Obamacare? what are your thoughts

OCNRN63, RN · Apr 19, 2014

So you have no alternative for the 8 million Americans who would lose their health coverage if Obamacare is overturned?

Sure he does: Let them die. I have talked with several conservatives who feel this way, and a couple who even feel that sick people who would require government assistance (e.g. SSDI for patients with cancer, ESRD) have a "duty" to just die, so as not to cost the government any money providing care for them.

OCNRN63, RN · Apr 19, 2014

I go to work everyday in order to provide for myself and my family. I went to college and received two bachelor's degrees in order to this, and I paid for all of it. I'm furthering my education in pursuit of a master's degree, not for grins and giggles, but to better provide for my family, and I'm also paying for this. We also work in order to have health insurance, money to save for retirement, an employer sponsored retirement plan, and a host of other benefits. As a conservative, if you want it I believe you should have to work for it too.

Yeah! It's time we whip these cancer, hospice, ESRD pts. into shape and make them start working for their disability and hospice benefits. What a bunch of moochers.

OCNRN63, RN · Apr 19, 2014

To be blunt, I'm not saying that. I am, however, saying don't tax me so they may live.

Is there some magical tree that produces money that these individuals should use to pay for their medical care?

To be blunt, you are saying they should just die. You just don't have the guts to admit that you are that materialistic.

Ever take out a loan for a house, education, car? I don't think my taxes should go to pay for your lifestyle.

Bad things happen to good people. Pray that you never find out what it's like to have a catastrophic illness, or watch one of your family members suffer through a costly chronic illness.

ceccia · Apr 19, 2014

I agree we should have a single-payer healthcare system. Unfortunately that isn't what we're getting with the ACA.

I voted for Obama both times, and I was a vocal supporter of healthcare reform. What we had wasn't working. Unfortunately, for many people the ACA isn't working either. The lowest possible cost exchange plan for me would be over $500/month. I've never had health insurance as an adult because I could never afford it. With the ACA, nothing's changed - except that now I'm going to be penalized and taxed for not being able to afford $500/month insurance.

MunoRN, RN · Apr 19, 2014

I agree we should have a single-payer healthcare system. Unfortunately that isn't what we're getting with the ACA.
I voted for Obama both times, and I was a vocal supporter of healthcare reform. What we had wasn't working. Unfortunately, for many people the ACA isn't working either. The lowest possible cost exchange plan for me would be over $500/month. I've never had health insurance as an adult because I could never afford it. With the ACA, nothing's changed - except that now I'm going to be penalized and taxed for not being able to afford $500/month insurance.

Where are you looking? Even in the most expensive parts of the country the cheapest plan is still around $200.

You can look up plans in your area here.

SycamoreGuy · Apr 19, 2014

Where are you looking? Even in the most expensive parts of the country the cheapest plan is still around $200.
You can look up plans in your area here.

You mean with a $6000 deductible, yeah that's a great plan! I can say I have health insurance but I still can't afford to go to the doctor! Lol

MunoRN, RN · Apr 19, 2014

You mean with a $6000 deductible, yeah that's a great plan! I can say I have health insurance but I still can't afford to go to the doctor! Lol

That's actually a $2,000 deductible, although that's still a pretty good deal even with a $6k deductible. How much do you think comparable health insurance cost before Obamacare?

ceccia · Apr 19, 2014

That's actually a $2,000 deductible, although that's still a pretty good deal even with a $6k deductible. How much do you think comparable health insurance cost before Obamacare?

If insurance was unaffordable before and it's still unaffordable now, that's not really progress.

I could manage to afford the catastrophic plan, which would be fine as I don't rely on western medicine and would only seek it out in case of acute need for surgical intervention. But the powers-that-be have decided i don't qualify for the catastrophic plan.

PG2018 · Apr 19, 2014

Is there some magical tree that produces money that these individuals should use to pay for their medical care?

To be blunt, you are saying they should just die. You just don't have the guts to admit that you are that materialistic.

Ever take out a loan for a house, education, car? I don't think my taxes should go to pay for your lifestyle.

Bad things happen to good people. Pray that you never find out what it's like to have a catastrophic illness, or watch one of your family members suffer through a costly chronic illness.

I'm actually not materialistic. I just don't believe in misappropriated welfare, and I think that too much of the Affordable Care Act would go towards that venue. Call me what you like. I couldn't care less. I just don't think it's reasonable for any taxpayer to subsidize healthcare for the masses. Why is it a conservative v. liberal thing?

MunoRN, RN · Apr 19, 2014

If insurance was unaffordable before and it's still unaffordable now, that's not really progress.
I could manage to afford the catastrophic plan, which would be fine as I don't rely on western medicine and would only seek it out in case of acute need for surgical intervention. But the powers-that-be have decided i don't qualify for the catastrophic plan.

I guess I don't understand what "affordable" is supposed to mean. My understanding is that it refers to one's ability to buy something. Since the price that someone can afford varies based on their ability to pay, a system where something becomes less expensive as someone's ability to pay decreases would be more affordable than one that doesn't.

Before Obamacare the only time your ability to pay was taken into account was when you fell below the medicaid threshold, now the cost of health insurance varies by ability to pay all the way up to 400% of poverty level, which by definition would make it more affordable than it was before.

MunoRN, RN · Apr 19, 2014

I'm actually not materialistic. I just don't believe in misappropriated welfare, and I think that too much of the Affordable Care Act would go towards that venue. Call me what you like. I couldn't care less. I just don't think it's reasonable for any taxpayer to subsidize healthcare for the masses. Why is it a conservative v. liberal thing?

I can respect that view that we shouldn't make healthcare more affordable so long as your consistent about it, as long as someone realizes this means no medicare, no EMTALA, etc then at least I their logic is consistent.

I am curious though exactly where this view draws the line. So say someone comes into the ER with a STEMI and no insurance. Is there some sort of general fund that would at least provide comfort care measures?

ceccia · Apr 19, 2014

I guess I don't understand what "affordable" is supposed to mean. My understanding is that it refers to one's ability to buy something. Since the price that someone can afford varies based on their ability to pay, a system where something becomes less expensive as someone's ability to pay decreases would be more affordable than one that doesn't.
Before Obamacare the only time your ability to pay was taken into account was when you fell below the medicaid threshold, now the cost of health insurance varies by ability to pay all the way up to 400% of poverty level, which by definition would make it more affordable than it was before.

Whether something costs 20x as much as an individual could afford or "only" twice as much, it's still too much.

You well understand what affordable means. if you insist on going the way of Clinton's "define the meaning of 'is'..." then i'm done here.