Obamacare and you

[grumbler]

Yeah, I never understood that either.  The whole healthcare 'crisis' thing seemed to come out of nowhere.  First the economy was a big crisis (which I think was entirely accurate to say), but then out of left field it was all OMG HEALTHCARE IS BROKEN WE NEED TO FIX IT NOWNOWNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Before like 2008 nobody really talked about healthcare being so broken since Bill and Hillary's first term when they had tried to fix it.

I must admit that this post forces me to ask:  how old were you in 2008, that you missed all the angst over 13%/year increases in health care costs (or whatever increase in that range was the real number)?  I sure remember it.  Now, the disaster that befell the Clinton administration when it tried to implement health care reform made most politicians afraid to do anything about the disaster unfolding before their eyes, but I think most adult Americans were aware that the system was seriously broken.

[KRonn]

I'm not ignoring it Meri.  Those people are a minority.  Your previous statement was more general than that.  It suggested that the antecedent for "they" was those working people who had not previously had employer provided insurance.

I was referring to everyone who couldn't have insurance before, most notably those who didn't qualify no matter the cost.

No doubt the existing system needed reform. It wasn't right that existing conditions prevented some from getting health insurance or had to pay an exorbitant amount, and that so many couldn't get insurance at all unless poor enough to qualify for existing Medicaid programs. So that left out many lower paid workers. Some of those type reforms are useful and long past time to put in place. That could have been done separately outside of a massive health care change. An increase to Medicaid eligibility was included in the ACA and many people are signing up, probably many on existing State systems, so I would think some of that could have been done with or without the ACA.

[KRonn]

Democrats Threaten to Abandon Obama on Health Law Provision

'Anxious congressional Democrats are threatening to abandon President Obama on a central element of his signature health care law, voicing increasing support for proposals that would allow Americans to retain the health insurance coverage they are losing because of the Affordable Care Act.

The dissent comes as the Obama administration released enrollment figures Wednesday that fell far short of expectations.'

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/14/us/politics/democrats-threaten-to-abandon-obama-on-health-law-provision.html

This probably sounds good and will probably be popular but it may not pass as it could severely hamper the ACA as it needs those same people to sign up under the ACA plan. The ACA plans need people to sign up else I would think the insurance plans will be too expensive and/or the ACA program doesn't have the funds needed to make it work.

They need to make some serious fixes, obviously, should have done so before the ACA was fully implemented as it seems apparent that many analysts forecast-ed these problems. Hopefully the Feds will, they need to anyway given the severity of the problems that we seem to be hearing about every day now.

[merithyn]

I just look at the ACA as "foot-in-the-door" politics. Once established, it will be hard to get rid of it. The only option is to then fix it to make it work. I'm okay with that. Something needed to be done, and something was done. It may hurt for a few years while Congress decides to actually do something that works, but if the long-term is better, less expensive healthcare for the entire population, I'm okay with that.

[The Minsky Moment]

1.  Yes the President fibbed.  His pants are on fire.  Point made.  Either impeach him for it or move on with life.
2.  Clearly the implementation has been piss-poor.  That also lies with the WH because that is where the buck stops.  The proper response to poor implementation is improve implementation. Anything else - from either side - is hot air.
3.  It is too early to tell whether Obamacare "works" or what fixes if any need to be made. 
4. Returning to the status quo ante is not a viable option. 
5.  If the GOP or wavering Democrats or any other critic of Obamacare wants to be taken seriously, they need to articulate a viable alternative that would be an improvement.  So far there is radio silence on the front from where I sit.  I wouldn't expect to hear much from the GOP-affiliated health experts, because Obamacare was their plan to begin with.  But I would be very happy to be pleasantly surprised.

[Valmy]

5.  If the GOP or wavering Democrats or any other critic of Obamacare wants to be taken seriously, they need to articulate a viable alternative that would be an improvement.  So far there is radio silence on the front from where I sit.  I wouldn't expect to hear much from the GOP-affiliated health experts, because Obamacare was their plan to begin with.  But I would be very happy to be pleasantly surprised.

That would be nice, but don't hold your breath.  Doing that would require a great political risk, courage, leadership, and devotion to country  Opposing Obamacare, on the other hand, requires no effort at all just playing to the populist masses.

[Ed Anger]

Saw on CNN that health care reform has 55% disapproval.

[derspiess]

[Valmy]

VICTORY!!!111

Of course nothing has changed and we still need health care reform.

[merithyn]

To set aside the typical crap you throw out there, what would you like to see moving forward? Are you hoping to completely repeal the ACA? What would you do to replace it? Were you legitimately okay with the status quo?

There's so much vitriol thrown out about the ACA, but like Minsky said, few of those same people are offering solid alternatives. And I have to say that those who think that there was nothing wrong with what was going on before lived in a bubble.

[grumbler]

 

This is an example of the problem with the country; people rejoice when their political opponents' plans fail, even though such a failure leaves everyone worse off.  To the ACA failures is like going when hearing about American military failures in Iraq or Afghanistan because one reflexively opposed Bush.

[derspiess]

You guys make trolling easy.

[Valmy]

You guys make trolling easy.

VICTORY!!!111

[derspiess]

It is so cute to see you repeat, over and over again, the fact that a politician lied, as though your boyz aren't liars as well.  Doesn't matter which party they are in, if they are a politician or an officer in the NRA, they are a liar.  The sooner you stopped being shocked by that fact, the sooner you will stop sounding like a repetitive drone.

11B has no boyz.  He's in the middle & slings shit at both sides.

[derspiess]

To set aside the typical crap you throw out there, what would you like to see moving forward? Are you hoping to completely repeal the ACA? What would you do to replace it? Were you legitimately okay with the status quo?

There's so much vitriol thrown out about the ACA, but like Minsky said, few of those same people are offering solid alternatives. And I have to say that those who think that there was nothing wrong with what was going on before lived in a bubble.

Tell me what you'd change about Obamacare and I might answer.