Obamacare hits home ~

That just breaks my heart!

Right I'm putting on the Lotto, you'll get a slice of the pie if I win!

 I really pushed to go ahead and get my surgery in fear of the pending Obamacare mandate.

Kerry, I'm really sorry to hear that.  I know what a giving soul you are and that it's a very painful and tough pill to swallow.  I hope you're able to get some relief through another company so you are still able to offer such an important benefit.
Debbie

 Kerry, http://www.healthcare.gov/law/timeline/index.html  these insurance companies are gonna get it in the end if the dont stop it. Where I live this is happening to a lot of people.

Hi,

I am self employed as well and own a franchise. Prior to my pending divorce, I was insured through my husbands employer who is CISCO with UHC. I have had to lay off all my staff. I cannot afford to pay healthcare for any of them. Since I do not qualify for insurance other than COBRA at 700 a month and I do not have a preexisting condition, I am forced to go from group insurance to individual. The cheapest rate I have been quoted is about 450 a month here in GA for a healthy female age 45 rate. Even if I had a preexisting condition, I would still have to opt out of any insurance coverage for 6 months to qualify. For anyone who thinks that the OBAMA plan for prexisting conditions is such an inexpensive plan, see below: There is a 2500 dollar out of pocket and a premium which is outrageous and unaffordable anyway. see below:

Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan: Georgia


On July 1, eligible residents of Georgia will be able to apply for coverage through the state's Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan program run by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

To qualify for coverage:

You must be a citizen or national of the United States or lawfully present in the United States.
You must have been uninsured for at least the last six months before you apply.
You must have had a problem getting insurance due to a pre-existing condition.
PCIP will cover a broad range of health benefits, including primary and specialty care, hospital care, and prescription drugs. All covered benefits are available for you, even if it's to treat a preexisting condition.

Below are the monthly PCIP premium rates for Georgia by the age of an enrollee.

Ages 0 to 34: $323

Ages 35 to 44: $387

Ages 45 to 54: $495

Ages 55+: $688

In addition to your monthly premium, you will pay other costs. You will pay a $2,500 deductible for covered benefits (except for preventive services) before the plan starts to pay. After you pay the deductible, you will pay a $25 copayment for doctor visits, $4 to $30 for most prescription drugs, and 20% of the costs of any other covered benefits you get. Your out-of-pocket costs cannot be more than $5,950 per year. These costs may be higher, if you go outside the plan's network.

This is a farce for the hard working Americans like myself who will have no insurance because as an employer, I cannot afford to pay these ridiculous premiums for employees and as a business owner I am being taxed to death anyway on any income my business generates. Crazy....

Babs

 

A vivid example of insurance company gluttony. 

Kerry I know you've been hit doubly.  First trying to run your business based on interacting with the construction sector in a recession.  Gotta suck dogs balls secondly being the owner and thus responsible for insurance.  If Obama wasn't such a ***** you'd have Socialised Medicine and everyone would pay for their insurance via their taxation like we do thus pretty much buying care for everyone.  Instead you got a system mandated by health insurers who were given the golden ticket to pass on the dip in their MASSIVE profit margins by letting **** flow down hill.

I hate to say it but I strongly feel that you are being shafted by Insurers for NOT slapping them into line and making them a service industry rather than the dictators of policy.

Now all is not sunshine in the NHS.  We are being stripped back to save money so loads of middle and upper tier managers are going, lots of vacancies are not being filled and bariatrics ......well lets just say very few service users are getting anywhere near a surgeon any time soon.  At least my medications are free, my Accident and Emergency Care is free and if I ever develop ma chronic illness or require cancer treatment it is free.  At least my X-rays are free and no matter how Little or how often I used the Hospital my National Insurance stays the same percentile of my wage packet.

For this I am thankful.  I hope like hell things get easier for you. x

I know it's a complicated thing Kirstin, I'm just very angry with the politicians because they could care less what this is doing to real people. They exempt themselves from this mess and do what ever they think will get them the most votes. Passing a bill for health care reform without reading it or allowing the people to see what's in it before it's voted on should give you some idea of what they're trying to do. Like Nancy Pelosi said, "we have to pass it so we can see what's in the bill"! I mean good heavenly grief!!!!

I don't know what the answer is, but I do know that this is not it.

Kerry

Kerry - as a teacher of the desperately and the working poor, I see many students and their families go without health care because they lack insurance.   Some of my parents drive 80 miles each way to work for menial wages, but still make too much to afford health care (or even qualify for free lunch).  They drive cars that can barely make it from point A to point B, and can't even afford the toothpaste for their kids to brush their teeth with.   I really think your anger is misplaced...it's not Obama that it should be directed at, but the insurance companies, who are going to continue to roll in their fat profits by passing on the difference to YOU, rather than take some of the loss for themselves.   Yes, in some way shape or form, we are all going to pay for Obamacare, just as EVERY other highly industrialized nation does.   I certainly know that I will be, but I think this is a tide that has to turn.   It might not be pretty for a while, but I am of the camp that feels that every person in this country has a right to the same quality of health care.   It doesn't matter if we pay for proactive health care (helping to treat and prevent underlying conditions so that expensive ER visits are not necessary) or reactive health care (by ultimately paying for said ER visits through increased hospital and insurance costs)  we all pay for it somehow.