Obama Care

I dated a girl making around $1500 back around 1995 and even though she had a degree she liked the job. She has sense moved on but I don't knock anyone who is working.

Not knocking at all. Just making an observation that in the virtuous effort to get everyone in this country to go to college and get a degree we have seriously devalued the college degree. Sort of like we screwed up the housing market by trying to get everyone to own a house.

At JHU right now there are doctors who read X rays. It takes about a min to read an x ray. The cost to each patient or their insurance co for the 1 min of service? over $100.

If this doctor reads 10 x rays in an hour, the hospital has billed well over $1,000 for 10 mins of work.

But yeah, lets **** the person who works and makes just enough to not be eligible for medicaid but doesnt make enough to afford priv health care.

There is a very real and large gap of this country's population that falls into this category. they are usually 20 somethings, struggling to pay off college loans, still on the low spectrum of the pay scale and cant afford to spend 200 bucks a month on health insurance. these are the good hard working people of the country.

they will eventually raise their status to a point were they can afford health care but for now and tomorrow, they have to hope they dont suffer a serious injury. if they do suffer a serious injury, they have a 12k debt that closes alil further their window of future financial stability.

They way some of you all talk and opine about things, makes me think you've been livin the good life too long and forgot what it was like to truly struggle to make ends meet. there is a segment of our population that is in a catch-22 right now. to broke to buy insurnace, but since you work a 9-5 you cant qualify for free health care.

The real poor get free everything.
The rich can afford everything.
The people who make 25-35k a year, get screwed until their broke or die trying to get rich.

At JHU right now there are doctors who read X rays. It takes about a min to read an x ray. The cost to each patient or their insurance co for the 1 min of service? over $100.

If this doctor reads 10 x rays in an hour, the hospital has billed well over $1,000 for 10 mins of work.

But yeah, lets **** the person who works and makes just enough to not be eligible for medicaid but doesnt make enough to afford priv health care.

There is a very real and large gap of this country's population that falls into this category. they are usually 20 somethings, struggling to pay off college loans, still on the low spectrum of the pay scale and cant afford to spend 200 bucks a month on health insurance. these are the good hard working people of the country.

they will eventually raise their status to a point were they can afford health care but for now and tomorrow, they have to hope they dont suffer a serious injury. if they do suffer a serious injury, they have a 12k debt that closes alil further their window of future financial stability.

They way some of you all talk and opine about things, makes me think you've been livin the good life too long and forgot what it was like to truly struggle to make ends meet. there is a segment of our population that is in a catch-22 right now. to broke to buy insurnace, but since you work a 9-5 you cant qualify for free health care.

The real poor get free everything.
The rich can afford everything.
The people who make 25-35k a year, get screwed until their broke or die trying to get rich.

I haven't forgot. I was there and I had a pre-existing condition. I signed up during an HMO open enrollment and paid through the nose. Had to forego a lot of stuff (I ate Ramen noodles from about 25-30), but did what I had to do. So sorry - I hear you that it's tough. Made it through w/out requiring any (almost any) real insurance stuff but paid in the 150-200 range/mo in the 80's and early 90's. So please don't tell me I got no concept of the issue.

-million-workers-lose-out-on-better-coverage: Personal Finance News from Yahoo! Finance (http://finance.yahoo.com/insurance/article/110974/-million-workers-lose-out-on-better-coverage?mod=insurance-health)

At JHU right now there are doctors who read X rays. It takes about a min to read an x ray. The cost to each patient or their insurance co for the 1 min of service? over $100.

If this doctor reads 10 x rays in an hour, the hospital has billed well over $1,000 for 10 mins of work.

But yeah, lets **** the person who works and makes just enough to not be eligible for medicaid but doesnt make enough to afford priv health care.

There is a very real and large gap of this country's population that falls into this category. they are usually 20 somethings, struggling to pay off college loans, still on the low spectrum of the pay scale and cant afford to spend 200 bucks a month on health insurance. these are the good hard working people of the country.

they will eventually raise their status to a point were they can afford health care but for now and tomorrow, they have to hope they dont suffer a serious injury. if they do suffer a serious injury, they have a 12k debt that closes alil further their window of future financial stability.

They way some of you all talk and opine about things, makes me think you've been livin the good life too long and forgot what it was like to truly struggle to make ends meet. there is a segment of our population that is in a catch-22 right now. to broke to buy insurnace, but since you work a 9-5 you cant qualify for free health care.

The real poor get free everything.
The rich can afford everything.
The people who make 25-35k a year, get screwed until their broke or die trying to get rich.

Sr. I worked for next to nothing as a single parent so I could get the training and skills to do what I'm doing today. Never once did I turn to the goverment for any handouts. I washed and iron my own shirts and we did bag lunches for 5 yrs. I know what its like so lets not play that card.

As for doctors. I have two friend that are doctors and it takes years of hard work before they make any money at all. Today both make silly money but they both work their asses off. I'd say they are the two hardest workong people I know. One of them has been working 7 day weeks for the past two years because he cannot find another partner he can trust his patients too.

I'd also say someone making 25-35 a year cab afford health care unless maybe they have a health issue. My daughter lives on her own works part time and is going to school and finds $125 a month for health ins. While I agree some cannot afford coverage I beliave many have their priorties mixed up. I bet many of the uninsured have cell phone, cable, internet, etc...

Sr. I worked for next to nothing as a single parent so I could get the training and skills to do what I'm doing today. Never once did I turn to the goverment for any handouts. I washed and iron my own shirts and we did bag lunches for 5 yrs. I know what its like so lets not play that card.

As for doctors. I have two friend that are doctors and it takes years of hard work before they make any money at all. Today both make silly money but they both work their asses off. I'd say they are the two hardest workong people I know. One of them has been working 7 day weeks for the past two years because he cannot find another partner he can trust his patients too.

I'd also say someone making 25-35 a year cab afford health care unless maybe they have a health issue.My daughter lives on her own works part time and is going to school and finds $125 a month for health ins. While I agree some cannot afford coverage I beliave many have their priorties mixed up. I bet many of the uninsured have cell phone, cable, internet, etc...

Exactly right. Takes me back to the time that I saw that woman paying for her groceries with her food stamps card at the Giant, then a few hours later I see her in 7-11 with a handful of 20's spending it all on lotto. Guarantee you she doesn't have health insurance. But don't tell me you can't afford it.

I did the same thing as your daughter. I've been paying my own health insurance for 10 years now (since I was 22). I hardly had any money while I was in school, but I still found a way. Often times I'd just pick up an extra shift waiting tables. You have to do whatever it takes.

One time back then I told my Dad I couldn't afford health insurance. His response? "You can't afford NOT to have health insurance."

Exactly right. Takes me back to the time that I saw that woman paying for her groceries with her food stamps card at the Giant, then a few hours later I see her in 7-11 with a handful of 20's spending it all on lotto. Guarantee you she doesn't have health insurance. But don't tell me you can't afford it.

I did the same thing as your daughter. I've been paying my own health insurance for 10 years now (since I was 22). I hardly had any money while I was in school, but I still found a way. Often times I'd just pick up an extra shift waiting tables. You have to do whatever it takes.

One time back then I told my Dad I couldn't afford health insurance. His response? "You can't afford NOT to have health insurance."

When I was 16 I worked for a super market in a somewhat poor section of town. I would watch as people would buy their food with food stamps then I load them into their new car. I worked at this store for 3 summers so I got to know the customers and I can tell you these are not people just down on their luck its a way of life.

Side Note:
So they pass the law so parents can add their kids to their policy. I figured I'd get a price to see if it would be cheaper to add my daughter to our policy. I call the insurance co. and they said I have to wait 5 months until our enrollment period. Great law. :laughing2

At JHU right now there are doctors who read X rays. It takes about a min to read an x ray. The cost to each patient or their insurance co for the 1 min of service? over $100.

If this doctor reads 10 x rays in an hour, the hospital has billed well over $1,000 for 10 mins of work.

But yeah, lets **** the person who works and makes just enough to not be eligible for medicaid but doesnt make enough to afford priv health care.

There is a very real and large gap of this country's population that falls into this category. they are usually 20 somethings, struggling to pay off college loans, still on the low spectrum of the pay scale and cant afford to spend 200 bucks a month on health insurance. these are the good hard working people of the country.

they will eventually raise their status to a point were they can afford health care but for now and tomorrow, they have to hope they dont suffer a serious injury. if they do suffer a serious injury, they have a 12k debt that closes alil further their window of future financial stability.

They way some of you all talk and opine about things, makes me think you've been livin the good life too long and forgot what it was like to truly struggle to make ends meet. there is a segment of our population that is in a catch-22 right now. to broke to buy insurnace, but since you work a 9-5 you cant qualify for free health care.

The real poor get free everything.
The rich can afford everything.
The people who make 25-35k a year, get screwed until their broke or die trying to get rich.

With regards to doctors charging an insurance co. 100 dollars for a x ray viewing whats so bad about that? That’s what they charge because that’s what doctors and insurance co. have generally agreed upon as a fair price. If there were doctors that were willing to sit in a cubical all day and review xrays for 10 bucks and do 60 an hour and make lots of money but hate their existence then great, but I don’t think there are.

Very few people who make 25-35k a year cannot afford health insurance at 200 per month. Its the 15% tax bracket at that level. If you have a kid you probably have trouble but you are getting TONS of entitlements at that level. Unless you live in Georgetown or NYC, or San Fran or somewhere else real expensive then you might have trouble. There are very few jobs that require you to live in certain municipals and also have low pay. This is all about life style choices, nothing more. There is healthcare service available for people in this country who need it, but truly cant afford it. The problem is people also need to live in a fun part of town, have cable, leased cars, cell phones, nice clothes, eat out 3x a week, go to bars on the weekend, have a macbook, and have all sorts of nice shit. And if youre a 20-35 male you don’t really need healthcare coverage as much as you think you need all the stuff above, so you choose not to get it.

The stuff health insurance companies get away with is amazing. I'm not eligible for a group plan so I tried to upgrade my crappy insurance so I didn't have to pay $600 to have a specialist investigate a possible ear infection (seriously that was the price I was quoted at). Everything was all set up they were confirming my information and asking me questions. One of the questions was have you ever been turned down for health insurance. I told them yes so they went on to the next question asking about obesity, heart attacks, AID's all of which I answered no.

After the medical history question the lady told me I was ineligible for the plan. When I asked why she said because I had been turned down or coverage in the past, even though it was a different company. Why even go on to the next question if the one before it made me ineligible?

Last week while being fed up with my insurance I was referred to a high risk pool for Georgia. They told me I was ineligible because I had insurance and even if I didn't have insurance I would have had to be uninsured for 6 months (it's been about 3 months for me without good insurance). The part about having insurance is great because they don't even cover my pre-existing condition which I thought would have been the point of a high risk pool.

At the very least the pre-existing condition crap has to go, of course after that you have to make sure they don't go overboard with the premiums. Still one step at a time.

You say it’s been 3 months since you’ve had “good” insurance? Are you completely uninsured or do you just have a catastrophic plan or something right now?

I guess I don’t understand whats so wrong about not insuring a preexisting condition, or only insuring it at extremely high rates. Whats the other option, that preexisting condition is ignored and you get the same rate as me; however, at a much greater risk to the insurance co. That’s really unfair to me, because your rate doesn’t just come down – mine goes up. I guess

[COLOR=black][FONT=Verdana]You say it’s been 3 months since you’ve had “good” insurance? Are you completely uninsured or do you just have a catastrophic plan or something right now?

I guess I don’t understand whats so wrong about not insuring a preexisting condition, or only insuring it at extremely high rates. Whats the other option, that preexisting condition is ignored and you get the same rate as me; however, at a much greater risk to the insurance co. That’s really unfair to me, because your rate doesn’t just come down – mine goes up. I guess

If I'm correct they can only exclude preexisting conditions for the first 12 months but that has probably changed with the new health bill. I also don't think they can underwrite a pre existing condition if your going from one company to the next. Its only if your coming to them as a new customer without prior health ins.