What the Supreme Court's Ruling Means for Consumers: HealthCare

[truthwolf1]

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/what-t...consumers.html

Q: What will happen to my insurance premiums?

A: Most consumers can expect to keep seeing increases in premiums and co-payments because the underlying cost of health care is expected to rise. The law contains a few mechanisms to curb premiums, but it also requires that many insurance providers make their benefits more generous, which will raise their cost. Older people could see their premiums go down because of the new age rating rules insurers will face. People who buy policies without the help of an employer could get a better deal by being able to shop on the exchanges, where comparing plans will be easier than before.

Still not fixing the problem but making a bigger one. Change you can believe in.

[sgreger1]

It has, however, improved the problem to an extent. The goal is to reduce health care expenses by getting everyone covered so that people go ot the dr when they need to for preventative care etc. 73% of the youth are now covered by insurance and the full law hasn't even kicked in. I think the idea is that if everyone gets treatment when they need it, than we will spend less money treating their cancer when it's at stage 4 and they have never been to a doctor so now they have high blood pressure and a host of other problems. Best sto catch it earlier as it saves money.

I think in the end this is a positive step forward, though not a complete solution by any stretch.

[phantom]

It has some good but I feel it is another piece of American freedom is being taken away You will do what we say or be fined.We seem to be losing more and more of our free country.[PACT act, Seat belt laws for adults]....

[sgreger1]

It has some good but I feel it is another piece of American freedom is being taken away You will do what we say or be fined.We seem to be losing more and more of our free country.[PACT act, Seat belt laws for adults]....

I agree generally, but I don't see much freedom being taken away here (that wasn't already gone). They are implementing a new tax, this time to pay for healthcare. We have other taxes already that pay for things like the fire dept and police dept, for roads etc. It's not really anything new necessarily. It's always been a case of "if you don't pay your taxes than you will be fined or possibly imprisoned", we've had that for a while.

[phantom]

This is true I am lucky enough to have pretty good ins. and the fact I can keep my Dependents covered longer is great I agree with the tax part, dont like it but I agree, but the uninsured from what I understand will be forced to buy Ins. based on their wage amount. not by choice.

[wa3zrm]

No need to worry here... just as Obama promised, it's not a tax! Only problem is that the Supreme Court seems to differ with his interruption.

[squeezyjohn]

You USAians always surprise me when a large proportion of you get cross every time it is suggested that any money be spent centrally to support people in basic health and social care regardless of their income. It is such a beautifully re-assuring climate to grow up within ... like your parents saying they will always love you whatever you do, but coming from the state rather than the family. It makes you a more secure individual growing up with that level of implied support. I have very little experience of life in the US so I know I am writing this from a very uninformed point of view - but I know what I see in places like this and the opinions about any social security tend to be very different from my own.

I live in the UK where I have always felt that if everything went wrong for me, health or career wise, I can count on the state to keep me safe from the stark reality of being left entirely on my own. Sure - it has it's problems and is open to abuse sometimes - we all know that, but we want it to work better so trying to dismantle the NHS here in the UK is electional suicide. Consequently I have always tried to be working (self employed for the most times) and paying my taxes to support this brilliant system. Unfortunately I can see it constantly being eroded here under the current right-wing government. And to me it feels like your parents turning their back on you even when you don't need their help. Maybe if you never had any parents then you might feel you don't need them ... but taking the metaphor to it's conclusion - generally kids with parents that love them and support them whatever they end up doing thrive much better than those left to their own devices.

I feel that the US is being offered a gift-horse here - don't look it in the mouth - give it a chance to work it's magic - you will only get the full benefits after a generation or so have lived through it - but it it soooooo worth it.

Just my opinions of course

Squeezy

[sgreger1]

This is true I am lucky enough to have pretty good ins. and the fact I can keep my Dependents covered longer is great I agree with the tax part, dont like it but I agree, but the uninsured from what I understand will be forced to buy Ins. based on their wage amount. not by choice.

Yah I think a lot of people are going to be pissed off when this thing goes into effect. Even with government subsidies, the reality is that a lot of people who are not paying for healthcare now will suddenly have a new bill to pay. Some may see it as a good thing, but I suspect a lot of the youth, who traditionally don't even buy healthcare for themselves, will be like "Wait, I work at Subway sandwiches, and now I have to pay $200 a month for health insurance?". But then again everyone can stay on their aprents healthcare up to the age of 26 if the parents have an employer who offers benefits, but keep in mind that many employers do not, and many people's parents are unemployed themselves. It's

It's going to be a new bill and a lot of people are going to start calling this what it is: A handout to the insurance companies, who you are now forced to pay money to or face government fines.

I think in general this will increase health care in the united states which means it is generally a good law, but the way they are doing it is half-assed at best. If they want to do the whole "it's a tax" thing, than just do universal healthcare where everyone pays a certain tax and they get free healthcare, just like we have for many other services. No reason to go halfway there.

[sgreger1]

You USAians always surprise me when a large proportion of you get cross every time it is suggested that any money be spent centrally to support people in basic health and social care regardless of their income. It is such a beautifully re-assuring climate to grow up within ... like your parents saying they will always love you whatever you do, but coming from the state rather than the family. It makes you a more secure individual growing up with that level of implied support. I have very little experience of life in the US so I know I am writing this from a very uninformed point of view - but I know what I see in places like this and the opinions about any social security tend to be very different from my own.

I live in the UK where I have always felt that if everything went wrong for me, health or career wise, I can count on the state to keep me safe from the stark reality of being left entirely on my own. Sure - it has it's problems and is open to abuse sometimes - we all know that, but we want it to work better so trying to dismantle the NHS here in the UK is electional suicide. Consequently I have always tried to be working (self employed for the most times) and paying my taxes to support this brilliant system. Unfortunately I can see it constantly being eroded here under the current right-wing government. And to me it feels like your parents turning their back on you even when you don't need their help. Maybe if you never had any parents then you might feel you don't need them ... but taking the metaphor to it's conclusion - generally kids with parents that love them and support them whatever they end up doing thrive much better than those left to their own devices.

I feel that the US is being offered a gift-horse here - don't look it in the mouth - give it a chance to work it's magic - you will only get the full benefits after a generation or so have lived through it - but it it soooooo worth it.

Just my opinions of course

Squeezy

The reason americans don't want more benefit programs isn't because we hate the poor, it's a lot more complicated than that. I won't go into it since it's been rehashed a million times already. I personally agree with you though, I think the system you have over there is good and we would be smart to go with what works, which is some sort of universal healthcare. Americans don't like to think of the state as their parents, in fact the thought of that sentence would anger many people. We have this theme of self reliance in our genes (after many years of propaganda, plus the truth of the matter which is that americans used to actually be very self sufficient). So the idea of the government needing to take care of you is odd to some of us, who grew up with fathers who would rather work 3 jobs than ever take charity in order to feed you. But in the end people don't know what it's like until they become unemployed and lose their homes etc, then they wonder where all the safety nets went. Or for another example, when the baby boomer generation retires and realizes that they didn't save enough money, they are going to be pissed off that they badmouthed social security for all those years and eroded any chance of having decent pension benefits etc.

But at the end of the day, the vast majority of americans support everything in this healthcare bill, so your assertion that they don't like it isn't actually true. It's interesting because when polled about the individual parts of the bill they approve of the idea overwhelmingly, but when you ask them if they like Obama's healthcare plan than less than 50% will say they like it. The reality here is that people hate Obama, not the actual basis of this bill. And I think you are right in that it will take a few years but eventually everyone will realize this was probably for the best, or at least better than the old system.

[GoVegan]

Too bad the Republiarcans messed this one up from the beginning by forcing us to accommodate to the insurance companies. The insurance companies helped to create this mess. Makes you wonder how much they had to pay to buy Congress.

[Ainkor]

Simple solution. Have everyone enroll in medicare and pay on a sliding scale based on income. It's bullshit that there are american's that can't afford health insurance. It's further bullshit that people die because they don't have access to decent health care.

It's not a right wing or left wing problem. We are ****ing human beings and everyone deserves health. Any person that is fine with a fellow human being not being able to get their teeth taken care of or not have access to the same medical services that wealthier people have can burn in hell.

Call me a socialist but when you see a homeless person in the streets because of mental health issues and they can't get fixed up because the local community mental health services just can't help them. How can you not care about your fellow man?

How do you let a housewife go without heart meds due to a genetic issue because her husband makes just slightly too much money to get medicare but can't afford the $400 a month co-pay?

Both of those situations hit near and dear to me and family members. I can't believe the so called Christians of our nation let this travesty of human suffering go on.

edit/

And before anyone says anything about charity, I took in that lady, put my family in financial peril to get her the health care she needed. We collectively as a whole has a responsibility for each of us.

[Crow]

Simple solution. Have everyone enroll in medicare and pay on a sliding scale based on income. It's bullshit that there are american's that can't afford health insurance. It's further bullshit that people die because they don't have access to decent health care.

That's a reasonable solution. I would personally like to see Medicare expanded to accommodate all US citizens. The vast majority of people that are under Medicare already approve of it overwhelmingly.

The health care reform bill is not perfect. But, it's certainly a step in the right direction.

[GoVegan]

I would love to see a system where everyone can join Medicare. A system like that was discussed in the beginning but certain politicians felt that it would be unfair for government to compete directly against insurance companies. Ironically, many of these politians are the same people who love to privatize government functions because they feel that private business' can do things much more efficiently. Basic health care should be a right for every person in this country.

[bpc720]

Too bad the Republiarcans messed this one up from the beginning by forcing us to accommodate to the insurance companies. The insurance companies helped to create this mess. Makes you wonder how much they had to pay to buy Congress.

The dems had the white house, senate, and congress when this bill was written and passed...it is of their design

[Crow]

The dems had the white house, senate, and congress when this bill was written and passed...it is of their design

The Republicans and several "Blue Dog" Dems muddied up the reform bill. Public option was discussed and pursued, but the blue dog dems kept it from progressing into the final bill.