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It's absolutely true that many CA doctors won't be participating in ACA plans. It's also absolutely true that "concierge" medical practices are becoming more common throughout the US. And again, absolutely true, that you don't have to buy insurance off State/Federal exchanges unless you are looking for a subsidy. You can go to ehealthinsurance or other online broker, or directly to an insurance company site. ALL plans are going to be ACA compliant (that's the law) but can offer a different mix of deductible/copays, etc. than exchange plans. HOWEVER, not all areas will have other health plans available to you. In CA it's a real problem since THE STATE ITSELF won't let any insurance company that participates in the exchange offer anything else on the open market, zip, nada. And the plans they do offer can be extremely limited in certain areas so if exchange plans don't work for you...tough luck. Some people are just going to be screwed by this, just like some are being screwed now. Hopefully this will change in the near future and reimbursements will be reasonable and more doctors will participate.
What did you have in mind? Your reply was lousy with a money-fixation and didn't give any indication of how you would better ensure that if someone is unfortunate enough to develop cancer that they'll be assured access to cancer treatment, for example.
You know, I wasn't hostile to the idea of some kind of effort in this arena.
But Obamacare is a mind-boggling disaster of the highest order. It doesn't work. It makes healthcare more expensive. It has hundreds of loopholes. Its website has so many security holes that it's like ringing the dinner bell for every identity thief from here to Vladivostok. And we do not even fully understand the fresh set of disasters that are coming, such as the eligibility of employee healthcare plans. Whoo boy.
To me, Obamacare lays bare the sheer incompetence of the administration in the concept, planning, and execution of this fiasco. They had three-and-a-half years and hundreds of millions of dollars to put this turd together and came up with this. The thing of it is, it essentially played into all the worst fears of those who opposed it in the first place. Before, they looked like alarmists and chicken littles. Now people realize that they were far more accurate about the consequences of this legislation than the armada of PR flacks who promoted it. That should give anyone pause who actually wants the government to launch similar programs in the future.
Up until now, i've been a supporter of Obamacare....but this thread is starting to make me question this....So i wanted to clarify a couple of things....
I currently have free health/dental/vision through my employer for a family of 4.....I wanted to see what would happen if i had to buy insurance for me and my family on my own...so i just went on healthcare.gov and it says: for a IH Advantage 6350 plan, $600/month and 12,700 deductible. (No Charge after deductible for anything).
so.....let me get this straight: I pay 600 a month (7200 a year), and i get 'nothing' until i spend 12,700 in doctor visit/health related fees? in other words, i have to pay 19,900 a year before ANY benefits kick in. is that correct?
if so, it's very appealing to just pay the penalty (about 300 for the 4 of us for the year 2014....), have no insurance, and 'hope' that my medical expenses are less than 19,900 to break even.
Am i missing anything? is this as crazy as it's sounding to me?
Up until now, i've been a supporter of Obamacare....but this thread is starting to make me question this....So i wanted to clarify a couple of things....
I currently have free health/dental/vision through my employer for a family of 4.....I wanted to see what would happen if i had to buy insurance for me and my family on my own...so i just went on healthcare.gov and it says: for a IH Advantage 6350 plan, $600/month and 12,700 deductible. (No Charge after deductible for anything).
so.....let me get this straight: I pay 600 a month (7200 a year), and i get 'nothing' until i spend 12,700 in doctor visit/health related fees? in other words, i have to pay 19,900 a year before ANY benefits kick in. is that correct?
if so, it's very appealing to just pay the penalty (about 300 for the 4 of us for the year 2014....), have no insurance, and 'hope' that my medical expenses are less than 19,900 to break even.
Am i missing anything? is this as crazy as it's sounding to me?
Yes, you are missing the point that IF you buy insurance through the marketplace and IF you qualify for a subsidy because you have low income, then your premiums would be much more reasonable (because they would be federally subsidized)
Since you have a job with a decent income, complete your research by going to the website of a well known insurance company in your state and see what a similar policy would cost you there. If you do NOT qualify for a subsidy, there is no reason to purchase insurance through the marketplace.
Do you have any idea how rare it is for a company to provide an employer with FREE health insurance, let alone extend that to all family members? It is extremely, extremely rare.
Yes, you are missing the point that IF you buy insurance through the marketplace and IF you qualify for a subsidy because you have low income, then your premiums would be much more reasonable (because they would be federally subsidized)
Since you have a job with a decent income, complete your research by going to the website of a well known insurance company in your state and see what a similar policy would cost you there. If you do NOT qualify for a subsidy, there is no reason to purchase insurance through the marketplace.
Do you have any idea how rare it is for a company to provide an employer with FREE health insurance, let alone extend that to all family members? It is extremely, extremely rare.
Yes. i know it's rare to have free healthcare, to answer your question.
ok, i just did that. found insurance through Anthem for 641 a month for a family of 4, deductible 12,000 and we'd pay 15% after deductible! which is pretty much the same as healthcare.gov.....maybe worse actually.
still confused.....my original question still stands i guess.....
I think its wrong to make any judgment about the ACA until the exchanges have been up and working for one year. Than, have at it. Obviously, there is going to be some sorting that is going to have to take place. Some people will come out better than others and that can't be avoided. Some people will subsidize others, but than that's really the basic concept of insurance. All of us pay and the person who suffers the loss is the one that collects. If this whole thing fails, than it fails. However, it needs to be given an honest chance to succeed first.
What everyone should realize is that the system we had in place was unsustainable and was going to collapse of its own weight, sooner or later. The ACA will need fixing as we go on. It would help if both political parties would at least commit themselves to a goal like that rather than talking about repealing it and "going back to the way things were".
Up until now, i've been a supporter of Obamacare....but this thread is starting to make me question this....So i wanted to clarify a couple of things....
I currently have free health/dental/vision through my employer for a family of 4.....I wanted to see what would happen if i had to buy insurance for me and my family on my own...so i just went on healthcare.gov and it says: for a IH Advantage 6350 plan, $600/month and 12,700 deductible. (No Charge after deductible for anything).
so.....let me get this straight: I pay 600 a month (7200 a year), and i get 'nothing' until i spend 12,700 in doctor visit/health related fees? in other words, i have to pay 19,900 a year before ANY benefits kick in. is that correct?
if so, it's very appealing to just pay the penalty (about 300 for the 4 of us for the year 2014....), have no insurance, and 'hope' that my medical expenses are less than 19,900 to break even.
Am i missing anything? is this as crazy as it's sounding to me?
Yes, you are missing that you can buy an number of plans that have lower deductibles for not that much more premium. You don't have to take that ONE plan, but for a family that rarely goes to the doctor, a plan like that may be attractive because the premiums are low.
You are also missing that you are getting a 100% subsidy from your employer now and that is VERY rare. I hope you express your appreciation to your company for being so generous. $600/month for an out of pocket max of around $6000 is a very typical group plan (employee share).
Also, was that $12,700 a Deductible or what that the out of pocket max. I highly doubt it was the deductible since that is over the limit for what a deductible can be. Look at all the numbers and then report back.
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Also, was that $12,700 a Deductible or what that the out of pocket max. I highly doubt it was the deductible since that is over the limit for what a deductible can be. Look at all the numbers and then report back.
Bronze plan deductibles are 6250 for an individual and 12700 for a family. Copayments vary. Co-insurance is 40% bronze, 30% silver, 20% gold, and 10% platinum. Not all plans available in every area and networks with vary substantially.
Yes, you are missing that you can buy an number of plans that have lower deductibles for not that much more premium. You don't have to take that ONE plan, but for a family that rarely goes to the doctor, a plan like that may be attractive because the premiums are low.
You are also missing that you are getting a 100% subsidy from your employer now and that is VERY rare. I hope you express your appreciation to your company for being so generous. $600/month for an out of pocket max of around $6000 is a very typical group plan (employee share).
Also, was that $12,700 a Deductible or what that the out of pocket max. I highly doubt it was the deductible since that is over the limit for what a deductible can be. Look at all the numbers and then report back.
the 12,700 is indeed the deductible for the family (max). Per individual is 6350.
there's another one for 613/month that has a 11,000/5500 deductible.
again, this seems outrageous.....but i guess i'm too used to the free plan.
So, did i understand you right....that currently, a family plan (non obamacare) is around 600/month with about 6k max out of pocket?
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