Uninsured fundies and Obamacare

[WonderingInWA]

If I understand Obamacare correctly, everyone in the US will be required to purchase health insurance or be fined $95 or 1% of their income for 2014 (something like that).

My question is this: Does a "plan" like Scamaritan that so many of the fundies are fond of exempt them from the penalty? It's not really insurance, it's a membership program, right?

I am just now (better late than never) looking at the layman's version of Obamacare because I am unemployed and pay for an individual policy through BCBS (and am being forced by them into a plan I don't need because they will no longer be offering my plan -- grrrrr -- but I digress).

Anyone know how the uninsured fundie community will be handling this?

[polecat]

If I understand Obamacare correctly, everyone in the US will be required to purchase health insurance or be fined $95 or 1% of their income for 2014 (something like that).

My question is this: Does a "plan" like Scamaritan that so many of the fundies are fond of exempt them from the penalty? It's not really insurance, it's a membership program, right?

I am just now (better late than never) looking at the layman's version of Obamacare because I am unemployed and pay for an individual policy through BCBS (and am being forced by them into a plan I don't need because they will no longer be offering my plan -- grrrrr -- but I digress).

Anyone know how the uninsured fundie community will be handling this?

Not everyone will have to purchase health insurance. Those who have extremely low incomes, who have no access to affordable insurance -- their premiums would cost more than eight percent of their family income even after subsidies -- Native American tribes and some others are exempt from the requirement and the penalty. Young adults may also be able to remain compliant as long as they have certain catastrophic coverage plans.

In order to avoid the fine, iirc, the plan must meet the minimum requirements of the AFA OR be grandfathered. Somehow I doubt these plans fit the bill.

[salex]

Per the radio ads on our local Christian radio stations, yes, Scamaritan "works".

samaritanministries.org/healthreform/

Or that is their claim.

[nokidsmom]

If I understand Obamacare correctly, everyone in the US will be required to purchase health insurance or be fined $95 or 1% of their income for 2014 (something like that).

My question is this: Does a "plan" like Scamaritan that so many of the fundies are fond of exempt them from the penalty? It's not really insurance, it's a membership program, right?

I am just now (better late than never) looking at the layman's version of Obamacare because I am unemployed and pay for an individual policy through BCBS (and am being forced by them into a plan I don't need because they will no longer be offering my plan -- grrrrr -- but I digress).

Anyone know how the uninsured fundie community will be handling this?

Good question about Scamaritan and Obamacare. I guess it would come down to whether Scamaritan meets criteria under Obamacare to qualify as an insurance policy but from what I have heard, it doesn't sound like it does. Even if it is considered a "policy", maybe the level of benefits could be considered substandard and therefore not acceptable either. Not totally sure but these are my thoughts.

As for how uninsured fundie community handling it, I guess that a lot of them will not comply simply because it's the ebil guvmint telling them what to do.

[lizziesmom]

^^^

The ebil guvmint tells them to buy car insurance so I assume they do. What is the difference (other than the Affordable Health Care Act, which is almost identical to a version once proposed by Republicans, has become derisively 'Obamacare') -- hate for the president or opposition makes you a good GOPer?

[FeministShrew]

My fundie friends have been bitching & moaning about it all week.

A devout Mormon: "What a joke!!!!! I'm all for health care but not when it comes in the form of a giant tax with penalties. I can't afford health care and now I will be 'taxed' in the form of a 'fine' because of it. NO WAY is this constitutional!"

A very conservative Southern Baptist: "Curious.... Just how is $600 a month (and $1500 in some states) affordable healthcare to those working families who are already living paycheck to paycheck????? I must be missing something."

I've refrained from posting that I'm looking forward to having helth insurance again. These are sweet, funny, kind ladies (or so I thought) that I've known most of my life. I don't understand how they (or anyone) can be so hateful & selfish.

Then there are the folks with good benefits through their jobs. Their attitude is "I've got mine, you can go die in a ditch for all I care."

I just checked my IFB sister's FB, but she's surprisingly silent on Obamacare. OT: She does have a post about Hobby Lobby closing all stores rather than comply with ACA, & a post telling people to unfriend her if they support "more" gun control. My mouse finger is itching, lol! 8-)

[pattygbucks]

A very conservative Southern Baptist: "Curious.... Just how is $600 a month (and $1500 in some states) affordable healthcare to those working families who are already living paycheck to paycheck????? I must be missing something."

I am not a "very conservative Southern Baptist" by any stretch of the immagination...but I wonder about this too. There are so many good provisions in obamacare...I sure there are many bad, but I will never read through it to know....

Politically I lean libertarian, usually vote moderate, which I suspect is not very popular here on FJ.

[Buzzard]

I am not a "very conservative Southern Baptist" by any stretch of the immagination...but I wonder about this too. There are so many good provisions in obamacare...I sure there are many bad, but I will never read through it to know....

Politically I lean libertarian, usually vote moderate, which I suspect is not very popular here on FJ.

You're not alone :wink-kitty: Never fear posting what you feel.

My guess is that the fundies will continue on their merry way and pay the fine. If something catastrophic happens they can always sign up at that point.

[WonderingInWA]

You're not alone :wink-kitty: Never fear posting what you feel.

My guess is that the fundies will continue on their merry way and pay the fine. If something catastrophic happens they can always sign up at that point.

They can? I truly am naive about the provisions of OC -- so even if you miss the enrollment period you can sign up if something catastrophic happens?

[splork]

They can? I truly am naive about the provisions of OC -- so even if you miss the enrollment period you can sign up if something catastrophic happens?

Nope. There's an extra-long enrollment period at first, but after that it's like any other insurance.

[rward]

My fundie friends have been bitching & moaning about it all week.

A devout Mormon: "What a joke!!!!! I'm all for health care but not when it comes in the form of a giant tax with penalties. I can't afford health care and now I will be 'taxed' in the form of a 'fine' because of it. NO WAY is this constitutional!"

A very conservative Southern Baptist: "Curious.... Just how is $600 a month (and $1500 in some states) affordable healthcare to those working families who are already living paycheck to paycheck????? I must be missing something."

I've refrained from posting that I'm looking forward to having helth insurance again. These are sweet, funny, kind ladies (or so I thought) that I've known most of my life. I don't understand how they (or anyone) can be so hateful & selfish.

Then there are the folks with good benefits through their jobs. Their attitude is "I've got mine, you can go die in a ditch for all I care."

I just checked my IFB sister's FB, but she's surprisingly silent on Obamacare. OT: She does have a post about Hobby Lobby closing all stores rather than comply with ACA, & a post telling people to unfriend her if they support "more" gun control. My mouse finger is itching, lol! 8-)

The Washington Post has an article about the ACA (Obamacare, natch) today. I highly recommend it. The amounts cited were $400 a month AT MOST, and every single one of those people will get a subsidy making their insurance free to $100 a month.

I'm pretty sure the Bible had something to say about lying ($1500 a month, really?), but what do I know? I'm a Buddhist.

[polecat]

My fundie friends have been bitching & moaning about it all week.

A devout Mormon: "What a joke!!!!! I'm all for health care but not when it comes in the form of a giant tax with penalties. I can't afford health care and now I will be 'taxed' in the form of a 'fine' because of it. NO WAY is this constitutional!"

A very conservative Southern Baptist: "Curious.... Just how is $600 a month (and $1500 in some states) affordable healthcare to those working families who are already living paycheck to paycheck????? I must be missing something."

I've refrained from posting that I'm looking forward to having helth insurance again. These are sweet, funny, kind ladies (or so I thought) that I've known most of my life. I don't understand how they (or anyone) can be so hateful & selfish.

Then there are the folks with good benefits through their jobs. Their attitude is "I've got mine, you can go die in a ditch for all I care."

I just checked my IFB sister's FB, but she's surprisingly silent on Obamacare. OT: She does have a post about Hobby Lobby closing all stores rather than comply with ACA, & a post telling people to unfriend her if they support "more" gun control. My mouse finger is itching, lol! 8-)

Hobby Lobby is so full of it I can't even ...

They offered BC and the morning after pill UNTIL they were told they had to. Then they freaked the flip out, eliminated it from their coverage and went on their little tirade, stomping their little glitter-soaked feet everywhere and waving glue guns in the air.

http://www.becketfund.org/wp-content/up ... tamped.pdf

[Coconut Flan]

The people I know screaming the loudest about how awful ACA is are the very people who need it the most. They are almost all Southern Baptists and I'm guessing getting their misinformation from the pulpit or Rush Limbough.

[Emkay]

I get that people are talking about this again/still because certain provisions will become active on October 1, but what I don't get is why I hear people, most notably Republican Congressmen/Senators referring to it as a 'bill,' and talking about repealing it like it could happen. The ACA is LAW, not a bill- Congress passed it in 2009, and Pres. Obama signed it into law in 2010! the Supreme Court ruled on it, so they agree it's constitutional. The Republican Party at this time doesn't have the votes in the Senate to repeal it, so to watch them try over and over to repeal it (what is it, 42 times now?) is absolutely infuriating!

I also hear people claim the majority of Americans don't want this. I beg to differ. The ACA was a fairly big part of the 2012 election, and Mitt Romney made it clear that if he were elected, he would repeal it. He still lost the election.

I do understand that people might be uncertain about this, and could be until we see how everything actually works. I also know, however, that what I've seen so far has been good- this year and last, my grandparents (nearly 90 but in fairly good health) have each gotten reimbursement checks from their insurance company for about $500. The insurance companies didn't spend the required 80% of their premiums on their medical care, so they got a check which they can now apply to their next premium.

[gustava]

In addition to the WaPo article, this site will answer many questions:

https://www.healthcare.gov/

PLEASE NOTE (as said above) that the ebil guvmint will subsidize individuals and families, making the cost more than affordable.

[salex]

In addition to the WaPo article, this site will answer many questions:

https://www.healthcare.gov/

PLEASE NOTE (as said above) that the ebil guvmint will subsidize individuals and families, making the cost more than affordable.

Will subsidize "some" individuals and families.

Family of 2 making more than ~65K/year nope----at least when I entered my state, etc.

[lizziesmom]

I googled "economics of Affordable Care Act" and this popped up.

http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/ ... -care-act/

Edit to add: I don't begin to know all the pros and cons of the ACA but I have already realized to invaluable benefits. First, my insurance company cannot limit me to a lifetime cap on what they will pay and second, I have received partial refund checks for two years because my insurance company did not spend at least 80 percent of my premium dollars on medical care. As someone who has been fighting cancer for going on 8 years, I cannot imagine how I would keep going without these benefits and having that arbitrary cap disappear really helps lessen the stress.

[pattygbucks]

My state, Massachusetts, that has been doing this concept for awhile (Romneycare ;-)

unsubsidized lowest rate for family of 6 is $1,015/month for income more than ~$95/year

[Coconut Flan]

I looked up my guesses for my most vocal acquaintance about ACA. She has no insurance and is livid about having to buy insurance. Her grand cost looks to be about $280 a year and she'll have health insurance! She's livid about this imposition on her life. :angry-banghead: :cray-cray:

[OkToBeTakei]

Now I know it's not an NHS but seriously is this not a good thing?

Educate me. What I read is very confusing. I just wish the insurance companies were out of the equation totally.

Talk to me my FJ American friends.

Usually the simpler and more direct the better, I don't pretend to be bright :lol:

[WonderingInWA]

Now I know it's not an NHS but seriously is this not a good thing?

Educate me. What I read is very confusing. I just wish the insurance companies were out of the equation totally.

Talk to me my FJ American friends.

Usually the simpler and more direct the better, I don't pretend to be bright :lol:

(my bolding): Me, too. I feel I am in a unique situation -- unemployed, have individual insurance, and now I have the option of comparing my current policy (which will be changing its parameters in January) to switching to ACA. Add to that I am the primary custodial parent to two children under 20 but will not be adding them to my coverage because they are covered by their father's insurance (so do I get the deduction or not?). It's like apples and oranges, I think, but I don't know where to go to know for sure.

I read that the fed gov't spent a boatload of money to train the people who will be manning the phones to answer questions. But what if that fails? What if people are told something that's not true or misinterpret the truth? There is a 6-month enrollment period, so I'm guessing there's a good reason for that. Nobody is ready for this, but then everyone is, you know?

ETA: punctuation and the bit about my kids.

[pattygbucks]

yes...it's a good thing, but it is expensive. The USA has been behind most developed countries for quite some time in health care insurance for everyone. But affordable mean different things to different people...

The health care exchanges are only for people who don't get health insurance through their employer. So those are the people who the conversation needs to focus on. If you are below an income level, based on geography and family size, you will be eligible for the gov't to pay for a portion of your premium. For my family of 6 in Massachusetts, if our annual income is above ~95k then we will have to pay $1,015 each month for the most basic policy ~$12,180/year. that is 12.5% of our income. But, the out of pocket costs for deductibles and co-pays will add ~$3,000 to that~$15,000/year...and a big chunk of change.

I'm somehwhat familiar with the insurance in Germany. When I made less than 400 euro/month (~$540 at today's exchange rate) I did not have employer provided insurance. But when I went over that point, my health care withholding was ~15%. When I got a raise, my net income was lower b/c of the mandatory participation in insurance. in addition, my employer's costs went up ~7%. Business owners in Germany would advertise jobs with the "under 400 euro basis" disclaimer so the employee would know no health insurance was included. That is what some are predicting will happen...hours will be cut so the employer will not have to pay for health insurance...which will reduce incomes...which will increase the number of people the gov't will subsidize. Time will tell what happens.

With no insurance coverage, my daughter was treated at a German hospital for her scolosis. The appointment time was at 8:30. Well...not really, everyone with a morning appointment showed up at 8:30. You were put in a queue based on your arrival time and then spend the morning just waiting your turn. Or maybe we were put in the bottom of the queue since we didn't have insurance. Anyway, the first time, she was not seen until 11:30. But I got smart...the next time we arrived around 7:45 and only had to wait until 10. The average American will not be happy waiting for hours for dr appointments.

[WonderingInWA]

I am really appreciating this discussion, so thanks to all who are participating!

[OkToBeTakei]

(my bolding): Me, too. I feel I am in a unique situation -- unemployed, have individual insurance, and now I have the option of comparing my current policy (which will be changing its parameters in January) to switching to ACA. Add to that I am the primary custodial parent to two children under 20 but will not be adding them to my coverage because they are covered by their father's insurance (so do I get the deduction or not?). It's like apples and oranges, I think, but I don't know where to go to know for sure.

I read that the fed gov't spent a boatload of money to train the people who will be manning the phones to answer questions. But what if that fails? What if people are told something that's not true or misinterpret the truth? There is a 6-month enrollment period, so I'm guessing there's a good reason for that. Nobody is ready for this, but then everyone is, you know?

ETA: punctuation and the bit about my kids.

That's awful. Is the system very complicated or just a tiered system which...is just complicated.

I often wonder at the NHS and how they implemented it..whilst not perfect it is quite amazing in it's breadth. Mr OK got his poo pack just 2 days after his 50th birthday. That must take some organising. Poo for the win :lol:

I read on a blog recently or was it TV..a woman said I would hate if my child had an accident in the play park. I thought of course we all think that. Then she added we just could not afford it. I have never had to think that way and I detest people who slam socialised healthcare in any way. Really hate that. Perfect? No. Call 999 you are a priority. OH your speshul snowflake waited 8 weeks for an assessment for his maybe not time important or painful slightly left foot looking he throws it inwards at age 3. Well pay for it privately. I waited the 8 weeks to be told good shoes and barefoot in sand will correct it. Sorry personal rant.

When my Dad was in his Aortic aneurism thingie. From home to table was less than an hour.

When my friend had a heart attack at work it was 40 minutes.

When I the drama queen was in undiagnosed pain it was a week and great meds and shit food for a week to get CT MRI and a diagnosis.

When my Father in law was diagnosed with asbestosis they provided him with oxygen in his home.

I am never done with them telling me my smear is due or that my kid is due a an influenza vaccine. (granted a new thing)

WHY OH why would anybody not want in these economic times to take their health as a given. WHY are people against this? I don't get it. I really do not.

[WonderingInWA]

OKToBeTakei -- are you in Canada? Just curious. Yes, most other civilized nations have managed to get this to work.