Unaffordable Coverage at X Hundred a Month
Here is my question,, I make 14 dollars an hour 40 hours a week, So that’s $560 a week before taxes,, I have looked into your insurance,, You want me to pay $800 a month with a $3000 per year delectable or more, and a $50.00 per visit co-pay. Who came up with the term “Affordable Healthcare”” There is nothing Affordable about it.. And now because I can not afford your healthcare you plan on fining me,, DO WHAT????
Due too more doctors going “OUT OF NETWORK” because they do not want to deal with the insurance company’s, I then would be forced to pay all the stuff above and would have to pay up front for my doctors visit and wait for the insurance comp to pay me back,, OMG.. There needs to be drug testing over there because someone is on crack..
Karen Gray
I call BS. I have social security of 12000 a year, have had a stroke and the cheapest plan is over 1100 a month. No subsidy cause I make too much. BS. When I pay rent, insurance (car) utilities I barely have money for food let alone Insurance. So yeah he is right. Don’t qualify for medicaid because Social Security Admin has to qualify me as disabled. Honey, this is all a scam and plan to keep us from insurance that we can afford.
ObamaCareFacts.com
Assuming you mean you qualify for Medicare due to the disability, and therefore can’t get marketplace cost assistance (you shouldn’t be shopping around marketplace plans either if that is the case).
Assuming I’m right, it is important to note that Medicare also has cost assistance options. https://medicarepolicyhelper.com/medicare-guide/medicare-cost-assistance/
Now just because that is true doesn’t mean struggles aren’t real and costs aren’t real. Without full assistance, there will be costs and life can get expensive. So not arguing that part. Just on assistance, at your income the price you are quoting for a plan doesn’t sound right in any market.
barb griffith
my husband and i dont qualify for subsidies for health care his medicare and drug plan and supplement plus my insurance thru obamacare is about 1000 a month not counting deductibles copays and part of the prescriptions costs this is not affordable!!!!! it is the reason my husband is still working at 74. of course a lot of people that dont work or dont make enough its a great deal. but we the working are paying for it!!
ObamaCareFacts.com
I am very sorry to hear that. Why not switch to Medicare though? Or at least check out your options?
Robert Ricee
I agree there is no affordable care act. My health care was running $1896.00 per month we did not qualify for subsidy between the two of us we made $56,000.00 the prior year no descendants.
I have my own business which make after expenses makes less then 10,000.00 per year after expenses. My wife has been collecting unemployment beginning Feb 2020 in the amount of $450.00 per week for 25 weeks it ran out in Aug 2020. Total $11,250.00 we had taxes withheld. The balance of the check was 386.00 take home per week or $9650.00 per the 25 weeks
We have a $24,000.00 per year mortgage we paid with savings and her unemployment (property taxes not included) our home expenses are as follows sewer: $60.00 per month. Electric $160.00 per month (no air condition) Heating gas $150.00 per month. Water $56.00 per month property taxes $750.00 month. Basic car insurance 2 cars $1650.00 per year (no tickets and good driving records) Healthcare insurance came in at just under $1900.00 per month we did not qualify for the government subsidy because they only look at the total income they don’t care about withholding or expenses to keep a business going. I am 60 and my wife is 50.
Nigel Deans
People need to grow up and learn what’s happening instead of just blaming scapegoats for everything. It’s not just the ACA, it’s HEALTHCARE in general that’s getting so expensive.
In the years before the ACA, the cost of health insurance was already increasing by 9% per year. Since the ACA that rate has dropped to 5%. So yes, it’s getting more expensive but without the ACA it would be even MORE expensive.
ObamaCareFacts.com
Yes, that is largely a true statement (and potentially even 100% true). We don’t know for sure what costs would have done without the ACA, and we don’t know what costs would have been like without all the obstruction, so it is hard to say for sure… but that aside, it is important to remember that costs were rising at unsustainable rates before the ACA AND the uninsured rate was higher. So while it is easy to blame the ACA, the reality is a little more complex.
Pamm Jones
Here is my question,, I make 14 dollars an hour 24 hours a week, So that’s $1344 a month., I have looked into your insurance,, You want me to pay 353.85 a month with a $4000 per year deductable or more, and a $50.00 per visit co-pay AFTER my deductible is paid. That is NOT “Affordabe”!! WTF**K!!! Bottom line, I’m taking a whole paycheck to pay for something that I hardly use!! And that’s AFTER taxes, which part are used to pay for someone else who choses not to work at all, and to ILLEGAL aliens that “need” coverage. Yet I HAVE to pay for health care coverage or I get fined at the end of the year. THAT should be illegal. WHY am being MADE to pay for that!!??? F**K that BULLS**T!!
And if that weren’t hard enough, I can’t find a damn doctor that wil even TAKE this insurance!! You insurance companies are al happy and laughing because now Government is MAKING us buy insurance. ALl the while, you jack up your prices ! WTF**K! An My A*S, $200 the cheapest plan. With my info, 353.85 is the loswest. I agree with the previous lady, YOU ARE ALL ON CRACK!! GRRRRR!!
BTW, I’m rating your answer because you don’t have a “0”. WHoever wrote this is a F**King LIAR!! I’m not ignorant!!
ObamaCareFacts.com
12 x 1,344 = $16,128. You make less than the 138% poverty level (just barely) thus you likely aren’t getting assistance.
You aren’t getting assistance because Republicans in your state refused to expand Medicaid.
They did this in part to ensure their base would turn on Democrats and elect Republicans. They succeeded, you are angry at the wrong people there sister.
Morgan
So I want to know how this is in any way considered affordable. I make pretty good money, but you know why I make pretty good money b/c I went to college and then PA school to get a master’s so that I could make good money. Do you know how much debt you end up paying for 4 years of a bachelor’s degree and then a 2 year medical master’s program. A lot! Try 180,000 by the time I was done. And that’s with a full tuition scholarship to my undergrad school and working part time summers and a couple semesters. It’s impossible to work during PA school, so the majority of it is that. You are in school 8-5 M-F and the rest of your free time is spent studying. Once again, I make pretty good money, but once you pay for rent, student loan payments that are more than my rent(read no assistance there since I make too much money), day care, car payments, car insurance, phones, electric, basic cable and internet and try to start paying down the debt on credit cards and what not that I incurred while in school. Forget even trying to have a life. Maybe I’m crazy, but most of that seems like normal stuff that most people (atleast in my area) have. I’m not out spending like crazy. I go a year or more between haircuts and the only time I get new clothes or my nails done are birthdays and holidays as a gift. And yet it’s still a struggle to pay for my daughters soccer or dance. I’m constantly pushing bills back and rearranging things, doing promises to pay so that my credit doesn’t get hit (even though it’s already below average b/c my massive student loan debt destroys my debt to income ratio) but somehow I’m supposed to be able to afford $1,000/ month for my family of 3 to have shitty insurance with a 15,000 deductible?! WHAT?! I understand the push for this act and the fact that it was supposed to help lower income people, but all it really did was completely screw over the middle! I work for a very small clinic that cannot afford to provide insurance for us and I love what I do. I feel like I truly help people and make a difference, but this is insane.
Kim Bohannon
That’s funny. I got the same quote as above person @ Health Care . Gov. This all really sucks! Tired of government lies.
ADAM SMITH
I just did the application for my wife and myself. We make around $50,000 a year. The cheapest plan for us is $820 a month. I’ll pay the penalty instead.
Db
I am not in the revenue bracket that qualifies for credit and my premiums consistently rise over $200 per month year over year.! Is this how the government is ” making America great again” I think not. This is called extortion. Why aren’t the providers held accountable?
Ryan Navin
My Individual Insurance went from 337 a month to 556, from 1500 dollar deductible to 5500 dollar one, The only Dr. I go to on a regular basis has pulled out from accepting my plan as well… so 20 dollars to 75 dollars a visit regardless of Insurance. He doesn’t take Insurance at all now. The next best plant was 329 a month with a 2500 deductible but everything is only down by 40 % in price, I do not go to the Dr. enough to warrant that. At least I didn’t last year. The year before when I went to the ER which the ambulance took me too I didn’t have a choice which one, said my Insurance was out of Network and charged me 5500 bucks for the visit. My coverage was from Spohn health of Texas the only other Insurer on the Market was BCBS there was a total of 5 plans for me to choose from for my county! This is outrageous next time I need to go to the ER I am just going to bleed out instead of calling 911… Can’t live like this. Which is their goal in all honesty. Rich people hate middle and poor people, they want them dead and out of the way. If there was a way to get robots that could work as well as we do they would of killed a lot of us already and blamed it on some other country or “accident.”
Jo Toms
My son in law pays approx $800 a month just for himself thru a group plan at his work. Newsmax announced last week that there was a Twitter post from an individual that showed his new premium and it had risen from approx $800 a month to over $3000 a month – he lived in NC. I worked the business for a while and everyone lost their premiums because it didn’t meet the requirements of ACA. If they had a $500 a month premium it skyrocketed to over $1,000 a month. If an individual was enrolled in a state Hipaa plan which was for preexisting conditions – their plans were cancelled. Same scenario as above – their premiums soared and were upset because their excellent plan was cancelled. ACA is a socialist program – all lies by Obama – you can keep your doctor, your policy, premiums will reduce by $2500. Fed-Up American.
ObamaCareFacts.com
To be fair, that was $2,500 for the average family who qualifies for cost assistance. That was a misspeak.
Of course, if it was socialist you wouldn’t be paying for it. So got to note that too.
While I’m not sure every point you are making is 100% accurate, the sentiment is understandable (premium increases are real, and that has had some negative effects for sure).
In words, your frustration is valid… even if some of the points don’t fully seem fair (and seem instead like anti-ObamaCare cherry picking from NewsMax, a right-wing site).
broke
“This is one of many comments like this we have gotten. We are struggling to differentiate between people who are exaggerating, people who are misunderstanding, and people who are truly finding themselves in an unaffordable situation.”
Or… You could just admit that the entire thing was a bad idea and you guys just couldn’t foresee see how bad. I think the majority of us can read and comprehend what’s on these notices and bills we receive. Were getting gauged out here and you guys are talking in circles.
ObamaCareFacts.com
We aren’t the government, we are an informational website saying that. Just to put this in perspective.
As time has gone on it has become very clear that segments of the population face absurd costs in the current environment (which isn’t something we can just blame the law for, we also have to look at the entire system and the actions of both parties).
Meanwhile, there are situations where people exaggerate their position and misunderstand their options (for example they quote an income and a cost that don’t logically pair under the law due to the way the law caps maximum costs and offers assistance based on income).
That is what we were getting at with the comment.
I disagree that the law was a bad idea as a whole. I rather think that it needs work. A giant problem is that the GOP obstructed the law and made it so it didn’t work the way it was supposed to. That paired with a lack of fixes over the years has caused giant problems for regular people. Our politicians dropped the ball pretty hard here, in both parties. We are eager for a better solution, but still haven’t seen one on the table yet (to be fair a few politicians have at least made reasonable attempts… but none of those attempts were seriously considered in congress).
Dick Burmeister
He is right, I am 57 years old, been to doctor 3 times in my life. Flu symptoms I could not shake.
I make to much for Obamacare.. a little over $50 K
My Blue cross blue shield cost me $1500 a month and thay say could go up to $3,000 a month. THAT IS $36K A YEAR !
elizabeth
ok so my health insurance is 141.00 a month 15000.00 thousand deductible I am sick never go to the doctor just cant afford my husband buys a plan off the state web site 198.00 a month for him and our child who has asthma her medication a mouth is 200.00 my husband has to have eye drops and has asthma 120.00 a month that a total of 659.00 a month and we only make 25000.00 a year and that no take home it is coming to a crashing end we cant cut back on anything else we don’t have cell phones we don’t have any type of tv service we live bare minimum my daughter has hat to quite school to get job to just pay for her medications even when hes on unemployment making half pr mouth updating our info nothing ever changes
Irene
I live in Alaska. Small population base, high health care costs. My husband and I are in our early sixties. Healthy, nonsmokers. We own a small business and as a sideline I grow produce for our local Farmers Market. We are just barely over the ‘income cliff’ and in the ‘medicare gap’. Until Obamacare declared it illegal, we carried catastrophic coverage with a high deductible for fairly low premiums. That worked fine for us.
After paying over $25,000 in premiums under Obamacare in 2015 (and making no claims), we lost our coverage when the carrier left the state. Now Alaskans have no choice of Marketplace insurers, the only one left is Premera Blue Cross. For 2017, our premiums under the cheapest, Bronze Plan would have been $3250/month for both of us. With a $13,500 deductible.
I called an Obamacare representative to make sure I had the numbers right (because you have to navigate the entire complex site before getting to any actual premium quotes.) He was sure I was wrong, until he ran the numbers himself. Then he was shocked. We cannot pay that kind of money for what is basically still a catastrophic plan.
John P McGuire
I am paying750 per month as an individual for a 7k deduct plan. Blie Crowd Illinois.
Prior to aca I paid $100 for the same policy. From 1993 to 2008 my rate went from 35 to $100. From 2008 thru 2017 my dated to same plan went from 100 to 750
Yes I am one of the rare few who kept there plan.
If I switch to an exchange plan on my county my rate would be 450. However one big problem. No hospital accepts aca in my county
Sheila
I recently lost my husband of 33 years. We always had great insurance through our employers, we paid the majority and the employer paid a certain amount. After I changed jobs and my employer did not offer health insurance, my husband carried me on his plan. After his heart attack, I could not afford Cobra, so I lost health insurance. I signed up for insurance through the affordable care act. This insurance is useless. I paid the high premiums, paid the doctor visits, and would always get a bill after the EOB came in. I recently had to have surgery. I expected to pay the deductible with was $5,000 but ended up paying the whole thing. The doctors bill alone was 10,000 and the so called insurance paid nothing. I ended up taking most of my savings to paid the doctor, hospital and the other bills that came soaring in. I think , the most frustrating thing has been for me, I go in to the doctor’s office and I am the only one there that has to pay up front, before I see a doctor. I guess everyone else is on Medicaid because they just give the receptionist a card and presto, no problems. I don’t think the people that came up with the affordable care act, had a clue.
R Maye
Looks like the people need to march on Washington and demand what the rest of the intelligent nations have had for years – Medicare for all!
Burton Leed
How about $1642 per month?
My family is getting crucified and we are now indigent.
Trevette
This person was not exagerating! And honestly your responce was very rude..
John
Hi I make 27831 BEFORE taxes. Live in Tenn. I have health insurance through my employer but I can’t afford my GF. Can I get an exemption as she is my dependent?
Joseph Carter
My wife just turned 60, does not smoke and had a couple of MRI’s, one for her back which turned out to be OK and a periodic every 5 year MRI check up for her Chiari condition which has been deemed stable and not shone progress in 7 years. She does take an anti-anxiety medicine, an Adderall prescription to help her concentrate and hydrocodone for a painful hip condition that they say is arthritis. She did come down with a case of diverticulitis this year that was treatable with antibiotics and a diet modification as well as she is prescribed a Nexium-type prescription for occasional gastritis. None of these ailments or medications are unusual for a 60 year old female and she has not now and never has had a life threatening illness. Nor has she had any cases of hospitalization except about 30 years ago due to childbirth complications and once overnight for kidney stones.
My wife’s premiums increased over 10 fold from 2016 to 2017 from $117 to $1,150/month. Her deduction increased from $500 to $7000/year and same for out of pocket expenses. She earns $18,000 a year where she works and I, her husband, receive VA healthcare. I retired four years ago but still work for the company occasionally I retired from as a consultant under contract. Blue Cross Blue Shield without explanation sent my wife notice of this after they already sent her notice that her health plan would basically be the same at about the same cost as 2016. Then she received another exact same notice stating her premium would be $1,150. She received about four letters from Blue Cross Blue Shield alternating from the lower premium she had been paying to the 10 times higher premium. Starting November in the four letters, the first would say her plan would continue as last year, then the next letter would say her new premium was increasing to$1,150/month. The third letter back to confirming last year’s plan and cost and then the fourth letter saying $1,150 per month. Now the bill received says $1,150/month. With the more than quadrupling in deductible and out of pocket expense plus $1,150/month versus $117/month my wife has had to decline the Blue Cross Blue Shield because we just cannot afford the $1,150 monthly insurance premium and the insurance policy she would probably never get to use because of the massive increase in deductible.
My wife has received no clear explanation other than maybe because I’m making a modest income off consulting fees and because we file jointly that’s going to drive her cost to a ridiculously sky high and unaffordable rate. She also has been told she can’t file for an individual health plan even though I won’t be using the insurance because I have full VA healthcare just because we file our taxes jointly??!! Does this mean after 38 years of being married to the most wonderful woman in the world that we need to divorce so she can have healthcare at an age where she is really going to be at increasing risk???!!!
A woman who just turned 60 and has worked 40 years sometimes 2 and 3 jobs at the same time to help support her family only stopping along the way to have two wonderful now grown children. A woman who has worked hard everyday of her adult life, married to the same man for 38 years who is a veteran who answered the calling twice once in war time serving in combat while my wife stayed at home taking care of the children alone and of course continuing to work to keep our family going while I was away.
Since the Blue Cross/Blue Shield bombshell that was dropped on her around Christmas time two other insurance companies have declined her coverage completely. My wife has no insurance and I fear for her because I love her and I want to be able to fulfill my duties as a loving husband and insure she gets the best care possible. I am at a point of desperation because I do not know what to do. I do not understand why she is being treated this way and I honestly don’t know what to do and it frightens me because I love my wife so much.
Is this the reward, the thanks, the appreciation you get in this country today when you have given it everything you’ve got for 40+ years to be an honest, hardworking, tax paying and most of all moral and model citizen. The people that have given the most to this society are punished for it by this disaster that’s been created called the “Affordable” Care Act. It reminds me of terms like the “Final Solution”.
Robin
I make 21k a year. My non affordable Care act insurance went from $423.00 a month to $561.00 per month. I am separated from my husband and can not make ends meet. With rent of $575.00….. Driving a 10 year old vehicle, car insurance, utilities, food, credit card bills……..I am in the hole every month. I know credit card but I need food, vehicle needs tires,gas and repairs. So screw Obama care for sure. About 30% of my income for insurance. Also 500.00 for an ER trip. Over 5k deductible.
Ryan
My problem is my company offers insurance its 1200 per month with a 10,000 dollar deductible I’m 39 and in good health. I have a wife and 4 kids. Because my company offers this insurance I do not qualify for Obamacare. Before Obamacare I had insurance that was reasonable it was about 650 per month for my family with a 500 dollar deductible. Obamacare has forced me to not be able to afford my coverage and is a huge joke. Last year my wife had unexplained headaches she had a ton of testing and an MRI the whole ordeal cost us around 7000 dollars our insurance covered none of it. Now our credit cards are maxed out trying to pay our doctor bills. We now are facing possible bankruptcy.
This program has really messed up our lives I now feel I need to find a job with a smaller company that does not offer insurance just so I can qualify for Obamacare. Its seems to me this is designed to harm mid sized companies. Large corporations can afford it and its not required for small business its those mid sized companies that really get hammered. Hopefully Trump and the republicans will fix this obamination and we can get back living life agan
Joe Dirt
If you and 20 friends went to McDonald’s and all ordered the first of the combo meals.
The cost of the meal suddenly disappeared. No one was worrying about the cost at that point.
Then they got to the check out and we’re asked a series of questions.Age,height all sort of medical questions,where they live,education level and on and on until some special affordable formula was introduced to come up with a cost for you meal for you.
Yet you got your meal but noticed all your 20 friends prices and meals varied.
Some paying 10 times more than you.
More had to go to the roof and shouted their order to a open market place.
You think back to the years ago when all you wanted was a xuckinx comps meal.
Dee
I am putting off everything until I qualify for Medicare in a year and 2 months. Every other boomer is doing the same thing and it’s going to cost taxpayers, instead of insurance companies. With a $6,000 deductible I still pay for all my own healthcare despite paying premiums every month. All health insurance does for me is keep my life savings from being seized to pay hospital costs.
Erin
It is really unfortunate that you are not able to afford the healthcare you need and the ACA hasn’t done enough to help people with their healthcare costs. However, I do want to encourage you to take advantage of the preventative care that the ACA requires your insurer to cover at no cost to you before deductible. Insurers don’t always make it easy to get that free care, so make sure you call them and ask them for the specific billing codes for the ones you are eligible for (some are based on age and health risk) and give that information to your provider when you get that care. In addition, you should know that Medicare also has premiums, copays, coinsurance, and deductibles and this was the case before the ACA too. However, the ACA did add an additional drug coverage benefit option. You can find more information about Medicare’s costs at Medicare.gov.
Dee
I pay $850.00 a month ( just one person) through CO Anthem BCBS and have a $6,000.00 deductible. I am a 64 y.o. female with no medical conditions and take 1 medication. I qualify for no subsidies of any kind. This situation is unsustainable for me. If something doesn’t quickly change I plan on making a substantial change to my personal assets so I can declare bankruptcy if I have a medical event.
Jill
My husband and I have healthcare plan through Blue Cross Blue Shield that covers considerably less than it did before the Affordable Healthcare plan was enacted. We just received notice that went up 600 dollars, making it now 1300.00 a month. It was 1200.00 a month before ‘Obamacare’. There’s a 6 thousand dollar account for deductible that can only be reached if one is hit by a bus or some other dire circumstance.
I’m self employed. My income fluctuates greatly based on the job I get and payment schedule.
I can’t afford to stay on this plan. Even at half the cost. I now end up paying more for my office visits and any prescriptions than I previously did. Plus I owe 600.00 a month. I don’t understand how the Insurance companies can be allowed to cut services and opt out of things and raise costs when their entire job is to provide medical coverage to the people who pay into it. They are playing the system so they can continue to profit as they did before instead of provide quality health care to everyone across the board. The whole point of this plan was to make good and affordable healthcare available and the insurance companies and drug companies work overtime to make sure they profit without helping anyone but themselves.
Erin
The ACA requires that insurers cover minimal essential benefits and it also requires that certain preventative care is covered at no cost to you before deductible. The insurers were not required to cover anything specifically or offer any coverage before deductible prior to the ACA. They are also now required to provide potential enrollees with a clear benefits list that includes specific information. That being said, it does seem that insurers are making out like bandits even with all the rules, regulations, and the ability for those shopping for and compare insurance plans on the marketplaces.
The GOP proposals thus far have not included any requirements for insurers to disclose benefit information or to provide a minimum amount of benefits. So, if it is important to you that the ACA is “fixed” or replaced to improve people’s access to actual healthcare and not for-profit medical industry profits, write, call, or visit your congressmen and tell them. They are the only ones who are able to change anything and right now they are all concerned about healthcare reform in one form or another.
Virginia Hillegass
My husband changed jobs went from working 10.50 an hour ton12.00 an hour, and I am working part time and a full time student in college. We have an 11 year old son who has polyscystic kidney disease and no longer qualifies for SSI don’t increase in husbands pay. We lost our KY medicaid because of this increase in his pay. We were told to apply at healthcare.gov and after I went through the application and received our “elegibility” status I looked at the plans and GUESS WHAT a family of 3 with our needs $800.00 a month. HOW IS THAT AFFORDABLE?
Daniel patino
We make 26000 dollars a year and we have to pay 600 a month for insurance? I have a baby due in January how is this affordable at all?
Dee
What is the cheapest option for a 26 year old who doesn’t plan on going to the doctor except for catastrophic situations? I want the cheapest coverage possible. I have no income right now and never go to the doctor, but I want to be covered incase I get hit by a bus.
Erin
That depends a lot on how much you earn and where you live. Can you be more specific?
RS
This is crazy. My wife and I are 61 years old, live in NC and don’t smoke. My costs are going to increase from approximately $850 per year to $2010 per year in 2017. In my area Charlotte, NC we only have one plan choice available to us this year. We may have to go without with the costs that high.
Joe Morely
Since Obamacare, our premium went from $273 a month to $1,130 for the exact same coverage. I guess we are “saving” about “-900” a month, and to enjoy this “savings” we get to pay an extra $10,000 annually.
Plus, the plan we had for many years just got cancelled, thanks Obama! We now have to go on the exchange, however since all the plans are unaffordable and offer abysmal coverage we may have to go without insurance. That is the ultimate result of Obamacare – cover the people they like, take coverage away from the people they don’t like (middle income wage earners).
The only silver lining is we can probably avoid the “tax penalty” because there is a list of about 20 exemptions, maybe more. I don’t think anyone actually pays the “tax penalty” excepts for dumb people who don’t look for an exemption.
This entire Law has turned the country into beggars and stealers. It’s really sad, and the current administration brags that this is a “success.”
I dare you to post my comment, I don’t think you will as you obviously edit out most of the comments that are negative of Obamacare, in favor of the ones you like. Typical.
Erin
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and Obamacarefacts.com is an independent website that tries to provide the most relevant, useful, and thorough information about the law the Affordable Care Act. They do moderate the comments (that’s me at the moment) to watch for SPAM, harassment, derogatory, foul, and/or useless comments. However, people’s personal experiences are very important to the conversation about how America is going to more forward and address the shortfalls of the Affordable Care Act. For all its short comings (and there are many), it has had an incredible effect for low income families in states that have expanded Medicaid and for young adults (18-26). Those people’s personal experience are not more important than the experiences of the families affected by the Family Affordability Glitch, Medicare recipients who’s incomes are Medicaid eligible (aka dual eligibility), or even those who simply do not want to purchase insurance at all. The stories of the millions who have had improvements in their healthcare and/or coverage are at least just as important though. Any meaningful healthcare reform to come should look at the big picture and attempt to at least retain the gains made, but most of us would prefer what ever comes next to be better. Thank you for sharing your story.
Maureen
Liars – they lied to everyone. My son cannot insure his 4 boys. His went up 600 percent. Was $300 is now 1800. We are about to have ore people without insurance than ever before. Obama has done this and people love him. He is the worst president in history.
Joe Williams
“It’s rare that someone would pay over $600 for individual coverage, let alone $800.”
This statement is a bald faced lie. Go on the exchange and look at the cost.
Lori Childers
Our monthly premium, in Florida, for just my husband, non smoker, is $708 a month for a bronze plan. All plans pulled out of the state except for blue cross. We are retired. So glad he will be on medicare in May, no way can people afford this. Last year we paid just under $500 a month for a silver plan, but since I’ve started collecting a small pension, we no longer qualify for any tax credit.
Kristin
I actually pay 800 dollars a month
And I’m a non smoker healthy no cormobities and I’m not in any medications and I can’t even remember the last time I saw a doctor. This is approximately 10,000 dollars going to insurance in something I don’t even use!! And I’m getting health insurance through my job and that’s our only option is to pay 800 a month
IRENE SOLESKY
I recently received a notice in MD Health Connection website that my family coverage will increase almost $500/mo and deductible will raise from $6000 to $6550. I will have to satisfy a $6550 deductible first before insurance coverage kicks in, all while paying $1351 per month. Insane.
It is far cheaper to fund my own medical savings account. I am basically already doing that anyway. I realize that this subjects you to a penalty if you are not proven to meet any of the Obamacare exemptions, however, I may even be exempt according to their Affordability test due to this ridiculous increase.
I emailed my carrier Carefirst to ask why such an increase when my age bracket hasn’t changed and only one small claim was put in (preventative care) out of all 4 people in my family plan. They said I had to speak to someone in MD Health Exchange. I realize now my premium is going to fund the premium of others. Not going to happen. I already requested not to re-enroll for 2017. You can’t call something “affordable healthcare” unless it is affordable for EVERYONE.
Meghan
1. In order to insure the uninsured, we first have to un-insure the insured.
2. Next, we require the newly un-insured to be re-insured.
3. To re-insure the newly un-insured, they are required to pay extra charges to be re-insured.
4. The extra charges are required so that the original insured, who became un-insured, and then became re-insured, can pay enough extra so that the original un-insured can be insured, so
it will be ‘free-of-charge’ to them.
Upset N. Texas
I also have a bone to pick with the person or persons in charge of answering this board who are saying that the numbers aren’t adding up or people are exaggerating. Please remember that we are entering our income and other info into the system and then we are directed to a page that shows what our choices are based on our input. If the numbers aren’t adding up, that’s because Obamacare is not working as it was intended. I work part time and wasn’t earning much the first year of Obamacare care. I qualified for help and my premium was very low. Over the last 2 years my income increased, but not significantly; however, it was significant enough to for me not to qualify for any special breaks. My premium went up dramatically and even more so this year. Needless to say, I’ll be paying the penalty for the 2nd year in a row. I’ve never been on welfare, nor do I intend to, but now I think I’m beginning to understand why some people choose to pop out a bunch of babies instead of getting jobs. LOL
Erin
If the lowest cost health insurance you and your family are eligible for is more than 8.13% of your family’s income then you can apply for an affordability exemption and you will no longer be required to have minimal essential coverage and you also won’t owe the fee.
rob
I am a 63 yr old retiree. I got a part time job so my income will be 50000 for 2017.
I found out I won’t be eligible for Obama are subsidy for 2017 & my premiums will now be in the $900 month range for a high deductible policy. No way can I afford that. Just exactly what am I supposed to do?
BOB ELLIOTT
changed jobs and had to move last year. my wife had the health coverage but when we moved the new store only had a part time position for her. she was only offered the bare minimum which was preventive care only. i went to my new jobs insurance co. and they gave me the following numbers based on our 2015 income which was 74k gross 48k take home.
for catastrophic coverage only it is 55 per week for just me and 169 a week for my wife and i.
for what would be equivalent to the silver aca plan they want 88 a week for just me and for the both of us 239 a WEEK.. and add in that these are 5000 dollar deductible. so the cat. plan will be 8760.00 a year and add the 5k copay to that for 1360.00.
for the better plan it’s 12432.00 add the 5 k copay to that and it’s 17432.00.
wtf
TAKING INTO ACCOUNT OUR MONTHLY BILLS, UTILITIES, CABLE, CAR INS., RENT AND IF WE HAD TO PAY THE COPAY OF 5K, WE WOULD BE LEFT WITH 130.00 A WEEK TO BUY CLOTHS, FOOD, GAS FOR THE CAR TOLL FOR THE WIFE’S DRIVE TO WORK IS 25 A WEEK. SO, CAN SOMEBODY PLEASE TELL ME WHAT LUNATIC SIGNED THIS INTO AFFECT? THAT’S RIGHT ALL CAPS, I’M PISSED. A 62 YEAR OLD MAN WHO BASICALLY LIVES PAY TO PAY BUT WAS DOING IT COMFORTABLY, IS NOW LEFT WITH LESS MONEY IN HIS POCKET THAN WELFARE RECIPE ANTS AT THE END OF THE DAY. OH YEA, USING THE COMPUTING TOOL ON THE ACA WEBSITE, A PERSON MAKING 1000000 YEARLY WOULD PAY THE SAME AS ME.
Julie Donley
I just got my new bill for Obamacare. What a joke….they wanted to insure the uninsured well, now I will be uninsured and so will my husband and child. This will be the first time in 55 years that I have not had health insurance. Good job Obama. Everyone I know rates went up at least 50% in Oklahoma. Personally, I think we need to go back to the old way where if your poor and don’t work because you are lazy… you don’t get health insurance. We might not have this problem if our country wasn’t being given away!
Aviva Patt
I agree completely that Obamacare is not what was promised as far a affordability is concerned. But you are wrong in your assumption that it is due to people who are lazy and don’t work getting health care. People in the exchange all work – you don’t qualify if you don’t have income. The high insurance costs are the result of the high health care costs incurred by people in Obamacare – we are essentially a high-risk pool. Millions of people who had gone years without healthcare are now accessing and using it. After a few years, the costs would be expected to go down. But the GOP Congress has withheld the funds that were supposed to subsidize the insurance companies’ losses in the early years of the program so insurers are fleeing the marketplace and those who stay are increasing the premiums, deductibles and out-of-pockets.
Meredith
“Lazy”? I think you missed all these comments above from people working full-time schedules and some working multiple jobs. Most poor people in America are WORKING poor. If you’re looking for someone to blame, I’d focus on someone other than people just trying to make a living.
Andrea
Ok–I have to agree with the guy above. My husband and I are both healthy, non smoker, non drinker, not overweight and have no medical problems. Oh…and we both have jobs! The cheapest rate we could get was over $900 a month, which IS more than my mortgage and we do not qualify for any subsidy, discount, etc because we HAVE JOBS. We cannot afford this–or any insurance that we have researched, SO…we have a catastrophic plan with a 10k deductible–HA! Basically we have the “don’t get sick” rule. So–for anyone out there who thinks this is affordable health care, think again
Bill
I just put my info into Obamacare for 2017. I am currently disabled and my income is limited to $896 per month. If I enroll in the unaffordable health care my premium will be $821.21 per month. That is 92% of my income for covering one person. Even if I went and lived under a bridge I still couldn’t survive because that only leaves $75 per month to live on…I couldn’t eat for 2 weeks on $75 much less use the insurance to go to a doctor because i could not afford to even pay the copays! I thought that maybe I would be entitled to a subsidy because of my low income, BUT I guess not!
dan macpherson
My silver plan is now $658/month.
I was getting it for about $120/month with a subsidy. But I had a capital gain reported on my retirement account so now they want the subsidy back.
I wanted affordable health care, not a tax and financial headache
Cathleen
You failed to mention having to pay an additional 600 dollars a month towards the 6,400 dollar deductable BEFORE the so called health ins can even be used.
Someday
Yeah sorry but It’s just terrible legislation, and just needs to be repealed and replaced.
Larry Flint
This guy is taking home less than $1600 a month and lives in an area that has the highest rents in Amerixa. Nobody can afford $200/mo on top of the cost of living in a metro area. We can’t keep upping the real estate values and rents while keeping wages down. We can’t keep eating 99 cent hamburgers and expect a better health outcome. The government used all of the insurance surplus and all of the Debit available and any future tax service on this experiment. Noone ever said stop building fast food stores. Stop drinking massive amounts of soda and alcohol and avoid tobacco, pollution or chemicals. Not even Mit Romney or Michelle O condemned the progress of corporate bullies taking the last few dollars from the unsuspecting public. Maybe when 200 million end up broke uninsured and unable to fend for themselves the light will finally go on.
Aviva Miriam Patt
I have a small business and want to over coverage to my employees. The SHOP section states “Health coverage purchased for an employee cannot exceed 9.5% of their gross family income for employee only coverage.” There is not a single plan in my state with premiums less than 9.5% of my employees’ salaries. What do I do?
ObamaCareFacts.com
That is an “interesting” predicament. To be clear it is that their share can’t be more than 9.5%. You can offer then plan, then your employees can opt-out as needed. Not a big benefit, but an option. You can also offer them health reimbursement via a properly structured section 105 plan, but this isn’t my personal favorite solution as it is complex and has a few weird rules attached.
You can also just up their pay and let them shop on the exchange. I don’t have any amazing solution.
Aviva Miriam Patt
Telling someone that s/he is wrong rather than acknowledging a well-recognized existing problem is evasive and disgusting. People are facing much higher costs than the ACA predicted; belittling them and denying reality is hardly a proper response.
ObamaCareFacts.com
I agree 100%, I don’t think we did this though. This page is about a person who is citing costs that don’t make sense under the structure of the ACA. So we pointed out some math and then asked people to be more clear so we could help. If you make under the 250% of the poverty level, and then tell me you have costs exceeding the amount at which premiums and deductibles would be capped, it raises a red flag and tells me that we are missing some details. For sure, there are many struggling with costs, but when I see someone struggling who shouldn’t be I do feel saying something is the right move.
Maria
I recently moved from MN to WI. I was paying $330/month for myself and 20 year old adult daughter. Now, the least expensive plan available in WI for both of us is $630/month. Granted, combined AGI Income with my husband & myself is $120,000 (I am self-employed so our NET income is about $90,000). Even if one thinks $630 is do-able on this income, I am healthy and lead a very healthy lifestyle. I could understand buying catastrophic insurance – or was OK with paying $330 — but nothing seems AFFORDABLE about $630! I am a strong democrat,so am having trouble seeing this/complaining about this. I am most likely going to pay the penalty & start my own “catastrophic fund”. Most of my health care is alternative anyway – not covered by insurance. When I see the analysis of why people are choosing the penalty, the assume the poverty level people are not understanding how they can qualify for exemptions, etc – not seeing that people like me are SHOCKED as to what’s going on. And I don’t see how it’s even legal for WI to have only ONE Insurance Company option (Medica) – Anthem Blue Cross etc pulled out of the Open Enrollment. How can a monopoly be legal?
Ashley Leist
My husband had a plan that he was paying $48 a month for while I was pregnant and on Medicaid. Now that I’ve had my baby and no longer qualify for Medicaid, I tried to find a plan on the marketplace and it tells me that my husband now may qualify for Medicaid and I would not. It makes no sense since he’s the one working while I’m a stay at home mom. It says that I would pay$110 under the same plan he was under just for me! My question is why would mine be double what he paid and he may be eligible for Medicaid when he’s the one with the job?!
Darryl
How exactly is it that more people now than EVER are insured but the costs keep going up, up, up? My husband and I, thru his employer, are having to pay $800 a month for just the two of us…How is that affordable? Let’s not forget that if you are not getting the highest plan, then you’re not really getting much coverage. The yearly deductibles, the premiums, and the doctor visits cost a lot. God forbid something serious happens to you (cancer, Diabetes…) then your totally screwed because that is when you find exactly what not is covered by a plan you pay $800 a month for. That is $9,600 a year…should that not cover most things? My biggest question, which no one has covered is this…why do doctors, surgeons, and hospitals ALWAYS charge 3 times as much to insurance, than they would charge a patient paying in cash? Why is there not some type of standard? If they can accept payment for services a much lower cost from a patient, paying cash, then why are they charging insurance more…does this not seem to be one of the biggest issues with the cost of insurance? Maybe instead of forcing Americans to purchase insurance, OBAMACARE should tackle the huge costs in the medical industry and find a way to regulate the costs.
Jeffrey Lyn Hall
I have an answer for you Mr./Ms Answer. I am NOT exaggerating when I say that I just lost my job and after going to the MarketPlace, my family will be paying a minimum $750 per month in order to get coverage that has a deductible under $6000. And yes, that includes all the discounts/subsides and everything. This is for an expected yearly income of apx $63k (for this year, but remember, I just lost my job). I don’t smoke, go on vacations, by items at the store that I don’t need as so many Pro ACA people suggest us “complainers” do. More than likely I will have to work two or three jobs to make up the difference of the medical bills (I do have osteoarthritis, so there are some regularly occurring med bills) effect on our household income. The math doesn’t work. Please stop suggesting that us poor folks just don’t understand the ACA. I have three college degrees and I’m sure I understand the insurance. What I don’t understand is how my family is going to pay for it. One trip to the clinic to get an epidural for myself or one sports injury from my daughters and we’ll be looking at bankruptcy with such a large deductible and max out of pocket. I’m certainly not trying to pick on you, but please stop acting like folks like my family are some sort of percentage outliers. We are the larger percentage (incomes between $35k-$70k). Thanks for you articles.
Ken
My wife was told that her insurance premium would be $486.00 a month my employer didn’t offer ins for my wife and am still paying $212.00 a month towards my own insurance. I make $17.62 an hr and was fined through Obama care and it wasn’t my fault because Obama care didn’t help my wife with ins assistance. I my self see that as a double taxation in it self because I pay taxes like everyone else and still have to pay again plus were does this money go? It doesn’t belong to the government. Nevada health link told me I would have to find and pay full price for my wife’s health insurance.. She can’t get medicare either I make to much.. Go figure..
Serena
America rewards such bad behavior.
Charlene
I live in Virginia, am 51 years old, have 1 dependent, only work part-time making $800 a month, am a non-smoker, and my bronze premium was over $300 a month with a $4850 deductible- how is almost half my income AFFORDABLE – I didn’t even use $4850 a year even with the high cost of having a baby – so who really goes to the doctor and racks up $4850 a year in bills???????? I haven’t been to the doctor in almost 10 years except for when I was in a car accident. So why should I pay insurance that I will not use because my deductible is too high? That means I pay for insurance and pay for doctors. One doctor visit is less than one monthly premium.
M.Redman
Reading everyone’s comments here and it is apparent that a majority of people are in the same boat. Close to the poverty line but make too much for Medicaid. Any increase in your income and that could put you in the unaffordable category for health insurance. There are alternatives to Obamacare that might help, if you are relatively healthy and can afford to add $50 to $150 a month for a health plan I would recommend shopping for a short term health policy giving you adequate coverage at a fraction of the cost of a ACA plan. I found quite a few options through a company that represents quite a few plans, First Family Insurance at 800-327-5579.
Ken Winnen
You qualify for medicaid which is free health care. I’m on medicaid in Oregon and everything is paid for. I make about $800 a month and just had a heart attack all paid for. Plus Plane ride which was $57000 all paid also have not paid a cent for meds.
Andrew
I make $29 per hour before taxes and my employer does not offer health insurance. I am male, 46 years old, I pay $2100 per month child support to my x, my children live with their mom and I have visitation. Last year I paid $580 a month Obama care, this year I have to pay over $600. This is crazy. I live in California on the central coast.
Claire Lunbeck
Even the amount you are quoting can be too much for many people to pay for health insurance…so much depends on where you live and what your expenses are and your work situation is. This really is a hardship for many people. And then there are so many problems with the exchanges and the insurance companies on them. A working person who cannot spend hours on the phone trying to get through the bureaucracy is basically screwed. I will post specific case as requested at another time.
Nathan
First off I’ll say this guy is obviously exaggerating but i see where he’s coming from really. It might as well say 800 a month for people that have to then pay the deductible. I am in the situation where I’ll have to pay a deductible right away and monthly payments on that as well makes it impossible. Especially for someone only making 25000 a year. As in my case. I did get another job making about 7000 a year more and according the the marketplace that drops my credit from 168 making 17000 a year to 77 making 24500 a year. And ok it should change but that’s drastic. And way more than what’s ” affordable “. But also it changes they plan that I’m eligible for. And my deductible goes from 300 to 3500. Purely because of an increase in pay from 17000 to 24500 a year. And as for someone who has cancer on his nose and needs surgery to fix it my hand is forced.
And also no one can give me a straight answer about this at your company. But why if the plan has changed or I’m not eligible for the same plan has the deductible through the marketplace changed yet the insurance company contacted me and renewed my plan for the same old deductible. Actually an increased by 100$ which is manageable. And understandable…?
I understand my wages went from low poverty to just about low poverty but to not make me eligible for a plan based on those small of earnings and such a small increase makes no sense at all! And again I repete if I refile with the marketplace and change my wages I can no longer get the same deductible. I get the premium goes up even though my its not even close to fair for someone making as little as I still make but the deductible as well and that’s what makes it so unaffordable. Seriously.
I mean you hear everyone say they do everything they can to keep the middle class down (as if I was considered middle class) and I have been the only one I know sick stick up for Obama care but it’s to a point now it needs to be looked at. I can hardly afford to get by and they raise my cost more than drasticly. It’s impossible and I hope it’s looked into for mine and everyone’s sake. Insurance companies will get by with a little more cost. I will not. Thanks for listening.
Mark Wickman
I am a 64 year old non smoker living in NC. Insurance for my family of 4 is $$1655/mo with a $10K deductible. That’s 20% of my income. I don’t think “affordable” applies to the middle class of this country.
ObamaCareFacts.com
Yeah, without cost assistance some people are reporting some pretty unaffordable coverage options. You can look into exemptions based on price, but that only helps with avoiding the fee and not with getting coverage. Make sure to double check the federal poverty level and cost assistance options. https://obamacarefacts.com/obamacare-exemptions-list/
Meredith
Agreed. And the real killer is the deductible. If I had $10,000 to spend on 2 days in the hospital plus jell-o, I probably wouldn’t need to buy health insurance at all. THIS is why so many people go bankrupt in America; no other country in the world lets people go bankrupt for not paying their healthcare tabs.
Anthony
Ditto, family of 4, same location same co-pay, now at $1230 per month. What a joke. BTW that is over 15k a year in premiums and have max out of pocket of 10k – total of 25k a year in health expenses. Such a scam, way to penalize those that contribute. Also, that 1230/month is more than i pay on my mortgage and utilities.
Linda
It is apparent that any healthcare is not affordable at $7-15 hourly income. If someone has rent, phone, electric, water, garbage, car loan, car insurance, not to mention food and gas costs- there is NO money left.
I earn a bit more than the above person and I cannot afford my present bills on my salary. I certainly cannot add another $100-$200 bill monthly. I would be evicted before I’d ever get to use the healthcare. I was charged last year $145 of my tax return because I could not afford the monthly healthcare cost that is now mandatory. I really needed that $145, I would have bought groceries with it. I’ve cut my costs to a minimum, no TV, using minimum electric and water and moved closer to work so I can afford to live. I have no social life, no impulse buying, nothing, and I am single. I am appalled at this Obamacare thing, I am so upset that the tax return I get in 2016 will be removed to pay my healthcare. I really need to get my car fixed. I can’t imagine how a family of even 2 incomes would manage it.
Doctors should be paid if they keep us WELL, not to continually keep us in a flux of poor health. Healthcare, shelter and food should be a given, affordable or FREE to all, no exceptions. I am not saying give us the world, but if every person were given a small piece of property, a modest home, ability to grow their own food and access to education, we would all have the same fresh start at life.
I don't know my name
You say this as if you had this really great alternative prior to Obamacare that was much cheaper and had this robust network of providers and you paid very little out of pocket Shangri la right and Obama just screwed up .Obamacare ain’t workin I get that but some context in this nothing workin prior to or now.