Wondering about your experiences with Obama care (ACA)

[seeahill]

I'm not interested in a political argument here. What has been your personal experience, good or bad?

[DrDonkeyLove]

Was kicked off of my previous care because of the ACA. After MUCH work and pain I managed to get something not quite as good for a little less money.

Learned that if you want the best care you need to purchase directly from the insurance carrier. Exchange coverage has a much smaller network even if you purchase from the same carrier. I found this out via a random comment from a clerk at a doctors office.

I'm sure I'm considered a statistical winner because of Obamacare but at this time I'd prefer to have my old coverage back.

Also, If I were to lose my job I'd still be in deep shit. I couldn't afford the coverage I have and I'd lose my doctors if I got into a subsidized exchange. And, my deductible would go through the roof! So far it's made my life more complicated and done nothing for me. I suspect that many of the working poor are waking up to that surprise right now.

[seeahill]

Thanks Donkey.
I'm wondering about it because, since I'm on Medicare, I don't need it and have no experience with it.

[Turdacious]

Thanks Donkey.
I'm wondering about it because, since I'm on Medicare, I don't need it and have no experience with it.

Obamacare had some effect on Medicare-- if you're enrolled in one of the better ACOs, you might be actually be better off.

[The Venerable Bogatir X]

Was kicked off of my previous care because of the ACA. After MUCH work and pain I managed to get something not quite as good for a little less money.

Learned that if you want the best care you need to purchase directly from the insurance carrier. Exchange coverage has a much smaller network even if you purchase from the same carrier. I found this out via a random comment from a clerk at a doctors office.

I'm sure I'm considered a statistical winner because of Obamacare but at this time I'd prefer to have my old coverage back.

Also, If I were to lose my job I'd still be in deep shit. I couldn't afford the coverage I have and I'd lose my doctors if I got into a subsidized exchange. And, my deductible would go through the roof! So far it's made my life more complicated and done nothing for me. I suspect that many of the working poor are waking up to that surprise right now.

Since I'm self-employed/consulting, my out of pocket last year for family was $1k/mo with $5k deductible. Was going up to $1200/mo this year for the same plan, so we took a lessor plan in the $700's/mo with a $9k deductible. That still keeps us in the network we want to be in, docs, ect. I am in the same boat as you are in your last paragraph. ACA has certainly made things more expensive and more complicated.

[ccrow]

I got a letter from my carrier telling me I'd be switched from the plan I had into another plan with a nice bump in premiums. I shopped around and couldn't find anything cheaper, so I switched to another larger carrier with a bigger network. Shopping was comically confused. The larger carrier was an absolute nightmare to deal with, just couldn't get their billing straight. (It occurred to me that there are very few fields businesses that you can run this badly and still sit on a mountain of cash.)

If I can add another question to this thread, any of you old dogs remember what you paid when you were not so god damned old?

I remember I was getting coverage from Nationwide when I was first out of school then I found a better deal from New York Life. In 1992 I was paying under $50 a month (I think actually under $40) for high deductible plan ($750). That would be about like paying $75 a month for a $1250 deductible plan in 2015 dollars.

(A lot of people don't remember this but not all that long ago, buying health insurance wasn't really any harder than buying homeowners or car insurance, you could just buy it from most storefront agencies. Then as now people poor enough to be on welfare had great coverage. Yet there was a big outcry about uninsured people and 20 years of assrapery to make things better.)

[Shafpocalypse Now]

Yeah, I paid $21/month for me when I had a AFL-CIO job with the City of Flint in 1992. That had a $250 deductible and $5 copay. For everything

[The Venerable Bogatir X]

Yeah, I paid $21/month for me when I had a AFL-CIO job with the City of Flint in 1992. That had a $250 deductible and $5 copay. For everything

When I was a cop, I believe I paid about $20/mo and $10 co-pay for everything from a typical visit to a major surgery. All Rx were $10, too.

[Bob Wildes]

I got a letter from my carrier telling me I'd be switched from the plan I had into another plan with a nice bump in premiums. I shopped around and couldn't find anything cheaper, so I switched to another larger carrier with a bigger network. Shopping was comically confused. The larger carrier was an absolute nightmare to deal with, just couldn't get their billing straight. (It occurred to me that there are very few fields businesses that you can run this badly and still sit on a mountain of cash.)

If I can add another question to this thread, any of you old dogs remember what you paid when you were not so god damned old?

I remember I was getting coverage from Nationwide when I was first out of school then I found a better deal from New York Life. In 1992 I was paying under $50 a month (I think actually under $40) for high deductible plan ($750). That would be about like paying $75 a month for a $1250 deductible plan in 2015 dollars.

(A lot of people don't remember this but not all that long ago, buying health insurance wasn't really any harder than buying homeowners or car insurance, you could just buy it from most storefront agencies. Then as now people poor enough to be on welfare had great coverage. Yet there was a big outcry about uninsured people and 20 years of assrapery to make things better.)

I was a firefighter/EMT for a small town fire department from '87-'90. Health Coverage cost zero for us at that time.

[Cave Canem]

I'm on my third plan since ACA. I was kicked off my wife's work plan (great coverage) because they eliminated coverage for working spouses. I had a hip resurfacing and then a revision to a total hip replacement in one year under that plan with nothing out of pocket except $200 for each hospital co-pay, and doctor and PT visit co-pays.
I picked up a plan with my employer that was almost as good but with costlier premiums and higher co-pays. The company decided that this plan was no longer any good as only 33% of the company used it (they only offered 3 plans so how do you figure it was not "wanted"?).
I was left with 2 choices; a high deductible plan or a higher deductible plan. Premiums are slightly less expensive but because of regular follow up visits for my hips and semi-annual blood work for thyroid and metal ion testing, my out of pocket costs are way up. Blood work was completely covered under my old plans but now it's $188 until my deductible is met.
Now I'm looking at shoulder arthroplasty and potentially 5-10 grand out of pocket when it it would have been less than $750 under my wife's plan.
I guess I would have been called "privileged" to have such good coverage. And it still might be good compared to others. I just know I'm poorer for it and have less choice in what I can do.

The funny part is that my wife works for a small non-profit organization and still has the same great coverage while I work for one of the largest insurance and financial services companies in the country.

My guess is that unless the ACA is repealed or overhauled, my options will continue to shrink and premiums will rise until the system devolves into a single payer program. Big companies would love to have their employees covered on the government dime. The ACA was designed to fail to force the single payer issue.

[Shafpocalypse Now]

ACA has, in general, degraded peoples' options who already had insurance, and given shitty options to people who didn't.

[The Venerable Bogatir X]

ACA has, in general, degraded peoples' options who already had insurance, and given shitty options to people who didn't.

And the ghetto fabulous still use 911 to meet just about all of their medical needs.

[The Ginger Beard Man]

ACA has, in general, degraded peoples' options who already had insurance, and given shitty options to people who didn't.

And the ghetto fabulous still use 911 to meet just about all of their medical needs.

I have good insurance through my union, and I haven't been affected at all by Obamacare at this point. But in December I cut my hand at work, needed an x Ray and stitches, and was told to return to the ER 10 days later to have the stitches removed.
When I went back, there were 6-8 other people waiting with me, and every single one appeared to be using the ER for primary care.

[The Venerable Bogatir X]

But in December I cut my hand at work, needed an x Ray and stitches, and was told to return to the ER 10 days later to have the stitches removed.
When I went back, there were 6-8 other people waiting with me, and every single one appeared to be using the ER for primary care.

Not a new story at all and I'm sure anyone here who works in emergency services in the hood can support this never reported fact, regardless of the city. In fact, one of the best anecdotes I know is not one of my own from the Harlem NYPD days, but from a bud of mine in the Minneapolis FD/present day.....People actually time their 911 calls with the bus schedules. So, they get an ambulance ride to the ER for an 'asthma attack' or whatever, get meds and then get ca$h money for cab fare home since they are released when the buses aren't running. Rx's + Mo' money for 40s and blunts, yo.

IIRC, he said the cost of those rides to the taxpayer are in the vicinity of $1800/ride.

Oh, he's a hardcore union guy and lifelong Dem so it's not some angry right wing white guy blustering bullshit in case any of our bleeding heart types is wondering.

[The Ginger Beard Man]

Right. But I thought ACA was supposed to solve that. I dont want to derail the thread, though.

[The Venerable Bogatir X]

Right. But I thought ACA was supposed to solve that. I dont want to derail the thread, though.

[bennyonesix]

It has cost me about 10 hours of bullshit to get an equally costly and worser policy.

I am sure those 10 hours of bullshit are all the time the ACA will cost me during the next 20 years.

[The Venerable Bogatir X]

None of our IGxLeft amigos to tell us how fucking awesome ACA has been? I'm a wee stunned.

[Andy83]

President Obama says the plan is working. Says it right on television over and over. It has to be true. and you liars need to listen and stop trying to spread right wing propaganda.

[bennyonesix]

I reckon this is a True but False thing as opposed to a False but True thing?

[Andy83]

I reckon this is a True but False thing as opposed to a False but True thing?

I don't know what that means. If our president says it, it's FACT.

[DrDonkeyLove]

In defense of the ACA, if I or Mrs. Donkey get sick as hell and I need to change jobs, at least I can purchase some kind of insurance w/o going bankrupt even if it's not great.

And, since I'm forced to pay for it anyway, if her desiccated ovaries magically rejuvenate and my wobbly sperm finds purchase in her dry womb, our new child will have his/her pediatric dental covered to some degree.

And even more, my future geriatric gender reassignment procedure from male to "indeterminate" will be covered as well.

[Shafpocalypse Now]

Texas has pretty lackluster regulations on opening ER facilities, so there are fucking 100 ERs within 20 minutes of me, and maybe 100 Urgent care places as well.

ERs will charge you the whole ER copay, even if you just get dispensed antibiotics, Urgent care places charge the walk in co pay, which is significantly less.

[The Venerable Bogatir X]

In defense of the ACA, if I or Mrs. Donkey get sick as hell and I need to change jobs, at least I can purchase some kind of insurance w/o going bankrupt even if it's not great.

And even more, my future geriatric gender reassignment procedure from male to "indeterminate" will be covered as well.

Meh, in those two examples, you can use the ER and/or 911 like the ghetto fabs, illegals, & trailer trash, have continued to do.

What I wholly credit The Obama for (in a good way), is doing away with the preexisting conditions stuff.

[johno]

Since we're veering into the political, for years I've seen people make decisions re: transport to the ER/clinic. A car ride with a friend vs. a $1,500 ambulance ride.

Before ObamaCare and after, only people who think about paying their bills ever hesitate to take the ambulance. The poorest patients I've seen almost always take the $1,500 ride. And are often most insistent on going to the ER, even against advice.