1/3/2012 8:01 PM
Scott, I understand not having been dealt the best genetic hand -- I'm in that boat right along with you. Although I'm not in the health care industry, I have a few immediate family members who work in the insurance industry, specifically with a third-party administrator. From that, you can really get a perspective from an outsider who has to play with the insiders.
There's a lot to learn about PPACA -- in fact, the big insurers don't know all about it yet and HHS has admitted to insurers that it will not have answers to all their questions for several years and that they will have to make up rules as they go along (this is from official government documents to insurers). But, what I do know of the bill is that it is an insurance bill. It has nothing to do with health care, like seeing doctors or going to the hospital. It is all about insurance company rules.
Also, the benefits to most people are negligible, while the negatives are huge. Large increases in premiums or decreases in services or coverage amounts are in store for those of us already with insurance, while those who do not have it now will have to pay more for less service if they choose to buy.
I oppose PPACA because it makes insurance more cumbersome, more expensive, and less beneficial. I haven't found one person who can list positives that impact more than a handful of people or aren't smoke and mirrors.
For example:
LIfetime maximums? Most plans do not have a lifetime max. Those that do are rock bottom plans that aren't meant to handle large claims. The buyer is told up front what is covered for the price and what isn't.
Pre-existing conditions? PPACA only gets rid of them for children. Adults with pre-ex? They can buy from a special high-risk pool. But, HIPAA prevents their pre-x from extending past 18 mo, although the big insurers with big profits only allow pre-x to go 6 months at max.
I am a young man with a wife and young son (9 months old). In previous years, our FSA could be used for OTC medications, supplies (band-aids) and most medical bills (co-pays, deductibles, etc). Under PPACA, I can't use my FSA for the two things we use the most: OTC drugs and supplies (band-aids, ointments, etc).
Higher premiums, reduced coverages, and reduced FSA spending is making health care more expensive for working families. This doesn't seem right to me.