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Insurance companies get screwed all the time legally. For instance, ask to pay cash for a medical bill. Mysteriously half the bill gets knocked off. So, if I pay cash and pay 500, why does the insurance company have to pay 1000?
This isn't my experience. Insurance companies make out like bandits. You always pay more when you aren't insured and pay cash.
My Mom's chemotherapy had to be cleared by her insurance company before she could get it. It was very expensive.... 13k. If the insurance denied it, then we would have to pay cash out of pocket. "Could we get a self-pay discount?", I asked. Yes..... 15% off. So $11,000 and change. Fortunately, it was covered by her insurance. What did the insurance pay? Less than $2500. Blue Cross paid less then 1/4 of what we would have had to pay. The hospital would have bled us dry.... I was shocked, and disgusted.
That's usually how it works. In network providers pre-negotiate prices in exchange for bringing their patients. They have more negotiating power so they get the best prices.
So what do we do then? The old way hurt a good number (and I am not talking about those who decide to be uninsured) but those who lost their previous insurance or the insurance changed year to year (this happened BEFORE what became Obamacare was an official bill.) Those with pre-existing conditions (say asthma) couldn't get a new plan if they changed companies or their employer changed insurance plans. The new system with Obamacare is no where perfect and is a mess in many ways (such as the failed expansions of Medicaid in about half of the states, another half of the states using the national healthcare.gov marketplace as their marketplace, the backdoor of the website itself, the changes in deductibles) however it does make pre-existing conditions covered under any plan.
Apparently there is no perfect fix because we saw what it was with the public market and seeing the issues with the hybrid markets as well as those who think single-payer will be another type of abomination.
You're speaking Greek to me. I've always had health insurance for myself and my family. I bought my first policy when I was nineteen and earning minimum wage through my employer via payroll deduction. But you said. I know young folks who are healthy now and drive new cars and trucks and go to races and concerts but won't spend the money for health insurance through their employers.
If Obamacare is the cats meow, why do so many folks have a $5,000.00 deductible? If you have a $5,000.00 deductible my Friend, you STILL don't have insurance.
You're speaking Greek to me. I've always had health insurance for myself and my family. I bought my first policy when I was nineteen and earning minimum wage through my employer via payroll deduction. But you said. I know young folks who are healthy now and drive new cars and trucks and go to races and concerts but won't spend the money for health insurance through their employers.
A few questions for clarification:
Were you given health insurance through your employer at 19?
If not, did you buy it on your own at age 19?
Do you know if the young people you know work under 30 hours a week (part-time under the ACA)?
Do you know if the young people work for companies that offer health insurance?
Quote:
Originally Posted by the_human_being
If Obamacare is the cats meow, why do so many folks have a $5,000.00 deductible? If you have a $5,000.00 deductible my Friend, you STILL don't have insurance.
That's the way the law is written, I don't know what else to say. I've said that the deductibles in Obamacare are one of the many bad things in the bill like how low the penalty is for most people who can't afford it but are just above the poverty levels through ACA. If you can pay less for the penalty than a monthly payment, the system is flawed. That is why you see the young people not buying in a bringing higher premiums (that and as I mentioned earlier, real numbers to use as data rather than most likely estimations.)
Ok, then just sign a contract with the government (ie me and all others who have insurance) that if you get diagnosed with cancer or get hit by a car or break your leg or get bitten by a tick, or crash your bike, or develop asthma or any other disease that exists that you will pay for 100% of your expenses. I'm not paying for you for your poor choices.
Of course this doesn't exist. But this is MY preference. I don't want to pay for you if you want to be reckless. Obamacare should be charging you a much higher penalty. If your cheapest ACA coverage was 220 a month, then you make quite a bit of $$ and should be prioritizing your health care.
You pay for car insurance, right? How much is that a month?
You think you should be paying MORE for your car insurance, than for your health insurance to PROTECT YOUR BODY?!?!
I make 22K a year before taxes. Car insurance for three cars with collision is 154 dollars a month. I have paid 100 percent for my health care since 2003.
I make 22K a year before taxes. Car insurance for three cars with collision is 154 dollars a month. I have paid 100 percent for my health care since 2003.
So you will pay for and own three cars and you don't understand why you need to insure your body in case you get HIT by a car crossing the street? It is clear you don't understand priorities for your money.
Medical insurance is ultimately to make sure you are insured against catastrophe.
My father was hit by a taxi while walking across the street a few years ago. He was working full time and healthy before that happened. Like you. He was hit by a taxi driver probably insured like you are.... with the minimal insurance "required by law" - $50k. My father was nearly killed and hospitalized for 6 months and is now paralyzed. His life will never be the same. 50k didn't do much. Thank goodness he had health insurance, because he would be bankrupt without it. And if you are ever unfortunate enough to be paralyzed, you will learn nothing is the same, you will probably lose your job and much of your additional life expenses will not be reimbursed by anyone.
So now I'm not pleased with you because you not only are not covering yourself for your own potential castrophic health situation, I realize that if YOU HIT ME with one of your 3 cars, you wont have enough insurance to pay for your damage either.
I realize that young people often don't get it. People who haven't seen what not having insurance can do don't get it.
Move in with roommates, save your money like crazy, get rid of all of those wasteful cars and get a cheaper Obamacare plan. I do not believe you when you say the cheapest plan was $220 per month. I have helped several people sign up for Obamacare and for your income that is not the cheapest plan and I live in a major city that is more expensive than the majority of the country. You would also be subsidized.
I agree that the high deductible plans are painful, and I think Obamacare should do better. Especially for people with lower income.
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