ACA

[dexfarkin]

While the exchanges are having a tough time on the technology front, I can't tell you how gratifying it is to hear stories from friends who are getting through or at least looking at the options and calculating the savings. There are a couple who are looking at a rate hike, but overwhelmingly I'm hearing about cheaper rates or better coverage for a similar rate.

But what is just killing me right now is the sheer painful joy from friends who have never been able to have insurance. Because of pre-existing conditions, financial burdens or any number of reasons, have never been able to land anything even partially comprehensive. When a 41 year old woman emails you excitedly to say that she's going to finally get the chronic pain in her torso looked at because she can now afford it, it makes you want to fucking cry.

This isn't abstract for me. I can count entirely too many friends and friends of friends who died far too young because their health had to come last in their financial priorities and little issues turned into fatal illness. Maybe this will change a few of those. It's not perfect, it's not optimal, but it's a start to a society being a little less savage.

Comments

[indiana-j.livejournal.com]

I have to wonder if we had this in place years ago if Heather would still be with us. My parents and I had tried for years to get her to move to further north, to be closer, but she couldn't afford to leave her crappy job because of her need to always have health insurance. Had she left, she would have been looking at ridiculous Cobra fees of $500+++ a month and then a new fight with the new insurance about pre-existing conditions.

It's a ridiculous mental path to walk but it's hard sometimes not to think about it. And it makes me so much more likely to get angry and upset when people want to defund it - I don't think it's perfect but it's a damned sight better than what we had. Because my sister was one of millions who needed it and it came too late for her but others are still here to take advantage and I'm so pleased that people are already flocking to it.

[trishalynn.livejournal.com]

I'm one of those people who will always have pre-existing conditions, thanks to a kidney defect when I was born. Like your sister Heather, I took crappy jobs for the health insurance and stayed longer in crappy jobs than was healthy for me (partly) because of the health insurance.

I'm so sorry that this stupid fight over healthcare is causing you and your family more grief.

[miss-porcupine.livejournal.com]

I have zero desire to enter into an argument or even a discussion about Obamacare, but I will point out one damper to your aspiration: it's still going to be a lot cheaper for almost every person without a pre-existing condition to go without health insurance. Especially the young and healthy. The penalties (taxes) for ignoring the mandate are far less than even the most basic ACA plan. You can pay $75 in mandate tax or you can pay $400 through the exchange for the most bare-bones plan. And those entry-level plans are only going to get more expensive because they will have to carry the freight of those who *do* have significant needs and no other coverage. Obamacare isn't free insurance for all. It's not even necessarily cheap insurance for all. It's insurance for all, except if you just pay the fine.

(For the record, I am going to get screwed without lube by the ACA. My union-sponsored plan is going to be gutted because Obamacare renders it punitive to maintain.)

[frito-kal.livejournal.com]

Twiller (who is 33) and I (36) make - well, a decent amount of money, even considering we live in an area with a high cost of living.

Insurance for three people (for those of you reading along who don't know - I am expecting a baby in February) is going to be about 400 dollars a month, for a fairly decent plan. As it stands, I'm paying about 300 for me and the bean - and included in that is the really snazzy "I am 36 and therefore old in terms of making a baby and so get a lot of extra tests" extra - and some of that is ONLY possible because of parts of the ACA that are already kicking in (like at-risk* pregnancy not being considered a pre-existing condition) - I'd be paying about 15,000 dollars for those tests otherwise (in addition to the 15,000 dollars or so of just costs of "Made a baby!")

Without the ACA, Twiller alone was 400 a month. I alone was 450 a month. No pre-existing conditions, no serious health issues, the biggest thing we have is some anti-anxiety meds and seasonal allergies.

If I stop working after bean is born, then that cost (again for three presumably healthy people, two of which are in their 30's) drops to about 200 a month. We are WELL above the poverty line. For the first time in a decade our health insurance costs will be less than the car payment for -two new cars-.

Included in this is that I am at risk for depression after the baby (it's not a sure thing because the last time was very circumstantial) - if it wasn't for the ACA it'd be very easy for my insurance company to drop me when I rolled into my doctor's office for meds because I've been treated for it before so it's "pre-existing" - and now they CAN'T. As it is, I'll be eligible for either low-cost or covered meds and therapy in a way that would otherwise be difficult to get, because the out of pocket costs would terrify me out of even bringing it up.

I'll put this bluntly for people who might not entirely get it - if my health insurance had risen to pre-ACA rates even with the current roll-out, then there would be no typechipbaby arriving in Feb, and probably never had a kid because the sheer cost of it would've made it impossible. A ... year and a half ago we had a condom break, and got the day-after pill because we sat down, talked about it and looked at how much it would cost and couldn't afford it. We can now.

[mikaboo.livejournal.com]

An ex-boyfriend from Texas was so happy that it 'only' cost he and his wife $8k because they PRE-PAID for the delivery. Even though I lived in the US until I was 25, it blew my mind that just the delivery cost about as much as my wedding with Greg. That's not even taking into the account of all of the after care and the general health costs associated with babies and children.

I can totally understand the need to have a serious talk about finances when a condom breaks.

I am so glad you guys are in a place now where you feel able to start a family!

[seraangel.livejournal.com]

*hugs* So glad that you guys got to have this baby and that your Government is sticking up for this plan. I'd have loved to see a true Government pays system for you guys but this is better then nothing at all.