[parentologist]

The problem with all of these programs - Medicaid, food stamps, etc. - is that they have stopped considering assets. They only take into account income now. So, you can own millions of dollars in assets, and still qualify for Medicaid and food stamps if your income is low enough. People who have substantial wealth are on Medicaid and food stamps. In addition, many people who own cash businesses or work under the table under-report their income to evade taxes and qualify for Medicaid and food stamps. Not to mention all the people who are on SS disability, yet work under the table in physically demanding jobs! The system is broken. The state wants to collect the federal portion of the subsidy for these benefits, so they have no interest in limiting them to people who truly are impoverished. They also don't want to devote the resources to judging people's income and assets by their standard of living, as opposed to what they report.

[seymourct]

Originally Posted by mlassoff

With all due respect, the plan is not design to be Medicaid-- That is the program for the poor. Charter Oak does have a sliding scale as well, so if your income is low enough, you don't pay full boat.

I do agree that a $500+ a month payment is not affordable for even most middle class people-- and that number becomes ridiculous if you have more than one person on the program.

The plan is now Medicaid. Just so you know. The doctors and state all call it Medicaid. That happened when CT took over managing it.
My individual monthly premium - and I don't really have the income to cover it, is $589 just for me. Yes the state needs to balance the budget, but telling low income adults w/preexisting conditions that $589 a month is a good price is ridiculous. I guess that's the plan lower costs by forcing folks to go back to being uninsured.

[seymourct]

Oh by the way my income is from my husbands benefits. Not high income at all.

[mlassoff]

Originally Posted by parentologist

The problem with all of these programs - Medicaid, food stamps, etc. - is that they have stopped considering assets. They only take into account income now. So, you can own millions of dollars in assets, and still qualify for Medicaid and food stamps if your income is low enough. People who have substantial wealth are on Medicaid and food stamps. In addition, many people who own cash businesses or work under the table under-report their income to evade taxes and qualify for Medicaid and food stamps. Not to mention all the people who are on SS disability, yet work under the table in physically demanding jobs! The system is broken. The state wants to collect the federal portion of the subsidy for these benefits, so they have no interest in limiting them to people who truly are impoverished. They also don't want to devote the resources to judging people's income and assets by their standard of living, as opposed to what they report.

Charter Oak isn't comprable to those programs. While there is a sliding scale for those on the low end, anyone without insurance can qualify regardless of income or assets.

It is the only way I CAN get insurance, sadly. I'd much rather have private health insurance. However, my preexisting condition and my status as a business owner doesn't help.

[andthentherewere3]

Originally Posted by S2000

Welcome to Obamacare. This is just the beginning...

We have Connecticare, and it's going up less than $10 a month for our family of 4. That's the lowest premium increase we have ever had, so I don't see how Obama has anything to do with it. It's more likely a state issue, and Malloy.

[seymourct]

$10 dollars?? That's not bad

[mels]

Originally Posted by andthentherewere3

We have Connecticare, and it's going up less than $10 a month for our family of 4. That's the lowest premium increase we have ever had, so I don't see how Obama has anything to do with it. It's more likely a state issue, and Malloy.

I agree- I recently read an article in the NYTimes about there only being modest rises in health care premiums this year for most people. They essentially blamed a weak economy and only a modest rise in health care costs.

Charter Oak's jacked up rates is very likely a result of the clusterf- our state government is currently facing. State workers are safe thanks to Malloy's "negotiations" in the past, there has been a promise to not increase taxes again...something has to give, unfortunately.

Health care is such a joke in the US. If only our elected officials were subject to the same POS (and I don't mean Point of Service) health care the rest of us in the private sector are, things would have changed for the better years ago.

[andthentherewere3]

Originally Posted by seymourct

$10 dollars?? That's not bad

Yeah, usually it's between $60-100 a month, so we tend to switch health insurance companies every 2-3 years. This latest increase was a pleasant surprise.