What a pleasant surprise!

[MgtPA]

Today I visited my physician for a complete physical. As I was leaving, I pulled out my checkbook for the co-pay. The woman behind the desk said "That's no longer necessary; due to the Affordable Care Act, annual wellness visits are completely covered by your insurance - no co-pay required!"

I grinned and said "Really!!". She grinned back and said "Hope those bozos don't repeal it!"

[spanone]

1. k&r...

[jwirr]

2. Most of my medications and doctors visits no longer have co-pays. I like Obamacare!

[SunSeeker]

3. K&R

[MgtPA]

4. I had no idea that I had this benefit now.

I consider myself at least moderately clued-in. I'm on DU every day, I watch MSNBC every night, and I still didn't know that the Affordable Care Act currently affected me - I (wrongly, it turns out), thought that I would have to wait for 2014 before I would benefit from the bill.

Am I just clueless, or is there a messaging problem here?

[zipplewrath]

7. Not sure it's mandated yet

Insurance companies have been phasing in many of the requirements on their own (and raising the prices as they go). I don't think it kicks in for anyone but seniors until 2014.

[lark]

12. While Team Obama are great at campaigns

They suck at messaging on HCRA.

I loved it when I got to cover my uninsured son last year and had a bone density test for free.

[barbtries]

26. they don't suck so much as messaging

as they don't have a media that passes the word. people have to work a little. that's why DU is so great.

[ErikJ]

13. How NAIVE of you!

To think that the health insurance companies would want to inform you of switching to a new Obamcare plan.

They are STRICTLY profit mongers remember, and hope everybody grandfathers in their old plan forever. SWITCH NOW before you get sick and need a $5000 screening test (Its FREE with Obamacare)!

My new Obamacare plan is $100 LESS than my old plan but the deductible is a bit higher. If I need an expensive operation, I'll go to Malaysia or Thailand where you can get it done for 1/10th the cost.

[madmom]

5. Hmmmmm, I went in for my diabetic check last Thursday and had to pay my co-pay. Is that not

part of the wellness visit? I thought I read it was.

[MgtPA]

6. I don't know. My experience was similar to yours.

I go in every 4 months for cholesterol & blood pressure checks (which are probably similar to a diabetic check) and I've always paid a co-pay. This was an annual "wellness" checkup; maybe that's the difference.

[sense]

8. This might help

http://www.healthcare.gov/law/resources/reports/patients-bill-of-rights09232011a.html

"Receive preventive services without paying an additional penny out-of-pocket. New health insurance plans have to cover recommended preventive services without cost-sharing, helping more patients receive needed services that can keep them healthy. This year, as many as 41 million Americans are benefitting from this provision, and millions more will benefit in the years to come. Americans now have access to services such as blood pressure testing, diabetes and cholesterol screening; many cancer screenings; routine vaccinations; pre-natal care; and regular wellness visits for infants and children at no additional cost. The elimination of copayments, co-insurance, and deductibles, will improve access to affordable, quality health care and will help prevent serious health conditions before they start. The recent release of Women’s Preventive Services Guidelines adds additional services targeted directly to women such as family planning services to improve maternal health and birth outcomes, and breastfeeding support that can help improve child health and development."

[AllyCat]

9. Fantastic! Wish I had this news for a teevee conference

I did today for seniors regarding the ACA and Medicare. Glad to hear you are getting some benefit now!

[abelenkpe]

10. K & R nt

[The Wielding Truth]

11. Great! I'm going to make an appointment. Thanks to our fighting Dems.of 2010.

[Motown_Johnny]

14. I hope she says that to ten conservatives a day

and I hope ten thousand others like her are doing the same.

[WhoIsNumberNone]

15. Bringing Sharia Law to God's Country... one co-pay at a time.

[freshwest]

16. Love the bozo comment. Glad you got some relief.

[joshcryer]

17. That's awesome!

[ProudProgressiveNow]

18. Rec'd

With a big smile!

[lady lib]

19. Sweet!

n/t

[RKP5637]

20. I'm sure the teabaggers will think their insurance company gave that to them as

a gratis perk for being good customers and fighting Obamacare.

[Curmudgeoness]

21. Does anyone know.....

whenever I have a physical, my doctor requires me to have bloodwork, which is expensive. Would that be covered too, or is that still a couple hundred bucks?

[haydukelives]

22. As you where leaving?

My doctors office gets the copayment as I walk in the door!
But you are correct, I didn't pay a thing either

[tabasco]

23. But, but... it's not total utopia yet!!!!!!!

We can't make things better one step at a time ---- WE MUST HAVE TOTAL UTOPIA NOW!!!!

[slackmaster]

24. Have your premiums changed at all?

[MgtPA]

28. I honestly don't know. We've only had our current policy since December 2011.

Our healthcare is covered by my husband's employer, and this is a new job for him (after making COBRA payments for 7 months - now THAT was rough!)

[slackmaster]

29. COBRA sucks indeed

Thanks.

[MgtPA]

30. Sucks doesn't even begin to describe how I feel about COBRA

We learned (the hard way) that unemployment compensation doesn't even cover COBRA payments. We live pretty frugally - no car payments, no credit card debt, no loans except for a pretty small mortgage payment. If it weren't for the COBRA payments, unemployment compensation $$ would have covered the mortgage, electric bill, and basic food for us; it would have done what it was designed to do - allow us to survive until the employment situation changed. As it was, we had to hit savings (which we were lucky enough to have) to pay the rest of the COBRA payments, along with everything else.

This scenario is being repeated hundreds of thousands, maybe millions of times all across this country - unemployment compensation $$ flowing from government coffers straight to the insurance companies. What an obscene, immoral racket!

[NYC_SKP]

25. HAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHA!

but I've been told even on DU that the Affordable Care Act is crap!

Of course, I know better, but good for you, and for millions of others!

[tru]

27. don't forget the 50% off meds in the Medicare donut hole. n/t