Do you know anyone without health insurance? (wages, health care, companies)

[BigDGeek]

I'm in Texas, one of the worst states for insurance coverage. I know a lot of people without coverage. It's depressing.

[pch1013]

Originally Posted by Taratova

If they are both working , they will probably have to get health insurance under Obamacare and pay for it too or be fined. Since I doubt that two working individuals will get low cost health insurance under Obamacare. The mandate will stand for the two of them.

Poor working families will receive subsidies. This is according to an anti-Obamacare site.

Exchanges & Premium Subsidies | ObamaCare Watch

Households with incomes below 400 percent and above 133 percent of the federal poverty line (FPL) who are enrolled in insurance plans offered through the exchanges are eligible for premium assistance financed by the federal government (Medicaid will cover families with incomes below 133 percent of FPL). In 2010, the FPL is $22,050 for family of four. The new law establishes a sliding scale of assistance based on limitations on required family contributions to the cost of coverage. For instance, at 150 percent of FPL in 2014, ObamaCare limits the amount that such households must contribute toward their health insurance premium to 4 percent of their annual income. At 400 percent of the FPL, households must contribute 9.5 percent of their income toward insurance premiums.

They claim that there will be a "disincentive to work" but that only applies to families at the upper limit of the qualifying income level.

[fitzy24]

Yes, I know quite a few. Most of them are employed but their employers don't provide health insurance and if they do....it's very expensive and it would eat up most of their paycheck. So, they do without.

[nicet4]

I know a number of people who can not afford health insurance.

Like one couple, married, both have jobs earning between $10 and $14 per hour which means together they might gross $45k but barely.

To buy a high deductible policy spending $400/month is simply out of the question.

They can not afford it unless he gave up his 2 to 3 pack a day cigarette habit, she gave up her 1 to 2 pack a day habit and cable television opting to go with four channels of blah blah network television.

Between them they smoke a minimum of 3 packs a day and most often it is closer to 4. The cheapest cigarettes here are an off brand at $36/carton which means they smoke between $324 and $443 every month. Add to this the cable television, even basic, and you are looking at close to $500.

Someone should help these people, it is obvious they can not afford health insurance!

Like this plan for husband and wife aged 42 and 40 costing $141.69/month.

Plan Type: Network
Office Visit for Primary Doctor:
Find DoctorsFind Doctors History and Exam: visit 1-4 $35 copay, deductible waived; visit 5+ deductible then 30% Coinsurance
Office Visit for Specialist: History and Exam: visit 1-4 $35 copay, deductible waived; visit 5+ deductible then 30% Coinsurance
Coinsurance: 30% after deductible
Annual Deductible: Family:$20,000($10,000 per person)
Separate Prescription Drugs Deductible: None
Prescription Drugs: Generic: $15 Copay, no deductible
Brand: Not Covered
Non-Formulary: Not Covered
(See sample list of drug)
Annual Out-of-Pocket Limit: Family:$10,000($5,000 per person)
Does not include deductible

Not the greatest plan in the world but something like a cancer makes the $10k deductable look cheap AND you can at least get care.

If you don't like that there is a plan for $389/month that

Plan Type: PPO
Office Visit for Primary Doctor:
Find DoctorsFind Doctors OFFICE VISIT COPAY: $30 copay, deductible waived.OTHER SERVICES: 20% Coinsurance after deductible
Office Visit for Specialist: OFFICE VISIT COPAY: $40 copay, deductible waived.OTHER SERVICES: 20% Coinsurance after deductible
Coinsurance: 20% after deductible
Annual Deductible: Family:$5,000($2,500 per person)
Separate Prescription Drugs Deductible: $250 Individual
applies to
Generic, Brand
Prescription Drugs: Generic: Tier 1 - $15 Copay Tier 2, 3, 4: Greater of $30 Copay or 40% after deductible. Separate $250 deductible per member per year, $4,000 OOP max. per member per year.
Brand: Tier 1 - $15 Copay Tier 2, 3, 4: Greater of $30 Copay or 40% after deductible. Separate $250 deductible per member per year, $4,000 OOP max. per member per year.
Non-Formulary: Not Covered
Annual Out-of-Pocket Limit: Family:$11,000($5,500 per person)
Includes deductible
Lifetime Maximum: Unlimited
Health Savings Account (HSA) Eligible: No

Again not the best in the world but better than nothing at all. At least you won't end up with a $600,000 bill you can never pay off.

[LostInHouston]

My younger brother. Was trying to finish a teaching degree while working in a high school industrial ed program as a class assistant (hourly no benefits), until the program was cut for budget reasons. He stopped school at the point due to lack of extra money. Since then he's been trying to find a full-time mechanics job with benefits, but has had to get by on a couple part time mechanics jobs.

[Memphis1979]

For all of those who know someone without insurance. What percentage of the people without insurance that you know, get an income tax return?

Heres the thing. Romney has been talking about "47%" paying no income tax, but if they don't have insurance, that income tax return will be less because the government will force you to pay for some level of care. So its a tax on that income tax return republicans have been bitching about. I don't see what their complaint is on that.

[pch1013]

Originally Posted by nicet4

Between them they smoke a minimum of 3 packs a day and most often it is closer to 4. The cheapest cigarettes here are an off brand at $36/carton which means they smoke between $324 and $443 every month. Add to this the cable television, even basic, and you are looking at close to $500.

Someone should help these people, it is obvious they can not afford health insurance!

But can they qualify for either of those plans? I believe smoking qualifies as a "pre-existing condition." In Illinois at least, many plans require applicants to be smoke-free for at least year.

Illinois - Health Insurance FAQ

Obviously those people would be better off quitting smoking and spending that money on health insurance -- if they can find one they qualify for -- but the implication that all people without insurance are somehow to blame for their own predicament is rather simplistic.

[marlinfshr]

I love hearing all this. 14 years ago I was diagnosed with stage 3 testicular cancer. I had low income and no insurance. Medicaid covered it. It took a bit of digging but the programs were there.
now with my history I am paying 165/month for me with a 2500 deductable. It covers 2 doctor visits/year plus assorted tests that they might want. Honestly I really don't take advantage of everything that is covered as I am a typical male who hates going to a doctor.
We pay 85/month for a 10,000 dedutable for my wife. It covers 1 or 2 doctor visits/year and screening.
I feel if anything less then those deductables are needed we can come up with the money---credit card, monthly payments, etc... but at least we are covered for anything really serious.

[enemy country]

Originally Posted by PullMyFinger

I recently found out that my sister and her husband have no health insurance. I couldn't believe it to be honest.

Her husband was a mechanic for Northwest Airlines until he got laid off with all the restructuring. He is working for a contractor now inspecting planes for far less money and no benefits.

My sister has not been able to get a good enough job that provides insurance for the family.

So they get by without insurance and my sister just says "we can't afford it so our health is in God's hands"

These are good people, their only fault is they aren't good with money at all. They could be broke but if you needed food they would give you what they have. They are just good hearted folks without a desire for money or success. But they are hard workers. When my sister isn't working at one of her crappy part time jobs she is working at a homeless shelter in St Paul.

I know my republican friends on this forum are against help for these kinds of people and to be honest, my sister and husband are not asking for anyone's help. My brother in law is a republican, always has been even through all his troubles. He still says his health is not anyone else's problem. He cannot afford $1000 per month for a policy and he says he does not expect anyone else to pay it so I guess he's willing to die if he gets sick.

I just think this entire situation is sad. I think if you believe this country should not be providing a basic health policy for every citizen you just aren't seeing the big picture.

Thanks for reading.

Yes. People very near and dear to me. I have even payed for their care myself. But I don't expect any republicans.......to know what that means
The saddest, A good friend got laid off, lost health insurance,kidneys got burned out because he could not afford HBP medicine. He had got a new job when it happen but the damage had been done. He had the job two weeks or so and I was in the hospital with him when they called and told him they had to let go for missing work He is now on dialysis. So instead of paying taxes like he was before,now he get disability

These republicans make me sick

[Wayland Woman]

I know four people who don't have insurance and all four are Republicans. Two of the are very vocal about what they'd term as the "evils of Obamacare" yet if they have to go to emergency they have no problem with the hospital passing the cost of their care on to those of us who do pay our bills.