Health Care, but a different question....

[Pamela H in Texas]

Okay, I'm clueless. Could I get some information on basically what this will mean for Mr. and Mrs. American? Let's pretend this family has a little of everything (the members cover the gamut for socio-eco status, health and health issues, insured through job/state or not insured).

 

So what does it MEAN?

 

So far? I saw a show that suggested that we could have some awesome care like is done in certain other countries. The possibilities seemed neat. Otherwise? I heard a guy on the radio say something about killing off old people and have a friend (really) who is afraid to go on disability thinking they will be the first off'd (she wanted to be kidding but really is fearful!).

 

So I don't care about why some people were against it and why some people wanted it so badly. I don't care if you're sickened by it or having a dinner party when the bill is signed into law.

 

What I want to know is what it means for Joe Blow. I want to know what it means for me and my kids who are sick and getting sicker. I want to know what it means for my parents, uncles, aunts, cousins, and grandfather. I want to know what it'll mean for my healthy sister in law and her young children.

 

What does it mean for those who have health coverage? For those who can't get coverage due to health? For those who can't afford coverage? For those on Medicaid and Medicare (and any other such programs)?

 

Since it WILL be the law, instead of fussing or celebrating, what positives and negatives are there that we know so far? The real ones assuming we probably won't start off with that really cool benefits some countries have or killing off of 40yo women :tongue_smilie:

 

I'd really appreciate some real information.

[CatMomof3]

I really don't think I can answer your question as well as most people on this board, but this is what I understand.

 

The main problem is that the bill is so large that nobody really knows.

 

But my understanding is that you will be required to get insurance, and if you can't afford it the government will help you. Your kids can stay on your insurance until they are 26, but they have to live at home with you. If your work does not provide you insurance they will be fined.

 

Got to go look at a lizard now - more or less bumping for you

[Mrs Mungo]

Maybe this will help? It's not a government link but it's not partisan. It lists key provisions and compares the house and senate bills in a simplistic manner (I posted direct links to the bills in another thread):

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affordable_Health_Care_for_America_Act

[Lightly Salted]

CBS news has a cheat sheet detailing the bill - but of course, it now has to go to the Senate and possibly back to the House, and may see further change ...

Edited March 22, 2010 by Lightly Salted

[joannqn]

From my experience with state health insurance. My kids are on it, and I had it for a short time (I'm uninsured now):

 

PRO:

 

You can go to the doctor without worrying about the cost since you won't have to pay. You won't have to judge whether you or your child is sick enough to justify the expense. You just go.

 

CONS:

 

You will have fewer choices of doctors. DH's doctor retired from the medical field because reimbursements were too low. There is a shortage of midwives locally because reimbursement rates don't cover the cost of doing business. My first midwife was paid $800 for prenatal care, labor & delivery, and postpartum care combined. That's for 11 months worth of care and 3 days worth of labor & delivery time, or $9 an hour. When I was looking for a midwife for my youngest, I had to go to another county because every midwife in my county (all 4 or 5 of them) was booked. In the neighboring county, most were booked too. DH knows of doctors who don't take medicare/medicaid because reimbursement rates are too low. I think more will leave the field.

 

With a shortage of doctors, I think it will take longer to get an appointment and wait times in the office will increase.

 

There will be fewer choices for services. I needed glasses while on state medical coupon. I had to drive 35 minutes to the nearest place that took my medical coupon, and I live in a big city. Then I had to choose frames from the 10 choices I was provided. They had a few hundred choices, but the state only allowed ten of them. I was not given an option for type of lens (I prefer glass but had to get plastic). Scratch resistant coating and anti-glare coating wasn't allowed, and I was not allowed to pay for it out of pocket. I couldn't get transitional lenses or sunglasses. I get really bad headaches in the sun. The glasses are made by the prison program; I had to wait 3 weeks for them to be made. Despite having new glasses with a different prescription, I still wear my old ones because my new ones don't meet my needs with the glare and sun issues.

 

This is just my personal experience with government provided insurance.