Good news for us re: Obamacare/ACA

[HUSKER 37]

Individuals who are vigorously opposed to buying health insurance should be able to opt out by waiving their right to emergency medical services, in the same way you can choose not to have auto insurance by not driving, or mortgage insurance by not having a mortgage. That seems completely fair and sensible. Eventually, I think we'd get use to ambulances driving off or ERs baring their door to dying people; I mean, it would be their choice, right? I assume that those of you who who don't want to carry health insurance would be first in line to sign up.

 

I would think that was a given..I personally wouldn't say I was "Vigorously" opposed to getting insurance, but I AM against having that decision taken away from me and the rest of us....I came really close to caving in a month ago during my employer's open enrollment period. but after weighing the pros and cons and really dreading any more red tape in my life, I decided it was a bad investment of both time and money.

 

 

Just tell me where I can sign up to opt out..

I was kidding earlier about having "DNR" tattooed to my chest..I hate tatts for some reason, but if I did get one...it would probably be a toss up which to get first...DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) or My icon thing of Herbie Husker.

 

Even though God warned me about the evils of Religion a long time ago, I actually looked into joining the Christian Scientist Church last week just because they don't believe in going to Dr.s either, and I was thinking I might be able to be a Conscientious Objector.... The nearest C.S. Church appears to be ~30 miles away in downtown Phoenix.

 

 

So that means all hospitals can refuse treatment of illegal aliens then ??

 

I'd like to see them have the choice to accept or refuse treatment depending on the "Image?" the Hospital wants to portray to their community, the severity of the problem or potential of the sickness escalating..And to accept the fact that they probably won't be reimbursed...Maybe set up special funding (by donations) and maybe even accept services in trade..How many dishes do I need to wash or grounds to mow to pay for that $500 band-aid? Might have to get into bedpan washing and back massages.

[HUSKER 37]

Carlfense...Not to sound like a politician, but I really DO appreciate your responses to my questions and your overall demeanor in this thread..

 

I can't claim the quotes in this post, but I did copy/paste them from someone I never met because I kinda liked their arguments the most?

 

I'll try to respond in that fancy OU brownish red.

 

 

A document thousands of pages long was voted on, passed, and signed into law . . .

The legislative audacity!

 

I can see letting the politicians vote on the multitude of small things thereby limiting the power of special interests goons paying for votes, but something this important???..Although it has been proven several times in our history that the majority of us might not be smart enough to make the "right" decision.

 

 

. . . without anybody reading what it said.

No.

 

OK..That was a little exagerated...I'm sure someone read it...Maybe even a few.

 

The people who passed it have exempted themselves from it while basically ramming it down our throats.

No.

 

No to what?..I doubt my throat has been physically compromised, but I also believe it doesn't directly apply to them...Maybe because of pre-existing laws.

 

 

AND THESE SAME PEOPLE have the NERVE TO TELL US HOW POPULAR IT IS AND HOW MUCH WE LOVE IT!

I'd never tell someone that they have to love it. That said, I do expect intellectual honesty.

 

Not sure how the original author of this feels the same people who voted it in are the same people cheering it on..But I do sense that some people keep defending ACA more because they prefer a certain political party and ignore what this really entails...Also quite a few people tearing it down because their "wing" of choice didn't think of it first.

[carlfense]

I can see letting the politicians vote on the multitude of small things thereby limiting the power of special interests goons paying for votes, but something this important???..Although it has been proven several times in our history that the majority of us might not be smart enough to make the "right" decision.

Our elected officials make much bigger decisions than this.

 

 

No to what?..I doubt my throat has been physically compromised, but I also believe it doesn't directly apply to them...Maybe because of pre-existing laws.

It does apply to them. The legislative twists and turns and "GOTCHA!" moments of the provision that you're discussing are a little complicated but the short version is that members of Congress and their staffs are forced onto the exchange. I'm not sure why this particular myth is so persistent. Probably because it fits with what some want to believe . . .

Of all the misconceptions surrounding the new health reform law known as Obamacare—and there are many—one of the newest and most infuriating is the idea that Congress made itself “exempt” from a law that puts onerous new burdens on many other Americans. That contention is totally false. In fact, members of Congress, along with their personal staffers, are required to participate in Obamacare, which is a more stringent requirement than employees of many big companies face.

http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/the-exchange/congressional-exemption-obamacare-another-myth-153149342.html

 

Not sure how the original author of this feels the same people who voted it in are the same people cheering it on..But I do sense that some people keep defending ACA more because they prefer a certain political party and ignore what this really entails...Also quite a few people tearing it down because their "wing" of choice didn't think of it first.

You have this backwards. Quite a few people are tearing it down despite the fact that their wing of choice did think of it first. Of course, that was before they attached that hated Obama name to it . . .

[tschu]

I think people are missing the broad picture because they're focusing on the implementation logistics or issues that are popping up in the transition. Losing sight of the main large goals which won't be realized until the full mandate takes effect, insurance companies and providers both settle in to the new exchange and competition system, and costs normalize again. We're going through system shock right now, of course there are going to be problems. Forest for the trees type of thing. "Oh no there are problems at the outset! Entire system is a total failure!" Seems to be the sentiment I'm hearing. Like I said before, it's going to be 2-3 years before obamacare is fully up and running as it should.

[carlfense]

Like I said before, it's going to be 2-3 years before obamacare is fully up and running as it should.

You're right.

[HUSKER 37]

http://www.washingto...rance-premiums/

 

http://www.washingto...-is-impossible/

 

should be required reading for Husker37, LouisianaHusker, JJ, and a couple others I can't think of right now

 

Why?

 

 

A lot of folks are angry because healthcare.gov doesn't work ...but I fear they will be a lot madder when it does ...

 

Lately, I'm tending not to believe much of what any ";journalists" have to write on the newspaper sites that take over 26 minutes to load on my sick malware infested computer..I thought it only happened on conservative sites that facebook friends pointed me to..It must happen on the liberal sites too. But as always...There's much more interesting stuff in the comments section..

Journalists, regardless of media, rarely do their Job of researching, Fact-checking, and calling the naysayers on their BS. So, most Americans do not know anything except the Little and Big Lies.

 

 

[carlfense]

The analysis found that five million to six million people who are uninsured will qualify for subsidies that will be greater than the cost of the cheapest bronze or silver plan. A million more people with individual insurance could also be eligible, according to McKinsey, although estimates of the size of the market for private individual insurance vary widely. None of the people in the analysis qualify for Medicaid.

 

The availability of zero-premium plans may make the deal especially enticing to the healthy young people the marketplace needs to succeed, said Mark V. Pauly, a professor of health care management at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. “This is such a good deal that you’d have to believe you were immortal not to really pick it up,” he said.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/04/business/under-health-care-act-millions-eligible-for-free-policies.html?adxnnl=1&smid=tw-thecaucus&partner=rss&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1383541876-N9fd5Q5T7/5dRAnkVNfD1Q&_r=0

[Husker_x]

I think people are missing the broad picture because they're focusing on the implementation logistics or issues that are popping up in the transition. Losing sight of the main large goals which won't be realized until the full mandate takes effect, insurance companies and providers both settle in to the new exchange and competition system, and costs normalize again. We're going through system shock right now, of course there are going to be problems. Forest for the trees type of thing. "Oh no there are problems at the outset! Entire system is a total failure!" Seems to be the sentiment I'm hearing. Like I said before, it's going to be 2-3 years before obamacare is fully up and running as it should.

 

The media meltdown over the website issues is exactly what is wrong with the media. Rarely do you hear anyone mention in the midst of their moaning and bellowing that this is one of the single largest adjustments to American government and society in decades. It is an immensely complex 50-state system which is further burdened by Republican states which refuse to cooperate.

 

Yeah, the website debacle is inexcusable. The White House should have been ready for this. However, we're here now, and this act is still an improvement over the corporate tyranny of the insurance companies. We're going to have to wait for things to even out. People need to be patient (unthinkable to Americans, I know).

[mabrown310]

 

You all may have seen this already but Dave Ramsey breaks down the math of Obamacare and explains how it doesn't work. Well worth your 10 minutes

[carlfense]

Much more at the link. Happy for these people.

The woman, a thin 61-year-old who refused to give her name, citing privacy concerns, had come to the public library here to sign up for health insurance through Kentucky’s new online exchange. She had a painful lump on the back of her hand and other health problems that worried her deeply, she said, but had been unable to afford insurance as a home health care worker who earns $9 an hour.

 

Within a minute, the system checked her information and flashed its conclusion on Ms. Cauley’s laptop: eligible for Medicaid. The woman began to weep with relief. Without insurance, she said as she left, “it’s cheaper to die.”

http://www.nytimes.c...enrollment.html

 

It's crazy how attempting to make something work results in such a different outcome than active sabotage.

[BigRedBuster]

Before ACA, what were the requirements to get Medicaid?

[carlfense]

Before ACA, what were the requirements to get Medicaid?

Which state? Kentucky?

[BigRedBuster]

Before ACA, what were the requirements to get Medicaid?

Which state? Kentucky?

 

 

I don't know...it's an honest question.

 

I guess I'm surprised that someone was too poor to qualify for Medicaid. Or, was it that $9 per hour was too much income to qualify?

[carlfense]

Before ACA, what were the requirements to get Medicaid?

Which state? Kentucky?

I don't know...it's an honest question.

If it's about KY, you should find some answers here: http://governor.ky.g...es/default.aspx

 

I guess I'm surprised that someone was too poor to qualify for Medicaid. Or, was it that $9 per hour was too much income to qualify?

Presumably the latter. I think that'd be around $18,000 annually.

[BigRedBuster]

Good God that's pathetic.

 

 

Kentucky Ranks at the Bottom in Health Outcomes. Kentucky continues to rank at the bottom in most national health rankings. This includes 50th in smoking, 40th in obesity, 43rd in sedentary lifestyles, 41st in diabetes, 48th in poor mental health days, 49th in poor physical health days, 50th in cancer deaths, 49th in cardiac heart disease, 43rd in high cholesterol, 44th in annual dental visits and 48th in heart attacks. Access to health insurance will improve health outcomes.