Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group I finally get to have health insurance!

Wait a second here, you pay every month into an insurance plan and then if you become sick...they actually pay to take care of you?

Come on? Really? Insurance companies paying out good money to help sick people?

Surely this must be some sort of communist plot! How are insurance company CEOs supposed to get filthy rich off the backs of the sick and dying now?

Chris

I don't really understand how the US system works, but I've been appalled at some of the things I have read on here which would include situations like yours... I am so pleased that you, and all those affected, will finally be able to get the care and treatment you should never have been denied in the first place! Yay!

Jeffery, the amount you pay will depend on your situation. Obviously if you are below the income level stated in the bill (it's higher - easier to qualify for -- than it had been to receive Medicaid, but I can't remember just what the threshold is), you'll be able to receive subsidies to help pay for it, but I don't believe this part kicks in until 2014; and as of right now I'm not sure how expensive it will be to join the risk pool for those with pre-existing conditions (the plan in place until 2014). And the exchange (the mechanism to lower costs for those who currently are insured) doesn't take effect until 2014 either.

As for the donut hole filler, yes, it's sad that it will be a while before it's filled in totally, but in order to get all these changes without increasing the deficit (and actually reducing the deficit instead), they had to push back the enactment date.

It will definitely take time for all the benefits to begin working, but as I wrote earlier, there are many which do help a whole lot of people within the first 90 days. With any luck, future administrations will add to this great first step, making health care even more affordable for all.

Lol!

Well, for most of us, the system here doesn't work well at all, but times, they are a-changin'! Thanks for the good wishes; we'll eventually catch up with all the great countries in Europe, Canada, many in South America, etc. and have really good health care coverage, but this is an incredibly good first step.

Yes, $250 isn't much, but I guess it is better than nothing. Also, as someone who just went on Medicare as of March 1, which is two-years after my disability status became official, I was very pleasantly surprised to find a terrific supplemental Medicare plan that costs just $167 a month and provides, among other things, payment for generic drugs throughout the entire doughnut hole period. In other words, as long as I go the generic route--which I do on every drug but Celebrex and, of course, Remicade--I will pay the exact same amount for my meds during the doughnut hole period as I would during the "regular" coverage. I knew such coverage existed with some supplemental plans, but I was very pleased at how low-cost the option was (expected it to cost at least a couple hundred more per month). Also, about a year ago I did some early research while helping choose Medicare coverage for my grandmother; at that time, I did not see many supplemental plans that offered this "gap coverage." When I went to choose my own plan in December, the number offering such coverage had gone way up--I'd guess that out of the 36 plans offered in my geographic area, roughly a third of them now had gap coverage (up from maybe two to five plans during that first look). I don't know if that was a preemptive move in anticipation of the health care bill (doubt it) or what, but it is definitely a good thing. That said, I do realize that for many, coming up with even the extra $167 a month would cause a hardship, but it will always be better to have such an option available than to have it not be there.

Brad

Define "most of us". Approximately 85% of the population in the United States has insurance coverage, therefore this is a superfluous statement at best.

What worries me is that they are cutting 1/2 trillion dollars from Medicare to help pay for the new program. There is a big increase (10%) of new recipients as the Baby Boomers are reaching 65. How can they cut so much money without cutting service? Right now, Medicare has been declining 6 times more claims as private insurance. Those of us on Medicare are not going to be happy once this gets going.

I think they could have done a much better job. Why didn't they allow people to buy insurance across state lines? If you move to another state, you can't keep your insurance, no matter how good it is. They could have saved a lot of money by allowing us to buy our meds from Canada rather then make a deal with US drug companies. Part of the reason doctor bills are so high is because of malpractice insurance. Why didn't they include some kind of tort reform? Why do single men have to pay for maternity benefits? They do under the new healthcare plan.

And why in the world are they going to pay for convicted rapists and pedophiles to have Viagra?

It just does not make any sense to me.
Donna

I am not saying that we shouldn't have a healtcare bill. Congress could have done a better job.

whoah, it's like starting all over...