Health insurance – What a joke!

i do contract negotiations, yea i’m a union thug. most of our employers premiums increased in the 5% area, except for one, she said it was outrageous.

like pug referenced, the higher the deductable, the cheaper the premium, the less they cover the cheaper the premium. its ALL about who pays the first $$$$!!!!!

one can blame whomever or whatever, alot has to do with the limited amount of providers, i think theres 4 in MN and the lack of competition!!!!!!

so let me ask, how many types of options are offered. 1 employer gives there employees 8 options, 4 under an HSA plan and 4 under what i call a gold plan. those options are single, employee plus children, employees plus spouse and family. family is most spendy, followed by plus spouse, then plus children then single of cours being cheapest.

Remember what the 1st A in the ACA stands for ??? We been duped…

Awesome??????????? OK OK i was just kidding!!!!!!

big_g wrote:

Remember what the 1st A in the ACA stands for ??? We been duped…

You pay more so others can “afford” to see doctor…

Pretty rare I’ll go to doctor… I’ve broken an ankle and not gone in… The last time I did go in my bone was sticking out of my finger… And I did try to put it back in before seeing the doctor but something told me I should probably get some antibiotics

Costs are crazy

Health insurance is affordable for everyone that doesn’t have a job. They have great coverage.

If it continues I’ll will be retiring to a different country. Lots of great affordable places outside the U.S.

Good starting point for getting benefits. Maybe get a puppy or a cat instead.

About half the births in the United States are paid for by Medicaid — a figure higher than previous estimates — and the numbers could increase as the state-federal health insurance program expands under the Affordable Care Act, according to a study released Tuesday. All pregnant women with incomes below 133 percent of the federal poverty level, just below $15,300 for an individual, are eligible for Medicaid, and many states provide coverage to women earning well above that amount.

nhamm wrote:

The sooner we get rid of private medical the better. I’m not into what other countries are doing usually, but there are many out there who have this figured out.

Please no. I am afraid of the disastrous effect this would have on our economy. Healthcare is close to 20% of our economy and the ACA was the canary in the coalmine.

And the canary is dead.

mplspug wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>nhamm wrote:</div>
The sooner we get rid of private medical the better. I’m not into what other countries are doing usually, but there are many out there who have this figured out.

Please no. I am afraid of the disastrous effect this would have on our economy. Healthcare is close to 20% of our economy and the ACA was the canary in the coalmine.

And the canary is dead.

I’m with mplspug.

The VA is public healthcare. While I’m eligible, no thanks. To say they are under funded is inaccurate. They are inefficient and full of red tape. Plenty of old friends have been to the VA once, swearing never to return. I feel for those that feel the VA is their only option.

MnPat1 wrote:

Health insurance is affordable for everyone that doesn’t have a job. They have great coverage.

It’s funny because it is true. Wait that’s not funny

Tuma wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>MnPat1 wrote:</div>
Health insurance is affordable for everyone that doesn’t have a job. They have great coverage.

It’s funny because it is true. Wait that’s not funny

Quit your job then, I mean those people have it better than you with their affordable healthcare right?

BigWerm wrote:

The reason for the huge increase’s in MN is from ACA moving the high risk (pre-existing) pool from MN Care pool (govt subsidized) to the individual pool. The Farmers Co-op pool is one interesting change to the market, maybe there should be a Co-op started in your industry…

http://m.startribune.com/farmer-cooperative-health-plans-may-rattle-individual-market-in-minnesota/457321193/

Nailed it.

ACA forced everyone to receive the same premium regardless of medical history. MN gov’t jumped on board and decided to unload their expense burden into the mix and let healthy people pick up the bill. It was a double whammy against individual policies sold to the voting public on a pack of lies.

Woodshed wrote:

The VA is public healthcare. While I’m eligible, no thanks. To say they are under funded is inaccurate. They are inefficient and full of red tape. Plenty of old friends have been to the VA once, swearing never to return. I feel for those that feel the VA is their only option.

X2.

I used to tell people my reasons for why I’m not a fan of VA “healthcare.” Now I just resort to saying “you know all those bad stories you hear about the VA? They’re true.”

Reef W wrote:

Quit your job then, I mean those people have it better than you with their affordable healthcare right?

I know some of those people need it and I don’t have a problem with that. I have met many people who are just working the system for a free ride and I don’t like that. I have a hard time calling it affordable when I pay more for my family health care than my mortgage.

This is an issue that I am facing. As I am looking into venturing into a start up business (excavation) the one thing holding me back is health insurance. I work for a company now that has amazing benefits. I hardly pay a dime at the doctor and premiums are at a little over $600 a month for a family plan. Looking at going out on my own, the health insurance is the one thing holding me back. I am a 25 but I have diabetes and a few other ailments and I just can not see any health insurance option working out, although I am in the beginning of my research. It is unfortunate that the healthcare system has come to such a point that some people would rather battle a sickness or injury out than go see the doctor for fear of the bill.

As an aside, for those of you wondering or worried that if you go without health insurance you will be “taxed” heavily, it’s not true, sort of. If you go without insure and get fined just make sure you pay IN every year when doing your taxes. Everyone should do that anyway because why let the gubment make interest on money they return to you because you overpaid all year on your withholdings…but I digress. There are only 2 ways to collect your uninsured fee. Withholding from your refund at the end of the year or you volunteeringly paying it.

A little story of my own.

Last week I went to see a gastroenterologist to address my chronic heartburn. The dr prescribed a drug which is essentially Prilosec.

Went to fill my prescription and the pharmacist at Walgreens proceeded to tell me that the prescription was not covered by my insurance. No problem I have a HDHP (high deductible health plan) with an HSA. She then told me that it was $150 and that the over the counter version was much cheaper. Like $40 total.

So they want to gouge me 300% just because it was prescribed by a doctor? WTF?

She ended up filling my prescription with the over the counter brand so I paid $40 out of my HSA.

Remember the money is in the medicine, not the cure. They don’t cure anything so they can get you on the come back, so they can get more of your $. No cure for the common cold after all these decades! The doctors are nothing but a bunch of drug dealers that patch you up and get you to the next step so they can get more of your money. I don’t know who guesses more….doctors or meteorologists?

Why would anyone need to go see a doctor when all you have to do is watch TV, if you have these symptoms here is what you need.
You have pharmecuidcal companies making diagnosis by advertising.

Jon Jordan wrote:

Seem like every time I go to the doctor, they are in a new building, new office furniture and 5 star decorating.

-J.

When hospitals have private rooms with Cable TV, nicer bathrooms than I have in my house, large screen TVs with Xbox in the waiting areas, pianos, large indoor gardens to meditate, on an on. It’s no wonder the cost to stay in a hospital is ridiculous.

They are for profit and not non profit. Put non contagious people in a ward not private luxury suites, or at least two in a room.

The best advice I’ve got is stay under 26. Under my parents coverage for another 2+ years

I work at a hospital and my coworkers and I were discussing this the other night. Sure are a loooot of homeless receiving multiple days of care on some of the floors I work on. Not to say they dont deserve the care they need, but somebody has to pay for it and it certainly wont be them!

The sad thing is this country has spent more on useless wars in the last 15 years than it would’ve cost to cover every single American with health coverage for their entire lives.

Not to mention our veterans pi$$ poor health care system.

Now that’s a joke. Not literally.

mplspug wrote:

As an aside, for those of you wondering or worried that if you go without health insurance you will be “taxed” heavily, it’s not true, sort of. If you go without insure and get fined just make sure you pay IN every year when doing your taxes. Everyone should do that anyway because why let the gubment make interest on money they return to you because you overpaid all year on your withholdings…but I digress. There are only 2 ways to collect your uninsured fee. Withholding from your refund at the end of the year or you volunteeringly paying it.

As much as I would like to believe this one Pug I can’t. Seems too good to be true. I could see them eventually garnishing wages, putting a lien on any asset you have, etc. Just like the IRS, They will get you sooner or later.

I suppose it is possible they could pass a retroactively collecting the taxes, but I doubt it. Anyway the current tax bill removes the mandate. After all, the SCOTUS ruled it was a tax.

suzuki wrote:

We are all just one medical emergency from the poor house.

Absolutely true.

Last year I paid a little over 21k for health insurance for my wife and I. Like that wasn’t bad enough. Deductibles and copays cost a little over 10k more!

To top it off a contractor I know has did remodeling in a different part of the clinic I go to every year for 23 years straight. Some areas he has remodeled 4 times!

Aaron Kalberer wrote:

This is an issue that I am facing. As I am looking into venturing into a start up business (excavation) the one thing holding me back is health insurance. I work for a company now that has amazing benefits. I hardly pay a dime at the doctor and premiums are at a little over $600 a month for a family plan. Looking at going out on my own, the health insurance is the one thing holding me back. I am a 25 but I have diabetes and a few other ailments and I just can not see any health insurance option working out, although I am in the beginning of my research. It is unfortunate that the healthcare system has come to such a point that some people would rather battle a sickness or injury out than go see the doctor for fear of the bill.

Just do like any other successful business does. Charge enough to cover expensive and make a profit. My prices keep going up just like my health insurance costs.

“The reason health insurance is skyrocketing is because health care costs are skyrocketing. We all know that though. What hasn’t been mentioned that is a huge factor is the liability and malpractice insurance and “settlement” funds that they (all medical providers) need to carry.
That $26 Tylenol if given by mistake (even an honest mistake) that kills someone. Now your talking million $$ settlements.
Is it any wonder?? <img src=”//www.in-depthoutdoors.com/wp-content/smilies/icon_confused.gif” alt=”???”

Wrong.

What you’re referring to is “liability and malpractice insurance and settlement funds” is known as Professional Liability.

It has nothing to do with health insurance premiums.

Pre-Existing conditions are the #1 reason for rising health insurance premiums.

The PPACA eliminated the ability for a health insurance company to underwrite the risk, and now they’re offering the equivalent of an “open line of credit” in exchange for a monthly insurance premium

It’s no different than if financial institutions were forced to offer “guaranteed approval” for a bank loan and lost the ability to run credit score. It no longer matters that your credit score is 800+ or that you’ve never missed a payment.

You’re interest rate is the same as the guy standing next to you with a sub-500 credit score.

bullcans wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>mplspug wrote:</div>
As an aside, for those of you wondering or worried that if you go without health insurance you will be “taxed” heavily, it’s not true, sort of. If you go without insure and get fined just make sure you pay IN every year when doing your taxes. Everyone should do that anyway because why let the gubment make interest on money they return to you because you overpaid all year on your withholdings…but I digress. There are only 2 ways to collect your uninsured fee. Withholding from your refund at the end of the year or you volunteeringly paying it.

As much as I would like to believe this one Pug I can’t. Seems too good to be true. I could see them eventually garnishing wages, putting a lien on any asset you have, etc. Just like the IRS, They will get you sooner or later.

“For the upcoming 2018 filing season, the IRS‎ will not accept electronically filed tax returns where the taxpayer does not address the health coverage requirements of the Affordable Care Act.‎ The IRS will not accept the electronic tax return until the taxpayer indicates whether they had coverage, had an exemption or will make a shared responsibility payment. In addition, returns filed on paper that do not address the health coverage requirements may be suspended pending the receipt of additional information and any refunds may be delayed.”

SOURCE: https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/aca-information-center-for-tax-professionals

Joel VandeKrol wrote:

indicates whether they had coverage, had an exemption or will make a shared responsibility payment

Operative word being indicates? Like I said pay in and they have no means to collect. As far as I know there is no penalty for not paying. No penalties.

Sounds like a lot of people are skirting the tax and this is there way of trying to threaten enforcement. But as far as I know they still have no way of forcing you to pay, unlike unpayed income taxes. I don’t even know how they would know if you checked all the boxes. I wouldn’t recommend checking months you didn’t have insurance though. They might get you for falsifying documents if you were audited for something else.

Mike W wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Aaron Kalberer wrote:</div>
This is an issue that I am facing. As I am looking into venturing into a start up business (excavation) the one thing holding me back is health insurance. I work for a company now that has amazing benefits. I hardly pay a dime at the doctor and premiums are at a little over $600 a month for a family plan. Looking at going out on my own, the health insurance is the one thing holding me back. I am a 25 but I have diabetes and a few other ailments and I just can not see any health insurance option working out, although I am in the beginning of my research. It is unfortunate that the healthcare system has come to such a point that some people would rather battle a sickness or injury out than go see the doctor for fear of the bill.

Just do like any other successful business does. Charge enough to cover expensive and make a profit. My prices keep going up just like my health insurance costs.

We are all paying for the system now, whether we think we are or not, and it is costing this country a lot of money. It is unsustainable.