"Obamacare"

[K-S-U-Wildcats!]

The truth is, this "fix" isn't even going to work anyway, because most insurers probably can't revert back to the old policies for 2014 at this late date anyway and, again, even if they could, the premiums have to go up anyway to cover the sick people they have to add to the roles.

I'm sure you don't realize it due to some basic misunderstanding of how insurance works, but essentially what you're saying here is that insurance companies have enrolled sick people into plans that would begin in 2014 despite knowing that these plans would not exist in 2014.

I guess we're back to the old "Chum knows better than the insurance companies" game. It's getting old, Chum. Here's the thing: reverting back to old policies is not like "flipping a switch." That's just stupid. It takes a lot of work to get policies certified by the state regulators. And, again, even if they could get them certified in time, they may not be able to offer the old policies at the old rates (at least, without more government subsidies), because the companies now have to pay for guaranteed issue. This really isn't that hard to understand. But again, you don't have to take my word for it - this is what the insurers are already saying (I know, they're either lying or wrong, right Chum?  ) Just as an example:

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/11/14/208636/roiling-health-care-waters-obamas.html

Insurance companies already have devised plans for next year, received the necessary approval from states and begun to sell policies. They aren’t required to continue to offer their existing policies and state insurance commissioners aren’t required to approve those 2013 plans.

“Changing the rules after health plans have already met the requirements of the law could destabilize the market and result in higher premiums for consumers,” Karen Ignagni, the president and CEO of America’s Health Insurance Plans, which represents the industry.

Washington state’s insurance commissioner, Mike Kreidler, announced Thursday he won’t allow insurers to extend their policies, saying Washington’s state-based exchange was “up and running and successfully enrolling thousands of consumers.”

http://www.nbcnews.com/health/obamacare-fix-now-where-do-we-go-here-2D11599939

Can I get my policy back if it was canceled?

That’s complicated.  It’s not so easy for an insurance company to reinstate policies it was planning to discontinue, because the firm must plan premiums and budget for expenses far in advance. Florida Blue said it would reinstate canceled plans, and Florida’s insurance commissioner, Kevin McCarty, said he’s working with any companies that wanted to go that route. A lot is up to state insurance commissioners — something that gives cover to both the White House and to the insurance companies.

What if everyone who got canceled decides to ask for their old policies back? Will this mess everything up?

Insurers and actuaries — the people who calculate insurance risk — think it could. “The NAIC (National Association of Insurance Commissioners) has been clear from the beginning that allowing insurers to have different rules for different policies would be detrimental to the overall market and result in higher premiums,” says Louisiana's insurance commissioner, Jim Donelon, president of the NAIC.

“This decision continues different rules for different policies and threatens to undermine the new market, and may lead to higher premiums and market disruptions in 2014 and beyond.”

And the American Academy of Actuaries said in a letter sent to Congress that the decision could mess up what are called risk pools — basically, the idea that you need healthy people in any group of insurance policies to pay premiums and offset the costs of sick people.

They said people who have lower medical costs would want to stay in bare-bones plans that are being canceled by insurance companies, because they have lower premiums than the new plans that are required to cover more.

http://thehill.com/blogs/healthwatch/health-reform-implementation/190312-regulators-unclear-on-how-o-care-fix-can-work

President Obama's proposed fix for ObamaCare may not work in practice, according to state insurance regulators who would help implement the policy.

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) suggested Thursday that the plan to allow insurance companies to offer non-compliant health plans into 2014 is not logistically feasible.

"It is unclear how, as a practical matter, the changes proposed today by the president can be put into effect," said NAIC President Jim Donelon in a statement, noting that premium prices could also rise as a result.

"[We have] been clear from the beginning that allowing insurers to have different rules for different policies would be detrimental to the overall market."

Insurance commissioners are not the only skeptics of Obama's plan. The health insurance industry immediately blasted the move as a threat to market stability and premium prices.

[chum1]

No, it's easy.  I see it happen all the time.

[Cire]

my policy got cancelled once because of a computer glitch at bcbs and they fixed it over the phone in 30 seconds.  said I would be getting all the crap in the mail again etc. 

[Fake Sugar Dick (WARNING, NOT THE REAL SUGAR DICK!)]

Welcome to OBSTINANCE. Population Chum1Navigator

[Fake Sugar Dick (WARNING, NOT THE REAL SUGAR DICK!)]

my policy got cancelled once because of a computer glitch at bcbs and they fixed it over the phone in 30 seconds.  said I would be getting all the crap in the mail again etc.

BCBS doesn't offer the policiss in issue anymore because obamacare made them illegal 4 years ago.  Then all of the sudden yesterday they were again, kind of, maybe.

 You guys can't be this rough ridin' stupid,and I think you're probably trolling.  An insurance policy isn't inventory you order from china like a slap bracelet.  Its a complicated financial product based on pool participants, actuarial data and projections, burdensome regulatory approval, disclosure and oversight, and that requires a large well trained administrative staff to administer.  What tbe eff do you think is inside of these enormous buildings dotting the skylines of america?  On and off switches and money printers? Its not your kitchen faucet for god sakes.

[chum1]

If we're talking about renewals here, which we are, all of this crap you describe is already in place.

Also, it's ridiculous to suggest that having laws apply to some but not others is unfeasable.  We've had that situation all along. 

[K-S-U-Wildcats!]

my policy got cancelled once because of a computer glitch at bcbs and they fixed it over the phone in 30 seconds.  said I would be getting all the crap in the mail again etc.

BCBS doesn't offer the policiss in issue anymore because obamacare made them illegal 4 years ago.  Then all of the sudden yesterday they were again, kind of, maybe.

 You guys can't be this rough ridin' stupid,and I think you're probably trolling.  An insurance policy isn't inventory you order from china like a slap bracelet.  Its a complicated financial product based on pool participants, actuarial data and projections, burdensome regulatory approval, disclosure and oversight, and that requires a large well trained administrative staff to administer.  What tbe eff do you think is inside of these enormous buildings dotting the skylines of america?  On and off switches and money printers? Its not your kitchen faucet for god sakes.

Yeah, I think Chum may have been trolling us the whole time. Nobody could be this dumb. Well, libtards could, but not EMAWs. Good work!

[K-S-U-Wildcats!]

And as expected, Obama didn't even consult with the insurers before his Thursday presser.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/16/business/after-meeting-health-insurers-question-proposals-workability.html?hp&_r=2&

[K-S-U-Wildcats!]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/dc-insurance-commissioner-fired-a-day-after-questioning-obamacare-fix/2013/11/16/b88eaea0-4f17-11e3-9890-a1e0997fb0c0_story.html

[K-S-U-Wildcats!]

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/woman-hailed-president-obamacare-success-story-now-cant-afford-obamacare_767868.html

CNN reports that a woman the president hailed as an Obamacare success story just realized she won't be able to afford Obamacare because it's too expensive:

"Jessica Sanford was cited by the president as an Obamacare success story at a health care event he had here at the White House in the Rose Garden on October 21," says a reporter for CNN from the White House. "That of course being just last month. The 48-year-old single mom from Washington state purchased what she considered to be affordable health care, life-changing event, she said, on the Washington state health exchange. She decided she was so excited about this news, she wanted to write an e-mail to the president to say that this had really changed her life and that she was thankful for the Afforable Care Act. The president included her e-mail in his remarks to people on hand for the event. Here's a bit of what the president had to say."

The CNN report quotes President Obama as saying, "I recently received a letter from a woman named Jessica Sanford in Washington state. And here's what she wrote, I am a single mom, no child support, self-employed. and I haven't had insurance for 15 years because it's too expensive. I was crying the other day when I signed up, so much stress lifted."

"But days, just really three days after she was mentioned by the president, Jessica Sanford started having problems, she was receiving letters from the Washington state health exchange," reports CNN. "The first letter telling her that tax credit was reduced, therefore, increasing the cost of her health care plan and the, take a look at this, then she received a letter just last week telling her that her tax credit had been taken away all together. Show you another document here, showing what the tax credit worked out to be... zero dollars according to this document that was provided to us by Jessica Sanford. She describes all of this as a roller coaster ride. Now she says she can't afford insurance in Washington state because of the new developments."

Sanford tells CNN that she's embarrassed. "It was a huge disappointment, especially since I had, you know, my story had been shared by the president. I felt like, you know, I just felt really embarrassed that, you know, he quoted my story and then come to find that the Washington health plan finder, the website here in our state, had grossly miscalculated or they're having a problem figuring their tax credits. and so at least for right now, I don't -- I'm not going to be getting insurance," she says.

Anyone want to guess how many people will have actually enrolled by the end of November? I'm guessing 150k.

[Rage Against the McKee]

If you make enough money to not qualify for the tax credit, then you make enough money to pay for insurance. The fine for not being insured is just way too low.

[K-S-U-Wildcats!]

If you make enough money to not qualify for the tax credit, then you make enough money to pay for insurance. The fine for not being insured is just way too low.

Good, you just go ahead and tell that to no-child-support-single-mom-living-on-the-west-coast. "Quit your bitching - you obviously make enough money to pay for insurance!" While you're at it, you should tell her "Sure, the insurance you have to purchase probably costs a lot more now, but that's only because it's better." Sell it, Nuts!

[Cire]

"joe the single mother"

[Rage Against the McKee]

If you make enough money to not qualify for the tax credit, then you make enough money to pay for insurance. The fine for not being insured is just way too low.

Good, you just go ahead and tell that to no-child-support-single-mom-living-on-the-west-coast. "Quit your bitching - you obviously make enough money to pay for insurance!" While you're at it, you should tell her "Sure, the insurance you have to purchase probably costs a lot more now, but that's only because it's better." Sell it, Nuts!

She didn't even have insurance before. She is irresponsible, and only was interested in insuring herself and her family when she thought the government was going to pay for it.

[K-S-U-Wildcats!]

If you make enough money to not qualify for the tax credit, then you make enough money to pay for insurance. The fine for not being insured is just way too low.

Good, you just go ahead and tell that to no-child-support-single-mom-living-on-the-west-coast. "Quit your bitching - you obviously make enough money to pay for insurance!" While you're at it, you should tell her "Sure, the insurance you have to purchase probably costs a lot more now, but that's only because it's better." Sell it, Nuts!

She didn't even have insurance before. She is irresponsible, and only was interested in insuring herself and her family when she thought the government was going to pay for it.

You may be right about this - I just find it ironic that Obamacare has made insurance even more expensive now for people like this. I think the reason is pretty obvious. Obama hates women.

[slobber]

If you make enough money to not qualify for the tax credit, then you make enough money to pay for insurance. The fine for not being insured is just way too low.

Good, you just go ahead and tell that to no-child-support-single-mom-living-on-the-west-coast. "Quit your bitching - you obviously make enough money to pay for insurance!" While you're at it, you should tell her "Sure, the insurance you have to purchase probably costs a lot more now, but that's only because it's better." Sell it, Nuts!

She didn't even have insurance before. She is irresponsible, and only was interested in insuring herself and her family when she thought the government was going to pay for it.

You may be right about this - I just find it ironic that Obamacare has made insurance even more expensive now for people like this. I think the reason is pretty obvious. Obama hates women.

How long do you think the death panel will have to deliberate this woman's fate?

[Rage Against the McKee]

If you make enough money to not qualify for the tax credit, then you make enough money to pay for insurance. The fine for not being insured is just way too low.

Good, you just go ahead and tell that to no-child-support-single-mom-living-on-the-west-coast. "Quit your bitching - you obviously make enough money to pay for insurance!" While you're at it, you should tell her "Sure, the insurance you have to purchase probably costs a lot more now, but that's only because it's better." Sell it, Nuts!

She didn't even have insurance before. She is irresponsible, and only was interested in insuring herself and her family when she thought the government was going to pay for it.

You may be right about this - I just find it ironic that Obamacare has made insurance even more expensive now for people like this. I think the reason is pretty obvious. Obama hates women.

I thought insurance was only cheaper for people who didn't have to pay for things they won't ever need like mammograms and pregnancies. Health care is expensive. I'm sure it would be a significant burden for this self-employed middle class woman to insure her kids. It's not like she can't afford it, though. She isn't even poor enough to qualify for a subsidy as a single parent.

[gatoveintisiete]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/dc-insurance-commissioner-fired-a-day-after-questioning-obamacare-fix/2013/11/16/b88eaea0-4f17-11e3-9890-a1e0997fb0c0_story.html

See Obama does hold people accountable

[john "teach me how to" dougie]

If you make enough money to not qualify for the tax credit, then you make enough money to pay for insurance. The fine for not being insured is just way too low.

Good, you just go ahead and tell that to no-child-support-single-mom-living-on-the-west-coast. "Quit your bitching - you obviously make enough money to pay for insurance!" While you're at it, you should tell her "Sure, the insurance you have to purchase probably costs a lot more now, but that's only because it's better." Sell it, Nuts!

She didn't even have insurance before. She is irresponsible, and only was interested in insuring herself and her family when she thought the government was going to pay for it.

You may be right about this - I just find it ironic that Obamacare has made insurance even more expensive now for people like this. I think the reason is pretty obvious. Obama hates women.

I thought insurance was only cheaper for people who didn't have to pay for things they won't ever need like mammograms and pregnancies. Health care is expensive. I'm sure it would be a significant burden for this self-employed middle class woman to insure her kids. It's not like she can't afford it, though. She isn't even poor enough to qualify for a subsidy as a single parent.

Self employment taxes are killers. I'm not sure how they figure your income for the subsidy, but if it's before taxes I can see how she wouldn't be able to afford it even if she doesn't qualify for any.

[Fake Sugar Dick (WARNING, NOT THE REAL SUGAR DICK!)]

I like how this lady went from Posterwoman of the good that is the ACA to stupid bitch who can't manage her finances. 

libtards are so vile and two-faced.


In case you missed this, the ACA is a rough ridin' train wreck captained by a lying bumblefuck named B.O.

[john "teach me how to" dougie]

Holy eff, what a lying POS.

He just told 200,000 obamabots that 100 million people have signed up for obamacare. Those idiots are going to parrot that lie around for eternity.

[p1k3]

quit being racist, you guys.

[K-S-U-Wildcats!]

You know, one of the major PR blunders of Obamacare is that a lot of the self-insured who are getting screwed happen to be journalists. Oops.

Another liberal gets a face full of reality: http://observer.com/2013/11/my-obamacare-cancellation/

"Seething at a President I helped elect."
By oscar Barcott

We received the letter in the mail a couple months ago. The good people at Regence Bluecross Blueshield were pleased to inform us that due to Obamacare our current low-monthly premium, comically-high deductible medical policy would no longer exist come January 1, 2014. Pleased, because a new and better plan would be offered in its place. Old monthly premium: $578 for a family of four (non-smoking, helmet-wearing, and paternally snipped). New premium: $1,123. A 94% increase.

Once the sound of boiling blood dissipated, in my head I heard my Republican friends chuckling at the sight of a liberal Democrat hoisted ten stories high on his own petard. How’s the view up there, Obamacare Ollie?

For the past 15 years my wife and I have made our living as freelance writers. (To young readers, I say: Do not do this. Your bliss is marvelous, but its following will need to be supported by a banker, plumber, union machinist or tenured faculty member.) As such, our health insurance is our own concern. Over the years we’ve held on to our coverage by letting our co-pay and deductible rise and our covered procedures fall. You may be aware that the three-tiered state exchange policies are labeled Gold, Silver, and Bronze, reflecting their price and level of coverage. If our policy still existed it would fall into the column of Wood.

But Wood we had—and Wood we liked. No more. O.K., into the state exchange we go. I voted for it. Fair enough.

...Back to the exchange website. Enter birth dates, zip code, tobacco use, yadda yadda, monthly income. Stop. Ponder.

Which month, brother? For that matter, which year? Do you want gross, net, before SE (self-employment tax, a k a Social Security payments) or after? AGI (adjusted gross income) from last year’s 1040?

For every business futurist who hails the coming of the independent contracting economy, the future that is The Brand of You, there are thousands of us out here actually building The Brand of You. It ain’t an easy hustle. If you want to get an idea of our monthly and yearly incomes, imagine a sine wave drawn by a drunken sailor. Last year my wife and I, we made out all right. This year’s kinda lean. Which year did the exchange want? Unclear.

I went to a friend and colleague—let’s call him Peter—for advice. He also had his individual medical policy cancelled because of Obamacare. “I’m stuck on the same question—income,” he told me. Peter does a little writing, a little farming, a little this and that to keep the ship afloat. “I got through to the exchange, and the woman there told me to just estimate what my income would be this year.” In other words: Make it up. If he overestimated, he’d be screwing himself out of a subsidy, Peter said. If he underestimated, he’d be hit with a big fat bill. He wasn’t sure he wouldn’t also be accused of fraud. So he called his accountant, who’s also a lawyer.

That only got him so far. At a certain point in the conversation, the accountant/lawyer had to get off the phone. “I have to stop answering your questions,” he told Peter. “I can’t ethically advise you, because honestly I don’t know the right thing to do. Nobody does. There are no answers. Right now it’s a complete clusterfuck.” 

Last week the frustration of people like Peter and me—Obamacare supporters who lost their current plans—was heard by the White House, which promptly panicked. On Thursday, President Obama announced a policy change that would allow insurance companies like Regence to keep customers like me on the old Wood plan for one more year. To that I say: Hah! Thanks for nothing.

The idea that an insurer like Regence can, or will, spin on a dime and revive our ol’ $587 Woody within the next six weeks is absurd. It skews the market and undermines the entire premise of the Affordable Care Act – which is that by balancing the halt (allowing pre-existing conditions) and the hale (forcing robust young adults to get in the pool), the exchanges will over time produce a system that offers quality health care at a price my family can afford. :captainobvious:

[john "teach me how to" dougie]

"Obama lied, liberals don't care!"  Until it affects them in the wallet.

[K-S-U-Wildcats!]

http://www.ijreview.com/2013/11/96180-watch-kathleen-sebelius-obamacare-website-crashes-front-uh-oh/ Uh Oh!