Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
My father does not have health insurance through his employer. It's a small shop.
Many years ago when he tried to get a job with the city, he failed the physical because of genetic heart conditions that they decided were a "no go." So, no better job for him and still no insurance---this was when people could still deny you on pre-existing conditions, which was not that long ago. He's also out of work here and there due to various health-related issues. Even though companies aren't supposed to deny you coverage for pre-existing conditions, something tells me they make it difficult ($$$) to get it.
Once we were older and out of the house, they no longer qualified for health insurance through the state because the income guidelines are ridiculously low for two people. Luckily for them, Obamacare works out pretty well and they end up paying very little after all is said and done. For those who don't think it covers much---the last hospital visit my dad had cost him $50 and that was for a procedure and overnight stay. My dad voted for Trump but he is worried about what will happen to his insurance.
Having insurance tied to your employment is such a crappy thing. Most of the people in government positions have always had the privilege of having insurance provided to them, so they don't know what it's like to cross their fingers and hope nothing happens while they're uninsured. I've been lucky enough to have great insurance through my union (private) for many years. There are so many people I know who never move up in my field or demote themselves to get back in the union because they have some ongoing health issues and/or cannot afford paying all of the additional out of pocket costs.
I do see changes coming---to what extent, I don't know. But my guess is that Obamacare probably works well for people like my parents who don't qualify for state programs but still earn less than 25K/year. Other than that, it seems like it's still too overpriced.
Its in a death spiral. Usually when a programme is in a death spiral they either discontinue it, or increase funding to it. Let's see if the American people are ready to increase the funding to keep it afloat, and from going completely insolvent, which won't take very long we're all about to see.
There are only so many ways money can be spent. Government is not a magician. They are not capable of spending other peoples money for other peoples as effectively and efficiently as you can spend your own money on yourself.
I expect, given the propensities of the Pres-Elect, to see ALL government sponsored health insurance and care to be eliminated. This will also apply to government agencies and private employers. Health Insurance, if available at all, will be provided by the private sector at whatever prices they can charge. Hopefully competition will keep prices down.
We are better off putting the money in an account and saving for our own healthcare. Doctors work with you when you do not have insurance.
This is playing Russian Roulette with your life. If you get cancer and need surgery and chemo that costs $400,000, doctors will not give you the surgery and chemo unless you have means to pay. If you find that you need an organ transplant, they won't give you the transplant without means to pay. You die instead.
If you have a stroke or bad accident and spend 2 months in the hospital - good thing is they were forced to admit you when you went to the emergency room. But then you have a $600,000 hospital bill. You will spend all your savings to pay the bill and still won't cover it. You'd be broke and have to declare bankruptcy and you lose your home. When before the stroke or accident you were all set for a nice retirement and in a good financial position and your house was paid off and you had a small summer cabin on the lake.
But you couldn't get healthcare and thought you could just work with doctors. Yeah you were only thinking about small stuff like doctors office visits for little things. You never imagined cancer and $400,000 treatment or a stroke or a bad accident, especially since you were healthy and fit before the stroke(so you thought).
This is why I want health insurance. Just in case something big happens that costs hundreds of thousands of dollars and could mean life or death.
Last edited by sware2cod; 12-04-2016 at 11:06 AM..
My father does not have health insurance through his employer. It's a small shop....
My dad voted for Trump but he is worried about what will happen to his insurance.
Wow. Your dad voted against his own self interest. Now his health insurance is at risk and likely his future Medicare and Social Security is also going to be cut.
What was he thinking?
Last edited by sware2cod; 12-04-2016 at 11:07 AM..
You can't look at Obamacare in the very narrow terms of how it effects you or your family. It is a government program that effects the entire country and one sixth of the economy.
And it was a business model destined to fail. On purpose. It was always designed to be a stepping stone to universal payer (read: everyone on a Medicare/Medicaid-type system) by 2025.
I suspect Trump is enough of a real-life businessman to understand the business model cannot work. Most people don't know this, but Medicaid is mostly paid for by the states. So if you're going to put everyone under the age of 65 on a state-run health insurance program, you're going to bankrupt the state. All fifty of them.
My understanding is that Trump is going to move quickly to repeal Obamacare. If you want to know what he's going to replace it with, look back at the congressional history of his HHS Secretary nominee, Tom Price. That guy has been writing and refining the replacement bill for the last six years.
Once we were older and out of the house, they no longer qualified for health insurance through the state because the income guidelines are ridiculously low for two people. Luckily for them, Obamacare works out pretty well and they end up paying very little after all is said and done. For those who don't think it covers much---the last hospital visit my dad had cost him $50 and that was for a procedure and overnight stay. My dad voted for Trump but he is worried about what will happen to his insurance.
If your dad was really worried about what would happen to his health insurance, he shouldn't have voted for Trump.
I am not at all concerned about what will happen to your parents' health insurance.
If they voted for Trump, and they lose their health insurance, they will be getting what they deserve (and what they voted for).
I don't know for sure but what I'd like to see happen is elimination of the penalty, tax deductible premiums, and uncoupling insurance from employment to do away with the two tiered system currently in place. Once everyone is on the same playing field it's anyone's guess, probably more policy choices covering various things while excluding others, maybe lifetime caps and whatnot. Bare bones to Cadillac plans and probably some government funded programs too.
Now that we all know that Trump is going to be president, what do you all think will happen with the Obamacare system?
Hopefully it gets dismantled.
Quote:
Originally Posted by toby2016
Mandatory That Everyone Needs To Have Health Insurance Or Face Consequences.
Agreed, but note that more people would voluntarily purchase health plan coverage, if it would be truly affordable.
Quote:
Originally Posted by toby2016
Subsidized Insurance Programs Premiums a Little High
That is the fault of the several States which mandate coverage. Mandated coverage is not free; it costs money. For example, 44 States mandate autism coverage for health plans.
In a true Free-Market, you would be able to purchase catastrophic coverage separately, just as you'd be able to purchase Emergency Room coverage separately.
You'd also be able to purchase Office Visits, prescription drug coverage, maternity coverage, gender health issue coverage and such separately.
Quote:
Originally Posted by toby2016
Enrollment Period
I do not like the fact that they created this enrollment period deadline annually.
In a true Free-Market, there would be continuous open enrollment.
Quote:
Originally Posted by toby2016
People Losing Their Doctors
Unfortunately there were some situations especially with the Medicare recipients that could no longer see the doctors they want because the health insurance and Medicare program made changes that canceled a lot of existing programs and the seniors had to switch to new plans, but could no longer see the same doctor.
Again, there is no Free-Market, because in a true Free-Market, all doctors/hospitals would be covered.
There's no such thing as "Out-of-Network" for auto insurance or home-owner insurance, or business insurance, casualty, fire or any other insurance.
Repeal and replace. ACA w/o this would die in 12-24 months on its own.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
