Obamacare, or, I might be up a creek w/o a paddle

[gimmethesimplelife]

More just not celebrating a @#$# sandwich that is the ACA as the best thing since sliced bread.

About Medicaid - I was on it for five months in 2010. I had my first gout attack while I was covered with Medicaid and I went to the clinic that accepted it on the SouthSide of town. Not a great area and I did have to wait an hour to see a doctor. My cost was zero. Was I in pain that hour? You better believe it. Was I grateful to see a doctor - amazed even that my life in America was actually worth such a thing for once? You better believe it. Was I impressed with the service given? You better believe it. I had the chance to get the meds I needed for free. I was utterly amazed by this. Granted a lot more people are going to get on Medicaid in Arizona now and the system will be strained - I'm sure the waits will be longer and the appointments even shorter. But if it gets me the meds I need if something arises, it's better than nothing. I honestly believe if all Americans had experienced the constant fear of what if what if what if in this country if you don't have health insurance, we would have a fairer and more equitable system. Medicaid is better than nothing. Truly it is. And now the flip of this - when I have gone to Mexicali where health care is so so so much more within reach - the service is much better than Medicaid. The waits are much shorter. The staff accommodates you and your schedule. If you walk in without an appointment, they will find a way to squeeze you in. I think it's pretty sad that when I go to Mexico I get better health care than I do in the US even when I have held regular insurance for brief periods of time in the US. And it's definitely better to cross the border and pay out of pocket if you can than to deal with the American system.

So after all that long-windedness - my points are - Medicaid serviceable and impressive for what it is - but not without issues. Ditto regular health insurance in the US.....Very very very sad that by crossing the border into what is considered a third world country I can get the quality of care I aspire to. But - this is what it is and ObamaCare is better than the status quo - not a person I have spoken to over the past few months that has lived in fear of America doesn't understand this. Rob

[try2bfrugal]

More just not celebrating a @#$# sandwich that is the ACA as the best thing since sliced bread.

You still have never answered my question: So your point is that they are much better off with no health care and zero doctors than they are with free health care that includes some but not all doctors and hospitals as participating plan providers?

[gimmethesimplelife]

You still have never answered my question: So your point is that they are much better off with no health care and zero doctors than they are with free health care that includes some but not all doctors and hospitals as participating plan providers?

+1 Good point! Thanks for bringing it up.....Rob

[Gardenarian]

Well, my insurance is going down from around $1800/month for a family of three to around $500. (In CA, paying for our own insurance.)

[frugalone]

Wow, I logged on today and there's 9 pages of this discussion!
I'm just going to take this step by step. Waiting until tomorrow to see what happens on the exchanges.

I do see this as an opportunity for health insurance companies to jack their prices up through the roof. I just never dreamed they were going to do away with the program I've had for the past couple of years.

[gimmethesimplelife]

Well, my insurance is going down from around $1800/month for a family of three to around $500. (In CA, paying for our own insurance.)

Just curious, if I may? Is this with the tax credit? Or is that just the flat rate before any tax credit? Rob

[redfox]

I'm sorry you live in a bad neighborhood but since I live about 2400 miles away and have zero impact on your health, safety or well-being, I'm not sure how to fix that for you, although I'm willing to try. Would it help if I sent you one of my guns and considered voting for Hillary in 2016? Other than that, I'm at a loss as to what behavior I could change for you.

No thanks to the gun, it's a tool I no longer need. I had & used guns when I farmed, but here in the city, they are inappropriate. Definitely, vote for Ms. Clinton, thanks! You rock.😝

[Gardenarian]

I don't know what the "tax credit" is?
This is for the regular plan through Kaiser Permanente, without subsidies.
We are getting a plan with a very high deductible and will start a health savings account.

[iris lilies]

... I just never dreamed they were going to do away with the program I've had for the past couple of years.

http://tinyurl.com/muaw8nr

[Miss Cellane]

Well, waiting with bated breath for the reveal tomorrow of my insurance options. Un-or-underemployed for the last 5 years. Currently working a long-term temp job. Just got a letter from the temp agency to let me know I can't get their insurance. But in spite of that, they are legally obligated to send me all the information on their policies. Oh, yea!

Read in the paper today that only one insurance company was willing to provide the low-cost insurance options for my state. So bye-bye any semblance of choice in purchasing insurance. Also that this one company was unwilling to partner with all the hospitals in the state. I guess I am lucky that they were willing to deal with the hospital in my city. Otherwise, based on the list of available hospitals, I'd have had to drive 45 minutes or more. Not sure yet on which doctors will be accepting this insurance. Hope there's someone within 30 or so miles. For people who don't have transportation, this could be a serious problem.

The big question for me is if I will be able to afford even the lowest-cost option. If I can't, I don't know what I'm supposed to do.