ReconRat Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 Just got back from WalMart. Misc simple prescription that normally would be 12 bucks is now 20 bucks. Yay, new improved health care. That's only a 66.66% increase. How's that working out for you? Not so well for me.Dang good thing I are healthy...Not counting all the other changes to my health plan. None of which seem to be in my favor. But yet, hey, it's all better this way! No, not for me it isn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disclaimer Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 Vote with your dollars!! Find a different pharmacy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReconRat Posted November 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 Nope, This is as cheap as it gets. I'm just trying to start trouble.It's the same price it was before.Still not impressed with endless health care changes.Too many opportunities for providers to mess with people, and each other.Still waiting for something to go in the people's favor.Haven't seen much yet. Although I did like the idea of HSA accounts.But apparently those are on the list to be banished.What's with the talk of providers turning medicare patients away? I don't get it.edit: I have a guess, but I'm not well informed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disclaimer Posted November 21, 2012 Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 Where are HSA accounts going to be banished?That'd be something I'd be interested in since everyone at my employer was forced to go to an HSA instead of a traditional plan... they cost about 50% less than the old traditional plan, but it's basically maintenance and catastrophic coverage... the intermediate or people that need pharmacological assistance are kind of screwed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReconRat Posted November 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 Back in the beginning of the first considerations of a national health plan it, HSAs were mentioned as something that wouldn't work out. I haven't heard anything at all since then. Which means nothing either way, but still unknown. Basically the cash is going into the individuals pocket, and not into the national collective. If it survives, I wouldn't be surprised if there is a penalty later on for having one. Time to do a little research, heh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReconRat Posted November 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 (edited) Basically an HSA is a type of HDHP (high deductable health plan). Those don't meet the actuary rules set to determine how a health provider operates. The simple problem is that the employee contribution is not counted, only part of the health provider contribution. Which causes false data to effect the rating of the health care provider.HSAs Losing Luster Under ObamacareHDHPs are at risk under the new actuarial value requirements because they, by definition, cover a lower percentage of an insured’s health care expenses. The Department of Health and Human Services recently issued guidance on the calculation of a plan’s actuarial value. While a portion of employer contributions to an employee’s HSA may be counted in determining actuarial value, an individual’s contributions are not included. This is the case even though the individual is contributing funds that he would otherwise spend on lower health insurance deductibles.http://www.advisorone.com/2012/07/27/hsas-losing-luster-under-obamacaregoogled: obamacare hsa limits Edited November 21, 2012 by ReconRat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReconRat Posted November 21, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2012 (edited) Also, it becomes difficult or impossible to calculate the required 80%-20% ratio between the medical costs and administrative costs that a health provider must prove to the government. It isn't under their control to an extent to be able to do that.Here's a possible look at what happens, since Massachusetts is so similar already.Under Massachusetts law, high-deductible plans only meet standards for minimum creditable coverage if they go beyond federal requirements in several ways, including offering preventive care visits that aren't subject to the deductible, covering a broad range of medical benefits, and not imposing limits on certain services. Moreover, HDHPs must be offered alongside HSAs or health reimbursement arrangements.http://www.dailyfinance.com/2012/07/13/obamacare-could-kill-one-type-of-cheap-health-insurance/Interesting, because mine has already switched to free annual preventive care visits. And some other little changes I haven't paid much attention to. edit: So it sounds to me that an HSA is a winner for the employee if it can survive. Edited November 21, 2012 by ReconRat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jporter12 Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 My employer offers a HSA plan. It was VERY expensive compared to what my wife's employer hits us to add me to her plan. My wife's insurance is going up, and coverage decreasing as well. I thought Obama was going to save us from rising healthcare costs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anden Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 Is Meijer still giving some scripts for free? Anyone?This year my wife may have to take a different job so I'm not looking forward to the insurance payment and craptacular health insurance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disclaimer Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 My employer offers a HSA plan. It was VERY expensive compared to what my wife's employer hits us to add me to her plan. My wife's insurance is going up, and coverage decreasing as well. I thought Obama was going to save us from rising healthcare costs?He can't control if you have an a$$hole employer or insurance company that will milk the cow dry until they're absolutely forced to comply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReconRat Posted November 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 Is Meijer still giving some scripts for free? Anyone?This year my wife may have to take a different job so I'm not looking forward to the insurance payment and craptacular health insurance.Did not know about Meijer, but these have low cost on certain meds:CVS PharmacyWalmartKroger PharmacyTargetSams ClubFinding this info at http://www.goodrx.com/ . I do not know if this is a reasonable website or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jporter12 Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 He can't control if you have an a$$hole employer or insurance company that will milk the cow dry until they're absolutely forced to comply.She works for Kroger (in the pharmacy) so everything gets negotiated through the union (don't get me started on unions, although Kroger and the UFCW seem to work well with each other, and union dues are reasonable.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disclaimer Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 Weird how her UNION benefits are better than yours huh... just weird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disclaimer Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 So... you're saying if you can spread costs over a broader base (*cough* socialism *cough*)... you can get better coverage dollar for dollar? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReconRat Posted November 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 In large corporations the reasonable union vs non-unions are basically exactly the same for benefits.In situations where the employer thinks the union is unreasonable on a particular benefit, another benefit will generally suffer.By contract most often, it's accepted and agreed upon. No surprises.But yeah, there are a lot of variables, and sometimes crazy situations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disclaimer Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 NopeHrrmmm... then you're going to have to explain why you used the words "small" shop and "large" business to differentiate them if size and the insured base doesn't matter... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disclaimer Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 Then shut your pie hole felcher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disclaimer Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 Lick my taint chodestool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casper Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 My health insurance just went up. I thought Obamacare was supposed to lower costs??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casper Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 He can't control if you have an a$$hole employer or insurance company that will milk the cow dry until they're absolutely forced to comply.Yup, that's exactly it. Blame the employer and the insurance company. Yup. Totally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disclaimer Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 Or... just blame Obama... pot/kettle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drew95gt Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 (edited) My health insurance went up/benefits went down last year in anticipation of full implementation of Obamacare. Same with the wife. We both work in healthcare as well so we may be getting double screwed, lots of hospital policy changes coming down the pike and upper management is freaking out. It seems as if the federal government is saying "Here is a large group of hard working and well paid professionals...how can we get in there and screw this up for them like the rest of the American workforce??" Nothing sacred anymore I guess. I feel bad for those living closer to the edge than my family does (and we are by no means wealthy), because I feel these changes are going to benefit mostly the lowest income levels while having the most negative impact on the lower middle and middle class. We will see, I could be wrong...I hope I am wrong actually. Edited November 22, 2012 by drew95gt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gixxus Christ! Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 My union usually rattifies contracts in 4 year increments. In '10 our contract was for up to 9/13 because of obammacare. It was not on the behalf of the union, it was the company hedging their bets to see if they could fuck us into worse healthcare. Our local is so weak that we basically have to accept these deals because we can't afford to strike. In the 6 years I've worked there my coverage has gotten worse despite having the 'cadillac' plan, and my co-pay has gone up 70%. Also, when I hired in we had 3 choices of provider: Aetna, summa and hometown. Now we have 3 choices of Aetna. Hmo, ppo low and ppo high. Don't even get me started on our shitty dental coverage.When obamacare comes into full swing we will be up against a wall, faced with less coverage, higher premiums and a govt fine if we opt out.Fucking bastards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReconRat Posted November 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 I hate to burst bubbles (no I don't), so nobody take this personal (somebody will). I read an analysis for the effects of cost on health care change. It didn't matter who won the election, changes are coming since the system needs changes.To pay for nationalized (or changed) health care: Federal income taxes paid under Romney would go up. federal income taxes under Obama would go up slightly more.Skip that part, it's too late now. We now need to survive the actual changes to the health care system itself.1. We need to have coverage. There is some risk that heath care coverage could be lost or hard to find. A simple assumption is that there really hasn't been an increase in doctors to handle an increase in patients. The system will have to adjust to that. Not enough doctors are graduating. Too many general practitioners are fleeing for alternate types of medical practice. Not so much a problem in cities, but rural areas and small towns have seen this happen for a decade or more. One of the major complaints was the horrors of dealing with the bureaucracy of Medicare claims. (And new methods of federal claims risk the same or greater horrors.)2. We need quality coverage, similar or better than what we had. There is risk there also as the system absorbs changes and adjusts. (And cheats, since there are probably a few loopholes to do so.) This is the most personal part, where actual or indirect costs to the people can add up fast.3. I certainly expect some providers and hospitals and pharmaceutical manufactures to not play nice. We will have to survive that part also. This part becomes personal. People will have to find and deal with it. This is probably the easy part. People are very good at dealing with this and communicating their information.4. Some states will handle this differently. This might be the interesting part. Some will be better, and some will be worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kritz Posted November 22, 2012 Report Share Posted November 22, 2012 Lick my taint chodestool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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