Steve Benen: A closer look at latest ACA ‘horror story’

[Playinghardball]

It’s hard to miss the pattern: the right identifies an “Obamacare victim,” who receives a fair amount of attention and finds themselves featured in a misleading attack ad. Soon after, reality sets in – the ACA “horror story” draws closer scrutiny and the story turns out to be quite different than the one first presented to the public.

I tried to keep up with all of them for a while, but I’ve literally lost count of how many times this has happened.

The new one is an attack ad in Michigan’s U.S. Senate race, sponsored by the Koch-financed Americans for Prosperity, featuring a woman named Julia Boonstra. She tells viewers:

“I was diagnosed with leukemia. I found out I only have a 20 percent chance of surviving. I found this wonderful doctor and a great health care plan. I was doing fairly well fighting the cancer, fighting the leukemia, and then I received a letter. My insurance was canceled because of Obamacare.

Now, the out-of-pocket costs are so high, it’s unaffordable. If I do not receive my medication, I will die. I believed the president. I believed I could keep my health insurance plan. I feel lied to. It’s heartbreaking for me. Congressman Peters, your decision to vote Obamacare jeopardized my health.”

>snip<
Moreover, in the ad, Boonstra says she’s facing “unaffordable” out-of-pocket costs. Glenn Kessler noted that the commercial doesn’t mention that under the ACA, Boonstra’s monthly premiums have dropped from $1,100 a month to $571. If she’s concerned about out-of-pocket costs, the Affordable Care Act creates a ceiling – which is practically identical to her annual savings thanks to her lower premiums.

More here: http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/closer-look-latest-aca-horror-story

Found on the Obama Diary

[Scuba]

1. Doesn't matter. The message was planted in the minds of the gullible. That's what counts.

[lostincalifornia]

2. Not enough information, but there is a chance that if her current doctor won't accept the ACA, she

would need to find a new doctor

It also does not mention what her deductible is, and it could be substantial if it is the Bronze plan

[peabody]

3. Read the article:

"What the commercial doesn’t mention is that Boonstra now has coverage under Blue Cross Blue Shield – coverage that can’t be taken away if her health deteriorates, and which there are no annual or lifetime caps – in which she’s still able to see the exact same physician"

and as for the premium:

"the commercial doesn’t mention that under the ACA, Boonstra’s monthly premiums have dropped from $1,100 a month to $571"

[lostincalifornia]

5. I did read the article. It does NOT say anthing about the deductibles. As for the same physician

that is not clear from the article from what I could see

"For example, in the ad, Boonstra says she found a “wonderful doctor” after her diagnosis. What the commercial doesn’t mention is that Boonstra now has coverage under Blue Cross Blue Shield – coverage that can’t be taken away if her health deteriorates, and which there are no annual or lifetime caps – in which she’s still able to see the exact same physician."

Even though the article states it is the same physician, I am not sure. There are doctors out there who will NOT accept the ACA. The name of the doctor was not mentioned, so I am not sure. Even within Blue Cross Blue Shield, there are doctors who will accept blue cross blue shield, but not under the ACA

So even though the article implies it is the same physician, I want a verification of that with a physician name

[peabody]

6. It's pretty clear to me

what "she’s still able to see the exact same physician" means. As for getting her physician's name, good luck with that; I'm pretty sure that lady wants her privacy and not have her doctor's name revealed . And for the deductible, I'll admit that it was pretty vague on that but if her premium when down from $1100 to $571 a month, that'll give here an extra $6,348 a year towards the deductible; and unless the her deductible went up by that much, she's still ahead.

[lostincalifornia]

8. I don't think this lady gives a damn about her privacy. She is a hard core right winger. She has

already told us about her medical condition, and she is also aligned with the Koch brothers.

The only point I was making, and since this lady has decided to go public, is that they should get more specifics.

I suspect that her complaints are political verses actual. Even if my hypothetical that it isn't the same doctor is correct, there are plenty of board certified good ethical doctors who would attend her case, and continue her current care.

So this is more bogus than not. I would just want to have all the fact fully laid out to throw it back in there faces, that is all

One more thing, I am not against the ACA. We needed something

[peabody]

9. To give a condition is one

thing but to give out actual names is another. How many other articles have you seen about the ACA that actually mention names of doctors. Get real. I'm glad your not against the ACA but her story is bulk and you saying that "there is a chance that if her current doctor won't accept the ACA" is clearly not supported by the article.

[lostincalifornia]

10. Ok. Thanks for the perspective

[peabody]

11. No problem

We're all on the same side here.

[okaawhatever]

4. Before claiming the deductibles are too high, a reasonable person would compare

a current plan with one whose costs and benefits are most similar. Her current monthly premium is $1,100. If she compared a new plan where her premium was close to $1,100 with similar coverage but higher deductibles her claim would be fair. This commercial compares her current plans deductibles without mentioning the monthly decrease in premiums. Additionally, the article states that the difference in deductibles is made up by one year in the premium difference.

While there can be high deductibles in the bronze plans, there is a subsidy program for the moderate income individuals that reduces them.

[lostincalifornia]

7. First of all I did not claim it was a high deductible. I said could. Also, you are making

assumptions with subsidies. All I said was the article is leaving a lot out. We do NOT have enough details. The Ad also is misleading, and leaves out a lot of specifics.

As for moderate income individuals, it depends where they live. 63K for 2 people, it is 40K something for one person. However, we do not know her expense, debt, etc.

In addition, the ACA recognized that some people may be harmed who are on the borderline of a subsidy which is why they wrote an exemption to the mandate in the bill that said if the premium exceeds 8% of your income for the Bronze plan you can be excused from the mandate, of course then you would have no insurance, which is worse.

There are situations where the ACA premiums are more than COBRA for instance. So there are inadequacies within the ACA. Also, people who are over 50 are penalized with higher premiums under the ACA. That is offset if they qualify for a subsidy, however, if they are borderline, they could be paying a hefty premium

The only point I am making is I want more specifics to throw this right back at the Koch brothers and right wingers

[politicaljunkie41910]

12. I belong to a family of medical providers; doctors, nurses,Physician Assistants, Nurse Practicianers

What the GOP fails to mention is that doctors, many of whom belong to some plan i.e. HMO, PPO, Medical Group, etc move around the state and country, just like the rest of the nation. I personally belong to an HMO, have been for the past 29 years. My primary care physician, whom I really, really liked, recently left the plan. Actually she left the state, to be closer to her family and grandkids. Had nothing to do with Obamacare. I was assigned another doctor, whom I thought I could never like as much as my previous physician of 8 years. Well, I had a problem about six months ago, and I called to make a same day appointment. I got in that same morning, and guess what? I like him a lot. I was nervous since my previous Primary Care physician was a woman, as am I, but, this guy was great, thorough, and in less than 30 minutes my previous physician was a memory. Albeit I good memory.

[peabody]

13. Yes, exactly.

The anti-ACA people fail to mention that you lose your doctors all the time prior to the enactment of the ACA too. My primary care, whom I've been seeing for 15 years, was no longer available to me when he decided to drop my HMO plan a couple of years ago. My wife lost access to her OB/GYN when our medical plan was changed 2 years ago. Her OB/GYN 2 prior to that one drop out of our company plan also. The notion that the ACA exclusively caused people to lose their doctors is way over blown.