Obamacare is coming

[Macfanforever]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

I actually like that part! You know, I pretty much hate government intervention in any aspect of our lives, BUT,

Smoking kills, and secondhand smoke kills. So many health care costs are associated with smoking. My city went smoke free about 7 years ago, and it was just the best thing ever. I never realized how bad it really was, until a couple months after it was gone. And it's heaven now.

I think it's completely fair that insurance companies charge smokers more. I mean, when they get lung cancer, odds are, that they did it to themselves.

I agree.Yes I see that.

Yes the more and more I hear about this Obamacare crap .The more I get pissed off about it.I refused to turn on the TV news at this point.

Another Rant.

As I see it we are living in a country with dictators and socialism. They tell you ."YOU BETTER GET COVERAGE "or we fine you.

Again I hope it backfires.

Yes Change the language in the bill with the mandated crap.I might like Obamacare.

[chiliD]

The easiest thing they could've done was just lower the qualifying age of Medicare from 65 to ZERO! Just go "National Health" like England & Canada. I spent a lengthy time in Canada back in the early 80s & because I was employed up there, I was covered under the Candian National Health plan. I only need to use services once, but it was smooth & efficient (at least the one time I got sick); a couple of other people in my band used services a bit. Every incidence was just great. I have nothing bad to say about my experiences with the Canadian National Health.

Just don't understand how the USA can't get something like that implemented. Oh, yeah, we're run by Corporations (Insurance Companies) not the Government, that's why.

[Jondalar]

Originally Posted by HomerMcvie

I actually like that part! You know, I pretty much hate government intervention in any aspect of our lives, BUT,

Smoking kills, and secondhand smoke kills. So many health care costs are associated with smoking. My city went smoke free about 7 years ago, and it was just the best thing ever. I never realized how bad it really was, until a couple months after it was gone. And it's heaven now.

I think it's completely fair that insurance companies charge smokers more. I mean, when they get lung cancer, odds are, that they did it to themselves.

Everything kills. I don't smoke anymore but I think the way they are treated is ridiculous. I think that fat people are going to get it next. People with children should be charged more becuase kids kill. Also, people who eat red meat because they more likely to get cancer. la la la la

[Macfanforever]

Originally Posted by Jondalar

Everything kills. I don't smoke anymore but I think the way they are treated is ridiculous. I think that fat people are going to get it next. People with children should be charged more becuase kids kill. Also, people who eat red meat because they more likely to get cancer. la la la la

Will I probably fall in the fat dept if I did not do my daily walks and other workouts.

I'm doing better with the workouts.

Alot I do eat red meat.I probably get fined on eating red meat.LOL.

Also they probably go after to drinkers as they are doing with the ciggy's.

[Dex]

Originally Posted by chiliD

The easiest thing they could've done was just lower the qualifying age of Medicare from 65 to ZERO! Just go "National Health" like England & Canada. I spent a lengthy time in Canada back in the early 80s & because I was employed up there, I was covered under the Candian National Health plan. I only need to use services once, but it was smooth & efficient (at least the one time I got sick); a couple of other people in my band used services a bit. Every incidence was just great. I have nothing bad to say about my experiences with the Canadian National Health.

I'm happy your experiences in Canada were so positive, chiliD. Have to quibble a bit, though. There is actually no such thing as "Canadian National Health", healthcare falls under the provincial umbrella. Every province has its own healthcare service. What province were you in, out of curiosity?

Originally Posted by Jondalar

Everything kills. I don't smoke anymore but I think the way they are treated is ridiculous. I think that fat people are going to get it next. People with children should be charged more becuase kids kill. Also, people who eat red meat because they more likely to get cancer. la la la la

I completely agree, Jondalar. This highlights one of the major problems with for-profit healthcare to me, but I won't get too soapboxy about it. Basically, people's lifestyle choices need to be accepted without punishment when it comes to healthcare. At the end of the day there are just too many variables to factor them all in. Do we give the agoraphobe much cheaper coverage because he never leaves his house and is unlikely to die in a vehicular accident? It's too much of a can of worms. Smokers are villainized too often as the bane of a healthy society, when in fact almost every practice in modern society is unhealthy to a degree. It's just not fair.

Edited for ze typos

[Macfanforever]

Now we are in shutdown and the meantime the Obamacare sites are on overload and nobody cant get on them.

[diane_k]

^ Mr. Positivity.

There would have been stricter language in the ACA had O not caved a few times to the GOP/TP's. Single payer could have happened. A lot of better provisions could have been in the bill. But the good old red white and blue lobbyists pulled as many strings as possible, and this is what we were left with.

Still, I think that people might just CTFD when their subsidies start rolling in.

[TrueFaith77]

I neither know nor care anything about Obamacare. But I did laugh on a news show when someone was saying that there were two good things about Obamacare: 1. Everyone will be covered 2. Healthcare costs will go down (though premiums/deductibles will go up)

I thought that was strange. Sounds like the insurance companies win.

[Macfanforever]

Like i said earlier .Get rid of that threat of penalizing and fining and forcing Americans that dont want the packages because of the costs .

WTF do we live in a communist country.

Medicaid will go broke do to the overload of people that go on it.

Control medical costs and get rid of medical lobbyists that line pockets of leaders.

[vivfox]

I am all for Obama care and know this is a great thing for all Americans. It's all about practicing preventive health care which will benefit all of us in the long run. When I lived in Az. I had no health insurance and it sucked. Just before I moved to Ma. it was implemented in this state and it is all income based if you are self employed like I am. Thanks to universal healthcare available to all Ma. citizens I was able to afford needed medications and have one expensive surgery that had I still been living in Az. would never have been able to afford and never would have known I had high cholesterol, which is presently under control, but left unchecked could have caused a future heart attack.
When one goes to file an income tax, your preparer will ask you for your insurance ID card and make a copy to be included with your tax papers. If you don't have insurance the IRS will deduct 900.00 from your rebate.

[Dex]

Originally Posted by Macfanforever

WTF do we live in a communist country.

I'm afraid you do, yes. That is exactly what communism is.

[Macfanforever]

WTF .I just log on to the Connecticut's Obamacare site The cheapest is a whopping $369.10 for the bronze plan.I dont have that kind of money and so does others.


It looks like I will try to go on Medicaid or pay the efff ing fines.

I smell corruption here.


And other way to eff the Americans.

[vivfox]

Originally Posted by Macfanforever

WTF .I just log on to the Connecticut's Obamacare site The cheapest is a whopping $369.10 for the bronze plan.I dont have that kind of money and so does others.

While it is true Ct. has high premiums for working citizens, you my friend will be able to practically pay no deductible if any, because you are unemployed. It's an income based system. Just relax.

[HejiraNYC]

I don't know where to begin on this... there is too much manufactured outrage over Obamacare and too little discussion about the issue at hand: your health. A few points:

1. For those of you who are not insured for whatever reason, what is your Plan B? In other words, what do you expect to happen in the event of a catastrophic illness such as advanced cancer (which remained undiagnosed due to your reluctance to seek preventive medical care)? What about a sudden stroke? What if you take a bad fall and fracture your pelvis? Your spine? You become a quadroplegic? Do you have the tens-, hundreds-of-thousands of dollars saved up to receive the necessary treatment to save your life or quality of life? Or do you plan to wipe yourself out financially and declare bankruptcy in the midst of a debilitating illness? Are you willing to accept less expensive, substandard care? Or are you just going to forfeit treatment and let the illness run its painful course? Chances are, on some deep psychological level, I suspect most people assume that there is a safety net somewhere in the U.S. healthcare system. Uncle Sam will rise up and save the day! Well... that is indeed true in some cases- for people of retirement age on Medicare and the truly destitute who qualify for state Medicaid. But if you are solidly middle class and employed with some assets, you really don't have a safety net. Indeed, the reality of healthcare today in the U.S. is that people are literally dying from treatable illnesses because they don't qualify for government entitlements and they cannot afford insurance and/or medical care. The intent of Obamacare is to make insurance accessible to everyone, particularly the lower income middle class, via subsidies.

2. Health insurance today is expensive. It is not going to be much cheaper under Obamacare for most people. But it offers some critical advantages for some: healthcare portability (i.e., the ability to change insurance carriers without the risk of being denied coverage due to pre-existing conditions), access to health insurance for low income people who don't qualify for Medic-are/aid via substantial subsidies, etc. By forcing all people to obtain coverage, it forces more healthy young people to start paying into the system to offset the cost of keeping older, sicker people with pre-existing conditions insured. Indeed, as the Supreme Court ruled earlier this year, this is much like a tax along the lines of Social Security. Yes, nobody wants to pay more taxes. But at least this particular tax has the tangible benefit of improving your own quality of life as well as helping others. Expanding healthcare coverage also means more people are receiving check-ups and potentially averting expensive hospitalizations. Plus healthcare portability introduces an element of competition. All of these things should *theoretically* force insurance companies to drive down rates; however, this may or may not actually materialize.

3. Obamacare is not a single-payer system like much of the rest of the Western world. It's not ideal, but neither is a single-payer system. Yes, a single-payer system eliminates much administrative overhead and appears to deliver healthcare more efficiently and cheaply since the costs for salaries, hospitals, drugs and devices are all capped. However, in many instances, you get what you pay for. Money drives innovation. And money tends to attract the best talent. Although the current U.S. healthcare system is appalling, the U.S. has among the most important medical institutions and practitioners in the world. And it's also where the most money is funneled into research and development of new drugs. You will not see state of the art innovation and world reknown experts in their fields in state-run facilities making government salaries. This is critical when it comes to life-threatening/terminal diseases; in the U.S. you can always get a second opinion (if you pay for it or if your insurance covers it).

4. Most other Western countries have a single-payer system. However, they also have lofty value added taxes (VAT) of upwards of 15%+ levied on all goods and services. This is why a $15 CD in the U.S. costs $25 in the UK and it's the reason why foreigners everywhere come to the U.S. to bargain shop. It's a terribly regressive tax that places a disproportionate burden on lower income earners (as a percentage of income). Over time, if you buy groceries, eat at restaurants, buy clothes, go to the movies, etc., you will essentially be paying the equivalent of an Obamacare premium in VAT. Alternatively, if the U.S. took on a single-payer system that was largely funded by a VAT, the prices for everything will skyrocket while salaries remain stagnant and the economy will suffer. The quality of care will suffer as well.

Yes, everybody's situation is different, and some people are truly bummed about having to pony up for health insurance. But it really pays to review your options and to see how you will be personally impacted before passing judgment. It's not a perfect system, and it will certainly be tweaked over time. But it's a necessary start toward leveling the playing field and making health insurance affordable for lower income people and people with pre-existing conditions.

[Macfanforever]

Originally Posted by vivfox

I am all for Obama care and know this is a great thing for all Americans. It's all about practicing preventive health care which will benefit all of us in the long run. When I lived in Az. I had no health insurance and it sucked. Just before I moved to Ma. it was implemented in this state and it is all income based if you are self employed like I am. Thanks to universal healthcare available to all Ma. citizens I was able to afford needed medications and have one expensive surgery that had I still been living in Az. would never have been able to afford and never would have known I had high cholesterol, which is presently under control, but left unchecked could have caused a future heart attack.
When one goes to file an income tax, your preparer will ask you for your insurance ID card and make a copy to be included with your tax papers. If you don't have insurance the IRS will deduct 900.00 from your rebate.

Like I said The rest of the package is great but dont dictate to the people they have to get it or else.

All of the jobs that I had I always had their healthcare coverage .


I figure thats how they will collect the fine out of the IRS refund or send them a check.

I understand the point on the must have car insurance but enforcing health insurance is nuts.