FGS Stop...

[Dr_Snooz]

FYI. Head fake! Is Healthcare.gov only an empty shell MOCKUP of a working Obamacare exchange?

[cygnus x-1]

Honestly I didn't really think anything. I just wanted to see (for myself) if I could get cheaper health insurance through the exchange. As it turns out, by some miracle the website started working yesterday and I was able to see what plans I qualify for. I haven't had time to do a side by side comparison yet, but just by looking at the premiums it appears that the offered plans cost more than similar plans I can get through the "normal" channels. I can't say it's true for certain because each plan is a little different in what it covers, so it's hard to compare them directly. But they do appear to cost more.

So for the time being I'm going to reserve judgment. My gut feeling though is that lots of people's premiums will go up in the near future, which will spark a general negative attitude towards Obamacare.

Will I buy through the exchange? Probably not unless I find a plan that makes sense for me.


C|

[2geeSEi]

Covered CA is working somewhat. Still many glitches. For those wondering, all of the plans offered through the exchanges are still underwritten through private insurance companies, and will be similar to, or the same as plans you can get outside of the exchanges. The only real reason to go through the exchanges is if you think you may qualify for a subsidy. For that, your household income must be below 400% of the Federal Poverty Level (about 46k for individual or 62K for a married couple), and you can't have an offer for coverage through your employer that the employee contribution for employee only coverage is less than 9.5% of your wages. And for those that aren't aware, even if you sign up for one now, it won't be effective until 1/1/2014.

[2geeSEi]

BTW, for my individual plan, my premium is going up by about $160/month for my wife and I for less coverage than we have now.

[Oldblueaccord]

My first job that I had insurance offered was in 1992 when I worked for the Red Cross. Every year since then my employee offered insurance had gone up.....and it aint no more 5 dollar copays. I guess Ill blame Obama for that,and my stubbed toe too.

I think take a look at it and if you can get more for less get it. its what free market is all about.

[2geeSEi]

My first job that I had insurance offered was in 1992 when I worked for the Red Cross. Every year since then my employee offered insurance had gone up.....and it aint no more 5 dollar copays. I guess Ill blame Obama for that,and my stubbed toe too.

I think take a look at it and if you can get more for less get it. its what free market is all about.

It isn't a free market anymore when the government dictates what a health plan has to look like. Yes, insurance goes up each year, but when it more than doubles in 3 years because of mandates, that is different.

[Oldblueaccord]

Cost increases have been limited by the law.

I find that the people in my circle that are against it are already on medicade,care or dont have any and go to the emergancy room on Saturday night for a bellyache. Im paying for all that.

Time for people to start paying for themselves. Thats what the hubbubs all about.

[2geeSEi]

Cost increases have been limited by the law.

I find that the people in my circle that are against it are already on medicade,care or dont have any and go to the emergancy room on Saturday night for a bellyache. Im paying for all that.

Time for people to start paying for themselves. Thats what the hubbubs all about.

That's the problem I have with it too. I was responsible and got a plan that was medically underwritten when I was healthy and picked one that didn't have maternity (since we were done having Kids), and that we paid a nominal fee for preventative care visits. Now we have to pay more now that they have to accept unhealthy people that chose not to get coverage when healthy (there are some exceptions, but that is not the norm), and now the govt. also says that my plan must include maternity, and there has to be $0 copay for preventative care. That isn't where it stops either. When people that make under 400% of the FPL (46K single, 62K couple, etc.) they get a subsidy in the form of a tax credit when they apply through the ACA exchanges. Where do you think that money comes from?

[Dr_Snooz]

Cost increases have been limited by the law.

Um, you sure about that?

[2geeSEi]

Yeah, Dr Snooz, you are right. The cost increases have not been limited by law. The way it has worked is that each state's Dept. of Insurance had to approve any rate changes for all lines of insurance before companies could implement them. If the rate increases didn't appear justified, the insurance dept. could request the actuarial figures that were used in calculating the increase, then decide whether to approve them or not. Now there is a clause in the ACA that says that insurance companies must spend at least 80% of the premium dollars they collect on actual healthcare, or the must rebate the difference back to the subscribers. So really the statement that he made was not accurate for pre-ACA, but is now in a way.

[Dr_Snooz]

Unfortunately, the truth is rather different than the marketing. Health insurers are already expecting "robust" revenue growth from the bill (Despite Glitches, Obamacare Profit Windfall To Insurers Well Underway - Forbes) and they aren't going to do that by giving away their product.

Remember that it's a 3,000 page bill with 10,000 pages of additional riders and that's a lot of detail for the devil to be in. We know that Obama's marketing rhetoric has routinely failed to match reality. We were told that we could keep our existing coverage. Yet 2 million people have already been booted off their plans and more are sure to follow (Obamacare: More than 2 million people getting booted from existing health insurance plans - CBS News). We were told that Obamacare would lower the cost of health care. Yet now we learn that most people are going to see their insurance rates rise 62-99% (Double Down: Obamacare Will Increase Avg. Individual-Market Insurance Premiums By 99% For Men, 62% For Women - Forbes). Some are going to see rates rise dramatically higher than that (Obamacare Quadruples Costs for Some, Rewards Others Who Quit Working | CNS News). We were told that it would be an easy online web enrollment. Now we find that the site is highly unstable and an identity thief's dream (Beware of identity theft and fraud threats posed by Obamacare - National Identity Theft | Examiner.com).

We only know two things for certain. One, that if Obama says one thing, you can be fairly certain that the opposite is true. Two, that the health insurance lobby wrote the bill. We've only just begun to learn what this bill is really all about. The first month hasn't been pretty and I don't expect coming months to be any better.

[Oldblueaccord]

Free market is much a misnomer. There is no true free market . My understanding is cost is limited per year. I never heard of these cafeteria health policies until this week i dont think they are offered in every state.

And i agree with snooze politicians will say anything to get elected. Bush sr. No new taxes speech is one of my favorites.

Edit: i think premeiums are limited to 9.5% of your income just looking real quick on line.