<p>My family is keeping our existing employer plan. We’re glad that my son can stay on our plan until he is 26, and then he’ll be able to get insurance even if he is unable to handle a fulltime job.</p>
<p>Obamacare raises taxes on Cadillac health care plans, tanning salons, and medical devices. But not on the middle class.</p>
<p>dstark, you have gone through some rough times. None of us can really know how you feel although we can imagine that we do. </p>
<p>So what I am about to say has nothing to do with my views of Obamacare or the politics surrounding the issue. Stay with your employer insurance. With your daughter’s illness, I would be extremely hesitant to move her to an insurance plan that has a limited network. You are going to want the very best medical care you can provide for her and that means having the widest network possible. It is how I would proceed if it was my daughter.</p>
<p>CF, I must admit I was somewhat startled to read in your most recent post that your family has an employer provided plan. You have a lot to say about exchange plans like the one I am being forced to take and yet you are totally exempt from its consequences. Interesting.</p>
<p>Goldenpooch, the fact that Fang isn’t going on the exchange doesn’t prevent her from knowing about them.</p>
<p>Well she has accused me of whining because I am being forced to accept an exchange plan for a lot more money. So I do consider it relevant.</p>
<p>OK Goldenpooch. We know you’re unhappy. You are not the only one who’s being negatively impacted. You seem to discount the many people who are being helped. Can we move on?</p>
<p>Goldenpooch, please read people’s posts before you offer personal “advice”.</p>
<p>You wrote:
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<p>DStark’s posted that his daughter is age 27, too old to be on DStark’s insurance. She is covered by her own employer insurance. It appears that she will be able to keep that insurance, either because she is well enough to continue working or because she has an employer with generous leave policies .</p>
<p>But if DStark’s daughter leaves her job in the future, then she will need to buy an individual policy (unless, of course, she leaves for a different job that also provides insurance). </p>
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<p>DStark posted that his daughter is being treated at Kaiser and intends to stay at Kaiser. He might have posted that information precisely to make the point that people can get excellent health care with an HMO.</p>
<p>It’s great she is getting good care at Kaiser, but I still think my advice is pertinent. The future is unknowable (for all us) so it is wise to give yourself as much flexibility as possible to deal with all contingencies.</p>
<p>Kaiser has no doctors or facilities in my town</p>
<p>How far do you have to travel to get to Cedar Sinai and UCLA?</p>
<p>Goldenpooch, my point is that it is rude and insensitive to give “advice” to someone who has shared their troubles after they have already given you information that makes it clear that your advice is inappropriate to their situation. It doesn’t help that your “advice” was internally contradictory.</p>
<p>dstark best of luck to your D and the rest of your family.</p>
<p>My mom had a benign brain tumor about 17 years ago. She is doing great. She had a second that calcified and did not need to be removed.</p>
<p>Dstark, sending hugs and light to your D’s and family. Situations like yours are precisely why something had to change, however individually painful those changes seem to some, and however brokered and messed up the constant partisan struggles make the resulting implementation. None of us know what we don’t know, and any one of us could walk your road tomorrow, as “healthy” as we might think we and our loved ones are :)</p>
<p>I understand your neurosurgeons’ comment completely because ten years ago I was tasked with finding insurance that covered a pre-existing condition and had adequate ceilings for coverage for a freshly diagnosed brain cyst/tumor with my son. In his case, after observation, it was determined to be benign and surgery was not recommended due to risk and location. But I also know that can change any day the first time calcification shows up or the cerebral pressure builds too much. </p>
<p>GoldenPooch, you still haven’t answered my question from yesterday: Are you not eligible for catastrophic-only coverage if your premiums exceed 9% of your MAGI?</p>
<p>Or is there some reason you would not be happier to go that route? Given your dissatisfaction with your premiums that you refer to as being “forced into” on the exchange, I genuinely want to know whether or not this alternate option is available to you, and if so, what’s wrong with it?</p>
<p>There may come a day when my business partner & spouse, who is a decade older than me, is retired and I remain running our company. I am thus curious about the catastrophic option.</p>
<p>In case you guys need another story about why the ACA is such a good thing:</p>
<p>My sister was a fit, and extremely healthy 51 year old until the day she was diagnosed with stomach cancer. No risk factors at all. Perfect weight, non smoker, rarely had a drink ate very healthy, etc. The only time she used her health insurance before this was for the birth of her kids and once a year check ups. </p>
<p>Spent three years getting treated for the cancer including chemo, radiation, surgery and all the complications. Toward the end of the second year she was informed by the insurance company that she was approaching her lifetime max. Can you imagine not only having to worry about surviving this, but now the added worry about paying for it?</p>
<p>Her insurance was through her husband. She was a mostly stay at home mom with a part time job. She had a 10 yr old son. Her husband was retired and on medicare, but luckily worked for a really good company that provided supplemental insurance. Although they had to pay the premiums.</p>
<p>When the insurance company notified them that they were approaching the lifetime max, they started looking around for alternatives. She wouldn’t qualify for medicare for another 14 years. Way too long to go without insurance. They faced either being wiped out financially by the premiums if she COULD find health insurance, or by the cost of her care. </p>
<p>Luckily, the ACA came into existence just in time and did away with not only the lifetime max, but the preexisting conditions clause. She still face a fairly uncertain health future, but at least can now be treated for whatever does come up without losing their home.</p>
<p>This was so scary to our family that even my father who was totally against “Obamacare” before this realized that sometimes, thinking of others is a good thing.</p>
<p>For those who say why not find a better option before we implement this? Because people like my sister need help NOW. Implement this and fix the bugs later. Meanwhile she can sleep better and as a bonus, continue to cover her 24 yr old for another two years.</p>
<p>Dstark, I haven’t been on this discussion but found out about your D’s medical situation. I am so sorry and I commend you on your great posts on the situation. Just popping on here to wish you and your family good luck.</p>
<p>Deb922, Lindz126, Hayden thanks.
Tom1944, thanks and I like the story.
CF, I wish the best to your family and your son.
LasMa, as you know, I have liked your posts on this subject for a very long time.
If I miss people, sorry.
Kmcmom13, I am glad things have been working out for your son. The best to you and your son. I like your posts.
Fordiscussion, I appreciate your post. Good luck to your sister. What a nightmare to have to worry about insurance running out. You are right as others have also said. People need help. NOW.</p>
<p>ACA isnt some political game like a baseball game for millions of people. Trying to win a game for our side. The political stuff is disgusting. </p>
<p>If ACA is really a financial hardship, I am sorry.</p>
<p>Obamacare is going to make it easier for millions of people to change insurance plans if the need arises. That includes my daughter if she loses her job. There should be more insurance companies joining exchanges as things settle out over time. I realize that some states do not have a lot of representation on the exchanges and some states are just giving the finger to their citizens who need help NOW and in the immediate future. It is a shame.</p>
<p>Ok. I think I have written enough about my daughter’s situation for now. I appreciate people sharing their experiences.</p>
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<p>Heh? There is no “partisan struggles” about implementing a web site.
And the financial issues are Math, not partisan.</p>
<p>MODERATOR’S NOTE:</p>
<p>The thread is drifting into political discussion. Please rein it in.</p>
<p>[Lower</a> 2014 income can net huge health care subsidy - SFGate](<a href=“Lower 2014 income can net huge health care subsidy”>Lower 2014 income can net huge health care subsidy)</p>
<p>Interesting article on how to adjust your income to get the insurance subsidy. The couple in the article saw their Kaiser plan premiums double. </p>
<p>If they drop their income by $2,000, they can save $14,000 in insurance premiums. </p>
<p>So the advice is to take withdrawals from IRAs this year rather than next. Or the simplest thing ‘work less’.</p>
<p>The reason their premiums doubled is that the ACA requires things like maternity coverage that 60 year olds don’t need.</p>