High Deductibles Force Many to Opt Out of Obamacare

[longknife]

And it's only going to get worse next year. From the New York Times, not exactly a right-wing rag:



“The deductible, $3,000 a year, makes it impossible to actually go to the doctor,” said David R. Reines, 60, of Jefferson Township, N.J., a former hardware salesman with chronic knee pain. “We have insurance, but can’t afford to use it.”



Read more @ High Deductibles Force Many to Opt Out of Obamacare

 

[martybegan]

And it's only going to get worse next year. From the New York Times, not exactly a right-wing rag:



“The deductible, $3,000 a year, makes it impossible to actually go to the doctor,” said David R. Reines, 60, of Jefferson Township, N.J., a former hardware salesman with chronic knee pain. “We have insurance, but can’t afford to use it.”



Read more @ High Deductibles Force Many to Opt Out of Obamacare

I just got my selection choices, and it was a mess.

Three high deductible plans, and one PPO that was twice the cost of any plan. Plus they cut down the ratio of how much they contribute to the deductible with a HSA, from 75%, to around 30%. They give me a story about preventative care being 100% covered even before the deductible, but I call bullshit on that. Plus, even after I meet the deductible its only 80% coverage.

Fuck. You. Obamacare.

 

[Arianrhod]

Recapping: If you opt for a bronze plan (low premiums), it will have a high deductible. If your health status indicates you'll need frequent doctor visits, a silver plan would be preferable.

Prior to the PPACA, premiums for individual and/or family plans (as opposed to employer-provided group plans) were considerably higher. Employer plans created a kind of dependency. Employees didn't have to read the fine print, realize that the plan came up for renewal annually, or have any idea what a plan would have cost them without the employers' contribution. This is one reason so many of them are outraged.

Another is not recognizing the reasons why premiums are higher in some states than in others. If your state has not set up its own exchange and accepted the Medicaid tie-in, that's the responsibility of your state legislators. Ask yourself why they'd penalize their citizens. Then ask them the same question.

As for the Jerseyite quoted in the OP, there's a strong likelihood that prior to the PPACA he'd have been denied any kind of coverage because his knee pain would be classified as a preexisting condition.

 

[the_human_being]

Obamacare is really the next thing to no insurance;

Obamacare enrollees are reeling from high deductibles

 

[Arianrhod]

Obamacare is really the next thing to no insurance;

Obamacare enrollees are reeling from high deductibles

People who grabbed the first bronze plan they stumbled across need to learn to put a little effort into their choice of health insurance.

 

[the_human_being]

Obamacare is really the next thing to no insurance;

Obamacare enrollees are reeling from high deductibles

People who grabbed the first bronze plan they stumbled across need to learn to put a little effort into their choice of health insurance.

Many of them did that in good faith only to have their plan discontinued or changed. This going to happen every year? People are never going to have any certainty about their plans? You're doing your best but you're fighting a losing battle. The news reports are killing you.

 

[Arianrhod]

Obamacare is really the next thing to no insurance;

Obamacare enrollees are reeling from high deductibles

People who grabbed the first bronze plan they stumbled across need to learn to put a little effort into their choice of health insurance.

Many of them did that in good faith only to have their plan discontinued or changed.

If so, they need to find a better insurance company.

This going to happen every year?

You'd need to ask your insurer.

People are never going to have any certainty about their plans?

You'd need to ask your insurer. Going in to Year 3 following the legislation, it should be fairly easy to compare insurers' past history to see which ones have raised rates outrageously and take your business elsewhere.

This is another example of people being on cruise control vis-a-vis health insurance as long as someone else made the decisions for them.

It's especially ironic when people who bitch about the "nanny state government" are so dependent on Daddy Employer.

 

[the_human_being]

Obamacare is really the next thing to no insurance;

Obamacare enrollees are reeling from high deductibles

People who grabbed the first bronze plan they stumbled across need to learn to put a little effort into their choice of health insurance.

Many of them did that in good faith only to have their plan discontinued or changed.

If so, they need to find a better insurance company.

This going to happen every year?

You'd need to ask your insurer.

People are never going to have any certainty about their plans?

You'd need to ask your insurer. Going in to Year 3 following the legislation, it should be fairly easy to compare insurers' past history to see which ones have raised rates outrageously and take your business elsewhere.

This is another example of people being on cruise control vis-a-vis health insurance as long as someone else made the decisions for them.

It's especially ironic when people who bitch about the "nanny state government" are so dependent on Daddy Employer.

I don't have to. My premiums have gone down two years in a row now. I have had my policy for twenty years. I don't have to hunt for a new insurer every year. For your information, I am the employer.

 

[Arianrhod]

Obamacare is really the next thing to no insurance;

Obamacare enrollees are reeling from high deductibles

People who grabbed the first bronze plan they stumbled across need to learn to put a little effort into their choice of health insurance.

Many of them did that in good faith only to have their plan discontinued or changed.

If so, they need to find a better insurance company.

This going to happen every year?

You'd need to ask your insurer.

People are never going to have any certainty about their plans?

You'd need to ask your insurer. Going in to Year 3 following the legislation, it should be fairly easy to compare insurers' past history to see which ones have raised rates outrageously and take your business elsewhere.

This is another example of people being on cruise control vis-a-vis health insurance as long as someone else made the decisions for them.

It's especially ironic when people who bitch about the "nanny state government" are so dependent on Daddy Employer.

I don't have to. My premiums have gone down two years in a row now. I have had my policy for twenty years. I don't have to hunt for a new insurer every year. For your information, I am the employer.

IOW, you have two decades' experience that you ought to be sharing with those less informed than you are instead of promoting disinformation on a message board.

 

[the_human_being]

Obamacare is really the next thing to no insurance;

Obamacare enrollees are reeling from high deductibles

People who grabbed the first bronze plan they stumbled across need to learn to put a little effort into their choice of health insurance.

Many of them did that in good faith only to have their plan discontinued or changed.

If so, they need to find a better insurance company.

This going to happen every year?

You'd need to ask your insurer.

People are never going to have any certainty about their plans?

You'd need to ask your insurer. Going in to Year 3 following the legislation, it should be fairly easy to compare insurers' past history to see which ones have raised rates outrageously and take your business elsewhere.

This is another example of people being on cruise control vis-a-vis health insurance as long as someone else made the decisions for them.

It's especially ironic when people who bitch about the "nanny state government" are so dependent on Daddy Employer.

I don't have to. My premiums have gone down two years in a row now. I have had my policy for twenty years. I don't have to hunt for a new insurer every year. For your information, I am the employer.

IOW, you have two decades' experience that you ought to be sharing with those less informed than you are instead of promoting disinformation on a message board.

The policies were available long before Obamacare ever saw the light of day. It was hardly a secret.

 

[Arianrhod]

The policies were available long before Obamacare ever saw the light of day. It was hardly a secret.

Available for everyone? Prove it.

 

[the_human_being]

The policies were available long before Obamacare ever saw the light of day. It was hardly a secret.

Available for everyone? Prove it.

How? I can't post a high-option BCBS policy from twenty years ago. Talk to any Federal Employee. They've all had such plans for many years. Exxon and some of those companies as well. Obamacare did not start the insurance industry in spite of what you think. The insurance industry was alive and well long before anyone ever heard of Obamacare. You must be young indeed.

 

[Arianrhod]

The policies were available long before Obamacare ever saw the light of day. It was hardly a secret.

Available for everyone? Prove it.

How? I can't post a high-option BCBS policy from twenty years ago. Talk to any Federal Employee. They've all had such plans for many years. Exxon and some of those companies as well. Obamacare did not start the insurance industry in spite of what you think. The insurance industry was alive and well long before anyone ever heard of Obamacare. You must be young indeed.

So you're free to manufacture any claim you choose.

Your problem is, you've already tripped over your own disinformation.

You said your premiums have gone down in the past two years...the exact period the PPACA has been in effect.

How can your premiums possibly have gone down when, according to such fair & balanced sources as The Washington Times - and you - EVERYBODY'S PREMIUMS ARE GOING SKY-HIGH!!!!!?

If you insist on lying, you need to get better at it.

 

[the_human_being]

The policies were available long before Obamacare ever saw the light of day. It was hardly a secret.

Available for everyone? Prove it.

How? I can't post a high-option BCBS policy from twenty years ago. Talk to any Federal Employee. They've all had such plans for many years. Exxon and some of those companies as well. Obamacare did not start the insurance industry in spite of what you think. The insurance industry was alive and well long before anyone ever heard of Obamacare. You must be young indeed.

So you're free to manufacture any claim you choose.

Your problem is, you've already tripped over your own disinformation.

You said your premiums have gone down in the past two years...the exact period the PPACA has been in effect.

How can your premiums possibly have gone down when, according to such fair & balanced sources as The Washington Times - and you - EVERYBODY'S PREMIUMS ARE GOING SKY-HIGH!!!!!?

If you insist on lying, you need to get better at it.

Because I'm not under an Obamacare supported plan dimwit. My plan did not change because of Obamacare. I have what Obama terms a Cadillac plan. It is a group plan and already exceeded the Obamacare guidelines by already offering preventive screenings and care and existing conditions acceptance.

 

[Arianrhod]

Because I'm not under an Obamacare supported plan. My plan did not change because of Obamacare. I have what Obama terms a Cadillac plan. It is a group plan and already exceeded the Obamacare guidelines by already offering preventive screenings and care and existing conditions acceptance.

So you have a high-premium plan which, as the sole employee of your own company, would be prohibitively expensive, unless (A) you're wealthy (and the fact that you're ineligible under the PPACA suggests you're at least comfortable) or (B) since you mention a "group plan," you're getting a break under some professional organization that reduces your premiums much as the PPACA does for those less elite than you.

But do keep pretending that everyone had a Cadillac plan until the Bad Old PPACA took it away from them. It's very entertaining.

 

[the_human_being]

Because I'm not under an Obamacare supported plan. My plan did not change because of Obamacare. I have what Obama terms a Cadillac plan. It is a group plan and already exceeded the Obamacare guidelines by already offering preventive screenings and care and existing conditions acceptance.

So you have a high-premium plan which, as the sole employee of your own company, would be prohibitively expensive, unless (A) you're wealthy (and the fact that you're ineligible under the PPACA suggests you're at least comfortable) or (B) since you mention a "group plan," you're getting a break under some professional organization that reduces your premiums much as the PPACA does for those less elite than you.

But do keep pretending that everyone had a Cadillac plan until the Bad Old PPACA took it away from them. It's very entertaining.

I didn't say everyone did, puke. I said a lot of folks that worked for the federal government and for good solid top companies did. That's what I said. You have to twist and lie to try to prove Obamacare is good for anything when the news stories paint a totally different picture.

Yes, I do pretty good. I have owned my own electrical engineering and construction company for over thirty years now.

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

"High Deductibles Force Many to Opt Out of Obamacare"

And this illustrates well why many on the right are in fact reprehensible: most conservatives cheer Americans losing their healthcare yet make no effort to address the issue; indeed, they seek to make the situation worse to realize some perceived partisan gain.

 

[Arianrhod]

I didn't say everyone did...

QED.

 

[the_human_being]

"High Deductibles Force Many to Opt Out of Obamacare"

And this illustrates well why many on the right are in fact reprehensible: most conservatives cheer Americans losing their healthcare yet make no effort to address the issue; indeed, they seek to make the situation worse to realize some perceived partisan gain.

Yes. We need do nothing at all. It is self-destructing very well all on its own lack of merits.

 

[guno]

(private) insurers comprise a completely unnecessary middleman that not only adds little if any value to our healthcare system, it adds enormous costs to it,” Master said.

“As a result of this waste and inefficiency, our total spending on health care soared above $3 trillion in 2014. More than 17 percent of our national GDP is now eaten up by health care costs, far more than any other country.”

The United States spends fully 30 percent to 35 percent of the healthcare budget on administration — that’s $1 trillion out of the $3 trillion heathcare budget on administration.'

fully 33 cents of every health care premium dollar “has nothing to do with the delivery of healthcare.” Thirty-three percent of the healthcare budget was being spent on administrative costs.