• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Have you or a family member benefited from the Affordable Care Act?

Have you or a family member benefited from the Affordable Care Act?

  • Yes

    Votes: 30 42.3%

  • No

    Votes: 41 57.7%
  • Total voters
    71
imagep said:
My doct charges $55 for a office visit, $25 extra for a cortisone shot. She doesn't accept insurance at all. Not medicare, not medicade, not BC/BS, not Obamacare or any other policy. I just pay cash at the time of service.
Click to expand...

What a concept. A snapshot of times in the past. Worked just fine back then. I think the health care industry needs to go in one of two directions. Some form of Medicare for all or insurance for major items (broken bones, major illness, etc.) and pay as you go or concierge service for day to day medical care.
 
imagep said:
All the policies sold on the exchange ARE private insurance policies. the government doesn't sell insurance on the exchange. these are private insurance companies who are marketing their policies using the exchanges as a marketing tool, little different than purchasing a policy from the website of any insurance company.
Click to expand...

Well, I'm a little confused lol.

The way I had it organized in my head was the open enrollment where you get minimum essential coverage..."obamacare"...

While all employer-based healthcare was regulated by the affordable care act too, but have their own different policies that at least meet the essential coverage guidelines.
 
imagep said:
My doct charges $55 for a office visit, $25 extra for a cortisone shot. She doesn't accept insurance at all. Not medicare, not medicade, not BC/BS, not Obamacare or any other policy. I just pay cash at the time of service.
Click to expand...

A lot of doctors around here are going to cash only policy because of ACA.
 
azgreg said:
What a concept. A snapshot of times in the past. Worked just fine back then. I think the health care industry needs to go in one of two directions. Some form of Medicare for all or insurance for major items (broken bones, major illness, etc.) and pay as you go or concierge service for day to day medical care.
Click to expand...

Absolutely.

Great minds think alike.

Also, for I while I was having to take weekly injections. My doc wrote me a script, I got it filled, and then a nurse in her office gave me my shot each week - $45 for a ten dose prescription at a local pharmacy, and $7 fee at the doctors office per week for giving me the shot.

Saving money on health care really just requires price shopping, like we do when we purchase anything. When we have "good" insurance, we don't bother to price shop, as we don't think that it saves us any money. When we don't bother to price shop, then doctors don't bother to compete based upon price, and prices go up and up with absolutely nothing to keep then in check.

The only healthcare crises we have is the cost of healthcare. Obamacare did little if anything to reduce the cost of actual healthcare. If healthcare prices were moderate, then none of us would really have a need for health insurance.
 
Last edited:
No, it's made my personal situation considerably worse.
 
MildSteel said:
On the way home I had a far out experience. I had to stop and pick up some birth control pills. Because of an error, they had not put it on the insurance, so originally they were going to charge me about $125. However, when they realized they needed to put it on my insurance, IT TURNED OUT THE PILLS WERE FREE AND I DIDN'T HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING!!!! MAN WAS I HAPPY!!! The pharmacist informed me that the pills were free because of the Affordable Care Act.
Click to expand...

The pharmacist lied to you. You didn't pay at the point of purchase because of the ACA. You paid through your premiums instead.
 
cpwill said:
The pharmacist lied to you. You didn't pay at the point of purchase because of the ACA. You paid through your premiums instead.
Click to expand...

:lamo
 
cpwill said:
Okay. Who do you think paid for it?
Click to expand...

That was not the point. It is your reaction.

Actually I should not do things like that tho.
 
MildSteel said:
That was not the point. It is your reaction.

Actually I should not do things like that tho.
Click to expand...

:shrug: my reaction is only that not-paying-at-the-point-of-purchase is not the same as not paying for something. If insurance is forced to cover 100% of an item, all that means is that 100% of the costs of that item with increased demand (since it is now "free", after all, right?) is rolled into premiums.


It's like putting something on layaway, paying installments for it for months, and then dancing at the end as though you got it for free. No. You just prepaid for it.
 
cpwill said:
:shrug: my reaction is only that not-paying-at-the-point-of-purchase is not the same as not paying for something. If insurance is forced to cover 100% of an item, all that means is that 100% of the costs of that item with increased demand (since it is now "free", after all, right?) is rolled into premiums.


It's like putting something on layaway, paying installments for it for months, and then dancing at the end as though you got it for free. No. You just prepaid for it.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry. Like I said, I really should not have responded like that. Then I wonder why it happens that I get the bad karma for offending people that I don't mean to. I need to constantly check myself.
 
celticwar17 said:
Well, I'm a little confused lol.

The way I had it organized in my head was the open enrollment where you get minimum essential coverage..."obamacare"...

While all employer-based healthcare was regulated by the affordable care act too, but have their own different policies that at least meet the essential coverage guidelines.
Click to expand...

There is no difference. They are regulated identically. Your employer can chose any level of coverage that they chose to provide you with. If you don't have an employer provided policy, you can still purchase any level of coverage that you chose to. You can purchase a high deductible policy, or you can purchase a low deductible low copay policy, or anything in between. It's your or your employers choice.

When I purchased my policy from the federal exchange, I had about two dozen different options, and I selected the one that fit my needs best (high deductible, HSA compliant policy). But I could have purchased an identical policy off the exchange. It's the same, either way.
 
Yes
I have personally benefited from additional coverage and so will my daughter who is about to go to college
Ill never have to worry about an insurance company trying to screw me over on "pre-excisting" conditions over my asthma
I have nieces and nephews that are college age that have all benefited
I have family that has benefited from the improved coverage
and it also benefited my mother mix of coverage

I know many other that have also benigited
 
MildSteel said:
I'm sorry. Like I said, I really should not have responded like that. Then I wonder why it happens that I get the bad karma for offending people that I don't mean to. I need to constantly check myself.
Click to expand...

:) No worries. So. Who do you think paid for your birth control pills?
 
cpwill said:
:shrug: my reaction is only that not-paying-at-the-point-of-purchase is not the same as not paying for something. If insurance is forced to cover 100% of an item, all that means is that 100% of the costs of that item with increased demand (since it is now "free", after all, right?) is rolled into premiums.


It's like putting something on layaway, paying installments for it for months, and then dancing at the end as though you got it for free. No. You just prepaid for it.
Click to expand...

That's absolutely correct. Insurance isn't intended to save us money, it's only purpose is to spread risk.

But, one of the biggest complaints I have heard is that people are now paying for coverage for things that they don't need. The reality is that if you don't need something, and aren't likely to use that particular benefit, it doesn't really cost the insurance anything extra, thus no costs are passed on to the consumer. Like I believe that technically, under Obamacare I may be covered for pregnacy, even those I am a male. The insurance company is quite aware that I can't get pregnant, thus this coverage doesn't actually cost me anything extra. Likewise, my wife's policy covers her for penis cancer, which she can't get, and thus it doesn't really add anything to the cost of her insurance.
 
lizzie said:
Cost.
Click to expand...

Doesn't insurance go up every year? This didn't just start happening under Obama. Do you have employer provided insurance, or do you purchase your on plan?
 
imagep said:
Doesn't insurance go up every year? This didn't just start happening under Obama. Do you have employer provided insurance, or do you purchase your on plan?
Click to expand...

In my entire adult working life, I've never had premiums go up like they did this year, and I've never had such a high deductible/ OOP. It's ridiculous what I am paying for someone who doesn't use insurance, nor take any prescription drugs. I don't even have high blood pressure.
 
cpwill said:
:) No worries. So. Who do you think paid for your birth control pills?
Click to expand...

Let me ask you something. Let's suppose that from the beginning of the year up until the moment that I got the pills that I had incurred $75000 in medical expenses. Now my premiums are $300 a month or $3600 a year. Under that scenario, who paid for the pills?
 
imagep said:
Obama paid for it out of his stash. JK
Click to expand...

Dang!!! Obama is the man!!! Do you think he will buy me a new Porsche too? :lamo
 
imagep said:
That's absolutely correct. Insurance isn't intended to save us money, it's only purpose is to spread risk.

But, one of the biggest complaints I have heard is that people are now paying for coverage for things that they don't need. The reality is that if you don't need something, and aren't likely to use that particular benefit, it doesn't really cost the insurance anything extra, thus no costs are passed on to the consumer.
Click to expand...

That is correct.

Unless, of course, you have community rating, and don't allow the companies to differentiate what they charge people.

....sort of like what the ACA does....
 
lizzie said:
In my entire adult working life, I've never had premiums go up like they did this year, and I've never had such a high deductible/ OOP. It's ridiculous what I am paying for someone who doesn't use insurance, nor take any prescription drugs. I don't even have high blood pressure.
Click to expand...

Healthcare cost keep going up you will. :2razz:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom