Monday, September 23, 2013

Why go backward on health care?

Sunday a Mr. Edwards wrote this open letter in the Wichita paper:

   The Affordable Care Act went into effect on Jan 1, 2011, for those of us who are seniors and on Medicare, I, for one, like it.
   I am now eligible for a new yearly wellness exam with my doctor.  My prostate cancer screenings and diabetes screening tests are now covered.  My wife's pap tests and mammograms are now covered, as well as her recent colonoscopy.  Our flu shots are now covered.  We have not seen any dramatic changes in our insurance premiums.  We still have the same doctors we have had for the past 38 years.
   I reached the Medicare Part D prescription gap (the doughnut hole) in April, but thanks to Obamacare the gap is being closed.  It saved me $1,316 in July and will same me the same amount in October.
Why in the world would I want to repeal Obamacare or defund it?  Why would I want to go backward?  Why would I want to start all over again, particularly with our current do nothing Congress?  It took us 50 years to get this far.  Unfortunately, a lot of seniors do not realize that they have been benefiting from Obamacare for the past two years.

4 comments:

  1. I have not benefited that I know of and am unclear whether I will have to pay. I live below poverty level so I hope not. I have seen little really for people like myself who will turn 65 in a little over a year.

    In response to your question about why would anyone want to defund this - I just say it's a prime example of a nation in decline when you have soooo many who think like that and make decisions for our country. Some think it's better but I am not one of those.

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    1. Tom, I don't know your particulars, but if you are on, or will shortly be on Medicare Pard D, the example above states some of the coverage you have now that without Obamacare would not have happened.
      Well we differ on this, I do think there will be some benefits for the nation, the cost of insurance in all the states who so far have published the figures are below, as much as 50%, pre Obamacare rates. As for this being an indicator of decline, Sweden and Norway and Germany and France are just a few of the nations, Tawian too, that have programs like this, even much more comprehensive, and I don't consider them in decline. The standard of living in northern Europe is higher than the US, it's rather shocking to see, they live very well. At any rate either way, next year we will see how it works, I expect some bumpbs in the road, but overall I think, I hope it works well. As for if you must pay, you should qualify for low rates or assistance at some level.

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  2. I'm not trying to differ at all dfarrell. In 17 months I will be 65. I assume there will be something coming in the mail. I agree with the better situation regarding care in other countries and the decline I speak of is how many here who subscribe to the nonsense at what ever level on many issues. I think that number is increasing slightly thus when a nation's government takes positions that the earth is flat (say global warming) I just think in this day and age that is a decline of sorts and damn near half of us think just about like that. Over half in the House.

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    1. I think I understand now. I absolutely agree there appears to be declines in many sectors; competitiveness, fairness, level of education, privacy (rent a rug shampoo machine and they ask for so much stuff, I tell them no on everything but address and phone, they deserve to know that, where I'm taking their machine, beyond that they can kiss my ass). OK came off the tracks there. Thanks for the comment. I don't recall if Colorado has state run or federal Obamacare, if it's federal you can go to health care dot gov or something like that and set up an account so when it kicks in that work is already out of the way. My wife did that, she has to have it, it would crash our bank account if she gets one of her dealies going again and we don't have insurance, sometime in the next few months her coverage through my work policy will halt, after Oct. that fed web site Kansans have to use will give her quotes and she can choose one according to cost/coverage.

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