Information

[killarney_rose]

Elections have consequences!

The Affordable Care Act priced us out of the health insurance market before the bill was even passed, it jumped 50% before passage. We dropped our insurance and have been without for five years. Three years ago we insured the kids but not us. Just for Larry and I the best we could get was $2000 a month with 10 K deductable and still that way for individual policies. What do you mean insurance rates have lowered says the left? We were paying $840 a month with 10K deductable when the president was elected the first time. We recently found if we join AARP we can get a policy with 10K deductable for $600 a month, but we can now enter a pool because of age. Add Lynn's and James' policies and we would spend $960 a month. Insurance rates have not gone down.

As small business owners we have never made enough money to supply insurance to our employees. But we have helped out with their medical bills to the extent we can. And if you don't believe the country is moving to part time employees.....I beg to differ! We are opening a third business six weeks from the time our lawyer finishes the finalizing of our contract for the storefront. We have hired the only full time employee we will have, the rest part time. Thank you Affordable Care Act! We would like to have four more full time employees. We expect the first growth in the new business to be within a year. That puts us over the limit on employees.

Then this morning I hear a report on the News about Delta and their health care problems. Very large company self insured who has to have their own exchanges for employees to choose from.

The cost of implimentation for Delta is a one time fee in setting up exchanges.

Next year's projected health care cost increases for Delta:

A $63 dollar fee (tax) paid for each employee covered. Estimated cost $10 million.
Extended coverage to kids to age 26. Estimated cost $14 million
Required individual mandate bringing more dependents into Delta's insurance. Estimated cost $14 million.

Total projected cost with yearly increase in insurance to Delta: Up to $100 million.


Who pays for it? We do the consumer! Get it government! I want the Affordable Care Act DEFUNDED! Pass short bills covering the items the country does want. And I mean short!

I sit stunned....my house note which includes insurance including flood and property taxes in the escrow is $1436 dollars. Of that my house note is only $685 dollars. Comparison between health insurance....hmmmm! In my state our stupid government allows insurance company a guarantee of 14% profit.......hmmmm! My profit is a little over 7% on our corporation our businesses are under!

End of rant!

[gonecamping]

I don't think the a lot of people realize what exactly the affordable health care law does. It needs to be defunded. Some major changes need to happen. It's rare to see opening for full time jobs, everything around here is part time. A friend lost her full time job and they hired 2 part-timers to take her place. Maybe if more people "rant" this government might actually get it and do something about it..not too hopeful about that unfortunately.

[1grandma]

You are preaching to the choir, here. I am NOT an Obama fan, but my sister loves him. If there is a Civil War again, we will be on different sides.

[writerlady]

I guess I'm the lone Obama fan here. So be it. I was born and raised in the Northeast, so I guess I fit right in here. I will say that my son, who is unemployed and can't work right now (medically) has finally got insurance for medical care! I say Hallelujah! I was so stressed, trying to pay for his medical care while being disabled and on Medicare myself. I guess those that don't have much are pretty happy to have something. Sorry it affects you so badly.

[Ayla]

The changes brought about have very negatively affected health care. Reimbursements to hospitals are way down. Down so far that the hospital I work for, because we serve a large portion of Medicare and Medicaid populations, has closed beds and laid off people. 89 people were laid off in June, INCLUDING nurses! Nurses! A job we have traditionally thought of as safe. Another round of layoffs is expected in September. And that's just one hospital! This health care "reform", while admittedly may have some good points, has far too many shortfalls and is costing incredible amounts of money. It, and Obama, need to go away!

[killarney_rose]

I guess I'm the lone Obama fan here. So be it. I was born and raised in the Northeast, so I guess I fit right in here. I will say that my son, who is unemployed and can't work right now (medically) has finally got insurance for medical care! I say Hallelujah! I was so stressed, trying to pay for his medical care while being disabled and on Medicare myself. I guess those that don't have much are pretty happy to have something. Sorry it affects you so badly.

Sandy, I'm not any happier with the Republican Party....like Democrat totally run by "THE" machine within each Party! Speaker of the House Boehner is a whimp in my opinion! And Harry Reid is a loon. And I could go on with each name you give me regardless of party. Might not know them....but sure wouldn't take me long to find some kind of name to call him or her. LOL....It's Mr. Perfect Hair as our Governor of Texas!

What you need is exactly what I am talking about and which the majority in this country are 100% in favor of. When I talk with friends in Australia and Canada they say the system doesn't work well with the government intervention. It slows down and is inefficient. That will not help your son. Allowing companies to compete across state lines will help lower costs and get poor Texas out from under minimum 14% profit. Don't always believe Texas is the best place when it comes to some things like some would lead you to believe on a national level in the press. Denying one on preexisting conditions is crazy in my opinion. And allowing a child to stay on a parent's policy is a good thing if they go to 24 instead of 26. Allowing small business a wider access to pools where we can get cheaper health plans for our employees and not charge the crap out of us for being a small business. These pools will also be beneficial for single payer options. It doesn't take a government take over to fix the problem.

Add on top of that we are going to allow the IRS to have more private information. They already can't be trusted with targeting individuals and groups because of politics. Really!!! What will happen the next time a Republican sits in the White House? Will someone ask the IRS to go after the left? That wouldn't be right either. Just ask someone who has had to deal with them what they are like. I've heard horror stories.

Then to even top it off you, my mother in law and my mother will eventually see medicare services go downhill. That's not right either. It is so hard to find a health provider who will take a cash payment in our state. It's that crazy here.

We can have the good things in this bill without a government takeover.

Then I'm going back to your post Sandy. Maybe more on the board might want this bill to be defunded, maybe it might be the other way. But what I do not see in this country and I got a hint you might be afraid of being attacked for believing in the President. Here's my stance. This country has become so petty in attacks coming from both sides it makes me ill. I want you to believe in what your conscience dictates, I want to believe in what my conscience dictates. That is what freedom is called.....that is what our founders believed in. All I want is to be free. Can our politicians all not be more respectful to each other and not point fingers because someone else has other beliefs. Can we not be afraid to exchange ideas. Then why does the left and right bicker so? I swear I have no earthly idea on how to solve that one. Now you understand why I'm an independent and have dived in recently reading about the history of the Constitution. It is utterly fascinating!

[Retiree3]

Kim,
I agree with you totally! Most of today's politicians have a personal agenda. Whatever happened to serving for the people that one represents? We are in a fine mess.
I work for a tax company and most people are shocked when they learn that there will be a penalty that is added to their taxes for not having heath care. This penalty will take effect this coming tax year. Even with government assistance, which we pay for, many will still not be able to afford the increasing high cost of health insurance.