Obamacare/Trumpcare Horror Stories

[Blarg]

I just found a 2 month old report that claims 83% of the enrolled are subsidized. That's not how the system was supposed to work.

 

http://kff.org/health-reform/issue-brief/how-much-financial-assistance-are-people-receiving-under-the-affordable-care-act/

[nate]

That number sounds about right.  If I were to make a guess I would have said about 20-25% are non subsidized.

[Amazing Larry]

Meanwhile...I am still without health insurance (which I had before the ACA went into effect).

 

Today, I contacted the doctor I was once able to see in the hopes that he might have some ideas as to how I can obtain my migraine medication without it being crazy costly.  Without insurance, it will cost me close to $300 for 10 - 18 pills.  I'm hoping my old doctor has some samples around of any migraine meds.  Before the ACA, I could purchase 60 pills for $40.  I imagine the cost will only go higher as people like me subsidized the people using the ACA who pay nothing or little.

 

Thanks to President Obama, I am in the position where I must deal with migraines which in turn has effected my work and caused me to lose money.  Which in turn makes it impossible for me to afford health insurance.  When I feel a migraine coming on, I must determine how bad a migraine might result.  If I think it will be an 8-10 on the pain scale, I take my pill.  Otherwise, I try to get through it and take a sleeping pill as soon as I get home.

 

I literally count my precious migraine pills.  I am down to eight. 

 

$240 million would buy a lifetime of migraine meds.  My President is a major league a-hole whom I wish had to deal with my migraines with no medication.

 

I see a trip to Mexico in your future.

[fan_since79]

Estimates are in the 10% range for 2015 premium increases, but the Associated Press attempts to make us feel better by saying future rate hikes will be "less frequent" as time goes on.

 

How do they know that??

 

http://www.sfgate.com/health/article/Increases-in-health-insurance-rates-may-be-less-5505743.php

[mp170.6]

Today, I contacted the doctor I was once able to see in the hopes that he might have some ideas as to how I can obtain my migraine medication without it being crazy costly.  Without insurance, it will cost me close to $300 for 10 - 18 pills.  I'm hoping my old doctor has some samples around of any migraine meds.  Before the ACA, I could purchase 60 pills for $40.  I imagine the cost will only go higher as people like me subsidized the people using the ACA who pay nothing or little.

 

Thanks to President Obama, I am in the position where I must deal with migraines which in turn has effected my work and caused me to lose money.  Which in turn makes it impossible for me to afford health insurance.  When I feel a migraine coming on, I must determine how bad a migraine might result.  If I think it will be an 8-10 on the pain scale, I take my pill.  Otherwise, I try to get through it and take a sleeping pill as soon as I get home.

 

I literally count my precious migraine pills.  I am down to eight.

 

I take it these are brand name pills, not generic? 

 

Can your doctor prescribe for double the dosage and have you cut them in half? 

[Hollyw00d]

Many of those young, healthy people could end up opting out of the system and simply pay the penalty. That will put an even greater burden on the insurers. There were reports yesterday that the administration is prepared to bail out the companies (with taxpayer money, of course) to keep them afloat.

 

 

I love it when corporations use our country like a credit card

[nate]

I love it when corporations use our country like a credit card

 

Nope.

 

If you read my posts you will note that most insurers don't want to participate in the exchanges.  The government is paying to keep them from dropping the coverage.

[Blarg]

Now California is looking at subsidizing, on the taxpayer dollar, migrant farm worker health care since the plan already in place for the last 40 years won't be in compliance.

 

http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-pol-union-healthcare-20140527-story.html

[nate]

Such bullshit.

 

There is a commercial I hear every day on KROQ saying that now that the health care bill passed, we should insure everyone, even undocumented workers.

 

The culture in CA is amazing, everyone thinks they are entitled to freebies.

[fan_since79]

I loved reading all the stories of the people who actually thought Obamacare was free and were amazed when told they had to pay a premium.

[DowningRules]

Seems there is some sort of expensive surprise every day with the ACA.  I will be paying more and more for the ACA while simultaneously not being covered for the ACA.

 

Time for the Dems running for office to dust off this nugget:  "I voted for it before I was against it."

[Tank]

I loved reading all the stories of the people who actually thought Obamacare was free and were amazed when told they had to pay a premium.

 

i'll be honest, that was certainly my impression.

[Schildog]

Nate, who do you work for if you don't mind me asking?

[nate]

I work for a major health insurance company.  I won't disclose the actual company because I do not speak for them, only for my experience in the process.

[happybat4]

My wife and I are still on the same health care. We have Blue Cross Blue Shield. She is paying 15 dollars more per month. My prescription costs have gone up. I used to get 90 pills for $30. Now I pay $30 for 30 pills. I used to have another medicine that was $30 a month that went up to $45. I decided not to take that medicine anymore though. On the other side though my wifes birth control is now free. We were not effected a great deal, but were also in our 20s. 

[Schildog]

I work for a major health insurance company. I won't disclose the actual company because I do not speak for them, only for my experience in the process.

Publicly traded?

[nate]

Yes, all of the major health insurers are.

[Schildog]

How does blue cross/shield work then? They're non profit. Like what is anthem's association with them if they are different insurers?

Anthem is wellpoint, correct?

[nate]

BCBS is just an association of several different insurance companies like Anthem and WellPoint.  I think WP is the biggest of the BCBS companies.  BCBS is a non profit but the companies in the association are for profit.

 

For the most part each insurer is in a separate state, and they do not compete against each other.  The bigger ones like Wellpoint and Anthem are in multiple states.  They all have their own leadership and IT systems.

 

United Healthcare is the largest insurer by number of members.  Next is Well Point, Kaiser, Humana, and Aetna.

[Jay]

Of all the providers we've had in the last 10 years or so I think Aetna has been the best in terms of their integration of Medical, Dental, FSA, etc.

[fan_since79]

The latest Forbes study of 3,137 U.S. counties shows that Obamacare has increased 2014 individual-market premiums by an average of 49%.

 

Can't wait until 2015.

 

http://www.forbes.com/sites/theapothecary/2014/06/18/3137-county-analysis-obamacare-increased-2014-individual-market-premiums-by-average-of-49/

[Blarg]

Affordable is what the CEOs of insurance companies are now describing private islands.

[nate]

The nightmare dealing with all of it continues.  The rules still frequently change, the quality of the data we receive is awful.

 

At least I got a promotion out of all the work on it.

[Tank]

The latest Forbes study of 3,137 U.S. counties shows that Obamacare has increased 2014 individual-market premiums by an average of 49%.

 

Can't wait until 2015.

 

http://www.forbes.com/sites/theapothecary/2014/06/18/3137-county-analysis-obamacare-increased-2014-individual-market-premiums-by-average-of-49/

 

hope and change!

[Blarg]

Obama took away all of both, your hope and spare change.

Edited June 20, 2014 by Eric Notti