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Monday, February 10, 2014

The Impact Of ObamaCare

From The Western Center for Journalism:


The impact is not limited to the company shown on the video.  From the Washington Post on January 31, 2014:
Labor union officials say Obama betrayed them in health-care rollout

Labor leaders who have spent months lobbying unsuccessfully for special protections under the Affordable Care Act warned this week that the White House’s continued refusal to help is dampening union support for Democratic candidates in this year’s midterm elections.

Leaders of two major unions, including the first to endorse Obama in 2008, said they have been betrayed by an administration that wooed their support for the 2009 legislation with promises to later address the peculiar needs of union-negotiated insurance plans that cover millions of workers.

Their complaints reflect a broad sense of disappointment among many labor leaders, who say the Affordable Care Act has subjected union health plans to new taxes and mandates while not allowing them to share in the subsidies that have gone to private insurance companies competing on the newly created exchanges.

After dozens of frustrating meetings with White House officials over the past year, including one with Obama, a number of angry labor officials say their members are far less likely to campaign and turn out for Democratic candidates in the midterm elections....

[...]

Taylor said Unite Here officials have met with White House officials 48 times. At the time the health-care bill was being considered, he said, “we were told that ‘if there were problems, don’t worry, we’ll get them fixed.’ ”

“We thought that if we made the case to the agencies dealing with regulations to correct problems that hurt, really destroy, self-funded nonprofit health plans, it would be resolved,” Taylor said. “That clearly was naive or stupid.”...
Read the rest HERE.

 Recently, I received notice of my increased premium for a policy that is grandfathered: my premium is going from $289 per month to $343 — a 19% increase. Thankfully, I get to keep my $2500 deductible; I also now have pharmacy coverage, apparently an ObamaCare requirement. Because I take so few prescription drugs, however, the increase in premiums is still a net expenditure for me. I realize that most already insured and now affected by ObamaCare are not as fortunate as I.

I do note, however, that my statements of benefits are structured differently as of January 1, 2014, so that I actually pay more out of pocket for doctors' visits.  I don't know whether or not this different structuring is a consequence of ObamaCare.

Question: How has ObamaCare affected you?

25 comments:

  1. Idiots are literally born every day, the people who wanted this plan proves that. The good news is that eventually the bad news will get out. It's probably too late to do much good. Jobs, income and insurance policies are already lost -- even if there is a delay Blue Cross Blue Shield won't be able to say, "Come back to us at your old rates and deductions". Nor will employers be able to say, "Come back to work for us at your old hourly level for one more year before we have to let you go again". But at least the news will eventually be told...So, can can we say socialism now!
    So, onward to victory, comrades! A new National Socialist day is coming in next glorious 5-year plan! Soviet-style Obamacare soon shall be envy of world!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I know just one family who would tell us a different story. One member has been suffering with cancer for almost seven years. He outlived his lifetime benefit "cap," so despite having responded well to severely punishing treatment few could withstand, he was thrown to the wolves ten months ago. The Establishment at the time told him in effect, "Go home, get into bed, and DIE, we're through with you, buddy."

    To make a long story short: On January 1, 2014 his policy -- the same comprehensive "executive" plan he'd had all his working life -- was reissued, but instead of paying something over $750.00 a month, he is now paying #284.00 a month, and he has been back in treatment since the first week in January.

    Unlike virtually EVERYTHING we heard at the time, he and other members of his family all of whom work long hours at very hard jobs were able to sign up for Obamacare the very first week it became available back in October, 2013.

    There are two downsides to this -- one personal, the other political.

    1. Because he was deprived of treatment for the better part of a year, the cancer has advanced, he is not responding as well as before to the chemotherapy, and may lose his battle sooner than he would have had Obamacare, as we are supposed to understand it, had been in place earlier.

    2. There is no doubt whatsoever in my mind that, despite helping my friend get back into treatment, the Affordable Care Act is FUNDAMENTALLY a cynical ploy to force the REDISTRIBUTION of WEALTH through devious ways of increasing taxation on the middle and upper classes in order to benefit "the poor."

    When it comes right down to giving much needed -- and much DESERVED -- help for someone you like, respect and know personally, and support for the economic PRINCIPLES one favors that are certain to KILL your friend, the situation too closely resembles SOPHIE'S CHOICE.

    I don't pretend to have an "Answer." All I can say is wait till YOU are on the horns of such a dilemma before you judge too harshly on copious doses of shallow propaganda.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. FT,
      I know two people who are benefiting from ObamaCare. One had to give up having health insurance because of the cost of premiums of policies; the other had always paid for health insurance -- at impoverishing rates (Literally!) -- and now has coverage. Both of these individuals are healthy for their age.

      I submit that the benefits of ObamaCare are not outweighed by the costs.

      In my view, America has long needed some kind of health insurance reform. Also in my view, ObamaCare is not the solution we needed.

      I personally have been on the horns of a dilemma with regard to health insurance and medical care. At one point, Mr. AOW and I were paying $1400/month for health insurance; this was previous to his stroke. Yes, it was "gold-plated" health insurance (COBRA coverage). We dumped COBRA so as to pay about $900/month for policies with high deductibles a few months before Mr. AOW's stroke.

      ObamaCare is forcing people onto Medicaid. This will result in serious consequences with regard to estates. It is fraud to take Medicaid if one has more than a few thousand dollars in assets.

      Delete
    2. FT,
      Also, it seems to me that if one has paid ones dues (that is, has paid in buck for health insurance over a period of many years) that one shouldn't see impoverishing premium rates.

      One of the big flaws in the structure of ObamaCare is that the young and healthy can stay on their parents' policies and not be required to obtain their own policies.

      A basic principle of insurance of any kind is that the pool of insureds must include a greater number of low-risk insureds than of high-risk insureds. Without such a pool, premium rates must eventually soar so that there is any insurance at all!

      Delete
  3. Why should the Republicans cave on every other issue to win on an issue that a huge majority supports them on? Enough is enough!

    We don't hear any of that "hope" and "change" BS that inspired young voters a few years ago. It sort of vanished into a long series of excuses and scandals..

    I guess that It's difficult to be happy and hopeful when so many of us are suffering..

    ReplyDelete
  4. I read this somewhere the other day:

    "Now I can work less or even quit working and pick my neighbor's pocket and not have to feel bad about it. Isn't ObamaCare great?"

    ReplyDelete
  5. I read this somewhere the other day:

    "Now I can work less or even quit working and pick my neighbor's pocket and not have to feel bad about it. Isn't ObamaCare great?"

    ReplyDelete
  6. I'm curious as to how many, if any, in this group and others like it all over the Country, voted for the Fraud-in-Chief; especially the second time?

    ReplyDelete
  7. What they don't talk about are the deductibles and copays. Unless one has a catastrophic disease, yes, they win.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Post hoc ergo propter hoc.

    Now, what we will NOT be discussing is the wisdom of a plan with no cost controls allowing private for profit insurers to manage our health insurance costs.

    A private for profit insurer exists for PROFIT by definition. You are expected to provide that profit. The right is happy with this plan.

    You got in bed with the elephant and weren't prepared when it rolled over. Should have seen it coming.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No Ducky, the right is happy with a health plan that meets our individual/family needs, is something that we decide we can afford, and does not take money out of someone else’s pocket to support disgusting habits … such as Sandra Fluke’s erogenous toys, her deep and persona desire to screw her brains out without having to worry about having a baby, and your drug rehabilitation.

      Delete
    2. Yes your personal needs because you are a "Libertarian" who doesn't give jack shite that our health insurance system is being used as a mechanism for the upward transfer of wealth.

      Go back to sleep and wake up when your little Libertarian sandbox has some sense of group and community that will contribute to our prosperity.

      Meanwhile, start whining like a good little "Libertarian" because Kapital has grabbed all it can from the poor and is coming for you.

      Delete
    3. You still don't get it do you Duckster. Most of us were quite happy with what we had. YOUR elected officials took all of that away from us to make your friends the takers happy democrat voters.

      Delete
  9. The consensus here appears to be that Obama Care (ACA) is all about affordable health care. It isn’t. It is about redistributing wealth, and it is about the government meddling in areas that are none of their business. It is about government imposing its will upon a once-free people.

    Why do government regulations require physicians to convert my health records to a government held (IRS held) data base? It is so that they can assess my personal behaviors and decide whether or not I deserve treatment for catastrophic disease. If you smoke, if you drink, if you do anything that the government doesn’t want you to do, then welcome to the land of death panels. You will not be treated for serious illnesses which “might” result from your bad habits: too many 16 ounce sodas, eating at McDonalds, giving birth to too many conservative children.

    Beyond this, I wonder … what makes anyone think that they have a right to live forever, at other people’s expense?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sam,
      I do not disagree with one word that you typed in.

      The ACA is about tyrannical control. It's all dressed up in nice words, but it's all about tyrannical control, nevertheless.

      Why do government regulations require physicians to convert my health records to a government held (IRS held) data base? It is so that they can assess my personal behaviors and decide whether or not I deserve treatment for catastrophic disease.

      There will be death panels for certain genetic defects as well -- and I'm not thinking only of the likes of Down's Syndrome. There are numerous other genetic defects and genetic diseases, not all of which are related to mental retardation.

      Delete
  10. We are finding out what is in the bill

    ReplyDelete
  11. For discussion, if anyone here wants to pursue these:

    How should we define "a right"?

    Is health care "a right"?

    Is health insurance "a right"?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If we define it as a right, it's a right.
      Our cultural and legal institutions will form rights.

      The idea of natural rights is a phantom

      Delete
    2. If we define it as a right, it's a right.

      A tax can be imposed on a right??? ObamaCare is a tax -- or at least the penalty for not having health insurance has been designated as a tax. Also, it is my understanding that there is an ObamaCare tax on the sale of one's home.

      Delete
    3. Like virtually all leftists, our Canardo feels himself well qualified to play God. He -- and the rest of "them" -- feel entitled to act in loco Dei because he -- and the rest of 'them" -- have persuaded themselves that God may not exist or absolutely DOES not exist, therefore "someone" -- i.e. a person or people of the oh-so-enlightened Marxian mentality -- MUST take on the role of Almighty Decision Maker for the poor, ignorant, suffering, deprived, exploited masses.

      What I think of this outrageously hubristic mentality cannot be printed in the context of polite, civilized discussion.

      Now watch me be accused of "name-calling," because I insist on calling Marxist a Marxist.

      Delete
  12. Well, "right" is a very comprehensive term. For the sake of this discussion I would say it pertains to what is found in the Constitution, more specifically in the Bill Of Rights and subsequent Amendments. As far as I know "health care", per se, isn't included therein.

    ReplyDelete
  13. There are only three legitimate "rights" for every person born.

    1. The right to stay alive as long as possible without fear of being tortured, maimed or murdered.

    2. The freedom to use whatever intelligence, talent and charm we may possess to improve our quality of life and future prospects to the fullest extent possible

    3. The freedom to do whatever we hope or feel is most likely to bring us joy, fulfillment and satisfaction.

    The tacit implication in all of this is that "our" rights must not impinge on, interfere with or balk anyone ELSE'S rights to the same.

    If your "success," "happiness" -- even your very existence -- depends on doing harm to others, you have no "right" to it.

    It really is as simple s that. The hundreds of thousands of pages written in the attempt to deny, defy or otherwise get around those fundamental principles of being are just so much poppycock -- i.e. BALONEY.

    The Golden Rule should be the ONLY Rule. PERIOD!

    K-I-S-S

    Keep It Simple, Stupid. ;-)

    ReplyDelete

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