So I don't really understand this bit about people having to pay a couple of thousand dollars a month for basic health care (or seniors paying the same, individually, because of their long-term health problems). Yet, that's the information I get from American friends. And the American media.
As I understand it, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (to use it's full title) was designed to
1. increase the quality and affordability of health insurance,
2. lower the uninsured rate by expanding public and private insurance coverage, and
3. reduce the costs of healthcare for individuals and government. (Thus, Wikipedia.)[1]
So, what's the problem?
I have had to consult Americans further about this. One of those is Andy Borowitz, an editorial writer The New Yorker magazine. He has this uncanny ability to understand what's happening (and put a satiric twist on it). In this case it is the Affordable Care Act (ACA, or Obamacare). Consider the following.
BOEHNER: “I DON’T WANT TO LIVE IN A WORLD
WHERE SEVEN MILLION PEOPLE GET AFFORDABLE
HEALTH CARE
POSTED BY ANDY BOROWITZ
WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)— A riveting scene unfolded in Congress today as a tearful Speaker of the House rose to tell his colleagues, “I don’t want to live in a world where seven million people get affordable health care.”
Tears streaming down his cheeks, Rep. Boehner appeared unable to maintain his composure as he delivered a speech interrupted by blubbering and sharp intakes of breath.
“What kind of a world is it where anyone can go on the Internet and get health care they can afford?” he said. “Not a world I’d care to live in, or leave to my children.”
“It’s not right… and it’s not America,” he said, breaking down. Later, dabbing his eyes, a still-sobbing Boehner apologized to reporters for “losing it up there.”
“I don’t like to get so emotional,” he said. “But when seven million people signed up
for Obamacare, a part of me died.”
for Obamacare, a part of me died.”
What well and truly puzzles your Bear is why anyone would oppose something which would significantly help people, especially sick people. If "bear one anothers' burdens" means anything at all, why not on this issue?
Or, to the recall the Beatles perspective, "We get by with a little help from our friends."
But, then, I'm a Canadian Bear, and many things American puzzle me. (Likewise, I'm sure many things Canadian puzzle Americans, and others.)
Blessings and Bear hugs, friends, nonetheless.
Today's Weather Report
Currently, it's partly cloudy and 5°C (41F). We were supposed to get snow this morning, and there was a biting wind coming from the east — but no snow fell! Over the next five days, the high temperatures are supposed to range between 6 and 13C — that's 43 to 55F. (I don't want to jinx the situation by saying that spring has finally arrived, but the prospects are wonderful!)
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patient_Protection_and_Affordable_Care_Act. Accessed 2014-04-04
Wish I could help, but I don't actually understand either. I'll keep my fingers crossed that spring makes an appearance in your neck of the woods soon!
ReplyDeleteWish I could be more helpful. All I can say is that, based on what I know, I would be signed up through ACA, somewhere, were I American. I also hope I never need it — or that you and your family won't — but accidents do happen.
DeleteI'm feeling very positive about the beginning of "real" spring up here! The dogs are too. They want to be outside about as much as I do.
Blessings and Bear hugs!
As an American I do believe I may be even more confused than one Canadian bear...
ReplyDeleteSorry you're experiencing so much puzzlement. "You Americans should be like us, and just put everybody in (unless they really don't want to be)," said the Canadian. But what does a Bear know, especially a Canadian Bear
DeleteBlessings and Bear hugs to you and the Caniche!
It is very controversial and people don't do well with change. However, the cost of medical care in the US went up 95% to 150% from 2000 to 2009 and millions of people were not covered. One of the reasons being is that they had pre-existing conditions and could not get insured. I think this plan will work, we just have to give it time. It can always be tweaked, but meanwhile, people will not lose everything if and when they get sick.
ReplyDeleteThanks you so much for the added insights. I know that in the US, the inability to pay medical bills has, for years, been the leading cause of personal bankruptcy. That is something unheard-of, or virtually unheard-of, in Canada. Although it used to be a common problem. Which is why so many Canadians pushed so hard for so many years for the Medicare we have now.
DeleteThanks, again.
Blessings and Bear hugs!
Oh my, it is getting BALMY up there. It might get a bit warmer here on your blog talking about our health care.
ReplyDeleteMy take is that the concepts are good but the legislation took on too many issues and complicated many issues and with the states having some power to do or not to do some things, it is very confusing.
You mean your Bear of Very Little Brain is not the only one who is confused? Thanks goodness, Reffie! For a while I was wondering about me. Now, I'm wondering about what Evil Twin may be up to, or whether Oreo is getting more catty.
DeleteWe will be getting some better temperatures in the next few days, which makes me feel a bit better.
Blessings and Bear hugs!
I'm just glad that none of this took place until I was well ensconced in Medicare, which is a single payer system that seems to work. I'm heartened by the fact that maybe spring is finally coming to your neck of the woods, Bear. :-)
ReplyDeleteI sometimes forget about American Medicare and Medicaid. I don't remember which is which, but I seem to think one is for seniors, and one is for people with low income. Bear's brain is toddy this morning. Those are like Canada's Medicare — single payer.
DeleteIt's 10:30, and the temperature is 0C (32F) already, on the way to 7C (47F). Things have certainly changed! Maybe I should work for a bit in the yard, and let the superdogs help me!
Blessings and Bear hugs!
Okay - my interpretation without dancing or puppets -
ReplyDeleteWe are self employed - so we had independent health insurance by paying $8000 k a year - if we go to the dr, we have to pay $5000 k deductable out of our pocket before the insurance kicks in; then insurance paying 85% to 100%, depending on the coverage.
I get castlemans, surgery, follow up scans blah blah blah... for two years not only did we pay the yearly premium of $8000. plus the $5000., we also had to pay $6000. extra so far that means for out of pocket costs for us, has been $38,000. yes. That is what we paid so I wouldnt die too soon. its also one of the reasons I turned down radiation to get the rest of the - tumor. I couldnt afford it, esp. after the wildfire damages. and it was a preventative, not a given. and once a site is radiated, he cant be radiated again - so
fast forward to this year. Because we paid so much health care out of our pocket, we are now eligible for the affordable insurance plans. Which we are now on. Not only is my deductable lower, so are my premiums I pay each month. And I get two free health exams - one for general and one for women specific. And since im still seeing a onocologist, it makes the twice yearly screenings affordable. If anything starts to grow again, i can also afford radiation,if I want it.
God save the person who wants to say to my face that this affordable health care act will lead to a welfare country. Although being feral, I will wait for karma to hit them in the backside - waiting until they have cancer, heart condition, accident etc and then they will understand exactly what the middle class has had happen to insurance companies and health care costs. The affordable health care act is absolutely wonderful and now I dont have to worry about selling cats to survive.
xoxo
Thank you so much, Janice, for sharing your story. I appreciate your thoughtfulness and courage in sharing this. And I hope you don;t need all the benefits you have through ACA — meaning I hope you are much better, and soon!
DeleteBlessings and huge Bear hugs!
I don't get it either. I know that occasionally, there will be a story or two about we Canadians having a long wait for a procedure or diagnostic test. My person experience is that there can be long waits when it's not a potentially life threatening issue. Appointments are usually within the week if the situation might be serious. Possibly some Americans hyper focus on that aspect of needing to wait. Sure you can pay for your procedure instead but it would be kind of nice not to be in debt for the rest of your life because of it. Here, we're covered whether we're employed or not. No system is perfect but ours is good enough for me.
ReplyDelete"No system is perfect but ours is good enough for me." Good enough for me too. Though I am really annoyed that the Prime Minister is starting to mess with it by making changes without consulting the provinces.
DeleteBlessings and Bear hugs!
Australians don't understand the American system either. But our Emperor Budgie wants to head down that route.
ReplyDeleteWell, if he's planning a single payer, (just about) everything covered plan, he's heading in the right direction. Otherwise he's looking for something bodgy. (In which case he's call a meeting at a bilabong about 50ks back of Bourke to find his ideas.)
DeletePeace and joy, mate.
There is so much misinformation out there! What the new law does is establish some ground rules for insurance companies and medical institutions'
ReplyDelete1. nobody is to be turned down
2, spend no more than 20% on administrative cost;
3. set up a wellness program to support the health and welfare of all patients before they get sick;
4.everyone must be insured or pay a fine
5. if unable to pay, the government will subside the premiums
6. if an employer has more than fifty employees, they must provide medical insurance coverage as part of their benefit package.
All this does not affect the average Jo. It will, however, force young people who are part-timers and are not provided insurance at work to sign up on their own through an exchange system set up by each state insurance pool. Since most people without insurance end up at a hospital's emergency room, most hospitals had upped their cost to cover these folks who could not afford regular doctor's care.
For old people, we have been paying into Medicare for decades, and continue to do so because Medicare pays for all our hospitalization and major surgeries. Medicare does not pay for regular checkups, so we have a supplemental insurance to cover these things. When we were working, our employers paid 100% of our medical coverage. That is still the case for most workers in America.
The law is a compromise from the original law that asked for a single payer system, much like most other industrialized nations have. It added the insurance companies to keep them in business.
Wow! Thank you so much for all the information, Rosaria. The single payer part is included in Canadian medicare. The private insurers offer supplementary insurance for the few thing which are not covered by the main government plan, and the have done reasonably well.
DeleteBlessings and Bear hugs!
I worked in the US healthcare system for nearly 34 years where I often found myself extolling the virtues of the Canadian single payer model. Many people agreed it would be the best solution to the problems posed by the private model. Believe me, there are many, but what I found most irritating when I was in the position of getting authorizations for patient's treatment was that they all used different standards of what therapy (dependent upon diagnosis code) was deemed acceptable for payment. Medicare was best because it was standardized and companies that followed their guidelines came as a close second. Medicaid in the US comes in last as being close to having no insurance at all. Many doctors and hospitals keep very strict limits on the number of Medicaid patients they will treat simply because most every service will be denied either before or after the fact (in cases of emergency admission).
ReplyDeleteThe ACA (or Obamacare) was largely designed by the private insurance industry. Rate increases that are on the horizon may make things very difficult for people who currently have coverage through the plans.
You probably remember that it was in the 60s that Canada and most other western industrial nations instituted federally mandated single payer health plans. At that time in the US the major unions (steel, mining, automotive) were opposed to government funded (whether federal or state) medical insurance plans that would provide them and their families worse benefits than they had at their jobs. It was that opposition that caused the essential downfall of a public health option for everyone.
Best wishes, Bear.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience, susan. I know that health care providers often/regularly/routinely get claims sent back because of some technical deficiency related to the coding, not the care.
DeleteBlessings and Bear hugs!
Bear, you certainly pegged this issue to a tee! Makes me ashamed, wanting to hibernate until Americans come to their senses and stop bucking this concept. But I'd be in a cave for a long, long time, I fear. Americans are becoming stupider and less caring all the time.
ReplyDeleteIf you did not share this on facebook, I think you should consider doing so.
Well, Lydia, change is hard for a lot of people, even change for the better. (Even I have problems with change, sometimes.) And, yes, you may be an a cave for a very long time over this issue. Sadly.
DeletePost this on Facebook? Expose myself to cruel and violent comments from a hoard of crazy and vicious people? I think not, but thanks for the suggestion.
Blessings and Bear hugs!
The Borowitz piece almost made me laugh. I finally have health insurance because of Obamacare, and I thank God for it. However, the insurance company rejects my payments. My bank says it's because the insurance company codes the payments incorrectly. I think they want to claim that I don't pay my bill because they hate Obamacare. I've read many reviews online from folks who have the same problem with their payments being rejected. I'm sick of it, but at least now I can see a doctor because I won't rest until the insurance company takes my money. I'm here to do battle.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
I hope you win, Janie! It feels like there are still a lot of things to be fixed.
DeleteBlessings and Bear hugs!
If ever there were a confused mess, this is one. It sometimes feels like we are all in a whirlpool.
ReplyDeleteLiving, I think, in interesting times. Too interesting to be comfortable, perhaps.
DeleteBlessings and Beer hugs!
Coming from France, which has been found to be number one by the International Health Organization, I have always been very surprised by Americans who resisted having a public healthcare system. Here in Georgia, which is a very conservative state ruled by conservative Republicans, everyone is against “Obamacare” and the governor has ruled not to extend Medicaid, thus resulting in thousands of poor people to stay uninsured. Many of the ads against Obamacare in Georgia have been by supposedly local citizens groups but really have been paid by large corporations or individuals like the Koch brothers. Having worked for years with many extreme conservative Republicans it seems many of them did not try to understand the difficulties of healthcare, if the offer came from the Democrats, they would vote against it, even against their own best interests. There should not be any profit made from the health of citizens – the US is the only western country like this. The reason I think is because so many insurance companies, pharmaceutical firms, etc., pay lobbyists to try to keep laws to reflect their benefit. For example my doctor prescribed a pill for my cholesterol – a 3 month supply costs about $550 in the US, so I did not take it (not covered by Medicare) then I found I could get the same 3-month supply from Canada for $46 including shipping …. Guess where I buy my medicine?
ReplyDeleteThanks, Vagabonde for stopping to visit, and leave your very interesting stories. I hope the new system works well for you, eventually.
DeleteOf course you have raised another complicating issue. Americans getting drugs from Canada, meaning Canadians cannot get some things, sometimes. It's all a very interesting challenge. Shows the larger implications of some national plans.
Blessings and Bear hugs!
It's definitely got issues, but I am in favor of everyone being able to have healthcare - I am hoping things will smooth out. Unfortunately, now things with our health insurance are much more expensive - we're now reluctant to have any sort of tests done because the coinsurance (which we didn't used to have) are 20% of the cost and can be quite expensive for our rather tight budget. Hopefully everyone stays well.
ReplyDeleteYes, Lisa; let's hope that people stay well. You don't get issuance because you want to be sick. I'm sorry that your insurance has changed; I guess it's the insurance companies just trying to keep up their profits.
DeleteBlessings and Bear hugs!
This new health care we have has people pulling their hair out. My daughter who is 23 years old and only working part time decided to sign up for the Obamacare and she was quoted a price of $50 a month just for herself. That's after the subsidies to help pay for the costs. She barely makes enough money to pay her rent and get food and so this was too much for her so she decided not to sign up this year and just pay the fine of $95 for the entire year and hope next year she has a full time job to help pay for health care and her other bills.
ReplyDeleteMy husband has AIDS and so he's on Social Security and gets Medicare to cover his medical bills by the government. Even with medicare we pay about $50 a month for his prescriptions but thankfully his doctor visits are paid for.
The government expected more young people in their 20's and 30's to sign up for the new health care and that would have kept the insurance prices down but since so many have decided to just pay the fine instead it's expected that will make the insurance premiums go a lot higher in the near future and a lot of people just don't have the money for this extra bill.
Oh, Mary! That is a truly horrid situation, for your daughter, and other young people. I wish it were better. Makes me even more thankful for what we have.
DeleteBlessings and Bear hugs!
It certainly has taken up a lot of space int he media. I have never used allopathic medicine so I don't give it "much mind." I could never understand why people are willing to put their lives in the hands of doctors who use "one size fits all " medicine.... but.... it may take a little time and this will run smoothly for the people.
ReplyDeleteAnticipating what people will do is hardly an exact science. so, yes, it will be a while before this all gets settled out.
DeleteBlessings and Bear hugs!
I come from Sweden where we also have health care paid by our taxes. I have excellent insurance from my work at the University of California, that combined with Medicare, pays for most things. But my husband and I together pay over $300 a month for our health care coverage. It is worth it, but we are old and retired. The 23-year old daughter above can stay on her parents health insurance until the age of 26 under Obama care. But if the parents have none, then that won't work of course.
ReplyDeleteYou have first-hand experience with both systems, Inger. Thanks for sharing you information.
DeleteBlessings and Bear hugs!
I am as puzzled as you are, or maybe even more so. In the UK most people rely on the NHS which is funded through taxes. However, it does not cover all medical conditions or provide all available treatments. What we call 'the postcode lottery' determines the treatment options for some conditions. I cross my fingers and hope that I do not need to use it.
ReplyDeleteWonderful to see you back, cheshire wife! Bear has missed you. I expect others have, too.
ReplyDeleteSadly I've heard about the decline in care within the NHS. Some of the stuff is apparently being tried (or at least considered) by our Conservative government in Canada. GGRRRrrrr. Health care by postal code/lottery? Yes, I've heard other British folk talk about that. Not a good thing!
Blessings an Bear hugs!
Good post Bear! I've also read many of the comments.
ReplyDeleteLike most issues, I believe that health care falls mostly along party lines. People seem to have a hard time wanting something to work/be effective if the president in office is not the same party as they are. Pride, hatred, family tradition, etc. should be put aside in favor of working, hoping, and praying for this new health care system to thrive. It's stupid to want it to fail, regardless of what political persuasion a person is. As some of your readers implied, "Don't wait until you have a major health issue to seek the positives."
I couldn't agree with you more, Anita. And I hope people don't have disasters, too.
DeleteBlessings and Bear hugs!