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gja1000 · 03-17-2012, 01:14 PM

Judy, I can tell you about the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare. It really is insurance reform and it is nothing like national health insurance as Diane describes. The Affordable Care Act is a start, but more needs to be done. It has some really good aspects, in my opinion. When fully enacted, insurance companies will no longer be able to deny coverage for pre-existing conditions and there will be no lifetime cap on the amount of insurance benefits (often $500,000 or $1,000,000 a which sounds like a lot but really isn't when you have lots of problems like Gary). These two things alone are a godsend for many people. it also mandates that insurance companies have to pay for health promotion because a part of the Act is to try to save money by getting people tne care they need before they get chronically ill and by providing health promotion. It also requires insurance companies to allow parents to keep unmarried children on their policies till 25 or 26 (I forget which). This is really great because so many college students are uninsured. It increases the amount that Medicare Part D pays for prescription meds and reduces the out of pocket expenses.

The controversial part is that everyone will have to buy health insurance - but heck, everyone has to buy auto insurance so why not health insurance. This will partially be accomplished by increasing the Medicaid eligible numbers. Right now, you have to be very very poor to get on Medicaid, it's currently like 200% of poverty and that will change to 144% of poverty, so tha people with low incomes will not have to buy insurance, they will be eligible for Medicaid. Many people don't like this, but I think it's OK (thats because i see what happens when people cant get health care till they are severely ill). People with incomes near the poverty do not have money to buy insurance. This is part of the Act that is being challenged by several states. The Supreme court will hear these two challenges (the individual mandate and increasing the numbers eligible for Medicaid) week after next, March 25 & 26, I think.

Others who don't have insurance through their employers will be able to buy low cost insurance though insurance exchanges (states can band together or go it alone to create an insurance exchange so that the rates are affordable). This is much the same as those who have to pay some or all of their insurance premiums through their employer. It really isn't any different than that. There are other aspects in the Act, but basically these are the aspects that affect the populace.

A really good source of information is the Kaiser Family Foundation. If you google Kaiser & Affordable Care Act, you will get lots of links that summarize the provisions in the act in plain speak. I have a couple of sets of slides that I can post that also summarize the act pretty well.

03-17-2012, 01:14 PM	#25
gja1000 Donating 4WT Yakker Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Central Texas Posts: 5,717	Judy, I can tell you about the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare. It really is insurance reform and it is nothing like national health insurance as Diane describes. The Affordable Care Act is a start, but more needs to be done. It has some really good aspects, in my opinion. When fully enacted, insurance companies will no longer be able to deny coverage for pre-existing conditions and there will be no lifetime cap on the amount of insurance benefits (often $500,000 or $1,000,000 a which sounds like a lot but really isn't when you have lots of problems like Gary). These two things alone are a godsend for many people. it also mandates that insurance companies have to pay for health promotion because a part of the Act is to try to save money by getting people tne care they need before they get chronically ill and by providing health promotion. It also requires insurance companies to allow parents to keep unmarried children on their policies till 25 or 26 (I forget which). This is really great because so many college students are uninsured. It increases the amount that Medicare Part D pays for prescription meds and reduces the out of pocket expenses. The controversial part is that everyone will have to buy health insurance - but heck, everyone has to buy auto insurance so why not health insurance. This will partially be accomplished by increasing the Medicaid eligible numbers. Right now, you have to be very very poor to get on Medicaid, it's currently like 200% of poverty and that will change to 144% of poverty, so tha people with low incomes will not have to buy insurance, they will be eligible for Medicaid. Many people don't like this, but I think it's OK (thats because i see what happens when people cant get health care till they are severely ill). People with incomes near the poverty do not have money to buy insurance. This is part of the Act that is being challenged by several states. The Supreme court will hear these two challenges (the individual mandate and increasing the numbers eligible for Medicaid) week after next, March 25 & 26, I think. Others who don't have insurance through their employers will be able to buy low cost insurance though insurance exchanges (states can band together or go it alone to create an insurance exchange so that the rates are affordable). This is much the same as those who have to pay some or all of their insurance premiums through their employer. It really isn't any different than that. There are other aspects in the Act, but basically these are the aspects that affect the populace. A really good source of information is the Kaiser Family Foundation. If you google Kaiser & Affordable Care Act, you will get lots of links that summarize the provisions in the act in plain speak. I have a couple of sets of slides that I can post that also summarize the act pretty well. __________________ Gayle