Health care overhaul spawns mass confusion for public

The devil is in the details folks. No surprise here. I feel sorry for those who thought that HCR was going in effect immediately. I suppose these are the same people who lined up for "Obama Dollars" and who blindly followed and obeyed Obama without question.

Two weeks after President Barack Obama signed the big health care overhaul into law, Americans are struggling to understand how — and when — the sweeping measure will affect them.

Questions reflecting confusion have flooded insurance companies, doctors' offices, human resources departments and business groups.

"They're saying, 'Where do we get the free Obama care, and how do I sign up for that?' " said Carrie McLean, a licensed agent for eHealthInsurance.com. The California-based company sells coverage from 185 health insurance carriers in 50 states.

McLean said the call center had been inundated by uninsured consumers who were hoping that the overhaul would translate into instant, affordable coverage. That widespread misconception may have originated in part from distorted rhetoric about the legislation bubbling up from the hyper-partisan debate about it in Washington and some media outlets, such as when opponents denounced it as socialism.

"We tell them it's not free, that there are going to be things in place that help people who are low-income, but that ultimately most of that is not going to be taking place until 2014," McLean said.

Adults with pre-existing conditions are frustrated to learn that insurers won't have to cover them until 2014 (though those under 18 will be protected in late September); then they become both hopeful and confused upon learning that a federal high-risk pool for them will be established in the next few months. "Health insurance is so confusing. You add this on top of it and it makes it even more confusing," McLean said.

The Obama administration is embarking on a years-long public education campaign about the overhaul, including a Web component. However, much of the guidance will depend on Department of Health and Human Services regulations that are still being developed.

Parents of young adults, including those who are preparing to graduate from college this spring, have heard that the overhaul will let them keep their children on their insurance plans until they reach age 26. That starts in September, however; they have to determine how to cover them until then.

A new wave of inquiries could come next month as federal COBRA subsidies for laid-off workers dry up.

www.mcclatchydc.com...

Pelosi was right. We won't know what's in it until it passes. Now the govt. has to figure out how it will actually run this thing.

Another case of putting the cart before the horse. One thing our govt. does very well.

[edit on 7-4-2010 by jibeho]

Just a refresher course!! This is what we have to look forward to with Obamacare.

The people confused by this are the ones that never research anything anyhow. The fault may lie in the media spending almost the whole time talking about the process verses the facts.

these people need to spend about 20 minutes and simply read the summery of the HCR bill...but they wont. Generally, people want someone else to research it and simply tell them when stuff happens...also a over reliance on the msm to tell them the info...the msm has stopped being a news and information source and flown towards the sensationalism outlet.

Too much fluoride in the water supply perhaps.

Kind of reminds of the lady who when interviewed after Obama was elected to POTUS, stated, "Now I don't have to worry about my mortgage, my car payment, putting gas in my car..."

Expect to see the number of people who supported the HCR drop dramatically when they realize that this contains no free lunch! Barack manages to step in it again - November cannot come soon enough!

reply to post by SaturnFX


I appreciate your honesty. But, these people will never read anything. They are waiting to be told what to do and when to do it. Let's just hope they don't get marched off of a cliff in the process. This is the majority of those who thought Obama would be the answer to all of their woes.

How long was this issue debated prior to passage? No one got it then and they won't now.

This is just the beginning after only two weeks. Imagine what the frustration will be like 6 months down the road let alone 4 years.

You are correct in suggesting that the major MSM outlets did no one any favors with their coverage of HCR. You might not like to hear this but, Fox news was extremely forthright in explaining the details of this bill to it viewers. The information was indeed available for all of those who sought it out.

[edit on 7-4-2010 by jibeho]

The confused ones are the ones taken in by the lies of the republicans and tea parties.

Dollars to donuts the confused people are the same ones who voted Obama in.

And telling them to wait until 2014 to get the bad news that Healthcare isn't going to be free then either strikes me as mean.

AND read my sig! hahaha

reply to post by damwel


Still on spring break, eh? Maybe you should take your star wars dolls and go outside and play for a bit!

Originally posted by damwel
The confused ones are the ones taken in by the lies of the republicans and tea parties.

Is this what passes for Wit? as they Drink from their Obama coffee cup, and marvel at their Obama Plates. and finally water their Obama Chia Pet. then Slam the Tea Party for being Mindless zombies.

Nothing this encompassing happens overnight. There are going to be a lot of growing pains associated with this transition into government subsidized/run healthcare. I do believe it is a step in the right direction though. HCR will continue to be tweaked in the coming decade, people will yell "socialism" and others will yell "free money". Fact is HCR is something that needed to happen, something that will prove itself to be worthwhile in the decades to follow and is one of the few government initiatives actually put into motion that seems to be trying to look out for those less fortunate.

I honestly do not care if my health insurance plan goes up as much as $50 a month. I am by no means rich, but I can spare an extra $50 if I know that some kid from a broke family can still see a doctor or have important medical procedures done when that kid would have been denied in the past.

Everyone with a head on their shoulders should understand by now that HCR is far more complicated than just "poor people get to see doctors now." However, with all the unchecked spending our government has made in the past 50 years, HCR should NOT be the straw that breaks the camel's back.

Tea partiers, democrats, republicans, green partiers etc etc should also know by now that the shortcomings in our political system will not ever be solved by their particular party of choice. Every single breathing human being is an individual. Every individual has a different perspective. Trying to group individuals into neatly organized little parties or movements will just lead to the same cycle of BS that we find ourselves in now.

It's times like these I hope that the whole 2012, ascension/spiritual overhaul people are onto something. That seems to be the only way that we will ever move past this proverbial brick wall in linear thinking.

reply to post by Shark VA84


Thanks for the Creepy new age explanation, but If you think that Health care is about anything else then control, then you my friend are truly misinformed.

The fact these idiots are allowed to vote is proof this country is doomed and will never recover.

Parasites like these will be the end of the U.S.

reply to post by Target Earth


I'm misinformed?

The only newage part of my post was at the end when I said I hope that the new agers were onto something. That is a hope, not a position. The rest of my post had nothing to do with that.

I'm going to leave it at that and leave this thread.

And as for the dude calling people parasites....what the F# have you done for your country to earn the godd# right to call someone that?

3 deployments, 2 purps some scars and a lifetime of nightmares and I would never refer to my fellow citizens as parasites. Who's going to be the real downfall of this country a#hole?

adios amigos.

[edit on 7-4-2010 by Shark VA84]

[edit on 7-4-2010 by Shark VA84]

reply to post by brainwrek


Benjamin Franklin said it best: "When people realize that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the Republic"

Any questions!?

reply to post by Shark VA84


you know your losing an argument, when your getting upset on the internet. I'm sure your a nice guy... But I'm getting just a little tired of people shoving liberal agendas down my throat. If you like socialized medicine move to cuba. No you had to ruin the Best Health care in the world.

I'm reminded of how smoothly the transition to digital TV went.

To this day I still get people coming in wondering when somebody is going to fix their TV or on the other end of the spectrum why their shows arent in HD.

reply to post by Target Earth


I can understand your position, and I have and will fight to defend your ability to voice that position.

I can also understand your anger with liberals shoving their agendas down your throat, however, if you read my post you will see that I am not a liberal, not a conservative, not anything that you could throw a label on.

I happen to be supportive of HCR, and would like to see where it goes, as it could end up being great for a lot of people in this country.

Healthcare was far from perfect in this country to begin with, though it is hard to notice when you have enough money or (and I'm not implying this is your case) when mommy and daddy pay for it.

For families who are broke getting proper healthcare is a nightmare in this country. I honestly get upset when I people say things like "well tough sh#, they shouldn't be lazy and poor". It reflects complete ignorance and only somone born into a family with some money would even utter those words.

I usually do not get fired up, especially over the internet, but the dude calling people parasites is an idiot. I answered my country's call, and as much as I am against both the wars we are currently engaged in, ones that took the lives of men close to me, and nearly my own, I served because the individual soldier doesn't choose when and where he gets deployed and for what reasons.

The fact that guy has probably never been within 5000km of war would allow me to label him as a parasite, but I never would. Respect your brothers and sisters on this planet, don't ride on your high horse believing you know something.

reply to post by Shark VA84

your point is valid, but at this Point I do not trust anything this administration does or says. I don't believe anything, not one word that comes from Obama's mouth.
The dude can't even name one Cubs or White Socks player, but he is a huge fan.
I just find it hard to believe that this Bill was wrote with the best intentions. I don't understand how anybody could trust this government at this point..

reply to post by Shark VA84


Refer to the video posted above to see parasites in action. Uninformed, idiotic people waiting in lines like livestock for their "free" government handouts.

Definition of parasite from dictionary.com

par·a·site   [par-uh-sahyt]
–noun
1. an organism that lives on or in an organism of another species, known as the host, from the body of which it obtains nutriment.


2. a person who receives support, advantage, or the like, from another or others without giving any useful or proper return, as one who lives on the hospitality of others.

Pay attention to #2.

Now, you were saying?

reply to post by SaturnFX


I think it is political spin that has people confused, but you are right, there is no excuse.