The Unaffordable Care Act

For 2014, the out-of-pocket limits for most plans will be $6,350 for an individual and $12,700 for a family. That's for the year. Not sure why you're talking about $49,000 in medical debt in less than three months under Obamacare.

Additionally, people who qualify for cost-sharing subsidies will see their maximum out-of-pocket spending capped at $2,250 or $4,500 for single or family coverage, respectively, if their incomes are less than 200 percent of the poverty level, and $5,200 or $10,400 if their incomes are between 200 and 250 percent of poverty.

As for premiums, I'm not seeing how a policy purchased through the exchanges could be as much as $1,000 a month. Here's a premium chart from the Washington Post this week:

No that's not why Americans hate Congress. They hate Congress:

because they don't get anything done.

because they take endless vacations of Bushian proportions.

because of "bridges to nowhere."

because of family values Senators like Senator Vitter who are caught with prostitutes.

The OPM decision transfers the existing health insurance subsidies to Obamacare subsidies is revenue neutral. It's just a "gotcha," and isn't going to matter to anyone.

The success of Obamacare will be determined by whether or not it improves the quality of our lives. And speaking for myself, mine will improve. I'm going from a Costco/AETNA sub-bronze policy, and getting a much better silver policy for myself AND my wife for about the same price.

If you know someone who is uninsured, you should refer them to https://www.healthcare.gov/ for a possible quote, especially if they have a preexisting condition. Of course I'm assuming your humanity trumps your politics.

Let me break that down for you. First off you are citing premiums for a single person and I might add my state (Indiana) is saying the premiums in our state will be much higher. So not knowing what the exact number is I used 1k for a family policy my wife is 39 I am 45 so I think that is a conservative number.

Year One (assume hospitalization in December)
$1,000 x 12 = $12,000 in premiums paid
$12,700 out of pocket limit for one week in the Hospital
$24,700 out of pocket by the end of the year.

Year Two (assume hospitalization in January)
$1,000 x 1 = $1,000 in premiums paid.
$12,700 out of pocket limit for one week in the hospital
$13,700 by the first month in the New Year.
So $25,400 of new medical debt in a 2 month period.

The rest of the year
$1,000 x 11 = $11,000
At the end of two years $49,400 in out of pocket medical expenses with a guaranteed out of pocket of $24,700 each and every coming year assuming the insurance never exceeds $1,000 a month. More than likely it will be higher.

Those Obama care plans do nothing for anybody that has a chronic illness. Someone that is chronically ill is going to hit the cap each and every year so their actual medical cost is the premium plus the yearly out of pocket cap. That is by design. If your chronically ill the insurance companies want you off the books and the government is their willing accomplice nothing changes with Obama care. If you get sick it is best if you die quickly same as before otherwise you are condemning yourself and your family to a life of poverty until you expire.

In Nevada, a "struggling young person" making $25,000 will pay $144.07 after subsidy for the Silver policy, NOT the bronze that you say costs $300. So where are you getting your numbers from?

That number came from his chart I was rounding the $295 for Indianapolis.

No matter what that younger person pays how do you think he or she is going to feel when they get popped for over $12k for a normal medial event a broken limb, appendicitis or some other thing a younger person usually runs into? I am going to guess they aren't going to find that insurance too useful. Broke by 12k is really no different than being broke by 40k your still broke at the end of the day.

The smart thing for the the younger person to do would be to hold on to their $144 a month. That’s why they have to advertise to the younger folks and give them the hard sell because the numbers don’t add up due to the high deductibles and co-pays. $6,350 out of pocket for someone making 25k is laughable that is 25% of their income and 32% if you add in the premiums.

mailibber2,

I think you may not be factoring in the premium cap or the tax credit.

The law caps premiums based on income. For instance, here's Vermont:



If the family consists of two 40-year old parents and two kids, and they're squarely middle-class making $60,000, they'll receive a tax credit that reduces the monthly family premium to just $409 a month, $4,900 a year. Factor in the $10,400 out-of-pocket cap, and you're looking at $15,300 a year maximum FOR ALL FOUR PEOPLE IN THE FAMILY, not $24,700 a year for just one person like you're talking about.

Indiana's program is being administered by the feds, and the Kaiser Family Foundation Calculator says that bronze will run about $100 a month after subsidy for a 25-year-old making $25K. So you are rumor mongering to about a 300% extent. Please stop.

No I was talking family not a single. But again even using your numbers (Vermont’s are lower than average) if someone in that family is chronically ill they are going to pay whatever their premium is + the out of pocket. So using your numbers for Vermont that is $15,300 each and every year assuming the premiums don’t go up which they will by best case about 10% a year. For a family making 60k a year that is 25.5% of their gross each and every year. Take out payroll, state and local taxes what do they have left to buy food, shelter and other necessities with?

Not to mention the horrendous cash flow issue. I can guarantee you someone looking at those numbers with a chronic illness won’t take the insurance. Like I said broke is broke. Broke by 15k or 150k the end result is the same.

I see the reality of the asinine Obamacare is starting to sink in for the liberals Chilcoot and forkush. How do you like your Socialism now?

Again your ignoring my point which is actually getting sick on the Bronze plan is a fucking nightmare. You just want to keep arguing how cheap the premium is. That is not the point $100 a month for something that doesn't save you from bankruptcy is $100 a month that is poorly spent.

Lets look at a 25 year old female making 25k a year that turns of up pregnant. Because it is it likely her 9 months plus follow ups are going to occur over two calendar years that kid is goanna cost her $6,350 x 2 = $12,700 in medical debt plus the $2,400 she paid out in premiums over the 2 years. Now a 25 year old that makes 25k a year that gets hit with that kind of bill that is all short term debt from several different parties is going to have to file bankruptcy. The only folks the insurance protects are the doctors and hospitals in this type of situation.

The notion of someone with 25k a year in income having an out of pocket number of $6,350 a year plus the cost of their premium no matter how small is ridiculous. Who is the insurance really protecting? It certainly isn't the patient.