"People will wait until they are sick to buy health insurance".

[Nye Bevan]

The Republicans have launched a campaign to try to persuade young people not to sign up for Obamacare. One of the themes they are pushing is that with Obamacare, you can simply wait until you are sick to take out insurance.

Reuters reported that, “With the Obama administration poised for a huge public education campaign on healthcare reform, Republicans and their allies are mobilizing a counter-offensive including town hall meetings, protests and media promotions to dissuade uninsured Americans from obtaining health coverage…President Barack Obama’s signature domestic policy is the first major social program to face a highly organized and well-financed opposition years after enactment. The forces arrayed against it could undermine the aim of extending health coverage to millions of uninsured people at affordable rates, if not enough younger adults sign up to make it economically viable."

http://www.politicususa.com/2013/07/25/republicans-launch-campaign-convince-uninsured-buy-health-insurance.html

But of course this is a horribly misleading, potentially financially devastating idea to push:

You can only buy health insurance through the Obamacare health insurance exchanges during open enrollment. Open enrollment is a period of time when everybody can buy health insurance. It usually lasts about a month and happens once a year. If you don’t buy health insurance during the open enrollment period, you’ll have to wait until the next open enrollment period to get it.

For Obamacare, the initial open enrollment period is from October 1, 2013 through March 31, 2014. It’s longer than a normal open enrollment period since it’s the first ever enrollment period for health insurance bought through exchanges.

Much shorter subsequent open enrollment periods will run from October 15 through December 7 every year starting autumn of 2014.

If you don’t buy your health insurance during open enrollment, you’ll have to wait until next year’s open enrollment for another opportunity. If you get sick in the meanwhile, you’ll probably be out of luck.

So anyone who adopts this dangerous idea and happens to get into a car accident in April 2014 will be fully responsible for 6 months of medical bills, which could run into the hundreds of thousands. And for young people who can take out ACA policies for $50 or $75 per month, this would be a ridiculous risk to take.

[leftyohiolib]

1. and by their acts .....

unreal. deliberately trying to screw people out of health care. those dumb enough to believe the gop will get gop'd.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

2. The forces arrayed against Obamacare are massive

I believe health insurance companies and for-profit hospitals are two powerful groups who see the writing on the wall. Their influence, profits, and leverage will decline with Obamacare and they know it.

[wandy]

4. Most true. Why else would the people who represent them threaten to shut down government........

damage the economy and risk putting the country's credit rating in jeopardy?

republican elected officials know what side of their bread the butter is on.

[maryellen99]

8. and the uninformed fox news rush limbaugh listening base

They also want the status quo as well.

[enlightenment]

3. Open enrollment is stupid.

And unnecessary.

What about the 25-1/5 year old who has been covered on their parents insurance, but ages out a week after the open enrollment ends? Why should they be penalized by having to wait six months? Did they "adopt a dangerous idea"? No, they simply missed the open enrollment.

In civilized nations, when people become eligible for healthcare coverage, they receive access. They don't have to wait for an "enrollment period" to swing around.

[dkf]

6. Are there no life events that allow for enrollment outside open enrollment?

Employers have these for marriages and divorces, newly hired etc.

[PoliticAverse]

9. Yes, there are 'special enrollment periods' for events that change your insurance eligibility. n/t

[Nye Bevan]

7. Aging out from your parents policy would be considered a qualifying life event

and you would be allowed special enrollment. Similar to getting married or divorced or giving birth, or losing employer coverage. '

I do agree that under a single-payer system this would be an unnecessary concept.

[Recursion]

13. Oh I'm sure even under a full single payer system in the US we'd still choose provisioning agents

We'll probably always have something like that.

[enlightenment]

14. After looking at the Federal Register,

I see I was incorrect. Thank you for pointing that out.








*disclaimer: the statement above should not in any way suggest that I am suddenly on-board with the ACA. I'm not. I firmly believe it is a gift to corporations at the expense of those who can least afford it - and that it does not bring our nation any closer to a civilized form of healthcare provision.

[Recursion]

12. Generally life events like aging out, etc., open enrollment for you (nt)

[Cicada]

5. Waiting will trigger the tax penalty

I think you have to be insured for 9 months of the year to avoid the tax penalty. The penalty the first year will be tiny but it will increase to the greater of 2.5% of income or $695 (or so) in subsequent years. So that is another incentive to not game the system.

[AgingAmerican]

10. Republicans didn't read the law

...according to one of their talking points. IT's showing!

[Recursion]

11. Huh. Years and years ago I webmastered openseason.com, which was the US govt enrollment site

It seems to have gone away. It was a cool little site where government workers could pick their health insurance plans. I wonder what they do now.

[BlueCheese]

15. I agree that the talking point is false.

On the other hand, it's kind of weird that a "feature" of the system is that if you get sick while uninsured, you're basically screwed.

[truebluegreen]

17. That is true of our current system, which I agree is weird.

Baby steps.*


*which doesn't mean I'm fond of the ACA. It's just better than nothing.

[MiniMe]

16. And I would think that you could buy if afterwards, but it wouldn't cover the problem that sent you

there.

Like if you were in have a heart attack, and don't have insurance, you could get insurance to cover future heart problems. But would it cover the heart attack bills after the event, I doubt it.

It is like flood insurance. Good if you have it, but you can't buy a new policy it if a flood is predicted