Quote:I only know what I've seen, having helped 2 friends sign up on the Marketplace the past two years. Tennessee did not expand Medicaid. One is living on a widow's SS pension of less than $1K per month, the other works and makes about $22K annually. Both had pre-existing conditions that preventing them from purchasing health insurance prior to the ACA.  One's premium is about $65, the other is $85. Both deductibles are $500 and out of pocket maximums under $1000. I may be a little off on the details, but not by much. Each had about 4 viable options from which to choose. The premiums increased slightly from last year, but their deductibles and out of pocket maximums are lower.

 

So, for them, it's working.

 

For them...  What about those of us that would be considered "middle class"?

 

I can say that my employer plan is MUCH more expensive and I pay a MUCH higher premium than $65 or $85 for my wife and I.  My deductible and out-of-pocket expense is also MUCH higher than $1000.  Obamacare didn't really give me a better option.  It's actually cost more for someone like me.

 

Many liberals like to cite how it helps the poor, but ignore how much more it costs for middle or upper class families.  The problem is, it doesn't really affect higher class or higher income earners, it hurts those of us closer to the middle.

 

Quote:My wife's parents are living well below the poverty level, they had not had health insurance for several years and are hard core republicans.


I helped them get on the new Mexico health exchange and get health insurance. Her dad had diabetes and is now finally getting good care. Before Obama care, he was going to some charlatan, because it was cheaper than going to a doctor.


They complain and complain about having to be forced to have it, but it benefits them.


It's obviously a vastly improved system than what we had. I'm just tired of the discussion. I've been debating it since 2010, with family members, class mates when I was getting my degree, etc...


It has faults and alot of benefits, I think this policy is the stepping stone to universal Medicare. But it's just been like 6 years of debating a plan that I've lost the passion to defend it anymore. It's here, and I don't think it's going anywhere anytime soon.


Though I do find it funny when people blame Obama care the lack of jobs, when in fact we have been seeing constant job growth for every year that it's been around...

 

It's a stepping stone indeed.  A stepping stone to disaster and is slowly wiping the middle class away.

 

If you really think that universal medicare medicaid is the answer, then you are very mistaken.  All that would do is de-value the education and profession of being a doctor.  In essence, you are making the medical profession a "trade" rather than a "profession".

 

Want to bring the cost of health care back down to reasonable levels?  Then allow insurance companies to sell insurance across state lines.  Move back to what health insurance really is, an "insurance policy" against catastrophic conditions.  "Health Insurance" and "Health Care" doesn't mean routine checkups or a physical at a doctor's office.  After all, your car insurance policy doesn't pay for routine oil changes or inspections.

 

Speaking of which, it would be interesting to see how many new Obamacare members even went in to a doctor for a physical, pap-smear or a breast exam.

 

Get rid of the employer mandate.  The only reason employers started offering health insurance was because they wanted to attract labor.  It's not an employer's duty to take care of your health insurance needs.  Put the responsibility back into the hands of the people.  After all, "the people" are demanding reasonable representation in the current election.

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