I just got a letter from my company stating that they are dropping our coverage and they are telling us to go the the exchange. "If you like your insurance, you can keep your insurance" isn't working for our workers.
In current contract negotiations, part-time workers in our local grocers' union are also being pointed to the exchanges for coverage their employers would rather not provide.
Do you have the option of keeping your current policy and paying its full price after your employer withdraws their contribution?
Tough spot for pro-business conservatives who feel forced to participate in insurance exchanges they vehemently oppose, because their employers are making pro-business decisions. Ouch.
How many faltering businesses may end up surviving as a result of being unburdened from offering health coverage?
It will make it easier for a faltering business to throw their employees under the bus and make them go into the exchanges, that's for sure. But Buellkowski, your president promised us that wouldn't happen.
Glad to see you acknowledge he was wrong. Do you think he was niave, or lying?
The President made it clear that the government was not going to force anyone to give up their current health care policies. How could he possibly speak for businesses that may make their own choices in the new environment?
We all knew this program was going to be in direct competition with the current healthcare coverage system. And in true competitive business nature, some employers are now making decisions that they believe will benefit their bottom line. If that's "throwing employees under the bus", then I guess you think our employers owe us health care coverage. Entitlement.
In the case of the grocers' union I mentioned earlier, they acknowledge that it will be a point of negotiation in the new contract. Who's to say that employees might not eventually enjoy higher pay as a result of a more open insurance market? They then get to shop for the health plan that makes the most sense to them rather than having to accept the plan their company offers. Are you young, healthy, and stay at home all day? Choose an ultra-high deductible plan and pocket all the cash you end up not spending in premiums.
I just want to see pro-business conservatives walk their talk, instead of blindly condemning anything from the Obama administration as bad for America.
(Message edited by buellkowski on October 01, 2013)
(Message edited by buellkowski on October 01, 2013)
Buellkowski, do you think congress should have their healthcare subsidized so their costs don't increase under the ACA? Should they and other interest groups enjoy the same benefits from the ACA that the rest of us middle class shmucks enjoy?
All entities operate on enlightened self interest, whether it be individuals, corporations, or government bureaucracies. Your argument implies that Obamacrats and ACA have no effect on the private sector. Nothing could be further from the truth as the ACA provides incentives for business to shunt workers to the exchanges and disincentives to hire more workers.
Obama has done NOTHING good for this country except for the easy decision to kill Obama bin Laden and to play golf early and often.
How is the ACA a disincentive to hiring, if an employer so inclined could potentially hire more workers for the same cash outlay?
And then there are the nascent entrepreneurs out there who no longer need to keep their day jobs just for the insurance. Aren't they now potentially more free to strike off on their own and create something new?
Worth a more of shot than shutting down the government is, IMO.
Buellkowski: Obama, in the debate, said "if you like your current plan you can keep it". This was obviously not true to non-fools listening. Was it a lie, or was he a fool?
If you loose your insurance due to employer dropping coverage - you would be able to continue that plan - at full premium (ie you pay BOTH employee and Employer contribution) under COBRA. (as long as the insurance company actually KEEPS that plan in affect - if the company cancels not only the group but the plan structure itself (as it happened in Washington during similar reforms) you are S.O.L. enjoy
Conservatives pass a law that outlaws abortion which is found constitutional. The law was passed in the dead of night with 100% Republican aye and 0% Democratic aye.
I am willing to guess big stacks that Democrats would do ANYTHING to overturn the law.
Bad laws are fought all the time. ACA is one of the worst laws in over a generation.
You might want to stop silly, meaningless comparisons about asking girls out, Silly.
I'm just bracing for those with high-risk choices such as motorcycle racing, scuba diving, flying (3 of my own personal choices) - eating more than 2000 calories a day and having too many chairs or couches. Smoking, going out without a hat and long sleeves - or ANY form of tanning... wondering where the dust is going to settle.
I've carried my own coverage for scuba (a common exclusion) and personal flying. So far, our Co is still going to carry our health (Blue something-or-other) but I have to be ready to carry my own insurance to cover racing (about $1500 a month and ONLY covers SANCTIONED racing - not riding or track days)
This POS is ruining the American economy and we need the support of folks like 'Kowski to come over to our side.
EVERYONE agrees that Health Care reform is imperative except that ACA went in exactly the WRONG direction. It requires scrapping. The correct path is implementing tort reform, interstate competition amongst insurance carriers, empowerment of RNs, safety net for the indigent who truly can't afford their own cell phones, amongst a myriad of progressive ideas to make it better for ALL of us.
Big Government enslaves and that is the way of the world. Read your history. Slaughter has it exactly right in that their will be a day in the path we are currently embarked, that some yahoo will deny your health care simply because you ride a motorcycle.
Buellkowski, in my personal case, it depends on how you measure it. Did I get to keep my plan? No, actually I didn't. My company switched plans as a result of several factors, some of which were results of the ACA. I had Anthem Blue Cross, which is the one I always wanted and liked. I was forced to switch to Aetna, which I have had before and was never totally happy with. The replacement plan was significantly more expensive and also required more out of pocket expenses.
My neighbor is a tool and die designer doing freelance work. He is a single parent to his daughter (a is a widower) and has structured his life to be able to be there for his girl. That means he works from his house, which meant he had to be freelance. He has to buy his own insurance directly. As a direct result of the ACA in Ohio, the plan he was using (catastrophic coverage and paying out of pocket negioating directly with the service provider otherwise) was made illegal. This old plan was working well for him over the years. The closest ACA compliant replacement plan he found cost (literally) twice as much as his previous plan. He was already working 60 hour weeks in order to pay the mortgage and insurance, now he has to cover that much more.
So, yes, thats at least two of us that did not get to keep the coverage we had and wanted as a result of the ACA act, and that's before it even starts to *really* mess with the health care system.
Please add my name to the list of those who did not get what was promised.
lost my health care coverage from my employer. I tried to get coverage on the open market as it existed years ago it was more than my current house payment,
Now because of age and health concerns I cant get insurance at all, I went into the state pool, it has been expensive and the coverage was poor, with numerous exclusions.
At the end of this year I loose my "pool" coverage.
I might be able to get a great deal less coverage for about the same money or more money, there is a tremendous amount of insuranc-ceese for terms and conditions that apply.
and If I decline to buy insurance at all due to the high cost hey I need to eat, they are going to fine me.
a thought when insurance is mandated ( I saw MC insurance made mandatory in GA ) the premiums went thru the roof....
its like air port food, in the secure area, they have you where they want you.....
Glad you find it ok I don't less coverage costs more with more "loop holes" for the providers,
as far as the government having complete control, a recent drama in the news when Sarah Murghah(sp?) was denied a lung transplant, when asked Kathleen Sibelius would not act, A judge interviened and allowed the transplant.
Are you really comfortable with a government official deciding if you get treated or not?
All a result of the not working, no leader, golf playin, got his butt owned by Putin chump in charge, and his cronies.