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Just my humble opinion, but another option would have been to go with your company's HMO plan and insure just yourself, for single coverage that cost should have been fairly reasonable. Then at least one of you would be insured.
Not sure where you lived before, but one must remember that in the U.S. we are dealing with like 310 million people, third largest in the world, who all need health insurance. It is a daunting task....
For example, people who don't have insurance go to emergency rooms and we who have insurance end up paying for it with higher premiums, people get all kinds of unnecessary tests, (due to doctor's fear of liability, tort reform anyone?), 90 year olds want knee replacements, etc, etc. We are paying for alot of incredibly advanced equipment that hospitals have available today. Factor in, most of us will live a pretty long life. At some point, something has to give. I'm old enough to remember when we had the greatest health care at reasonable costs in this country and I still think that healthcare here is the best. I honestly don't know what went wrong but it is really messed up now.
Why can't those of us who can't afford high premiums be put in huge general pool and they lower the cost by making us a group of their own. That would cover everyone and the costs would be lower? I bet the big wigs never thought of that. They all get free coverage or next to free. It's us little men who have to suffer and can't afford our companies rates.
> Why can't those of us who can't afford high premiums be put in huge general pool
If you are in a company group plan you are ALREADY in a pool and you are paying lower (usually much lower) than individual rates.
Maybe you work for a small company and they don't pay much (or any) of the health insurance cost? The smaller the company the worse the deal they get from insurance companies. Even if that's the case you should still consider yourself lucky because the individual insurance price is likely to be higher.
Now if you wanted to be part of a really big pool...we could have a system where EVERYONE in the country had to buy health insurance...and then the pools would be REALLY big...
(But wait a minute...there was a guy who had an idea like that...was he in Massachusetts or something? And wasn't that picked up by some other guy...)
As far as WHY the costs are so high...there are many reasons. ONE of them is the overhead associated with insurance companies. This year, as part of the ACA law, insurance companies that spend LESS than 80% of their premiums on health care had to give rebates. And, umm, there WERE some companies that had to rebate.
Besides overhead...you can blame overtreatment; defensive medicine; malpractice suits; medical errors; inefficiencies; and the ever-popular fraud and mismanagement.
(If I remember the statistics right) we (the U S of A) are the high-cost supplier of medical care around the world. We do not get the best outcomes and we spend the most money.
Not sure where you lived before, but one must remember that in the U.S. we are dealing with like 310 million people, third largest in the world, who all need health insurance. It is a daunting task....
You are right, ALL 310 million need health insurance, and insurance is MOST efficient when spread among larger populations, the larger the "pool" the better, so the 3rd hugest general pool in the world is IDEAL for universal health insurance, which is the SIMPLEST plan to implement that benefits the greatest number of people in the U.S. at the LOWEST cost, but only seems daunting because of the fear uncertainty and doubt sown by insurance companies and lobbyists who want to keep the current inefficient system to keep the money going to insurers and lobbyists.
Many of the progressive liberal states have good health care systems in place. It is surprising that the population of these States tend to support Obama and his health care initiatives. The poorer States, with the most need and have the worse health; have no good health care systems in place, support Romney to destroy the new law that will benefit them. I am talking about States like Mississippi and other states of the deep south which obesity and lifestyle issues that affect health.
Livecontent
I'm not surprised. Our states pretty much already have these features in our plans so we really aren't seeing the changes that other states will see. The major changes are unlimited coverage, kids covered to 26 vs 24 with student status. We already have provisions for pre-existing conditions--can't rate for them but if you have too many (more than 3 that are not under control) they can deny you if you have not had continual coverage. The only thing that is an automatic decline is a DWI less than 2 years old (with previous coverage). If you do not have continuous coverage, it's case by case. All the rest of the "changes" we have had for 10+ years.
This! This!! THIS!!! I cannot rep you for this post enough!
One of the biggest embarrassments and financial downfalls of the United States is the failure to implement universal healthcare.
The most staunch conservatives of other industrialized nations stand with their mouths open at the outright dangerous stupidity of certain segments of power in this country in thwarting the implementation of universal healthcare.
You can only screw indigenous consumers so many times concerning their health before chronic illness and disease stops their buying power.
I'm not talking about ER visits but preventative care that far far too many go without due to the criminal negligence of certain political parties.
Quote:
Originally Posted by fumbling
You are right, ALL 310 million need health insurance, and insurance is MOST efficient when spread among larger populations, the larger the "pool" the better, so the 3rd hugest general pool in the world is IDEAL for universal health insurance, which is the SIMPLEST plan to implement that benefits the greatest number of people in the U.S. at the LOWEST cost, but only seems daunting because of the fear uncertainty and doubt sown by insurance companies and lobbyists who want to keep the current inefficient system to keep the money going to insurers and lobbyists.
This! This!! THIS!!! I cannot rep you for this post enough!
One of the biggest embarrassments and financial downfalls of the United States is the failure to implement universal healthcare.
The most staunch conservatives of other industrialized nations stand with their mouths open at the outright dangerous stupidity of certain segments of power in this country in thwarting the implementation of universal healthcare.
You can only screw indigenous consumers so many times concerning their health before chronic illness and disease stops their buying power.
I'm not talking about ER visits but preventative care that far far too many go without due to the criminal negligence of certain political parties.
Preventative care is covered at 100% under the new health reform...
I'm sorry, but it is not a "failure". I LIKE having quality medical care and being able to pick my doctors and get into any specialist I want within a couple days and not having to wait months to have procedures done thanks.
Listen to yourself " I LIKE " and " I WANT " . Always what the individual wants right?
Never what's good for our country as a whole.
I'm a nationalist. Close the border, enforce it and take care our our own which includes taking care of the people that can least afford preventative healthcare.
When people stop thinking in a first person selfish sort of way we can all pull together to get things done.
Stop being the child who demands ME ME ME and start asking what can I do to help this country.
Remember the world is not a golf ball but much larger than your myopic view of it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by golfgal
Preventative care is covered at 100% under the new health reform...
I'm sorry, but it is not a "failure". I LIKE having quality medical care and being able to pick my doctors and get into any specialist I want within a couple days and not having to wait months to have procedures done thanks.
I'm sorry, but it is not a "failure". I LIKE having quality medical care and being able to pick my doctors and get into any specialist I want within a couple days and not having to wait months to have procedures done thanks.
As far as I know, based on what I understand from other more knowledgeable people, YOU can CONTINUE to have the quality medical care you have and be able to pick your doctors and get into any specialist you want within a couple days if that is what your current health care plan provides; under ACA THERE IS NO CHANGE TO YOUR POLICY that you LIKE and WANT. The ACA simply allows other less fortunate people than you to have access to medical care that they didn't have access to, simply because they are LESS fortunate than you.
This is a reply to an article about Romney's aide who is attacked by Republicans for simply stating the truth, that the guy in Massachussetts actually had a good plan that is the basis for ACA:
"The ad accurately presents the consequences of the Republican Party's health plan. Without Obamacare, or something similar, or a single payer system, people who lose their jobs and have pre-existing conditions will not be able to get health insurance. And that means that people will die unnecessarily. The ad might seem to exaggerate, but the reality is that the Republican's heartless health plan is pretty unbelievable...."
I assume you have a good job with medical care benefits, that allows you to choose your own doctor and get procedures done within months...so what will you say if you lose that good job because a consulting company like the one the guy from Massachussetts used to run, says your job is downsized to China, and you lose your job with the medical benefits? Perhaps you have the money to continue the health care plan your employer provided, but if you didn't, wouldn't you want access to health care at the same price you are paying now for health care, whether it's called ACA or Obamacare or Romneycare? Without ACA, if you lose your job with health care benefits, you would lose access to affordable health care (unless you were part of the 1% with millions in the bank and could pay non-group health insurance rates without blinking an eye), but with ACA, if you or I or others lose a good job with medical benefits, then we would still have access to health care. Even with a job, there are many millions of people like Kaylee, that find the existing inefficient health care system and costs to be beyond comprehension. For them, ACA is a start in the right direction, and does not change the medicare benefits you have and like and want.
Why is health care so expensive. Where I'm working for me and hubby they want almost 1200. a month. That makes it almost 14000.00 a year. How do you survive on the remainder for living expenses?
Wanting to find something cheaper? Is there a possibility out there.
Thanks
Is it possible to go to another insurance company for a better deal? $1200 a month is absurd even half that amount sounds ridiculously high. i'd give em a call telling them they are too expensive and we are taking our business elsewhere.
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