ObamaCare is cutting health care costs. Haters ignore this fact.

[riqster]

http://bluntandcranky.wordpress.com/2013/05/22/obsmacare-is-cutting-health-care-costs-haters-ignore-this-fact/

[peace13]

1. Not true.

My small business plan went up $1200 per month for three people! We had to raise co~pays 100% and triple the deductible to keep the cost from 'raising'. I would love to know what these folks are talking about because my insurance agent tells me that next year's increase will be close to 100%.

We pay $2600.00 per month now!

[riqster]

2. Some insurers are gouging and blaming the ACA

My own employer has been fucking with our bennies and costs too, so you're not alone. http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2013/02/12/new-data-suggests-obamacare-is-actually-bending-the-healthcare-cost-curve/

Overall, the increase in Health Care cost is slowing, and the ACA is partially responsible.

Had the phase-in not been so slow, and sloppily regulated, cases like yours and mine would not have occurred.

[peace13]

3. Yes, single payer is the only thing that will save those who remain in the pool.

It should be clear in the next twelve months just what will become of those who are not on some form of government subsidized insurance.

As I tell my Medicare mom, there are those on Medicare, Medicaid , insurance for federal employees, and care for those with no insurance. The percentage of Americans and their employers who provide their own insurance is shrinking.

The option is pretty clear. When we can no longer afford insurance the first family member to get sick will sink the house. This is something that my middle class parents never had to worry about. Now that same generation sucks off the teat of Medicare like they are the only people entitled to health care! What we have here is a real mess!

[riqster]

5. Single-payer is the preferred solution

But to say that the ACA compromise is not an improvement over the unregulated kludge that preceded it is to ignore reality.

[peace13]

7. I misinterpreted health care costs for insurance premiums.

My bad. For those who can afford to use the services, I have no doubt costs are being controlled to some point.

The frustration remains that while the 'costs' are falling, the premiums and co-pays are rising so...is health care more affordable? I don't know.

To me health care costs = premium + co-pay+deductible . According to the government health care cost = cost of a particular service.

[riqster]

8. It is hard to think "Macro" when "Micro" is biting our asses.

The overall trend is towards transparency and affordability. But the profiteers who have been fleecing us for decades are not going quietly into that good night. They are bound and determined to fuck us as hard and as often as they can while they still can.

[kestrel91316]

9. If your health insurance premiums, deductible, and co-pays are

going up, don't blame Uncle Sam. Blame your insurance company and greedy employer.

I, OTOH, will be able to afford insurance for the first time in several years because of the subsidies. So maybe I won't be bankrupted by a sprained ankle if I have a minor accident.

I call that a huge improvement.

[peace13]

12. The point is that there are still many on the outside of the subsidies.

I blame the fools who have their insurance paid by the American people and voted against the American people on the single payer issue. The insurance company can *uck me because the Congress critters like it that way. Until these immoral legislators have to hunter, gather forage for insurance like you and I do, some of us will never have relief.

It is good that you will have affordable insurance. I am happy for you. You need to know that some of us are not quite there yet.

[forthemiddle]

19. Your interpretation of health care costs is the one the majority of Americans will agree with

Regardless of the multitude of articles that come out claiming health care costs are going down, if people don't see it in there wallets via premiums, deductible, and co-pays it wont matter.
If those health care costs aren't reduced, and the average person doesn't see relief, the American people WILL consider Obamacare a failure. And for anyone that thought mandating "free" stuff (birth control, etc.) wouldn't increase the premiums they are crazy, or mandating adding chronically ill, more expensive patients. You will never get the insurance companies to eat those costs. Free is never truly free.
This is not to say that those additions are not good, but personally I would have preferred mandated free blood pressure meds, or insulin over free birth control when a person can walk into any gas station bathroom and buy a condom for a buck. But that's my personal opinion.

[dkf]

34. The floor that everyone pays will go up.

They are spreading the cost via the premiums, while telling us certain benefits are "free". No it's not free. You are being charged whether you use it or not.

What I am beginning to realize is that they are spreading the costs throughout your lifetime. While before you paid less, then had a catastrophic illness that you declared bankruptcy for and never completely paid, now you pay a larger amount from birth to death for those possible catastrophic end of life expenses. Really this is a huge money maker for anyone who had to eat these costs.

If you are basically well, then one day have an aneurism or heart attack and die instantly, you will have paid in a lot more than you will ever get.

[zipplewrath]

4. They are claiming the unproven

There is some short term data that over the last few years, people have been spending less on health care. It isn't clear why. It has helped the government because people have been charging Medicare and Medicaid less as well. If the trend holds, the government will save more than projected over the next 10 years.

The question is why are people spending less on health care. The faithful want to claim it is because of savings due to changes from the ACA. That isn't clear. It is as equally, if not more, likely that it is because people have been putting off/avoiding health care spending during the economic downturn. Of course THAT trend may also be sustained, since we have a relatively "jobless" recovery right now, especially when including the "under employed". Of course that really wasn't the intent of ACA, to get people to get less health care.

[riqster]

18. Here is an article that I hope will be useful

Re the ACA and premium impacts. http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/05/24/2058231/how-california-is-debunking-the-gops-obamacare-talking-points/?mobile=wp

I don't know what state your business operates in, but here's hoping you see similar results in the future.

[Myrina]

6. Oh yippie, open heart surgery went from $100k to $95k !

That makes it so much more affordable for us everyday $9/hr schmucks!!

[kestrel91316]

10. The billed cost of that surgery won't matter to you once

you get covered by the exchanges and their subsidies. You might be looking at as little as $20/mo in premiums, or maybe Medicaid will cover you for NOTHING.

But if you refuse to purchase insurance and opt for the penalty, don't come crying to me about how much medical care costs.

[peace13]

13. Please forward me information so that I can get these premiums of which you speak!

I need to know the program immediately so that I can sign the crew up. Until then I have to pay the insurance company more than I make a month to keep from exposing myself to losing the house.

[flamingdem]

11. He cut the deficit too and they won't discuss it

Haters, mostly republican but not always

[riqster]

14. And this is part of that reduction. nt

[leftstreet]

15. If it's so great, why hasn't the mandate kicked in yet? n/t

[former9thward]

16. No matter what the issue it is always "next year" with the ACA.

[peace13]

17. According to Go Health ..this was the plan!

Health Care Reform Timeline

The following health care reform timeline is a timeline specifically for consumers. This health care reform timeline represents major changes that will be made to health insurance plans.

June 2010

Medicare recipients that reach the donut hole will be awarded with a $250 rebate check.
Early retirees may gain more health insurance coverage through their employer.

July 2010

High-risk pools established across the nation to provide individuals with pre-existing conditions health insurance coverage.

September 23, 2010

Free prevent care. Consumers will not have to pay any out-of-pocket costs for preventive services.
Extended coverage for young adults. Children can stay on their parents' health insurance policies until they turn 26.
Consumers can appeal decisions with external review process. States will be setting up regulations on how consumers can appeal denials from health insurance companies with an external review process.
Eliminated lifetime or annual limits on health insurance coverage. Health insurance companies will not be able to issue policies that have lifetime or annual limits on coverage.
Children under the age of 19 cannot be denied insurance coverage due to medical conditions. Children with pre-existing conditions will be guaranteed coverage.

January 1, 2011

Seniors that reach the donut hole receive 50 percent discount when buying brand-name prescription drugs that are covered by Medicare Part D.
Seniors on Medicare receive free preventive care.
Health insurance companies have to spend 80 to 85 percent of premium dollars on health care services.
Seniors that are considered to be high risk will receive better coordinated care after hospitalizations with The Community Care Transitions Program.

October 1, 2011

Disabled individuals on Medicaid can receive home and community services from the Community First Choice Option.

October 1, 2012

Long term care insurance program, called CLASS, will provide assistance to adults who become disabled.

January 1, 2014

Health insurance exchanges will be implemented across the country to provide consumers an easy way to find health insurance coverage.
The individual health insurance mandate will require Americans to purchase health insurance or pay a fine.
Tax credits will be given to those who cannot afford health insurance.
Individuals who participate in clinical trials cannot be dropped or limited by their insurance policy.
Individuals guaranteed health insurance coverage regardless of health status. Insurance companies will not be allowed to charge more for gender or health status.

[scarletwoman]

20. That may be, but it's RAISING my insurance costs.

Next year my premium will be going up a whopping 30%. If I wanted to opt out of my employer-provided coverage and take my chances with private insurance through an "exchange", it would cost even more.

Single Payer was the only true option for actually reforming the health care system. This cobbled together Frankenstein monster of ACA is just going to piss more and more people off as it fully takes effect and they find themselves paying more every year.

I'm not a "hater" just because I don't like being force-fed a shit sandwich.

[riqster]

24. See post 18.

[LWolf]

21. Funny how my health care costs keep rising. nt

[woo me with science]

22. I have not met a single person whose costs have declined.

Not a single one.

Premium costs continue to skyrocket. Ours went up by about 20 percent this year. Someone I know just left a job of 10 years, because the costs of the new health plan cut into his salary so much that he could no longer afford to support his family.

[riqster]

23. Anecdotal "evidence" cannot trump statistics. nt

[woo me with science]

25. There is no decrease in costs, though.

The article talks only of some weak slowing in the GROWTH of what Medicare is paying. Costs continue to increase, even though we were promised dramatic decreases as a result of this legislation. This is like promising an employee a big raise, and then praising yourself after you have only cut his salary by a fraction of what you promised to increase it by.

Most importantly, there is absolutely *nothing* in your link to suggest that any of the change has been passed on to consumers by insurance companies in the form of lower premiums or will be.

http://www.dashrconsulting.com/health-care-premiums-projected-to-increase-in-2013/

[riqster]

28. Had you read the links, you would have seen

That these are upcoming costs once 2014 arrives. If you has read it, you would also have seen that more than one insurer will be undoing premium and price increases next year because of the exchanges that will take effect next year.

Had you paid bit one of attention, you'd have known that this temporary period of gouging was predicted and that it would be temporary.

But, why read or pay attention when you can just regurgitate the Right Wing's taking points and hate on the Prexy?

Typical. Sad, but typical.

[woo me with science]

32. What "links"?

The single link in your post goes to a Wordpress blog by "Mr. Blunt and Cranky," which then contains a link to a Forbes article.

The Forbes article contains nothing that you claim here.

Neither does the article by Lowrey at the first link in the Forbes article.

Perhaps you should cut and paste the relevant information instead of making assertions and then sending your reader on vague link searches. Please post the excerpts that show premium costs being reduced for Americans.

[Skittles]

26. "haters"? Is the writer in Junior High?

[hobbit709]

27. "Hater" is defined as anyone that is NOT a 150% cheerleader.

[riqster]

29. No, it means

Alleged "progressives" who circulate Right-Wing talking points about the ACA and still claim to be Liberals.

[hobbit709]

30. Like I said.

[SomethingFishy]

33. Bullshit.

A right wing talking point is "Obama is a Kenyan Born Muslim forcing Sharia Law on America". Not "My health care costs have gone up".

Are you saying that all these people are lying about their costs going up? Or are you saying it has nothing to do with the ACA?

When Obama does good things, he deserves praise. When he throws us to the mercy of people who actually believe that you should profit from the illness of others he deserves to be called out.

[Skittles]

31. oh I am well aware of that

still, it's just so juvenile.....right up there with "prolly"

[riqster]

35. More evidence of ObamaCare's cost-savings

http://www.newrepublic.com/article/113289/obamacare-california-no-sticker-shock-here#

Of course, haters gonna hate. But everyone else might appreciate the info.

[winter is coming]

36. Credibility was lost at the word "hater".

Emotionally loaded yet nonspecific terms like "hater" are a big red flag that the article is likely to be propaganda.

[riqster]

37. I might point out that such filtration can lead to an information deficit

Try clicking the link in my most recent post (#35) on this thread. It shows that the (admittedly flawed) ACA will reduce some health costs next year.

Or hide from the facts because you don't care for the messenger's grammar. Your choice.