I just finished off $68 in my account with contact solution and band-aids. Admittedly, I think it's a bit insane that you can deduct those, but yeah, that means tax hike.
Posted: Sat Dec 26, 2009 1:01 pm
by GORDON
Well, health care is health care.
We're being promised that our health care costs are going to be lower, though, so at least we have that going for us.
The last couple years my total costs for health care has been about $500. For a couple year's worth of health care. Glad to hear that is going down. I can't afford much more than that without canceling cable TV, or something.
1) Person who wrote op-eds in favor of Obama's policies is a professor and ALSO paid by the government to help with healthcare reform.
2) Obama flip-flopped on the "cadillac" tax.
As Obama administration officials put into place the first major wave of changes under the health care legislation, they have tried to defuse stiffening resistance — from companies like McDonald’s and some insurers — by granting dozens of waivers to maintain even minimal coverage far below the new law’s standards.
The waivers have been issued in the last several weeks as part of a broader strategic effort to stave off threats by some health insurers to abandon markets, drop out of the business altogether or refuse to sell certain policies.
Uh, they're a get out of jail free card for those folks "on the list?"
Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2010 9:05 am
by TheCatt
The Obama administration has announced efforts to encourage health insurance companies to continue to sell child-only insurance policies under the Affordable Care Act that took effect less than a month ago.
Consumer protections built into the act prohibit all employer plans and all new plans in the individual market from denying coverage to children age 18 and younger who have pre-existing conditions, but it can't force insurers to offer policies for children.
Among the options offered to entice insurers were higher premiums.
"Rates to be adjusted for health status as permitted by state law," Secretary of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said in a letter to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners on Wednesday.
"The Affordable Care Act was designed to ensure that Americans who need health insurance are no longer denied access to the care they need -- and that includes the youngest and most vulnerable Americans," Sebelius said. "We have been working closely with the states in their role as insurance regulators and with insurance companies to find ways to improve access to coverage for America's families."
An unintended consequence of the act designed to increase coverage is that a number of insurance companies have announced plans to suspend child-only insurance policies because of concerns over clarity of the new rules, as well as reservations that the provisions create an "unlevel playing field."
Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2010 10:44 am
by Leisher
Our company had a health insurance specialist in from San Francisco last week. He's been in the business for 30 plus years and votes Democrat.
He plainly said that this new health care plan is a pipe dream and doomed to fail. That wasn't his opinion, but the industry-wide opinion.
He actually sat and broke down numbers for us to show how and where it's going to fail.
Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2010 11:35 am
by Malcolm
Math is hard.
Posted: Mon Oct 18, 2010 12:17 pm
by GORDON
GORDON wrote:We're being promised that our health care costs are going to be lower, though, so at least we have that going for us.
Like all intelligent people didn't see this coming:
The state has given Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield the go ahead to raise premiums by as much as 47 percent for some members, and says health care reform is the reason why.
...
The new rates took effect Oct. 1, and include increases from 19 percent all the way to 47 percent depending on the individual, the Hartford Courant reported.
How anyone thought premiums would be reduced when forcing the insurance companies to cover preexisting conditions and children up to the age of 25 and unensurable people in general is beyond my ability to comprehend.
Personally, I'm screwed either way if I am either going to be forced to buy insurance, or pay the penalty for not having it.
Edited By GORDON on 1287418772
Posted: Mon Oct 18, 2010 12:31 pm
by Malcolm
What's cheaper? Health insurance for fifty years or getting your own medical degree?
Posted: Wed Dec 08, 2010 7:05 pm
by GORDON
So far, 222 companies have gotten Obamacare waivers, because they have threatened to drop health insurance to their employees completely, as it is cheaper to pay the penalty than cover the employees.