Quote :

"Is that through BCBS? How the hell did you find a $97/month plan?"

It's $97/month after government subsidies. The actual cost of the plan is much higher.

10/30/2013 9:40:57 PM

Have you ever looked at the cost of the NC state policy and what you are really getting? Student Insurance mandate in NC is a complete joke, Its all about the insurance company getting rich. Requiring insurance for the one group of people that are lease likely to use it.


^ Congrats, and I bet you voted Republican. Republicans, using all benefits and crying since the beginning of time.

[Edited on October 30, 2013 at 9:43 PM. Reason : .]

10/30/2013 9:42:32 PM

Im an independant contractor in new york.

10/30/2013 9:46:01 PM

Ok - independent contracting explains probably a large portion of folks on the individual market, but for lewisje, why would employers not offer coverage in our age group? And what age group do you belong to? I'm assuming the same as mine, which is 26-33.

10/30/2013 10:06:36 PM

full-time jobs with benefits are becoming increasingly rare, and "independent contracting" seems to be the wave of the future

BTW I'm about to turn 29, right in the middle of the age group you guessed.

[Edited on October 30, 2013 at 10:14 PM. Reason : "why would employers not offer coverage in our age group?" idk, ask them

10/30/2013 10:13:35 PM

No idea wtf he is doing.

I may go through the freelancers union.

10/30/2013 10:14:13 PM

Quote :

"for all of you folks that are in the individual insurance market, why? Does your employer not offer coverage?"

I am also self-employed, thus don't have the benefit of employer-provided insurance

But interestingly enough, the last time I had employer-provided insurance (about 4-5 years ago), I took a look at the breakdown cost of each employee, and then got quotes for everyone to get individual plans. The individual plans were about 50%+ cheaper. So it made plenty of financial sense to scrap the employer plan and go to individual, since, at least at that time, it seemed insurance companies were just jacking up the rates for companies compared to what individuals could get.

I also used to pay for dental insurance. $30/month? Not bad, right? Well, when a 6-month checkup costs less than $180, why the hell would you pay for dental insurance, unless you have shitty teeth?

[Edited on October 30, 2013 at 10:22 PM. Reason : .]

10/30/2013 10:18:54 PM

since I work for myself I've just been paying out of pocket for the past few years. no insurance... was gonna get a policy maybe around age 40, but funk dat now.

i'm considering taking the penalty the first year if it's really gonna be the ~325/month i keep coming up with.

[Edited on October 31, 2013 at 2:36 AM. Reason : fuck im old]

10/31/2013 2:34:17 AM

yeah i'm probably going to be hauled away to debtors prison or something because I dont have insurance and have no plans on getting it

10/31/2013 4:11:49 AM

My insurance is about 380/month covering myself, my wife and my daughter, with a 1000 deductible, with my company providing an HRA for 1000 to cover my deductible, and the max out of pocket is 2700/person. I doubt you would be able to find a comparable plan on the exchange for that price.

Needless to say if my employer ever decided to take the tax hit rather than provide insurance, I would be one of those people whose premium will increase by like 4000%

10/31/2013 5:43:38 AM

hey guys, i haven't been keeping up...have we decided on a single payer system, yet?

10/31/2013 8:18:52 AM

No, that's socialism. We've decided to fork over more money to the healthcare industry.

Also, no-go on sex for medical care. My doc says that's "unethical."

10/31/2013 8:37:57 AM

beej for the copay?

10/31/2013 8:41:29 AM

going up about 35% for the year. Deductibles are increasing too.


also
https://twitter.com/vj44/status/394978744227475456

Quote :

" Valerie Jarrett Verified account @vj44 Official WH twitter account. Comments & messages received through official WH pages are subject to the PRA and may be archived. Learn more http://wh.gov/privacy Washington, DC · http://wh.gov/zd9 FACT: Nothing in #Obamacare forces people out of their health plans. No change is required unless insurance companies change existing plans."

Not what we were told by HR

11/1/2013 5:14:40 PM

Quote :

"Republicans, using all benefits and crying since the beginning of time. "

I do not know one Republican that gets food stamps, WIC, Obamaphone, etc. I know a couple ex-military guys that are conservative and get disability so that is about it. When it comes to things like Medicaid, Medicare, etc that is distributed to both parties supporters. I've seen the claims showing that red states eat up more government assistance per capita, but those charts make no mention of the people within those states that eat up the government assistance.

11/1/2013 5:37:29 PM

Quote :

" do not know one Republican that gets food stamps, WIC, Obamaphone, etc. I know a couple ex-military guys that are conservative and get disability so that is about it. When it comes to things like Medicaid, Medicare, etc that is distributed to both parties supporters. I've seen the claims showing that red states eat up more government assistance per capita, but those charts make no mention of the people within those states that eat up the government assistance."

I know ONE guy, a republican, and active military, who tried to get Obamaphone, food stamps, the whole 9 yards, just to be a dick and see if he could actually get it.

He was turned away of course, but he gets emails daily from organizations telling him how to basically cheat the system (the organizations emailing him had no idea he was turned away, that is the sick part, the lazy are getting help on how to get more without giving back).

Don't believe me? try it. It opened my eyes.

[Edited on November 1, 2013 at 5:51 PM. Reason : BTW, rflong is 90% on target]

11/1/2013 5:50:23 PM

It's curious that "Obamaphone" is used for a program started under Dubya to expand a program of subsidized wireline service started under Reagan: http://www.snopes.com/politics/taxes/cellphone.asp

Quote :

"yeah i'm probably going to be hauled away to debtors prison or something because I dont have insurance and have no plans on getting it"

The IRS won't be allowed to use its usual enforcement tactics against people subject to the "shared responsibility payment" who don't pay it, like slapping liens or filing criminal charges; the worst that will happen is that if you need to do anything that requires you to be paid up on your taxes, you're SOL. Also, if you had been expecting a refund, the IRS will automatically take the penalty out of that: http://www.forbes.com/sites/beltway/2012/07/03/some-tax-few-will-face-obamacare-uninsured-penalty-and-irs-hamstrung-to-collect/

Quote :

"I've seen the claims showing that red states eat up more government assistance per capita, but those charts make no mention of the people within those states that eat up the government assistance."

Indeed, the ecological fallacy is strong with these charts, as with related charts showing that states with high per capita incomes tend to go Democratic in Presidential elections: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecological_fallacy

(ZOMG agreeing with a point made by a Rethug! prepare for flying pigs)

11/1/2013 8:34:46 PM

Just checked again

If I switch from my grandfathered plan to the platinum, my premium will drop $20.

No subsidy.

so that's neat

[Edited on November 1, 2013 at 9:42 PM. Reason : ]

11/1/2013 9:40:43 PM

Down with affordable care!

11/1/2013 10:12:17 PM

The cost of my premiums is increasing by $4668 per year in addition to increasing deductibles and decreasing coverage. Thanks Obama.

11/4/2013 6:46:18 AM

I feel bad for you, son

11/4/2013 9:48:35 AM

Quote :

"I do not know one Republican that gets food stamps, WIC, Obamaphone, etc."

go to any southern state, its not rare

11/4/2013 9:51:09 AM

A guy I used to work with is currently on WIC and he's one of the most conservative Republicans I know. He's one of those guys that only posts on Facebook about protecting gun rights, opposing gay marriage, and sharing funny negative Obama cartoons he comes across.

Ironically enough, he had to go on WIC because his Republican Governor cut his unemployment benefits.

11/4/2013 9:57:19 AM

Southern red states receive more in federal aid than they give, they are filled with republicans receiving federal benefits.

11/4/2013 9:58:45 AM

I suppose you think there is a clever point there somewhere?

I hate those people too-

11/4/2013 11:08:34 AM

no-

11/4/2013 11:12:02 AM

you should look at ehealthinsurance.com for an easy comparison.

You can easily click between 2013 and 2014 for cost of plans. For my area plans in 2013 are as low as 44 dollars. In 2014, they start at $202. LOL, trainwreck

11/4/2013 11:34:40 AM

FLOW CHART!!!

http://www.policymic.com/articles/73849/the-one-flow-chart-that-finally-explains-obamacare-in-terms-you-can-understand

11/17/2013 6:28:22 PM

What an incredibly misleading click-baity title. That chart doesn't explain Obamacare.

11/17/2013 6:40:45 PM

I think this chart does a much better job

http://us.123rf.com/400wm/400/400/arcady31/arcady311011/arcady31101100012/8157731-404-error-sign.jpg

11/17/2013 6:44:56 PM

1/1/2014 10:09:18 AM

Except not really.

1/1/2014 10:14:14 AM

BRACE YOURSELF

A TRICKLE OF NEWLY INSURED PEOPLE ARE COMING, IT MIGHT EVENTUALLY OUTNUMBER THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOST INSURANCE. MAYBE.

[Edited on January 1, 2014 at 10:47 AM. Reason : maybe]

1/1/2014 10:46:39 AM

I know a bunch of people who signed up, but a lot of us were previously insured privately and understood the new cost structure versus what we were paying.

I'm pretty disappointed in the way info about the ACA hasn't been disseminated to service industry people. A lot of folks I know who could get bronze plans at literally no cost after subsidy, or silver plans at very low prices after subsidy, are telling me they're "just going to pay the fine because it's cheaper." It's frustrating.

1/1/2014 2:23:41 PM

Quote :

"I do not know one Republican that gets food stamps, WIC, Obamaphone"

shit, i do.

some of them are Republican because commies and faggots and taxes and whatever, and have little or no understanding that they're voting against their own self interests, and largely against their own beliefs (many are very populist and for large wealth redistribution...depending upon the terms it's couched in)

a few of them don't like the programs in principle, but if it's available to them and/or they need it, they'll take it.

1/1/2014 2:59:07 PM

Quote :

"On Tuesday, the Congressional Budget Office released a new study finding that the Affordable Care Act will cause "a decline in the number of full-time-equivalent workers of about 2.0 million in 2017, rising to about 2.5 million in 2024." Take the case of a couple of 55-year-olds living in St. Croix County, Wisconsin, where the median household income is a little over $68,000. Let's say that they earn $62,040 in 2014. They would pay $211 per month for the cheapest Obamacare plan available But if they earn $62,041--just one dollar more--they would pay $1,342 per month. That's an extra $13,572 per year for the same bare-bones insurance plan"

source: weeklystandard.com

2/6/2014 7:37:13 AM

I got a better job, my insurance is now $10 a month.

2/6/2014 7:59:19 AM

62k huh? youre talking 'rich as hell' in obamas eyes-

2/6/2014 8:10:18 AM

I went on the site, if you are a single guy making 15k a year you get no subsidy. WTF

So a guy making 15k can afford $200 a month for insurance, and a 6k deductible?

2/6/2014 8:14:16 AM

You may be doing it incorrectly.

A friend of mine makes around 30k and the subsidy is taking off half the cost.

Also did no one actually look at how expensive health insurance is? It's always been expensive. The ACA has made people look at the actual cost.

2/6/2014 8:57:27 AM

subsidies are based on MAGI and not net income, but for someone making $15k they should receive about $2,200-$2,300 in subsidies.

ValuePenguin shows plans for them starting at $24/month with a $0 deductible and $1,000 out of pocket max.

Can someone explain that CBO report, I thought subsidies were pro-rated. Why is there a steep drop like that? Also, couldn't they just make an IRA or HSA contribution to get their adjusted income under the limit?

2/6/2014 9:35:43 AM

They're not prorated by income: If your MAGI is greater than 400% of the FPL, you get no subsidy.

2/6/2014 10:11:46 AM

but between 100% and 400% the subsidy is pro-rated, it decreases as your MAGI approaches 400%.

I guess the solution is to taper it all the way to 0

(and the solution for that particular family is to throw a few bucks into an IRA or HSA)

[Edited on February 6, 2014 at 10:22 AM. Reason : .]

2/6/2014 10:21:52 AM

I suppose I shouldn't gripe much if the biggest cost increase I've ever experienced for my health insurance coverage is for the greater good. However, I feel perfectly justifiable in bitching about the ridiculous increases in my copays and deductibles

2/6/2014 10:59:57 AM

Mine went down like 20%

2/6/2014 11:18:09 AM

Then I suppose...you're welcome?

2/6/2014 11:54:13 AM

I never got a notice in the mail and my premium went from $168/mo to $384/mo and my deductible went from $3500 to $5500. I had been mailing $168 and paid a month extra at the start of the year. Turns out that didn't cover even my Jan payment. I had about $40K worth of insurance claims in the first 2 weeks of 2014 for a surgery and almost ended up in a position where they could deny the claims. Glad I caught it, but had to stay on the phone almost 3 hours to figure it out because the website (Anthem) was down. I swear they were playing dirty so they could deny the claims.

Thanks Obama!



[Edited on February 6, 2014 at 12:20 PM. Reason : a]

2/6/2014 12:17:34 PM

I just wish that the government would address the real problem, which is the crazy rates that medical facilities charge to begin with. They shouldn't be allowed to charge $200 for an Ibuprofen and crap like that. I don't understand why the medical industry is allowed to price gouge.....makes no sense to me.

2/6/2014 1:45:04 PM

I'm waiting for Duke to send me info about my plan and a bill so I can pay them

looks like $86/month after subsidies for $0 deductible w/ $10 copay and $3 generics
this is WAY more expensive than my plan prior which was No Health Insurance
but the benefits are better too - and now I can finally feel secure and know that, if I get sick, I won't be further bankrupted

thanks for the doing the right thing, everybody

2/6/2014 1:54:56 PM

YOU'RE WELCOME

2/6/2014 1:59:20 PM