So What Was The Point of Obamacare Again?

[Freewill]

I was asking about part D of medicare for my father. Seems like he never signed up for part D. So I called his insurance company and asked about a perscription plan. I was told that if he has not signed up there is a penalty for doing so. A person with 5 years is paying a penalty of 20 dollars per month. He is 17 years past 65 I can't imagine the penalty.

So I asked what was the point of the penalty, silence. I finally said I think it is to help them, the insurance company, not my dad.

You have a penalty for delaying the signup for Medicare Part D drug coverage because the need for drugs rises sharply as seniors age yet the yearly premium is not based on age, so the law requires a penalty if you start when your're older. It's the same with part B coverage if you delay it past age 65.

If I had to pay a penalty, I would analysis my drug cost and consider buying from Canadian pharmacies. There are many reliable ones which can save you 50% to 75% off the cost of brand name drugs.

I would assume, as someone pointed out, the penalty for him would be the max. At 88 he still doesn't take that many drugs and the pharmacy gives his a discount. So it would not pay him to pay the penalty might as well keep on keeping on. EXCEPT, he is having an operation and the drug they want him to take is pretty damn expensive. But in the long run it will be less then paying for a drug plan.

 

[Freewill]

2014 allowed for late enrollees.

This is the lowest monthly uninsured rate recorded since Gallup and Healthways began tracking it in January 2008, besting the previous low of 13.9% in September of that year. Also ignored is the employer mandate which begins in 2015.

The implication that reducing the number of insured Americans was the only reason for Obamacare is preposterous. Some people seem to need a little review here. Obamacare eliminated preexisting condition requirements for insurance, removed yearly and lifetime caps on benefits, expanded Medicaid, partially subsided health insurance for low income earners, required insurance to offer dependent coverage to age 26, introduced pay for performance strategies to improve care and reduce costs, required 80% of premiums be paid back in benefits, and required all plans to offer the following essential benefits.

Emergency Services
Inpatient care
Maternity and newborn care
Mental health services and addiction treatment
Prescription drugs
Rehabilitative services and devices
Laboratory services
Preventive and wellness services, & chronic disease treatment
Pediatric services including vision and dental to children

Although the number of insured has fallen and will continue to do so, insurance companies are required to offer many additional benefits, previously only available in the best plans.

I know two people who did not have health coverage and now have it, they went past 65. I wonder how many of the covered now are because of Medicare. The boomers are going on Medicare and maybe not Obamacare. Besides if they just tipped over the 2008 number WTF? There wasn't Obamacare in 2008.

 

[Freewill]

To make as many people lose their jobs as possible? I lost my job of over 20 years, because of Obama care. I Hope Obama realizes what harm this imaginary entitlement has done. But, he won't, liberals focus on what little GOOD they do to excuse their delusions. Thanks for listening to ALL Americans, Obama liberals. Thanks, where am I going to find a new job now? Under Obama's left testicle?

Look at it this way, you may now be eligible for subsidizes and that is actually the people that the ACA helps, not many others.

 

[healthmyths]

2014 allowed for late enrollees.

This is the lowest monthly uninsured rate recorded since Gallup and Healthways began tracking it in January 2008, besting the previous low of 13.9% in September of that year. Also ignored is the employer mandate which begins in 2015.

The implication that reducing the number of insured Americans was the only reason for Obamacare is preposterous. Some people seem to need a little review here. Obamacare eliminated preexisting condition requirements for insurance, removed yearly and lifetime caps on benefits, expanded Medicaid, partially subsided health insurance for low income earners, required insurance to offer dependent coverage to age 26, introduced pay for performance strategies to improve care and reduce costs, required 80% of premiums be paid back in benefits, and required all plans to offer the following essential benefits.

Emergency Services
Inpatient care
Maternity and newborn care
Mental health services and addiction treatment
Prescription drugs
Rehabilitative services and devices
Laboratory services
Preventive and wellness services, & chronic disease treatment
Pediatric services including vision and dental to children

Although the number of insured has fallen and will continue to do so, insurance companies are required to offer many additional benefits, previously only available in the best plans.

And your ignorance of the status quo BEFORE Obamacare is really abysmal!
If there were so many other positive values WHY jack up the number with phony 46 million uninsured?
Why not tell the truth that 10 million were not legal... 14 million were already BEFORE ACA eligible for Medicaid/SCHIP and more importantly why
force 18 million people who didn't need insurance under 34, spent less on health services then the premiums and could afford their employers' plan?
Why phony the 4 million that needed it?
Also Obama said to gin up support that ""Up to half of all Americans have a pre-existing condition," he told the crowd in Maryland."
THAT is a bald face lie! Half of all Americans would be 155 million! 85% of all americans that were eligible that wanted insurance were covered so
85% of 310 million is 263 million! So how could half of all Americans have a pre-existing condition that kept them from insurance?
THAT was again a bald face LIE that if ACA was so good why was it needed to lie about that fact?
AND this totally totally stupid lie was shown by the insurance studies that stated this was the number of people with "pre-existing conditions"
Less then 1.5 million!
Insurance industry studies show that one in eight applicants for private health insurance have preexisting conditions that affect their eligibility or premiums.
This gives a total of 1.5 million Americans who were denied health insurance or paid higher premiums due to pre-existing conditions.
Obama s Pre-existing Conditions Whopper - Forbes

NOTE 1.5 million NOT 155 million!

Finally you people are so ignorant about how insurance works especially when it comes to RESERVES.
Obviously you don't think about the future "claims" that people are going to have which is WHY states' insurance regulators REQUIRE reserves!
Where do reserves come from DUMMY???
Profits!
The average insurance company paid out in 2012 80% ALREADY of the premiums in claims! 80%
That leaves for you math shrift people 20%!
Out of the 20% you have to pay office expenses salaries, computers, rent, etc.... that eats up about 16% LEAVING 4% for profits.
YOU idiots... If you have to pay out 80% then that means you can't cover people unless you have your operating expenses and a profit for RESERVES!
If you don't have RESERVES for future claims the insurance regulators SHUT YOU DOWN!!

Do you understand? The whole premise was to as Obama has said "he prefers a single payer system"....
YOU f...king dummies that think that way also..... WHAT happens to the 1,300 companies that have been paying $100 billion a year in taxes?
WHERE will that tax money come from? Dummies... where will the 400,000 people that will be put out work go?
SEE you really really dumb people about health and health insurance were so grossly mislead!
Why aren't you after the lawyers that according to doctors cause $850 billion a year in what is called defensive medicine, duplicate tests, etc. ALL because
doctors are fearful of being sued!
But you ignore that! YOU ignore the biggest cost driver and stupidly depend on ignorant people leading other ignorant people and passed ACA!
So absolutely UNNECESSARY!

 

[Eric Cartman]

2014 allowed for late enrollees.

This is the lowest monthly uninsured rate recorded since Gallup and Healthways began tracking it in January 2008, besting the previous low of 13.9% in September of that year. Also ignored is the employer mandate which begins in 2015.

The implication that reducing the number of insured Americans was the only reason for Obamacare is preposterous. Some people seem to need a little review here. Obamacare eliminated preexisting condition requirements for insurance, removed yearly and lifetime caps on benefits, expanded Medicaid, partially subsided health insurance for low income earners, required insurance to offer dependent coverage to age 26, introduced pay for performance strategies to improve care and reduce costs, required 80% of premiums be paid back in benefits, and required all plans to offer the following essential benefits.

Emergency Services
Inpatient care
Maternity and newborn care
Mental health services and addiction treatment
Prescription drugs
Rehabilitative services and devices
Laboratory services
Preventive and wellness services, & chronic disease treatment
Pediatric services including vision and dental to children

Although the number of insured has fallen and will continue to do so, insurance companies are required to offer many additional benefits, previously only available in the best plans.

And your ignorance of the status quo BEFORE Obamacare is really abysmal!
If there were so many other positive values WHY jack up the number with phony 46 million uninsured?
Why not tell the truth that 10 million were not legal... 14 million were already BEFORE ACA eligible for Medicaid/SCHIP and more importantly why
force 18 million people who didn't need insurance under 34, spent less on health services then the premiums and could afford their employers' plan?
Why phony the 4 million that needed it?
Also Obama said to gin up support that ""Up to half of all Americans have a pre-existing condition," he told the crowd in Maryland."
THAT is a bald face lie! Half of all Americans would be 155 million! 85% of all americans that were eligible that wanted insurance were covered so
85% of 310 million is 263 million! So how could half of all Americans have a pre-existing condition that kept them from insurance?
THAT was again a bald face LIE that if ACA was so good why was it needed to lie about that fact?
AND this totally totally stupid lie was shown by the insurance studies that stated this was the number of people with "pre-existing conditions"
Less then 1.5 million!
Insurance industry studies show that one in eight applicants for private health insurance have preexisting conditions that affect their eligibility or premiums.
This gives a total of 1.5 million Americans who were denied health insurance or paid higher premiums due to pre-existing conditions.
Obama s Pre-existing Conditions Whopper - Forbes

NOTE 1.5 million NOT 155 million!

Finally you people are so ignorant about how insurance works especially when it comes to RESERVES.
Obviously you don't think about the future "claims" that people are going to have which is WHY states' insurance regulators REQUIRE reserves!
Where do reserves come from DUMMY???
Profits!
The average insurance company paid out in 2012 80% ALREADY of the premiums in claims! 80%
That leaves for you math shrift people 20%!
Out of the 20% you have to pay office expenses salaries, computers, rent, etc.... that eats up about 16% LEAVING 4% for profits.
YOU idiots... If you have to pay out 80% then that means you can't cover people unless you have your operating expenses and a profit for RESERVES!
If you don't have RESERVES for future claims the insurance regulators SHUT YOU DOWN!!

Do you understand? The whole premise was to as Obama has said "he prefers a single payer system"....
YOU f...king dummies that think that way also..... WHAT happens to the 1,300 companies that have been paying $100 billion a year in taxes?
WHERE will that tax money come from? Dummies... where will the 400,000 people that will be put out work go?
SEE you really really dumb people about health and health insurance were so grossly mislead!
Why aren't you after the lawyers that according to doctors cause $850 billion a year in what is called defensive medicine, duplicate tests, etc. ALL because
doctors are fearful of being sued!
But you ignore that! YOU ignore the biggest cost driver and stupidly depend on ignorant people leading other ignorant people and passed ACA!
So absolutely UNNECESSARY!

1 Up to half could be 1 person
2 Pre-existing conditions are not always caught by applications/health screenings
3 There is no reason to think that people with existing coverage wouldn't have a higher rate then new applicants for private insurance.
4 RESERVES? how many billions per year would your 4% figure allow?
5 "Where will the tax money come from?" is not a serious question.
6 1300 companies can sell other types of insurance. Would you be sad if everyone stopped committing crimes and all the prison guards lost their jobs?

 

[Flopper]

I was asking about part D of medicare for my father. Seems like he never signed up for part D. So I called his insurance company and asked about a perscription plan. I was told that if he has not signed up there is a penalty for doing so. A person with 5 years is paying a penalty of 20 dollars per month. He is 17 years past 65 I can't imagine the penalty.

So I asked what was the point of the penalty, silence. I finally said I think it is to help them, the insurance company, not my dad.

You have a penalty for delaying the signup for Medicare Part D drug coverage because the need for drugs rises sharply as seniors age yet the yearly premium is not based on age, so the law requires a penalty if you start when your're older. It's the same with part B coverage if you delay it past age 65.

If I had to pay a penalty, I would analysis my drug cost and consider buying from Canadian pharmacies. There are many reliable ones which can save you 50% to 75% off the cost of brand name drugs.

I would assume, as someone pointed out, the penalty for him would be the max. At 88 he still doesn't take that many drugs and the pharmacy gives his a discount. So it would not pay him to pay the penalty might as well keep on keeping on. EXCEPT, he is having an operation and the drug they want him to take is pretty damn expensive. But in the long run it will be less then paying for a drug plan.

I have Medicare Drug coverage as do several people in my family. I can say without a doubt that for some people the coverage is worthless, at least until the time comes that you have a serious illness.

Case in point - my brother who had Medicare drug coverage took 2 generics a month which he could buy without insurance for $22. His drug coverage premium was about $35 a month and his copay was $10 a month. So the insurance looked like a real looser until he got a cancer diagnosis followed by several other problems. Suddenly the cost of drugs went from $22/mo. to over $6,000 a month, about $35,000 in the first year of his illness. His cost using the Medicare drug coverage including premium was just over $7,500 for the year. Had he not had Medicare drug coverage, he could have bought the drugs through Canada and the cost would have been about $17,000.

I've had Medicare drug coverage for some years and could have save money by not carrying it, however I could be on drugs costing $3,000/mo next week. Like most insurance, it's a crap shoot. You pay or don't pay your money and take your chances.

 

[Flopper]

2014 allowed for late enrollees.

This is the lowest monthly uninsured rate recorded since Gallup and Healthways began tracking it in January 2008, besting the previous low of 13.9% in September of that year. Also ignored is the employer mandate which begins in 2015.

The implication that reducing the number of insured Americans was the only reason for Obamacare is preposterous. Some people seem to need a little review here. Obamacare eliminated preexisting condition requirements for insurance, removed yearly and lifetime caps on benefits, expanded Medicaid, partially subsided health insurance for low income earners, required insurance to offer dependent coverage to age 26, introduced pay for performance strategies to improve care and reduce costs, required 80% of premiums be paid back in benefits, and required all plans to offer the following essential benefits.

Emergency Services
Inpatient care
Maternity and newborn care
Mental health services and addiction treatment
Prescription drugs
Rehabilitative services and devices
Laboratory services
Preventive and wellness services, & chronic disease treatment
Pediatric services including vision and dental to children

Although the number of insured has fallen and will continue to do so, insurance companies are required to offer many additional benefits, previously only available in the best plans.

And your ignorance of the status quo BEFORE Obamacare is really abysmal!
If there were so many other positive values WHY jack up the number with phony 46 million uninsured?
Why not tell the truth that 10 million were not legal... 14 million were already BEFORE ACA eligible for Medicaid/SCHIP and more importantly why
force 18 million people who didn't need insurance under 34, spent less on health services then the premiums and could afford their employers' plan?
Why phony the 4 million that needed it?
Also Obama said to gin up support that ""Up to half of all Americans have a pre-existing condition," he told the crowd in Maryland."
THAT is a bald face lie! Half of all Americans would be 155 million! 85% of all americans that were eligible that wanted insurance were covered so
85% of 310 million is 263 million! So how could half of all Americans have a pre-existing condition that kept them from insurance?
THAT was again a bald face LIE that if ACA was so good why was it needed to lie about that fact?
AND this totally totally stupid lie was shown by the insurance studies that stated this was the number of people with "pre-existing conditions"
Less then 1.5 million!
Insurance industry studies show that one in eight applicants for private health insurance have preexisting conditions that affect their eligibility or premiums.
This gives a total of 1.5 million Americans who were denied health insurance or paid higher premiums due to pre-existing conditions.
Obama s Pre-existing Conditions Whopper - Forbes

NOTE 1.5 million NOT 155 million!

Finally you people are so ignorant about how insurance works especially when it comes to RESERVES.
Obviously you don't think about the future "claims" that people are going to have which is WHY states' insurance regulators REQUIRE reserves!
Where do reserves come from DUMMY???
Profits!
The average insurance company paid out in 2012 80% ALREADY of the premiums in claims! 80%
That leaves for you math shrift people 20%!
Out of the 20% you have to pay office expenses salaries, computers, rent, etc.... that eats up about 16% LEAVING 4% for profits.
YOU idiots... If you have to pay out 80% then that means you can't cover people unless you have your operating expenses and a profit for RESERVES!
If you don't have RESERVES for future claims the insurance regulators SHUT YOU DOWN!!

Do you understand? The whole premise was to as Obama has said "he prefers a single payer system"....
YOU f...king dummies that think that way also..... WHAT happens to the 1,300 companies that have been paying $100 billion a year in taxes?
WHERE will that tax money come from? Dummies... where will the 400,000 people that will be put out work go?
SEE you really really dumb people about health and health insurance were so grossly mislead!
Why aren't you after the lawyers that according to doctors cause $850 billion a year in what is called defensive medicine, duplicate tests, etc. ALL because
doctors are fearful of being sued!
But you ignore that! YOU ignore the biggest cost driver and stupidly depend on ignorant people leading other ignorant people and passed ACA!
So absolutely UNNECESSARY!

The 20% for the insurance company and 80% in benefits is more than reasonable. The 80% includes cost that improve healthcare which can include a lot of overhead and administrative costs some which even reduces cost. Keep in mind that the cost of Medicare overhead is 2% to 5% depending on whose figures you believe. IMHO, 20% is too high.

 

[Rotagilla]

Obamacare is finished. It doesnt matter what its purpose was.

What makes you say that?

Obamacare is here to stay. I have no doubt that there will be changes in the coming years but the most important features, no preexisting condition, subsidies for the poor, expanded Medicaid, required essential coverage and benefits will remain. Obama would certainly veto any repeal.

Let him veto it...he'll be gone eventually.
america doesn't want obamacare...and has had enough of obama.

 

[Politico]

When I was born (1963) the hospital stay cost my parents $50.

Can we go back to that?

Sorry no. You can thank Reagan for that among other things.

 

[asterism]

I was asking about part D of medicare for my father. Seems like he never signed up for part D. So I called his insurance company and asked about a perscription plan. I was told that if he has not signed up there is a penalty for doing so. A person with 5 years is paying a penalty of 20 dollars per month. He is 17 years past 65 I can't imagine the penalty.

So I asked what was the point of the penalty, silence. I finally said I think it is to help them, the insurance company, not my dad.

You have a penalty for delaying the signup for Medicare Part D drug coverage because the need for drugs rises sharply as seniors age yet the yearly premium is not based on age, so the law requires a penalty if you start when your're older. It's the same with part B coverage if you delay it past age 65.

If I had to pay a penalty, I would analysis my drug cost and consider buying from Canadian pharmacies. There are many reliable ones which can save you 50% to 75% off the cost of brand name drugs.

I would assume, as someone pointed out, the penalty for him would be the max. At 88 he still doesn't take that many drugs and the pharmacy gives his a discount. So it would not pay him to pay the penalty might as well keep on keeping on. EXCEPT, he is having an operation and the drug they want him to take is pretty damn expensive. But in the long run it will be less then paying for a drug plan.

I have Medicare Drug coverage as do several people in my family. I can say without a doubt that for some people the coverage is worthless, at least until the time comes that you have a serious illness.

Case in point - my brother who had Medicare drug coverage took 2 generics a month which he could buy without insurance for $22. His drug coverage premium was about $35 a month and his copay was $10 a month. So the insurance looked like a real looser until he got a cancer diagnosis followed by several other problems. Suddenly the cost of drugs went from $22/mo. to over $6,000 a month, about $35,000 in the first year of his illness. His cost using the Medicare drug coverage including premium was just over $7,500 for the year. Had he not had Medicare drug coverage, he could have bought the drugs through Canada and the cost would have been about $17,000.

I've had Medicare drug coverage for some years and could have save money by not carrying it, however I could be on drugs costing $3,000/mo next week. Like most insurance, it's a crap shoot. You pay or don't pay your money and take your chances.

Cancer drugs are not covered by Part D, they are covered by Part B so the drug plan is irrelevant in his case.

 

[Freewill]

I was asking about part D of medicare for my father. Seems like he never signed up for part D. So I called his insurance company and asked about a perscription plan. I was told that if he has not signed up there is a penalty for doing so. A person with 5 years is paying a penalty of 20 dollars per month. He is 17 years past 65 I can't imagine the penalty.

So I asked what was the point of the penalty, silence. I finally said I think it is to help them, the insurance company, not my dad.

You have a penalty for delaying the signup for Medicare Part D drug coverage because the need for drugs rises sharply as seniors age yet the yearly premium is not based on age, so the law requires a penalty if you start when your're older. It's the same with part B coverage if you delay it past age 65.

If I had to pay a penalty, I would analysis my drug cost and consider buying from Canadian pharmacies. There are many reliable ones which can save you 50% to 75% off the cost of brand name drugs.

I would assume, as someone pointed out, the penalty for him would be the max. At 88 he still doesn't take that many drugs and the pharmacy gives his a discount. So it would not pay him to pay the penalty might as well keep on keeping on. EXCEPT, he is having an operation and the drug they want him to take is pretty damn expensive. But in the long run it will be less then paying for a drug plan.

I have Medicare Drug coverage as do several people in my family. I can say without a doubt that for some people the coverage is worthless, at least until the time comes that you have a serious illness.

Case in point - my brother who had Medicare drug coverage took 2 generics a month which he could buy without insurance for $22. His drug coverage premium was about $35 a month and his copay was $10 a month. So the insurance looked like a real looser until he got a cancer diagnosis followed by several other problems. Suddenly the cost of drugs went from $22/mo. to over $6,000 a month, about $35,000 in the first year of his illness. His cost using the Medicare drug coverage including premium was just over $7,500 for the year. Had he not had Medicare drug coverage, he could have bought the drugs through Canada and the cost would have been about $17,000.

I've had Medicare drug coverage for some years and could have save money by not carrying it, however I could be on drugs costing $3,000/mo next week. Like most insurance, it's a crap shoot. You pay or don't pay your money and take your chances.

Cancer drugs are not covered by Part D, they are covered by Part B so the drug plan is irrelevant in his case.

So what is your opinion? He is 88, his drug cost right now might be 20 per month. If I read correctly the penalty for him would be 32/month. He can get drugs through the VA, he does but not all, for some reason I don't understand.

 

[Freewill]

2014 allowed for late enrollees.

This is the lowest monthly uninsured rate recorded since Gallup and Healthways began tracking it in January 2008, besting the previous low of 13.9% in September of that year. Also ignored is the employer mandate which begins in 2015.

The implication that reducing the number of insured Americans was the only reason for Obamacare is preposterous. Some people seem to need a little review here. Obamacare eliminated preexisting condition requirements for insurance, removed yearly and lifetime caps on benefits, expanded Medicaid, partially subsided health insurance for low income earners, required insurance to offer dependent coverage to age 26, introduced pay for performance strategies to improve care and reduce costs, required 80% of premiums be paid back in benefits, and required all plans to offer the following essential benefits.

Emergency Services
Inpatient care
Maternity and newborn care
Mental health services and addiction treatment
Prescription drugs
Rehabilitative services and devices
Laboratory services
Preventive and wellness services, & chronic disease treatment
Pediatric services including vision and dental to children

Although the number of insured has fallen and will continue to do so, insurance companies are required to offer many additional benefits, previously only available in the best plans.

And your ignorance of the status quo BEFORE Obamacare is really abysmal!
If there were so many other positive values WHY jack up the number with phony 46 million uninsured?
Why not tell the truth that 10 million were not legal... 14 million were already BEFORE ACA eligible for Medicaid/SCHIP and more importantly why
force 18 million people who didn't need insurance under 34, spent less on health services then the premiums and could afford their employers' plan?
Why phony the 4 million that needed it?
Also Obama said to gin up support that ""Up to half of all Americans have a pre-existing condition," he told the crowd in Maryland."
THAT is a bald face lie! Half of all Americans would be 155 million! 85% of all americans that were eligible that wanted insurance were covered so
85% of 310 million is 263 million! So how could half of all Americans have a pre-existing condition that kept them from insurance?
THAT was again a bald face LIE that if ACA was so good why was it needed to lie about that fact?
AND this totally totally stupid lie was shown by the insurance studies that stated this was the number of people with "pre-existing conditions"
Less then 1.5 million!
Insurance industry studies show that one in eight applicants for private health insurance have preexisting conditions that affect their eligibility or premiums.
This gives a total of 1.5 million Americans who were denied health insurance or paid higher premiums due to pre-existing conditions.
Obama s Pre-existing Conditions Whopper - Forbes

NOTE 1.5 million NOT 155 million!

Finally you people are so ignorant about how insurance works especially when it comes to RESERVES.
Obviously you don't think about the future "claims" that people are going to have which is WHY states' insurance regulators REQUIRE reserves!
Where do reserves come from DUMMY???
Profits!
The average insurance company paid out in 2012 80% ALREADY of the premiums in claims! 80%
That leaves for you math shrift people 20%!
Out of the 20% you have to pay office expenses salaries, computers, rent, etc.... that eats up about 16% LEAVING 4% for profits.
YOU idiots... If you have to pay out 80% then that means you can't cover people unless you have your operating expenses and a profit for RESERVES!
If you don't have RESERVES for future claims the insurance regulators SHUT YOU DOWN!!

Do you understand? The whole premise was to as Obama has said "he prefers a single payer system"....
YOU f...king dummies that think that way also..... WHAT happens to the 1,300 companies that have been paying $100 billion a year in taxes?
WHERE will that tax money come from? Dummies... where will the 400,000 people that will be put out work go?
SEE you really really dumb people about health and health insurance were so grossly mislead!
Why aren't you after the lawyers that according to doctors cause $850 billion a year in what is called defensive medicine, duplicate tests, etc. ALL because
doctors are fearful of being sued!
But you ignore that! YOU ignore the biggest cost driver and stupidly depend on ignorant people leading other ignorant people and passed ACA!
So absolutely UNNECESSARY!

If I were to be hired, before ACA, and the company provided healthcare I do not remember any questions being ask about preexisting conditions. Could be that I don't have any so they didn't ask or refuse coverage.

 

[healthmyths]

2014 allowed for late enrollees.

This is the lowest monthly uninsured rate recorded since Gallup and Healthways began tracking it in January 2008, besting the previous low of 13.9% in September of that year. Also ignored is the employer mandate which begins in 2015.

The implication that reducing the number of insured Americans was the only reason for Obamacare is preposterous. Some people seem to need a little review here. Obamacare eliminated preexisting condition requirements for insurance, removed yearly and lifetime caps on benefits, expanded Medicaid, partially subsided health insurance for low income earners, required insurance to offer dependent coverage to age 26, introduced pay for performance strategies to improve care and reduce costs, required 80% of premiums be paid back in benefits, and required all plans to offer the following essential benefits.

Emergency Services
Inpatient care
Maternity and newborn care
Mental health services and addiction treatment
Prescription drugs
Rehabilitative services and devices
Laboratory services
Preventive and wellness services, & chronic disease treatment
Pediatric services including vision and dental to children

Although the number of insured has fallen and will continue to do so, insurance companies are required to offer many additional benefits, previously only available in the best plans.

And your ignorance of the status quo BEFORE Obamacare is really abysmal!
If there were so many other positive values WHY jack up the number with phony 46 million uninsured?
Why not tell the truth that 10 million were not legal... 14 million were already BEFORE ACA eligible for Medicaid/SCHIP and more importantly why
force 18 million people who didn't need insurance under 34, spent less on health services then the premiums and could afford their employers' plan?
Why phony the 4 million that needed it?
Also Obama said to gin up support that ""Up to half of all Americans have a pre-existing condition," he told the crowd in Maryland."
THAT is a bald face lie! Half of all Americans would be 155 million! 85% of all americans that were eligible that wanted insurance were covered so
85% of 310 million is 263 million! So how could half of all Americans have a pre-existing condition that kept them from insurance?
THAT was again a bald face LIE that if ACA was so good why was it needed to lie about that fact?
AND this totally totally stupid lie was shown by the insurance studies that stated this was the number of people with "pre-existing conditions"
Less then 1.5 million!
Insurance industry studies show that one in eight applicants for private health insurance have preexisting conditions that affect their eligibility or premiums.
This gives a total of 1.5 million Americans who were denied health insurance or paid higher premiums due to pre-existing conditions.
Obama s Pre-existing Conditions Whopper - Forbes

NOTE 1.5 million NOT 155 million!

Finally you people are so ignorant about how insurance works especially when it comes to RESERVES.
Obviously you don't think about the future "claims" that people are going to have which is WHY states' insurance regulators REQUIRE reserves!
Where do reserves come from DUMMY???
Profits!
The average insurance company paid out in 2012 80% ALREADY of the premiums in claims! 80%
That leaves for you math shrift people 20%!
Out of the 20% you have to pay office expenses salaries, computers, rent, etc.... that eats up about 16% LEAVING 4% for profits.
YOU idiots... If you have to pay out 80% then that means you can't cover people unless you have your operating expenses and a profit for RESERVES!
If you don't have RESERVES for future claims the insurance regulators SHUT YOU DOWN!!

Do you understand? The whole premise was to as Obama has said "he prefers a single payer system"....
YOU f...king dummies that think that way also..... WHAT happens to the 1,300 companies that have been paying $100 billion a year in taxes?
WHERE will that tax money come from? Dummies... where will the 400,000 people that will be put out work go?
SEE you really really dumb people about health and health insurance were so grossly mislead!
Why aren't you after the lawyers that according to doctors cause $850 billion a year in what is called defensive medicine, duplicate tests, etc. ALL because
doctors are fearful of being sued!
But you ignore that! YOU ignore the biggest cost driver and stupidly depend on ignorant people leading other ignorant people and passed ACA!
So absolutely UNNECESSARY!

The 20% for the insurance company and 80% in benefits is more than reasonable. The 80% includes cost that improve healthcare which can include a lot of overhead and administrative costs some which even reduces cost. Keep in mind that the cost of Medicare overhead is 2% to 5% depending on whose figures you believe. IMHO, 20% is too high.

AGAIN YOU ARE so ignorant about Medicare and insurance costs!
MEDICARE PAYS NO CLAIMS! They Process NO CLAIMS!
Here is a map of the for profit organizations that PAY the claims and as a result that MYTH of 2 to 5% OVERHEAD is just that!
Medicare uses these contractors to administer Medicare, to keep track of providers, to administer Medicare and in many cases it is a LOSS leader for the for profit contractors!
Review Contractor Directory - Interactive Map Center for Medicare Medicaid Services
For example: Click on Florida and you will About Us
First Coast has built a distinguished reputation as one of the nation’s largest and most trusted Medicare administrators since the program’s inception in 1966.
First Coast’s exemplary record is founded upon its steadfast philosophy of the right things, the right way as well as its long history of diligent compliance with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) guidelines and regulations.
Now read why Medicare has a mythical 2 to 5%!!!

Medicare Administrative Contractors - Centers for Medicare Medicaid Services
CMS relies on a network of MACs to process Medicare claims, and MACs serve as the primary operational contact between the Medicare Fee-For-Service program, and approximately 1.5 million health care providers enrolled in the program. MACs enroll health care providers in the Medicare program and educate providers on Medicare billing requirements, in addition to answering provider and beneficiary inquiries. Collectively, the MACs and the other Medicare claims administration contractors process nearly 4.9 million Medicare claims each business day, and disburse more than $365 billion annually in program payments.
That's 1,795,500,000 claims NOT processed by Medicare BUT BY CONTRACTORS who have the people and resources that are the overhead!

Again your ignorance and people that favor ACA is so blatant!

You totally ignore my expertise in health finance comment regarding what 90% of doctors agree they do...duplicate tests,etc. all because of fear of lawsuits and thus a gross over blown expenses paid by insurance companies and Medicare known as $850,000 BILLION A YEAR IN DEFENSIVE MEDICINE!
My expertise is building a system that every day thousands of Medicare providers contact to find out if their claims will be paid. I know Medicare better then most people and I definitely know it better then YOU!

 

[healthmyths]

2014 allowed for late enrollees.

This is the lowest monthly uninsured rate recorded since Gallup and Healthways began tracking it in January 2008, besting the previous low of 13.9% in September of that year. Also ignored is the employer mandate which begins in 2015.

The implication that reducing the number of insured Americans was the only reason for Obamacare is preposterous. Some people seem to need a little review here. Obamacare eliminated preexisting condition requirements for insurance, removed yearly and lifetime caps on benefits, expanded Medicaid, partially subsided health insurance for low income earners, required insurance to offer dependent coverage to age 26, introduced pay for performance strategies to improve care and reduce costs, required 80% of premiums be paid back in benefits, and required all plans to offer the following essential benefits.

Emergency Services
Inpatient care
Maternity and newborn care
Mental health services and addiction treatment
Prescription drugs
Rehabilitative services and devices
Laboratory services
Preventive and wellness services, & chronic disease treatment
Pediatric services including vision and dental to children

Although the number of insured has fallen and will continue to do so, insurance companies are required to offer many additional benefits, previously only available in the best plans.

And your ignorance of the status quo BEFORE Obamacare is really abysmal!
If there were so many other positive values WHY jack up the number with phony 46 million uninsured?
Why not tell the truth that 10 million were not legal... 14 million were already BEFORE ACA eligible for Medicaid/SCHIP and more importantly why
force 18 million people who didn't need insurance under 34, spent less on health services then the premiums and could afford their employers' plan?
Why phony the 4 million that needed it?
Also Obama said to gin up support that ""Up to half of all Americans have a pre-existing condition," he told the crowd in Maryland."
THAT is a bald face lie! Half of all Americans would be 155 million! 85% of all americans that were eligible that wanted insurance were covered so
85% of 310 million is 263 million! So how could half of all Americans have a pre-existing condition that kept them from insurance?
THAT was again a bald face LIE that if ACA was so good why was it needed to lie about that fact?
AND this totally totally stupid lie was shown by the insurance studies that stated this was the number of people with "pre-existing conditions"
Less then 1.5 million!
Insurance industry studies show that one in eight applicants for private health insurance have preexisting conditions that affect their eligibility or premiums.
This gives a total of 1.5 million Americans who were denied health insurance or paid higher premiums due to pre-existing conditions.
Obama s Pre-existing Conditions Whopper - Forbes

NOTE 1.5 million NOT 155 million!

Finally you people are so ignorant about how insurance works especially when it comes to RESERVES.
Obviously you don't think about the future "claims" that people are going to have which is WHY states' insurance regulators REQUIRE reserves!
Where do reserves come from DUMMY???
Profits!
The average insurance company paid out in 2012 80% ALREADY of the premiums in claims! 80%
That leaves for you math shrift people 20%!
Out of the 20% you have to pay office expenses salaries, computers, rent, etc.... that eats up about 16% LEAVING 4% for profits.
YOU idiots... If you have to pay out 80% then that means you can't cover people unless you have your operating expenses and a profit for RESERVES!
If you don't have RESERVES for future claims the insurance regulators SHUT YOU DOWN!!

Do you understand? The whole premise was to as Obama has said "he prefers a single payer system"....
YOU f...king dummies that think that way also..... WHAT happens to the 1,300 companies that have been paying $100 billion a year in taxes?
WHERE will that tax money come from? Dummies... where will the 400,000 people that will be put out work go?
SEE you really really dumb people about health and health insurance were so grossly mislead!
Why aren't you after the lawyers that according to doctors cause $850 billion a year in what is called defensive medicine, duplicate tests, etc. ALL because
doctors are fearful of being sued!
But you ignore that! YOU ignore the biggest cost driver and stupidly depend on ignorant people leading other ignorant people and passed ACA!
So absolutely UNNECESSARY!

1 Up to half could be 1 person
2 Pre-existing conditions are not always caught by applications/health screenings
3 There is no reason to think that people with existing coverage wouldn't have a higher rate then new applicants for private insurance.
4 RESERVES? how many billions per year would your 4% figure allow?
5 "Where will the tax money come from?" is not a serious question.
6 1300 companies can sell other types of insurance. Would you be sad if everyone stopped committing crimes and all the prison guards lost their jobs?

Your comments debunked point by point!!
1.)
ARE YOU REALLY that poor of a reader?? Obama SAID..."Up to half of all Americans have a pre-existing condition," he told the crowd in Maryland
For such simpleminded person HE SAID HALF of ALL AMERICANS... (310 million Americans... 1/2 of 310 million is 155 million!)
DO YOU understand the ignorance of that comment? If 85% of all Americans have some form of coverage that is 263 million! So how in the world can
there be 155 million with "pre-existing conditions" that DON"T have insurance which is the purpose of ACA according to Obama!

2. There never were 155 million! There were less then 1.5 million some of which pay a higher premium BUT no where near 155 million Obama alluded to!

3. This point makes absolutely NO SENSE!!
4. RESERVES?
A) you dummy 4% is before paying income taxes and then paying out dividends.
B) RESERVES under STATE insurance regulations are a % of projected claims and varies state by state... but this issue there must be profits to have a reserve!
5.) The loss of $100 billion in tax revenue a year is not a serious question maybe to you as you pay no taxes but tell that to the property owners in the cities
where these 1,300 insurance companies pay rent/or property taxes that will be abandoned such as Detroit! Want to see the effect of no businesses? Visit Detroit!
Also how f...king stupid! Each of these for profit companies pay taxes which in turn SUBSIDIZE those NON-profits...with those taxes!
Take away $100 billion a year in Federal/state/local/property taxes and see what will happen!
6.) You are right. They already do sell other insurance and guess what dummy! To make up the losses of their health insurance they raise their rates! Good business
sense and the next thing you will have fewer and fewer companies to choose from ...i.e. monopolies. Finally complete state run businesses!
Of course idiots like you womb to tombers don't care cause you are really lazy sons of bi...!

 

[healthmyths]

2014 allowed for late enrollees.

This is the lowest monthly uninsured rate recorded since Gallup and Healthways began tracking it in January 2008, besting the previous low of 13.9% in September of that year. Also ignored is the employer mandate which begins in 2015.

The implication that reducing the number of insured Americans was the only reason for Obamacare is preposterous. Some people seem to need a little review here. Obamacare eliminated preexisting condition requirements for insurance, removed yearly and lifetime caps on benefits, expanded Medicaid, partially subsided health insurance for low income earners, required insurance to offer dependent coverage to age 26, introduced pay for performance strategies to improve care and reduce costs, required 80% of premiums be paid back in benefits, and required all plans to offer the following essential benefits.

Emergency Services
Inpatient care
Maternity and newborn care
Mental health services and addiction treatment
Prescription drugs
Rehabilitative services and devices
Laboratory services
Preventive and wellness services, & chronic disease treatment
Pediatric services including vision and dental to children

Although the number of insured has fallen and will continue to do so, insurance companies are required to offer many additional benefits, previously only available in the best plans.

And your ignorance of the status quo BEFORE Obamacare is really abysmal!
If there were so many other positive values WHY jack up the number with phony 46 million uninsured?
Why not tell the truth that 10 million were not legal... 14 million were already BEFORE ACA eligible for Medicaid/SCHIP and more importantly why
force 18 million people who didn't need insurance under 34, spent less on health services then the premiums and could afford their employers' plan?
Why phony the 4 million that needed it?
Also Obama said to gin up support that ""Up to half of all Americans have a pre-existing condition," he told the crowd in Maryland."
THAT is a bald face lie! Half of all Americans would be 155 million! 85% of all americans that were eligible that wanted insurance were covered so
85% of 310 million is 263 million! So how could half of all Americans have a pre-existing condition that kept them from insurance?
THAT was again a bald face LIE that if ACA was so good why was it needed to lie about that fact?
AND this totally totally stupid lie was shown by the insurance studies that stated this was the number of people with "pre-existing conditions"
Less then 1.5 million!
Insurance industry studies show that one in eight applicants for private health insurance have preexisting conditions that affect their eligibility or premiums.
This gives a total of 1.5 million Americans who were denied health insurance or paid higher premiums due to pre-existing conditions.
Obama s Pre-existing Conditions Whopper - Forbes

NOTE 1.5 million NOT 155 million!

Finally you people are so ignorant about how insurance works especially when it comes to RESERVES.
Obviously you don't think about the future "claims" that people are going to have which is WHY states' insurance regulators REQUIRE reserves!
Where do reserves come from DUMMY???
Profits!
The average insurance company paid out in 2012 80% ALREADY of the premiums in claims! 80%
That leaves for you math shrift people 20%!
Out of the 20% you have to pay office expenses salaries, computers, rent, etc.... that eats up about 16% LEAVING 4% for profits.
YOU idiots... If you have to pay out 80% then that means you can't cover people unless you have your operating expenses and a profit for RESERVES!
If you don't have RESERVES for future claims the insurance regulators SHUT YOU DOWN!!

Do you understand? The whole premise was to as Obama has said "he prefers a single payer system"....
YOU f...king dummies that think that way also..... WHAT happens to the 1,300 companies that have been paying $100 billion a year in taxes?
WHERE will that tax money come from? Dummies... where will the 400,000 people that will be put out work go?
SEE you really really dumb people about health and health insurance were so grossly mislead!
Why aren't you after the lawyers that according to doctors cause $850 billion a year in what is called defensive medicine, duplicate tests, etc. ALL because
doctors are fearful of being sued!
But you ignore that! YOU ignore the biggest cost driver and stupidly depend on ignorant people leading other ignorant people and passed ACA!
So absolutely UNNECESSARY!

If I were to be hired, before ACA, and the company provided healthcare I do not remember any questions being ask about preexisting conditions. Could be that I don't have any so they didn't ask or refuse coverage.

BECAUSE of this reason:
You were part of a group insurance plan and the risks are spread out over the group.
Private individual insurance didn't have a "group" to spread the risk!
So for example from Obamacare web site:ObamaCare and Smokers
• ObamaCare says smokers can be charged up to 50% more for their premiums. This is due to a “tobacco surcharge”.
• The tobacco premium surcharge is calculated after cost assistance.
• The ObamaCare smokers glitch means the surcharge won’t go into affect until 2015.
• Statistically, lower-income Americans are the most likely group to smoke.

 

[boedicca]

Having had a spouse die from cancer and still having copies of all the bills which were submitted to Empire Blue ($1,300,000.00+/-) for his care over almost 4 years, I can tell you that insurance companies want cancer patients to die and die quickly. If they don't and the bills mount up from the docs and hospitals, they will fight you tooth and nail before they pay. And our policy was through an Ivy League university, not some off-brand worthless paper.

And what is driving costs up isn't Obamacare, it's the millions of people who relied on the ER because they had no insurance. Repeal Obamacare and your bills will go so far up your tacky self that you'll end up going to the ER for the flu or worse, too.

First, condolences on your loss. What a horrible thing o happen to your spouse and you.

But I have to ask: if you think insurance companies want cancer patients to die, what on earth do you think will keep government bureaucrat managed insurance from not just supersizing that lack of concern? We've already seen the callous disregard at the VA. That is a preview of coming attractions.

 

[boedicca]

When I was born (1963) the hospital stay cost my parents $50.

Can we go back to that?

I've come to the conclusion that what we pay in co-pays is what health care would cost if there were no insurance whatsoever. By making health insurance a tax deductible benefit for corporations (thanks to FDR's wage controls), the net result has been to suppress wage growth while money is funneled to Big Insurance Government Cronies.

That is exactly the case I saw twice. In the first situation my wife got pregnant with our son and the co-pay for all maternity treatment including childbirth was $5000. We moved shortly after my son was born and had new insurance without the maternity rider. She got pregnant (surprise) and we had to pay for all of the maternity and childbirth expenses out of pocket (insurance was not covering it). The total was just over $5100.

In the second situation one of my daughters caught a nasty flu when she was 6. The co-pays using our in-network pediatrician were $375 including the medication. My next oldest daughter was 5 and caught the same flu a week later and I was frustrated with the 3 hours I had to wait for each of my other daughter's appointments so I went to a cash-only doctor. The total cash (no insurance billing) cost was just under $380.

Bingo. All insurance does is subsidize all the expenses and profits of the insurance company.

And rip off the consumer, you left that out. But then that's why insurance companies love twits like you.

Back to treating you as you deserve.

Government Heathcare just rips off consumers at the POINT OF A GUN, you sad sack of brainwashed goo.

 

[Flopper]

Obamacare is finished. It doesnt matter what its purpose was.

What makes you say that?

Obamacare is here to stay. I have no doubt that there will be changes in the coming years but the most important features, no preexisting condition, subsidies for the poor, expanded Medicaid, required essential coverage and benefits will remain. Obama would certainly veto any repeal.

Let him veto it...he'll be gone eventually.
america doesn't want obamacare...and has had enough of obama.

He'll be gone, but Obamacare will remain because Congress would be faced with a far greater challenge replacing it than Democrats did in creating it.

Republicans actually like a lot about Obamacare. It’s great business for health insurance companies, which in turn give plenty of money to Republicans. Republicans have also always agreed that more Americans need to be covered by health insurance. They just haven’t always agreed on how to get there.

Insurance companies have seen their stock prices double since the ACA began. Earnings estimates are up and they see a bright future with the ACA. Remember the fight the insurance companies put up in 2009. That would be nothing compared to the fight to maintain mandatory coverage. "Republicans are not going to try to repeal a law that has been such a boon to insurers: They are still a Republican constituency group." Hospitals, the medical service industry, and drug companies all have have a major interest in seeing the number of uninsured continue to fall.

Ask voters if they like Obamacare, and many will say no — 48 percent in the latest NBC News poll. But ask about specific provisions, and they’re very popular. People like laws that prevent insurance companies from pulling their insurance just as they become really sick and need it. They like provisions that allow young adults to stay on their parents’ plans. And they really like government subsidies.

As many as 10 million people already have health insurance on the exchanges The Congressional Budget Office projects that 26 million people will buy health insurance on the exchanges by 2022 and that 12 million people will become newly eligible for Medicaid in the states that choose to expand their offerings by 2022. It would be difficult to take insurance away from that many people.

Lastly, there is no way to tweak the law and still keep the parts that people really want. There will certainly be changes to the law in coming years but there's no way of turning the clock back to 2008.

Here to Stay Why the New Republican Congress Can t Gut Obamacare - NBC News

 

[Eric Cartman]

2014 allowed for late enrollees.

This is the lowest monthly uninsured rate recorded since Gallup and Healthways began tracking it in January 2008, besting the previous low of 13.9% in September of that year. Also ignored is the employer mandate which begins in 2015.

The implication that reducing the number of insured Americans was the only reason for Obamacare is preposterous. Some people seem to need a little review here. Obamacare eliminated preexisting condition requirements for insurance, removed yearly and lifetime caps on benefits, expanded Medicaid, partially subsided health insurance for low income earners, required insurance to offer dependent coverage to age 26, introduced pay for performance strategies to improve care and reduce costs, required 80% of premiums be paid back in benefits, and required all plans to offer the following essential benefits.

Emergency Services
Inpatient care
Maternity and newborn care
Mental health services and addiction treatment
Prescription drugs
Rehabilitative services and devices
Laboratory services
Preventive and wellness services, & chronic disease treatment
Pediatric services including vision and dental to children

Although the number of insured has fallen and will continue to do so, insurance companies are required to offer many additional benefits, previously only available in the best plans.

And your ignorance of the status quo BEFORE Obamacare is really abysmal!
If there were so many other positive values WHY jack up the number with phony 46 million uninsured?
Why not tell the truth that 10 million were not legal... 14 million were already BEFORE ACA eligible for Medicaid/SCHIP and more importantly why
force 18 million people who didn't need insurance under 34, spent less on health services then the premiums and could afford their employers' plan?
Why phony the 4 million that needed it?
Also Obama said to gin up support that ""Up to half of all Americans have a pre-existing condition," he told the crowd in Maryland."
THAT is a bald face lie! Half of all Americans would be 155 million! 85% of all americans that were eligible that wanted insurance were covered so
85% of 310 million is 263 million! So how could half of all Americans have a pre-existing condition that kept them from insurance?
THAT was again a bald face LIE that if ACA was so good why was it needed to lie about that fact?
AND this totally totally stupid lie was shown by the insurance studies that stated this was the number of people with "pre-existing conditions"
Less then 1.5 million!
Insurance industry studies show that one in eight applicants for private health insurance have preexisting conditions that affect their eligibility or premiums.
This gives a total of 1.5 million Americans who were denied health insurance or paid higher premiums due to pre-existing conditions.
Obama s Pre-existing Conditions Whopper - Forbes

NOTE 1.5 million NOT 155 million!

Finally you people are so ignorant about how insurance works especially when it comes to RESERVES.
Obviously you don't think about the future "claims" that people are going to have which is WHY states' insurance regulators REQUIRE reserves!
Where do reserves come from DUMMY???
Profits!
The average insurance company paid out in 2012 80% ALREADY of the premiums in claims! 80%
That leaves for you math shrift people 20%!
Out of the 20% you have to pay office expenses salaries, computers, rent, etc.... that eats up about 16% LEAVING 4% for profits.
YOU idiots... If you have to pay out 80% then that means you can't cover people unless you have your operating expenses and a profit for RESERVES!
If you don't have RESERVES for future claims the insurance regulators SHUT YOU DOWN!!

Do you understand? The whole premise was to as Obama has said "he prefers a single payer system"....
YOU f...king dummies that think that way also..... WHAT happens to the 1,300 companies that have been paying $100 billion a year in taxes?
WHERE will that tax money come from? Dummies... where will the 400,000 people that will be put out work go?
SEE you really really dumb people about health and health insurance were so grossly mislead!
Why aren't you after the lawyers that according to doctors cause $850 billion a year in what is called defensive medicine, duplicate tests, etc. ALL because
doctors are fearful of being sued!
But you ignore that! YOU ignore the biggest cost driver and stupidly depend on ignorant people leading other ignorant people and passed ACA!
So absolutely UNNECESSARY!

1 Up to half could be 1 person
2 Pre-existing conditions are not always caught by applications/health screenings
3 There is no reason to think that people with existing coverage wouldn't have a higher rate then new applicants for private insurance.
4 RESERVES? how many billions per year would your 4% figure allow?
5 "Where will the tax money come from?" is not a serious question.
6 1300 companies can sell other types of insurance. Would you be sad if everyone stopped committing crimes and all the prison guards lost their jobs?

Your comments debunked point by point!!
1.)
ARE YOU REALLY that poor of a reader?? Obama SAID..."Up to half of all Americans have a pre-existing condition," he told the crowd in Maryland
For such simpleminded person HE SAID HALF of ALL AMERICANS... (310 million Americans... 1/2 of 310 million is 155 million!)
DO YOU understand the ignorance of that comment? If 85% of all Americans have some form of coverage that is 263 million! So how in the world can
there be 155 million with "pre-existing conditions" that DON"T have insurance which is the purpose of ACA according to Obama!

2. There never were 155 million! There were less then 1.5 million some of which pay a higher premium BUT no where near 155 million Obama alluded to!

3. This point makes absolutely NO SENSE!!
4. RESERVES?
A) you dummy 4% is before paying income taxes and then paying out dividends.
B) RESERVES under STATE insurance regulations are a % of projected claims and varies state by state... but this issue there must be profits to have a reserve!
5.) The loss of $100 billion in tax revenue a year is not a serious question maybe to you as you pay no taxes but tell that to the property owners in the cities
where these 1,300 insurance companies pay rent/or property taxes that will be abandoned such as Detroit! Want to see the effect of no businesses? Visit Detroit!
Also how f...king stupid! Each of these for profit companies pay taxes which in turn SUBSIDIZE those NON-profits...with those taxes!
Take away $100 billion a year in Federal/state/local/property taxes and see what will happen!
6.) You are right. They already do sell other insurance and guess what dummy! To make up the losses of their health insurance they raise their rates! Good business
sense and the next thing you will have fewer and fewer companies to choose from ...i.e. monopolies. Finally complete state run businesses!
Of course idiots like you womb to tombers don't care cause you are really lazy sons of bi...!

You spent the lion's share of your original post talking about how Obama lied about the number of pre-existing conditions in our country and then posted a bunch of stats to support your position but the only problem is that you either didn't read or understand what you wrote.

Your post:
Obama SAID..."Up to half of all Americans have a pre-existing condition,"

Notice the key words "Up to" . I feel bad because you are probably one of those elderly widow's that fall prey to every scam that hits her mail box (e.g. "Act now and win up to $1,000,000 dollars ..... ). I recommend getting on a no call list and having your mail forwarded to an adult child.

As to your 'points' 4,5, and 6; Maybe you weren't aware of it but the insurance industry was intimately involved in the crafting of this law so I am pretty sure the 80%/20% rule wasn't just some arbitrary number they pulled out of a hat that will crash the entire insurance industry. In one sentence you seem concerned with them having the proper reserves (read up on actuarial science) and in the next you are worried about losing 100 billion dollars (if correct) in tax revenue. Due you have any idea how much money that a corporation would have to make in profit to have that kind of tax bill? Wouldn't that be nice if it was actually spent that on health care... just a thought. Private health insurance is safer than ever because it has a guaranteed customer base built into the law along with other safeguards ( see: cronie capitalism). The truth is that we would be better off without them because they are just an unnecessary overhead expense and impediment between you and your doctor.

 

[Flopper]

Having had a spouse die from cancer and still having copies of all the bills which were submitted to Empire Blue ($1,300,000.00+/-) for his care over almost 4 years, I can tell you that insurance companies want cancer patients to die and die quickly. If they don't and the bills mount up from the docs and hospitals, they will fight you tooth and nail before they pay. And our policy was through an Ivy League university, not some off-brand worthless paper.

And what is driving costs up isn't Obamacare, it's the millions of people who relied on the ER because they had no insurance. Repeal Obamacare and your bills will go so far up your tacky self that you'll end up going to the ER for the flu or worse, too.

First, condolences on your loss. What a horrible thing o happen to your spouse and you.

But I have to ask: if you think insurance companies want cancer patients to die, what on earth do you think will keep government bureaucrat managed insurance from not just supersizing that lack of concern? We've already seen the callous disregard at the VA. That is a preview of coming attractions.

As we all know, insurance companies make money by maximizing premiums and minimizing claims. The sicker you get, the more problems you will have with your insurance company. However, the ACA prevents the insurance company from cutting you off because your healthcare is too expense nor can they deny more effective treatments in favor of cheaper less effective treatments.

Under the ACA, government bureaucrats do not manage your health insurance. They regulate the company that provides it; that is the law sets down the framework that insurance companies may operate. The government does not deny claims, establish formularies, or acceptable procedures, nor do they set premiums, deductibles, co-insurance, or co-pays.