I have been silent on this, waiting to let reality and hype seperate.
The Declaration of Independence had fewer than 4500 words and gave birth to an entire country, and given it the principles that made it soar. The Affordable Care Act has 338,000 words and no member of Congress read it since it was introduced the day before they voted on it. “You have to pass it to see what’s in it”. The majority party got it passed – barely. So much for “consent of the governed”.
Now, most every working person or family I know who was paying for health insurance before has had their premiums go up by 60% or more ($500 to $1000 a month HIGHER) and their deductibles went up $5000 or so – including myself. Further, there is a 3.6% tax on all income of high income individuals, burdens to businesses, a host of other fees, taxes, regulations, etc. etc. Nobody can understand it. Still.
When it costs a family $22,000 a year for health care including deductible, NOW it is truly UNAFFORDABLE. Further, we must have it by law. The first time the government has complelled anyone to buy anything. Therefore, by doing nothing, you are breaking the law.
This law is continually being changed, not by the votes of our elected Congressional leaders, but by bureaucrats and administrators.
The last election was bought with promises of “FREE” healthcare, and enough of us turned out to be gullible enough.
Is this the kind of governance we will have going forward? What has become of America? What have we done?
My policy increased by 150.00 month. Expected to go up again when we renew in December. We were given the option of renewing at this increase or meet Obamacare requirements and having a $350.00 premium increase.We decided to renew at lower rate and figure out what to do over this year.
We are governed by lobbiests!
We are no longer governed by the people
Profits before people is the ruling mantra
Why?
Well said, and I agree totally with every word you said , especially the part about the fact that people , many people who were very satisfied with the coverage they had, were forced to be moved to plans that they didn’t want, higher deductibles, more out of pocket costs to them and their families, lesser network then they had previously, and oh by the way an increase on average of actually 92% !!! Absolutely wrong both politically, who was behind this clearly, and certainly some of the blame on the Insurance carriers who did these things to their customers, most of which that were in Grandfathered plans, supposively, protected not to have to leave their plans, which not 1 of my 1,400+ clients had with Anthem BCBS, the most culpable of the carriers, wanted to do! The fact that these folks are now being forced to pay for services they either don’t want and need, yet because of these things like maternity coverage and Preventive Dental for kids 18 and under, which are nice, but not for people beyond the maternity years and have no kids under 19, and having to pay all these enormous increased costs and getting nothing for it! Healthy people are now being penalized for the rest of the unhealthy people who now have all guaranteed accepted policies, so they are also being charged more for that. Overall, it’s just not right for many people , who didn’t ask for or need any of this, yet are being penalized severely, because of an ego of a president who is trying to make a political statement for his legacy. He sucks, to put it bluntly, and has lied consistently, and if he was an owner or CEO of a company, he would have been long ago fired and probably by now been thrown in jail, where he belongs!!!
My insurance policy will be increasing. I do not know the amount at this time. But I totally agree with you regarding this nonsense of a law. We must be more vigilant when it comes to voting and to help other people see what is before us.
In spite of all the semantics on “Freedom”, those of us that are able should (admitted, my personal view of responsibility) , provide access to care, particular for the very young, old and unable. Most people don’t chose to need healthcare but when you do, should that ransom your life’s work up to that point? I don’t believe we should have an industry that sole function is to make a profit on the administration of health care. I would love to see a single payer administrator of health care and be done with the time and drama of choosing every year. Those of us that can will always be able to pay more for more personalized care if that’s our priority. Those of us that are unable will be happy to get competent care for their loved ones without losing their home and creditworthiness. I love capitalism. It’s allowed me to do better than most I know and lead a small force of people in pursuit of our trade. However, moderation in all forms, including the evil “socialism” in some arena’s makes sense to me. I’ll die one day and won’t be taking it with me so why not share while I can? You can’t help others if you con’t care for yourself. America needs to care for itself prior to presuming it can lead the rest of the free world. Sorry, said too much already. I just worry for my techs that have two kids and only make $25 an hour and want to own a home. Bleeding heart liberal capitalist.
Of course it didn’t go down, it want up AGAIN! We have always prided ourselves on the awesome health care plan which we have been able to offer our employees. This will probably be the last year as they will put into place high taxes/penalties. etc on companies who offer “luxury” policies. What a shame. You are right…What has become of America?
It has affected sales here because there were many people who were kicked off their plan and couldn’t get on govt exchange. Consequently they could not make a commitment because they do not know what their payments will be.
Here on Long Island there is much confusion on not only health but Fema, NY Rising Program, and insurance companies because of Sandy. You just cannot get an answer…
Government has been the biggest obstructionist to small businesses here.
Until it hits peoples pockets (the ones that voted these people BACK in office) there will not be a change.
I don’t have insurance now for my family of 4. That’s my wife and myself plus a 2 year old and an 8 month old. We pay for healthcare as we need it. In fact last year we paid cash for a cesarean delivery of our second child. It was cheaper then what premiums and deductible would have been for the year.
Now fast forward to healthcare.gov. I got a quote just last week and the cheapest plan we don’t even qualify for since you have to be under 29. The next cheapest plan will cost us $425/mo premiums plus a family deductible of just over 12k. Completely unaffordable!
We will be sticking to our guns and not paying for this fraud. No will we be paying the tax/penalty!
I swear this is the worst piece of legislation that has ever been written. Coupled with the fact that our representatives who voted for it aren’t required to use it and didn’t read it before they approved it, it’s obvious they are all out of control. The incentive to work harder is being squeezed out of the working man and that is half of this country. My gut tells me that there is a bigger plan and that this healthcare debacle is tied to future immigration legislation and/or corporate pocketlining with government (our) money. We are at a precipice and if we go off the forward edge, I believe life will change for all of us and not in a positive way. If we change course and ease back from this nonsense, morale will improve and hope will be reinstated for the American dream. The voting booth is the only peaceful way to get it done, but not the only way.
To Patrick George: You have a good heart, Patrick, but good hearts didn’t invent the telephone, the light bulb, the microchip. Capitalism invented the chain saw, the climbing equipment your tree climbers need, the internal combustion engine in the trucks that haul your trees trees to market or your seedlings to new pastures. Patrick, why do you believe legislators and bureaucrats have the same big heart you have? Because of dreamers and and others detached from reality that legislation such as the ACA could become law. Stop and think how successful the war on drugs has been, or the war on poverty, or any of our wars since WWII. These are government run programs. Single payer will be government run.
Your sentiments are noble; your reasoning is flawed. Based on what I saw of your website, what happens to your wonderful business if your beloved government suddenly says all trees must be cut down to provide critical nutrients for medicines?
Patrick, I wish you well, but please open your mind to reality. Your family deserves it.
And to you Larry, you’ve stepped in it now. Politics has become a religion and I’m sure you understand how volatile religious arguments can become.
I hope your blog doesn’t devolve into a forum for discussion of “political religion.”
What Declaration of Independence? I believe our government has changed that to The Declaration of Dependence. Everything this Country was founded on is slowly and systematically and every so quietly be destroyed.
I work for a large multi-national company and still have employer provided health insurance. For 2014, my co-pay on the premium goes up by about 10% – not bad compared to the wihtering increases the individually-insured are experiencing this year (my salary will not go up 10%, so there is 10% that will not be circulating in the economy in 2014 – times how many people?? Do the math.) However I am bracing for what happens next year, when the mandate for employer provided health insurance stuff hits the fan. Many many more people will be directly hit by this devastating tsumai. The devastation to our economic system and way of life, not to mention personal liberty is only just beginning.
This is not about health care; it is about health insurance. Why does the federal government want to be in the health insurance business…hmmm??
The uninsured could have been provided insurance and care FAR less expensively, simply by addressing their need, not by taking over an economic system that was working for the large majority of people.
I will say that I am reasured to know that Larry, that you are now covered for pre-natal and birthing…you never know!
My family policy is going up by 42%. My sons were always on their own policy with lower deductibles. My husband and I had more ‘catastrophic’ coverage to make everything affordable for us. We didn’t have health insurance when we were first married because we were scrapping to get by. But we saved, and budgeted, and lived below our means so that we could get it. Now, it’s back to being almost out of reach. Another system, in my opinion, that encourages most to not work hard and better themselves in order to get more paid by the government with the subsidies. We make too much to have any portion paid.
Hi Larry,
I keep hearing that the healthcare model is based on the one that we have in Canada, but it sounds very different. Here it is also mandatory, but employers don’t contribute at all. Premiums are about $150 a month and there is no deductible. Healthcare is also funded by a heavy tax on liquor and cigarettes, and probably income tax as well, so some of the cost is hidden. One further consideration though, is that the system here is very slow, with one to two year waits for surgeries, or tests like MRI’s.
MY DEDUCTABLE WENT FROM $3,000 TO $9,000 IN 2 YEARS. WHY MUST I PAY TO PROVIDE HEALTHCARE TO ILLEGALS. OBAMA SHOULD BE IMPEACHED. THE USA IS NOT CHICAGO! THE ONLY CHANGE I BELIEVE IN IS….OBAMA’S ADDRESS!!!
God Bless America
Let’s let them know at the voting booths that we will not stand for this!
Get everyone you know to get their heads out of the sand and vote!
Isn’t the real issue a government that governs past the will of its people? Obamacare is a consequence, not a cause. There are a few core problems: entrenched political power (senators that are serving for decades), and corporatism (the growth of corporations into mega-corporations which are able to exert more influence than many countries). The real question is, how does society take back our government and the political process?
For one We are not FREE! To think so makes us just as dumb as the ones We elect. Two… working creates FREE or well its supposed too…God does the rest! They’re not putting God 1st; & they show ain’t putting the people second… We’re like last, last time I Checked.
Create more or bring back those better paying jobs & then maybe things will go back to normal.. Be Business minded!
Larry, I don’t typically respond to many broadcast emails, yours included. However this issue as well as the continued loss of the original intent of our founding fathers has me greatly concerned for the first time in my 50 years on planet earth about our nation.
Our founders were business owners, land owners, farmers and others vested in the direction of at that time the fragmented states of England. Note: they were Vested.
We as business owners are an easy target for bureaucrats, and must comply with all laws to stay in business. We are vested. It is now blatently evident that this administration as leaders are truly leaving the constitutional path established so long ago, by forcing us to follow their misguided lead in both the affordable care act as well as many other issues.
Other responses to your column ask how do we take back our government and political process? By engaging, leading, speaking, influencing, voting and doing what our founding fathers did as they left their businesses to attend conventions, town hall meetings and spread the word against tyranny.
So, it’s time to follow the constitutional documents and lead our families, churches, and others within out influence back to the constitutional origins of simple liberty, and keeping government out of our lives except as originally intended.
I’m in…..
My health insurance, together with my husbands, has gone down about $100.00 per month. I do have a pre-existing condition, so had to pay more than average due to having it. Now they are not allowed to deny me, or charge me more. My deductible is now lower as well as my co-pays and prescription costs. So AI guess in my case it has been beneficial thus far.
Thank you Larry! This is no longer the home of the brave and land of the free. It seems as if the media has brain washed the mainstream & the enlightened few can see through the veil of ignorance and false promises. Our health insurance is no longer being offered, but a similar one was offered for double the monthly payment & with a deductible of $7500 per year which would be a $21,900 investment per year. Somehow Congress is OK with this. Maybe they are just not interested in getting re-elected in November. Anyone have any ideas on how to stop the insanity?
My heath care increased 33% for the year 2013 and that was with increasing my deductible to $5,000 dollars as well. In 2014 my health insurance is going up 6%. It would appear to me that all of a sudden I am a great client to have since I used my insurance twice in 30-years. There is nothing fair about health care today. As the consumer we need shop the pricing of the services just like we price shop other goods. Example, a CatScan at Valley View Hospital is $2,500, a hospital 30 miles down the road in Rifle runs about $1,500 and even further down the road it is $750. These are not exact #’s but very close. We drive a mile or two to a gas station to save pennies on fuel. We should treat medical services the same. Hospitals and medical centers should have more transparent pricing easily accessible to the public. Congress could participate in every program they put in place for us. How do we stop the insanity, get involved with local government. Become a part of the processes and get to know the politicians in your area. One person can make a difference. United we can make a huge difference. Thanks for asking Larry.
When the government fears the people there is liberty.
When the people fear the government there is tyranny.
I am once again without health insurance ! The cost went up
from $150 and I no longer have dental! I am not paying it .
keep up the great blogs Larry!
This is a ludicrous post. No one promised free healthcare at any time during the debate. Additionally, no one who had employer sponsored health insurance had premiums increase by 60%, UNLESS the sponsoring company reduced their share of the premiums and shifted the cost burden to the employee. While it is true that insurance premiums increased this year, show me a year when they have not. Nor are the increases this year from the health insurance companies any higher than they have been in the last ten years. The real issue is businesses who do not offer health insurance to their employees are now required to offer insurance (50 employees or more), or gamed their own rules by defining full time employees as persons working more than 32 or 35 hours a week and did not offer insurance benefits to “part-time” employees. It is true that health COSTS to those companies who tried to game the system have gone up, but only because you are now required to offer health benefits to more employees, not because of some imaginary huge increase in health care premiums. As far as deductibles go, again this is a choice of the employer switching to high deductible or HSA plans, not anything mandated by the insurance companies. In the long run, health care cost will continue to rise, mostly because of an aging Baby Boomer population, not because millions more people will be on the insurance roles. If anything, the increase of people insured will slow rising health care costs by spreading those costs around and curtailing the usage of emergency rooms as PCP. Nice hysterics though
“Further, we must have it by law. The first time the government has complelled anyone to buy anything.”
Realistically, having a car is necessary. It’s at least as realistic as having to work for (or own) a company with employees. I’m compelled to buy car insurance if I want to drive.