indy Vinson and Tom Waschura are big believers in the Affordable Care Act. They vote independent and are proud to say they helped elect and re-elect President Barack Obama.
...
Vinson, of San Jose, will pay $1,800 more a year for an individual policy, while Waschura, of Portola Valley, will cough up almost $10,000 more for insurance for his family of four.
...
Home
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Obamacare's winners and losers in Bay Area
By Tracy Seipel
tseipel@mercurynews.com
Posted: 10/05/2013 04:52:50 PM PDT | Updated: a day ago
O'Connor Hospital health benefits resource center staff member Araceli Martinez, left, and Duc Pham, right, talk with Maria Urquidez, in red, about healthcare information as the Affordable Care Act launches nationwide Oct. 1, 2013. (Josie Lepe/Staff)
Click photo to enlarge
Tom Waschura says he was floored when he got his new Obamacare health insurance rates.
1
2
3
»
Related Stories
Oct 5:
South Bay residents get answers to Obamacare questions
Cindy Vinson and Tom Waschura are big believers in the Affordable Care Act. They vote independent and are proud to say they helped elect and re-elect President Barack Obama.
Yet, like many other Bay Area residents who pay for their own medical insurance, they were floored last week when they opened their bills: Their policies were being replaced with pricier plans that conform to all the requirements of the new health care law.
Vinson, of San Jose, will pay $1,800 more a year for an individual policy, while Waschura, of Portola Valley, will cough up almost $10,000 more for insurance for his family of four.
"Welcome to the club," said Robert Laszewksi, a prominent health care consultant and president of
Health Policy and Strategy Associates in Virginia.
For years, the nation has been embroiled in the political rhetoric of "Obamacare," but this past week the reality of the new law sank in as millions of Americans had their first good look at how the 3 1/2-year-old legislation will affect their pocketbooks.
This much quickly became clear:
As state- and federal-run health insurance exchanges debuted across the country offering a range of prices for different tiers of insurance coverage, the new online marketplaces -- which represent the centerpiece of Obamacare -- could greatly benefit more than 40 million Americans who now lack coverage. But an additional 16 million -- who buy individual health insurance policies on the open market -- are finding out that their plans may not comply with the new law, which requires 10 essential benefits such as maternity care, mental health care and prescription drug coverage.
In California, 1.9 million people buy plans on the open market, according to officials with Covered California, the state's new health insurance exchange. And many of them are steaming mad.
"There's going to be a number of people surprised" by their bills, said Jonathan Wu, a co-founder of ValuePenguin, a consumer finance website. "The upper-middle class are the people who are essentially being asked to foot the bill, and that's true across the country."
Covered California spokesman Dana Howard maintained that in public presentations the exchange has always made clear that there will be winners and losers under Obamacare.
"Some people will see an increase who are already on the individual market purchasing insurance," he said, "but most people will not."
Covered California officials note that at least 570,000 of the 1.9 million people who buy their own insurance should be eligible for subsidies that will reduce their premiums.
Even those who don't qualify for the tax subsidies could see their rates drop because Obamacare doesn't allow insurers to charge people more if they have pre-existing conditions such as diabetes and cancer, he said.
People like Marilynn Gray-Raine.
The 64-year-old Danville artist, who survived breast cancer, has purchased health insurance for herself for decades. She watched her Anthem Blue Cross monthly premiums rise from $317 in 2005 to $1,298 in 2013. But she found out last week from the Covered California site that her payments will drop to about $795 a month.
But people with no pre-existing conditions like Vinson, a 60-year-old retired teacher, and Waschura, a 52-year-old self-employed engineer, are making up the difference.
"I was laughing at Boehner -- until the mail came today," Waschura said, referring to House Speaker John Boehner, who is leading the Republican charge to defund Obamacare.
"I really don't like the Republican tactics, but at least now I can understand why they are so pissed about this. When you take $10,000 out of my family's pocket each year, that's otherwise disposable income or retirement savings that will not be going into our local economy."
Both Vinson and Waschura have adjusted gross incomes greater than four times the federal poverty level -- the cutoff for a tax credit. And while both said they anticipated their rates would go up, they didn't realize they would rise so much.
"Of course, I want people to have health care," Vinson said. "I just didn't realize I would be the one who was going to pay for it personally."
Obamacare proponent is not laughing anymore
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Obamacare proponent is not laughing anymore
http://www.mercurynews.com/nation-world ... s-bay-area
Re: Obamacare proponent is not laughing anymore
This needs to be put on a poster.
"Of course, I want people to have health care," Vinson said. "I just didn't realize I would be the one who was going to pay for it personally."
"Of course, I want people to have health care," Vinson said. "I just didn't realize I would be the one who was going to pay for it personally."
Homebrew wrote:http://www.mercurynews.com/nation-world ... s-bay-area
indy Vinson and Tom Waschura are big believers in the Affordable Care Act. They vote independent and are proud to say they helped elect and re-elect President Barack Obama.
...
Vinson, of San Jose, will pay $1,800 more a year for an individual policy, while Waschura, of Portola Valley, will cough up almost $10,000 more for insurance for his family of four.
...
Home
Nation & World News
Story
Print Email
Obamacare's winners and losers in Bay Area
By Tracy Seipel
tseipel@mercurynews.com
Posted: 10/05/2013 04:52:50 PM PDT | Updated: a day ago
O'Connor Hospital health benefits resource center staff member Araceli Martinez, left, and Duc Pham, right, talk with Maria Urquidez, in red, about healthcare information as the Affordable Care Act launches nationwide Oct. 1, 2013. (Josie Lepe/Staff)
Click photo to enlarge
Tom Waschura says he was floored when he got his new Obamacare health insurance rates.
1
2
3
»
Related Stories
Oct 5:
South Bay residents get answers to Obamacare questions
Cindy Vinson and Tom Waschura are big believers in the Affordable Care Act. They vote independent and are proud to say they helped elect and re-elect President Barack Obama.
Yet, like many other Bay Area residents who pay for their own medical insurance, they were floored last week when they opened their bills: Their policies were being replaced with pricier plans that conform to all the requirements of the new health care law.
Vinson, of San Jose, will pay $1,800 more a year for an individual policy, while Waschura, of Portola Valley, will cough up almost $10,000 more for insurance for his family of four.
"Welcome to the club," said Robert Laszewksi, a prominent health care consultant and president of
Health Policy and Strategy Associates in Virginia.
For years, the nation has been embroiled in the political rhetoric of "Obamacare," but this past week the reality of the new law sank in as millions of Americans had their first good look at how the 3 1/2-year-old legislation will affect their pocketbooks.
This much quickly became clear:
As state- and federal-run health insurance exchanges debuted across the country offering a range of prices for different tiers of insurance coverage, the new online marketplaces -- which represent the centerpiece of Obamacare -- could greatly benefit more than 40 million Americans who now lack coverage. But an additional 16 million -- who buy individual health insurance policies on the open market -- are finding out that their plans may not comply with the new law, which requires 10 essential benefits such as maternity care, mental health care and prescription drug coverage.
In California, 1.9 million people buy plans on the open market, according to officials with Covered California, the state's new health insurance exchange. And many of them are steaming mad.
"There's going to be a number of people surprised" by their bills, said Jonathan Wu, a co-founder of ValuePenguin, a consumer finance website. "The upper-middle class are the people who are essentially being asked to foot the bill, and that's true across the country."
Covered California spokesman Dana Howard maintained that in public presentations the exchange has always made clear that there will be winners and losers under Obamacare.
"Some people will see an increase who are already on the individual market purchasing insurance," he said, "but most people will not."
Covered California officials note that at least 570,000 of the 1.9 million people who buy their own insurance should be eligible for subsidies that will reduce their premiums.
Even those who don't qualify for the tax subsidies could see their rates drop because Obamacare doesn't allow insurers to charge people more if they have pre-existing conditions such as diabetes and cancer, he said.
People like Marilynn Gray-Raine.
The 64-year-old Danville artist, who survived breast cancer, has purchased health insurance for herself for decades. She watched her Anthem Blue Cross monthly premiums rise from $317 in 2005 to $1,298 in 2013. But she found out last week from the Covered California site that her payments will drop to about $795 a month.
But people with no pre-existing conditions like Vinson, a 60-year-old retired teacher, and Waschura, a 52-year-old self-employed engineer, are making up the difference.
"I was laughing at Boehner -- until the mail came today," Waschura said, referring to House Speaker John Boehner, who is leading the Republican charge to defund Obamacare.
"I really don't like the Republican tactics, but at least now I can understand why they are so pissed about this. When you take $10,000 out of my family's pocket each year, that's otherwise disposable income or retirement savings that will not be going into our local economy."
Both Vinson and Waschura have adjusted gross incomes greater than four times the federal poverty level -- the cutoff for a tax credit. And while both said they anticipated their rates would go up, they didn't realize they would rise so much.
"Of course, I want people to have health care," Vinson said. "I just didn't realize I would be the one who was going to pay for it personally."
- awesome guy
- Posts: 54187
- Joined: Wed Aug 21, 2013 7:10 pm
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Re: Obamacare proponent is not laughing anymore
Lots of Obamtrons are getting the same wakeup call. My SIL got canned from her fast food job so they can reduce heakthcare costs. But she's not smart enough to see what's happening and thinks we need the ACA BECAUSE of what happened to her. She's not informed enough to know ACA is what caused it in the first place. Her and many other unreasonable voices are going to look at it this way. There's no fix for stupid.
Unvaccinated,. mask free, and still alive.
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- Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2013 8:48 pm
Re: Obamacare proponent is not laughing anymore
Limbaugh just cited the same quotation from the article. Low information voters, will they ever learn?
cardboard wrote:This needs to be put on a poster.
"Of course, I want people to have health care," Vinson said. "I just didn't realize I would be the one who was going to pay for it personally."
Homebrew wrote:http://www.mercurynews.com/nation-world ... s-bay-area
indy Vinson and Tom Waschura are big believers in the Affordable Care Act. They vote independent and are proud to say they helped elect and re-elect President Barack Obama.
...
Vinson, of San Jose, will pay $1,800 more a year for an individual policy, while Waschura, of Portola Valley, will cough up almost $10,000 more for insurance for his family of four.
...
Home
Nation & World News
Story
Print Email
Obamacare's winners and losers in Bay Area
By Tracy Seipel
tseipel@mercurynews.com
Posted: 10/05/2013 04:52:50 PM PDT | Updated: a day ago
O'Connor Hospital health benefits resource center staff member Araceli Martinez, left, and Duc Pham, right, talk with Maria Urquidez, in red, about healthcare information as the Affordable Care Act launches nationwide Oct. 1, 2013. (Josie Lepe/Staff)
Click photo to enlarge
Tom Waschura says he was floored when he got his new Obamacare health insurance rates.
1
2
3
»
Related Stories
Oct 5:
South Bay residents get answers to Obamacare questions
Cindy Vinson and Tom Waschura are big believers in the Affordable Care Act. They vote independent and are proud to say they helped elect and re-elect President Barack Obama.
Yet, like many other Bay Area residents who pay for their own medical insurance, they were floored last week when they opened their bills: Their policies were being replaced with pricier plans that conform to all the requirements of the new health care law.
Vinson, of San Jose, will pay $1,800 more a year for an individual policy, while Waschura, of Portola Valley, will cough up almost $10,000 more for insurance for his family of four.
"Welcome to the club," said Robert Laszewksi, a prominent health care consultant and president of
Health Policy and Strategy Associates in Virginia.
For years, the nation has been embroiled in the political rhetoric of "Obamacare," but this past week the reality of the new law sank in as millions of Americans had their first good look at how the 3 1/2-year-old legislation will affect their pocketbooks.
This much quickly became clear:
As state- and federal-run health insurance exchanges debuted across the country offering a range of prices for different tiers of insurance coverage, the new online marketplaces -- which represent the centerpiece of Obamacare -- could greatly benefit more than 40 million Americans who now lack coverage. But an additional 16 million -- who buy individual health insurance policies on the open market -- are finding out that their plans may not comply with the new law, which requires 10 essential benefits such as maternity care, mental health care and prescription drug coverage.
In California, 1.9 million people buy plans on the open market, according to officials with Covered California, the state's new health insurance exchange. And many of them are steaming mad.
"There's going to be a number of people surprised" by their bills, said Jonathan Wu, a co-founder of ValuePenguin, a consumer finance website. "The upper-middle class are the people who are essentially being asked to foot the bill, and that's true across the country."
Covered California spokesman Dana Howard maintained that in public presentations the exchange has always made clear that there will be winners and losers under Obamacare.
"Some people will see an increase who are already on the individual market purchasing insurance," he said, "but most people will not."
Covered California officials note that at least 570,000 of the 1.9 million people who buy their own insurance should be eligible for subsidies that will reduce their premiums.
Even those who don't qualify for the tax subsidies could see their rates drop because Obamacare doesn't allow insurers to charge people more if they have pre-existing conditions such as diabetes and cancer, he said.
People like Marilynn Gray-Raine.
The 64-year-old Danville artist, who survived breast cancer, has purchased health insurance for herself for decades. She watched her Anthem Blue Cross monthly premiums rise from $317 in 2005 to $1,298 in 2013. But she found out last week from the Covered California site that her payments will drop to about $795 a month.
But people with no pre-existing conditions like Vinson, a 60-year-old retired teacher, and Waschura, a 52-year-old self-employed engineer, are making up the difference.
"I was laughing at Boehner -- until the mail came today," Waschura said, referring to House Speaker John Boehner, who is leading the Republican charge to defund Obamacare.
"I really don't like the Republican tactics, but at least now I can understand why they are so pissed about this. When you take $10,000 out of my family's pocket each year, that's otherwise disposable income or retirement savings that will not be going into our local economy."
Both Vinson and Waschura have adjusted gross incomes greater than four times the federal poverty level -- the cutoff for a tax credit. And while both said they anticipated their rates would go up, they didn't realize they would rise so much.
"Of course, I want people to have health care," Vinson said. "I just didn't realize I would be the one who was going to pay for it personally."
If you bend over backwards long enough,
eventually you'll fall down.
eventually you'll fall down.
- Major Kong
- Posts: 15728
- Joined: Wed Aug 21, 2013 9:35 pm
- Alma Mater: Ferrum VT ASU
- Party: Independent
- Location: Somewhere between Marion and Seven Mile Ford
My BIL came out OK...
he lives off a stipend my FIL left him through the estate of $1500 a month. He was paying $900 a month to Anthem (which we pay ½)...he got a comparable plan for $1100 a year for Obamacare.
I only post using 100% recycled electrons.
-
- Posts: 18547
- Joined: Mon Aug 19, 2013 8:57 pm
Re: Obamacare proponent is not laughing anymore
oaktonhokie wrote:Limbaugh just cited the same quotation from the article. Low information voters, will they ever learn?
cardboard wrote:This needs to be put on a poster.
"Of course, I want people to have health care," Vinson said. "I just didn't realize I would be the one who was going to pay for it personally."
Homebrew wrote:http://www.mercurynews.com/nation-world ... s-bay-area
indy Vinson and Tom Waschura are big believers in the Affordable Care Act. They vote independent and are proud to say they helped elect and re-elect President Barack Obama.
...
Vinson, of San Jose, will pay $1,800 more a year for an individual policy, while Waschura, of Portola Valley, will cough up almost $10,000 more for insurance for his family of four.
...
Home
Nation & World News
Story
Print Email
Obamacare's winners and losers in Bay Area
By Tracy Seipel
tseipel@mercurynews.com
Posted: 10/05/2013 04:52:50 PM PDT | Updated: a day ago
O'Connor Hospital health benefits resource center staff member Araceli Martinez, left, and Duc Pham, right, talk with Maria Urquidez, in red, about healthcare information as the Affordable Care Act launches nationwide Oct. 1, 2013. (Josie Lepe/Staff)
Click photo to enlarge
Tom Waschura says he was floored when he got his new Obamacare health insurance rates.
1
2
3
»
Related Stories
Oct 5:
South Bay residents get answers to Obamacare questions
Cindy Vinson and Tom Waschura are big believers in the Affordable Care Act. They vote independent and are proud to say they helped elect and re-elect President Barack Obama.
Yet, like many other Bay Area residents who pay for their own medical insurance, they were floored last week when they opened their bills: Their policies were being replaced with pricier plans that conform to all the requirements of the new health care law.
Vinson, of San Jose, will pay $1,800 more a year for an individual policy, while Waschura, of Portola Valley, will cough up almost $10,000 more for insurance for his family of four.
"Welcome to the club," said Robert Laszewksi, a prominent health care consultant and president of
Health Policy and Strategy Associates in Virginia.
For years, the nation has been embroiled in the political rhetoric of "Obamacare," but this past week the reality of the new law sank in as millions of Americans had their first good look at how the 3 1/2-year-old legislation will affect their pocketbooks.
This much quickly became clear:
As state- and federal-run health insurance exchanges debuted across the country offering a range of prices for different tiers of insurance coverage, the new online marketplaces -- which represent the centerpiece of Obamacare -- could greatly benefit more than 40 million Americans who now lack coverage. But an additional 16 million -- who buy individual health insurance policies on the open market -- are finding out that their plans may not comply with the new law, which requires 10 essential benefits such as maternity care, mental health care and prescription drug coverage.
In California, 1.9 million people buy plans on the open market, according to officials with Covered California, the state's new health insurance exchange. And many of them are steaming mad.
"There's going to be a number of people surprised" by their bills, said Jonathan Wu, a co-founder of ValuePenguin, a consumer finance website. "The upper-middle class are the people who are essentially being asked to foot the bill, and that's true across the country."
Covered California spokesman Dana Howard maintained that in public presentations the exchange has always made clear that there will be winners and losers under Obamacare.
"Some people will see an increase who are already on the individual market purchasing insurance," he said, "but most people will not."
Covered California officials note that at least 570,000 of the 1.9 million people who buy their own insurance should be eligible for subsidies that will reduce their premiums.
Even those who don't qualify for the tax subsidies could see their rates drop because Obamacare doesn't allow insurers to charge people more if they have pre-existing conditions such as diabetes and cancer, he said.
People like Marilynn Gray-Raine.
The 64-year-old Danville artist, who survived breast cancer, has purchased health insurance for herself for decades. She watched her Anthem Blue Cross monthly premiums rise from $317 in 2005 to $1,298 in 2013. But she found out last week from the Covered California site that her payments will drop to about $795 a month.
But people with no pre-existing conditions like Vinson, a 60-year-old retired teacher, and Waschura, a 52-year-old self-employed engineer, are making up the difference.
"I was laughing at Boehner -- until the mail came today," Waschura said, referring to House Speaker John Boehner, who is leading the Republican charge to defund Obamacare.
"I really don't like the Republican tactics, but at least now I can understand why they are so pissed about this. When you take $10,000 out of my family's pocket each year, that's otherwise disposable income or retirement savings that will not be going into our local economy."
Both Vinson and Waschura have adjusted gross incomes greater than four times the federal poverty level -- the cutoff for a tax credit. And while both said they anticipated their rates would go up, they didn't realize they would rise so much.
"Of course, I want people to have health care," Vinson said. "I just didn't realize I would be the one who was going to pay for it personally."
That's a silly game. There are millions of people who are going to sign for the ACA, and get coverage, that they couldn't get before. If someone's happiness, or unhappiness with the results, is the barometer, we're going to have to spend a lot of time logging people's reactions.
A guy down the street from me is extremely happy. He had a heart attack a little over a year ago. He changed jobs, and now can't get covered under any decent insurance b/c of a pre-existing condition. ACA comes along, and boom, he gets good healthcare with a reasonable deductible Happy camper.
Re: Obamacare proponent is not laughing anymore
Damn, you beat me.Homebrew wrote:http://www.mercurynews.com/nation-world ... s-bay-area
indy Vinson and Tom Waschura are big believers in the Affordable Care Act. They vote independent and are proud to say they helped elect and re-elect President Barack Obama.
...
Vinson, of San Jose, will pay $1,800 more a year for an individual policy, while Waschura, of Portola Valley, will cough up almost $10,000 more for insurance for his family of four.
...
Home
Nation & World News
Story
Print Email
Obamacare's winners and losers in Bay Area
By Tracy Seipel
tseipel@mercurynews.com
Posted: 10/05/2013 04:52:50 PM PDT | Updated: a day ago
O'Connor Hospital health benefits resource center staff member Araceli Martinez, left, and Duc Pham, right, talk with Maria Urquidez, in red, about healthcare information as the Affordable Care Act launches nationwide Oct. 1, 2013. (Josie Lepe/Staff)
Click photo to enlarge
Tom Waschura says he was floored when he got his new Obamacare health insurance rates.
1
2
3
»
Related Stories
Oct 5:
South Bay residents get answers to Obamacare questions
Cindy Vinson and Tom Waschura are big believers in the Affordable Care Act. They vote independent and are proud to say they helped elect and re-elect President Barack Obama.
Yet, like many other Bay Area residents who pay for their own medical insurance, they were floored last week when they opened their bills: Their policies were being replaced with pricier plans that conform to all the requirements of the new health care law.
Vinson, of San Jose, will pay $1,800 more a year for an individual policy, while Waschura, of Portola Valley, will cough up almost $10,000 more for insurance for his family of four.
"Welcome to the club," said Robert Laszewksi, a prominent health care consultant and president of
Health Policy and Strategy Associates in Virginia.
For years, the nation has been embroiled in the political rhetoric of "Obamacare," but this past week the reality of the new law sank in as millions of Americans had their first good look at how the 3 1/2-year-old legislation will affect their pocketbooks.
This much quickly became clear:
As state- and federal-run health insurance exchanges debuted across the country offering a range of prices for different tiers of insurance coverage, the new online marketplaces -- which represent the centerpiece of Obamacare -- could greatly benefit more than 40 million Americans who now lack coverage. But an additional 16 million -- who buy individual health insurance policies on the open market -- are finding out that their plans may not comply with the new law, which requires 10 essential benefits such as maternity care, mental health care and prescription drug coverage.
In California, 1.9 million people buy plans on the open market, according to officials with Covered California, the state's new health insurance exchange. And many of them are steaming mad.
"There's going to be a number of people surprised" by their bills, said Jonathan Wu, a co-founder of ValuePenguin, a consumer finance website. "The upper-middle class are the people who are essentially being asked to foot the bill, and that's true across the country."
Covered California spokesman Dana Howard maintained that in public presentations the exchange has always made clear that there will be winners and losers under Obamacare.
"Some people will see an increase who are already on the individual market purchasing insurance," he said, "but most people will not."
Covered California officials note that at least 570,000 of the 1.9 million people who buy their own insurance should be eligible for subsidies that will reduce their premiums.
Even those who don't qualify for the tax subsidies could see their rates drop because Obamacare doesn't allow insurers to charge people more if they have pre-existing conditions such as diabetes and cancer, he said.
People like Marilynn Gray-Raine.
The 64-year-old Danville artist, who survived breast cancer, has purchased health insurance for herself for decades. She watched her Anthem Blue Cross monthly premiums rise from $317 in 2005 to $1,298 in 2013. But she found out last week from the Covered California site that her payments will drop to about $795 a month.
But people with no pre-existing conditions like Vinson, a 60-year-old retired teacher, and Waschura, a 52-year-old self-employed engineer, are making up the difference.
"I was laughing at Boehner -- until the mail came today," Waschura said, referring to House Speaker John Boehner, who is leading the Republican charge to defund Obamacare.
"I really don't like the Republican tactics, but at least now I can understand why they are so pissed about this. When you take $10,000 out of my family's pocket each year, that's otherwise disposable income or retirement savings that will not be going into our local economy."
Both Vinson and Waschura have adjusted gross incomes greater than four times the federal poverty level -- the cutoff for a tax credit. And while both said they anticipated their rates would go up, they didn't realize they would rise so much.
"Of course, I want people to have health care," Vinson said. "I just didn't realize I would be the one who was going to pay for it personally."
Re: My BIL came out OK...
That's -22% Savings!Major Kong wrote:he lives off a stipend my FIL left him through the estate of $1500 a month. He was paying $900 a month to Anthem (which we pay ½)...he got a comparable plan for $1100 a year for Obamacare.
The comparison doesn't even take into account the ramp-up in insurance rates before Obamacare was implemented.
- Major Kong
- Posts: 15728
- Joined: Wed Aug 21, 2013 9:35 pm
- Alma Mater: Ferrum VT ASU
- Party: Independent
- Location: Somewhere between Marion and Seven Mile Ford
Re: My BIL came out OK...
No he went from paying $900 a month to $1100 a year ($91.67 a month).USN_Hokie wrote:That's -22% Savings!
The comparison doesn't even take into account the ramp-up in insurance rates before Obamacare was implemented.
I only post using 100% recycled electrons.
Re: Obamacare proponent is not laughing anymore
I believe he might of told you that, but the story sounds like bullshit WADR. Employers ( you said he has a job) are already required to cover pre-existing conditions, but that provision for non-employer provided insurance doesn't kick in until 2014....or am I reading this wrong:HokieFanDC wrote:oaktonhokie wrote:Limbaugh just cited the same quotation from the article. Low information voters, will they ever learn?
cardboard wrote:This needs to be put on a poster.
"Of course, I want people to have health care," Vinson said. "I just didn't realize I would be the one who was going to pay for it personally."
Homebrew wrote:http://www.mercurynews.com/nation-world ... s-bay-area
indy Vinson and Tom Waschura are big believers in the Affordable Care Act. They vote independent and are proud to say they helped elect and re-elect President Barack Obama.
...
Vinson, of San Jose, will pay $1,800 more a year for an individual policy, while Waschura, of Portola Valley, will cough up almost $10,000 more for insurance for his family of four.
...
Home
Nation & World News
Story
Print Email
Obamacare's winners and losers in Bay Area
By Tracy Seipel
tseipel@mercurynews.com
Posted: 10/05/2013 04:52:50 PM PDT | Updated: a day ago
O'Connor Hospital health benefits resource center staff member Araceli Martinez, left, and Duc Pham, right, talk with Maria Urquidez, in red, about healthcare information as the Affordable Care Act launches nationwide Oct. 1, 2013. (Josie Lepe/Staff)
Click photo to enlarge
Tom Waschura says he was floored when he got his new Obamacare health insurance rates.
1
2
3
»
Related Stories
Oct 5:
South Bay residents get answers to Obamacare questions
Cindy Vinson and Tom Waschura are big believers in the Affordable Care Act. They vote independent and are proud to say they helped elect and re-elect President Barack Obama.
Yet, like many other Bay Area residents who pay for their own medical insurance, they were floored last week when they opened their bills: Their policies were being replaced with pricier plans that conform to all the requirements of the new health care law.
Vinson, of San Jose, will pay $1,800 more a year for an individual policy, while Waschura, of Portola Valley, will cough up almost $10,000 more for insurance for his family of four.
"Welcome to the club," said Robert Laszewksi, a prominent health care consultant and president of
Health Policy and Strategy Associates in Virginia.
For years, the nation has been embroiled in the political rhetoric of "Obamacare," but this past week the reality of the new law sank in as millions of Americans had their first good look at how the 3 1/2-year-old legislation will affect their pocketbooks.
This much quickly became clear:
As state- and federal-run health insurance exchanges debuted across the country offering a range of prices for different tiers of insurance coverage, the new online marketplaces -- which represent the centerpiece of Obamacare -- could greatly benefit more than 40 million Americans who now lack coverage. But an additional 16 million -- who buy individual health insurance policies on the open market -- are finding out that their plans may not comply with the new law, which requires 10 essential benefits such as maternity care, mental health care and prescription drug coverage.
In California, 1.9 million people buy plans on the open market, according to officials with Covered California, the state's new health insurance exchange. And many of them are steaming mad.
"There's going to be a number of people surprised" by their bills, said Jonathan Wu, a co-founder of ValuePenguin, a consumer finance website. "The upper-middle class are the people who are essentially being asked to foot the bill, and that's true across the country."
Covered California spokesman Dana Howard maintained that in public presentations the exchange has always made clear that there will be winners and losers under Obamacare.
"Some people will see an increase who are already on the individual market purchasing insurance," he said, "but most people will not."
Covered California officials note that at least 570,000 of the 1.9 million people who buy their own insurance should be eligible for subsidies that will reduce their premiums.
Even those who don't qualify for the tax subsidies could see their rates drop because Obamacare doesn't allow insurers to charge people more if they have pre-existing conditions such as diabetes and cancer, he said.
People like Marilynn Gray-Raine.
The 64-year-old Danville artist, who survived breast cancer, has purchased health insurance for herself for decades. She watched her Anthem Blue Cross monthly premiums rise from $317 in 2005 to $1,298 in 2013. But she found out last week from the Covered California site that her payments will drop to about $795 a month.
But people with no pre-existing conditions like Vinson, a 60-year-old retired teacher, and Waschura, a 52-year-old self-employed engineer, are making up the difference.
"I was laughing at Boehner -- until the mail came today," Waschura said, referring to House Speaker John Boehner, who is leading the Republican charge to defund Obamacare.
"I really don't like the Republican tactics, but at least now I can understand why they are so pissed about this. When you take $10,000 out of my family's pocket each year, that's otherwise disposable income or retirement savings that will not be going into our local economy."
Both Vinson and Waschura have adjusted gross incomes greater than four times the federal poverty level -- the cutoff for a tax credit. And while both said they anticipated their rates would go up, they didn't realize they would rise so much.
"Of course, I want people to have health care," Vinson said. "I just didn't realize I would be the one who was going to pay for it personally."
That's a silly game. There are millions of people who are going to sign for the ACA, and get coverage, that they couldn't get before. If someone's happiness, or unhappiness with the results, is the barometer, we're going to have to spend a lot of time logging people's reactions.
A guy down the street from me is extremely happy. He had a heart attack a little over a year ago. He changed jobs, and now can't get covered under any decent insurance b/c of a pre-existing condition. ACA comes along, and boom, he gets good healthcare with a reasonable deductible Happy camper.
http://www.politico.com/story/2013/10/o ... 97457.html
Re: Obamacare proponent is not laughing anymore
Some people are just too dumb for their own good.
"I predict future happiness for Americans, if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them." - Thomas Jefferson
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Re: Obamacare proponent is not laughing anymore
USN_Hokie wrote:I believe he might of told you that, but the story sounds like bullshit WADR. Employers ( you said he has a job) are already required to cover pre-existing conditions, but that provision for non-employer provided insurance doesn't kick in until 2014....or am I reading this wrong:HokieFanDC wrote:oaktonhokie wrote:Limbaugh just cited the same quotation from the article. Low information voters, will they ever learn?
cardboard wrote:This needs to be put on a poster.
"Of course, I want people to have health care," Vinson said. "I just didn't realize I would be the one who was going to pay for it personally."
indy Vinson and Tom Waschura are big believers in the Affordable Care Act. They vote independent and are proud to say they helped elect and re-elect President Barack Obama.
...
Vinson, of San Jose, will pay $1,800 more a year for an individual policy, while Waschura, of Portola Valley, will cough up almost $10,000 more for insurance for his family of four.
...
Home
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Story
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Obamacare's winners and losers in Bay Area
By Tracy Seipel
tseipel@mercurynews.com
Posted: 10/05/2013 04:52:50 PM PDT | Updated: a day ago
O'Connor Hospital health benefits resource center staff member Araceli Martinez, left, and Duc Pham, right, talk with Maria Urquidez, in red, about healthcare information as the Affordable Care Act launches nationwide Oct. 1, 2013. (Josie Lepe/Staff)
Click photo to enlarge
Tom Waschura says he was floored when he got his new Obamacare health insurance rates.
1
2
3
»
Related Stories
Oct 5:
South Bay residents get answers to Obamacare questions
Cindy Vinson and Tom Waschura are big believers in the Affordable Care Act. They vote independent and are proud to say they helped elect and re-elect President Barack Obama.
Yet, like many other Bay Area residents who pay for their own medical insurance, they were floored last week when they opened their bills: Their policies were being replaced with pricier plans that conform to all the requirements of the new health care law.
Vinson, of San Jose, will pay $1,800 more a year for an individual policy, while Waschura, of Portola Valley, will cough up almost $10,000 more for insurance for his family of four.
"Welcome to the club," said Robert Laszewksi, a prominent health care consultant and president of
Health Policy and Strategy Associates in Virginia.
For years, the nation has been embroiled in the political rhetoric of "Obamacare," but this past week the reality of the new law sank in as millions of Americans had their first good look at how the 3 1/2-year-old legislation will affect their pocketbooks.
This much quickly became clear:
As state- and federal-run health insurance exchanges debuted across the country offering a range of prices for different tiers of insurance coverage, the new online marketplaces -- which represent the centerpiece of Obamacare -- could greatly benefit more than 40 million Americans who now lack coverage. But an additional 16 million -- who buy individual health insurance policies on the open market -- are finding out that their plans may not comply with the new law, which requires 10 essential benefits such as maternity care, mental health care and prescription drug coverage.
In California, 1.9 million people buy plans on the open market, according to officials with Covered California, the state's new health insurance exchange. And many of them are steaming mad.
"There's going to be a number of people surprised" by their bills, said Jonathan Wu, a co-founder of ValuePenguin, a consumer finance website. "The upper-middle class are the people who are essentially being asked to foot the bill, and that's true across the country."
Covered California spokesman Dana Howard maintained that in public presentations the exchange has always made clear that there will be winners and losers under Obamacare.
"Some people will see an increase who are already on the individual market purchasing insurance," he said, "but most people will not."
Covered California officials note that at least 570,000 of the 1.9 million people who buy their own insurance should be eligible for subsidies that will reduce their premiums.
Even those who don't qualify for the tax subsidies could see their rates drop because Obamacare doesn't allow insurers to charge people more if they have pre-existing conditions such as diabetes and cancer, he said.
People like Marilynn Gray-Raine.
The 64-year-old Danville artist, who survived breast cancer, has purchased health insurance for herself for decades. She watched her Anthem Blue Cross monthly premiums rise from $317 in 2005 to $1,298 in 2013. But she found out last week from the Covered California site that her payments will drop to about $795 a month.
But people with no pre-existing conditions like Vinson, a 60-year-old retired teacher, and Waschura, a 52-year-old self-employed engineer, are making up the difference.
"I was laughing at Boehner -- until the mail came today," Waschura said, referring to House Speaker John Boehner, who is leading the Republican charge to defund Obamacare.
"I really don't like the Republican tactics, but at least now I can understand why they are so pissed about this. When you take $10,000 out of my family's pocket each year, that's otherwise disposable income or retirement savings that will not be going into our local economy."
Both Vinson and Waschura have adjusted gross incomes greater than four times the federal poverty level -- the cutoff for a tax credit. And while both said they anticipated their rates would go up, they didn't realize they would rise so much.
"Of course, I want people to have health care," Vinson said. "I just didn't realize I would be the one who was going to pay for it personally."
That's a silly game. There are millions of people who are going to sign for the ACA, and get coverage, that they couldn't get before. If someone's happiness, or unhappiness with the results, is the barometer, we're going to have to spend a lot of time logging people's reactions.
A guy down the street from me is extremely happy. He had a heart attack a little over a year ago. He changed jobs, and now can't get covered under any decent insurance b/c of a pre-existing condition. ACA comes along, and boom, he gets good healthcare with a reasonable deductible Happy camper.
http://www.politico.com/story/2013/10/o ... 97457.html
I don't know all the rules, but employer provided insurance can deny you for a certain time period after the pre-existing condition occurs.
And, even if he is a flaming liar (he may well be but he has exactly zero reason to lie), the overarching point is that there are millions of people who are going to be happy with ACA healthcare. Finding people who are harmed by it, and spreading it all over the place as proof that the ACA sucks, is stupid, and is exactly what creates the LIVs that people are complaining about. Only in this case, they're the ones falling into the LIV category, and they don't even realize it.
Re: My BIL came out OK...
Ahh, missed that detail. So, it's paid for by all of us then...Major Kong wrote:No he went from paying $900 a month to $1100 a year ($91.67 a month).USN_Hokie wrote:That's -22% Savings!
The comparison doesn't even take into account the ramp-up in insurance rates before Obamacare was implemented.
- awesome guy
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Re: Obamacare proponent is not laughing anymore
Who says a life of drinking doesn't pay off?USN_Hokie wrote:Ahh, missed that detail. So, it's paid for by all of us then...Major Kong wrote:No he went from paying $900 a month to $1100 a year ($91.67 a month).USN_Hokie wrote:That's -22% Savings!
The comparison doesn't even take into account the ramp-up in insurance rates before Obamacare was implemented.
Unvaccinated,. mask free, and still alive.
- Major Kong
- Posts: 15728
- Joined: Wed Aug 21, 2013 9:35 pm
- Alma Mater: Ferrum VT ASU
- Party: Independent
- Location: Somewhere between Marion and Seven Mile Ford
Re: Obamacare proponent is not laughing anymore
That is what I was thinking as well. He hasn't worked a day in 8 yrs...granted some of that has been spent in the hoosegow...and he can't get disability or I should say hasn't been able to get it yet.awesome guy wrote:Who says a life of drinking doesn't pay off?
I kid you not I'm not lying when I tell y'all this...if I'm lying I'm dying.
When he (BIL) got turned down on his disability application earlier this year I took him down to a "disability" attorney in Abingdon. They went over the case and interviewed him and did not take the appeal. They said he'd never get it while living in Virginia on appeal because Virginia is tough on alcoholic based disability (you could have fooled me) but if he were to move to TN he would have been approved on the initial go.
I only post using 100% recycled electrons.
- Major Kong
- Posts: 15728
- Joined: Wed Aug 21, 2013 9:35 pm
- Alma Mater: Ferrum VT ASU
- Party: Independent
- Location: Somewhere between Marion and Seven Mile Ford
Re: My BIL came out OK...
No, no, no! According to my BIL, a bigger Dem & Obama supporter you'll not find in this area, it's paid for by the Fed gubment.USN_Hokie wrote:Ahh, missed that detail. So, it's paid for by all of us then...
I only post using 100% recycled electrons.
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Re: Obamacare proponent is not laughing anymore
So what happens when a gay married couple finds out they have to pay extra for maternity care because it is one of the essential elements of an ObamaCare-compliant policy?
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- Joined: Mon Aug 26, 2013 4:21 pm
Re: Obamacare proponent is not laughing anymore
Typical liberal attitude. Generous with other people's money, just not their own.
cardboard wrote:This needs to be put on a poster.
"Of course, I want people to have health care," Vinson said. "I just didn't realize I would be the one who was going to pay for it personally."
Homebrew wrote:http://www.mercurynews.com/nation-world ... s-bay-area
indy Vinson and Tom Waschura are big believers in the Affordable Care Act. They vote independent and are proud to say they helped elect and re-elect President Barack Obama.
...
Vinson, of San Jose, will pay $1,800 more a year for an individual policy, while Waschura, of Portola Valley, will cough up almost $10,000 more for insurance for his family of four.
...
Home
Nation & World News
Story
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Obamacare's winners and losers in Bay Area
By Tracy Seipel
tseipel@mercurynews.com
Posted: 10/05/2013 04:52:50 PM PDT | Updated: a day ago
O'Connor Hospital health benefits resource center staff member Araceli Martinez, left, and Duc Pham, right, talk with Maria Urquidez, in red, about healthcare information as the Affordable Care Act launches nationwide Oct. 1, 2013. (Josie Lepe/Staff)
Click photo to enlarge
Tom Waschura says he was floored when he got his new Obamacare health insurance rates.
1
2
3
»
Related Stories
Oct 5:
South Bay residents get answers to Obamacare questions
Cindy Vinson and Tom Waschura are big believers in the Affordable Care Act. They vote independent and are proud to say they helped elect and re-elect President Barack Obama.
Yet, like many other Bay Area residents who pay for their own medical insurance, they were floored last week when they opened their bills: Their policies were being replaced with pricier plans that conform to all the requirements of the new health care law.
Vinson, of San Jose, will pay $1,800 more a year for an individual policy, while Waschura, of Portola Valley, will cough up almost $10,000 more for insurance for his family of four.
"Welcome to the club," said Robert Laszewksi, a prominent health care consultant and president of
Health Policy and Strategy Associates in Virginia.
For years, the nation has been embroiled in the political rhetoric of "Obamacare," but this past week the reality of the new law sank in as millions of Americans had their first good look at how the 3 1/2-year-old legislation will affect their pocketbooks.
This much quickly became clear:
As state- and federal-run health insurance exchanges debuted across the country offering a range of prices for different tiers of insurance coverage, the new online marketplaces -- which represent the centerpiece of Obamacare -- could greatly benefit more than 40 million Americans who now lack coverage. But an additional 16 million -- who buy individual health insurance policies on the open market -- are finding out that their plans may not comply with the new law, which requires 10 essential benefits such as maternity care, mental health care and prescription drug coverage.
In California, 1.9 million people buy plans on the open market, according to officials with Covered California, the state's new health insurance exchange. And many of them are steaming mad.
"There's going to be a number of people surprised" by their bills, said Jonathan Wu, a co-founder of ValuePenguin, a consumer finance website. "The upper-middle class are the people who are essentially being asked to foot the bill, and that's true across the country."
Covered California spokesman Dana Howard maintained that in public presentations the exchange has always made clear that there will be winners and losers under Obamacare.
"Some people will see an increase who are already on the individual market purchasing insurance," he said, "but most people will not."
Covered California officials note that at least 570,000 of the 1.9 million people who buy their own insurance should be eligible for subsidies that will reduce their premiums.
Even those who don't qualify for the tax subsidies could see their rates drop because Obamacare doesn't allow insurers to charge people more if they have pre-existing conditions such as diabetes and cancer, he said.
People like Marilynn Gray-Raine.
The 64-year-old Danville artist, who survived breast cancer, has purchased health insurance for herself for decades. She watched her Anthem Blue Cross monthly premiums rise from $317 in 2005 to $1,298 in 2013. But she found out last week from the Covered California site that her payments will drop to about $795 a month.
But people with no pre-existing conditions like Vinson, a 60-year-old retired teacher, and Waschura, a 52-year-old self-employed engineer, are making up the difference.
"I was laughing at Boehner -- until the mail came today," Waschura said, referring to House Speaker John Boehner, who is leading the Republican charge to defund Obamacare.
"I really don't like the Republican tactics, but at least now I can understand why they are so pissed about this. When you take $10,000 out of my family's pocket each year, that's otherwise disposable income or retirement savings that will not be going into our local economy."
Both Vinson and Waschura have adjusted gross incomes greater than four times the federal poverty level -- the cutoff for a tax credit. And while both said they anticipated their rates would go up, they didn't realize they would rise so much.
"Of course, I want people to have health care," Vinson said. "I just didn't realize I would be the one who was going to pay for it personally."
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Re: Obamacare proponent is not laughing anymore
Great point, HokieFanDC. Too bad nobody on here seems to be listening. There will be many, many people happy with the ACA. And there will certainly be a few who have legit complaints. But this game of scorekeeping is beyond silly. Especially when you provide an real-life example and people on here tell you he is lying because his experience does not support their political view?HokieFanDC wrote: I don't know all the rules, but employer provided insurance can deny you for a certain time period after the pre-existing condition occurs.
And, even if he is a flaming liar (he may well be but he has exactly zero reason to lie), the overarching point is that there are millions of people who are going to be happy with ACA healthcare. Finding people who are harmed by it, and spreading it all over the place as proof that the ACA sucks, is stupid, and is exactly what creates the LIVs that people are complaining about. Only in this case, they're the ones falling into the LIV category, and they don't even realize it.
Re: Obamacare proponent is not laughing anymore
I'm pretty sure they solve this by making us all pay for maternity care....even CW.Tafkam Hokie wrote:So what happens when a gay married couple finds out they have to pay extra for maternity care because it is one of the essential elements of an ObamaCare-compliant policy?
Re: Obamacare proponent is not laughing anymore
I'm sorry....a rudimentary grasp of....math, bureaucratic process and free will ("no USN, you can just pay that fee....err...tax for your freedom") is all you need to know this will be a giant clusterf*ck and a failure.HokieFanDC wrote:USN_Hokie wrote:I believe he might of told you that, but the story sounds like bullshit WADR. Employers ( you said he has a job) are already required to cover pre-existing conditions, but that provision for non-employer provided insurance doesn't kick in until 2014....or am I reading this wrong:HokieFanDC wrote:oaktonhokie wrote:Limbaugh just cited the same quotation from the article. Low information voters, will they ever learn?
cardboard wrote:This needs to be put on a poster.
"Of course, I want people to have health care," Vinson said. "I just didn't realize I would be the one who was going to pay for it personally."
indy Vinson and Tom Waschura are big believers in the Affordable Care Act. They vote independent and are proud to say they helped elect and re-elect President Barack Obama.
...
Vinson, of San Jose, will pay $1,800 more a year for an individual policy, while Waschura, of Portola Valley, will cough up almost $10,000 more for insurance for his family of four.
...
Home
Nation & World News
Story
Print Email
Obamacare's winners and losers in Bay Area
By Tracy Seipel
tseipel@mercurynews.com
Posted: 10/05/2013 04:52:50 PM PDT | Updated: a day ago
O'Connor Hospital health benefits resource center staff member Araceli Martinez, left, and Duc Pham, right, talk with Maria Urquidez, in red, about healthcare information as the Affordable Care Act launches nationwide Oct. 1, 2013. (Josie Lepe/Staff)
Click photo to enlarge
Tom Waschura says he was floored when he got his new Obamacare health insurance rates.
1
2
3
»
Related Stories
Oct 5:
South Bay residents get answers to Obamacare questions
Cindy Vinson and Tom Waschura are big believers in the Affordable Care Act. They vote independent and are proud to say they helped elect and re-elect President Barack Obama.
Yet, like many other Bay Area residents who pay for their own medical insurance, they were floored last week when they opened their bills: Their policies were being replaced with pricier plans that conform to all the requirements of the new health care law.
Vinson, of San Jose, will pay $1,800 more a year for an individual policy, while Waschura, of Portola Valley, will cough up almost $10,000 more for insurance for his family of four.
"Welcome to the club," said Robert Laszewksi, a prominent health care consultant and president of
Health Policy and Strategy Associates in Virginia.
For years, the nation has been embroiled in the political rhetoric of "Obamacare," but this past week the reality of the new law sank in as millions of Americans had their first good look at how the 3 1/2-year-old legislation will affect their pocketbooks.
This much quickly became clear:
As state- and federal-run health insurance exchanges debuted across the country offering a range of prices for different tiers of insurance coverage, the new online marketplaces -- which represent the centerpiece of Obamacare -- could greatly benefit more than 40 million Americans who now lack coverage. But an additional 16 million -- who buy individual health insurance policies on the open market -- are finding out that their plans may not comply with the new law, which requires 10 essential benefits such as maternity care, mental health care and prescription drug coverage.
In California, 1.9 million people buy plans on the open market, according to officials with Covered California, the state's new health insurance exchange. And many of them are steaming mad.
"There's going to be a number of people surprised" by their bills, said Jonathan Wu, a co-founder of ValuePenguin, a consumer finance website. "The upper-middle class are the people who are essentially being asked to foot the bill, and that's true across the country."
Covered California spokesman Dana Howard maintained that in public presentations the exchange has always made clear that there will be winners and losers under Obamacare.
"Some people will see an increase who are already on the individual market purchasing insurance," he said, "but most people will not."
Covered California officials note that at least 570,000 of the 1.9 million people who buy their own insurance should be eligible for subsidies that will reduce their premiums.
Even those who don't qualify for the tax subsidies could see their rates drop because Obamacare doesn't allow insurers to charge people more if they have pre-existing conditions such as diabetes and cancer, he said.
People like Marilynn Gray-Raine.
The 64-year-old Danville artist, who survived breast cancer, has purchased health insurance for herself for decades. She watched her Anthem Blue Cross monthly premiums rise from $317 in 2005 to $1,298 in 2013. But she found out last week from the Covered California site that her payments will drop to about $795 a month.
But people with no pre-existing conditions like Vinson, a 60-year-old retired teacher, and Waschura, a 52-year-old self-employed engineer, are making up the difference.
"I was laughing at Boehner -- until the mail came today," Waschura said, referring to House Speaker John Boehner, who is leading the Republican charge to defund Obamacare.
"I really don't like the Republican tactics, but at least now I can understand why they are so pissed about this. When you take $10,000 out of my family's pocket each year, that's otherwise disposable income or retirement savings that will not be going into our local economy."
Both Vinson and Waschura have adjusted gross incomes greater than four times the federal poverty level -- the cutoff for a tax credit. And while both said they anticipated their rates would go up, they didn't realize they would rise so much.
"Of course, I want people to have health care," Vinson said. "I just didn't realize I would be the one who was going to pay for it personally."
That's a silly game. There are millions of people who are going to sign for the ACA, and get coverage, that they couldn't get before. If someone's happiness, or unhappiness with the results, is the barometer, we're going to have to spend a lot of time logging people's reactions.
A guy down the street from me is extremely happy. He had a heart attack a little over a year ago. He changed jobs, and now can't get covered under any decent insurance b/c of a pre-existing condition. ACA comes along, and boom, he gets good healthcare with a reasonable deductible Happy camper.
http://www.politico.com/story/2013/10/o ... 97457.html
I don't know all the rules, but employer provided insurance can deny you for a certain time period after the pre-existing condition occurs.
And, even if he is a flaming liar (he may well be but he has exactly zero reason to lie), the overarching point is that there are millions of people who are going to be happy with ACA healthcare. Finding people who are harmed by it, and spreading it all over the place as proof that the ACA sucks, is stupid, and is exactly what creates the LIVs that people are complaining about. Only in this case, they're the ones falling into the LIV category, and they don't even realize it.
-
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- Joined: Mon Aug 19, 2013 8:57 pm
Re: Obamacare proponent is not laughing anymore
OK, but that has nothing to do with this thread.USN_Hokie wrote:I'm sorry....a rudimentary grasp of....math, bureaucratic process and free will ("no USN, you can just pay that fee....err...tax for your freedom") is all you need to know this will be a giant clusterf*ck and a failure.HokieFanDC wrote:USN_Hokie wrote:I believe he might of told you that, but the story sounds like bullshit WADR. Employers ( you said he has a job) are already required to cover pre-existing conditions, but that provision for non-employer provided insurance doesn't kick in until 2014....or am I reading this wrong:HokieFanDC wrote: This needs to be put on a poster.
"Of course, I want people to have health care," Vinson said. "I just didn't realize I would be the one who was going to pay for it personally."
indy Vinson and Tom Waschura are big believers in the Affordable Care Act. They vote independent and are proud to say they helped elect and re-elect President Barack Obama.
...
Vinson, of San Jose, will pay $1,800 more a year for an individual policy, while Waschura, of Portola Valley, will cough up almost $10,000 more for insurance for his family of four.
...
Home
Nation & World News
Story
Print Email
Obamacare's winners and losers in Bay Area
By Tracy Seipel
tseipel@mercurynews.com
Posted: 10/05/2013 04:52:50 PM PDT | Updated: a day ago
O'Connor Hospital health benefits resource center staff member Araceli Martinez, left, and Duc Pham, right, talk with Maria Urquidez, in red, about healthcare information as the Affordable Care Act launches nationwide Oct. 1, 2013. (Josie Lepe/Staff)
Click photo to enlarge
Tom Waschura says he was floored when he got his new Obamacare health insurance rates.
1
2
3
»
Related Stories
Oct 5:
South Bay residents get answers to Obamacare questions
Cindy Vinson and Tom Waschura are big believers in the Affordable Care Act. They vote independent and are proud to say they helped elect and re-elect President Barack Obama.
Yet, like many other Bay Area residents who pay for their own medical insurance, they were floored last week when they opened their bills: Their policies were being replaced with pricier plans that conform to all the requirements of the new health care law.
Vinson, of San Jose, will pay $1,800 more a year for an individual policy, while Waschura, of Portola Valley, will cough up almost $10,000 more for insurance for his family of four.
"Welcome to the club," said Robert Laszewksi, a prominent health care consultant and president of
Health Policy and Strategy Associates in Virginia.
For years, the nation has been embroiled in the political rhetoric of "Obamacare," but this past week the reality of the new law sank in as millions of Americans had their first good look at how the 3 1/2-year-old legislation will affect their pocketbooks.
This much quickly became clear:
As state- and federal-run health insurance exchanges debuted across the country offering a range of prices for different tiers of insurance coverage, the new online marketplaces -- which represent the centerpiece of Obamacare -- could greatly benefit more than 40 million Americans who now lack coverage. But an additional 16 million -- who buy individual health insurance policies on the open market -- are finding out that their plans may not comply with the new law, which requires 10 essential benefits such as maternity care, mental health care and prescription drug coverage.
In California, 1.9 million people buy plans on the open market, according to officials with Covered California, the state's new health insurance exchange. And many of them are steaming mad.
"There's going to be a number of people surprised" by their bills, said Jonathan Wu, a co-founder of ValuePenguin, a consumer finance website. "The upper-middle class are the people who are essentially being asked to foot the bill, and that's true across the country."
Covered California spokesman Dana Howard maintained that in public presentations the exchange has always made clear that there will be winners and losers under Obamacare.
"Some people will see an increase who are already on the individual market purchasing insurance," he said, "but most people will not."
Covered California officials note that at least 570,000 of the 1.9 million people who buy their own insurance should be eligible for subsidies that will reduce their premiums.
Even those who don't qualify for the tax subsidies could see their rates drop because Obamacare doesn't allow insurers to charge people more if they have pre-existing conditions such as diabetes and cancer, he said.
People like Marilynn Gray-Raine.
The 64-year-old Danville artist, who survived breast cancer, has purchased health insurance for herself for decades. She watched her Anthem Blue Cross monthly premiums rise from $317 in 2005 to $1,298 in 2013. But she found out last week from the Covered California site that her payments will drop to about $795 a month.
But people with no pre-existing conditions like Vinson, a 60-year-old retired teacher, and Waschura, a 52-year-old self-employed engineer, are making up the difference.
"I was laughing at Boehner -- until the mail came today," Waschura said, referring to House Speaker John Boehner, who is leading the Republican charge to defund Obamacare.
"I really don't like the Republican tactics, but at least now I can understand why they are so pissed about this. When you take $10,000 out of my family's pocket each year, that's otherwise disposable income or retirement savings that will not be going into our local economy."
Both Vinson and Waschura have adjusted gross incomes greater than four times the federal poverty level -- the cutoff for a tax credit. And while both said they anticipated their rates would go up, they didn't realize they would rise so much.
"Of course, I want people to have health care," Vinson said. "I just didn't realize I would be the one who was going to pay for it personally."
That's a silly game. There are millions of people who are going to sign for the ACA, and get coverage, that they couldn't get before. If someone's happiness, or unhappiness with the results, is the barometer, we're going to have to spend a lot of time logging people's reactions.
A guy down the street from me is extremely happy. He had a heart attack a little over a year ago. He changed jobs, and now can't get covered under any decent insurance b/c of a pre-existing condition. ACA comes along, and boom, he gets good healthcare with a reasonable deductible Happy camper.
http://www.politico.com/story/2013/10/o ... 97457.html
I don't know all the rules, but employer provided insurance can deny you for a certain time period after the pre-existing condition occurs.
And, even if he is a flaming liar (he may well be but he has exactly zero reason to lie), the overarching point is that there are millions of people who are going to be happy with ACA healthcare. Finding people who are harmed by it, and spreading it all over the place as proof that the ACA sucks, is stupid, and is exactly what creates the LIVs that people are complaining about. Only in this case, they're the ones falling into the LIV category, and they don't even realize it.
But, a rudimentary grasp of math and bureaucratic process is all you need to know that our former healthcare environment was a giant clusterF and a failure that has well along the path of financial ruin. Free will was still available in the former environment, so that is one huge plus to the old way, and a huge minus to the new way.
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Re: Obamacare proponent is not laughing anymore
Quit promoting yourself!!!!cardboard wrote:This needs to be put on a poster.
"Of course, I want people to have health care," Vinson said. "I just didn't realize I would be the one who was going to pay for it personally."
Re: Obamacare proponent is not laughing anymore
Yes, the "former healthcare environment" sucked so bad that our schools, doctors, and hospitals were the envy of the world and anyone, regardless of income or status could partake in it.HokieFanDC wrote:OK, but that has nothing to do with this thread.USN_Hokie wrote:I'm sorry....a rudimentary grasp of....math, bureaucratic process and free will ("no USN, you can just pay that fee....err...tax for your freedom") is all you need to know this will be a giant clusterf*ck and a failure.HokieFanDC wrote:USN_Hokie wrote:I believe he might of told you that, but the story sounds like bullshit WADR. Employers ( you said he has a job) are already required to cover pre-existing conditions, but that provision for non-employer provided insurance doesn't kick in until 2014....or am I reading this wrong:HokieFanDC wrote: This needs to be put on a poster.
"Of course, I want people to have health care," Vinson said. "I just didn't realize I would be the one who was going to pay for it personally."
indy Vinson and Tom Waschura are big believers in the Affordable Care Act. They vote independent and are proud to say they helped elect and re-elect President Barack Obama.
...
Vinson, of San Jose, will pay $1,800 more a year for an individual policy, while Waschura, of Portola Valley, will cough up almost $10,000 more for insurance for his family of four.
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Obamacare's winners and losers in Bay Area
By Tracy Seipel
tseipel@mercurynews.com
Posted: 10/05/2013 04:52:50 PM PDT | Updated: a day ago
O'Connor Hospital health benefits resource center staff member Araceli Martinez, left, and Duc Pham, right, talk with Maria Urquidez, in red, about healthcare information as the Affordable Care Act launches nationwide Oct. 1, 2013. (Josie Lepe/Staff)
Click photo to enlarge
Tom Waschura says he was floored when he got his new Obamacare health insurance rates.
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Oct 5:
South Bay residents get answers to Obamacare questions
Cindy Vinson and Tom Waschura are big believers in the Affordable Care Act. They vote independent and are proud to say they helped elect and re-elect President Barack Obama.
Yet, like many other Bay Area residents who pay for their own medical insurance, they were floored last week when they opened their bills: Their policies were being replaced with pricier plans that conform to all the requirements of the new health care law.
Vinson, of San Jose, will pay $1,800 more a year for an individual policy, while Waschura, of Portola Valley, will cough up almost $10,000 more for insurance for his family of four.
"Welcome to the club," said Robert Laszewksi, a prominent health care consultant and president of
Health Policy and Strategy Associates in Virginia.
For years, the nation has been embroiled in the political rhetoric of "Obamacare," but this past week the reality of the new law sank in as millions of Americans had their first good look at how the 3 1/2-year-old legislation will affect their pocketbooks.
This much quickly became clear:
As state- and federal-run health insurance exchanges debuted across the country offering a range of prices for different tiers of insurance coverage, the new online marketplaces -- which represent the centerpiece of Obamacare -- could greatly benefit more than 40 million Americans who now lack coverage. But an additional 16 million -- who buy individual health insurance policies on the open market -- are finding out that their plans may not comply with the new law, which requires 10 essential benefits such as maternity care, mental health care and prescription drug coverage.
In California, 1.9 million people buy plans on the open market, according to officials with Covered California, the state's new health insurance exchange. And many of them are steaming mad.
"There's going to be a number of people surprised" by their bills, said Jonathan Wu, a co-founder of ValuePenguin, a consumer finance website. "The upper-middle class are the people who are essentially being asked to foot the bill, and that's true across the country."
Covered California spokesman Dana Howard maintained that in public presentations the exchange has always made clear that there will be winners and losers under Obamacare.
"Some people will see an increase who are already on the individual market purchasing insurance," he said, "but most people will not."
Covered California officials note that at least 570,000 of the 1.9 million people who buy their own insurance should be eligible for subsidies that will reduce their premiums.
Even those who don't qualify for the tax subsidies could see their rates drop because Obamacare doesn't allow insurers to charge people more if they have pre-existing conditions such as diabetes and cancer, he said.
People like Marilynn Gray-Raine.
The 64-year-old Danville artist, who survived breast cancer, has purchased health insurance for herself for decades. She watched her Anthem Blue Cross monthly premiums rise from $317 in 2005 to $1,298 in 2013. But she found out last week from the Covered California site that her payments will drop to about $795 a month.
But people with no pre-existing conditions like Vinson, a 60-year-old retired teacher, and Waschura, a 52-year-old self-employed engineer, are making up the difference.
"I was laughing at Boehner -- until the mail came today," Waschura said, referring to House Speaker John Boehner, who is leading the Republican charge to defund Obamacare.
"I really don't like the Republican tactics, but at least now I can understand why they are so pissed about this. When you take $10,000 out of my family's pocket each year, that's otherwise disposable income or retirement savings that will not be going into our local economy."
Both Vinson and Waschura have adjusted gross incomes greater than four times the federal poverty level -- the cutoff for a tax credit. And while both said they anticipated their rates would go up, they didn't realize they would rise so much.
"Of course, I want people to have health care," Vinson said. "I just didn't realize I would be the one who was going to pay for it personally."
That's a silly game. There are millions of people who are going to sign for the ACA, and get coverage, that they couldn't get before. If someone's happiness, or unhappiness with the results, is the barometer, we're going to have to spend a lot of time logging people's reactions.
A guy down the street from me is extremely happy. He had a heart attack a little over a year ago. He changed jobs, and now can't get covered under any decent insurance b/c of a pre-existing condition. ACA comes along, and boom, he gets good healthcare with a reasonable deductible Happy camper.
http://www.politico.com/story/2013/10/o ... 97457.html
I don't know all the rules, but employer provided insurance can deny you for a certain time period after the pre-existing condition occurs.
And, even if he is a flaming liar (he may well be but he has exactly zero reason to lie), the overarching point is that there are millions of people who are going to be happy with ACA healthcare. Finding people who are harmed by it, and spreading it all over the place as proof that the ACA sucks, is stupid, and is exactly what creates the LIVs that people are complaining about. Only in this case, they're the ones falling into the LIV category, and they don't even realize it.
But, a rudimentary grasp of math and bureaucratic process is all you need to know that our former healthcare environment was a giant clusterF and a failure that has well along the path of financial ruin. Free will was still available in the former environment, so that is one huge plus to the old way, and a huge minus to the new way.
Re: Obamacare proponent is not laughing anymore
Lol, horrible. Don't quit your day job.HokieFanDC wrote:Quit promoting yourself!!!!cardboard wrote:This needs to be put on a poster.
"Of course, I want people to have health care," Vinson said. "I just didn't realize I would be the one who was going to pay for it personally."