Lost in the Shutdown Frenzy in one important point...

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

The most important element of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act went into effect today. The exchanges are opening, and people who have never been able to afford insurance are finding out that they can protect themselves and their families. Parents no longer have to worry about losing their home or their life savings because their child was born with a costly medical condition.

People can sleep nights.

And we're not going back.

To quote the Prophet Biden, "This is a big fucking deal"

Happy Obamacare Day!

[leftstreet]

1. Will they be able to afford the deductibles?

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

2. Yes. They will...

Far easier than paying 100% of the cost out of their own pocket.

[leftstreet]

3. What are the deductible amounts for gold, silver, bronze plans?

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

4. Depends on where you live and which plan you choose

And it doesn't take higher math skills to determine that a 20% co-payment is less than a 100% out-of-pocket cost.

Hint: The number is somewhere around 80%

[leftstreet]

8. Um..actually the Bronze plan copay is 40% n/t

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

22. Which is how much less than 100%?

Come on. I know you can do it all on your own.

[HappyMe]

7. The info is all out there.

Take a look at it.

[leftstreet]

10. You'd think DU would lead the way in posting the info

Instead of just directing people to 'check it out' somewhere 'out there'

[HappyMe]

13. Good grief!

By all means then, lead the way......

[grantcart]

17. There ya go

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=3648218

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

23. Could you break this down for me?

That's a lot of words and numbers.

[grantcart]

24. Fortunately the Affordable Care Act covers that.

People who want Obamacare don't need it.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

25. Woot! (nt)

[IronLionZion]

35. ooh, that's a good thread. I'll have to bookmark it

thanks for sharing

[kestrel91316]

9. In SoCal I've got my eye on a plan with a $500 deductible and an annual out-of-pocket cap of

maybe $2750. And premiums of under $40/mo.

I'm sure you'll find that upsetting since it doesn't jive with your claim that no one will be able to afford medical care under the ACA.. Too bad.

[leftstreet]

15. Sounds great, although the costs caps have been delayed

But if you've found an insurer not going along with that - that's terrific

[bunnies]

5. Every time I see a post like this about how great things are for everyone,

I worry that those who arent helped will be forgotten about. It surely is a great day for millions of Americans. But not *all* people will be sleeping sound tonight. I will still be fighting for them (and me).

Cheers.

[Demo_Chris]

11. We call those people the poor, and we forgot them long ago. nt

[bunnies]

20. It certainly feels that way.

Especially when Washington did nothing after the SC let the states bail on Medicaid expansion. They knew millions living below the federal poverty line would still be screwed and did nothing about it. *sigh*

[kestrel91316]

14. All of us who benefit from ACA will have the job of working to make sure that the law is improved so

that no one slips through the cracks.

If you just get "yours" and then stop caring about the less fortunate, you need to change that D behind your name to an R.

[bunnies]

16. Thanks, Kestrel.

I hope youre right.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

19. Remember that in Canada...

All you have to do is get your healthcare care from the Province, but 3-4% of their residents don't do it. So 100% coverage is going to be a tall order, and then there are specific groups (such as undocumented workers) who are excluded. They're still going to need our concern and our passion.

But today, we should be proud of what we've accomplished.

[bunnies]

21. I agree with you.

Its definitely an accomplishment. And a start.

[wandy]

27. This is a first step. When it works will single payer be far behind..............

No wonder that GOP co. stakeholders have thrown so much money at propaganda and feathered the beds of so many "elected officials".
This first step may well hurt the bottom lines of many GOP owners.
No question, they know its the first step.

[bunnies]

28. Single payer cant come soon enough.

If this gets us there, I will be THRILLED.

[RC]

34. Sorry to disappoint, but the ACA was enacted to stave off Single Payer.

The ACA is still just health insurance, written mostly the health insurance industry. Health insurance is in itself the major problem. More people are covered, that part is good. But we need to wait for a year or two or so, to see how all this actually shakes out. I'm thinking we will have more of the same, costs going up, co-pays increasing, with fancy cover this time. The insurance bean counters need time to rework the numbers to the new rules, to keep the profits up.
Also we need to remember this is insurance, not health care. Just because you have health insurance, does not mean you can afford the health care.

[jeff47]

31. Success today will help tomorrow

People in states where the Republicans fought against the ACA will see results in other states. And it will become a political issue.

[IronLionZion]

36. One step at a time

every bit helps. Whenever you think about stuff like that, just read the starfish story and keep on keeping on.

http://www.ordinarypeoplechangetheworld.com/articles/the-starfish-story.aspx

[bunnies]

37. Awwww. Thats too cute.

Thanks.

[Whisp]

6. Was telling husband that this morning.

That this is a huge big fucking deal that will affect millions positively, but the media and the baggers staged their little distraction to mellow it down.

Just for that one thing: imagine being a parent with a child that has a terrible disease/accident and has run out of insurance... there is no cap now. Just for that the balloons and the party hats should be on everyone right now, but the grumpies and the baggers and the eternally Eeyored will find something to bust those balloons and to rip those party hats off happy heads.

[KamaAina]

12. You don't suppose the frenzy was timed to knock the ACA off the front page, do you?

Nah. Our elected representatives would never, ever stoop that low.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

18. I think its coincidental, but it sure worked...

We're seeing imagines of elderly veterans knocking over barricades on the National Mall rather than interviews with people who are getting insurance for the first time.

[Brigid]

30. Well, you gotta admit . . .

Elderly veterans knocking over barricades makes for better TV.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

32. And you'll notice...

that several Republican members of Congress were on hand for the photo op.

The most dangerous place in Washington? Between Steve King and a television camera.

[jeff47]

33. That's probably a good thing, actually

Rolling out something this large always has glitches. This stunt means we aren't getting stories of websites with slow load times as proof the ACA has failed! Failed I tell you!!!

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

38. Good point...

And I'm told that some of the servers were running pretty slow today.

[gopiscrap]

26. YES!!!!

[Brigid]

29. I love Prophet Biden.

[SomethingFishy]

39. As a guy who has many complaints about the new law

I also have pre-existing conditions in my home and I am damn glad that we will at least be able to get something.

Also it looks like it's going to be less expensive than I thought. No wonder the Republicans have their panties all in a wad, once this is rolling people are going to start demanding Single Payer