Obamacare: I Need Advice

[legilber]

Go to the damn website and fill it out and it will show you how much of a subsidy you will get. If you are unemployed it will be a large subsidy. You can even choose a plan. But in the end nothing happens until you pay the first month. ie It's not a contract until there is payment tendered. Otherwise stop whining. Nobody here can hold your hand or answer your specific questions about the plan.

Please, by all means, go to the non-functioning website and try to fill out the pages. Better yet, call and have them pass you from person to person with no one giving you a straight answer. The "marketplace" is a complete joke. They ended up sending us the forms to fill out in the mail. Sent it back to them a month ago and we still aren't able to see any concrete numbers. Who would ever chose a health plan without knowing exactly what the cost will be to them???

No whining here. Just commenting on how the system is actually working Stateside.

Also FYI, I never asked any specific questions nor would I EVER ask posters here to explain/hold my hand regarding US Health Care. Its a bit novice to think that people on this forum would actually help you, rather than chastise you for giving your experience.

I doubt that ANY of us could afford to pay what it would cost us without the insurance, even with its required deductible. Two days in the hospital (not intensive care) an MRI or two, less than a week of treatment for cancer or paying full price for some chronic prescription medicines for a year will put you over 5K. And THATS the problem. NOT the affordable care act!! Nor the deductibles!

Exactly. The idea of a reform is good specifically for these instances (it was nice being hit with a bill for $2k for a 30 minute ultrasound the other day), but there is no way this will work in the US until they separate medicine and big business. And that, my friends, will not be happening in the foreseeable future.

They're saying that your deductible is not included in your total out-of-pocket maximum. If something happens, you'll be paying our $17k potentially. That's just insane.

If something happens to us, and if we can get on a plane, we're heading back to Argentina.

 

[Alicia karr]

The problem is not OBAMACARE! The problem is the ridiculously exaggerated costs of healthcare in the US! I pay about $300/mo for OSDE health insurance here in Argentina, which is one of the best. I have been hospitalized six times here in as many years, and have had six surgeries, all medically necessary. No rate hikes, no cutting of my service. I couldn't even buy private insurance in the US because of my "pre existing" conditions...they wouldn't sell it to me! Not enough profit for them!
So how is it that, with all its craziness here in Argentina, my medical premiums here now costs less than those I had ( that were subsidized) back in the US when I left six years ago ? The simple truth: the costs of providing healthcare here (equal to the quality of most places in the US) are based on the real expenses of the system, and not wildly inflated by every special pharma/medical/healthcare industry lobby. If Argentina can do this right, at least in this respect, the US should be looking for some answers here. But that won't ever happen. The health care -medical industry lobby will never let it ...they stand to lose too much, all in profit.

 

[franksredhots]

the Argentinian government does quite alot to subsidize healthcare. It might not be the best but at least people can actually afford it. Something people should think about next time theyre banging pots.

 

[dennisr]

The problem is not OBAMACARE! The problem is the ridiculously exaggerated costs of healthcare in the US! I pay about $300/mo for OSDE health insurance here in Argentina, which is one of the best. I have been hospitalized six times here in as many years, and have had six surgeries, all medically necessary. No rate hikes, no cutting of my service. I couldn't even buy private insurance in the US because of my "pre existing" conditions...they wouldn't sell it to me! Not enough profit for them!
So how is it that, with all its craziness here in Argentina, my medical premiums here now costs less than those I had ( that were subsidized) back in the US when I left six years ago ? The simple truth: the costs of providing healthcare here (equal to the quality of most places in the US) are based on the real expenses of the system, and not wildly inflated by every special pharma/medical/healthcare industry lobby. If Argentina can do this right, at least in this respect, the US should be looking for some answers here. But that won't ever happen. The health care -medical industry lobby will never let it ...they stand to lose too much, all in profit.

I am optimistic, health care thing will sort itself out. You have to start somewhere and the baby steps are always the toughest. Stumbling along and for sure, falling on your ass is a given.

 

[stephensonle]

To the OP:

You should be aware that if you have been living out of the U.S. for more than six continuous months, you are available for expat health insurance for up to two months when you return to the U.S., and it's pretty affordable. I think I paid $120 for my two months. If you're unable to find a job that pays health insurance by the end of that two months, you may be eligible for government subsidies.

I HIGHLY recommend that you contact Amy Allison, who helps people find insurance plans and navigate the new system. She helped me find my plan and will help me find longer-term coverage if necessary. She's very kind. Her email address is [email protected].

Cheers and good luck.

 

[ghost]

Please, by all means, go to the non-functioning website and try to fill out the pages. Better yet, call and have them pass you from person to person with no one giving you a straight answer. The "marketplace" is a complete joke. They ended up sending us the forms to fill out in the mail. Sent it back to them a month ago and we still aren't able to see any concrete numbers. Who would ever chose a health plan without knowing exactly what the cost will be to them???

No whining here. Just commenting on how the system is actually working Stateside.

Also FYI, I never asked any specific questions nor would I EVER ask posters here to explain/hold my hand regarding US Health Care. Its a bit novice to think that people on this forum would actually help you, rather than chastise you for giving your experience.



Exactly. The idea of a reform is good specifically for these instances (it was nice being hit with a bill for $2k for a 30 minute ultrasound the other day), but there is no way this will work in the US until they separate medicine and big business. And that, my friends, will not be happening in the foreseeable future.

They're saying that your deductible is not included in your total out-of-pocket maximum. If something happens, you'll be paying our $17k potentially. That's just insane.

If something happens to us, and if we can get on a plane, we're heading back to Argentina.

You know what?? You are are full of shit and a bleeding whiner. I just spent 40 minutes on the site and signed my wife up. The site works . Stop whining. This forum is full of little boobs. Just man up and cover your family.

 

[Ries]

you do know these rates wont last very long right? lol. youre in for a rude awakening.

Dude- I have been paying for my own health coverage since the early 80's.
I know that ANY rates wont last long.
Private health care coverage has gone up, virtually every year, since I was born, and I am almost 60.

But, sure, blame it on Obama if it makes you feel better.

 

[franksredhots]

Dude- I have been paying for my own health coverage since the early 80's.
I know that ANY rates wont last long.
Private health care coverage has gone up, virtually every year, since I was born, and I am almost 60.

But, sure, blame it on Obama if it makes you feel better.

please point out where I specifically blamed obama? hes a muppet, nothing more.

 

[Ries]

please point out where I specifically blamed obama? hes a muppet, nothing more.

sorry, I made an assumption, as most people who complain about the prices going up do, indeed blame it all on Obama.
I always ask people who do blame obama, "how many consecutive years have YOU paid for health insurance? and- Has it ever gone UP in price?"

Having done it for around 30 years, and watched price increases under every flavor of politician, I tend to expect it, and, frankly, have been pleasantly surprised that this time, I actually got a better policy, with more covered, and a lower deductible. The last six or eight times the price has gone up, the opposite has happened.

 

[camino no tomado]

I'm a dual citizen of Canada and the US. For a long time, I wanted to stay in the US because of the high taxes they pay in Canada. Now, I'm going to sit down and calculate it out on how much we're paying for healthcare vs. how much in taxes we would pay in Canada. I have a feeling that it will be about the same..

The "higher taxes in Canada" meme is no longer the reality it once was. I don't have time to dig up the links right now, but several recent studies have shown that the total tax burden is roughly comparable to that in the US, when services received for taxes paid are taken into consideration. Basically low income earners and middle income earners who don't have a lot of mortgage interest to deduct will be better off in Canada. Those whose income is well above average will be better off in the US (at least financially lol).

Government spending as a percentage of GDP declined sharply in Canada over the last two decades and since 2008 it's been lower than in the US. Also a longer period of balanced budgets and lower current deficits mean fewer bills for the present will be coming due in the future. There is a good basic discussion of this (and the elements that need to be considered when comparing the countries) here.