GOP Congresswoman Asks For Obamacare Horror Stories, Gets Dose Of Reality Instead

originally posted by: Dimithae
a reply to: Cuervo

Not true. I believe in healthcare for all,but this doesn't work out well. My brother who is disabled,has no job at all.He can not work due to his disability,his monthly cost? $6500. Now someone that is unemployed is going to afford that? His copay is another $6500. That is insane.it keeps people off of it. Now I was told it is because he falls into the category of those that are supposed to get medicaid,but guess what? Medicaid is NOT expanded here in Missouri so he can't get it.So he is left in a catch 22 position where he can't get health care at all.But low and behold,he will be penalized for not having healthcare next year,make sense?

And you're somehow blaming Obama and/or the ACA for the fact that your state govt. decided to not take the free Medicare expansion money?

It's the same way here in Texas but it sure as hell isn't Obama's fault, or that if the ACA.

It's the fault of Republican controlled state houses across this nation and it's time you put the blame where it belongs.

On top of that, if I'm not mistaken the Obama administration is currently fighting for the right to extend those subsidies to recipients who live in these ass backwards states in front of the SCOTUS.

So remind me again, who's fighting for you and who's fighting against you?

a reply to: Flatfish

so its the fault of those state govts who didn't want to expand medicaid? Because they can see the writing on the wall for what this will cost later on down the road? Because they don't want the all powerfull federal govt to hand those federal dollars over the heads of those state govts to force those state govts to do what the all powerfull feds want them too? Don't think they can? they did it with seatbelt laws, they threatened to with-hold federal transportation dollars for states who didn't pass a manditory seatbelt law. Has the law saved lives? sure it has, but it would of killed me in 97 if i would of been following it. What has this got to do with healthcare? Your taking the choices away from the people and forcing them into something we don't want! its called strong arming. Just wait till the feds find something you don't want and do the same thing with that they are doing with healthcare. DOn't say i didn't warn you.

originally posted by: roaland
a reply to: Flatfish
Just wait till the feds find something you don't want and do the same thing with that they are doing with healthcare. DOn't say i didn't warn you.

Like paying for the world's largest military? Or for the huge meat and dairy subsidies? Or for oil subsidies? Or for... etc.

I didn't want any of those things. I don't like our wars, don't eat meat or dairy, and I don't drive an inefficient car. I can name things my taxes pay for that I don't use and probably fill a book with them but I happily pay them. Because soldiers, meat eaters, and truck drivers also pay taxes for things that they probably don't use but I do.

I don't want to live in Somolia. I don't want a Mad Max reality. I like society and civilization and will do my part in keeping it civilized. I don't mind paying my fair share for things I don't use because it's the price of being in this awesome 1st-world club.

a reply to: Cuervo

and your able to feel that way and live your life just how you want to because so far, the govt doesn't have their foot on your throat with worrying about just how in the sam hell your going to pay all your bills next year along with an exorbitant healthcare plan. This is america, you can live your life how you see fit and its your right to do so and i applaud you for it. Just like i live my life how i see fit. Its the govts job to make sure we are able to keep doing those things. well guess what, the govt now has taken those things away from me and thats over the line.

originally posted by: Cuervo

originally posted by: roaland
a reply to: Flatfish
Just wait till the feds find something you don't want and do the same thing with that they are doing with healthcare. DOn't say i didn't warn you.

Like paying for the world's largest military? Or for the huge meat and dairy subsidies? Or for oil subsidies? Or for... etc.

I didn't want any of those things. I don't like our wars, don't eat meat or dairy, and I don't drive an inefficient car. I can name things my taxes pay for that I don't use and probably fill a book with them but I happily pay them. Because soldiers, meat eaters, and truck drivers also pay taxes for things that they probably don't use but I do.

I don't want to live in Somolia. I don't want a Mad Max reality. I like society and civilization and will do my part in keeping it civilized. I don't mind paying my fair share for things I don't use because it's the price of being in this awesome 1st-world club.

Actually Cuervo would not mind if his party did it but I bet he would scream bloody murder if it was as a result of a right wing exteremist president!

originally posted by: roaland
a reply to: Cuervo

and your able to feel that way and live your life just how you want to because so far, the govt doesn't have their foot on your throat with worrying about just how in the sam hell your going to pay all your bills next year along with an exorbitant healthcare plan. This is america, you can live your life how you see fit and its your right to do so and i applaud you for it. Just like i live my life how i see fit. Its the govts job to make sure we are able to keep doing those things. well guess what, the govt now has taken those things away from me and thats over the line.

That's why it's a work in progress. To many others, this is literally a life-saver. For some, it's a burden they now have to figure out how to cover. In my state, admittedly, it's apparently much cheaper (I'm guessing because we aren't a red state). I hope the other states catch up to relieve their citizens before they end up squeezing them too hard.

Nobody says the ACA is a finished product that solves all of our healthcare issues. I still see it as a tool to expose the industry for what it is. I don't imagine the ACA staying around for more than a decade but it won't be abolished; it will be nationalized. Until then, I hope scenarios like your improve soon.

I hope your fortune turns around soon.

originally posted by: roaland
a reply to: Flatfish

so its the fault of those state govts who didn't want to expand medicaid? Because they can see the writing on the wall for what this will cost later on down the road? Because they don't want the all powerfull federal govt to hand those federal dollars over the heads of those state govts to force those state govts to do what the all powerfull feds want them too? Don't think they can? they did it with seatbelt laws, they threatened to with-hold federal transportation dollars for states who didn't pass a manditory seatbelt law. Has the law saved lives? sure it has, but it would of killed me in 97 if i would of been following it. What has this got to do with healthcare? Your taking the choices away from the people and forcing them into something we don't want! its called strong arming. Just wait till the feds find something you don't want and do the same thing with that they are doing with healthcare. DOn't say i didn't warn you.

Yeah, that must have been some helluva handwriting too!

I really would have liked to have seen the handwriting that justified not taking the money. At least for the first 3 yrs. while it's 100% federally funded and included an opt out option at the end of the 3 yr. period.

Anyone who refused the expansion, did so against all prudent rationale and IMO, did so purely as a sign of their opposition to any and everything Obama supported. Even if it meant shooting themselves in the foot in the process.

I have two sisters here in Texas who also can't afford insurance and they too, are struggling to make their insurance payments.

Only difference is, they both know full well who's to blame and it sure as hell isn't Obama. It's Rick Perry and the Republican Party controlling our statehouse.

a reply to: Cuervo

red state, blue state, thats whats wrong with this entire #ing situation! the govts job is to regulate, not demand its subjects pay a private company $$$$$ for the sole reason of they breath air, thats just dumb. If the govt really wanted to do something about the cost of healthcare, they would do something to control the amount of dumbass things a lawyer can sue a doc for, $10 for an asprin, $60 for a band-aid, $40 for gauze. I don't want your simpathy, i want teh govt to do its #ing job and let me live my life how i see fit. It doesn't want to fix the heathcare problem, because if it diid, there are other things it could of done without disrupting my life. but it doesn't want to do those things because if it did, all those companies and people who supported this administration wouldn't like the results.

originally posted by: roaland
a reply to: Cuervo

red state, blue state, thats whats wrong with this entire #ing situation!

You see, (as Reagan would say) "there you go again" trying to put the problem where it's not.

This is not a "red state, blue state" problem.

This is a Red state problem, plain and simple.

You know what they say, "All politics are local."

a reply to: Flatfish

just drink your kool-aid and leave me alone lol

a reply to: Flatfish

Number 1 Cool down,I didn't blame anyone at all. I simply stated a fact,it does not work out for everyone. It doesn't matter at this point who's fault it is as far as I'm concerned.The simple fact is some people can not afford it.Then I pointed out that those can't afford it are still penalized at the end of the year when they don't have insurance. Therefore someone needs to fix this,if a person can't afford it,then they should be able to avoid the penalty. If you are so disabled that you can't work,then is money going to fall out of the sky for you to pay for insurance? I think not. The system is going to have to change for those people to be able to afford it at all.

originally posted by: johnwick
a reply to: Onslaught2996

So then, in your opinion, it is far better to require poor folks like me to have insurance I can't even afford the premium for not to mention the $6,000 copay before it even works.

So that a very few with a preexisting condition that can offord it can get by easier.

Guess what.

This year I got penalised, because I don't have insurance.

Because I can't afford it.

Meaning, someone who is already dirt poor had to pay extra because they are dirt poor.

Yes this bill is so great.

Nothing like making the poor even more so.

The oh so caring dems in their infinite wisdom......what a joke.

I'm just quoting this because my situation is identical.

I cannot afford the premiums. I am just over the line to qualify for subsidies. The cheapest plan has a $6,000 deductible. Even if I did sign up and started paying the monthly premiums, it's not like I'd get to use it for anything because I'd still have to pay $6,000 before it worked.

Here's a thought: Divide $6,000 by 12. You get $500. Now add $500 to whatever the monthly premium is. There is the cost of Obamacare for you. Guess what: that's more than my mortgage.

a reply to: Cuervo

I guess I would say all of them are responsible for this,those that voted on it,without reading it,those that did read it and didn't care,Medicaid,Obama. What people envisioned when they were wanting Federal healthcare, was something along the lines of what they have in France,Britain,or Canada. They didn't imagine anything like this.This was appeasement to the insurance companies,much like they did with car insurance. Don't get me wrong, I sure wouldn't want to be hit by someone with no car insurance,even though it can still happen,but they were looking for something they just paid in their taxes on and it was there when and if they needed it.This is highway robbery for the poorest.

That'll be enough, people.


The personal back and forth nonsense will stop now.

Any more of it after this post will be removed, and the poster possibly post banned.

If you can't discuss the issue without attacking each other, don't post.

originally posted by: asmall89
From what I have seen it seems to me this bill hurts the lower middle class the most. People who are basically living paycheck to paycheck now have an additional $100+ bill to pay on top of that. I worked at a dealership as a lot tech for a while making 8.50 an hour and had to attend a mandatory meeting for this health insurance thing.

I looked at how much I would have to pay for just the basic stuff and it was $100 a mo. and it barely covered anything! That was 7% of my monthly income for a plan that does almost nothing. I am thankful enough to still be under my parents plan from Anthem and to have anything comparable to that it was going to be 200+ a month or 14% of my income. When you factor in all the other bills you have to pay, rent, utilities, food, student loans, car payment, mandantory car insurance, gas, cellphone, etc. what is left to pay for health insurance?

These are the things the Government just doesn't consider when they create bills that force you to have to purchase things such as insurance. There was a reason why people didn't purchase healthcare before and many still have trouble affording it!

Exactly.

If people could afford it they would have it.

Now factor a $6,000 deductible before it even pays a dime and it is completely worthless to you.

Because no poor person could pay $6,000 in a year no matter what.

I know if I paid $6,000 in one year I would be homeless and starving.

I made $20,000 and some change last year.

Pre tax that leaves me $14,000.

After taxes I had about $11,000.

Not even a thousand a month.

Now I have $550 a month on rent, $60 a month in car insurance, about $600 a month in food....

I am already going negative.

That wasn't even clothes food child support gas to drive to work utilities...etc....

This is complete stupid.

Even if I had obamacare I would still not be able to use it, and still have to file bankruptcy on any medical bills.

So what was the point besides making me even broker than I already am?

originally posted by: Cuervo

originally posted by: Dimithae
a reply to: Cuervo

Not true. I believe in healthcare for all,but this doesn't work out well. My brother who is disabled,has no job at all.He can not work due to his disability,his monthly cost? $6500. Now someone that is unemployed is going to afford that? His copay is another $6500. That is insane.it keeps people off of it. Now I was told it is because he falls into the category of those that are supposed to get medicaid,but guess what? Medicaid is NOT expanded here in Missouri so he can't get it.So he is left in a catch 22 position where he can't get health care at all.But low and behold,he will be penalized for not having healthcare next year,make sense?

That's horrible. At the very least, he should be exempt or at least make the state pay for it since their legislators obviously think he doesn't need healthcare.

Speaking of which do you blame his predicament on Medicaid and Obamacare or Missouri for screwing him over?

Missouri didn't screw him.

This bs law is screwing him.

You do understand the states have to pick up most of the cost of the expansion in s couple of years right?

Perhaps Missouri did some math and realised they can't afford to without further taxing their already overtaxed population.

a reply to: johnwick

A Minimalists View ....



Obama Care BAD..........


Freedom Of Choice GOOD.......

This subject seriously pisses me off. From the commenters here, to the talking heads on TV and all the way to the top with our "trusted" elected Officials.

Let me start off by saying- I am neither right nor left. I do not identify as Republican or Democrat. I am simply a human being, with a curse of common sense.

So why does this topic piss me off so much? That's easy.... because we were sold a lie.

So by now I am sure a few may be asking, what lie? People now have insurance that the never had before blah blah blah blah....

Well that much is true. The lie is how it was sold as "healthcare reform". The fact is the ACA does absolutely nothing to reform healthcare in this Country. Forcing people to buy medical insurance does nothing to fix the fundamental problems with healthcare in this Country. Sadly, most people fail to realize this and it is my belief that people fail to realize this because they have no clue what the problems with healthcare actually were. One of the major problems with healthcare that we had prior to the passing of the ACA is the same problem we have now. Why does a simple procedure cost more money in some places and less money in others?

Now with the passing of the ACA does it solve that problem? Not at all. If anything, most healthcare providers are simply charging a higher rate, after all- why not? Insurance will pay for most of it anyway. So even though you as an individual may be paying less out of pocket, you are being billed more which then gets passed off to the insurance company, which in turn will eventually cause higher rates. So in essence you are not actually reforming healthcare, you are in fact compounding the problem. Allow me to give you a real life, very recent example.

I have had to see chiropractors for most of my life due to lower back issues. I saw my first chiropractor at the age of 10 after a pretty serious car accident. Now normally when I see a chiropractor, I go through a few different treatments. Then I get the actual adjustment. Then I go home. No big deal. For most of my life I have not had insurance and would pay out of pocket. I have never in my life paid more than $150.00 for a single visit, no matter what chiropractor I saw, in whichever State I saw him/her in. Not once, did I ever have to pay more than $150.00.... until recently.

Just last month I needed to go in and get an adjustment. Would anyone care to take a guess on how much the bill came out to? Let me give you a minute... feel free to think of a number.....

Got one??

Well if you guessed that my bill came to over $1000.00 you would be correct. The exact amount is $1,031.00
Let's take a peek at the breakdown...

Office visit: $130.00
Physical therapy (traction): $70.00
Physical Therapy (handing me two ice packs that I did not want but he insisted I take): $50.00
Physical therapy (nerve stimulation): $38.00
Physical therapy (which no one can actually tell me what it was): $34.00
Spine manipulation (the actual adjustment): $70.00
And then he sent me home with a "Tens" unit. which is basically nerve stimulators for home use. The price tag on that? $639.00.

Now the Tens Unit, does not cost anywhere near that price. Need proof?? Here is the exact unit I was sent home with...
Tens Unit

As you can see the regular price is $229.00 but you can purchase it online for $34.99. According to Amazon, the regular price is $79.99 and you can buy it there for $20.00.

Of course I did contact my insurance company and let them know that they have been robbed and over charged to which they replied with something along the lines of, "Well the Doctor is in network so it is ok". I am sure it was "ok" for them.... but for me it is not ok since I was billed $468.00 after the insurance paid their part.

So tell me again how great the ACA is??

I can honestly say, my life was easier when I had no insurance. Without insurance I have had countless medical issues, countless doctor visits, and 3 surgeries.. all of which I happily paid out of pocket. Now with insurance, I have been overcharged and forced to pay even more out of pocket than what I would have paid without insurance to begin with!!

Heathcare reform my ass!!!

originally posted by: Dimithae
a reply to: Flatfish

Number 1 Cool down,I didn't blame anyone at all. I simply stated a fact,it does not work out for everyone. It doesn't matter at this point who's fault it is as far as I'm concerned.The simple fact is some people can not afford it.Then I pointed out that those can't afford it are still penalized at the end of the year when they don't have insurance. Therefore someone needs to fix this,if a person can't afford it,then they should be able to avoid the penalty. If you are so disabled that you can't work,then is money going to fall out of the sky for you to pay for insurance? I think not. The system is going to have to change for those people to be able to afford it at all.

That's your problem right there.

You assume zealots can becreasoned with.

They exist on the left and the right.

All us normal folks in the middle get svreqed by their blind unflinching devotion to their cause.

At present it is the left with the idiot in chief following their idiotic religion of "gov can fix everything, and we always have enough money to pay for any idea we come up with.".

In a couple if years it will be the other zealots doing things that screw us from the other direction.

Because the rights religion dictates "businesses profits are holy and nothing should ever interfere for any reason. The free market can fix every problem.".

When in fact neither side does its job.

The dems are so used to spending money we don't have they forget regular folks can't just make up money put of thin air like the gov does all the time.