Poll: Have any of you actually signed up for Obamacare through the Exchanges?

[markomalley]

Thanks to everybody who have participated so far.

Thanks to everybody who have managed to keep the politics (either pro or con) out of this, so we can actually focus on real-world facts.

I hope we have some more examples in the upcoming days when more people sign up.

I am surprised that only one person has signed up already, considering the level of excitement that some folks have expressed for this program over the years, but I do understand that people like to procrastinate.

 

[JRKH]

Thanks to everybody who have participated so far.

Thanks to everybody who have managed to keep the politics (either pro or con) out of this, so we can actually focus on real-world facts.

I hope we have some more examples in the upcoming days when more people sign up.

I am surprised that only one person has signed up already, considering the level of excitement that some folks have expressed for this program over the years, but I do understand that people like to procrastinate.

I had made myself a note last week to check into the matter on Oct 1st. Not necessarily to “sign up” but because the “plans” and pricing were not available last week. Then of course on Oct 1 I immediately began seeing threads here about all the on-line problems so I decided to wait a bit.

My suspicion at this point is that it will likely be more like upcoming “weeks” rather than days before many people are able to get signed up.

Peace
James

 

[1ke]

Nope. I have an employer plan. Our plan premiums are going up this year and in part it is due to the ACA.

“Obamacare” is a misnomer and I wish people would stop using it. You cannot “sign up” for “Obamacare”.

What you can do is price and purchase insurance policies privately or through the state or federal exchanges if you do not have or want employer sponsored plans.

 

[clem456]

Nope. I have an employer plan. **Our plan premiums are going up **this year and in part it is due to the ACA.

“Obamacare” is a misnomer and I wish people would stop using it. You cannot “sign up” for “Obamacare”.

What you can do is price and purchase insurance policies privately or through the state or federal exchanges if you do not have or want employer sponsored plans.

Are you personally accountable for the increase in premium, or is the employer absorbing it?

 

[SamH]

What you can do is price and purchase insurance policies privately or through the state or federal exchanges if you do not have or want employer sponsored plans.

Agreed.

I do see our company making a change to our insurance because of ACA. You keep reading about employers reducing hours to keep from paying the “penalty” for not offering affordable health insurance. What I see happening in higher paying industries is thousands of companies offering a “Bronze” plan in single coverage that meets the criteria for “affordable” while continuing to offer their “regular” insurance plans. The company does not have to offer an “affordable” family plan.

 

[1ke]

Agreed.

I do see our company making a change to our insurance because of ACA. You keep reading about employers reducing hours to keep from paying the “penalty” for not offering affordable health insurance. What I see happening in higher paying industries is thousands of companies offering a “Bronze” plan in single coverage that meets the criteria for “affordable” while continuing to offer their “regular” insurance plans. The company does not have to offer an “affordable” family plan.

We have some changes happening this year, they are dropping our most generous (deductible, coinsurance) plan (which is also most expensive plan) b/c it won’t meet ACA criteria in 2015. The premiums on the other two plans are going up. and coinsurance, copay,etc, go up. Most people won’t see it, but there is also a tax on every plan that has to be paid and that was in our renewal this time around-- $75k on a 900~ employee company, that was what ours was. That is a huge lump sum hit to our employer sponsored plan.

 

[PaulinVA]

I have employer coverage that went up 21% this year.

I tried to get on the federal exchange (I’m in Virginia), but kept getting kicked off or marooned on a menu. It’s a mess.

 

[clem456]

We have some changes happening this year, they are dropping our most generous (deductible, coinsurance) plan (which is also most expensive plan) b/c it won’t meet ACA criteria in 2015. The premiums on the other two plans are going up. and coinsurance, copay,etc, go up. Most people won’t see it, but there is also a tax on every plan that has to be paid and that was in our renewal this time around-- $75k on a 900~ employee company, that was what ours was. That is a huge lump sum hit to our employer sponsored plan.

This is why I asked whether the employees are absorbing the extra costs. If the employer is absorbing them, the economy at large will absorb them in higher costs. This is the number one problem with health care…personal accountability.

Assume your coverage is worth say, $10,000 per year to you. Imagine a scenario where your employer negotiated this benefit with you and handed you the cash, for YOU to make decisions about health care, and allocate the resources as you saw fit. One option might be for you to purchase a plan worth 5K per year, and put the rest in the bank for higher deductible or your own savings (like having your own HSA).
You would now have incentive to watch your visits to the doctor, to use the system more sparingly. The problem with our system is that too many of us are given this benefit and never understand what it really costs, both the provider of the plan and the provider of the health care. The principle of subsidiarity has been lost in health care due to the large plans funded by 2nd parties like employers. Ask any emergency room and they will tell you the services are overused and abused by people who do not pay for the services directly. ( not directing this at you personally, just speaking generally)

 

[SamH]

This is why I asked whether the employees are absorbing the extra costs. If the employer is absorbing them, the economy at large will absorb them in higher costs. This is the number one problem with health care…personal accountability.

Our plan has the employer paying 55% and the employee 45%. New rates are not available until December (renews Janauary 1st).

The biggest problem I currently have with ACA is the reduction to the flex spending accts. We had been using FSA to cover our deductables and to cover the things insurance doesn’t cover - like our son’s braces. The law essentially cut the amount I had been setting aside in half - not enough to cover a single deductible and copay - let alone family deductible and copay the extra expenses like braces and glasses. With 4 children the current $2500 FSA is gone in two or three months.

 

[1ke]

The biggest problem I currently have with ACA is the reduction to the flex spending accts. We had been using FSA to cover our deductables and to cover the things insurance doesn’t cover - like our son’s braces. The law essentially cut the amount I had been setting aside in half - not enough to cover a single deductible and copay - let alone family deductible and copay the extra expenses like braces and glasses. With 4 children the current $2500 FSA is gone in two or three months.

Me too, that one really hurt!

 

[SamH]

Ask any emergency room and they will tell you the services are overused and abused by people who do not pay for the services directly. ( not directing this at you personally, just speaking generally)

And that will get worse with ACA. A big part of the law is to expand medicaid. Our two foster children are on medicaid and few clinics will accept the coverage and no clinics open on weekends will take it. When we asked what should we do we were told to take them to the emergancy room where their care could not be denied.

 

[clem456]

I find it hard to relate when most people discuss health care.
We are self insured with a 10k deductible, so every interaction with the health care system requires a decision on our part. We don’t consume health care simply because it’s available, because we are required to pay for every service up to 10K.

This is the problem with health care in this country, and no offense to anyone with this employer provided benefit, I would take it myself believe me. But much of the American population has an all you can eat health care buffet, paid for by someone else. And human nature being what it is, the system cannot sustain itself. People are going to consume until they get sick (sorry for the pun).

Many people do not realize that simply using the health care system costs big money, not even counting the costs of needed treatment. Things like paying for office help, billing services, accounting, computers and technology, dealing with the government and insurance companies. Every visit to the doctor adds to this cost. If there is no incentive to use the system wisely, the system gets overused. And that is where we are. If the government truly wanted efficiency, it would ask the American people to be responsible as individuals for the paying of medical bills, regardless of who provides the benefit. You would see changes real fast.

Deep breath, rant over. somebody gimme a drink.

 

[1ke]

Are you personally accountable for the increase in premium, or is the employer absorbing it?

Both. Our plan premium is going up and both the individual contribution and the employer contribution will go up. We are trying not to pass it all on to the employee, but what can you do?

 

[1ke]

I find it hard to relate when most people discuss health care.
We are self insured with a 10k deductible, so every interaction with the health care system requires a decision on our part. We don’t consume health care simply because it’s available, because we are required to pay for every service up to 10K.

With deductibles, co pays, and coinsurance I don’t know anyone who “consumes health care simply because they can.”

This is the problem with health care in this country, and no offense to anyone with this employer provided benefit, I would take it myself believe me. But much of the American population has an all you can eat health care buffet, paid for by someone else. And human nature being what it is, the system cannot sustain itself. People are going to consume until they get sick (sorry for the pun).

Frankly, you are not talking reality. No one does that. All you can eat buffet my hiney.

 

[SamH]

Frankly, you are not talking reality. No one does that. All you can eat buffet my hiney.

Check out the ER in any major city - few of those people are paying for their care.

 

[1ke]

Check out the ER in any major city - few of those people are paying for their care.

But that is not what I was addressing. The PP indicated that those of us on employer sponsored plans enjoy an all you can eat buffet of healthcare that we consume wantonly without regard for cost “because we can”.

 

[St_Francis]

But that is not what I was addressing. The PP indicated that those of us on employer sponsored plans enjoy an all you can eat buffet of healthcare that we consume wantonly without regard for cost “because we can”.

I have known people who did this sort of thing, took themselves or their children to the doctor for every little thing… hey, it didn’t cost them anything so why not? They seriously didn’t get it…

Eta: I admit, this was back in the day when employers paid for most if not all of the premiums, over 10 years ago. We moved to a “more affordable” area so I haven’t kept up with those people.

 

[tafan]

Then it’s not a tax subsidy, it’s an income subsidy. There’s a big difference. The ACA specifically calls it a tax subsidy. Everything I’ve read indicates it will be a tax subsidy. They need to stop calling it a tax subsidy if it’s not really a tax subsidy.

Sorry for the late reply. Yes: in effect all tax credits are income subsidies: since they actually reduce your final tax bill (even to the point of it being negative and you get money from the government instead of paying money) instead of reducing your reported income, ala a tax deduction.

Income tax deduction- reduces the income that you owe taxes on. Value = marginal tax bracket * deduction amount

Income tax credit - after calculating taxes on your income, it is subtracted from the actual tax owed. All of these could certainly be termed as income subsidies. Value= 100% of credit amount

When you pay/receive the money (ie per paycheck, monthly, or on April 15th) is really irrelevant to the issue of why it should be termed an income subsidy.

 

[christofirst]

Update for my ACA insurance saga:

Last week was a wash. Never could get past the website problems and “error” messages.
This week, the website is recognizing me when I log in. I was able to submit all of the required personal data, but when I got to the “choose your provider” page, the site froze up again.

Slow progress.

 

[SamH]

Update for my ACA insurance saga:

Last week was a wash. Never could get past the website problems and “error” messages.
This week, the website is recognizing me when I log in. I was able to submit all of the required personal data, but when I got to the “choose your provider” page, the site froze up again.

Slow progress.

As of yet the media has not found anyone that has successfully signed up using the federal exchange. Only one person was last week but it turned out they lied about their success.