[mysticalgal28]

Just seen on tv the bill went through. I am in shock.Does anyone know what this means? Is everyone going to have insurance now? I have great insurance so that means it is going to be worthless now? I might as well just quit my flippin job now and go on welfare!!

[Teri]

I think it still has to pass the Senate.

[mysticalgal28]

Yeah they said it will have no problem going through the senate. Obama gave a live speech last night on it and from what I understand it is going to be cheaper insurance preiums and everyone has to have some type of insurance or they are fined $312 a year.It isn't supposed to probably go in effect till 2014 and they talked about a nation wide sales tax to pay for it.

[sarahlorrain]

I'm not really sure how I feel about it (not that the president CARES what I think.) I'll be interested to see how if affects people like us (living paycheck to paycheck, can't afford health insurance because that would mean either our vehicle goes into repossession or we don't have enough money for food.) What I want to know is if we don't get health insurance and have to pay the penalty, do we get free health care or do we still have to pay for our health care on top of paying the penalty? We may not have health insurance, but when we go to the doctor, we still pay for it! We don't just leave the doctor high and dry!

[twoboys]

I wish I knew more about this??? Health care coverage should be affordable to everyone!!

[~Daniell~]

Originally Posted by twoboys

I wish I knew more about this??? Health care coverage should be affordable to everyone!!

I agree

[mysticalgal28]

I heard something that it is going to be at reduced rates, like say your premium is like $13 a month now for health care compared to like $800 before. They are going to have a reduced premium plan. At first I thought they were doing away with all health insurance all together and just have a country wide health plan (like Canada) But I guess that isn't the case. I really don't understand politics... but they said whoever our next president is can change this. I watched Obama last night and he is a joke... said that the people have spoken... hrm ok how comes there was rallies everywhere against it?? Which I understand it is like that everywhere about everything, I just can't believe this went through so quick. Sarah I am sure it is going to help your family. But how good is this goverment insurance going to be?? They said they are going to pay for it through a nationwide sales tax, so in addition to the state sales tax we are going to have to pay a federal one to. I believe the first step of this should of been to get all children insured and go from there, I agree that all children should have insurance. But I just know too many worthless people who are to lazy to get a job and just live their life on welfare, but yet go to bingo and spend hundreds of dollars and drive new cars. That is where the system is flawed...

[Mom2M&S]

I have mixed feelings about this and am curious to see the final details when they come around. We are in the process of applying for health insurance now to the tune of nearly $600 a month for a family of 4...and that plan has a $10k deductible as if we'd ever be able to pay or meet that.

[sarahlorrain]

In response to Jessica's post, this is why I'm for the FairTax - no income tax but a higher sales tax. That would get rid of people cheating the system by working for cash but getting on welfare. I have a friend who's husband works, and she works under the table as a waitress and then works evenings cleaning houses. She makes almost as much money as her husband - cash! They only report his income and their kids are on Medicaid and they are on food stamps. If we only had a sales tax, the government would get the $$ they need, because people have to buy stuff, like it or not. Look up fairtax, it seems like a pretty good deal. People would also get a subsidy to compensate for tax paid of necessities, a family my size would get over $700 a month under the fairtax proposal. Not that it'll ever pass, but I can wish, right?

Anyway, back to the health care, I would love to have insurance if I could afford it. If they can make it affordable, then I'm all for it. Right now, we'd have to pay like $500 a month to insure all of us and there is NO WAY we could afford that. Luckily, our kids do qualify for Medicaid or CHIP, depending on the time of year since dh mows yards during the summer, we make more then. It will be interesting to see how this pans out. I'm not to keen on them giving the IRS more power though.

[*SamF*]

There is some wonderful stuff in the bill- like pre-existing conditions having to be covered, and getting rid of caps. As far as I know it doesn't not cover tort reform which is what is greatly needed.
But it is at best fiscally irresponsible, since the money to pay for it are bills that will go through in 2018 and there is no guarantee that they will. There are leaving it to be paid for by our children. If we are going to go the way of universal healthcare than we need to pay for it.
At worst it's unconstitutional because it is requiring people to purchase a product.

Overall it was a huge waste of taxpayers money. It most likely will be repealed and then we have to start all over with health care reform that can actually work.

and don't even get me started on giving the IRS control of enforcing it......

[sarahlorrain]

Originally Posted by *SamF*

and don't even get me started on giving the IRS control of enforcing it......

I know! Like one attack on an IRS building wasn't enough ... like this will make things better. Unfortunately, I see our government headed the way of making a government that the people are afraid of ... and that's not a good way to run a country!

[Amazona]

I have no idea what the bill really says but I sure hope it's for the good.
I've seen 2 kinds of public healthcare system. One properly enforced and run and one where the taxpayers' money was going to he wrong pockets and healthcare is not ensured. You all know which is where, right?
So I hope you guys end up being closer to Canada than Argentina.
In arg we are supposed to have free public health but you'd literally die if you rely on it and therefore everyone has also a private plan. Not fair in any way since they pay for a service (public health) they can't get

However here in Canada I think it is wonderful that people can rely on the health system at all times. Yes, it has flaws but at least you get an excellent care, no matter your income. It is the least selfish country I've ever seen. When I arrived here I used to complain about the lack of choice in many things (like healthcare professionals), compared to the excellent service I had back home. But I was shown the difference. I was being selfish because I was comparing it because I could afford it but I wasn't thinking of the thousands or millions of people who couldn't. And now I get it. It's not just about me or my family. I had to learn to look at the bigger picture.

So I wish you all a Canadian healthcare future. Not joking here. I really mean it

[Teri]

Originally Posted by sarahlorrain

I know! Like one attack on an IRS building wasn't enough ... like this will make things better. Unfortunately, I see our government headed the way of making a government that the people are afraid of ... and that's not a good way to run a country!

I totally agree!

[mysticalgal28]

The said if the bill passes it is going to hurt the economy... great that is all we need something more to hurt the economy. I heard something like there is over 2700 pages to the bill and most people in the house and senate probably didn't even read all of it.

I got this off of Yahoo news
"Beginning in 2014, more far-reaching measures will begin to take effect. States would be required to set up new "exchanges," or insurance marketplaces, that would offer a variety of health care plans for small businesses and individuals who do not get coverage from their employers. Government subsidies would be available to those earning up to 400% of poverty. Employers with 50 or more workers who do not offer coverage would be fined, and for the first time, most people would be required to obtain health coverage - either at work, or by purchasing it on their own - or pay a penalty."

No I take it this would do away with free state health care and make the person pay for it?

I know what you mean Sarah, there is people who collect SSI and then flippin just have more kids for more money. There is this family where I live.. I think mom and dad are related LOL but anyways they both get it and have 3 kids who are all "slow" so they all recieve it.. they get close to 5 grand a month. People just abuse the system.

[C&K'sMama]

I don't know how accurate my info is. I watched one of his speeches on the subject...

First it's supposed to be funded not through new taxes, but by pulling money from programs that aren't working, so we're not supposed to see a raise there

Insurance companies will not be able to deny children with preexisting conditions

children will be able to be on mom and dads healthcare until they're 26

more rules and restrictions on the insurance companies, like they can't drop you for getting sick and controling increases and stoping yearly caps etc

the gov't will also be adding new taxes and fees on them to help funding since this is set up to potentially add 10's of millions of new customers for them

basically it's supposed to give small burisnesses and people looking just to insure their family a chance to get similar rates to those being offered to large buisness.

[mommy2angels]

I have not read the details completely, but when i read was YES you have to have insurance, but if your low income you can apply to not get fined, but it did not say you would GET free insurance. It takes away pre-existing conditions rejections, and over charging because of those conditions or because of gender. Parents able to keep children on til 26, and banning capping.
Personally i am for the reform, and they have even said its not perfect, or really the bill they originally wanted, but i think its a good start. And as for the rallys, they have said all all networks (except Fox) that the loudest arent always the majority. 70%ish of Americans (depending on what the "newest" bill says) were all for a public option until ppl were talking about death commity and other things to scare voters

Honestly though... when it comes to ppl cheating the system i wish we could just figure out a way to tighten rules on govnt support, but then others who arent cheating will suffer too. can we just ship them off to an island?
Sorry for typing mistakes.. NUK

I think jonnies_goodgirl said it better than me... we posted same time...THANK YOU!!

[lhug_nar]

I haven't read all the details of the bill but I do hope that it's going to be for the better.

Right now we're paying $1,100 a month plus a $2,400 deductible (per person) for 4 of us to be on DH's insurance through work... That's more than a quarter of his gross income! If we have to add DS1 to his insurance it's going to be $1,500 a month for insurance! Right now, my ex has insurance on DS1 but the cap on it is $1,200 yearly! That doesn't cover anything because DS1 needs meds for his ADHD, we see the doc once a month for a check up since he's on the ADHD meds, he has cerebral palsy and gets botox injections to help him use the extremities affected, he has an ENT doc that he sees because he's had polyps on his vocal chords...

From what I understand, this bill that just passed is supposed to make it cheaper for us to have insurance without getting slaughtered financially and it would make it so that DS1, even though he has so many pre-existing conditions can have health insurance and his stuff would be covered - no questions asked.

Hopefully this is for the better for everyone.

[Carrie429]

Most of the people who don’t have health coverage are not “too lazy to get a job and living on welfare”. They are the sick people - the people with pre-existing conditions, like Tiff F's son (hope you don't mind using the example!), my brother who has a heart problem or all of the women, myself included, who have PCOS, or cancer or a hefty laundry list of conditions that insurance companies use to deny (or drop) coverage. The people without insurance are the small business owners and self employed or those who’s employers do not offer coverage. Those “too lazy to get a job and living on welfare” probably do have coverage already anyway.

If my husband lost his job or they simply decided to stop offering health insurance - I’d be screwed. I have PCOS and I wouldn’t even have the option to buy private insurance currently. Our only option would be COBRA, which is big bucks and eventually runs out leaving me uninsured. And when that happens?

The hospital bill from my first pregnancy? $40,000. That was a high risk complicated pregnancy and all said and done probably pushed close to 75K.
My Appendectomy in 2008 - hospital bill alone was 26K - then there were the bills for the anesthesiologists, radiologists, surgeons, doctors, etc.
Most recent pregnancy the hospital and my OB ran 30K not including extra testing, labs, blood work, care for Parker and additional doctors, etc.

That’s over $130,000 in medical bills for me alone in just 3 years. That does not include the medical bills for my kids, including the surgery my 3 year old just had and will be enormous.

Thankfully we have health insurance but we’ll still owe at least 5K in medical bills for 2010 alone between Parker’s birth and my son’s surgery.

But what do you do with those bills if you don’t have insurance? 130K… make payments? If you’re the one staring that debt down I assume you have very limited options and a big one being bankruptcy - and no one wins in that situation. It leads to higher medical costs and higher insurance premiums and we all get screwed and why? Because someone was sick or didn’t have access to realistically affordable healthcare.

And this is just an example of myself - a relatively healthy 20 something who might have a hormonal conditon but none of those things involved it. What about someone who gets cancer or seriously injured in a car crash?

Our current health care system is terribly flawed - and its easy to blame it on the lazy welfare queens. But sadly that’s a big fat excuse to turn a blind eye.

This bill isn’t going to please everyone and it is flawed and just because it has passed doesn’t mean it will go into effect - it probably wont. I don’t know all the dirty little details but I do know that while it might be flawed - it is at the very least a step in the right direction.

[jennpook]

I am not sure as to if the information I received is all up to date and correct since it was in October that this letter was written but many parts of this I did not like. I wish passing a bill was different, that you had to vote on each individual thing instead of the dirty deals that go on attaching 10 bad ideas to the 1 good idea.

Please excuse the length

Received in email:

"From a Doctor who read the Healthcare Bill
An Indianapolis doctor's letter to Sen. Bayh about the Bill
(Note: Dr. Stephen E. Frazer, MD practices as an anesthesiologist in Indianapolis , IN )
Here is a letter I sent to Senator Bayh.
Feel free to copy it and send it around to all other representatives. –
Stephen Fraser

October 23, 2009
Senator Bayh,
As a practicing physician I have major concerns with the health care bill before Congress. I actually have read the bill and am shocked by the brazenness of the government's proposed involvement in the patient-physician relationship. The very idea that the government will dictate and ration patient care is dangerous and certainly not helpful in designing a health care system that works for all. Every physician I work with agrees that we need to fix our health care system, but the proposed bills currently making their way through congress will be a disaster if passed.
I ask you respectfully and as a patriotic American to look at the following troubling lines that I have read in the bill. You cannot possibly believe that these proposals are in the best interests of the country and our fellow citizens.
Page 22 of the HC Bill: Mandates that the Govt will audit books of all employers that self-insure!!
Page 30 Sec 123 of HC bill: THERE WILL BE A GOVT COMMITTEE that decides what treatments/benefits you get.
Page 29 lines 4-16 in the HC bill: YOUR HEALTH CARE IS RATIONED!!!
Page 42 of HC Bill: The Health Choices Commissioner will choose your HC benefits for you. You have no choice!
Page 50 Section 152 in HC bill: HC will be provided to ALL non-US citizens, illegal or otherwise.
Page 58 HC Bill: Govt will have real-time access to individuals' finances & a 'National ID Health card' will be issued!
Page 59 HC Bill lines 21-24: Govt will have direct access to your bank accounts for elective funds transfer.
Page 65 Sec 164: Is a payoff subsidized plan for retirees and their families in unions & community organizations: (ACORN).
Page 84 Sec 203 HC bill: Govt mandates ALL benefit packages for private HC plans in the 'Exchange.'
Page 85 Line 7 HC Bill: Specifications of Benefit Levels for Plans -- The Govt will ration your health care!
Page 91 Lines 4-7 HC Bill: Govt mandates linguistic appropriate services. (Translation: illegal aliens.)
Page 95 HC Bill Lines 8-18: The Govt will use groups (i.e. ACORN & Americorps) to sign up individuals for Govt HC plan.
Page 85 Line 7 HC Bill: Specifications of Benefit Levels for Plans. (AARP members - your health care WILL be rationed!)
Page 102 Lines 12-18 HC Bill: Medicaid eligible individuals will be automatically enrolled in Medicaid.
Page 12 4 lines 24-25 HC: No company can sue GOVT on price fixing. No "judicial review" against Govt monopoly.
Page 127 Lines 1-16 HC Bill: Doctors/ American Medical Association - The Govt will tell YOU what salary you can make.
Page 145 Line 15-17: An Employer MUST auto-enroll employees into public option plan. (NO choice!)
Page 126 Lines 22-25: Employers MUST pay for HC for part-time employees AND their families. (Employees shouldn't get excited about this as employers will be forced to reduce its work force, benefits, and wages/salaries to cover such a huge expense.)
Page 149 Lines 16-24: ANY Employer with payroll 401k & above who does not provide public option will pay 8% tax on all payroll! (See the last comment in parenthesis.)
Page 150 Lines 9-13: A business with payroll between $251K & $401K who doesn't provide public option will pay 2-6% tax on all payroll.
Page 167 Lines 18-23: ANY individual who doesn't have acceptable HC according to Govt will be taxed 2.5% of income.
Page 170 Lines 1-3 HC Bill: Any NONRESIDENT Alien is exempt from individual taxes. (Americans will pay.)
Page 195 HC Bill: Officers & employees of the GOVT HC Admin.. will have access to ALL Americans' finances and personal records.
Page 203 Line 14-15 HC: "The tax imposed under this section shall not be treated as tax." (Yes, it really says that!)
Page 239 Line 14-24 HC Bill: Govt will reduce physician services for Medicaid Seniors. (Low-income and the poor are affected.)
Page 241 Line 6-8 HC Bill: Doctors: It doesn't matter what specialty you have trained yourself in -- you will all be paid the same! (Just TRY to tell me that's not Socialism!)
Page 253 Line 10-18: The Govt sets the value of a doctor's time, profession, judgment, etc. (Literally-- the value of humans.)
Page 265 Sec 1131: The Govt mandates and controls productivity for "private" HC industries.
Page 268 Sec 1141: The federal Govt regulates the rental and purchase of power driven wheelchairs.
Page 272 SEC. 1145: TREATMENT OF CERTAIN CANCER HOSPITALS - Cancer patients - welcome to rationing!
Page 280 Sec 1151: The Govt will penalize hospitals for whatever the Govt deems preventable (i.e...re-admissions).
Page 298 Lines 9-11: Doctors: If you treat a patient during initial admission that results in a re-admission -- the Govt will penalize you.
Page 317 L 13-20: PROHIBITION on ownership/investment. (The Govt tells doctors what and how much they can own!)
Page 317-318 lines 21-25, 1-3: PROHIBITION on expansion. (The Govt is mandating that hospitals cannot expand.)
Page 321 2-13: Hospitals have the opportunity to apply for exception BUT community input is required.
Page 335 L 16-25 Pg 336-339: The Govt mandates establishment of outcome-based measures..
Page 341 Lines 3-9: The Govt has authority to disqualify Medicare Advance Plans, HMOs, etc.
Page 354 Sec 1177: The Govt will RESTRICT enrollment of 'special needs people!' Unbelievable!
Page 379 Sec 1191: The Govt creates more bureaucracy via a "Tele-Health Advisory Committee."
Page 425 Lines 4-12: The Govt mandates "Advance-Care Planning Consult." (Think senior citizens end-of-life patients.)
Page 425 Lines 17-19: The Govt will instruct and consult regarding living wills, durable powers of attorney, etc. (And it's mandatory!)
Page 425 Lines 22-25, 426 Lines 1-3: The Govt provides an "approved" list of end-of-life resources; & nbsp;guiding you in death.
Page 427 Lines 15-24: The Govt mandates a program for orders on "end-of-life."
Page 429 Lines 1-9: An "advanced-care planning consultant" will be used frequently as a patient's health deteriorates.
Page 429 Lines 10-12: An "advanced care consultation" may include an ORDER for end-of-life plans.
Page 429 Lines 13-25: The GOVT will specify which doctors can write an end-of-life order.
Page 430 Lines 11-15: The Govt will decide what level of treatment you will have at end-of-life!
Page 469: Community-Based Home Medical Services = Non-Profit Organizations.
Page 489 Sec 1308: The Govt will cover marriage and family therapy.
Page 494-498: Govt will cover Mental Health Services including defining, creating, and rationing those services.
Senator, I guarantee that I personally will do everything possible to inform patients and my fellow physicians about the dangers of the proposed bills you and your colleagues are debating. Furthermore, if you vote for a bill that enforces socialized medicine on the country and destroys the doctor-patient relationship, I will do everything in my power to make sure you lose your job in the next election.
Respectfully,
Stephen E. Fraser, MD "

Like I said, some good ideas mixed in with horrible ones.

Sorry if too long.

[RachelC]

Originally Posted by Carrie429

Most of the people who don’t have health coverage are not “too lazy to get a job and living on welfare”. They are the sick people - the people with pre-existing conditions, like Tiff F's son (hope you don't mind using the example!), my brother who has a heart problem or all of the women, myself included, who have PCOS, or cancer or a hefty laundry list of conditions that insurance companies use to deny (or drop) coverage. The people without insurance are the small business owners and self employed or those who’s employers do not offer coverage. Those “too lazy to get a job and living on welfare” probably do have coverage already anyway.

If my husband lost his job or they simply decided to stop offering health insurance - I’d be screwed. I have PCOS and I wouldn’t even have the option to buy private insurance currently. Our only option would be COBRA, which is big bucks and eventually runs out leaving me uninsured. And when that happens?

The hospital bill from my first pregnancy? $40,000. That was a high risk complicated pregnancy and all said and done probably pushed close to 75K.
My Appendectomy in 2008 - hospital bill alone was 26K - then there were the bills for the anesthesiologists, radiologists, surgeons, doctors, etc.
Most recent pregnancy the hospital and my OB ran 30K not including extra testing, labs, blood work, care for Parker and additional doctors, etc.

That’s over $130,000 in medical bills for me alone in just 3 years. That does not include the medical bills for my kids, including the surgery my 3 year old just had and will be enormous.

Thankfully we have health insurance but we’ll still owe at least 5K in medical bills for 2010 alone between Parker’s birth and my son’s surgery.

But what do you do with those bills if you don’t have insurance? 130K… make payments? If you’re the one staring that debt down I assume you have very limited options and a big one being bankruptcy - and no one wins in that situation. It leads to higher medical costs and higher insurance premiums and we all get screwed and why? Because someone was sick or didn’t have access to realistically affordable healthcare.

And this is just an example of myself - a relatively healthy 20 something who might have a hormonal conditon but none of those things involved it. What about someone who gets cancer or seriously injured in a car crash?

Our current health care system is terribly flawed - and its easy to blame it on the lazy welfare queens. But sadly that’s a big fat excuse to turn a blind eye.

This bill isn’t going to please everyone and it is flawed and just because it has passed doesn’t mean it will go into effect - it probably wont. I don’t know all the dirty little details but I do know that while it might be flawed - it is at the very least a step in the right direction.

Amen, Carrie! I couldn't have said it better myself.

And with that being said, I am respectfully exiting this topic