Do you support the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare)

Same reason I spent 9 years in conservatories, studying music, preparing for a career that may or may not pan out... because I love it.

There are numerous ways in which the vapid black-and-white "money is the only thing that matters" argument can be rebutted, but the field of medicine is probably the most obvious.

Seriously: you're taking a group of people who have dedicated their lives to healing the sick and preventing unnecessary death, and the only reason they bother is for the payday? What a sad world that would be. Thank god it isn't true.

That being said, med school costs are ridiculous and I understand well the pressure to pay off student debt.

However, myself and hundreds of artists I know could very well have gotten degrees in easier fields or areas that would lead to direct, higher-paying employment. But there are motivations other than money.

 

Uh, doctor's salaries are not the reason why health insurance is expensive.

Back to the original topic, yes and no. Yes, I think we need to find a way to get health insurance coverage for people who cannot afford it. But no, I don't agree with how this has been set up...I don't think it is going to it be very effective and will be way too expensive. I think it seems rushed. But I hope that I am wrong.

 

Why do people keep saying it was rushed? The core concept was first conceived in the mid-1990's (Heritage Foundation). It was implemented in Massachusetts in 2006. We had 3 years of data on it from there. It was written over the course of about 9 months in Congress. Then it was given 4 years before full implementation next year. What exactly did people want?

 

I agree.

 

Correct. Pharmaceutical companies and hospitals are where the real money is. A doctor is a drop in a bucket. People don't realize it but many hospitals are HUGE business and HUGE money makers. Just look at the money the local Memorial system has. Master charge lists are outrageous. Just this year Memorial held Blue Cross hostage to get a higher reimbursement rate.

I agree it wasn't rushed. I also agree that there was a lot of data. What I don't get is why when all the data on community rating shows it leads to higher rates they decided to go with that same format. The exchange model is a failure in Mass. Utilization of the exchanges was very low. Lots of things that are workable in there but there were pretty significant changes that could have been made.

I also vehemently oppose the medal plan system and oppose the idea that the maximum out of pocket any plan can legally have is around 6k. That forces people to pay for coverage they are unlikely to utilize.

 

It probably didn't help that you had people like Pelosi saying things like we have to pass it so we can find out what is in it, or John Conyers questioning what the point of reading the bill is. Then there was the election of Scott Brown, and suddenly it became urgent to pass whatever they could get through the then lame duck senate.

 

I was against it until Ted Cruz according to his own words voted for Obamacare. Now I'm for it.

 

I agree there are lots of improvements that can be made. Some of it is even supported by both parties, but as you said elsewhere, DC dysfunction prevents those changes. That's all a sad state of affairs, because we're basically making it worse purely for political reasons.

I think these changes and improvements are where the real debate should be, but that can't happen until probably next year sometime when the thing is fully in place and simple repeal is off the table.

I'm curious about your take on the exchange model in MA. My understanding is they quickly got to 99% coverage. If the uninsured weren't getting insurance on the exchanges, where were they getting it? As a lifelong self-employed person, I love the idea of the exchanges but I know it's a relatively small portion of the insurance marketplace. It seems like all the uninsured that don't fall into Medicaid expansion would be using that, so it would seem to have a decent amount of usage, but I really have no idea.

I'm really curious for October 1st to see how a plan comparable to my current one actually costs.

 

This is the most likely outcome. Obamacare will stick. It's a "disaster" (to some) and that can be improved and will be improved by Congress.

Just waiting for the time where the Republican give up this repeal and replace with (nothing) and actually work on improving the situation. It will happen. I HOPE.

 

Can't wait to buy insurance on the 1st off the marketplace!

 

The exchanges in Mass had low participation because people purchased the policies on the individual marketplace. I don't have the stats anymore to back it up, but they definitely exist.

Why does that happen? Simple. If you don't qualify for a subsidy (which will be difficult for many middle class earners) the exchange doesn't offer you anything that you won't be able to get on the individual marketplace going forward. All it offers you is a burdensome application process at the start.

I honestly believe there are going to be a lot of people disappointed when they find out that they won't qualify for a subsidy. 400% of poverty level is not that hard to hit in household income. Not to mention if your employer offers coverage that is deemed affordable (no greater than 9.5% of household income in employee ONLY premium) you don't get a subsidy no matter what.

 

So in massachusetts there was an individual marketplace outside of the exchange? I figured all insurance purchases were funneled through the exchange like the ACA is now.

If so that's a pretty big design flaw in my mind. Exchanges naturally will have low participation rates if people are used to buying insurance via other means and there is poor advertising and outreach.

 

The ACA does not set it up to where you have to purchase through the exchanges. Individual policies will still exist. It will be easier to buy it outside of the exchange if you do not qualify for a subsidy. All the rules and rating requirements still apply but you don't go through the exchange application.

 

Do the exchanges make it easier to compare policies?

 

The answer to that will be yes for some people and no for others. If you have a broker you know you can get a comparison without any effort at all. If you don't and you like only stuff, then yes.

FYI, I'm not against an online exchange. Just the way it is setup so far.

 

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Interesting series of posts with questions, answers, and commentary. Interrupted by an inane YouTube. Go figure...

 

Feel very similar, like we'll have to wait and see. It's a problem that real alternatives haven't been presented to the American public by Republicans.

 

Has anyone posted their actual reasons for opposing the ACA and their alternative proposals? I've seen some of the Cruz speech but I didn't hear any real substance with backgound and explanations.

It kills jobs.... how? why?

It will swamp the medical system.... does it make more people sick?

Cruz said about covering pre-existing conditions, "we will address that with health care reform", isn't that what this is?

 

This looks like a bad poll .
The No vote means different things, some to the right of Obama Care, some to the left.