Six Groups of Americans and How They Are Faring - ACA

[Newell Steamer]

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/...ns-of-millions-obamacare-is-working.html?_r=1

1. A HUGE DROP IN THE UNINSURED
At least 13.4 million Americans — more than the population of Illinois — have been added to the insurance rolls. Before the law, 42 million were uninsured; that number has fallen by almost 30 percent.

2. MILLIONS USED THE EXCHANGES
11.4 million people have signed up — stragglers will increase the final tally — to buy insurance on the exchanges. Perhaps 12 percent will drop out by not paying the first premium, so the ultimate number should be at least 10 million.

3. MILLIONS MORE BOUGHT DIRECTLY
Better insurance: The law requires all plans to meet minimum standards of coverage. Eight million Americans, signing up outside of the exchanges, will benefit in 2015 from upgraded plans.

4. HELP FOR LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS
A Medicaid expansion to raise the income threshold (up to $33,465 for a family of four) greatly reduced the number of uninsured. 22 predominantly Republican states have declined this expansion, so participation is below initial forecasts. But the number of states holding out has been dropping because of public pressure.

5. MEDICARE ENROLLMENTS UNTOUCHED
50 million elderly Americans are covered by Medicare, so the law has no meaningful impact on those enrollments. A small increase stems from an aging population.

6. A CHIP OFF EMPLOYER PLANS
The creation of the exchanges provides some encouragement for employers to drop coverage, particularly if their plans do not meet the tougher new standards.
Over the next three years, that fall off is expected to grow to nine million, still small in relation to the 39 million projected to be added under the law.

Of course, none of this means anything, since:
- Your brother's friend's neighbor's co-worker's cousin's boyfriend's sister's dog walker once heard about a guy that was on a train to St. Louis and he overheard someone say, while waiting in line for the bathroom, how ACA isn't a good thing.
- ACA is directly responsible for you having to pay $400 on medicine you use to pay $5 for.
- ,... BBBLLLAAAARRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!
- You see the truth in all of this and you are just pissed off that people are refusing to see it as well,... f'in mother f'ers who think they f'in know what the f is going on but they f'in know nothing,...
- ,... BBBLLLAAAARRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!

I'll be sure to keep track of what other counters the usual ilk will spew out on this bit of news, so when we get more news on ACA, I'll just tack it on the list above and you can save crapping all over yourself for next time.

 

[postmortemIA]

the problem is ACA is not affordable. It did little to nothing to reduce cost of the care.

 

[Slew Foot]

the problem is ACA is not affordable. It did little to nothing to reduce cost of the care.

In fact, the actual cost of care has increased while the reimbursement has decreased, leading to many smaller hospitals and offices shutting down. You may have insurance, but youll have no where to use it.

 

[pcgeek11]

In fact, the actual cost of care has increased while the reimbursement has decreased, leading to many smaller hospitals and offices shutting down. You may have insurance, but youll have no where to use it.

He forgot to point that out.

 

[postmortemIA]

In fact, the actual cost of care has increased while the reimbursement has decreased, leading to many smaller hospitals and offices shutting down. You may have insurance, but youll have no where to use it.

that is the fear of well insured prior to ACA -all countries with socialized health care also have waiting lists.

 

[boomerang]

Yeah, Steven Rattner.

How's was the beet crop last year? Did it break all previous records again?

 

[michal1980]

How many of these newly insured are due to Obamacare, and how many are due to the fact that more people are working?

Outside of generic grouping to paint Obamacare as some godsend. I hardly see any real groups in this fluff piece.

 

[Sunburn74]

It did little to nothing to reduce cost of the care.

Can you clarify this statement?

 

[DCal430]

How many of these newly insured are due to Obamacare, and how many are due to the fact that more people are working?

Outside of generic grouping to paint Obamacare as some godsend. I hardly see any real groups in this fluff piece.

What about the people who were working, got cancer or something else very serious. Before the ACA many lost their jobs and any health insurance. Now instates with expanded medicaid they can get insurance.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

ACA is a large chunk of people that weren't able to get insurance because of their unhealthiness, that are now able to get insurance even while unhealthy. Congrats, you have an insurance pool of nothing but bad apples that are already sick, all of the time.

This is sure to work well. Much like last year when plenty of the initial ACA plans dropped this year due to... not making jack shit.


All the poor people? Yeah, goodjob convincing some that those $6,500 deductibles in addition to $400 monthly costs are worthwhile. You know they are screwed the moment they actually have a medical issue.

Nothing against already sick/dying/fatasses/mentally ill, but you can't have a pool of largely one-sided and expect a smart outcome while most of the healthy people are in an entirely different pool.

 

[rudeguy]

In fact, the actual cost of care has increased while the reimbursement has decreased, leading to many smaller hospitals and offices shutting down. You may have insurance, but youll have no where to use it.

I've been asking for an honest look at health care costs for a while. Not insurance costs because unlike what Obama tells you, insurance is not the same thing as health care. I want to know how much the average family is paying out of pocket for total costs.

 

[DCal430]

ACA is a large chunk of people that weren't able to get insurance because of their unhealthiness, that are now able to get insurance even while unhealthy. Congrats, you have an insurance pool of nothing but bad apples that are already sick, all of the time.

This is sure to work well. Much like last year when plenty of the initial ACA plans dropped this year due to... not making jack shit.


All the poor people? Yeah, goodjob convincing some that those $6,500 deductibles in addition to $400 monthly costs are worthwhile. You know they are screwed the moment they actually have a medical issue.

Nothing against already sick/dying/fatasses/mentally ill, but you can't have a pool of largely one-sided and expect a smart outcome while most of the healthy people are in an entirely different pool.

WTF what about people sick through no fault of their own. You expect people diagnosed with cancer to just die. Sick.

 

[rudeguy]

WTF what about people sick through no fault of their own. You expect people diagnosed with cancer to just die. Sick.

Please show where the ACA has saved people from dying of cancer who previously would have died without the ACA.

 

[DCal430]

Please show where the ACA has saved people from dying of cancer who previously would have died without the ACA.

There are people who were denied treatment due to lack of insurance, many of them died.

WTF do you think happens when someone gets cancer is poor and uninsured.

 

[rudeguy]

There are people who were denied treatment due to lack of insurance, many of them died.

WTF do you think happens when someone gets cancer is poor and uninsured.

Please show some examples.

Just because you say something doesn't make it true.

 

[s0me0nesmind1]

WTF what about people sick through no fault of their own. You expect people diagnosed with cancer to just die. Sick.

Where did I say they should just roll-over and die? I'm saying they CANT have an insurance market where the majority is the sick. You need the healthy to balance it out. If anything, I am suggesting insurance companies in general (outside of ACA) shouldn't be able to deny those types.

But at the same time, it is the nature of the beast. Taking up someone with cancer is a surefire way to lose profits. So why would an insurance company do it if they have the choice? A company doesn't have feelings.

 

[dank69]

"ACA sucks because I have a family member that can't afford health insurance for his wife and three kids."

"If they make less than $140k/yr they qualify for a subsidy"

"Yes, they make more than $140k/yr"

 

[JockoJohnson]

"ACA sucks because I have a family member that can't afford health insurance for his wife and three kids."

"If they make less than $140k/yr they qualify for a subsidy"

"Yes, they make more than $140k/yr"

And where does one go to get these subsidies? My sister-in-law told me that she went to apply at a place where they assist people in signing up. It would have cost her $475/mo. for a crappy plan. She makes $38k a year with 1 child as a dependent. However, he is on a state plan so he doesn't need to apply for ACA---just her. I think $475/mo. is a bit fucking much. She just sat it out this year and will pay the penalty.

Any serious advice on what she did wrong or how to get a better rate would be appreciated. I looked online to try and help but just got tired of what I was looking at.

 

[child of wonder]

the problem is ACA is not affordable. It did little to nothing to reduce cost of the care.

The real problem seems to be hospitals and clinics charing exorbitant rates for everything. An $8 pill during a hospital stay costs $1 a pill at the pharmacy once you're out, for example.

We also have large hospital systems gobbling up every competitor in sight until we'll eventually be left with large, geographical monopolies for healthcare, each charging about x5 what procedures actually cost hoping the insurance company will simply pay it or, at worst, negotiate it down to x3 what it actually costs.

The shift in medicine has gone from caring for patients to making money. For profit healthcare isn't a bad thing in and of itself, but the more it's allowed to run unfettered and unchecked, the worse the experience for the patients and the less choice is available.

 

[rudeguy]

And where does one go to get these subsidies? My sister-in-law told me that she went to apply at a place where they assist people in signing up. It would have cost her $475/mo. for a crappy plan. She makes $38k a year with 1 child as a dependent. However, he is on a state plan so he doesn't need to apply for ACA---just her. I think $475/mo. is a bit fucking much. She just sat it out this year and will pay the penalty.

Any serious advice on what she did wrong or how to get a better rate would be appreciated. I looked online to try and help but just got tired of what I was looking at.

This is 100% me speaking as a single parent, no politics.

When ACA came out I was a contractor and needed insurance. I went to the site and after a few days, I finally got set up. I went through every plan, every option I could trying to find something that would actually work. The problem was the only plans that would fit my monthly budget had massive deductibles. The total out of pocket per year for me and my son would have been around $17k. That includes deducts, copays, premiums and all out of pocket expenses. In the end it was cheaper for me to just pay out of pocket and hope nothing bad happened.

I would have her check with her state first to see if they have any options. A lot of states have insurance programs that kids can qualify for that aren't very expensive.

 

[JockoJohnson]

This is 100% me speaking as a single parent, no politics.

When ACA came out I was a contractor and needed insurance. I went to the site and after a few days, I finally got set up. I went through every plan, every option I could trying to find something that would actually work. The problem was the only plans that would fit my monthly budget had massive deductibles. The total out of pocket per year for me and my son would have been around $17k. That includes deducts, copays, premiums and all out of pocket expenses. In the end it was cheaper for me to just pay out of pocket and hope nothing bad happened.

I would have her check with her state first to see if they have any options. A lot of states have insurance programs that kids can qualify for that aren't very expensive.

That's what she decided to do this year. When it opens again next year or whenever, I will help her look into it.

 

[Linux23]

we need to nationalize healthcare. end of discussion.

 

[rudeguy]

we need to nationalize healthcare. end of discussion.

I think we all knew that ACA was a "just the tip" move. We either need to fix this steaming pile of goat ass or just nationalize it and deal with shitty health care. We for sure can't leave it where it is.

 

[Jhhnn]

In fact, the actual cost of care has increased while the reimbursement has decreased, leading to many smaller hospitals and offices shutting down. You may have insurance, but youll have no where to use it.

He forgot to point that out.

And y'all forgot to provide references for your contention, but that's not important in the realm of right wing belief, is it? Of course not. Look no further than what you want to believe.

 

[GarfieldtheCat]

In fact, the actual cost of care has increased while the reimbursement has decreased, leading to many smaller hospitals and offices shutting down. You may have insurance, but youll have no where to use it.

Hate to break up the Obama-hate, but you do realize that costs have been increasing, and reimbursement decreasing for many years, way before the ACA was suggested, let alone enacted.

Please let us know how the ACA affected costs back in the 1960's please.