Re: Why Americans don't like Obamacare
 

Possibly, it's the same insurance that the several thousand other people who work for the company have. I have noticed larger copays, larger deductibles and smaller percentages of various procedures being covered over the past few years.

Still - at least its a company policy and not a private one where they can dump you the moment it looks like it might get expensive.

Re: Why Americans don't like Obamacare
 

They can jack up the companies premiums though and make it difficult for smaller companies to afford it and that can result in reducing coverage or dropping it altogether.

Re: Why Americans don't like Obamacare
 

Not sure about Cal. But yes, you are only required to have liability. But it is still forced purchase, so I am up in the air on it. You may very well be right but it is a topic with a lot of loopholes and no idea where it can end up. But lawyers do love to find out.

Re: Why Americans don't like Obamacare
 

I do have insurance but like you say, it's a shit one so there are the high deductibles etc. 4 nights in hospital within a 6 week period and a total bill of approximately $40k of which I'm out of pocket by $5500.

Unless you have one of the "Cadillac" policies (like Members of Congress do) that question "how much is this gonna cost me?" will likely be in the back of your mind.

Re: Why Americans don't like Obamacare
 

There is a liability with healthcare too: the ability to use an emergency room for medical care and potentially have other people pick up the tab.

Re: Why Americans don't like Obamacare
 

NH doesn't require car insurance full stop.

It's partly why it is soooo godly expensive down here in MA, because you've got a massive wedge covering under or uninsured drivers causing accidents.

Re: Why Americans don't like Obamacare
 

that and because Mass drivers' reputations were always well known........:lol:

Re: Why Americans don't like Obamacare
 

well yes, there is that too :lol:

Re: Why Americans don't like Obamacare
 

I don't think it's that simple. A person isn't forced to buy car insurance because a person doesn't have to own a car. It is a choice, a luxury even. Being forced to insure your own body leaves no room for choice unless you kill yourself.

Also, at least in the case of full coverage, it isn't the government that's requiring the insurance, it's the lender.

Re: Why Americans don't like Obamacare
 

What about if the Act could be re-written to say catastrophic insurance cover is a mandate for everyone? I think that this, at a minimum, could be a good compromise. A person without insurance that gets hit by a car effects everyone. Basically, you are getting your body liability coverage.

Re: Why Americans don't like Obamacare
 

I support the healthcare bill, but I have to agree that this is a sticky issue from a legal standpoint. It's certainly easy to argue that it amounts to a head tax and that such a head tax is unconstitutional -- Congress is permitted to tax incomes, property, consumption, imports, etc., but is not allowed to tax you simply because you are alive.

There were other ways that they could have worked around this technicality, but they would have made passage more difficult. I can't think of an alternative that wouldn't have involved some sort of tax increase (which could have been used as a voucher that could have been used to pay the premium, making it a wash), and we all know that such things are verboten in DC.

Re: Why Americans don't like Obamacare
 

I believe you Leslie and I believe it does occur. But that is when you have to fight, fight and get down right nasty with them. As an advocate you know that it is not spelled out in the contract than you have every right to have the procedure paid for.

BTW I have two grown daughters. One with her family has private insurance that she pays through the nose for with a $5,000 deductible per person from Humana and the other has company insurance with a $2,500 per person and it costs them $600 a month in premiums. I am fully aware of the high costs involved in obtaining health insurance and with deductibles.

Yes, I am very fortunate that I have never had a problem with mine. But then my healthcare needs are mundane and ordinary and I've only had four surgeries since infancy.

Re: Why Americans don't like Obamacare
 

In Canada or the UK, for instance, you pay for your healthcare premiums through tax deductions. So in effect, that is mandating that you must pay for your insurance. Where is the difference between the president's healthcare bill and Canada's and the UK's healthcare policy.

As in the US, if you are on welfare you get medicare if you are on welfare or disability. So again, where is the difference from Canada or the UK providing healthcare to those that don't pay taxes?

Re: Why Americans don't like Obamacare
 

You say this as if people have a choice. Most people look at the options available to them from their employer and choose the best one.

We for instance have to pay 20% of all our bills until we reach $X each year, then we get 100% coverage. This is the best policy available to us through our employer. You would call this a shit policy, maybe it is, buts its the best thing thats available to us so we have little choice but to put up with it.

Re: Why Americans don't like Obamacare
 

When it's not spelled out in the contract you do have a chance at winning but sometimes it is spelled out quite clearly. For example, if the insurance pays 80% of XYZ diagnostic test, in network, and the negotiated price of the test is $4000, then the patient is obligated, by their contractual agreement, to pay $800. Now, what if this same person, as many times is the case, has to have a series of 6 treatments (all paid at 80%) that cost $500 each, making patient responsibility $600? We're up to $1400. Not to mention the office visit and RX co-pays that this person has to pay (approximately $300 total). This is all assuming they've met their $5000 deductible. The total for all of this, after insurance, is $6700. Coming up with this amount of cash is daunting for somebody making $70,000 per year but what if the person makes $25,000 per year? And all the while they're still paying their monthly premiums which can vary wildly depending on how much their employer contributes. A relatively straightforward medical situation can ruin a person's credit in the blink of an eye. And this is in a case where the insurance case isn't playing fast and loose (as they often do) with the wording of the contract.