Elisberg Industries
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Products
    • Books
    • Movies
  • About Elisberg Industries
    • Our Corporate Board
    • Information Overstock
    • Elisberg Industries Entertainment Information
    • Elisberg Statistical Center of American Research
    • Consultancy Service
  • Contact
    • How to Find Us
  • Kudos
  • Good Things to Know
    • The BOB Page
    • Sites You Might Actually Like
Decent Quality Since 1847

What Those ACA Complaints Don't Tell You

10/30/2013

7 Comments

 
I notice that there are two, recurring criticisms that get posted online about the Affordable Care Act.  Each a bit contradictory of the other.  One is that "the ACA plan is more expensive than what I now have."  The other is that "I don't benefit from the ACA plan." 

The thing is, most of these laments are meaningless because a) they offer no detail, and b) they tend to be information gotten when checking if they qualify, not by looking at the actual plans.

For those who say the ACA plan is more expensive, they're ignoring several things.  First, if their own plan is cheaper, that's because they have a plan through work, are being subsidized by their company.  That's why it appears to be less.  Second, the monthly cost of an ACA plan doesn't tell the full story of the savings.  For instance, the monthly cost may be more, but there is likely a significantly lower deductible.  (So, you might save thousands right there.)  And the costs of procedures covered by the ACA plan might likely be much less than they coverage they now have.  Moreover, the co-pay of the ACA plan may well be much less.  Plus, there are many ACA plans to choose from -- with lower monthly costs, but higher deductibles (and vice-versa).  So, there are a great deal of savings that people aren't "reporting."

And as for saying that they don't benefit from the ACA -- that's just not true.  Even if you don't quality for a government-subsidized plan, you still benefit.  The Affordable Care Act is MUCH more than just those plans.  You benefit because a great deal of preventative procedures are now fully covered.  Colon
cancer screening exams, mammary screening exams, a lot of prescriptions, doctors exams and a great deal more -- all fully covered, 100%, whatever medical coverage you have.  And you now can't be turned down for instance if you have a pre-existing condition.  And there's no longer a lifetime cap on how much will be covered. (That could save you hundreds of thousands of dollars, let along for some people literally millions.)  And your children up to the age of 26 can now be covered on your policy.  All that whatever your policy is, whether it's a subsidized plan or the one you have now and are keeping.  So...you DO save, it DOES benefit you.  Even if you do nothing.

And as for
not qualifying for a government-subsized plan...the ACA is not intended to subsidize everyone.  That part of the plan is meant for people who don't have health insurance through work or who can't afford it.  Everyone else, if you have health insurance and like it...you keep it.

(If your insurance rates go up -- blame the insurance company.  They're the ones who raised your raised.  Other companies haven't.)

The thing is, for all those people who are complaining that they don't qualify for a government-subsized plan -- hey the next time this comes up, you might want to consider supporting Single Payer.  Y'know, that thing you were against before and are complaining you don't have now...


As for the computer glitches
--

Yes, they're lousy.  Most state exchanges don't have the same glitches and are running much better, but that's no excuse.  The glitches on healthcare.gov are bad.  Forgetting for a moment, however, that almost all big
rollouts have had computer tech glitches, and Republicans loudly defended the big glitches of the Bush Medical D rollout, my favorite comment on all this was a simple statement that read --

"I'd rather support a party that has a big computer glitch than one which didn't offer low-cost healthcare at all."

And in the end, it's a computer glitch.  The actual program itself?  It's very good -- see above.



7 Comments
marv sehn
1/6/2014 10:06:55 pm

Sorry you are truely wrong about aca it is disaster. For healthy people it will cost more. My wife is an example - now $225 a month and under aca over $400 for identical coverage. Her plan can be extended for 2014 but nextt year must change.

For me the story is opposite. I now pay $700 due to high risk. Under aca it will be $550 for the same $ limits. ONE MAJOR PROBLEM for all plans in the state of VA. All plans only cover in state providers. So if you have an out of state specialist the insurance will no longer cover the cost.

This is only one example of the mess, increased cost, and loss of benefit forced upon us by the federal government.

I have followed private insurance for several years and as a CPA have a thorough understanding of the current aca issues.

Reply
Robert Elisberg
1/7/2014 12:15:32 am

Thank you for your note, but I'm sorry I am not "truly wrong." The ACA is not intended to fix a problem for everyone. Not everyone will benefit under ACA, and some people *may* pay more. But for all the many millions it does benefit and for the vast majority it benefits, it works wonderfully. Giving individual examples of problems doesn't remotely "prove" anything. Just as my personal example of its great benefit doesn't "prove" anything, but just shows its benefit. BUT, even more importantly, you have conveniently left out all the great many benefits the ACA has added to ALL plans for greater coverage -- of minors, of preventative care, of not being able to forbid coverage to anyone, of no lifetime limits. On and on and on...

Reply
Roland
10/31/2014 07:16:35 pm

Robert one you are wrong again is there a CA what it cost me more than my old insurance plan in the private sector before the ACA about the same coverage - the fraternity coverage they want us to wise men do cover even though you're single and don't have children I shouldn't have to pay for that and I won't pay for that I recently cancelled my insurance because they're making me pay for stuff I didn't want nore needed and I refuse to pay anymore cuz those costs drove up my insurance from 250 dollars a month to over 500 dollars a month I'm sorry I got bills in rent to pay they take the mandatory insurance mandate and I will look at buying insurance again but other than that the my deductible from 1000 To 3000. so you telling me that the ACA benefits everyone well I'm a single male doesn't have kids so tell me why I should pay for maternity treatment for others when I don't even pay for for myself if you can honestly answer me that why I should pay that and the other things they want us to pay that do not benefit men whatsoever and then I'll look into getting insurance again if you can give me a reason why I should pay those things a good reason not some lame ass excuse the government gives you.

Reply
Robert Elisberg
11/1/2014 01:20:39 am

Roland, thanks for taking the time to write. And at this point, I think you should give up the complaining. The ACA is working, polls show that most people like it (even Republicans, The Commonwealth Poll in July showed that 74% of Republicans were satisfied with their ACA coverage – and 44% were “very satisfied), and even the GOP has stopped trying to repeal it. I’m not going to spend much time replying here with the same valid arguments, because you don’t appear to want to be actually convinced. I’ll just say a few things that at least other people will recognize.

It has always been said that some people will benefit more than others from the ACA. And also, some people’s insurance premium will go up. (Mind you, when some people say how much their premium went up, that’s something I never comment on specifics because I don’t know what plan they’ve chosen, and for all I know there are less expensive plans they could have selected but either didn’t know, or chose not to. For all I know too, the more expensive plan is giving them FAR better coverage.) Also, I’ll note that I’m a single male, my premium went down, and I’m absolutely okay paying for “maternity treatment” and women’s issues. Just like I think women should be okay with the ACA paying for vasectomies and Viagra (and which I don’t see you complaining about…) I’m fine with it because I understand that the more people a plan covers (including women), the more the overall cost will go down. Everything doesn’t benefit everyone at the same time – people have different needs, life isn’t “just me, only me” -- but by covering everyone, the ACA runs more effectively. There are a lot of things in life that we all do all the time that benefit others but not ourselves because most people recognize that society benefits when those in need get help. Or because, by building in protective costs for the business, they keep the overall cost down. You probably don’t benefit right now from Social Security or Medicare, and may never for all we know, but you pay for them. One day, you might benefit from them though. And one day you might get married and benefit from your spouse’s ACA benefits. You don’t get to not pay for Social Security and Medicare, but then when you become eligible say, “Okay, start paying me my benefits.”

And when you’re told that “everyone” benefits from the ACA…it’s true, everyone does. Including you. Because the ACA is filled with benefits that are separate from merely the premium. There are benefits for everyone in the program. Mandatory free checkups. Mandatory coverage for protective procedures. Lower costs for covered procedures. (I recently had a broken toe, and had two doctor’s visits. It cost me $10. That’s a huge savings, and it actually counts as money the ACA saves people who are now covered.

As I said, I don’t get the sense you want to be convinced. But that doesn’t mean the reasons don’t exist.

Reply
Roland
11/1/2014 07:28:57 am

Wellgot news for you there's an article on Yahoo saying of the Millennials refusing to get health insurance and pay for other peoples screw ups and it's a pretty large number. So the ACA is not benefiting everyone because not everybody is not satisfied with it and I personally don't think everybody will be satisfied with it. Plus the ACA does not work over seas in other countries and your right about me wanting to get married but it will not be to someone here I will be heading to the Philippines to marry my sweetheart and live with her. So the ACA will not benifit me there or anywhere I go over seas. But other countries insurance work over here. So why doesn't the ACA work in other countries?. Oh and your number are wrong it is only 40% that have accually paid their bill and not 74% like the government wants you to believe.

Reply
Robert Elisberg
11/1/2014 09:27:35 am

Roland, the ACA *does* benefit everyone. Whether everyone decides to take advantage of those benefits or not is up to them. If some people decide to hit themselves in the head out of personal spite is their choice. But that doesn't change the reality that the ACA has benefits for EVERYONE.

As for the rest of your "me me me" note, I honestly don't know what in the world you're referring to. Besides which you seem to want the ACA to cover *more* -- and I do, too, (and so did the Democrats in Congress) but this was the best compromise that they could get through the Republicans. But that aside, given your other statements and huge generalizations (like about "pretty large numbers"), I don't remotely trust what you're saying here until I see actual corroboration. Nor do I have a clue what you mean about a) me being wrong, b) 40% and c) "not 74% like the government wants you to believe." The only "74%" I referred to was a poll done by the Commonwealth Fund.

I repeat, the ACA is now established as working so well that even Republicans in Congress have given up trying to repeal it. You seem to want it to cover everything for you you you up to and including your marriage in the Philippines , though if those pesky womenfolk want maternity coverage, screw 'em.

I get it that you hate the Affordable Care Act. I've stated my position repeatedly over the past year, and provided specific and attributions. There's a point at which I'm more than happy leaving others to their personal opinions, and we have reached that point here. The ACA is now established, and works. It has lowered health costs, and even has been shown by the Congressional Budget Office to have helped lower the deficit. It is not perfect -- I know of no law that is where there aren't "pretty large numbers" of people unhappy because they themselves don't get life exactly the way they want it for them. But it works. You are unhappy. I get it. I hope you get happy.

Reply
Roland
11/1/2014 10:34:51 am

know what hungry with one. JCA doesn't benefit everybody and it won't ever benefit everybody its really not working no contrary to what you believe. And you can't prove me otherwise then just working because there's still over 80% of the population that doesn't have health insurance. My mom recently had to drop her a CA insurance because they refused to pay for her treatment they said it wouldn't be cost-effective so she had to drop them and find out side insurance out of the marketplace she found an insurance company it didn't go through marketplace and is paying for her treatment and she's paying less than what she was paying on the marketplace so tell me again that the ACA is working cuz I haven't seen it yet. Until till someone shows me hardcore proof that it is working and shows me real number I and millions of other will not believe it is working at all.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Picture
    Elisberg Industries gets a commission if you click here before shopping on Amazon.
    Picture
    Follow @relisberg

    Author

    Robert J. Elisberg is a political commentator, screenwriter, novelist, tech writer and also some other things that I just tend to keep forgetting. 

    Elisberg is a two-time recipient of the Lucille Ball Award for comedy screenwriting. He's written for film, TV, the stage, and two best-selling novels, is a regular columnist for the Writers Guild of America and was for
    the Huffington Post.  Among his other writing, he has a long-time column on technology (which he sometimes understands), and co-wrote a book on world travel.  As a lyricist, he is a member of ASCAP, and has contributed to numerous publications.

    Picture
           Available on Amazon

    Picture
           Available on Amazon

    Picture
           Feedspot Badge of Honor

    Archives

    June 2025
    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013

    Categories

    All
    Animals
    Audio
    Audio Land
    Books
    Business
    Chicago
    Consumer Product
    Education
    Email Interview
    Entertainment
    Environment
    Fine Art
    Food
    From The Management
    Health
    History
    Huffery
    Humor
    International
    Internet
    Journalism
    Law
    Los Angeles
    Media
    Morning News Round Up
    Movies
    Music
    Musical
    Personal
    Photograph
    Piano Puzzler
    Politics
    Popular Culture
    Profiles
    Quote Of The Day
    Radio
    Religion
    Restaurants
    Science
    Sports
    Technology
    Tech Tip
    Theater
    The Writers Workbench
    Tidbits
    Travel
    Tv
    Twitter
    Video
    Videology
    Well Worth Reading
    Words-o-wisdom
    Writing

    RSS Feed

© Copyright Robert J. Elisberg 2025
Contact Us    About EI    Chicago Cubs
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Products
    • Books
    • Movies
  • About Elisberg Industries
    • Our Corporate Board
    • Information Overstock
    • Elisberg Industries Entertainment Information
    • Elisberg Statistical Center of American Research
    • Consultancy Service
  • Contact
    • How to Find Us
  • Kudos
  • Good Things to Know
    • The BOB Page
    • Sites You Might Actually Like