Way to go Obongo!

[mattkime]

Count me among those who believe you deserve whatever the government is offering. The whole healthcare industry is crazy and the fact that you'd be getting Medicaid barely even ranks. Further, we'd all rather see you putting that money back into the economy or shoring up financial stability. It's better for all of us.

----

I think this thread got overly negative because your vague displeasure with your options bares some resemblance to slurs against Obamacare. Hopefully this won't be an issue now that we have something of substance to discuss.

[kd]

Uncle Wig wrote:
kd, allow me to apologize on behalf of the forum for the behavior of Dennis S. and davester.

I just started looking at rates in my state (via WebMD, as the Federal site is swamped and our gov. is refusing to participate). It looks like at my income, my rates could go down by about 30%. But I have not been able to compare plans. I won't say what percent of the poverty level my income is, but it's higher than yours. I'm also curious as to what plan you've been able to afford that sounds so good. My plan is expensive (to me, self employed) and not very useful.

You're very kind. I did notice that davester seems to have a burr under his saddle, but I think it has mostly to do with whatever's rattling around inside his own head. Since he's just some random dude on the internet and doesn't know me at all, I don't take it personally and it doesn't bother me.

Most people wouldn't consider my plan good, in that it has a large deductible, but it suits me. I pay the first $5000 and they pay 100% of everything after that. It works well for me because although my income is currently low, I have plenty of money and am only concerned about truly catastrophic events.

[Dennis S]

Uncle Wig wrote:
kd, allow me to apologize on behalf of the forum for the behavior of Dennis S. and davester.

I just started looking at rates in my state (via WebMD, as the Federal site is swamped and our gov. is refusing to participate). It looks like at my income, my rates could go down by about 30%. But I have not been able to compare plans. I won't say what percent of the poverty level my income is, but it's higher than yours. I'm also curious as to what plan you've been able to afford that sounds so good. My plan is expensive (to me, self employed) and not very useful.

Don't go apologizing on my behalf. I meant everything I said and I would say more if I could get away with it. People like kd have been allowing and would continue to allow millions and millions of people to suffer, die, and go bankrupt just to satisfy their own irrational inhumane political fetish.

[michaelb]

They mystery of this thread is that before the ACA it was essentially impossible to buy individual health insurance as a private individual for a reasonable cost. Certainly not at a poverty level income. So whatever coverage kd is talking about was either provided in large measure by an employer (as a wage), or was a high deductible plan, or was set up in some other way that fails the ACA's "minimum essential coverage" standard. If average folks could have bought affordable insurance before, there would not have been this overwhelming need for reform of the entire marketplace.

Anyone medicaid eligible is not eligible for a subsidy, so if you reject Medicaid you would have to pay the full cost on the exchange, which would be a large portion of your income. There was no change for Medicaid for seniors on Medicare, so they still have asset tests and lower income eligibility levels.

I don't think it is possible to pay "extra" if you are on Medicaid. Medicaid prohibits balance billing as a condition of participation, so your medical providers cannot accept anything more than the Medicaid rate which must be considered payment in full. You could privately pay for non Medicaid participating providers.

[kd]

Speedy wrote:
kd, in my first working years many decades ago I had a policy that was probably like the one you have. It was insurance in name only. It had huge co-pays and deductibles with a $25k lifetime benefit. One surgery and I would have been screwed.

My plan does have a sizeable deductible ($5K), but no co-pays or annual or lifetime benefit limit. Back when I lived in NJ, my plan had a $10,000 deductible, 50/50 co-pay, and cost $570 a month -- so my current plan is quite an improvement and less than half the cost.

[kd]

Speedy wrote:
Medicaid is the best plan out there. Minimal co-pays and no deductibles.

Cost-wise it seems amazing, but I assume it's harder to find doctors who take Medicaid patients (or maybe really good doctors who do)?

[Speedy]

The nice thing about doing away with the asset test is that it will encourage people to seek care (and insurance) without fear of losing everything they have.

Again, nothing stops you from having Medicaid and also paying whatever you want to your providers. Note that if you pay from your pocket, you cannot later submit a claim for that payment to Medicaid for reimbursement.

[michaelb]

There may still be high deductible plans and "non-standard" plans with high deductibles on the exchange. At least there is here; I haven't looked at the federal exchange. Plus these plans will be "community rated" so your rates won't be based on your own individual medical history. They will also still offer minimum essential coverage, and require that at least 80% of the revenue actually be spent on coverage, as opposed to marketing and executive salaries, etc.

[Speedy]

kd wrote:
[quote=Speedy]
Medicaid is the best plan out there. Minimal co-pays and no deductibles.

Cost-wise it seems amazing, but I assume it's harder to find doctors who take Medicaid patients (or maybe really good doctors who do)?
My daughter receives Medicaid. We have never had a medical provider refuse care. We have had dentists who would not accept Medicaid as well as optical (eyeglass) vendors.

[kd]

davester wrote:
[quote=kd]
[quote=davester]Have a lovely time living in your fact-free fantasy land.

Thank you for your good wishes. I'm sorry that you find yourself consumed with hatred for those who you think do not share your philosophy.
Oh please, spare me the melodrama! No hatred was expressed. However, I do find it annoying that your posts are evasive and intellectually dishonest.The only philosophy that I wish fellow posters to share with me is intellectual honesty. At that you fail. I also think "kd" is likely a sock puppet, another intellectually dishonest practice.
Melodrama? A little projection there, I'd say.

I can't read your mind, so I can only go by what I see. You do seem to be seething with hatred (or maybe anger would be a better characterization). I don't know what it's based on so I'm guessing it's some assumption you've made about me.

I am not attempting to be evasive or dishonest in any way. I've answered every question put to me and done so honestly. I am not a sock puppet.

By the way, why on earth do you think I'm a sock puppet and whose sock puppet do you think I am? I guess if you have somebody specific in mind, maybe the tone of your messages is a reaction to him/her rather than me.

Really, dude, you don't know me and I think you've got me pegged all wrong.