Obamacare Has Arrived At My Work

[Ukulelemike]

Granted, I work for Uncle Sam, so I shouldn't be surprised. But today I received my first notification of my requirement to purchase health care insurance, per the "Affordable", (ha!), Healthcare Act. So I seethree options available to me: 

 

1: Buy insurance like a good little boy;

 

2: Reject it and pay the IRS for the pleasure of seeing to my own health care;

 

3: Quit my job and pray the Lord provdes.

 

Don't see many mre options available. Maybe I'll see if I can qualify for an exemption. I'll tell them I'min politics, since it seem the politicians who gave us such a wonderful plan are, themselves, expempt from it. Odd that they would not want in on their own plan.

[John81]

What a mess. Someone on the news yesterday was talking about how much money this will save and they were countered by the fact people are going to be forced to buy healthcare or pay a huge fine to the IRS; plus the fact premiums continue to rise, making virtually all health insurance more expensive. Finally the pro-obamacare guy said it may take a hundred years but eventually obamacare will save people money! Big comfort there!

 

No doubt the federal government will be broke before then or even dissolved.

[HappyChristian]

Uke - you can look into whether or not your state is working to nullify it.  If so, you could be exempt...

[ASongOfDegrees]

Granted, I work for Uncle Sam, so I shouldn't be surprised. But today I received my first notification of my requirement to purchase health care insurance, per the "Affordable", (ha!), Healthcare Act. So I seethree options available to me: 

 

1: Buy insurance like a good little boy;

 

2: Reject it and pay the IRS for the pleasure of seeing to my own health care;

 

3: Quit my job and pray the Lord provdes.

 

Don't see many mre options available. Maybe I'll see if I can qualify for an exemption. I'll tell them I'min politics, since it seem the politicians who gave us such a wonderful plan are, themselves, expempt from it. Odd that they would not want in on their own plan.

Say you're one of Pelosi's buddies and then get a waiver. This is another way to get out of ObamaCare. (Of course, you know I'm being facetious).

[Ukulelemike]

Uke - you can look into whether or not your state is working to nullify it.  If so, you could be exempt...

California-somehow I suspect not.

[Miss Daisy]

I heard on Rush today that even congressmen are eligible for subsidies to help pay for a plan.

[JerryNumbers]

Granted, I work for Uncle Sam, so I shouldn't be surprised. But today I received my first notification of my requirement to purchase health care insurance, per the "Affordable", (ha!), Healthcare Act. So I seethree options available to me: 

 

1: Buy insurance like a good little boy;

 

2: Reject it and pay the IRS for the pleasure of seeing to my own health care;

 

3: Quit my job and pray the Lord provdes.

 

Don't see many mre options available. Maybe I'll see if I can qualify for an exemption. I'll tell them I'min politics, since it seem the politicians who gave us such a wonderful plan are, themselves, expempt from it. Odd that they would not want in on their own plan.

 

They've put up a fence around them, congressmen & president, selves to protect them from the bad stuff they throw upon the citizens of this country.

[HappyChristian]

California-somehow I suspect not.

No, you're right, it isn't. However, the 10th amendment center has petitioned the governor to do so:  http://www.change.org/petitions/california-legislature-nullify-obamacare

[no name joe]

Just curious, why wouldn't you want to purchase health insurance?  If you get hit with cancer or other catastrophic injury or illness, it will really help you financially.

[HappyChristian]

Just curious, why wouldn't you want to purchase health insurance?  If you get hit with cancer or other catastrophic injury or illness, it will really help you financially.

It isn't a matter of folks not wanting to purchase health insurance. It's a matter of being forced into something the federal government has no purview over.  I know we don't agree on that, KOB, but that's why. It's also a matter of those who have insurance facing major changes that are not to the good, a matter of a great number of folks not being able to afford what is going to happen (no matter what the yeasayers say - it is going to really hurt people financially [actually, the hurt has already begun for many]), etc.

[no name joe]

It isn't a matter of folks not wanting to purchase health insurance. It's a matter of being forced into something the federal government has no purview over.  I know we don't agree on that, KOB, but that's why. It's also a matter of those who have insurance facing major changes that are not to the good, a matter of a great number of folks not being able to afford what is going to happen (no matter what the yeasayers say - it is going to really hurt people financially [actually, the hurt has already begun for many]), etc.

 

But are not many hurt financially in the current system?  I've known people who were uninsured go bankrupt when a catastrophic injury happens.  They cannot afford the bills they incur, and declare bankruptcy.  

 

I am just curious why someone would not want to purchase insurance if it is offered by their employer.  My wife just had a baby, there is no way I would have been able to pay all of the medical bills if we were uninsured.  We struggled to pay our deductible as it is.  If I got cancer or some other illness that required a large amount of care, I know I would not have the money to pay for it (most of us wouldn't).  Insurance is a good thing.  Yes it is expensive, but health care is social.  Any one of us could suffer a terrible injury tomorrow through nothing of our own fault. It is the luck of the draw.  It seems to me an ideal health system would provide the needed care to everyone regardless of ability to pay.  Insurance does that in a way.  We pool our money and the money in the pool is used to pay for those who get sick.  Not everyone will require major care, but some of us will.  Insurance covers it when and if we do suffer such an illness. Social medicine works in a similar manner.  (different discussion all together, I know). But if insurance is available through one's employer, I am having trouble understanding why one would want to go without.

 

My question has nothing to do with Obamacare and whether it is the right solution.  That is a different discussion completely.

[HappyChristian]

And many are helped in the current situation. BOcare isn't going to be good for this country in the long run.  

 

I couldn't afford to buy insurance through my employer.  That's why my hubby doesn't have any (I do as part of my pay...and although I was told differently, it's going to be changing - and not for the better) through my work.  We cannot afford to buy insurance for him. But we've had medical issues...and we've paid for them.  Over time, but we've paid for them.  Honest people, even though poor, do that.   (I said that because I know a lot of people who just refuse to pay for their medical bills...)

[Steve Schwenke]

But are not many hurt financially in the current system?  I've known people who were uninsured go bankrupt when a catastrophic injury happens.  They cannot afford the bills they incur, and declare bankruptcy.  

 

I am just curious why someone would not want to purchase insurance if it is offered by their employer.  My wife just had a baby, there is no way I would have been able to pay all of the medical bills if we were uninsured.  We struggled to pay our deductible as it is.  If I got cancer or some other illness that required a large amount of care, I know I would not have the money to pay for it (most of us wouldn't).  Insurance is a good thing.  Yes it is expensive, but health care is social.  Any one of us could suffer a terrible injury tomorrow through nothing of our own fault. It is the luck of the draw.  It seems to me an ideal health system would provide the needed care to everyone regardless of ability to pay.  Insurance does that in a way.  We pool our money and the money in the pool is used to pay for those who get sick.  Not everyone will require major care, but some of us will.  Insurance covers it when and if we do suffer such an illness. Social medicine works in a similar manner.  (different discussion all together, I know). But if insurance is available through one's employer, I am having trouble understanding why one would want to go without.

 

My question has nothing to do with Obamacare and whether it is the right solution.  That is a different discussion completely.

And yet many hospitals and doctors will give you a large discount right off the top if you say you are paying cash. 

One of our members works for a doctor's office.  Her job is to figure out the medical insurance for each patient, and then see what they will pay, and then get them to pay it.  People wonder why healthcare is so expensive - well that's part of it right there.  Health insurance as it stands is so complicated that doctor's offices and hospitals have to pay people a good salary just to deal with insurance - and not do any other office work or patient work. 

 

As far as catastrophic issues go, just because a person has insurance does not mean he can't rack up some massive bills and end up in bankruptcy anyway....I know of several who have done so, even with insurance.  So insurance is not necessarily the answer to preventing massive bills in a catastrophic event.  However, for poor people who do not have or cannot afford health insurance, there is generally some places locally that will offer grants or help with payments or whatever to get them the treatment they need.   Plus, many times if you have the right connections in the community, or you have enough time and opportunity to do so, people do community wide fundraisers to help pay for treatments.....

As they say, there is more than one way to skin a cat....

 

One thing is for sure, Obamacare is a disaster.  It is nothing more than the means by which the government will destroy our current system, and set up its own socialized medicine similar to England, Canada, and Europe. 

The plan is to make it so bad that the Government is the "only answer." 

And when that happens, well, you can kiss your privacy goodbye. 

Oh, yeah, Obamacare already does that for us, doesn't it???

[JerryNumbers]

But are not many hurt financially in the current system?  I've known people who were uninsured go bankrupt when a catastrophic injury happens.  They cannot afford the bills they incur, and declare bankruptcy.  

 

I am just curious why someone would not want to purchase insurance if it is offered by their employer.  My wife just had a baby, there is no way I would have been able to pay all of the medical bills if we were uninsured.  We struggled to pay our deductible as it is.  If I got cancer or some other illness that required a large amount of care, I know I would not have the money to pay for it (most of us wouldn't).  Insurance is a good thing.  Yes it is expensive, but health care is social.  Any one of us could suffer a terrible injury tomorrow through nothing of our own fault. It is the luck of the draw.  It seems to me an ideal health system would provide the needed care to everyone regardless of ability to pay.  Insurance does that in a way.  We pool our money and the money in the pool is used to pay for those who get sick.  Not everyone will require major care, but some of us will.  Insurance covers it when and if we do suffer such an illness. Social medicine works in a similar manner.  (different discussion all together, I know). But if insurance is available through one's employer, I am having trouble understanding why one would want to go without.

 

My question has nothing to do with Obamacare and whether it is the right solution.  That is a different discussion completely.

 

Neighbor down the road said he didn't buy health insurance, that he was not going to do without, & if he had health insurance he would have to do without many things, besides, if I get sick they will take care of me. And they did, he had cancer two times, them a stroke, & he kept his big house & all of his play pretties.

 

There's many out there that thinks society owes them, this neighbor is one of them. Of course I know several others that are just like him.

[JerryNumbers]

I guess we can do like another neighbor. He got laid off after he reached 63 years of age & had worked for that company for about 40 years. He could have carried health insurance but he said no, I'm not going to waste my money!

 

A few months after that he had a heart attack, I forget just how much the hospital bill was, but it was well over $50,000.00. He filed bankruptcy & did not pay the hospital bill.

 

I talked with another man about his age that was laid off at the same time & had about the same number of years with that company. I asked him if he carried the health insurance they offered. He said yes, I'm not going to take such a risk besides their health insurance is very good & very cheap.