From MM: Bill Clinton Ripped ObamaCare this week...

MommyLiberty5013

Any comments?

P.S. I've reposted this here as to move it off the MM Board.

short+sassy

I put a link below that sums up what Clinton said, including information he gave later that more fully explained what he meant.  Which did soften a bit his original stance.

I largely agree with him on his more softened version.  I'm a huge proponent of the ACA.  It put in massive safeguards for people.  Like removing "lifetime maximums" and the previous insurance stance of "we'll only sell insurance on the private market to healthy people with no pre-existing conditions."  And drop them like a hot potato, as soon as we can if they develop one.  And, when they were forced to offer insurance to everyone in a company's group plan, there was a 1-year waiting period to cover anything for a pre-existing condition.

THAT was what it did right.  It closed some of those horrific gaps.

The ACA was a very needed FIRST step.  But certainly still needs revision from here.  Unfortunately, there was a lot it did wrong and a lot it didn't address.  Like the sky-rocketing cost of health care.  That has always been the biggest problem.  People blame the ACA for raising premium costs...they forget premium costs would jump up hugely from year to year before the ACA also.

Which brings me to my final note.  We do need to have affordable health care...for EVERYONE...in this country.  And we still don't, not by a long shot.  Clinton pointed out a couple of the specific groups who got the short end of the stick in the ACA.  People who make too much for Medicaid, but not enough to warrant a subsidy (that is just ridiculous!).  And many of the self-employed.  Certainly "affordable" is a relative word.  But, imo, when "premiums plus out of pocket medical" starts going past 10% of a person's income.  That's not affordable.  Some would argue even 10% is too high. 

http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/04/politics/bill-clinton-obamacare-craziest-thing/index.html

short+sassy

New post, with a new idea on the subject of health care.

I'd love to see a sort-of "hybrid" system developed between the current U.S. version of "insurance policies people/companies buy" being responsible for the costs of health care vs. what most first world countries do, "universal health care".

A system where there is "universal health care" for major medical expenses.  Like surgeries, chemotherapy, broken bones, etc.  But typical dr. visits, lab work, most prescriptions is either paid out of pocket or a person buys insurance for it...that should be a vastly lowered premium now that "big ticket" items would no longer fall under those policies.

As someone who has spent most of her adult life paying for ALL of her own medical expenses anyway, because of 1-year pre-existing condition clauses and high deductible group plans, it's not always pretty, but its usually doable.  And I do have a chronic condition, so my annual costs are large...but not in the tens of thousands of dollar range that even a minor surgery can cost.  And most people would spend hardly anything per year, but still have the security that they would be covered if something very unlikely happens...like being diagnosed with cancer or needing their appendix removed.  Without being forced to pay $100s or $1,000s/month for a pretty useless medical insurance policy.

Just a rough outline.  There will be problems with it.  But there will be problems with any plan.  But what I like about it is it still has some individual responsibility for taking care of their own health and health costs, but without potentially putting people in the poor house.  Either with exorbitant monthly insurance costs or, going without insurance, and then a medical crisis happens.

smerka

I don't think there's anyone who will say Obamacare is perfect.  It's not. It needs to be tweaked. I just looked it up and in my state, a family of four can make between 60,000 and 97,000 and still get help with your premiums. 

MommyLiberty5013

It's likely Clinton made the remarks to get moderate, unsure voters who do dislike the ACA over to Hillary's side for November.

short+sassy

smerka said:

I don't think there's anyone who will say Obamacare is perfect.  It's not. It needs to be tweaked. I just looked it up and in my state, a family of four can make between 60,000 and 97,000 and still get help with your premiums. 

Unfortunately, I might soon find myself with no insurance through the company I am working for.  My boss had a talk with me about "what work do I have left", "how many hours", because some of the projects I am working on have already run out of money.  There might be another project coming down the pike, but that might be months away.

I threw out I'd be willing to go to part-time in the interim, if that would help things out.  Both agreed it is not a step I'd be taking yet.  Still enough to do.  But that is a possibility for the near future.  Of course, getting laid off completely, is also a possibility.

I'd lose my insurance in either scenario.  But I'd still be making money from other income sources and thought I'd be SOL with getting a subsidy at all or not much of one.  Because I already knew what the exorbitant prices of the plans in my area were.

That's my long way of saying, thanks @smerka.  Your post gave me some hope things were not as bleak as what I was picturing.  I looked up what my subsidy would be vs. the plans available.  I'm cautiously feeling better.  I'd be stuck with a $6700 deductible, per person!, with only 60% coverage for medical care after that.  But at least it is something and my portion after the subsidy would be $53/month total (for myself and H).

Still complete and total highway robbery, considering the true cost of the plan is $750/month, for coverage that is utter crap.   

smerka

I'm sorry you're going to have to deal with this. Just remember that if your income goes up, you will have to pay back part of the subsidy come tax time. If anything, estimate your income lower. You will get a credit for subsidy you should have gotten. 

vlagrl35

I'll feel better after I talk to an agent in our blue cross office Nov 1 - open enrollment.  Our plan is amazing but won't be available next year.  I'm praying they have another plan similar that's just as good but not too expensive.  I think ACA does need to be fixed, but I'm not sure how they will do it.