The caveat that "these plans are not meant for primary insurance" does not exclude self employed people. It includes them.
Yep. Works for you. But it doesnt work out for the rest of us. Supplemental policies without the underpinning of actual insurance is exactly what the ACA wants to eliminate. The reason is that a few years ago, if you developed a preexisting condition that was a chronic one, you'd be screwed. You'd have extensive non-covered office visits/prodecures and drugs if you, say, developed a treatable cancer, and you would have gone bankrupt. That assumes you didnt buy those types of supplemental plans.. from what you say, it sounds like its a hospitalization plan primarily - which is nice, but hospitalization isnt always that big of a deal depending upon the condition.
Now, with the ACA, you will develop an uncovered condition and want to change plans to one who does. In other words, with JUST a supplemental plan, you would be a free rider until you get sick. Thats great for you, crappy for everyone else who is paying. So a simple supplemental plan is a bad thing for the system.
The other issue is that you SAY you are healthy, but you never know. There is a 100% chance you will get something fatal in your lifetime. It may be a cluster of neoplastic cells in your pancreas right now, or that slowly dissecting aneurysm in your cerebral arteries, or the friable plaque in your left main coronary artery. Making sure you have preventive coverage is how we as a society save money on health care. Its a hell of a lot cheaper to treat your LDL cholesterol for a decade than treat the heart attack you had from an unstable plaque. Its a lot more cost effective to give you the anticoagulant for your asymptomatic atrial fibrillation and avoid a stroke which will send you to a nursing home for decades.
Sorry you have to pay more money to get decent insurance, but the ACA will help to ensure a guy like you has minimally standard insurance at competiive market prices. Thats good.
This is one of the best arguments I've heard, for minimal standards, and I do appreciate you taking the time to lay it out.
The problem though is the costs involved, I can pay a high deductible if I do develop some unseen condition - I get blood tests, and have been screened for for a few things ( can't recall), but I cannot afford to pay a whole lot more for my health insurance, that inclues tests for various diseases.
i pay 13 1/2 % to FISA right off the top.
So i'm trying to get through with minimal costs, STAY HEALTHY ( i work at it - my #1 priority), and be able to not get food stamps, or other gov't assistance.
I've never taken a dime from the state or Fed'l gov't in terms of assistance, so if you make my HC costs jump up, I'm not going to be able to take care of myself, in terms of finances.
I am taxed enough already (TEA), though I am not a member of any political party.
I own my home, which means I am not eligible for any type of subsidy A few years from now I'll be on Medicare with the rest of the boomer generation.
I spend my money not on lavish things, since I'm Buddhist, they are just 'attachments' anyways.
I spend money on staying alive, and being healthy. Best leave it that way.
