Quote:
Originally Posted by classicman
If it truly turns out to be this great and wondrous thing, you can bet your ass that it'll be called Obamacare. Finding the real solution is the most important thing. Learning about what this thing really is, is a necessary step in that direction.
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Of course, the term Obamacare is pejorative.
You bet your ass, if its successful, it will be take on a positive connotation? WTF?
I missed when Social Security became known as RooseveltSecurity or Medicare was called JohnsonCare.
But, hey, I'll play your silly game.
SUPPORT AMERICA - SUPPORT OBAMACARE
Several importation provisions of the Affordable Care Act start becoming effective later this month (six months after the bill's passage):
If you have children under the age of 19 with pre-existing medical conditions, you can add them to your family health insurance plan and their application for coverage cannot be denied due to a pre-existing condition.
Adults under 26 may qualify to rejoin their parent's plan, even if they're married, don't live with their parent, are no longer a student, and/or are no longer a dependent on their parent's tax return.
The end of out-of-pocket lifetime limits....you wont be forced to spend your way into bankruptcy to pay for a sudden or serious illness or medical condition.
Free (no co-payment) for most preventive care (immunizations, colonoscopy, mammogram, etc.)
Added protection from rate increases - Insurance companies required to publicly disclose rate increases and provide justification before raising premiums
No more dropping your when faced with a sudden (expensive) treatment - Insurance companies cannot rescind coverage unless you commit fraud or intentionally misrepresent the facts.
SO, which of these DONT you support?
Of course, the insurance industry is already claiming that the Affordable Care Act is responsible for current rate increases....ignoring the fact that they have increased rates nearly 100% in the last ten years.
Rates will continue to increase...at least in the short term. The question is if that increase be at that same 100% over the next ten years or at a slower rate when the full effect of the Affordable Care Act kicks in.
In 2011, the provision that insurance companies spend at least 80 percent of premium dollars on health care instead of overhead, salaries, administrative expenses and profits becomes effective.
And in 2014, with the Insurance Exchanges in place, there will be a much more competitive market, particularly for the uninsured and small group (small employers currently not offering coverage to employees).
In nearly every industry, competition generally inhibits cost increases. Will it apply in health care. We'll see. The naysayers have already said NO.
Will front-end investments (particularly in health care technology) in making the system more productive and efficient in the long-term lead to lower costs?
Certainly does for other industries and even on a personal level (you spend more on a high end home energy system to ultimately lower your monthy energy costs, but the payback takes time).