"Maybe you should check into applying for Obamacare?"... "Yeah, that's what the doctor said"

[Fumesucker]

So my late fiftyish, self-employed, not-really-political but vaguely Paulite and currently uninsured neighbor went for his first checkup in five or so years yesterday. I talked to him this morning and he told me he has high blood pressure, some kind of electrical abnormality with his heart and is a candidate for a hip replacement.

I quietly mentioned that he should possibly check into Obamacare and he told me the doctor had said just that to him and I think he's really going to do it.

I think Obamacare sucks because it doesn't go nearly far enough but that doesn't stop me from reminding people to take advantage of what it does do for them.

It's interesting that I've become the go-to person in my circle for dispensing information about Obamacare despite the fact it won't do anything for me AFAICT.

[LuvLoogie]

1. Really?

If you are on Medicare, you should have seen savings in subscription drugs.
If you have private insurance you are protected from pre-existing condition denials and benefit caps.
Perhaps you have Vet Care and use government provided healthcare?

[zipplewrath]

2. Nope

If you are on Medicare, you should have seen savings in subscription drugs.

I'm not

If you have private insurance you are protected from pre-existing condition denials

Already was, there was no pre-existing on my group insurance through my employer.

and benefit caps.

It was pretty high, and waived the few times anyone approached it.


Perhaps you have Vet Care and use government provided healthcare?

Nope.

I'm not complaining, but ACA did virtually nothing for me and a large number of people. That was intentional. The ACA by design was meant to not impact people who already had "good" insurance as little as possible. (We could already keep kids on ours until 26). Truth is, the kinds of insurance many of us already had were the model for the various levels now mandated. The people with employer based group insurance that got affected the most were the ones with "cadillac" plans. Their benefits got reduced (or will once the labor unions get around to renegotiating the contracts).