abuse and usurp powers not granted nor consented to by the people other then by their own apathy and absence of involvement.

Tea Party across from the Captial in Jefferson City on Sept. 12th! Be there, be civil, be peaceful, and be heard!

[latetotheparty]

I don't have time to read this entire thread right now.... but have a couple of comments so far......

Originally Posted by dldavis

Rosa Parks no dont is as brave as they come and a great part of history. But dont forget this health care has nothing to do with Rosa Parks. The pro health care people who cant debate us with facts are turning this into race, that is why the guy tore up the sign. This is not black history month or honoring any other person who has done something great. This is about health care so dont get confused as that is what they want and why they have resorted to calling us names, we are backed by right wingers etc. NOPE we are just plain ole folks WHO DO NOT WANT GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION INTO OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM. Please do your do diligence and read or at least try to read and understand the 1100 pages that our senators, house reps and even our vice president and president have not read. It is crazy that anyone would vote on a bill that changes our entire system without reading the bill and then truly trying to find out how to pay for this. All the econimists and math wizards have all said you cant pay for it the way Obama wants to. Also if you can read up on Canada's health care as ours is exactly the same proposal and that my folks is plain ole scary. Really it is simple math, hence we only have so many doctors and nurses. You all know how long it currently takes to see your doctor, not long maybe 15 minutes at best, emergency care a little different especially if you are in LA, waits can be an hour or more because of all the illegals so now I want you to add 43 more million people to the plan. There you have the reason for rationing its plain and simple they being the gov. dont want to but they must because now you are going to cram in 43 more million so if you dont think health care is going to go down you are mistaking. New doctors per year is only about 1%, nursing is awful and we are already in a shortfall. It is perdicated by 2025 we will be short 500,000 nurses. Also did you know in Canada with their gov. run care that it takes 9 weeks to see your family doctor, it takes 3 to 6 months to see a specialist if you can get it. If you need radiation for cancer treatment it takes months if they approve it, you could die by then. Hip replacement is 18 months if they approve it. A 66 year old man wanted a year to see a specialist for his arthritic hip to get it replaced. The specialist agreed that it needed replacement but the gov. panel said no he was too old and gave pain medication instead. I could site example after example so please do your homework and get out there and dont let this pass. Yes we need reform but not this reform adding 4 trillion dollars to the budget and back rupting us is not a good idea.

Thank you
Diane

ok ... no government intervention in your healthcare..... so that means that you will decline medicare when you become eligible, right??

and oh my god...... so you expect those of us with no insurance to just buck up and forget about health care to avoid overwhelming the already over-taxed doctors, nurses, etc.?? sweet jesus..... i can't even begin to respond to this in a civil manner....... why should YOU be the only one allowed access to medical care?? what makes you more deserving than me??

and man oh man .... you have swallowed the insurance lobbyist propaganda about canadian health care hook, line and sinker..... i have personal experience with their healthcare system (not even a canadian citizen.... but didn't seem to matter to them) and i have friends who live there and while it is NOT perfect, it is NOWHERE near what you and the other gullible people imagine and describe........

and if you think we don't already have rationing, you are sadly mistaken..... not being able to afford insurance and as a result, being afraid to seek treatment is rationing.......

oh, by the way..... i am a native born us citizen..... had insurance my entire life..... until i lost my job in 2005 and had to start another business to stay gainfully employed...... if i routinely had $400+++ a month, you betcha i would have insurance..... but that is just not the case right now......

Originally Posted by MPLosAng

Thank god! Some liberals exist in MO!

Agree--the hoodlums are on a rampage and I think it has more to do with black president than it has to do with health care. Simple fact is they can keep the current health care that will continue to rise, continue to pay for illegal immigrants (that make them rich) under the current plan, or they can come to their senses and realize they can continue private insurance if they wish under the new plan, that will also allow the rest of us middle to lower class citizens the privilege of health insurance as well.

The greed is astounding really.

yes, we are here and there, but we do exist......

and not only is he a black president, but he has a funny name....... not quite american enough.... ya' know?

[latetotheparty]

Originally Posted by MrsMo

My problem with insurance the way it is now, is the insurance companies telling my dr. what kind of tests I can or cannot have. And we pay $600 a month through my husbands union for this BS? They even dictate to my dr. what meds he can or cannot prescribe for me. Having a problem with side effects to meds it is hard for my dr to prescribe drugs he think may agree with my system and do the job they are supposed to do. Right now my dad is going through chemo for lung cancer and at first medicare refused to cover his treatments. His dr. argued with them, explained the situation and they finally gave in and will cover it. But what my dad is paying out of pocket is a crime for someone on a fixed income. He lives well, but his savings will now start dwindling. And before anyone says anything, my dad is/was NOT a smoker.

and here we have rationing!! anybody think NOT??

Originally Posted by BeVeryWise

I don't follow this health snare stuff, though I can't help getting bits and pieces of the propaganda (seems so scripted), but whatever you alls decide please leave me and my family out. Thanks.

no problem.....

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

Wish I could claim to have written the following but I can't and don't know who did! Sums it up nicely, though.

Let me get this straight...

We're going to pass a health care plan written by a committee whose chair says he doesn't understand it, passed by a Congress that hasn't read it but exempts themselves from it, signed by a president that also hasn't read it (and who smokes) with funding administered by a treasury chief who didn't pay his taxes, overseen by a surgeon general who is obese, and financed by a country that's nearly broke.

What could possibly go wrong?

I'm with many of you. Leave me and my healthcare coverage that I worked long and hard for alone! I like it just fine, it suits me and I have not given you permission, either implied or explicit, to meddle with it. It ain't broke!

if you are content with the coverage you have, why would you change it?? its not like the big bad government is going to snatch all the happy people away from their great policies......

Originally Posted by muman

I think some of you guys have to at least occasionally turn off Limbaugh, or watch something besides Fox News. Not everyone who doesn't have health care is a drug addict or just plain lazy. I work hard, more than full-time, and provide for myself and my own, but don't have insurance. I hope that if I'm ever in a better position, I'll find the goodness in my heart to help others.

AMEN..... i have worked since i was 16 years old, with exception of 2 periods of unemployment, one in the late 80's and one in 2005-2006.... i have paid my bills and all of the taxes all of those years as well.... probably a lot more than many of you who are so terrified of the coming necessary shakeup of our health care system because i chose to not have children and so missed that tidy little deduction.... put myself through college, i could go on.....

for me to buy even sort of half-way decent coverage would cost in excess of $400 per month..... something just not possible right now.....

i am sick to death of the hysteria surrounding this issue..... i am NOT asking for a handout.... i don't want you to pay MY way...... i would just like to see the system be a little more fair and reasonable...... the people in this country spend more per capita on health care than any other country in the civilized world, and yet we still rank, what.... 27th?? in overall health..... whats up with THAT??

the insurance companies are set up to be PROFITABLE..... and the only way to do that is to keep enormous premiums coming in while refusing as much care as they can possibly get away with..... and they are reaping record profits year after year.......

[latetotheparty]

Originally Posted by Wanderer0101

It's amazing to me that when 85% of the people in the country have insurance and most of them are pretty happy with their coverage it's deemed to be a 'broken' system. The majority of the people that don't have insurance either don't want it or are here illegally. So we're going to break the bank and destroy what is arguably the best health care system in the world to provide care for illegals and those who are currently gaming the system or figure their number won't come up. I do have some perspective on this because I lived in countries with socialized health care for 17 years. These socialized systems are rife with abuse and what would be considered substandard care in this country. Their care is rationed, been there and experienced it. People in the US for the most part have no clue as to how good they have it.

The reality is that this is not about health care, it's about government control and turning us into a nation of government dependents.

**sigh** i am a born and raised us citizen.... at least 2nd generation on my dad's side and probably 20th generation on my mom's side..... have worked all my life....... and really resent this continued misrepresentative stereotype. In fact..... the thousands and thousands and thousands of people who have lost their jobs during the current downturn comprise a significant number of the uninsured...... and others who are stuck underemployed in part time and low-wage jobs comprise another significant percentage........

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

Since we'll be Missourians in three weeks, I'll go ahead and answer your questions. I'm a veteran and have never had to depend upon veterans benefits for healthcare, nor will I. I'm a retired state worker, as is my wife. We have premium-free, full healthcare and prescription coverage for life with low copays. We also have dental coverage. When we hit Medicare age we will roll-over into top notch Medicare supplement policies while retaining our full prescription coverage so we'll never need Part D. Those, too, will be premium-free and the retirement system will reimburse us for the Medicare Part B premium.

As for my family (five children, two stepchildren), all but my youngest daughter have their own healthcare coverage and youngest daughter will be covered on my policy (and I pay a small premium for her) until she turns 23 in about a year and a half.

We are perfectly happy with our healthcare, always have been and want Washington to leave it alone. In our experience as government employees, bigger government doesn't mean better. It usually goes in the opposite direction.

i'd be perfectly happy with that setup too........ but how can you in good conscience accept medicare when you are so adamantly opposed to government health care??

Originally Posted by Wanderer0101

Yes, I have coverage for myself and my wife, my whole family was covered when the children were at home. My coverage which is quite good costs me $82 a month. I can extend coverage when I retire. I've never had to use COBRA but I would if I were laid off. I'm pretty happy with my health care though dealing with insurance companies can be a chore mine has been pretty reasonable. I'm most unhappy with my medical savings account and the reason I'm unhappy is that GOVERNMENT regulations make it very awkward and arbitrary. We're continually in dispute, all of which has eventually been resolved to my satisfaction but which has been a royal pain in the neck, plus the fact that if I don't spend all the money the GOVERNMENT steals it.

Yes, my personal history, living with socialized medicine for 17 years, tells me that we will end up with shoddy, rationed care. That the 'elite' especially politicians and government officials will get much better care than the majority of people regardless of the way it's currently being presented. That care will unquestionably be rationed and also used as a lever for behavior modification. That certain drugs, though effective, will not be used because of cost. That survival rates for many conditions will decrease.

If you like public toilets you're going to love public health care.

and this is not already the case HOW?

[SpanielGirl]

LifelongMOgal gets it. ObamaCare has nothing to do with healthcare and everything to do with power.

Latetotheparty is clueless.

We should only wish social security and medicare will be there when we retire. Both systems are teetering on the verge of bankruptcy, so no worries there. Raise taxes to fix it? Well, first you need jobs. Here in "The Golden State", our esteemed leaders-we went to the czar system a long time ago- are selling all of the states buildings, and then leasing them back. You see-we can't afford to OWN THE STATE"S BUILDINGS!! Thank God they were built with taxpayers funds. Now, when they are sold at discounted prices, only the taxpayers suffer. Oh yeah, and about those jobs. The state is getting ready to lay thousands of people off. Since we have already hammered the police, fire, and schoolteachers-the only ones left are the state workers. How do I know? I got my lovely, new, apartment the old fashioned way.......I cashed in on everyone else's misery. Seems, the builder put up lovely condos, and the would be buyers ordered top of the line everything. Came time to get the loans and bingo! No money to be had. So the builder turned them into apartments and leased them out to state employees. Except the state workers need out of their leases since they have taken a 40% pay cut with the furloughs and now, may be unemployed altogether.
So does everyone get it? There is no free lunch, or free healthcare. Mr. Obama and his wife will not be making your mortgage, put gas in your car, or send your children to any school that even comes close to Sidwell Friends School.
This is not right v leftemo V Repub:Christian v EveryotherBelief. This is about the constitution, the Republic, and your Liberty. It is Missouri style; plain, simple English.

SAMUEL ADAMS:
If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us in peace. We seek not your counsel, nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you; and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen.

[HMcD]

I think Congress should set up a assigned risk pool composed of all the insurance companies in the US. Each applicant would be assigned the next company in line. They would have to insure the applicant or stop doing business in the US.

There could be three types of policies available, one for singles, singles/divorced w/ kids, and families and three levels of coverage, high, medium and low. That is nine standard policies with nine standard premiums. ALL paperwork concerning these insured could be standardized; claim forms, applications, statement of benefits. Imagine how hospitals, doctors and health care providers would appreciate that!

Research shows unequivocally that prenatal care, dental care and yearly checkups save money for our nation. Personally, I think we spend too much money on dubious 'friendly nations', wars, and weapons. It is time we spent some on the less fortunate of us. This should not be a 'left' or a 'right' thing. It should just be the Right Thing to Do.

[lifelongMOgal]

We have public healthcare for the "less fortunate" around us. Medicaid and Medicare are designed for just those purposes. The Government has failed miserably to keep those programs solvent and to aggressively fight the fraud within the system.

It is not the "right thing to do" to pour good money after bad.

Obamacare has nothing to do about providing healthcare to the uninsured. If it were, it would not force people who pay for their own insurance out of their current health savings plans and force them into the Gov. run "option" or face fines and even JAIL! Obamacare as passed by the House is nothing short of extortion. Period. It is about the government taking control of every aspect of life from pre-cradle to grave.

Obama says he will save families $2,500./yr in premiums. I spend less than $1,700./yr in health insurance premiums. The money I save by having a high deductible goes into savings and investments to grow to one day , if my health deteriorates, pay for care and prescriptions.

Obamacare will take away my choice of plan and provider, limit the care my provider is allowed to provide, and decide when it is no longer financially feasible to keep me alive. I already have a long-term healthcare insurance plan to cover those needs.

Obamacare is a way if imposing a tax on every American for just being alive. It is a scam for a huge government "slush-fund". The healthcare "taxes" will begin at least 4 years before any part of the Government run socialized medicine begin providing limited and rationed care.

Pre-natal care in nations with socialized medicine is significantly rationed compared to what OBGYN care is currently available in the U.S.A. . Women in nations with socialized medicine miscarry more often because they are not allowed to even see an OBGYN until they are 6+ weeks into their pregnancy.

Healthcare is a personal responsibility, not a "right". Obamacare most definitely infringes on my right to life as it will determine when it cuts off my healthcare. I don't recall God giving government control over my right to the life he granted to me. My life is God's to give and God's to take...in his own time; not Obama's!

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by lifelongMOgal

We have public healthcare for the "less fortunate" around us. Medicaid and Medicare are designed for just those purposes. The Government has failed miserably to keep those programs solvent and to aggressively fight the fraud within the system.

It is not the "right thing to do" to pour good money after bad.

Obamacare has nothing to do about providing healthcare to the uninsured. If it were, it would not force people who pay for their own insurance out of their current health savings plans and force them into the Gov. run "option" or face fines and even JAIL! Obamacare as passed by the House is nothing short of extortion. Period. It is about the government taking control of every aspect of life from pre-cradle to grave.

Obama says he will save families $2,500./yr in premiums. I spend less than $1,700./yr in health insurance premiums. The money I save by having a high deductible goes into savings and investments to grow to one day , if my health deteriorates, pay for care and prescriptions.

Obamacare will take away my choice of plan and provider, limit the care my provider is allowed to provide, and decide when it is no longer financially feasible to keep me alive. I already have a long-term healthcare insurance plan to cover those needs.

Obamacare is a way if imposing a tax on every American for just being alive. It is a scam for a huge government "slush-fund". The healthcare "taxes" will begin at least 4 years before any part of the Government run socialized medicine begin providing limited and rationed care.

Pre-natal care in nations with socialized medicine is significantly rationed compared to what OBGYN care is currently available in the U.S.A. . Women in nations with socialized medicine miscarry more often because they are not allowed to even see an OBGYN until they are 6+ weeks into their pregnancy.

Healthcare is a personal responsibility, not a "right". Obamacare most definitely infringes on my right to life as it will determine when it cuts off my healthcare. I don't recall God giving government control over my right to the life he granted to me. My life is God's to give and God's to take...in his own time; not Obama's!

While I do agree with a number of those points, you are conveniently ignoring the fact that the insurance companies charge insane levels of premiums for those that have preexisting conditions just to be covered. My dad has a preexisting condition and HIS PREMIUMS HAVE INCREASED EXPONENTIALLY every single year. We have major problems with regard to healthcare in this country, and I don't really see any solutions that will improve things for some segments of the population.

[Wanderer0101]

[quote=latetotheparty;10851534


and this is not already the case HOW?[/QUOTE]

It's not the case NOW because ordinary people have access to any kind of medical care they can get through their insurance or their own funds, they have access. Under government health care only the elite will have access. Joe Blow can suck rocks.

[lifelongMOgal]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

While I do agree with a number of those points, you are conveniently ignoring the fact that the insurance companies charge insane levels of premiums for those that have preexisting conditions just to be covered. My dad has a preexisting condition and HIS PREMIUMS HAVE INCREASED EXPONENTIALLY every single year. We have major problems with regard to healthcare in this country, and I don't really see any solutions that will improve things for some segments of the population.

I am not conveniently ignoring any facts about healthcare or insurance premiums. Healthcare insurance is misunderstood and misused by so many. It is not a guarantee for complete or even near complete coverage. However, if one carries catastrophic coverage the premiums are comparatively low in contrast to those plans to those where consumers choose and HMO or low deductable PPO. And, when a truely disasterous health condition occurs, be it from an accident or disease, these catastrophic plans really pay off.

If an individual is not incurring abnormally high medical expenses due to chronic costly health conditions, he/she should not be subject to higher premiums, in my opinion. However, we must be realists and understand that premiums paid must cover expenses incurred. With HMO's, low deductible PPO's, Medicaid, and Medicare, this is simply not the case

Before enrolling in a high deductible plan my premiums too went up to the tune of about 16% each year, without pre-existing conditions (previously in a low deductible PPO working for a medical group that servced nearly exclusively HMO, Medicaid, & Medicare covered patients).

When an individual chooses a high deductible plan he/she are showing, through their actions, that they are willing to take financial responsibility for their own healthcare costs, out of their own pocket, and no one elses. The large pools of HMO's and low deductible PPO's with low co-pays depend upon the pool as a whole remaining relatively healthy or, the premiums rising across the board out of everyone's pocket, to cover the costs of the pool.

The surest way I know to keep one's money and protect against significant premium increases it to get catastrophic coverage and pay for everything else out of pocket. If someone has a better plan I'm open to ideas but I know Obama-care isn't it!

Yesterday the first sign of significant rationing was announced by re-drawing the guidelines for women and the age at which mammograms will be covered. The recommended age has been increased from 40 to 50 yrs. of age. This is just a small picture of the things to come under Obamacare.

Of the ten women I know who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, only one was diagnosed when she was over the age of 50. The others were in their late 30's and 40's; my sister being one of them.

I have lost a number of family members to cancer. The remaining members of my immediate family are all cancer survivors. Under the House passed version of Obamacare those who survived would not have been given treatement because of their age, or, the delay in care would have seriously compromised their survival probablilities.

Yes, our system has problems. It is far from perfect. However, these problems are fixable without handing over to the federal government the power of life and death of each and every citizen.

These problems are fixable in part when people take personal responsibility for their own healthcare and lifestyles. These problems are fixable when people who just want to sue without a substanative case against a doctor or healthcare facility stop suing in hopes of a financial windfall from the deep pockets of whom...insurance companies! Because in the end it is the insurance company the physician must pay premiums to for his malpractice insurance. Yet, because our federal government is full of trial attorneys, tort reform is not even on the radar for health insurance reform.

Again, this administration's plan is not about providing better or more healthcare to people, it is about CONTROL!

Obama, Pelosi, and Reid, have failed to demonstrate to me that I will get more bang for my buck and receive better healthcare through their plan than I can on my own paying out of pocket. One has to ask why the House version makes it illegal for one to pay out of pocket to obtain better healthcare? Why, because it is about control, not health!

Ok, I'll step off my soapbox and give others a turn. I'm kind of passionate about this subject.