LOL. Uninsured and Proud!

[cthulu2016]

You'll have to stuff that medicine into my cold, dead hand!

According to the latest Gallup poll, 28 percent of uninsured Americans say they plan to pay the fine under the Affordable Care Act rather than seek health insurance. The rate is higher when asked among uninsured Republicans.

Gallup finds 45 percent of uninsured Republicans plan to pay the tax penalty, compared to just 15 percent of uninsured Democrats.

.......

Gallup also found among the uninsured that 84 percent of black respondents said they would get insurance, while just 49 percent of white respondents said they would get coverage.

http://blog.al.com/wire/2013/12/nearly_half_uninsured_republic.html#incart_river_default

[Cali_Democrat]

1. Looks like it's the white Republicans who are the welfare queens...

...gaming the system and living off the government at the expense of others. If they go to the ER, the rest of us are stuck with the bill.

Somebody should notify Reagan's corpse.

[loyalsister]

12. Well said!

My sister said she would rather die than buy insurance through ACA. Having gone through the whole uninsured, pre-existing condition leading to bankruptcy, I really wanted to set her straight. But there is no sense in wasting my time with an anti- Obama fundie.

[HockeyMom]

2. I was uninsured for 3 years

and on and off for decades. If I wasn't eligible for FREE Medicare this year, I probably would have paid the fine. I could count on one hand the number of times I have seen a doctor (walk in clinic) in 20 years. Just because something is free, doesn't mean I intend to use it.

[oldhippie]

3. What is this FREE Medicare of which you speak?

I have to pay for mine, don't you? Part A only covers hospitalization as I understand it. They take payment for Part B out of my Social Security payment. Plus there are co-pays. How is this FREE?

[RebelOne]

5. Yes, I would like to know also.

I pay $105 per month for plans A & B. It would be nice if I could get it for free.

[HockeyMom]

9. YOU elected for sign up for Part B

You are not required to sign up for Part B. Didn't you READ it?

[HockeyMom]

7. Part A is Free

and is automatic. You have to sign up for Part B or Part C & D. You are not required to do any of those.

[meaculpa2011]

23. I spoke with a Medicare consult in September...

and she told me that if I decline Part B I must submit proof of credible primary insurance or else pay a penalty.

When you become eligible for Medicare you are automatically enrolled in Part A and Part B. You must then return the enrollment form stating that you decline Part B. You can decline, for example, if you're 65 but still work for a company that provides benefits. Medicare will then cover hospitalization and your company plan will be your primary insurance for doctor visits, diagnostics, etc.

[RebelOne]

6. Do you mean Medicaid? Medicare is not free. n/t

[JimDandy]

28. Medicaid is not totally free.

While there is no premium, there are copays.

[HockeyMom]

31. Medicaide is not Medicare

Know the difference.

[dionysus]

15. your dislike of the notion of health care aside, medicare isn't free, it's paid for by our taxes.

[HockeyMom]

30. I paid for it all the years I was working

It was taken out of my wages. Same with Social Security.

[Rectangle]

4. What if they have to go to the ER? Is there a DIY Appendix

kit for these people?

[HockeyMom]

8. That is Part A

Hospitalization. Part B is doctor fees.

[Motown_Johnny]

10. Survival of the fittest. Darwin proved right once again.

[Capt. Obvious]

11. Not entirely sure how ACA is set up..

but, comparing to my state's Romneycare - it is actually cheaper to forego health insurance for x amount of years.

I lost my job during the collapse, and my health insurance. My fine was minimal. I went a few years without health insurance and my last year of taxes covering my last year without insurance was a huge punch in the gut.

They will change their tune when they hit that escalating fine.

[BlueState]

13. It's cheaper to pay the fine if you stay healthy

Even a routine illness that requires hospitalization can run into 10s, if not, 100s or thousands of dollars.

[Capt. Obvious]

14. The fine escalates each year

so that it's eventually cheaper to buy insurance.

Not sure if ACA is set up that way.

[dionysus]

18. [phone]

I was hospitalized for 3 days and 2 nights last year. turned out to be nothing serious. I was hooked up to a machine that tracked vitals, had an IV of saline, a few meals, and some pills, that's it. doesn't sound too bad, right?

well, it was almost $12,000.

if I wasn't insured I would have had to declare bankruptcy.

when my mom passed last summer, she was on life support for three days until everyone could get there. my dad got copies of the bill that medicare paid, and that was well over $100,000.

going uninsured is a very dangerous game.

[solarhydrocan]

20. When does the $12,000 per 3 days get questioned?

Because no where else in the world does 3 days in hospital cost $12,000.

That's absurd, And now it's written into the system.

The costs need to be looked at and fast, or only the very rich will have health CARE no matter how much insurance they have.

$12,000 for 3 days. What a racket.

[dionysus]

22. i wish i could find the statement breaking down the costs.. it was ridiculous. for example,

"physical therapy", where a nurse helped me stagger around the wing and back with a walker (cause I was doped to the gills with valium) was several hundred dollars. for a 5 minute assisted walk...

if I recall the bulk of the cost was simply for occupying a bed.

it's not just the insurance companies that are the problem, its the hospitals and their prices.

at least the medication charge was only like 5 bucks.... and the hospital food was actually rather good...

[littlewolf]

25. the reason hospitals charge it is cuz they know the insurance will pay it.

everyones hand gets greased a little.

I had my tonsils removed and we did not have insurance
and the bill was MUCH less then if we had insurance.

[dionysus]

26. yes, i read an article not too long ago about this. they used MRIs as an example.

use your insurance and the MRI is 1500 bucks. insurance pays the bulk of it and you pay a few hundred.

ask for the "cash price" of an MRI and magically the price drops to 750...

[Shankapotomus]

16. I wonder where fine money goes

Does it go to help pay for the ACA? I think it's genius if it does. That way, whether someone gets health care or not, they are still contributing to health care coverage for Americans.

[solarhydrocan]

19. Some to buy more drones and some directly to insurance companies

There's a pipeline now

Government Tax $ ----------------->>Insurance Companies

Insurers Could Get Multi-Millions in Obamacare Bailout
November 21, 2013

The insurance industry may be next in line to receive a hefty government bailout. That’s what could happen if signups for Obamacare fall short of expectations triggering an obscure provision in the Affordable Care Act that makes up any serious losses.
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/insurers-could-multi-millions-obamacare-111500000.html

And some will go directly into the wallet of Insurance Company CEO's who "earn" millions and millions of dollars per year.

It's a heck of a job, if you can get it. Ask Karen Ignagni.

[Shankapotomus]

21. Well, it would be smart

if they took the fine money, as small as it might be, from each non-participant and pumped it directly into funding the ACA. That way the argument that Obamacare will not have enough participants to support it will have less legs. Seems a logical strategy.

[meaculpa2011]

17. I'm gonna get a P.O. Box in Vermont. n/t

[HockeyMom]

32. I love Vermont

Sure beats Floriduh.

[annabanana]

24. jeez.. You don't want they should have some kind of

accident or nothin' woudjuz?

Stupid to be uninsured.

[stuckinodi]

27. If you're over 55 and Medicaid is your only option

and you have assets but no income, this is a hard choice. Do you pay the fine or lose control of your assets? The temptation to just pay the fine to keep control of what you have is great.

[gerogie2]

29. Change the bankruptcy laws instead of income tax

If the US government changed the bankruptcy law so that those who refuse to buy or accept health insurance can not discharge their medical debts in bankruptcy then 99% would comply.

[LionsTigersRedWings]

33. They will do whatever they can

to not help and support others who need help!

they aren't sick so they wont buy while there are those who are so sick and can't pay!