ObamaCare Doesn't Add Up...What am I missing?

Let me start by saying, I understand we have a healthcare crisis in the U.S. and it needs to be addressed. This post is more about the real logistics and "nuts and bolts" of how ObamaCare is going to work.

I'm simply looking at this from a financial perspective and I don't understand how anybody will benefit from it. Here's what I have seen and what my observations have been.

I have health insurance. I pay about $200/month as a dependent on my wife's (her share costs her about $100/month) policy from work (I do contract work and health insurance isn't available to me). Our yearly family deductible is $3,000 and individually it's $1,500 each. After that, depending on the services provided it's either 80/20 or 90/10 copay. My COPD medication costs me $75 every 90 days and Plavix costs me $90 every $90 days. Office visits range from $20 to $50 (specialists cost more).

I recently had to get a dual-view chest X-ray. The X-ray was billed out at $500 and because my deductible wasn't met, that is out-of-pocket. Shortly after that, I required a trip to the ER. I haven't gotten bill yet but my co-pay was $150...pretty standard for an ER visit. They also did an EKG and another chest X-ray. I can only guess that that visit will add up to about $1500.

I work in a big-city hospital in IT (no, I don't get any discounts. I wish I did) and speak frequently to folks who are "in the fire" and I can tell you that money is very tight right now. The biggest burden to the system is non-payment of services rendered. Period. I've written about this before and I'm not going to debate the rights and wrongs of using the ER for routine care. You won't convince me that it's acceptable.

To get to my question, if it is costing me this much money even with a typical policy, how are these abusers of the healthcare system going to be able to afford $150 out-of -pocket ER visit when they can't even afford $30 for a the regular office visit they should be using? And it happens all the time; people in the ER for non-emergencies that should be handled by an Urgent Care facility or a visit to their Primary Care Physician. The argument is that they can't even afford to have a PCP. Okay, then tell me, if they are given a "supplement" to help offset the cost of an insurance policy, by "ObamaCare", how in the hell are they going to be able to afford the out-of-pocket expenses unless it's a "public option" that pays 100% of everything?

I can also tell you that AHCCCS in AZ (our state version of medicare/medicaid) doesn't require a co-pay. They don't even care if it's a valid ER visit; they just pay it because it's not their money whereas, if I used the ER for a non-emergent condition, my insurance wouldn't cover it. And now the good part; they recently went broke and had to cut funding by about 66%. That's how well "free healthcare" works. Eventually, you run out of everybody else's money.

Now, one of two things has to happen; either ObamaCare won't work because the vast majority of the people who need assistance won't even be able to afford the out-of-pocket expenses OR, some socialized system will be put in place where everything is covered, lock, stock and barrel, with minimal out-of-pocket expense. I could be wrong but I don't believe ObamaCare provides for a "Public Option", which only leaves commercial policies.

Maybe I'm missing something here, but what other option is there? And why in the hell would I pay $300 a month for a policy when I could get it for free? Furthermore, why should a bunch of indigents get "Golden Parachute" policies while the people who work and contribute to society have to pay upwards of $300 a month plus out-of-pocket expenses? Perhaps somebody has read deeper into ObamaCare than I have. My knowledge is very specific and mostly deals with the billions already spent on Meaningful Use and how the taxpayers are paying for providers to get up to speed with technology.

My theory is this; the system will fail just like Medicare/Medicaid. The reason I believe that is because it doesn't even take effect for 4 years. Why 4 years? My guess is because it's going to take that long to build up the coffers so they can provide free healthcare to freeloaders. Now, if it were self-sufficient in the sense that tax dollars stolen from taxpayers would offset the costs, then we wouldn't need to wait 4 years, now would we? I can guarantee you we will burn through that 4-years of collected taxes in about a year or less and will be operating in the red.

Furthermore, another ramification is the loss of insurance by the working class. It costs employers around $4000 a year per employee for health insurance. If the penalty for not providing health insurance is only $2000, why not just pay the tax? As a business-minded person, to me, that would be the smart thing to do. Now you have hundreds, if not thousands of businesses cancelling their group policies leaving the employees without insurance. Now what? Go for the ObamaCare option? Weigh the system down even more? If it comes to that, it will surly collapse. Either that or we'll just keep printing more money and keep getting further and further in debt.

If anybody can provide a scenario that is actually workable, I'd like to hear it, but at this point, I'm at a loss as to how this could possibly work.

Here is one thing I see happening. People are going to be like "If I have to pay for it I might as well use it" and are going to see a big jump in BS ER visits. Some one get a hang nail and calls 911. I see such a big jump and overload that I hope up know how to set up tents for the tent cities in the hostipal parking lot for people that are going to be living at hospital.


And another thing all the FINES that are to be paid well guess where that money it going to end up? Most likely to buy more bombs and bullets for "The Never Ending War" in the middle east.

reply to post by axslinger


In addition to the grim report of the Nobamma insurance it would seem that HR3200 will require everone to get an implanted RFID chip if what I read is true . HR3200 requires that within36 months of it's enactment everyone must be chipped .

reply to post by axslinger

Let me start by saying, I understand we have a healthcare crisis in the U.S. and it needs to be addressed.

Where is this crisis? I'm 38 years old and have never seen such a situation here. You have fallen for the propaganda.

reply to post by axslinger


In a nutshell this is a stepping stone to Universal Healthcare run by the government.
In my opinion Obamacare isn't supposed to work. It's supposed to destroy insurance companies.

This bill was so convoluted, so complex and bureaucratic, that it will have massive unintended consequences far into the future (all of them unpleasant and costly).

Several of BHO’s key advisers told him to start small and take practical steps; but Obozo boy listened to Valarie Jarret and went for the brass ring brought on by Pelosi and Reid – and they twisted every arm and paid off those who held out, until there were enough votes to pass the beast. And now the rest of us are stuck with its ramifications. Heaven help us.

HR3200 Bill Requires Everyone To Be Chipped By March 2013

reply to post by fixer1967


I agree and to your point...When you have a finite resource like healthacare (not health insurance ) then how is it going to get cheaper when the demand rises?

Originally posted by type0civ
Where is this crisis? I'm 38 years old and have never seen such a situation here. You have fallen for the propaganda.

The crisis:

Impacted: Exponential population growth and exponential numbers of illnesses that continue to grow.

Sources: GMO, Pesticide frankenfoods, petroleum toxins, pharmaceuticals which cause disease.

Result: Bogus claims against doctors, a ridiculous cost to get educated and certified plus insurance, Defaults on services rendered, exponential staff cost, facilities spend, etc in the hospitals.

Solutions: Education on diet, Accountability for multinationals and True governance by agencies that should.

Having said all of this; all systems are in crisis natural and man-made. Medical is not special.

Originally posted by SimonPeter

HR3200 Bill Requires Everyone To Be Chipped By March 2013

Where is your proof of this?

www.snopes.com...

reply to post by axslinger


Not all people on Medicare or Medicaid are freeloaders. I just thought you should know that. It's going to affect people living up to 133% of the poverty line. Those are the people that work their tails off and make civilized life possible for the rest of us.

I understand where you're coming from, and it's madness, but I personally think it's a backdoor to get singlepayer into this country.

reply to post by axslinger


Have you even read the bill? I know it is a lot but it can help make a better determination of how you will be effected. Obamacare doesn't force you to change insurance. If you are happy with your overpriced insurance you, can keep it.

This bill is going to do so much good, I actually read it.

reply to post by BinarySamurai


First off I don't trust SNOPES .It is said to be funded by George Soros and is a husband wife team with the same resources that you have but with out the incentives that might sway the outcome ..
But after finding the actual text of that bill I do not now believe that the bill actually says there will be a chipping of people .I believe it pertains to registration of medical devices . But chipping of babies and others is going on now in a voluntary form . Those devices would apply .
I apologize for my miss quote !

I can't afford anything that the original poster stated he has to pay. I probably never will be able to afford it. $150 may as well be $15,000,000 as far as I am concerned. I went to the doctor today for my blood pressure. It cost me zero dollars. Before Obama it cost me $100 per visit. I quit going because I could not afford $100 a visit. My blood pressure went through the roof and I had a stroke. I did not know I had a stroke nor did I go to the doctor for it. I thought I had pinched a nerve and it would get better. It's been a year and it will NEVER get better. I went from typing 100 wpm to 10 wpm. I couldn't even button my pants for 3 months.


Then this winter I started getting really bad headaches. So bad that I went to the ER for a headache. They ran a CAT scan and found the damage from my stroke. My blood pressure was 220/150. I was going to die. The ER gave me some meds and told me to go see a doctor. If it weren't for Obama I would not have been able to do that. I would be dead or incapacitated from another stroke.

So basically Barak Obama saved my life. I now get free doctor visits and I will be able to keep my appointments now and live. So I say screw you middle class people with your high dollar "insurance". Your deductible is so far beyond my ability to pay it is scary. Even if I was given a plan like that it would be useless to me.

Rich people with $300 to throw away each month on insurance deserve to be reamed. I do not have $30 to throw away. And until someone gives me a job I never will. You stingy, greedy rich "middle class" jerks should help pay for my healthcare. I have met many rich people in life. The one thing they had in common other than more money than brains is they were greedy tightwad jerks who needed a punch in the face more than anything.

If Obama forced them to open their wallets and give a little back to us poor folks then GOOD FOR HIM.

reply to post by Ookie


You know they have machines that will test your blood.pressure for free at most pharmacies right? Why would you wait til your blood pressure was so bad that you had to go.to the er?

reply to post by axslinger

How the hell is your healthcare so expensive?
I have to pay ~300€/month for full private health insurance (which is already more than average here)... and that's it.
I had a complicated dental surgery done recently and I had to pay nothing in addition.
Why are your additional costs so damn high?

You haven't missed too much:

Healthcare is paid for by healthy people are aren't using it for those who are.

60 million Americans are on Medicare which is paid by those who aren't using it

50 million Americans are on Medicaid which is paid for by those who aren't using it and who get tax credits.

The rest is covered by private carriers.

SSi covers disabled, and children up to age 18.

Money is tight those who are on medicare have that monthly free automatically deducted from SS which is one program paying for another one.

Obama care does not add up because medicare is basic coverage no dental no vision for those who are over 18.

Medicaid? not sure maybe the same.

What Obama care does is overwhelm the system with people who can not pay and what little they do pay does not cover expenses since medicare and medicaid only reimburst 80%?

Then there are not enough doctors,and nurses for the additional millions of "new patients."


No matter what way anyone looks at Obama care we the taxpayer could not already pay for the care of what we already had now add millions more.

What Obama care does is overwhelm the system with people who can not pay and what little they do pay does not cover expenses

Guess if they can not pay they don't deserve to live than...

reply to post by Ookie

I went from typing 100 wpm to 10 wpm. I couldn't even button my pants for 3 months. If it weren't for Obama I would not have been able to do that. I would be dead or incapacitated from another stroke. So basically Barak Obama saved my life.

Must have taken you an hour to post this.

Please, Obama did not save your life.

Anyone can walk into any ER and get treated without being capable of paying. An old friend of mine just had all sorts of tests done on his stomach and no insurance. The hospital set him up with their program to work with non-insured.