Thread Drift

[smilingcat]

My gut feeling is that it is cheaper for me to just pay the penalty and forgo the health insurance. I'm in a position where I can absorb the cost of most major medical expense. I'm very fortunate in this way. Furthermore, my family medical history is such that, most likely, I will not need any medical care except for dental and my prescription glasses till near my end.

Gosh, my father didn't bother seeing a doctor until he became confused and forgetful, then he was "forcibly" taken to a geriatrics specialist by family where they determined he had dementia.

With that said, we really do need a national medical care where we expand medicare to all and cover all illnesses, healthcare, preventative and maintenance. Get rid of HMO and for profit health care. Idea of HMO was pushed onto Nixon by *****. His pitch to Nixon was that it was going to save lots of money... Till that time for profit hospital was not allowed if I remember correctly.

Getting really fed up with certain segment of our ill informed populace. Their core belief stems from self-reliance, independence and false belief in what it means to be macho. Little do they realize, they benefit from ACA but are vehemently against it saying such thing as "we don't need no government." (can't even speak correctly but I do get the gist of what they are trying to say).

Hi Skyking,

When is the march and where in Idaho? If they want to call it murder, they will have to issue a birth certificate first to the fetus. Without it, how can you issue a death certificate to say that it was murder? or put it another way, how can they say its murder without a death certificate? JUST CAN'T THINK THROUGH OF ALL ITS RAMIFICATION.

[shootingstar]

My gut feeling is that it is cheaper for me to just pay the penalty and forgo the health insurance. I'm in a position where I can absorb the cost of most major medical expense. I'm very fortunate in this way. Furthermore, my family medical history is such that, most likely, I will not need any medical care except for dental and my prescription glasses till near my end.

Gosh, my father didn't bother seeing a doctor until he became confused and forgetful, then he was "forcibly" taken to a geriatrics specialist by family where they determined he had dementia.

With that said, we really do need a national medical care where we expand medicare to all and cover all illnesses, healthcare, preventative and maintenance. Get rid of HMO and for profit health care. Idea of HMO was pushed onto Nixon by *****. His pitch to Nixon was that it was going to save lots of money... Till that time for profit hospital was not allowed if I remember correctly.

Getting really fed up with certain segment of our ill informed populace. Their core belief stems from self-reliance, independence and false belief in what it means to be macho. Little do they realize, they benefit from ACA but are vehemently against it saying such thing as "we don't need no government." (can't even speak correctly but I do get the gist of what they are trying to say).

Smilingcat, I prided myself, and still do, for being quite healthy at 58 (in 2 wks. will be this). But stuff happens --I had a bike collision and a resulting concussion. IF I hadn't had work benefit health insurance (in addition to CAnadain public health automatic coverage for all residents and citizens), I would have had to pay $500.00CAN for ambulance transport (since I was from another province, but was in Vancouver, place of accident), over $150.00 for sleeping pills, $600.00 for 6 [physiotherapy sessions.

But there were no charges for: overnight stay in hospital, examination by neurologist (twice), checks by nurses every 3 hrs., painkiller, x-ray, 2 visits to sleep doctor specialist and then 8 followup visits with family physician (to monitor my progress) over a 5 month period. I am convinced my good health prior to the accident, helped in my recovery. But what a way to learn about the benefits of preventive health care.

My father was like your father..except he was diagnosed with prostate cancer @78 yrs. but got treatment (very little cost) until he died @85 yrs. The best and largest Canadian research cancer hospital is in Toronto where he lived.

Sad that people can't know that ACA and its nickname Obamacare... are the same. Are the public that....clueless?

[Crankin]

The short answer is, yes.

[Blueberry]

Sad that people can't know that ACA and its nickname Obamacare... are the same. Are the public that....clueless?

Absolutely yes.

Don't know if this is for real, but I could definitely believe it.

[shootingstar]

Absolutely yes.

Don't know if this is for real, but I could definitely believe it.

I read the pertinent thread section, Blueberry.

Very sad. To kill ACA but with no better/similar replacement. How stupid. Trump is reacting to and pandering to emotion of people. It's abit terrifying....this is your health. Someone ought haul a child dying of cancer in front of him from a family that will be bankrupt... I think this is what it takes..a completely innocent helpless person that if he shouts down the child...

A sister has worked for many years simply at patient intake...for a pediatric cancer ward in a large pediatric hospital. It's 400 beds and is Canada's largest teaching research pediatric hospital.. for various pediatric diseases. Even in Canada, given its size like U.S., patients (with parent(s)) have to fly from smaller cities/rural areas in Canada. Flight, etc. is not covered by our public health insurance system.

[Crankin]

I saw that thread on Facebook a couple of days ago. The ignorance is chilling.
I guess I will keep living in my bubble and am thankful for 2 things: I live in the bluest of blue states, and when I thought I might need the ACA, it was an option.

[emily_in_nc]

As for going without health insurance, everyone must remember accidents happen, as shootingstar points out -- it's not just for disease-related issues!

The only time I had a serious need for healthcare services was when I had a bike accident in 2005, fracturing my pelvis in 3 places. One was serious enough to require orthopedic surgery, and I still have a 5" plate and four pins in my ilium to show for it. I was in the hospital for five days. Between that and after-care, I would have been out over $40K if I'd had to pay out of pocket. As it was, I had employer health insurance at the time that paid 90% of everything. The last 10% I paid out of pocket and could afford, no problem. In the end, that ended up being paid by the homeowners insurance co. of the folks who let their dogs run loose in a county with a leash law, which caused my crash. It was the principle of the thing more than the money, really.

[Crankin]

Exactly. To think that you can go without health insurance is just irresponsible. Sure, I could pay for a physical, a mammogram, and and a colonoscopy. And maybe a couple of office visits a year. But, every year I get sinusitis and occasional UTIs. Medications for those things, without insurance are crazy expensive. As an adult in my 60s I am comparatively healthy, but I have allergies, a history of asthma, and I have just one prescription in addition to the inhaler I have for just in case. That one prescription is over 1,000.00 without insurance and I pay 120.00 a year for it.
Just because one's relatives lived to a ripe old age with little issue, it doesn't always mean you are free. Generally good genetics help, but my mom died at 67 from a horrible liver disease (autoimmune) and a failed transplant. Every other member of her family lived until 90+. My dad was unemployed and working in a retirement type job with no benefits. If it wasn't for MediCal, they would have been in jail from the medical debts. She was not old and wanted to move forward with treatment. I could not have helped pay for that.

[Catrin]

My concern is the action taken last week by the Republicans did not retain the protection regarding preexisting conditions. There was a time when I would have been denied any coverage at all, so yeah, I'm a bit on the nervous side. I'm fine as long as I'm with my current employer but if they don't replace that protection I am looking a a potentially serious problem in the future. There has also been a change at work where we are no longer paying premiums for the next month but for the current - so our insurance coverage ends the last day of our employment instead of extending one month in the future.

Time well tell, part of me wants to think they REALLY wouldn't remove that protection but this is a new political landscape, it's hard to know what will happen. And, on the scale of serious preexisting conditions mine are on the lower end of that scale, there are many lives that would be seriously impacted if the insurance companies were once again allowed to choose who they would cover.

What I am saying is the situation is far more complicated than those who have the ability to get insurance of some kind and choose not to do so for some reason.

[ny biker]

<sigh> Just got a call from the doctor. I have to go back and repeat the mammogram I had a few days ago because "the image is incomplete and there is an asymmetry on the right side." No indication of a mass, just something that causes 10% of us to be called back for more pain. And the insurance doesn't cover this. I went through the same thing a few years ago and had to pay out of pocket for it. The technician looks at the images when she takes them and there was a time when they would take another image on the spot if things didn't look clear enough. Apparently now they just send you home so you can come back and pay extra for the privilege.

Mad props to the doctor for calling me before the letter arrived from the radiology place. He's at a new practice now where he has to do a lot of things that were handled by nurses and assistants at the last practice. But he still makes the time for these sorts of phone calls to minimize the anxiety that these situations can cause.

===

Update, insurance company says I have a $200 deductible for "outpatient radiology."

I had it scheduled for Tuesday but had to call them back and reschedule for Thursday so it would fall into the next credit card cycle.

[emily_in_nc]

Sorry, NY...that stinks! I remember having to have additional images made before, but it was the same visit; she just took a look and decided a couple were not up to par and took the replacements on the spot. Horrible to have to go back and have more made.

Shouldn't mammograms fall under the preventive care 100% paid by the ACA? I know I haven't had to pay a penny for mine since being on the ACA; they don't fall under any deductible rule, same with my normal "well woman" yearly checkups.

[Crankin]

They may not be aware of that, Emily. Seriously, my gyn tried to charge me for my co-pay the first year the ACA went into effect. Some dumb (male) receptionist was arguing with me! So, I paid the 20.00 and then called later and spoke to the more senior person.

[smilingcat]

This is truly frightening!! If republicans go through with this, without reasonable substitute for ACA and maintaining current coverage, even a basic healthcare will not be available to most all Americans. The ramification of dismantling of ACA aka Obamacare is much bigger than just healthcare.

One of my nagging questions is, is this repeal include a repeal of IRS penalty for failure to have insurance. What if ACA is repealed and you are denied coverage because of whatever, or reached lifetime cap, how are you going to get coverage then be forced to pay the penalty? A lot of people will become indigent (bankrupt) under this scenario.

Back to repeal of ACA repeal in entirety. Number of people who will lose healthcare because of this is just staggering. And if it happens, this will cause loss of patient visit to the doctors, hospitals etc and will force hospitals to close. Loss of high paid jobs. Insurance companies will either have to significantly reduce premium or face "going out of business". This will significantly impact the stock market in negative way and may start the collapse of the market into depression. This is just the nutshell so to speak.

This will be more than a double wammy for average American, loss of health care, potential loss of work and possibly becoming destitute/bankrupt. Dismantling of ACA has a real potential for this kind of fall out.

I am downright angry at the irresponsible behavior of the sadistic republicans. They know the level of pain they will inflict on the average Americans and to gloat and lie about the whole thing is just unbelievable. I'm also really angry at the "rich" people who want more for themselves at the expense of the average Americans. Hording is a mental illness. Hording money is still hording.

Another thing you can do is to turn on your TV during inauguration and watch E! or Nickelodeon or Discovery or Home improvement channel. You just can't leave the TV off. And same with you tube video. Watch movie trailers, anything other than the inauguration.

There is much I want to write, but this forum is not about politics nor about economics. I just will reiterate my anger and dismay at the republican party and those who were hoodwinked into thinking Obamacare is something different than ACA and that Obamacare is some sort of corrupt government handout. Without ACA, I think US healthcare system would have collapsed by now.

[snapdragen]

My oncologist's receptionist always collected a co-pay. Then later, I'd receive a refund check from the medical group.

[snapdragen]

ACA quite literally saved a friend's life. He had a massive heart attack, surgeries, complications (MRSA) -- a year later he's finally doing better. I can't imagine what would have happened to him without ACA.