What I Found Out When I Completed the “Obamacare” Online Form
The “trainwreck.” This is Sen. Ted Cruz’s pet name for “Obamacare”, formally known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Well, it’s a good thing I don’t listen to Republicans because I have now saved over HALF the amount my premium was with my prior insurance via my previous job.
Less than half. Do you hear me, Cruz? LESS THAN HALF!
Almost exactly a year ago, I changed jobs. I left a full-time salaried position for a job which is a 1099 contracted position. I took a gamble. At the time I knew I was going to have to give up my insurance as my Cobra payment was going to be nearly $700, which is the full amount of the monthly premium – and this is just for me, only. Divorced. No children. No longer considered to be in my “child-bearing” years. No pre-existing conditions, although I have had my share of health problems, but nothing that is long-term.
I took a gamble only because I knew the ACA was just around the corner and I hoped (and still hoping for that matter since it doesn’t take affect until January 2014) that nothing major will happen with my health during this interim. In all honesty, though, even if the ACA wasn’t up-and-coming, I couldn’t have afforded that premium all on my own.
My previous employer paid half my premium, as is normal with many companies. Monthly, my share was $347 towards my coverage. I hated that job, but had been there many years only because of the insurance coverage – and I knew I was fortunate to have a job after the “train wreck” of an economy Bush left us with. Now due to the ACA, I was able to change jobs to a higher paying position, and a job that I love and thoroughly enjoy. I have never been happier with a job before in my life than I am now.
When I completed the on-line form – yes, ONLINE, as in the website – my premium (with a slightly better deductible than my previous insurance, but the rest being very similar) and the Gold plan (80/20 coverage) is $309/month total.
Additionally, I do not qualify for subsidies. My income is above the maximum amount allowed to qualify.
So, let me sum this up again…. My premium is less than half of my prior premium via an employer plan – and I receive no subsidy “discount.” It’s all me, baby.
Ted Cruz, I ask you, if you bring on the train wreck yourself and take away the AFFORDABLE health insurance I have been waiting for, what will you, in turn, then provide to me? What’s that? Nothing?? That’s what I thought.
Yes, I am a liberal Democrat. But I will admit, as much as it pains me to, that even if the worst of the worst Republicans set up the ACA, like Bachmann or Palin, I would bite my tongue and check it out as my health is more important than my pride and disdain over their ideologies and greedy, corrupt ways.
So, those who are opposed to the ACA…. you are only hurting yourself by fighting against it. Definitely hurting millions of others.
If you claim that your insurance is going up, then I very strongly suggest you check out the exchange program. Get online and see what’s available. You are allowed to change plans. I am confident most of you will be pleasantly surprised.
In fact, since there isn’t any charge to complete the online form, anyone who doesn’t check it out is, well, stupid. Keep in mind, I am talking about the general public. Not those people who qualify for special insurance plans for whatever reason. And I’m sure there is a large number of people who are blessed with excellent plans and premiums.
Don’t want to switch insurance companies? Deal with it. It’s not the end of the world. I wish I was in your shoes having been covered with health insurance and now looking at a lower premium if I change companies….
Yes, the website has it’s problems. I tried to log in at midnight when it came live, but I expected it to have problems, and it did. All new sites with this type of traffic will and do. Since the coverage wouldn’t start until January, I left the site and remained patient. It’s working now. Not the greatest site, I will admit (and I build registration websites) but it’s functional. Still having problems with the website? Then get off your duff and make an appointment with your local exchange counselor. No one is required to complete the information online.
In closing, for those who are grumbling, complaining and calling the ACA a train wreck… STFU! You are so wrong! Now see if it can save you some money and move on. Be proactive.
(NOTE: There are NO absolutes in life and I’m sure there are people whose current plan is great, and the ACA will not save them any money — good for you! Seriously, I am glad. But a LOT people are not as lucky, so please, have some compassion for those who are not as fortunate as you and don’t take away their newly-found health insurance.)
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good for all to know…and good to see you again. continue…
Good to see you too. Miss you!
Damn, that’s a smack worthy picture of Cruz. I’m glad you have a job you love and (now) affordable coverage. I was watching a show today that showed the states that weren’t going to expand Medicaid and those that were leaning that way. Guess what? They were largely states with republican governors. I’m going to make a prediction that in six months we’ll see states that set up the exchanges are going to be doing well with it and the ones that didn’t, won’t. I also wouldn’t be surprised to see an exodus from those states that don’t want to cooperate in the program losing residents to those that do.
That could dramatically change the political landscape. Watch this space!
It really does surprise me that so many Republican leaders have no problem with making their constituents’ lives worse off by denying them a chance at coverage, or less expensive coverage. I knew they’d all bitch and complain, and expected that. But figured it would be all hot air. I am really surprised that so many are knowingly going to directly affect people’s lives in a negative way.
I hope they ( the constituents) realize what’s being done to them and that their vote conveys that. It seems that the only thing these pig-headed Republican leaders understand is that which directly affects them.
So nice to hear a success story with the ACA, especially when it’s a friend. The media have been really dreary, with failure reports and stories of people finding higher premiums and co-pays. And with my son being an IT developer, what I’ve heard about the website itself has been horrible.
I’ve waited weeks to hear Cruz say exactly what’s wrong with ACA and how it’s “hurting millions,” but he never gets specific. He just raves in generalities. I’m not sure he’s playing with a full deck. A real sleaze ball.
The media isn’t helping at all, and it infuriates me. I keep wanting to yell at the TV, “I completed the online form – it worked fine!” It could be better, but no glitches. Thing is, when I have such a HUGE difference in savings from my previous premium, I have a hard time believing that so many ppl’s premiums went up. There may have been a few, but my doctor was telling me that won’t last long as those insurance companies will start losing clients, so they’ll have to drop their pricing to be more competitive.
Nice to see you back.
🙂 Oh, I’m around. After building sites all day, I am just ready to get off the computer when I’m done working for the day.
Reblogged this on The ObamaCrat™ and commented:
You’ll soon discover the TeaTardedRepubliCANTS are a party of racist liars who will stop at no type of misinformation to discredit this Black American President from doing the right things to help millions of Americans.
Case in point: There is a Congressional Oversight Committee to investigate the “glitches” at the website Healthcare.gov……but no investigation by Darrell Issa to get to the bottom of the undermining of the U.S. Government by TeaTardedRepubliCANTS over the shutdown of America.
Can you imagine what the Republicans would say if the President had wasted 24 billion dollars– the cost of the shut down?? And when they DO complain about his spending, it’s for programs Congress had to approve first. Go figure.
Just a note: Congrats to ( Senator Elect) Cory Booker. NJ Gov. Chris Christie would rather waste 24 million dollars on a separate election for himself. Yeah, the Democrats are such wasteful spenders…..
Christie is a fool who will never see the Oval Office except for when he takes The White House tour. As for CongrASS….I will refrain from saying things that might offend you.
✿ܓ (◕‿◕)
I will admit, though, that I do like how Christie was not afraid to give kudos to Obama after the hurricane. Most Republicans would have complained because he didn’t roll out a red carpet for all the victims and put them up in the Waldorf.
You’ll find Christie will kiss anyone’s ass to continue to be Guvna’. He’s got no job prospects past Guvna’
For those who are furious their insurance companies are cancelling policies saying “Obama promised I could keep my health coverage” just remember: HHS promised you could keep your plan. NO ONE promised the insurance companies would keep YOU. That’s the ‘free market’ baby.
I haven’t seen any proof of policies being canceled. Doesn’t make sense. What is to keep those ppl from turning right around and re-applying? They cannot be denied insurance. Then they’ll get the ACA pricing available online…..
I was wondering about the Republicans and Obama care. If they are so determined that the ACA is bad ( train wreck, etc.) why not just let it fail– as they seem certain it will do, then they can say “I told you so.”?
Then I realized, they KNOW it has a great chance at success, despite the glitches in the initial set up. They don’t want America to discover that for themselves cause they spent so much time and effort to delay, defund and repeal it, it has to fail for them to save face. And that after all, is what’s really important to them.
Exactly!!!! They have lied themselves into a corner and because they didn’t stop the “train wreck,” then the train wreck will happen – which is the Republican Party.
Headline: Republicans have egg on their faces re: Obama care
in other news, Hens will be working overtime for months to come.
Hens?
To produce all the eggs needed for Republican faces. 🙂
HA!!
I was able to log in and enroll trouble free, much to the chagrin of my Obama-hating parents (whom I love and have a wonderful relationship with, I might add). Now I guess I wait to make sure it got sent to the right insurance agency.
I chose BCBS and they called me within two days. I wanted to pay, but I guess I have to call a different number to do so. The online payment method was the only thing that didn’t work right. I just haven’t called yet… I don’t like the phone. I’m an internet person, so I’m just procrastinating.
Glad you didn’t have any problems. The news is making it sound like it is completely defunct. Irritating.