I'm sleeping

And I'm right in the middle of a good dream

When all at once I wake up

From something that keeps knocking in my brain.

Before I go insane,

I hold my pillow to my head

and sit up in my bed

Screaming out the words I dread

"I think I love you"

I think I love you

But what am I so afraid of

I'm afraid that I'm not sure of

A love there is no cure for.

I think I love you!

I was probably 10 or 11 when I used to watch the Partridge Family.....so this popped into my head when they were talking about him on the news this morning. Hahahah, don't judge me.

This bill has a long way to go before it's actually passed. A lot of changes, hopefully for the good, are going to take place first, or it's not going to pass at all. I've worked in this field for over half of my career, and there's absolutely no sense worrying, or bitching and complaining, about what ifs, because we won't know until the nth hour what's actually going to transpire. And then it won't matter, and we'll have to deal with it.

Obamacare allowed everyone to get coverage, which is a good thing, but at who's expense? Do you think it's a coincidence that all of our premiums have sky-rocketed since Obamacare went through? It's certainly not "affordable", and the plans have way too much out of pocket costs for the policyholder, unless of course it's all paid for you through government subsidies. I don't know why everyone thinks it's so great. If I wasn't fortunate enough to have lower monthly premiums, because my employer pays a portion, I'd be less than happy to pay $600 a month for a $6,000 deductible plan.

If you use your laptop, Click on your user name in the upper right corner, then MY Profile. Once your profile box comes up, click the "Change" on the profile picture. It will bring up a box to allow you to download a photo.

I heard on the news this morning there were Syrian refugees brought to Toledo, their words "Our fear of refugees seems to fade when we see their faces", or something to that affect. Because they're desolate, sad, and fearful, I suppose. It would be a horrible ordeal, but with what they've been through, we don't know what we're getting. I'm not a judgmental person, but these refugees have lived in a world that we can only imagine and they just don't think like us. One can only hope they are here for the right reasons.

C. Twilight - Golden Earring

@the-cysko-kid said:

Feels like some of you are whining that I qualify for a subsidy and I'm taking it. I'd prefer to make 95000 a year and pay 12000 so I could still make 83000 a year if one of you fellas could go ahead and hook me up with a hundred grand a year job that'd be stellar.

You stated how affordable your healthcare is now. I wasn't whining because you qualify for a subsidy. I think it's great that your wife is able to be a stay at home Mom, and a subsidy helps you to afford your coverage. I just wanted to point out, that Obamacare really isn't all that affordable, for someone who doesn't qualify for a subsidy. That's my big gripe.

Someone has to pay that subsidy.....and because you have 4 family members in your household, that income level for a subsidy is about $95,000. So if you made $95,000 annually, you'd think it was ok to pay $1,000 a month for coverage for your family, for a $12,000 deductible plan? So in essence, if you had a hospitalization in your family and had to pay the deductible of $12,000, plus the premium for that year of $12,000, you'd be ok with that?

Take that same $30 an hour, for a 2 member household, and the income level for a subsidy is about $62,000. So, that household isn't eligible for a subsidy, and their monthly premium for Obamacare can be anywhere from $400.00 monthly(for a young couple)- $1,000 monthly( for a couple in their 60's) for that same high deductible plan. For the young couple, not so bad, for the older couple, with probably more claims, not so good. To get good coverage, that premium shoots way up.

Personally, I feel the word "Affordable" should be nowhere in the "Affordable" Care Act........just my opinion, and you know what they say about opinions.

And how much would it be if you weren't getting a subsidy? $800, $900, $1,000 a month?......for people not eligible for a subsidy, I don't call that affordable, plus they have that high deductible on top of that.

These rioters are not rioting to honor their "fallen brother", it's just an opportunity/excuse for them to go into these businesses and take whatever they want, without having to pay for it. Thugs looking our for themselves.

What is really sad about this whole post is that all of you made it about two lesbians. The story is about three children, ages 3, 5 and 8 that were abused and nearly starved to death, but not one comment about them. I for one don't care what the sexual preference of the two at fault is, it is irrelevant, but I would like to see them get the same treatment those defenseless children got.....and much worse.

There are many people deserving of Welfare, food stamps, etc. There are also many people that have paid into the system for many years only to find themselves out of jobs. They too are deserving. But there are many many people that are very capable of working but choose not to. Why, because there is no incentive to do so when everything is given to them with basically no restrictions. Yeah they don't have any real assets per say, but they are perfectly content to freeload. And you can't deny the fact that there are indeed freeloaders.

That's correct. If you fall under the 100%, then you are eligible for Medicaid, and that is free to the recipient....but someone has to pay for it. I guess that falls to us, again.

I've been in the healthcare business for 20 years, and these are definitely not horror stories. Yes, IF you fall within the 100-400%, of the poverty level (especially the low end), and are eligible for a subsidy, your premiums will be low and affordable. If you have been paying high premiums due to past health conditions, yes, you will probably see a decrease in your premium, but your plan will change also. If you are younger, say between 25-40, your premiums won't be too bad.

IF on the other hand you are fairly healthy and over the age of 45, you will see significant increases in your premium, and significant decreases in your coverage. Those small group employers, with under 50 employees, in the state of Ohio are seeing significant increases in their renewals this year. I have had increases anywhere from 35-65% already, again with significant decreases in coverage from their current plan. So not only are they getting the increases in premium, they have to take away the good coverage they now offer their employees to continue to offer coverage that they may or may not be able to afford. I have seen employees decide to just not offer coverage any longer and the employees are left to get individual coverage. I am very concerned, and anxious at the same time, to see how this year, and next year (for those that were able "to keep their current coverage") shakes out, and I don't think it will be pretty. Especially for the small employer. It will be a struggle.

Yep, showing my age here, but I loved that show!

All the plans are required to have the Essential Health Benefits, and they may vary by state, but they include: Ambulatory Patient Services, or doctors visits, hospitalization, mental health,substance abuse and behavioral health, rehabilitative and habilitative services, laboratory services, maternity and newborn care, prescription drugs, preventive, wellness and chronic disease management, and pediatric services.

I don't believe you will be able to streamline for your needs, for example by buying a plan without maternity, even though you don't need it. But maybe I will be pleasantly surprised. You are supposed to be able to buy plans to fit your budget, but what they will cover is yet to be seen. The lowest grade plan, or the "bronze" plan is supposed to cover 60% of your medical bills (after monthly premium payments), and on up the ladder.

The problem is the fine is very low right now ($95 or 1% on your annual income), but will increase every year.

I would certainly like to see more market competition. I just don't see how is Obamacare going to accomplish that. The number of carriers has shrank significantly in the past 5 years, and I see it becoming stagnant. I could be wrong, but I think the rates are going to be very similar across the board, with the only changes being due to small plan design differences, because all of the plans have to have the same basic elements, as required by Obamacare. They also can't have more than a specific out of pocket maximum in a calendar year. Anyone going into the "Marketplace" to get insurance, because they are required to, will choose the cheapest plan, even if it is only by $20 a month. The carrier providing that cheaper plan will get a large piece of the pie just solely based on the premium. Will the smaller carriers be able to sustain themselves if one particular carrier is inundated with applications because their plan is cheaper? I am real anxious to see how this will play out and am looking forward to going into the Marketplace to check out the plans and rates....hopefully in the next few days when they get the tweaks out. It's going to be an eye opener, in my humble opinion.

Cysko were you able to get into the Marketplace yesterday and that's how you know what your premium will be for you and your family? I have done the training and certification to work within the Marketplace, but yesterday was so busy I wasn't able to get into the site. I am just wondering how you know the premium amount already. I hope to get in to the website in the next few days to see what the premiums will look like. I don't however believe that your premiums will be that low, I hope they are, but I think they will be higher than the public is expecting. Can I ask what state you live in, and also if currently your state can base it's rates on medical underwriting?

The American Medical Association has weighed in on Obama's new health care package.

The Allergists were in favor of scratching it, but the

Dermatologists advised not to make any rash moves.

The Gastroenterologists had sort of a gut feeling about it, but the Neurologists thought

the Administration had a lot of nerve.

Meanwhile, Obstetricians felt certain everyone was laboring under a misconception, while the

Ophthalmologists considered the idea shortsighted.

Pathologists yelled, "Over my dead body!" while the Pediatricians said, "Oh, grow up!"

The Psychiatrists thought the whole idea was madness, while the Radiologists could see right through it.

Surgeons decided to wash their hands of the whole thing and the Internists claimed it would indeed

be a bitter pill to swallow.

The Plastic Surgeons opined that this proposal would "put a whole new face on the matter".

The Podiatrists thought it was a step forward, but the Urologists were pissed off at the whole idea.

Anesthesiologists thought the whole idea was a gas, and those lofty Cardiologists didn't have the heart to say no.

In the end, the Proctologists won out, leaving the entire decision up to the ass holes in Washington.

I want to know where her Mother is? Why is a three year old on a big wheel in the street with no adult supervision?

Working in the health care industry, and more specifically Employee Benefit Plans, we have seen this with a couple of clients already, where they are reducing hours in order to not have to provide coverage. With healthcare costs where they are already, we have also talked with employers that are willing to drop coverage altogether and pay the penalty, because the penalty will be much cheaper, than the actual premiums they would be paying, and let the employee fend for themselves. We can see our block of business, with under 50 employees, shrinking dramatically for this reason.

There will also be a dramatic shift in premiums when the pre-existing condition clause goes away. Those healthy groups, with lower rates, will see their premiums rise anywhere from 30-50%, while the unhealthy group premiums will reduce, in order to achieve a premium to charge across the board, for similar plans, as they will no longer be able to rate based on medical conditions.

Employers are already hurting because of the cost of healthcare, and there is no way on God's green earth that Obamacare is going to make that any better, their costs will go up, probably significantly. I totally agree with your last paragraph. The next 12 months will be a very interesting, and hectic time in my busines when the final regulations finally go through.....although we've heard rumblings that due to the debt ceiling, it may be pushed back a year, because it's going to cost the government as well. I don't know if there is any truth to that.