A Place for Mom's Family

Hi there , 

I just posted this piece on the Blog section of this site.  I am not getting much traffic in this area as of yet ( Come see me!  Merret Mann) , so I thought I would also post here on this complex issue...

It looks like the first stage of Obama's health care "overhaul" is expected to provide coverage to about one million uninsured next year (2011). Here is what I understand to be true, or at least what I glean to be true, about the early health care coverage benefits (apparently the biggest part of the expansion is still four years away)

• It allows young adults to stay on their parents coverage until they turn 26

• It creates a health plan for uninsured people with pre-existing health conditions.  According to the Congressional Budget office from 200,00 to 400,000 thousand could benefit from this in 2011.

• It Ends lifetime limits on coverage, and restricts annual limits.  As many as 20,400 people a year hit lifetime limits. Many more - and estimated 102 million- are in currently under plans that impose such limits. They ( insurance  companies)  will no longer be able to do so.      - Recently, I heard of a situation where Henry, a 5 year old boy, was born prematurely and suffered from kidney issues.  He exhausted the life-time limit on his parents policy.  A huge worry and stress for a family that has been religiously been paying into health insurance.   Ending the lifetime limit will be in direct support to families like Henry's.

• It Requires insurers to cover children with medical problems, an estimated 51,000 uninsured children are expected to gain coverage. 

• Some of the reforms that will affect older adults - free preventative care (?), beginning to close the Medicare donut hole (Last month (June 2010) $250 dollar checks were mailed to those who fall into the Medicare prescription drug program’s donut hole this year, to help defray their costs) , and more incentives to keep doctors in primary care

Obama held a town hall meeting last month on the 8th of June. He fielded questions from older Americans, one of the groups most skeptical of the reforms.  A quote from this meeting: "“We’re saying to insurance companies that you can’t use this just to pad your profits or to pay higher CEO bonuses”. “Eighty-five percent of what you (Insurance companies) spend has to actually be for health services.”  I am not an advocate of "big" government and yet when we are working within the constructs of such a greedy culture/system it seems right that someone steps in and "parents" this industry! 

From the research that I have done it looks like the overall costs appear to be modest at this point, split among tax payers, employers and individuals who are of direct benefit.

I know there are many passionate political opinions out there...  Without getting too steeped in a conversation around Obama and his administration can you share your thoughts/understanding around health care and how you, or those you love, might personally be affected by these changes?  I have felt mired in the details of what exactly this bill indicates for the United States.  With a little bit of research I am feeling more clear...  And it seems like there are always so many layers to uncover.  

1. lifetime caps removed. in the example you site the 3yr old who already exceeded the lifetime cap.  Lets say the cap was $5 million. If he lives 40 yrs maybe the bills total $50 million? Where exactly does that $50million per person come from?

Probably, the $500 billion CUT in Medicare to 'artificially fund Obamacare so it would 'look' like it cost less than $1 trillion.

And is healthcare 'greedier' than the oil industry??? I'm always confused by that.....

There is a report out that states that most states deficits would go away if we didn't fund healthcare(thru Medicaid) for illegals. Now there is a realistic savings that doesn't take money from seniors. Major corperations are taking a $1trillion  entry on their balance sheets. Some in congress 'claimed' it was just a gimick. Turns uot that the IRS REQUIRES corp to honestly state profits and losses. Since the majority will drop their corp medical plans and force their employees to the government plans (because they can't create plans that are soooo comprehensive at no cost). What happened to the promise "you can keep your plan..." ?

And why wasn't tort reform addressed? because the savings would be too small???  (laugh) Or because the tort reform would upset the democrat attorneys like John Edwards who made his fortune off of non-factual claims that have since been proven to be false?

THe man running Fannie Mae made more than $100 Million  and Fannie and Freddie basicly caused the bust. Who is greedy? who makes big bonuses? who has never been called before congress? Who is not part of the financial reform? Who do you trust?

Do you not understand why we are the greatest nation on the face of the planet?  Who invents the majority of all advances in health care? Must be those greedy companies with all that profit.

Health Care has 3-4% profit.  Microsoft has 40%.  Oil companies have 1-3%  The federal government makes 10 times more money than the oil companies.....yeah ...... look at the taxes collected per gallon next time you fill up.

THe CLASS Act (part of ObamaCar) which supposedly provides some LTC coverage is being called a Ponzi scheme. It has no potential to be able to self fund from the premiums it will collect..

You think there was waste and fraud before? Imagine what 2000 pages are going to do.  The IRS is going to be hiring 15,000 new agents to go after all those who don't buy. And inforce the tax increase.

Did someone say that '95% of americans had their taxes reduced"  .....liar.

Mark John Crews

Thanks for contributing Mark -

It is depressing!  All of the side-ways politics and lies.  I totally agree.  I also feel that this bill is over a lot of our heads and that is why I am opening up this discussion.  Is it possible to find clarity with out looking at all the layers, i.e. immigration, oil, Microsoft, etc.?   I will share my family has had a contract with the government and I have had first hand experience at how inefficient they can be with time and money (our money).  I think this is true with any administration unfortunately. 

My husband and myself, both in our 40's and very healthy, pay extremely high monthly payments for our health insurance with an extremely high deductible.  Every year there is an increase that seems impossible.  And we are blessed to be able to make the choice to afford this because many people can not.

Does anyone see the benefits to what is rolling out with healthcare?  Positive changes coming up for you and your loved ones?