Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Omaha Steve

(99,061 posts)
Thu Jun 19, 2014, 11:31 AM Jun 2014

Poll: Many still struggle to pay health premiums

Source: AP-EXCITE

By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR

WASHINGTON (AP) — Most people who signed up under President Barack Obama's health care law rate their new insurance highly, but a substantial number are struggling with the cost, according to a poll released Thursday.

The survey from the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation provides findings that both sides in the health care debate can seize on. It's an ambitious look at people who buy their coverage individually; they're the ones most affected by the Affordable Care Act.

"The critics' view of the law as an unmitigated disaster is far from true, but it's not what advocates might have hoped for either because many people still have concerns about affordability," said Drew Altman, CEO of the foundation, an information clearinghouse about the health care system.

The poll found that Obama's law is achieving one of its main goals by covering the uninsured. Fifty-seven percent of the 8 million people who bought a plan through the new insurance exchanges were previously uninsured.

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20140619/us-health-overhaul-poll-139a028858.html





This undated photo provided by the Kaiser Family Foundation, shows the CEO Drew Altman. A new poll finds that most people who signed up under President Barack Obama{2019}s health care law rate their insurance highly, but a substantial number are still struggling with the cost. The survey released Thursday by the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation provides ammunition for both sides in the polarized national debate over health care. (AP Photo/Kaiser Family Foundation, Robin Holland)


41 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Poll: Many still struggle to pay health premiums (Original Post) Omaha Steve Jun 2014 OP
This economy is EVERYTHING the right wants... Anansi1171 Jun 2014 #1
barrel scraping DustyJoe Jun 2014 #26
It comes out of SS check automatically yeoman6987 Jun 2014 #28
really ????? DustyJoe Jun 2014 #32
How can you miss something you never had yeoman6987 Jun 2014 #33
What? llmart Jun 2014 #38
Sorry I didn't know you took SS early yeoman6987 Jun 2014 #39
But part a only pays 20% and d is mandatory WhiteTara Jun 2014 #36
Universal healthcare Android3.14 Jun 2014 #2
Good heavens, then they'd have to take away massive corporate subsidies for extraordinarily valerief Jun 2014 #14
They would also have to campaign for office without Big Insurance funding Doctor_J Jun 2014 #18
I don't think I put the blame on ACA although it may have to be controlled because of other problems jwirr Jun 2014 #3
It is the ACA because the criteria they use for income is Modified Adjusted Gross, and they do not lostincalifornia Jun 2014 #5
Yes, that is the remedy but I was referring to why many of us are having trouble with money for jwirr Jun 2014 #6
I hear you. They are both necessary and essential lostincalifornia Jun 2014 #7
No, they are told christx30 Jun 2014 #31
Cost is a plan depending on the income level. A couple who make 63K/year would be paying anywhere lostincalifornia Jun 2014 #4
OR Skittles Jun 2014 #15
They should have done Medicare for all at a minim, or true socialized medicine lostincalifornia Jun 2014 #19
Add me to that list of people struggling. progressoid Jun 2014 #8
Going by my own experience... davidthegnome Jun 2014 #9
so are you saying NJCher Jun 2014 #11
Not completely. davidthegnome Jun 2014 #12
One thing you could do is yeoman6987 Jun 2014 #29
that's 100 paychecks, at least two years Doctor_J Jun 2014 #37
Same boat. I wonder if the stress created by the "worry of making the payment is actually making me zonkers Jun 2014 #16
If we truly believe in the basis of capitalism, then as more insurers enter the sinkingfeeling Jun 2014 #10
ITYS Demeter Jun 2014 #13
Someone posted recently that all of the money you're being robbed of can be recouped Doctor_J Jun 2014 #20
How do they feel about Medicaid? IronLionZion Jun 2014 #23
by investing in healthcare stocks yeoman6987 Jun 2014 #30
We knew these policies would still be prohibitively expensive for a lot of people to actually use. Skeeter Barnes Jun 2014 #21
500 billion in profits - guaranteed - every year Doctor_J Jun 2014 #17
I scrimped for 2 months to pay premiums Le Taz Hot Jun 2014 #22
I'm a Medicaid caseworker. Puzzledtraveller Jun 2014 #24
We're told to look at the bazillions Le Taz Hot Jun 2014 #25
Same here Doctor_J Jun 2014 #34
Another meaningless poll LynnTTT Jun 2014 #27
Thanks for re-interpreting the poll for us Doctor_J Jun 2014 #35
I continue to believe the most ardent supporters are well off and have had their liability limited TheKentuckian Jun 2014 #40
I am one of those people booley Jun 2014 #41

Anansi1171

(793 posts)
1. This economy is EVERYTHING the right wants...
Thu Jun 19, 2014, 11:36 AM
Jun 2014

...in other words it sucks. Even $100-200 premiums for a family is another bill that the vast majority of barely scraping by cannot truly afford.

DustyJoe

(849 posts)
26. barrel scraping
Fri Jun 20, 2014, 10:00 AM
Jun 2014

Amen to scraping

Medicare premium is $104.00 per person

On a $900.00 SS pension, that causes a lot of scraping.

DustyJoe

(849 posts)
32. really ?????
Fri Jun 20, 2014, 10:50 AM
Jun 2014

You think just because it wasn't 'in hand' as $1,000.00 that the $104.00 isn't missed or needed ?

So if your employer withholds your healthcare premium automatically from your paycheck and you never had it 'in hand' then you should not miss it because you didn't need to find it to pay it. Interesting logic.

 

yeoman6987

(14,449 posts)
33. How can you miss something you never had
Fri Jun 20, 2014, 10:56 AM
Jun 2014

I have health, dental, state taxes, federal taxes, Retirement, local, etc. taken from my check....almost 30 percent. The first check I received was a certain amount and that is how I run my budget. I don't say that I had 5,000 dollars a paycheck when I only get around 3200 a paycheck. Your post does not make a bit of sense.

llmart

(15,499 posts)
38. What?
Fri Jun 20, 2014, 08:48 PM
Jun 2014

I used to "have" (receive) $1022 for a Social Security check. My Medicare starts next month and now I'll "have" $104 less because they'll take it right out of my check. So now I'll be getting $918.

So, you bet I'll miss it. You apparently aren't on Social Security or maybe you're not old enough to understand what it's like to live on a meager pension. If that's the case, you may someday eat your words.

 

yeoman6987

(14,449 posts)
39. Sorry I didn't know you took SS early
Fri Jun 20, 2014, 09:47 PM
Jun 2014

I don't have SS yet, but my parents do but had the SS and Medicare start at the same time. Hope things get better for you.

WhiteTara

(29,676 posts)
36. But part a only pays 20% and d is mandatory
Fri Jun 20, 2014, 11:40 AM
Jun 2014

so, for all 3, it's about $300 a month per person. Although when I had to have neurosurgery, the price is very small, it is still a large chunk of my monthly budget.

 

Android3.14

(5,402 posts)
2. Universal healthcare
Thu Jun 19, 2014, 11:47 AM
Jun 2014

Mr. Obama should have fought for universal healthcare. This kluge will limp along, but we could have done so much better.

valerief

(53,235 posts)
14. Good heavens, then they'd have to take away massive corporate subsidies for extraordinarily
Thu Jun 19, 2014, 02:59 PM
Jun 2014

profitable industries. Or, heaven forbid, tax the rich!!!!

jwirr

(39,215 posts)
3. I don't think I put the blame on ACA although it may have to be controlled because of other problems
Thu Jun 19, 2014, 11:49 AM
Jun 2014

Many families are struggling with the rising cost of food, fuel and housing. In turn this makes it harder to pay for medical. It's the economy stupid!!!!

Just quoting Clinton - not calling anyone stupid.

lostincalifornia

(3,639 posts)
5. It is the ACA because the criteria they use for income is Modified Adjusted Gross, and they do not
Thu Jun 19, 2014, 12:03 PM
Jun 2014

take in consideration housing or other expenses as you indicated to qualify for the subsidy

However, it could be remedied if they actually took those items into consideration

jwirr

(39,215 posts)
6. Yes, that is the remedy but I was referring to why many of us are having trouble with money for
Thu Jun 19, 2014, 12:09 PM
Jun 2014

premiums. I live with my grandson and his family and we are once again looking at deciding what to buy - food or medicine.

christx30

(6,241 posts)
31. No, they are told
Fri Jun 20, 2014, 10:48 AM
Jun 2014

by the fans of ACA that if you find that you can't afford insurance premiums AND rent, that it's your fault because you can't manage your money, and you need to move to a place with cheaper rent. Which for many of us would be into some crime infested part of town.
I have insurance for my family through my work. My wife has diabetes and does insulin every day. I don't know what my insurance premium is because I don't want to look. I think it would probably depress me.

lostincalifornia

(3,639 posts)
4. Cost is a plan depending on the income level. A couple who make 63K/year would be paying anywhere
Thu Jun 19, 2014, 12:00 PM
Jun 2014

from 600 to 900+ a month for premiums depending on Bronze/Silver etc. That could be a pretty big hit for many.

What they need to do is not just take Modified Adjusted Income as the basis, but also factor in mortgage and rent to include more people in the subsidy.

davidthegnome

(2,983 posts)
9. Going by my own experience...
Thu Jun 19, 2014, 12:27 PM
Jun 2014

I recently started making just enough money to qualify for healthcare under the ACA. It's roughly 12 grand a year (before taxes), working 34-40 hours a week.

It was a pretty good plan. A 500 dollar deductible as opposed to others (for people making HUGE amounts of money, like 20 thousand a year) that were more like 2,000, 5,000, or higher.

What it comes down to though, is that even 500 bucks isn't something I can pay without hanging on to every dollar from two paychecks. I'd have to neglect my car payments, gas, food, water - and so on. I could make payments on it and eventually pay it off, but it would take a good long while, and I'd better hope I didn't need additional treatment.

So, unless I'm so sick I can't function, or get my arms chopped off or something, I think I'm going to avoid seeking treatment.

NJCher

(35,423 posts)
11. so are you saying
Thu Jun 19, 2014, 01:09 PM
Jun 2014

that you bought the policy but are not going to use it because of the deductible?



Cher

davidthegnome

(2,983 posts)
12. Not completely.
Thu Jun 19, 2014, 01:16 PM
Jun 2014

I will avoid using it because of the deductible unless it becomes absolutely necessary. I'm so far underwater right now (financially speaking) that adding more debt would just be redundant and pointless... but the more I owe that I can't pay, the worse I ultimately feel, the more I ultimately have to pull my hair out over at night.

I bought the policy - and I'll pay for it, as the monthly payments are extremely low. That much I can afford. There is also some preventative car, physicals and such involved, that are covered. What it comes down to ultimately though, is that I cannot afford that kind of deductible. The kind of deductible I could afford would be so ridiculously low they may as well not bother.

It's low, a great deal lower than others have to pay, but I still can't afford it.

 

yeoman6987

(14,449 posts)
29. One thing you could do is
Fri Jun 20, 2014, 10:24 AM
Jun 2014

start putting away 5 bucks a paycheck to build up the 500 dollars. That is one thing I have for the car insurance and other high value items that may cause big time problems. I know they say to keep 6-8 months of savings in your account, but some can't do that, but if everyone started out with a small amount, it builds pretty quickly. Probably never the recommended 6-8 months, but enough to be ok if something tragic happens.

 

zonkers

(5,865 posts)
16. Same boat. I wonder if the stress created by the "worry of making the payment is actually making me
Thu Jun 19, 2014, 03:03 PM
Jun 2014

sick.

sinkingfeeling

(51,276 posts)
10. If we truly believe in the basis of capitalism, then as more insurers enter the
Thu Jun 19, 2014, 12:44 PM
Jun 2014

exchanges and more people purchase plans, the costs should go down. But since we live in a country that 'rigs' the system to benefit the corporations, it probably won't happen.

 

Doctor_J

(36,392 posts)
20. Someone posted recently that all of the money you're being robbed of can be recouped
Thu Jun 19, 2014, 03:24 PM
Jun 2014

by investing in healthcare stocks. I wonder how the people supporting a family on $20,000 per year feel about that.

The harebrained logic of the BOG continues to devolve.

IronLionZion

(45,256 posts)
23. How do they feel about Medicaid?
Thu Jun 19, 2014, 10:53 PM
Jun 2014

Or the nonprofit options?

Millions more Americans have signed up for our public single payer medicaid program directly because of the PPACA and are receiving badly needed medical treatment.

What specific actions are you doing to help people get health care? DUing is not DOing.

 

yeoman6987

(14,449 posts)
30. by investing in healthcare stocks
Fri Jun 20, 2014, 10:27 AM
Jun 2014

Sad thing is most of us are investing in healthcare stocks through our 401Ks, Thrift Savings Plans or just investing in mutual funds. I am not 100 percent sure as I have not looked at my portfolio lately but I would guess that super majority have some sort of healthcare plan in their portfolio through a 401K.

Skeeter Barnes

(994 posts)
21. We knew these policies would still be prohibitively expensive for a lot of people to actually use.
Thu Jun 19, 2014, 06:05 PM
Jun 2014

I know a lot of working class people can't afford to take off work to go to the doctor. The lost wages from just a half a day off sets them back too far on paying rent and utilities.

I certainly would have a hard time paying these deductibles. One of the few perks of being a garbage man for the city is 100% free insurance for myself, no co pays, either. And we get lots of paid sick days to use as long as we bring in a doctor's note. If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't be able to afford going to the doctor.

Insurance was the problem, or at least one of the big problems, and they decided to make it the solution.

 

Doctor_J

(36,392 posts)
17. 500 billion in profits - guaranteed - every year
Thu Jun 19, 2014, 03:15 PM
Jun 2014

[Of course many are going to have trouble paying. The ACA was concocted as a way to make everyone contribute to Big Insurance profits. Providing healthcare is secondary.

BTW, there are 320 million Americans. So each person's share of Big Insurance profits is $1560, every year.

Le Taz Hot

(22,271 posts)
22. I scrimped for 2 months to pay premiums
Thu Jun 19, 2014, 06:09 PM
Jun 2014

for insurance that I would never be able to use because of the $6,000.00 per year per person deductible. Month 3 my truck, which I use for work, needed repairs and that was the end of my MANDATORY Obamacare. I'll take the penalty this year because it's fairly small, certainly cheaper than $300.00 a month. I know that doesn't sound like a lot to some people but we were on the edge as it is and that premium was REALLY hurting. Now, if I could have actually used the insurance that's one thing but since I couldn't I just felt it was a complete waste of premium. I've NO idea what we're going to do next year when the penalty will be much higher. Buy insurance I can't afford to pay for for insurance I can't afford to use I suppose. Totally sucks.

Puzzledtraveller

(5,937 posts)
24. I'm a Medicaid caseworker.
Fri Jun 20, 2014, 08:48 AM
Jun 2014

Every caseworker I work with, many with 20+ years believe the sh*t hasn't hit the fan yet. We also do the applications for the states healthcare market place. While the ACA looks great in regards to those who have become eligible under new expanded Medicaid eligibility there's a vast majority who are now straddled with a financial burden they cannot afford. I see many people here and other places praise it as nearly unfailing. If they did my job and knew how this really impacts people they would think differently.

Le Taz Hot

(22,271 posts)
25. We're told to look at the bazillions
Fri Jun 20, 2014, 09:45 AM
Jun 2014

of people who now have coverage who didn't have it before. That's great. I'm happy for them. But way too many of us are falling through the cracks and the vast majority are people my and my husband's age, over 50 but not old enough for Medicare yet. They're totally screwing the Boomers and nobody is talking about it.

One more thing, the threshold for subsidies is $65,000 a year. In some parts of the country, that's considered solidly middle class. In California, it's bare subsistence. They don't adjust for difference in geographic COL.

 

Doctor_J

(36,392 posts)
34. Same here
Fri Jun 20, 2014, 11:08 AM
Jun 2014
That's great. I'm happy for them.


I am too. But the ACA on the whole is a disaster, except for the insurance companies. . There are still 40 million Americans without coverage. I have employer coverage and my employer decided to pass on all of the extra costs to us. My deductibles went from an annual max of 500 last year (for spouse and me) to 8300 this year (my take-home pay is about $37,000 annually). Wife's mammo cost us $50 out of pocket last year, $700 this year. I suppose I could look for another job at age 55, but this is probably not an unusual story. My plan is to skip stuff like colonoscopies and so forth.

Big Insurance has locked in 12-digit profits. As corporations, their first obligation by law is to maximize their profits for their shareholders. Paying for their members' health care is secondary. And as usual the working stiffs and middle-income will bear the brunt of it. And those loopholes keep getting added. I have heard that one of the main selling points of Heritage Care - that you can't go bankrupt due to illness - has been loopholed out.

Best of luck, LTH. We are actually in no danger, because of having been lucky enough to save regularly over the past 30 years. I didn't think I'd have to spend my grandkids' inheritance on routine healthcare though, and as for people like yourself, I wish you the best. In a liberal state with someone like Jerry Brown as governor, you may get lucky and kick these bloodsucking insurers out of the equation.

LynnTTT

(362 posts)
27. Another meaningless poll
Fri Jun 20, 2014, 10:07 AM
Jun 2014

The question was whether or not a person is struggling to pay the premium. The real test will be how many policies are cancelled for non-payment of premium.

 

Doctor_J

(36,392 posts)
35. Thanks for re-interpreting the poll for us
Fri Jun 20, 2014, 11:10 AM
Jun 2014
The question was whether or not a person is struggling to pay the premium.


For many, this is not a "meaningless" question at all.

TheKentuckian

(24,941 posts)
40. I continue to believe the most ardent supporters are well off and have had their liability limited
Fri Jun 20, 2014, 10:47 PM
Jun 2014

and are heavily invested in the cartel and the medicaid eligible in states that took the expansion, working class folks are getting bills for shit they can't actually afford to use and/or were hoping for relief and got none or worse.

booley

(3,855 posts)
41. I am one of those people
Sat Jun 21, 2014, 04:01 PM
Jun 2014

My income can fluctuate wildly.

Right now I pay 100 bucks a month for a silver plan. And sometimes I have not had that 100 bucks a month.

OF course without the subsidy I would be playing 350. Without the ACA I would be paying 500 to 600 dollars.

So getting rid of "Obamacare" is not really the answer.

Latest Discussions»Latest Breaking News»Poll: Many still struggle...