Question about Obama care

[pvsi]

Hi. early this spring my father was very sick and since we have no health insurance he stayed home for about a week, until I/we saw it's not getting better. then I decided to drive to the hospital (alone first) because I heard about this Obama care, and question the administrator at the hospital about Obama care, she didn't know anything about it, but told me to bring in my dad and not worry about it, so I went back, got my dad, he stayed in a hospital about a week ICU... anyway he got out alive, but we have a $17,000 hospital bill. I took some steps to get him the health insurance, but could never figure out how, still owe the hospital bill, I keep hiding it from him every time I receive notification, because I don't want him to feel bad. but I could afford and would prefer to pay a monthly fee if it's affordable so I would not feel like a cheap skate when/if this will happen to him again. if there is a link and an easy way to do it, please share, I really was never able to find anything on internet and I looked hard. honest to god.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

You have just described one of the reasons why the US needs ObamaCare. While its unheard of in other countries, in the US, medical bills are a major cause of bankruptcy.

The problem you have now is that its not retroactive. What happened to your father last spring was well before the initial roll out and before much of it goes into effect January 1st.

Your best bet (I believe) is checking to see if your father qualifies for Medicaid. Go to or call the hospital and talk to their financial aid office. They may be able to help you get Medicaid coverage for part or all of the bill.

This link to the implementation timeline may also be helpful -

Kaiser Family Foundation Implementation Timeline - Accountable Care Stories

 

[Connery]

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Please remember, this forum is to be used as a place for the exchange of information on ObamaCare/Affordable Care Act ONLY.

 

[Katzndogz]

Hi. early this spring my father was very sick and since we have no health insurance he stayed home for about a week, until I/we saw it's not getting better. then I decided to drive to the hospital (alone first) because I heard about this Obama care, and question the administrator at the hospital about Obama care, she didn't know anything about it, but told me to bring in my dad and not worry about it, so I went back, got my dad, he stayed in a hospital about a week ICU... anyway he got out alive, but we have a $17,000 hospital bill. I took some steps to get him the health insurance, but could never figure out how, still owe the hospital bill, I keep hiding it from him every time I receive notification, because I don't want him to feel bad. but I could afford and would prefer to pay a monthly fee if it's affordable so I would not feel like a cheap skate when/if this will happen to him again. if there is a link and an easy way to do it, please share, I really was never able to find anything on internet and I looked hard. honest to god.

Contact the hospital. They will discount the bill by 75% and work out a payment plan for the rest. Normally a hospital will send out a letter with this notification.

 

[Granny]

Good response Katzndogz. Hospitals will work with people to get bills paid. I have a cousin in the same position ... trying to pay off the balance of what Medicare and his insurance did not pay.

You didn't mention you dad's age. Does he receive Social Security payments? If so, he might be able to get GAP insurance to cover what Medicare does not.

I'm not certain it's a real good idea to try to sign up for Obamacare right now. There's a lot of controversy right now in Congress because the website for Obamacare signup seems to not be working properly right now. There's also come concern about the security of the website with respect to putting in the personal information signing up will require.

I would get written information or perhaps look on the internet to study the ins and outs of the coverage. Hope your dad is doing better.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

Depends on what state he's in Granny. If its R controlled, forget it. But, D controlled are doing quite well. Report today was that half million have signed up with no problem.

 

[pvsi]

Good response Katzndogz. Hospitals will work with people to get bills paid. I have a cousin in the same position ... trying to pay off the balance of what Medicare and his insurance did not pay.

You didn't mention you dad's age. Does he receive Social Security payments? If so, he might be able to get GAP insurance to cover what Medicare does not.

I'm not certain it's a real good idea to try to sign up for Obamacare right now. There's a lot of controversy right now in Congress because the website for Obamacare signup seems to not be working properly right now. There's also come concern about the security of the website with respect to putting in the personal information signing up will require.

I would get written information or perhaps look on the internet to study the ins and outs of the coverage. Hope your dad is doing better.

Thx, he's 61. I really wish it would be like in Israel - universal health care for all and no head aches, and if USA is just a little more broke, oh well then, an excuse not to give money away to other countries. this confusion with the news and Obama care is not helping me at all, no one seems to know what's going on. I wish a reasonable amount would just get deducted for health care so we would not have to worry about it.

 

[pvsi]

Depends on what state he's in Granny. If its R controlled, forget it. But, D controlled are doing quite well. Report today was that half million have signed up with no problem.

We're in PA

 

[LoneLaugher]

Hi. early this spring my father was very sick and since we have no health insurance he stayed home for about a week, until I/we saw it's not getting better. then I decided to drive to the hospital (alone first) because I heard about this Obama care, and question the administrator at the hospital about Obama care, she didn't know anything about it, but told me to bring in my dad and not worry about it, so I went back, got my dad, he stayed in a hospital about a week ICU... anyway he got out alive, but we have a $17,000 hospital bill. I took some steps to get him the health insurance, but could never figure out how, still owe the hospital bill, I keep hiding it from him every time I receive notification, because I don't want him to feel bad. but I could afford and would prefer to pay a monthly fee if it's affordable so I would not feel like a cheap skate when/if this will happen to him again. if there is a link and an easy way to do it, please share, I really was never able to find anything on internet and I looked hard. honest to god.

There is an 800 number on the healtcare.gov website main page. Ou can call it and get honest, personal attention and answers to your questions. They can also direct you to a local "navigator" that you can meet with and get everything cleared up.

You can probably work out a payment plan with the hospital for bills already incurred.

Moving forward, you will soon have a great source if stress removed by the ACA. Best of luck.

 

[S.J.]

$17,000 seems reasonable for saving his life. Sure, it's a lot of money but not so bad, considering the alternative. The important thing is that your dad is still alive, that's how I would look at it.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

$17,000 seems reasonable for saving his life. Sure, it's a lot of money but not so bad, considering the alternative. The important thing is that your dad is still alive, that's how I would look at it.

Actually, as hospital bills go, its pretty low but the bill still has to be paid.

I gather that his father is retired or, at least, unemployed and from what was described, there is no insurance policy. Perhaps pvsi has a policy but the US has given insurance companies control the health care industry and they do not allow family insurance once the kids are past some arbitrary age.

I'm sure pvsi is grateful his or her father is alive but someone still has to come up with the money.

 

[Granny]

Depends on what state he's in Granny. If its R controlled, forget it. But, D controlled are doing quite well. Report today was that half million have signed up with no problem.

Doesn't matter about a person's political affiliation. A computer program that is forever breaking down and having other issues regarding its basic operation and "user friendliness" doesn't distinguish one's political affiliation.

 

[Granny]

Good response Katzndogz. Hospitals will work with people to get bills paid. I have a cousin in the same position ... trying to pay off the balance of what Medicare and his insurance did not pay.

You didn't mention you dad's age. Does he receive Social Security payments? If so, he might be able to get GAP insurance to cover what Medicare does not.

I'm not certain it's a real good idea to try to sign up for Obamacare right now. There's a lot of controversy right now in Congress because the website for Obamacare signup seems to not be working properly right now. There's also come concern about the security of the website with respect to putting in the personal information signing up will require.

I would get written information or perhaps look on the internet to study the ins and outs of the coverage. Hope your dad is doing better.

Thx, he's 61. I really wish it would be like in Israel - universal health care for all and no head aches, and if USA is just a little more broke, oh well then, an excuse not to give money away to other countries. this confusion with the news and Obama care is not helping me at all, no one seems to know what's going on. I wish a reasonable amount would just get deducted for health care so we would not have to worry about it.

There's a better way to get healthcare coverage for those who don't have coverage and it doesn't include forcing everybody in the country to be covered. You need to realize that any time a government is involved in a program of any kind it's going to be screwed up from the get-go and it only gets worse with time.

 

[koshergrl]

You have just described one of the reasons why the US needs ObamaCare. While its unheard of in other countries, in the US, medical bills are a major cause of bankruptcy.

The problem you have now is that its not retroactive. What happened to your father last spring was well before the initial roll out and before much of it goes into effect January 1st.

Your best bet (I believe) is checking to see if your father qualifies for Medicaid. Go to or call the hospital and talk to their financial aid office. They may be able to help you get Medicaid coverage for part or all of the bill.

This link to the implementation timeline may also be helpful -

Kaiser Family Foundation Implementation Timeline - Accountable Care Stories

XXXXXX you don't know what you're talking about.

Your DOR for medical is the day you requested medical. Generally hospitals will generate a date of request for you when they first see you and know you are going to need treatment.

My guess is the hospital already sent in a request for medical for your dad. Get ahold of the nearest DHS office. Tell them you spoke to the hospital, and see if they can use that as the date of request, prior to your dad's treatment.

I don't know what state you're in, different states have slightly different medical availability (prior to october 31)....

 

[koshergrl]

Hi. early this spring my father was very sick and since we have no health insurance he stayed home for about a week, until I/we saw it's not getting better. then I decided to drive to the hospital (alone first) because I heard about this Obama care, and question the administrator at the hospital about Obama care, she didn't know anything about it, but told me to bring in my dad and not worry about it, so I went back, got my dad, he stayed in a hospital about a week ICU... anyway he got out alive, but we have a $17,000 hospital bill. I took some steps to get him the health insurance, but could never figure out how, still owe the hospital bill, I keep hiding it from him every time I receive notification, because I don't want him to feel bad. but I could afford and would prefer to pay a monthly fee if it's affordable so I would not feel like a cheap skate when/if this will happen to him again. if there is a link and an easy way to do it, please share, I really was never able to find anything on internet and I looked hard. honest to god.

There is an 800 number on the healtcare.gov website main page. Ou can call it and get honest, personal attention and answers to your questions. They can also direct you to a local "navigator" that you can meet with and get everything cleared up.

You can probably work out a payment plan with the hospital for bills already incurred.

Moving forward, you will soon have a great source if stress removed by the ACA. Best of luck.

At 61, he's ineligible for medicaid, and too young for medicare.

Obamacare mandates have closed the hospital charity programs...and there is no news on when they will actually start enrolling people, or what the eligibility requirements are.

Last I heard, welfare families would no longer be automatically eligible for medical, as they were before.

Go Obamacare! It's working out great for the poorest, the oldest and the sickest!

 

[depotoo]

Hi. early this spring my father was very sick and since we have no health insurance he stayed home for about a week, until I/we saw it's not getting better. then I decided to drive to the hospital (alone first) because I heard about this Obama care, and question the administrator at the hospital about Obama care, she didn't know anything about it, but told me to bring in my dad and not worry about it, so I went back, got my dad, he stayed in a hospital about a week ICU... anyway he got out alive, but we have a $17,000 hospital bill. I took some steps to get him the health insurance, but could never figure out how, still owe the hospital bill, I keep hiding it from him every time I receive notification, because I don't want him to feel bad. but I could afford and would prefer to pay a monthly fee if it's affordable so I would not feel like a cheap skate when/if this will happen to him again. if there is a link and an easy way to do it, please share, I really was never able to find anything on internet and I looked hard. honest to god.

Send them $25 a month, if you can't afford anymore. They will accept that as long as you continue to pay it faithfully.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

Hi. early this spring my father was very sick and since we have no health insurance he stayed home for about a week, until I/we saw it's not getting better. then I decided to drive to the hospital (alone first) because I heard about this Obama care, and question the administrator at the hospital about Obama care, she didn't know anything about it, but told me to bring in my dad and not worry about it, so I went back, got my dad, he stayed in a hospital about a week ICU... anyway he got out alive, but we have a $17,000 hospital bill. I took some steps to get him the health insurance, but could never figure out how, still owe the hospital bill, I keep hiding it from him every time I receive notification, because I don't want him to feel bad. but I could afford and would prefer to pay a monthly fee if it's affordable so I would not feel like a cheap skate when/if this will happen to him again. if there is a link and an easy way to do it, please share, I really was never able to find anything on internet and I looked hard. honest to god.

There is an 800 number on the healtcare.gov website main page. Ou can call it and get honest, personal attention and answers to your questions. They can also direct you to a local "navigator" that you can meet with and get everything cleared up.

You can probably work out a payment plan with the hospital for bills already incurred.

Moving forward, you will soon have a great source if stress removed by the ACA. Best of luck.

At 61, he's ineligible for medicaid, and too young for medicare.

Obamacare mandates have closed the hospital charity programs...and there is no news on when they will actually start enrolling people, or what the eligibility requirements are.

Last I heard, welfare families would no longer be automatically eligible for medical, as they were before.

Go Obamacare! It's working out great for the poorest, the oldest and the sickest!

When did Medicaid eligibility become age-dependent?

If the OP's state is controlled by a D, then yes, he can get ObamaCare through the exchange and yes, you're right that it will be affordable because the premium will depend on his income. If R controlled, he'll have to wait until the web site is working.

He should have had Medicaid all along.

And to repeat the obvious - this op is not really about ObamaCare because its not retroactive. GET IT?