Questions about Health Care Reform--things you don't know

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There is a lot of confusion over the new Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) or "Obamacare"

Here are some things you might not realize:

1. If you are badly underinsured, you will stay that way

The PPACA does not dictate the level of care or benefits your employer's plan needs to provide. The legislation only affects small group market plans and plans that are not "grandfathered" (more on this below). You might ask "if I can't get decent healthcare at work, can't I go on the new health insurance exchanges in 2014?" No, you cannot: if you have coverage, even if that coverage is really lousy, you are not eligible for the exchanges. Less than 10% of Americans will have access to these exchanges.

2. Most companies do not have to comply with the PPACA

Companies that self-insure (almost 60% of companies in the US) will not have to comply with the majority of the PPACA provisions. These companies are also exempt from ALL state regulations. What does this mean? It means that your employer could deny you coverage for things like maternity, diabetes treatment, mental health, etc. and still be PPACA compliant. So you might ask: "what about the Essential Health Benefit provision in the PPACA? Don't they have to provide certain things?" No, because all companies can "grandfather" their health plans and make them 100% exempt. WalMart can give you $50 in coverage and a drug card and call it a day.

3. Most health insurance companies will continue to deny coverage for serious claims

The fine from the government for not providing care (coverage) for a given illness will be $100 a day. Health insurance CEOs have already been saying behind closed doors that they will pay the $100 a day fine until the person dies rather than cover a million dollar illness.

4. There will still be lifetime maximums on coverage

Only now they will be called "annual maximums"

5. People with serious medical conditions will have access to health insurance now!

Not really--they can buy into a "high risk pool" and it will cost a fortune. Most will simply go on Medicaid.

So don't think that things will get better with the PPACA

Well, at least they tried. The window of opportunity is now closed, thanks to Rupert Murdoch, who really wants to become the puppet-master of the world.

Romneycare doesn't have most of these problems. Elect Romney and maybe we can replace Obamacare with something that will let states pass laws that actually work.

I'm personally quite well covered (although I do lack long term care insurance).

For me, personally, the impacts of the new law are more positive than not.

Who cares if it screws over most people as long as it works for you, eh?

I do not have and cannot afford health insurance, can't even get approved for medicaid...lol, so yeah I doubt that health care plan would have helped anything in my situation.

1, There will be new options available under the exchanges. The coverage levels are mandated for those.

2. See 1.

3. Even if true, more will still get treatment and coverage. And the punishment can be adjusted.

4. Annual limits already existed and are to be phased out by 2014. Until then the caps are made higher.
http://blog.pomcogroup.com/?p=76

5. Temporary stop gap until 2014, when insurers can't deny you.

Your assertion that nothing will get better is just silly. Many uninsured are likely to get swept into Medicaid anyway. Things will certainly be better for them than having nothing. For the rest, cheaper policies will be available on the exchanges.

Listening to less talk radio would be my advice.

The only metric is your income starting in 2014. It's an expansion of medicaid. In 2014 dollars it's ~$15k or $16k for individuals. For families of 4 it'll be ~$30k.

Above that you have four options:

1) get a very cheap catastrophic only plan for those under 30.
2) get a cheap full plan on the exchange
3) pay the fine and don't get coverage
4) get covered some other way (employer).

It's funny that people were screaming "SOCIALIST!" when Obama seems like a corporate dick sucker more than anything else.

Hopefully the whole thing gets repealed. I can't believe some people still defend this monstrosity. Obamacare only benefits the insurance companies. They'll cover you on your parents insurance until you're 27 and you can't be denied coverage for pre-existing conditions(or maybe you can) and in exchange we mandated that everybody has to buy their private health insurance. Some reform that was.

They had talked about a government option during the election. It is too bad they couldn't pass it while the Democrats controlled everything.