# is anyone worried about changes to their health care?



## Caroline O'Donovan (Apr 3, 2015)

Hey! Caroline from BuzzFeed News here. I'm wondering if anyone is actively worried about healthcare reform and whether you'll be able to have coverage. 

Please DON'T troll this thread with political chatter. If you're not worried about ACA repeal or reform, that's great! If you think ACA reform plans are going to improve your life, please email me! But we don't need a forum wide political debate. Thanks


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## LAuberX (Jun 3, 2014)

I paid $1,754.00 to the IRS for NOT having health care.. thanks to the (NOT)ACA it would have been $9,000.00 for one year before ONE xray was a "covered item"

NOT paying out in Obama's "redistribution of wealth" is the reform I'm seeking.


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## Caroline O'Donovan (Apr 3, 2015)

LAuberX said:


> I paid $1,754.00 to the IRS for NOT having health care.. thanks to the (NOT)ACA it would have been $9,000.00 for one year before ONE xray was a "covered item"
> 
> NOT paying out in Obama's "redistribution of wealth" is the reform I'm seeking


As I said above, " If you think ACA reform plans are going to improve your life, please email me! "


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## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

Caroline O'Donovan said:


> Please DON'T troll this thread with political chatter. If you're not worried about ACA repeal or reform, that's great! If you think ACA reform plans are going to improve your life, please email me! But we don't need a forum wide political debate.


If you come to this forum, post a topic such as this and expect that you are not going to receive more than a little "political chatter" in reply, you are setting up yourself _*bigly*_ for a _*bigly*_ disappointment. We had a similar topic on another Board on this forum go more than a few pages.

I will put it to you this way. The We Are Telling You That You Can Afford This "Health Care" Act (you know, the one that Pelosi told us that they had to pass before we could find out what is in it?) tells me that I can afford something that I can not. It compels me to purchase something with money that I do not have or give up money that I do not have for nothing. Once I purchase this thing that they told me that I could afford, but could not; with money that I do not have, I can not afford to use it. Almost _*anything*_ _*has*_ to be better than *that*.


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## steveK2016 (Jul 31, 2016)

My CPA just told me that the tax form just updated where it says "I do not want to disclose my health care status" and it doesn't assess a tax penalty. This was a recent update as of a few days ago. It's probably just a temporary measure to prevent the Obamacare tax penalty until they can repeal it completely.


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## LAuberX (Jun 3, 2014)

steveK2016 said:


> My CPA just told me that the tax form just updated where it says "I do not want to disclose my health care status" and it doesn't assess a tax penalty. This was a recent update as of a few days ago. It's probably just a temporary measure to prevent the Obamacare tax penalty until they can repeal it completely.


hopefully I can get a refund for my redistribution of wealth next year....


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## thepanttherlady (Nov 3, 2016)

Sorry, not providing my personal email. 

I, personally, hope something better comes along. Until ACA/Obamacare, I was paying g. A premium through my company and co-pays for service/prescriptions etc. Now? I hope and pray no one needs to go to the doctor because I can't afford the high deductible plan I was forced into. My son requires medication, 120 pills (60 day supply) costs $1,635. The doctor had to find a medication I CAN afford and hope it works for him.


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## Another Uber Driver (May 27, 2015)

steveK2016 said:


> It's probably just a temporary measure to prevent the Obamacare tax penalty until they can repeal it completely.


The Donald issued an order to stop enforcing the penalty. The law is still on the books, it is just not going to be enforced.


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## steveK2016 (Jul 31, 2016)

Another Uber Driver said:


> The Donald issued an order to stop enforcing the penalty. The law is still on the books, it is just not going to be enforced.


Sweet glad I waited to file my taxes! President Trump is already A OK in my book!


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## Jagent (Jan 29, 2017)

Not worried at all. How about giving the president a chance to actually do something before you write a hit piece? He's promised he'll fix it. It'd be tough to make it worse.


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## emdeplam (Jan 13, 2017)

Caroline is sound-bite journalist so if you email her a quote keep it to one line.


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## Dammit Mazzacane (Dec 31, 2015)

You may be looking for Medicaid recipients who will be impacted. Recommend going out on the street and asking people with a digital recorder for interviews. Independent rideshare drivers likely will not give compelling statements because we all have differing situations.

As far as I'm concerned,
"I'm certain the cutbacks will eliminate the small tax credit discount I get for the insurance I pay for," said Dammit Mazzacane a rideshare driver who drives part time in the greater Seattle area.


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## Greguzzi (Jan 9, 2016)

LOL. Libgressive "reporter" is looking to gin up a story about poor Uber drivers being kicked off their hallowed Obummercare, but what said reporter doesn't realize is that most driving for Uber make so little money that they are on "free" Medicaid. And if you were sentient, you'd feel embarrassed for working for #FakeStreamNews.

Seriously, girl: Go make your living off the backs of some other group of "oppressed" people.


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## swingset (Feb 26, 2017)

Caroline O'Donovan said:


> Hey! Caroline from BuzzFeed News here. I'm wondering if anyone is actively worried about healthcare reform and whether you'll be able to have coverage. If this is something you're thinking about or talking about actively, can you email me? [email protected]. Feel free to pass this message far and wide
> 
> Please DON'T troll this thread with political chatter. If you're not worried about ACA repeal or reform, that's great! If you think ACA reform plans are going to improve your life, please email me! But we don't need a forum wide political debate. Thanks


Up yours with asking a politically charged question and dictating the terms of the discussion. BuzzFeed, huh? Lemme guess what narrative you want to hear....it's something like "I'm a poor sick soul who is going to lose the insurance that the ACA forced me to have, whether I could afford it or not, and if I get subsidized I guess it's off the back of the working people who got lied to, told they could keep their plans and would save money - even tho that was all a lie."

I'm paying 300% more than I used to, for crap high-deductible care when I used to have good insurance, thanks to your Democrat sleazelords.

Ask me what I think of your little sewer of a media outlet. I can use purple prose and $5 words to do it, or just MS paint pictures of poop. Your choice.


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## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

"Caroline O'Donovan said:


> But we don't need a forum wide political debate. Thanks


Then why ask a debatable question?


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## entrep1776 (Nov 3, 2016)

Tough crowd!


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## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

entrep1776 said:


> Tough crowd!


This is an Uber drivers forum. We drive drunk obnoxious threatening belligerent self entitled ungrateful a*#holes for pennies. We have to be tough.


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## Red Leader (Sep 4, 2016)

Does a real reporter ever ask questions on this site?



emdeplam said:


> Caroline is sound-bite journalist so if you email her a quote keep it to one line.


Journalist? That right there is funny.


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## Maven (Feb 9, 2017)

Yes, worried. Wondering if this non-rideshare related thread better in "Other" forum.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

Caroline O'Donovan said:


> Hey! Caroline from BuzzFeed News here. I'm wondering if anyone is actively worried about healthcare reform and whether you'll be able to have coverage.
> 
> Please DON'T troll this thread with political chatter. If you're not worried about ACA repeal or reform, that's great! If you think ACA reform plans are going to improve your life, please email me! But we don't need a forum wide political debate. Thanks


Uber drivers can't afford healthcare.
I am tired of paying a " fine" for not being able to afford healthcare.
It is illegal and unconstitutional.
Government racketeering.


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## dirtylee (Sep 2, 2015)

Quite a few on this site are right wing fundies w/ open brietbart tabs.

Trump Don't Care is essentially


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## steveK2016 (Jul 31, 2016)

dirtylee said:


> Quite a few on this site are right wing fundies w/ open brietbart tabs.
> 
> Trump Don't Care is essentially
> View attachment 105177


Well then don't be a sheep!


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## MSUGrad9902 (Jun 8, 2016)

Caroline O'Donovan said:


> Hey! Caroline from BuzzFeed News here. I'm wondering if anyone is actively worried about healthcare reform and whether you'll be able to have coverage.
> 
> Please DON'T troll this thread with political chatter. If you're not worried about ACA repeal or reform, that's great! If you think ACA reform plans are going to improve your life, please email me! But we don't need a forum wide political debate. Thanks


You invited discussion on healthcare reform then you say please refrain from political chatter. Here's the deal. ACA is, was and always has been a terrible idea and unconstitutional. It took twisted logic to make it work within the constitution. It should never have been passed. It's been a disaster since it started and I'm glad it will be repealed.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

Another Uber Driver said:


> If you come to this forum, post a topic such as this and expect that you are not going to receive more than a little "political chatter" in reply, you are setting up yourself _*bigly*_ for a _*bigly*_ disappointment. We had a similar topic on another Board on this forum go more than a few pages.
> 
> I will put it to you this way. The We Are Telling You That You Can Afford This "Health Care" Act (you know, the one that Pelosi told us that they had to pass before we could find out what is in it?) tells me that I can afford something that I can not. It compels me to purchase something with money that I do not have or give up money that I do not have for nothing. Once I purchase this thing that they told me that I could afford, but could not; with money that I do not have, I can not afford to use it. Almost _*anything*_ _*has*_ to be better than *that*.


Why has Pelosi not been tarred & feathered yet ?
Our grandparents would have gathered with pitchforks and torches at the public utterance of such nonsense as Pelosi spews !


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## MSUGrad9902 (Jun 8, 2016)

steveK2016 said:


> My CPA just told me that the tax form just updated where it says "I do not want to disclose my health care status" and it doesn't assess a tax penalty. This was a recent update as of a few days ago. It's probably just a temporary measure to prevent the Obamacare tax penalty until they can repeal it completely.


That was Trump telling the IRS to go easy on people and the IRS's response.


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## dirtylee (Sep 2, 2015)

steveK2016 said:


> Well then don't be a sheep!


I'm young enough to be confident that by the time I get old, public single payer will be in effect.

#millennials are better than you


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## MSUGrad9902 (Jun 8, 2016)

Plus Caroline - health CARE and medical INSURANCE are totally different. The ACA does not provide care or treatment. It provides an avenue to pay for care and treatment - a terrible avenue at that.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

steveK2016 said:


> My CPA just told me that the tax form just updated where it says "I do not want to disclose my health care status" and it doesn't assess a tax penalty. This was a recent update as of a few days ago. It's probably just a temporary measure to prevent the Obamacare tax penalty until they can repeal it completely.


Good to know. I will ask my tax preparers for it.


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## MSUGrad9902 (Jun 8, 2016)

dirtylee said:


> I'm young enough to be confident that by the time I get old, public single payer will be in effect.
> 
> #millennials are better than you


Massachusetts and Oregon had that before Obamacare - you could just move there.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

thepanttherlady said:


> Sorry, not providing my personal email.
> 
> I, personally, hope something better comes along. Until ACA/Obamacare, I was paying g. A premium through my company and co-pays for service/prescriptions etc. Now? I hope and pray no one needs to go to the doctor because I can't afford the high deductible plan I was forced into. My son requires medication, 120 pills (60 day supply) costs $1,635. The doctor had to find a medication I CAN afford and hope it works for him.


Order the prescription from Canada or Mexico. Much cheaper. Made by same U.S. Pharmaceutical corporations. Teva out of Israel is also a quality manufacturers. Tell them to write food supplement on the mailing packages . . .



steveK2016 said:


> Sweet glad I waited to file my taxes! President Trump is already A OK in my book!


Saving me a grand.



dirtylee said:


> I'm young enough to be confident that by the time I get old, public single payer will be in effect.
> 
> #millennials are better than you


They will have Free Euthanasia by then. When you pass the 75 year old retirement age,that will be your available " option".
Enjoy your " Healthcare"



MSUGrad9902 said:


> Plus Caroline - health CARE and medical INSURANCE are totally different. The ACA does not provide care or treatment. It provides an avenue to pay for care and treatment - a terrible avenue at that.


# steal Cuba's doctors.


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## Delivery Mr.Guy (Aug 9, 2016)

My honest answer to you is , I am not worry, I don't want Obama care, this is a freedom country and I have the right to have any health care or not have a healthcare. Please don't force us on anything.

I can't waiting to reelect mr. Trump, please tell him that I love him very much,


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

entrep1776 said:


> Tough crowd!


We are tired of working hard so those who do not work may have Equal or better lifestyles.
Would be different if I were on section8 housing receiving food stamps,receiving disability checks for being unable to cope out of my " safe space",typing on an Obama phone and concerned about my Free Healthcare covering my " Medical Marijuana" next year !
( might concern me enough to protest for Free College then)

" SOCIALISM: SOONER OR LATER YOU RUN OUT OF ' OTHER PEOPLES'
MONEY ".

Let Government PROVE they can manage Social Security properly before we allow them leway with Healthcare. . . got a decade or two until they have had a century of practice with Social Security.


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## Caroline O'Donovan (Apr 3, 2015)

emdeplam said:


> Caroline is sound-bite journalist so if you email her a quote keep it to one line.


I beg to differ! https://www.buzzfeed.com/carolineodonovan/internal-uber-driver-pay-numbers



swingset said:


> Up yours with asking a politically charged question and dictating the terms of the discussion. BuzzFeed, huh? Lemme guess what narrative you want to hear....it's something like "I'm a poor sick soul who is going to lose the insurance that the ACA forced me to have, whether I could afford it or not, and if I get subsidized I guess it's off the back of the working people who got lied to, told they could keep their plans and would save money - even tho that was all a lie."
> 
> I'm paying 300% more than I used to, for crap high-deductible care when I used to have good insurance, thanks to your Democrat sleazelords.
> 
> Ask me what I think of your little sewer of a media outlet. I can use purple prose and $5 words to do it, or just MS paint pictures of poop. Your choice.


 If you think ACA reform plans are going to improve your life, please email me!


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## steveK2016 (Jul 31, 2016)

Caroline O'Donovan said:


> I beg to differ! https://www.buzzfeed.com/carolineodonovan/internal-uber-driver-pay-numbers


Shots fired!


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## dirtylee (Sep 2, 2015)

Caroline O'Donovan said:


> I beg to differ! https://www.buzzfeed.com/carolineodonovan/internal-uber-driver-pay-numbers


Damn good article. Most of the people on this forum need to read it.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

dirtylee said:


> Damn good article. Most of the people on this forum need to read it.


And THAT was calculated at gas being $1.75 a gallon !


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## Gubber Singh (Nov 18, 2015)

This is the best pro Uber driver article I have ever read. Thanks Ms. O' Donovan for writing in such detail.


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## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

dirtylee said:


> #millennials are better than you


At posting hashtags, at getting likes on Facebook, at sending tweets, at Snapchatting, at knowing where to get heroin, at living with their parents well into their 30's, at making excuses not to work, at rolling blunts, at receiving gov't handouts and most important at believing everything they read on the Internet.


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## steveK2016 (Jul 31, 2016)

SEAL Team 5 said:


> At posting hashtags, at getting likes on Facebook, at sending tweets, at Snapchatting, at knowing where to get heroin, at living with their parents well into their 30's, at making excuses not to work, at rolling blunts, at receiving gov't handouts and most important at believing everything they read on the Internet.


To be fair, I was never good at rolling blunts...


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

steveK2016 said:


> To be fair, I was never good at rolling blunts...


You ought to be able to grow tobaco,cure it,and make your own hand rolled cigars.
And know how to grow corn and make whisky.
Tobacco seeds available on internet
10,000 will fit in your hand. Pretty plant too.
Trying to learn the ancient Indian art of fermented Picayune tobacco.
Premium price for those leaves.
Thomas Jefferson knew how to grow tobacco,corn and hemp. And Still started a Government.

I wonder if Federal legalization and exclusive sales of marijuana could fund Healthcare ?

Weren't they giving state tax Refunds in Colorado ?



SEAL Team 5 said:


> At posting hashtags, at getting likes on Facebook, at sending tweets, at Snapchatting, at knowing where to get heroin, at living with their parents well into their 30's, at making excuses not to work, at rolling blunts, at receiving gov't handouts and most important at believing everything they read on the Internet.


The old folks, turn of 1900's,got married at 15. Many lived with parents until they " inherited" the house.

The Amish,the parents hand over the big house and move into a little house out back . . .


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## GrinsNgiggles (Oct 11, 2016)

SEAL Team 5 said:


> At posting hashtags, at getting likes on Facebook, at sending tweets, at Snapchatting, at knowing where to get heroin, at living with their parents well into their 30's, at making excuses not to work, at rolling blunts, at receiving gov't handouts and most important at believing everything they read on the Internet.


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## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

GrinsNgiggles said:


> View attachment 105214


If I think it would do any good then I would. I can't compete with today's music and TV idols. Knowing how to wear your pants hanging off your ass and your ball cap on sideways is more important then knowing how to spell health insurance.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

SEAL Team 5 said:


> If I think it would do any good then I would. I can't compete with today's music and TV idols. Knowing how to wear your pants hanging off your ass and your ball cap on sideways is more important then knowing how to spell health insurance.


Thing is,90% of medicine is the body healing itself.
Placebos often perform better than pharmaceuticals.
Holistic healing is taught in every nursing school and medical school.
Almost every " medicine" besides biomedical ,radilogicals,and chemo, was developed from a plant.
Herbs and concentrates of herbs and " synthetic replicas" are medicine.
Surgeons remove and repair.
M.D.' S prescribe.
Look at the Hippocratic oath.
Look at the Wiccan oath.
" Do ye no harm".
There is a REASON the Caduceus is 2 snakes wrapped around a stick.
And it wasn't about defrauding Medicare to make medical corporations rich !

So ignore commercials about dry eyes suddenly being a " disease" now ,and spend LESS time in mechanically dehumidified air !


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## NorCalPhil (Aug 19, 2016)

dirtylee said:


> I'm young enough to be confident that by the time I get old, public single payer will be in effect.
> 
> #millennials are better than you


I'm old enough to be confident that by the time you get old, your opportunities for advancement will have passed you by as you drive for minimum wage (plus) for a company who doesn't value your effort, and compensates you accordingly.

#millennials are just newer, less experienced, and subject to more propaganda than better generations were.


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## swingset (Feb 26, 2017)

Caroline O'Donovan said:


> If you think ACA reform plans are going to improve your life, please email me!


I don't want reform plans, I want the ACA repealed and the free market to work....like it does for Lasik to increase options, drive down costs, and remove the government/employer from the equation. Unfortunately, the Republicans are just about as tone-deaf as the Socialists, so we're going to attempt to cure cancer with a big dose of Aids.

Do I think the Republican plan will be superior to the ACA? Probably...even if it removes the mandate that's a step in the right direction. Will it benefit everyone? No. Why should it? Government shouldn't even be involved, that's the ENTIRE PROBLEM in the first place.

I won't help you do your job, as you won't help me do mine. I detest Buzzfeed.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

NorCalPhil said:


> I'm old enough to be confident that by the time you get old, your opportunities for advancement will have passed you by as you drive for minimum wage (plus) for a company who doesn't value your effort, and compensates you accordingly.
> 
> #millennials are just newer, less experienced, and subject to more propaganda than better generations were.


That's cruel and VICIOUS.
you never Rob the Terminally Ill of HOPE !

Regarding propaganda,millineals odds of dodging it are better than ours ever were. We had 3 corporate networks for info.
It doesn't work anymore.
That is why the Nudge initiative was created,thousands of " think tanks" exist,and the Obama Brain Study initiative came about. The OLD control mechanisms have failed.


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## jp300h (Oct 5, 2016)

tohunt4me said:


> And THAT was calculated at gas being $1.75 a gallon !


AND 2015 rates before the current cuts


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

swingset said:


> I don't want reform plans, I want the ACA repealed and the free market to work....like it does for Lasik to increase options, drive down costs, and remove the government/employer from the equation. Unfortunately, the Republicans are just about as tone-deaf as the Socialists, so we're going to attempt to cure cancer with a big dose of Aids.
> 
> Do I think the Republican plan will be superior to the ACA? Probably...even if it removes the mandate that's a step in the right direction. Will it benefit everyone? No. Why should it? Government shouldn't even be involved, that's the ENTIRE F**KING PROBLEM in the first place.
> 
> I won't help you do your job, as you won't help me do mine. I detest Buzzfeed, and trust it like I trust oral from an aligator.


P.S. when your chicken is matured in 4 weeks with growth hormone feed and injections your grain is fertilized with petrochemical sulfers and other chemical fertilizers,your water is chlorinated and dosed with fluoride . . . you will get more diseases than your forefathers.
When Midwest Lobbyists decide to put GMO corn in everything including your gas tank expect problems.


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## elelegido (Sep 24, 2014)

Another Uber Driver said:


> If you come to this forum, post a topic such as this and expect that you are not going to receive more than a little "political chatter" in reply, you are setting up yourself _*bigly*_ for a _*bigly*_ disappointment. We had a similar topic on another Board on this forum go more than a few pages.
> 
> I will put it to you this way. The We Are Telling You That You Can Afford This "Health Care" Act (you know, the one that Pelosi told us that they had to pass before we could find out what is in it?) tells me that I can afford something that I can not. It compels me to purchase something with money that I do not have or give up money that I do not have for nothing. Once I purchase this thing that they told me that I could afford, but could not; with money that I do not have, I can not afford to use it. Almost _*anything*_ _*has*_ to be better than *that*.


D'oh! You trolled this thread with political chatter!

You naughty, naughty boy.


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## steveK2016 (Jul 31, 2016)

swingset said:


> I detest Buzzfeed, and trust it like I trust oral from *an aligator*.


Whatcha got against jp300h ?


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## NorCalPhil (Aug 19, 2016)

tohunt4me said:


> That's cruel and VICIOUS.
> you never Rob the Terminally Ill of HOPE !
> 
> Regarding propaganda,millineals odds of dodging it are better than ours ever were. We had 3 corporate networks for info.
> ...


We are saying the same thing here... they are subject to more of it because its not just the 3 networks anymore, but they also don't have the tools to deal with it. That comes with experience, maturity, and a willingness to question things.

It was sort of vicious though


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## jp300h (Oct 5, 2016)

steveK2016 said:


> Whatcha got against jp300h ?


Lol. I may be a gator but definitely not giving that kind of oral.


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## swingset (Feb 26, 2017)

tohunt4me said:


> P.S. when your chicken is matured in 4 weeks with growth hormone feed and injections your grain is fertilized with petrochemical sulfers and other chemical fertilizers,your water is chlorinated and dosed with fluoride . . . you will get more diseases than your forefathers.
> When Midwest Lobbyists decide to put GMO corn in everything including your gas tank expect problems.


Was that simple spew supposed to be some kind of rebuttal to the problems of the government screwing up our healthcare? I get it, you love a giant centralized beuroacracy that has its paws in every facet of your life you pay 30% of your life to. Bully for you, I don't.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

NorCalPhil said:


> We are saying the same thing here... they are subject to more of it because its not just the 3 networks anymore, but they also don't have the tools to deal with it. That comes with experience, maturity, and a willingness to question things.
> 
> It was sort of vicious though


" Question Authority. Think for Yourself. Question Everything."
Who said that ?
A.) George Carlin
B.) Timothy Leary
C.) Richard Nixon
D.) Walter Cronkite



swingset said:


> Was that simple spew supposed to be some kind of rebuttal to the problems of the government f**king up our healthcare? I get it, you love a giant centralized beuroacracy that has its paws in every facet of your life you pay 30% of your life to. Bully for you, I don't.


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## Ubingdowntown (Feb 25, 2017)

Good thing for Trump and this reform. If it was up to Obama I would go broke buying insurance just to take out a small loan of 8 need a deductible. ACA was and is a JOKE


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## JimKE (Oct 28, 2016)

Not worried.


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## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

jp300h said:


> Lol. I may be a gator but definitely not giving that kind of oral.


Sorry brother, I don't have your Gators going too far in the tourney.


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## jp300h (Oct 5, 2016)

SEAL Team 5 said:


> Sorry brother, I don't have your Gators going too far in the tourney.


Me neither.


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## dirtylee (Sep 2, 2015)

SEAL Team 5 said:


> At posting hashtags, at getting likes on Facebook, at sending tweets, at Snapchatting, at knowing where to get heroin, at living with their parents well into their 30's, at making excuses not to work, at rolling blunts, at receiving gov't handouts and most important at believing everything they read on the Internet.


#Ageism is real



GrinsNgiggles said:


> View attachment 105214






NorCalPhil said:


> your opportunities for advancement will have passed you by as you drive for minimum wage (plus) for a company who doesn't value your effort, and compensates you accordingly.


FTFY.
The theory of spending a lifetime working for corporations {perpetuated by old foggies} as a means to survive is eroding. We love the personal choice given in a platform economy.

Imagine various different platforms in which one could sell thier marketable skills. That is the future.
Uber is ran & funded by greedy morally corrupt foggies; lack of other options for drivers make it seem that uber wholly represents the coming economic advances.

As always
#millennials are better than you


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## GrinsNgiggles (Oct 11, 2016)

dirtylee said:


>


Sorry couldn't resist


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## NCUberGuy (Aug 27, 2016)

Greguzzi said:


> LOL. Libgressive "reporter" is looking to gin up a story about poor Uber drivers being kicked off their hallowed Obummercare, but what said reporter doesn't realize is that most driving for Uber make so little money that they are on "free" Medicaid. And if you were sentient, you'd feel embarrassed for working for #FakeStreamNews.
> 
> Seriously, girl: Go make your living off the backs of some other group of "oppressed" people.


Little snowflake interpreted this as 'Trump Forces Uber Drivers on Medicaid', front page of that liberal garbage.


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## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

dirtylee said:


> Uber is ran & funded by greedy morally corrupt foggies;


Uber might be ran and funded by foggies, but it is operated by ignorant millennials.


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## Recoup (Jan 30, 2017)

Fogeys, or maybe fogies--but definitely not foggies.


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## Greguzzi (Jan 9, 2016)

Recoup said:


> Fogeys, or maybe fogies--but definitely not foggies.


LOL.


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## uber fool (Feb 3, 2016)

if Uber driver







gets


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## Sgt_PaxHauler (Oct 21, 2016)

tohunt4me said:


> You ought to be able to grow tobaco,cure it,and make your own hand rolled cigars.
> And know how to grow corn and make whisky.
> Tobacco seeds available on internet
> 10,000 will fit in your hand. Pretty plant too.
> ...





Robert Heinlein said:


> A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.


----------



## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

I like that

Regarding Obamacare
" There is no Worse Tyranny than to force a man to pay for what he does not want , merely because you think it would be good for him "- Robert Heinlein ,died May8,1988.


----------



## Trebor (Apr 22, 2015)

Caroline O'Donovan said:


> Hey! Caroline from BuzzFeed News here. I'm wondering if anyone is actively worried about healthcare reform and whether you'll be able to have coverage.
> 
> Please DON'T troll this thread with political chatter. If you're not worried about ACA repeal or reform, that's great! If you think ACA reform plans are going to improve your life, please email me! But we don't need a forum wide political debate. Thanks


Caroline, have you seen the video of the Uber driver crashing into the gas pump? This guy blew a tire. Can you do some investigating and find out how many other maintenance related accidents involved Uber drivers? I am afraid this number is only going to continue to rise. If you simply go to your local airport, and head to the TNC waiting area, you will probably be able to see a few tires that need replacing.

If this seems off topic, it is, but its not. The point I am trying to make is if Uber simply raised the rates, drivers would maintain their car more as well as their health. If I was a full time driver, getting healthcare would be the last thing I think about. If the rates were double what they are now, it would still be cheaper than a cab, but drivers would not be as worried about not being able to afford health care.

Are you sure your doing this for buzzfeed? I know you work for them, but this seems way too serious of a topic for buzzfeed.



tohunt4me said:


> Uber drivers can't afford healthcare.
> I am tired of paying a " fine" for not being able to afford healthcare.
> It is illegal and unconstitutional.
> Government racketeering.


Prime example. If Uber raised the rates, healthcare would be more affordable.


----------



## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

Trebor said:


> Caroline, have you seen the video of the Uber driver crashing into the gas pump? This guy blew a tire. Can you do some investigating and find out how many other maintenance related accidents involved Uber drivers? I am afraid this number is only going to continue to rise. If you simply go to your local airport, and head to the TNC waiting area, you will probably be able to see a few tires that need replacing.
> 
> If this seems off topic, it is, but its not. The point I am trying to make is if Uber simply raised the rates, drivers would maintain their car more as well as their health. If I was a full time driver, getting healthcare would be the last thing I think about. If the rates were double what they are now, it would still be cheaper than a cab, but drivers would not be as worried about not being able to afford health care.
> 
> ...


No doubt ,Uber must raise drivers pay. They Lowered it4 times for nothing.
Now gas prices are coming up !
Will have to spend extra on my income tax also,sorting out the false figures Uber sent out ,which they sent to the Government also !
Incompetent of them !
Not one month matches my actual figures.


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## Trebor (Apr 22, 2015)

tohunt4me said:


> No doubt ,Uber must raise drivers pay. They Lowered it4 times for nothing.
> Now gas prices are coming up !
> Will have to spend extra on my income tax also,sorting out the false figures Uber sent out ,which they sent to the Government also !
> Incompetent of them !
> Not one month matches my actual figures.


Had a rider tell me Uber should be more expensive than a cab since its a better service it can command more money. He gave me a $20 tip by the way.


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## chevelle454 (Aug 13, 2015)

Not enough info out there yet. And the way the media both left and Right spins things and The politicians also.There is just talk and emotional scare tactics at work now .Guess we'll all have to wait and see what the finished product looks like before we can make a judgement


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## Jagent (Jan 29, 2017)

This "journalist" has no idea what the Trump plan will even offer, yet she's going to write a story on it. This is a great example of why the media is hated.


----------



## phillipzx3 (May 26, 2015)

I'm a Vet with a great local VA system. I have great care, so I don't give a hoot about the rest of you. I hope everyone who thinks mandatory coverage is a bad thing has a catastrophic medical problem, and loses everything they have. Including their family pet. ;-) How's that for a passionate response.

Seriously, The answer is not the ACA or this joke of an answer the GOP is pushing. The answer is a single payer system. The problem is Americans seem to be too stupid to create a working and honest system that will keep the criminal private sector from gouging the taxpayer via bloated billing.



Trebor said:


> Caroline, have you seen the video of the Uber driver crashing into the gas pump? This guy blew a tire. Can you do some investigating and find out how many other maintenance related accidents involved Uber drivers? I am afraid this number is only going to continue to rise. If you simply go to your local airport, and head to the TNC waiting area, you will probably be able to see a few tires that need replacing.
> 
> If this seems off topic, it is, but its not. The point I am trying to make is if Uber simply raised the rates, drivers would maintain their car more as well as their health. If I was a full time driver, getting healthcare would be the last thing I think about. If the rates were double what they are now, it would still be cheaper than a cab, but drivers would not be as worried about not being able to afford health care.
> 
> ...


Without placing a cap on the number of drivers, raising rates won't do a damn thing other than entice thousands more to drive seeking their pot of gold.

Healthcare isn't the problem. It's health INSURANCE that's too expensive. It's like people who keep using "self-driving" and "driver less" as if they are one in the same.....they're NOT!


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## Xanvel (Nov 14, 2016)

phillipzx3 said:


> I'm a Vet with a great local VA system. I have great care, so I don't give a hoot about the rest of you. I hope everyone who thinks mandatory coverage is a bad thing has a catastrophic medical problem, and loses everything they have. Including their family pet. ;-) How's that for a passionate response.
> 
> Seriously, The answer is not the ACA or this joke of an answer the GOP is pushing. The answer is a single payer system. The problem is Americans seem to be too stupid to create a working and honest system that will keep the criminal private sector from gouging the taxpayer via bloated billing.
> 
> ...


Wise words...


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## UberBastid (Oct 1, 2016)

Caroline O'Donovan said:


> Hey! Caroline from BuzzFeed News here. I'm wondering if anyone is actively worried about healthcare reform and whether you'll be able to have coverage.
> 
> Please DON'T troll this thread with political chatter. If you're not worried about ACA repeal or reform, that's great! If you think ACA reform plans are going to improve your life, please email me! But we don't need a forum wide political debate. Thanks


Yes, of course.
If the Socialist/Democrats don't allow changes healthcare will go away, so I am worried that healthcare reform will not happen.
If it doesn't - Obama's mess will disintegrate in about a year.


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## K-pax (Oct 29, 2016)

Yup.


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## Andre Benjamin 6000 (Nov 11, 2016)

phillipzx3 said:


> I'm a Vet with a great local VA system. I have great care, so I don't give a hoot about the rest of you. I hope everyone who thinks mandatory coverage is a bad thing has a catastrophic medical problem, and loses everything they have. Including their family pet. ;-) How's that for a passionate response.
> 
> Seriously, The answer is not the ACA or this joke of an answer the GOP is pushing. The answer is a single payer system. The problem is Americans seem to be too stupid to create a working and honest system that will keep the criminal private sector from gouging the taxpayer via bloated billing.
> 
> ...


----------



## roadman (Nov 14, 2016)

Caroline O'Donovan said:


> Hey! Caroline from BuzzFeed News here. I'm wondering if anyone is actively worried about healthcare reform and whether you'll be able to have coverage.
> 
> Please DON'T troll this thread with political chatter. If you're not worried about ACA repeal or reform, that's great! If you think ACA reform plans are going to improve your life, please email me! But we don't need a forum wide political debate. Thanks


I work for uber full time and make about 1.50 per hour so after free Obama care is gone I will go get me some free Medicare or Medicaid. Not worried at all I work for uber and live in poverty but my countrymen will help me. Bless your hearts taxpayers.


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## Shanvhere (Dec 31, 2016)

No, cause I bust my ass off to get insurance


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## UberBastid (Oct 1, 2016)

Shanvhere said:


> No, cause I bust my ass off to get insurance


Now THERE is a self sufficient, hard working American that knows that he can rely on himself - IF he can get the government the hell outta the way.


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## Bulls23 (Sep 4, 2015)

swingset said:


> I don't want reform plans, I want the ACA repealed and the free market to work....like it does for Lasik to increase options, drive down costs, and remove the government/employer from the equation. Unfortunately, the Republicans are just about as tone-deaf as the Socialists, so we're going to attempt to cure cancer with a big dose of Aids.
> 
> Do I think the Republican plan will be superior to the ACA? Probably...even if it removes the mandate that's a step in the right direction. Will it benefit everyone? No. Why should it? Government shouldn't even be involved, that's the ENTIRE PROBLEM in the first place.
> 
> I won't help you do your job, as you won't help me do mine. I detest Buzzfeed.


Sounds like you have some hefty stash ready in case you got cancer or something.


----------



## SamIam51 (Oct 27, 2016)

thepanttherlady said:


> Sorry, not providing my personal email.
> 
> I, personally, hope something better comes along. Until ACA/Obamacare, I was paying g. A premium through my company and co-pays for service/prescriptions etc. Now? I hope and pray no one needs to go to the doctor because I can't afford the high deductible plan I was forced into. My son requires medication, 120 pills (60 day supply) costs $1,635. The doctor had to find a medication I CAN afford and hope it works for him.


My company did the same thing because we had a "cadillac" plan and were going to be taxed individually because of ACA. Can't have employers offering TOO good of a plan. We were all forced into the high deductible plan....I'm single and I have to pay the same premiums I was paying for a PPO along with the first $1500 out pocket. I'm hoping for a revised/better plan that doesn't penalize employers offering good benefits.


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## UberBastid (Oct 1, 2016)

Are you guys, (and gals) trying to convince me that $1500 is big money? Really?
I hope I never get so broke that $1500 will keep me from medical care. 
I can borrow that from my family, advance a credit card, work a few extra shifts ... I can make hundred dollar a month payments to the hospital for a year to get that paid.
THAT is not a big deductible. 

If I get a million dollar disease, $1500 is NOT going to make ANY difference to my care. Guaranteed. 

Take some responsibility for your self. If you want to rely on gov't teet for everything, move to France, or Germany -- they don't have any restrictions on immigration. I hear it's a great place to live right now.


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## Retired Senior (Sep 12, 2016)

Caroline O'Donovan said:


> Hey! Caroline from BuzzFeed News here. I'm wondering if anyone is actively worried about healthcare reform and whether you'll be able to have coverage.
> 
> Please DON'T troll this thread with political chatter. If you're not worried about ACA repeal or reform, that's great! If you think ACA reform plans are going to improve your life, please email me! But we don't need a forum wide political debate. Thanks


I'm afraid that I have been spoiled by being on Medicaid in Connecticut. I have seen signs that the State is over-extended, but I have not had over $12,000 of income in any year since 2008. So I took what was offered and was grateful for it. (Except for the Medicaid dentists, they really do like to extract teeth rather than save them,,,)

I spent a weekend in the hospital prior to being on Medicaid and the bill was over $10,000. I had no means to pay. My credit rating was destroyed. With Obama care at least I knew that I could get life-saving medical treatment without severe money problems later. This came in handy when I had a series of mini-strokes at the end of 2013 and woke up in the local ER.

The Republican health care plan may help balance the budget, but I am afraid that it will be the death of me.


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## Karl Marx (May 17, 2016)

tohunt4me said:


> Uber drivers can't afford healthcare.
> I am tired of paying a " fine" for not being able to afford healthcare.
> It is illegal and unconstitutional.
> Government racketeering.


Watching the CNN health care debates, its' like watching multi car pile ups non stop. I think the entire debate misses the most fundamental point. Insurance means just that, everyone pays in one way or another. In Canada we all pay and some pay more and some pay not at all. Having a progressive tax system means never having to pay a deductible, copays, health care premiums, endless paper work, cobra, and all the other nomenclature you poor devils have to deal with.

The last, most wealthy industrialized nation in the world and all you can talk about is a simple basic truth that you all simply just don't care about either yourselves nor your fellow Americans. It just doesn't get any more Neoliberal than that.

As Canadians we view the tragic state of American Neoliberalism as the greatest threat to your democracy. Republicans and democrats all get sick at one point or another. Seems the only Americans that really get to act out as assured self confident Canadians are your American legislative elected officials who enjoy universal health care which every Canadian is entitled to north of your border. My recommendation to you would be to work on getting your members of congress to be taken off their universal health care coverage first before you even begin to think about health care regulation and policy.

The biggest problem isn't your differences in ideology but rathe your entitled members of congress who live stress free lives and the need to not worry about catastrophic illness.


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## Fred Ex (Feb 21, 2017)

How's that telling Uber drivers what to do working out for you Caroline? It's a forum, if you want information from it, you do the work. Geez, Millenials...


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## swingset (Feb 26, 2017)

Bulls23 said:


> Sounds like you have some hefty stash ready in case you got cancer or something.


Nope, just hoping that healthcare would be individual and personal like driver's insurance. Let me keep my wages, take it out of the employer & government's idiotic hands, and let me shop for the best policy that fits my needs. Let me pay directly, no more hidden costs, so I can shop around and get the care I need...just like you do with auto insurance when your car is damaged.

That's what brings costs down, that's what makes better care. Competition and personal choice. Government and hiding costs is what drove it all to heck and back.


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## Jinxstone (Feb 19, 2016)

Caroline O'Donovan said:


> Hey! Caroline from BuzzFeed News here. I'm wondering if anyone is actively worried about healthcare reform and whether you'll be able to have coverage.
> 
> Please DON'T troll this thread with political chatter. If you're not worried about ACA repeal or reform, that's great! If you think ACA reform plans are going to improve your life, please email me! But we don't need a forum wide political debate. Thanks


Lol. You actually think we make enough money at Uber rates to afford insurance now? Life must be nice in your bubble.


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## UberBastid (Oct 1, 2016)

Karl Marx said:


> Watching the CNN health care debates, its' like watching multi car pile ups non stop. I think the entire debate misses the most fundamental point. Insurance means just that, everyone pays in one way or another. In Canada we all pay and some pay more and some pay not at all. Having a progressive tax system means never having to pay a deductible, copays, health care premiums, endless paper work, cobra, and all the other nomenclature you poor devils have to deal with.
> 
> The last, most wealthy industrialized nation in the world and all you can talk about is a simple basic truth that you all simply just don't care about either yourselves nor your fellow Americans. It just doesn't get any more Neoliberal than that.
> 
> ...


Ya know ,,, I don't "like" very many posts, well, because few are as good at posting as me. But, ya'll gotta read this one again.
Karl ... will you run for Congress. Please?


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## SafeT (Nov 23, 2015)

BuzzFeed and CNN = Fake News
Russia Russia Russia blah blah fake news


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## jfinks (Nov 24, 2016)

You have the Republican Congress that screwed all the insurance companies out of billions (about 8 billion), when they reneged on the risk corridors. This bankrupted many insurance companies and the ones that are left had no choice but to skyrocket premiums and deductibles... There are about 14 federal cases against the government going on over this.

You see, the insurance companies in this "ramp up" time were having to insure millions of people that had no health history ever. They had to best guess what the health costs and needs of these new enrollees would be. Actuaries that figure all this stuff out like to have real data, and there was none.

The risk corridors was a program to help the insurance companies for 3 years while data was collected. If insurers lost money they could get reimbursed while they make adjustments. If they made money they had to pay some back in to the program.

Funny thing is the GOP is doing the same thing they removed from the ACA. They call it risk pools. They group all the high risk people into a group and subsidize their care and needs... Morons.

So there you have it, REPUBLICANS screwed over Americans for billions as the insurance companies had no choice but to skyrocket premiums. This also had the secondary effect of many insurance providers dropping out of ACA and thus reducing competition. 2 years ago I saw many providers in the ACA, but when I checked a few weeks ago there was just 1.



thepanttherlady said:


> Sorry, not providing my personal email.
> 
> I, personally, hope something better comes along. Until ACA/Obamacare, I was paying g. A premium through my company and co-pays for service/prescriptions etc. Now? I hope and pray no one needs to go to the doctor because I can't afford the high deductible plan I was forced into. My son requires medication, 120 pills (60 day supply) costs $1,635. The doctor had to find a medication I CAN afford and hope it works for him.


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## Leo. (Dec 27, 2015)

B*zzfeed please


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## Darkhawk (Feb 8, 2017)

Caroline O'Donovan said:


> Hey! Caroline from BuzzFeed News here. I'm wondering if anyone is actively worried about healthcare reform and whether you'll be able to have coverage.
> 
> Please DON'T troll this thread with political chatter. If you're not worried about ACA repeal or reform, that's great! If you think ACA reform plans are going to improve your life, please email me! But we don't need a forum wide political debate. Thanks


I think I understand this post, if I may:

"Hey who thinks the new TrumpCare is going to suck? Let me know I want to hear it, and if you think its going to be awesome just email me so I can put it in my spam box cause you don't fit my agenda. Oh by the way don't fill this politically motivated question/thread with political chatter. K? Thaaaaanks!"



UberBastid said:


> Are you guys, (and gals) trying to convince me that $1500 is big money? Really?
> I hope I never get so broke that $1500 will keep me from medical care.


Its a bit asinine to assume you know everyone's living conditions. There may be folks here that $1,500 is realistically a devastating blow. Be more realistic and realize that your situation isn't the same nationwide.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

UberBastid said:


> Are you guys, (and gals) trying to convince me that $1500 is big money? Really?
> I hope I never get so broke that $1500 will keep me from medical care.
> I can borrow that from my family, advance a credit card, work a few extra shifts ... I can make hundred dollar a month payments to the hospital for a year to get that paid.
> THAT is not a big deductible.
> ...


Can you work overtime suffering from an extended illness ?
What if YOU were always the one everyone came to for help ?
What if your credit cards are run up from food,bills,medicine ?


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## pcDragon (Oct 11, 2016)

Caroline O'Donovan said:


> Hey! Caroline from BuzzFeed News here. I'm wondering if anyone is actively worried about healthcare reform and whether you'll be able to have coverage.
> 
> Please DON'T troll this thread with political chatter. If you're not worried about ACA repeal or reform, that's great! If you think ACA reform plans are going to improve your life, please email me! But we don't need a forum wide political debate. Thanks


Absolutely concerned about the future of my Healthcare. Without subsidies I cannot afford the $850 a month premiums and there is nothing in the new Healthcare bill that leads me to believe that my premiums will go down. Since I'm over 50 I'm assuming they will go up dramatically. And the HSA expansion? With no real discretionary funds, no savings for me there either.


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## thepanttherlady (Nov 3, 2016)

UberBastid said:


> Are you guys, (and gals) trying to convince me that $1500 is big money? Really?
> I hope I never get so broke that $1500 will keep me from medical care.
> I can borrow that from my family, advance a credit card, work a few extra shifts ... I can make hundred dollar a month payments to the hospital for a year to get that paid.
> THAT is not a big deductible.
> ...


Let me know when you're loaning me the $1635 for my son's meds. I'll send you $100 a month until paid off. Oh! I'll need at least another $1000 in 60 days to pay for another 60 days worth.

Thanks in advance!

/s

As a single parent to more than one child, yes, $1500 is THAT big of a deductible, especially when it's for meds. They don't bill you for that as it has to be paid at the time of pickup. BTW, my deductible is $2600. I wouldn't be driving for Uber if I could afford it otherwise.


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## Uberdriver2710 (Jul 15, 2015)

Medi-cal here


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## PrestonT (Feb 15, 2017)

Caroline O'Donovan said:


> As I said above, " If you think ACA reform plans are going to improve your life, please email me! "


Imagine that, a journalist looking only for responses that support her story.


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## UberBastid (Oct 1, 2016)

thepanttherlady said:


> Let me know when you're loaning me the $1635 for my son's meds. I'll send you $100 a month until paid off. Oh! I'll need at least another $1000 in 60 days to pay for another 60 days worth.
> 
> Thanks in advance!
> 
> ...


Yes, that's the point.
You work an extra job for your family. Exactly.
No hospital in the US will turn you away if you need care. They will take what insurance you have, and put you on a payment plan, and if you can only afford $5 a month, then that's what your payment is. 
The government doesn't owe us medical care.


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## thepanttherlady (Nov 3, 2016)

UberBastid said:


> Yes, that's the point.
> You work an extra job for your family. Exactly.
> No hospital in the US will turn you away if you need care. They will take what insurance you have, and put you on a payment plan, and if you can only afford $5 a month, then that's what your payment is.
> The government doesn't owe us medical care.


And my point is the pharmacy doesn't offer a payment plan, hence, I can't afford my son's medications because of the high deductibles. I didn't have this problem until the ACA kicked in.


----------



## SamIam51 (Oct 27, 2016)

UberBastid said:


> Take some responsibility for your self. If you want to rely on gov't teet for everything, move to France, or Germany -- they don't have any restrictions on immigration. I hear it's a great place to live right now.


I'm not sure you understood my point. Where did you get that I wasn't taking responsibility for myself or that I wanted the government to pay for me? I have a good full-time job and HAD good benefits prior to ACA. Because of ACA, my employer had to reduce our benefit package, even though my bi-weekly contributions increased, my benefits went down and my deductible went from $100 per year to $1500 per year. *I am allowed to be unhappy that my benefit package changed*, not because my employer decided to be greedy, but because the government decided it was going to tax employees with premium healthcare plans. Companies benefit packages help attract good employees and keep good employees, but when the government ties their hands, it's harder to be competitive to get and retain those good employees.

I can afford the $1500 deductible, as I have a good job that pays me decently. I drive Uber and Lyft part time to help with the cost of a new house. I consider myself lucky because I have a good job and in good health. But I've always busted my ass for everything I have, no silver spoon here. I typically work 50-60 hours per week - so yeah, I'm responsible for myself. BUT I also know plenty of people who have better and worse situations then mine. I was sharing my personal situation, not crying about it. Again, I am allowed to NOT like the situation.


----------



## Adieu (Feb 21, 2016)

Caroline O'Donovan said:


> Hey! Caroline from BuzzFeed News here. I'm wondering if anyone is actively worried about healthcare reform and whether you'll be able to have coverage.
> 
> Please DON'T troll this thread with political chatter. If you're not worried about ACA repeal or reform, that's great! If you think ACA reform plans are going to improve your life, please email me! But we don't need a forum wide political debate. Thanks


NO.

And I'm no Trump supporter btw.

ACA was an extortion scheme in the interests of somebody who wasn't us.

It was impossible to get healthcare through ACA, appointments and specialists and even doctors were booked up into eternity and not taking patients, new arrivals were funneled to no-English nurse practitioners, and the state bullied you with empty threat letters to go to eligibility hearing or lose coverage when you were clearly eligible (knowing full well chances are you wouldn't go to no hearing)


----------



## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

Caroline O'Donovan said:


> Hey! Caroline from BuzzFeed News here. I'm wondering if anyone is actively worried about healthcare reform and whether you'll be able to have coverage.
> 
> Please DON'T troll this thread with political chatter. If you're not worried about ACA repeal or reform, that's great! If you think ACA reform plans are going to improve your life, please email me! But we don't need a forum wide political debate. Thanks


I'm 66, and medicaid has been a Godsend to me, so yes, I worry about it A LOT. But, I'm in California, and there is a bill before the Sacramento legislature to convert California to single payer, so I'm hoping that takes up the slack caused by whatever Trump and the republicans are going to replace ACA with, if, indeed, they can, and the answer is not out on that, yet. we shall see. The ACA is being sabotaged by the right just so they can say "it's a failure " (The Rubio Kneecap provision, case in point ), it's problems can be fixed, but, of course, the right will see to it that it fails because they don't want Obama to succeed, it's bad for partisan politics.


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## Greguzzi (Jan 9, 2016)

jfinks said:


> You have the Republican Congress that screwed all the insurance companies out of billions (about 8 billion), when they reneged on the risk corridors. This bankrupted many insurance companies and the ones that are left had no choice but to skyrocket premiums and deductibles... There are about 14 federal cases against the government going on over this.
> 
> You see, the insurance companies in this "ramp up" time were having to insure millions of people that had no health history ever. They had to best guess what the health costs and needs of these new enrollees would be. Actuaries that figure all this stuff out like to have real data, and there was none.
> 
> ...


LOL.


----------



## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

Adieu said:


> NO.
> 
> And I'm no Trump supporter btw.
> 
> ...


Thats' too bad, I'm in San Diego and my experience has been the exact opposite. All of my practitioners speak excellent English.



Greguzzi said:


> LOL.


Don't laugh, refute . If you can, he makes valid points.


----------



## swingset (Feb 26, 2017)

jfinks said:


> You have the Republican Congress that screwed all the insurance companies out of billions (about 8 billion), when they reneged on the risk corridors. This bankrupted many insurance companies and the ones that are left had no choice but to skyrocket premiums and deductibles... There are about 14 federal cases against the government going on over this.
> 
> You see, the insurance companies in this "ramp up" time were having to insure millions of people that had no health history ever. They had to best guess what the health costs and needs of these new enrollees would be. Actuaries that figure all this stuff out like to have real data, and there was none.
> 
> ...


First question: Why was there a risk corridor program to begin with? Whose idea was it? Hint: Not the Republicans.

Second question: Do you honestly believe the risk corridors were a workable idea? Almost immediately the supposed "profits" from healthy insurers was woefully inadequate to pay the losses - it was designed to crumble in on itself, requiring ILLEGAL bailouts. Everyone with an ounce of brains looking at that portion of the 3-R's knew from the outset there would never be enough gains from some insurers to offset and pay for those taking losses - and gee, look what happened? The lawsuits demand compensation that Congress has expressly forbidden (going back decades to settled case law).

Thank God the Republicans were there to stop the insanity of a never-ending suckhole of public funds to rescue a terrible idea to begin with.

You completely, grossly, fundamentally have misrepresented (or misunderstood) the issue, starting with missing that the ACA was a disgusting overreach of the Federal Goverment and designed to fail to begin with.

This abortion was passed with 100% Democrat incompetence or malfeascance, with not a single Republican saying yes. This whole mess is a liberal backstab to the American working class and healthcare industry.


----------



## K-pax (Oct 29, 2016)

SEAL Team 5 said:


> At posting hashtags, at getting likes on Facebook, at sending tweets, at Snapchatting, at knowing where to get heroin, at living with their parents well into their 30's, at making excuses not to work, at rolling blunts, at receiving gov't handouts and most important at believing everything they read on the Internet.


Several of those are symptoms of coming of age in a terrible economy that foolish older generations screwed up with their unwavering faith in flawed/corrupted institutions and idiotic fantasy that infinite economic growth due to 'Murican exceptionalism would carry us into the next 20,000 years.

I'm kinda sorta barely a millenial (grey area) and I remember graduating high school to an economy of stores shutting down, people being laid off, retirees re-entering the workforce because their retirements aren't paying the bills, sharply rising costs for housing, food, and everything else... including the price for college to try to get a leg up.... 2 college degrees down, with huge student loan debt, and I'm an Uber driver, barely paying my high rent that greedy real estate speculators have inflated, barely feeding my family of 4 without food stamps, and the older generation wants to say something about being lazy? Baby Boomers came of age in an economic boom. There is nothing special about them at all. They just lucked out that one had a less fubared world at their fingertips.


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## Strange Fruit (Aug 10, 2016)

K-pax said:


> Several of those are symptoms of coming of age in a terrible economy that foolish older generations screwed up with their unwavering faith in flawed/corrupted institutions and idiotic fantasy that infinite economic growth due to 'Murican exceptionalism would carry us into the next 20,000 years.
> 
> I'm kinda sorta barely a millenial (grey area) and I remember graduating high school to an economy of stores shutting down, people being laid off, retirees re-entering the workforce because their retirements aren't paying the bills, sharply rising costs for housing, food, and everything else... including the price for college to try to get a leg up.... 2 college degrees down, with huge student loan debt, and I'm an Uber driver, barely paying my high rent that greedy real estate speculators have inflated, barely feeding my family of 4 without food stamps, and the older generation wants to say something about being lazy? Baby Boomers came of age in an economic boom. There is nothing special about them at all. They just lucked out that one had a less fubared world at their fingertips.


Wow, you remember that time?! Seems most people don't remember much at all. In the late 90s it was a like many corporations had to merge into larger congloms or die. For the general public, that was mostly only visible in the GreenBurrito/Carl's Junior, or Taco Bell/KFC mergers. Obama was making all that happen too, in the late 90s early 00s. With his Whitehouse time machine I think. I'm so sick of too many people not willing to admit they don't know much, cuz they'd rather take a side in the aristocratic personality games, and blame the people their told to blame. Even Greenspan somewhat recently admitted the hardcore Neoliberal faith was wrong after all.

And the journalist actually wrote a couple decent stories about Uber's pricing. It's easier to call people fake news than to actually read something and think though. It's like when Piggy is making reasonable points about how everyone should behave better and they just drop a boulder on his head and cheer (if you haven't read Lord of the Flies, I guess you have no idea who piggy is). #ihatemyspecies


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## UsedToBeAPartner (Sep 19, 2016)

I wish my deductible had gone up to ONLY $1500. If that's what you are about you need a serious dose of reality. The ONLY deductible offered with my company HSA plan is $4500/$9000. No that will not bankrupt me but it's going to cost me more than I could ever afford if I get hurt or sick. I am then given the privilege of depositing pre-tax dollars (my own money) in a plan that I can use in the future to pay these deductibles. I still pay all my own bills and I still can't afford the coverage but I get a tax deduction for having to pay 10X more than I should have to.
Thanks to everyone involved.
Now, along comes Trump and I suspect that we will look in our rear view mirror and say that these were the best of times!


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## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

swingset said:


> First question: Why was there a risk corridor program to begin with? Whose idea was it? Hint: Not the Republicans.
> 
> Second question: Do you honestly believe the risk corridors were a workable idea? Almost immediately the supposed "profits" from healthy insurers was woefully inadequate to pay the losses - it was designed to crumble in on itself, requiring ILLEGAL bailouts. Everyone with an ounce of brains looking at that portion of the 3-R's knew from the outset there would never be enough gains from some insurers to offset and pay for those taking losses - and gee, look what happened? The lawsuits demand compensation that Congress has expressly forbidden (going back decades to settled case law).
> 
> ...


No repub would go for anything Obama wanted, so I have no problem with repubs not signing on, their intent was always partisan politics, to sabatoge anything Obama wanted, never would the rise above it and do what is right and just, only what served their party.

Before ACA, what existed was far worse. An individual could have a plan, believing he or she was happy with it, as it paid doctor visits, but years down the road, filing for a catastrophic illness claim, have her health records subpoenaed and if they discovered something that was a pre-existing illness, as defined by the fine print, the list of disease to include just about every known disease which most people have contracted, at one time or another, and then they denied your claim when they found it. There was a whole 60 minute episode on how insurers were doing this, people dying for not getting the care they believed they would receive, insurers dropping them in their time of need. For many, the only health care available were emergency rooms, which were never free, they always billed you several thousand bucks when you visited, and the care was always rushed, done by interns, etc.

ACA has a lot of flaws, but preexisting conditions is removed, and doing that raises the value of insurance, which of course, will cost more, but at least the insurance does what insurance is supposed to do: cure teh fear of being financially devastated in the event of catastrophic losss. Before the ACA, it was a crap shoot, they might pay, they might not, you NEVER could be sure. ACA has provided health care for far more millions of people than anything any republican has ever offered, which is like never.

Now then, another fact: republicans would not even be talking about health care, coming up with a plan, but for ACA.

Obama had a filibuster proof senate only for a couple months, and during those months, he had to pass a health care bill. What he did allowed me to get an operation which removed a tumor. Now then, to fix the flaws, no republican was interested in helping Obama. They were only interested in sabotaging anything he did, they wanted him to fail, never mind the fact that he won by millions of votes, and was reelected. Repubs are only interested in free market solutions, but to date, there are no countries with a free market system that provides affordable health care to all of its citizens, not one, and repubs insanely believe that a free market system is going to be the ticket to paradise. History proves otherwise. There is no perfect health care system, but the one incontrovertible fact is that Americans ( USA ) pay, overall, practically double than what they pay in other developed countries, per capita. As an Uber driver, taxi driver, for 10 years, I've always asked foreigners in the UHC countries, ( Canada, France, Denmark, etc ) if they would trade their country's health care system for that of the USA's. The answer thus far is unanimous, not one has said that they would trade. Not one.


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## UberBastid (Oct 1, 2016)

SamIam51 said:


> I'm not sure you understood my point. Where did you get that I wasn't taking responsibility for myself or that I wanted the government to pay for me? I have a good full-time job and HAD good benefits prior to ACA. Because of ACA, my employer had to reduce our benefit package, even though my bi-weekly contributions increased, my benefits went down and my deductible went from $100 per year to $1500 per year. *I am allowed to be unhappy that my benefit package changed*, not because my employer decided to be greedy, but because the government decided it was going to tax employees with premium healthcare plans. Companies benefit packages help attract good employees and keep good employees, but when the government ties their hands, it's harder to be competitive to get and retain those good employees.
> 
> I can afford the $1500 deductible, as I have a good job that pays me decently. I drive Uber and Lyft part time to help with the cost of a new house. I consider myself lucky because I have a good job and in good health. But I've always busted my ass for everything I have, no silver spoon here. I typically work 50-60 hours per week - so yeah, I'm responsible for myself. BUT I also know plenty of people who have better and worse situations then mine. I was sharing my personal situation, not crying about it. Again, I am allowed to NOT like the situation.


ACA happened because we allowed it to happen.
We voted for the guy.


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## cakoo10 (Dec 30, 2016)

swingset said:


> Nope, just hoping that healthcare would be individual and personal like driver's insurance. Let me keep my wages, take it out of the employer & government's idiotic hands, and let me shop for the best policy that fits my needs. Let me pay directly, no more hidden costs, so I can shop around and get the care I need...just like you do with auto insurance when your car is damaged.
> 
> That's what brings costs down, that's what makes better care. Competition and personal choice. Government and hiding costs is what drove it all to heck and back.


Well if the choice was so great, then why were people choosing healthplans they couldn't even survive on, prior to ACA


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## BillyTheKidd (Dec 22, 2015)

MSUGrad9902 said:


> Massachusetts and Oregon had that before Obamacare - you could just move there.


Massachusetts never had single payer healthcare. Massachusetts is already very competitive with 7 commercial insurance companies vying for business.


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## mkxr (Jul 1, 2016)

Delivery Mr.Guy said:


> My honest answer to you is , I am not worry, I don't want Obama care, this is a freedom country and I have the right to have any health care or not have a healthcare. Please don't force us on anything.
> 
> I can't waiting to reelect mr. Trump, please tell him that I love him very much,


I bet you still want to be treated at a hospital when something happens, just don't want to pay for it. Trump truly is your hero, builds his businesses and stiffs the workers that did the job.


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## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

Jagent said:


> Not worried at all. How about giving the president a chance to actually do something before you write a hit piece? He's promised he'll fix it. It'd be tough to make it worse.


It would be easy to make it worse. As written, my monthly premiums would triple.

Give him a chance? He fired Preeta AG NY, who was investigating the HHS secretary for stock trades on companies his office was ruling on, and this corruption is only the tip of the iceberg, how about the fact that all the security personnel protecting his family are required to stay at his hotels, taxpayer funds, to the tune of many millions more required than to protect obama's family, go right into his pocket.

The president has demonstrated corruption and incompetence on many levels, from spewing rivers of easily fact-checkable lies, from gutting the state department ( despite warnings from numerous generals ) including conduct unbecoming of a president -- being a veritable laughing stock of the world, it's hard for me to be optimistic. "give him a chance", he's cutting meals on wheels, for chris's sake, how dead does your soul have to be to do that? I could write you a 30,000 word essay on why this president is a walking national security threat, but, why bother, no one in his camp is interested, they are focused on Hillary's server while he talks on his unsecured Android, and don't get me started on Russia, and now they are talking about war with North Korea.

This crap is really getting serious.


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## Jagent (Jan 29, 2017)

Oscar Levant said:


> It would be easy to make it worse. As written, my monthly premiums would triple.
> 
> Give him a chance? He fired Preeta AG NY, who was investigating the HHS secretary for stock trades on companies his office was ruling on, and this corruption is only the tip of the iceberg, how about the fact that all the security personnel protecting his family are required to stay at his hotels, taxpayer funds, to the tune of many millions more required than to protect obama's family, go right into his pocket.
> 
> ...


Yeah, give him a chance. he's president for the next four years.


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## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

Sorry, you guys didn't suck it up for Obama, a professor of constitutional law, nor am I going to suck it up for prez crazypants who made his money screwing hardworking people.

the way things are going, I doubt he'll last a full term. No, I'm not going to give him a chance. It's been 7 weeks of total buffoonery, why should I?


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## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

K-pax said:


> Several of those are symptoms of coming of age in a terrible economy that foolish older generations screwed up with their unwavering faith in flawed/corrupted institutions and idiotic fantasy that infinite economic growth due to 'Murican exceptionalism would carry us into the next 20,000 years.
> 
> I'm kinda sorta barely a millenial (grey area) and I remember graduating high school to an economy of stores shutting down, people being laid off, retirees re-entering the workforce because their retirements aren't paying the bills, sharply rising costs for housing, food, and everything else... including the price for college to try to get a leg up.... 2 college degrees down, with huge student loan debt, and I'm an Uber driver, barely paying my high rent that greedy real estate speculators have inflated, barely feeding my family of 4 without food stamps, and the older generation wants to say something about being lazy? Baby Boomers came of age in an economic boom. There is nothing special about them at all. They just lucked out that one had a less fubared world at their fingertips.


When I left High School 1969, my first job was $66 per week, my take home pay was $55, and my rent was $60 per month for a single apartment.

There may be economic activity, but much of our disposable income these days is gobbled up by disproportional high rents and mortgages, far greater than existed when I got out of high school.


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## Fred Ex (Feb 21, 2017)

pcDragon said:


> Absolutely concerned about the future of my Healthcare. Without subsidies I cannot afford the $850 a month premiums and there is nothing in the new Healthcare bill that leads me to believe that my premiums will go down. Since I'm over 50 I'm assuming they will go up dramatically. And the HSA expansion? With no real discretionary funds, no savings for me there either.


Me too, we pay $1500 for 2 of us over 50's with $6500/$13000 deductibles. But, it may not be as bad as it appears, yes the 3x a young person limit will go but we won't have to buy coverage we don't need anymore, esp maternity, or even pediatric dental, just to buy it for Obama's base.
The "compete across state lines" thing is more of a red herring. The main players already operate in any state they like, they just setup in each state, eg Blue Cross, HealthNet. And if the history of national businesses in the US teaches us anything it's that it converges soon enough to 2 main players, who match each other $ for $, plus 1 or 2 smaller companies.


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## UberTaxPro (Oct 3, 2014)

tohunt4me said:


> Good to know. I will ask my tax preparers for it.


All that has changed is that the IRS will not reject 1040's that don't have the box checked on line 61 of the 1040 for now. Only Congress can actually change the law. 
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyp...nts-after-trump-executive-order/#62eb3df0a3cb


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

UberTaxPro said:


> All that has changed is that the IRS will not reject 1040's that don't have the box checked on line 61 of the 1040 for now. Only Congress can actually change the law.
> https://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyp...nts-after-trump-executive-order/#62eb3df0a3cb


As long as they leave my money alone instead of stealing it with this unjust fine for not affording insurance.


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## EX_ (Jan 31, 2016)

Welp, we're all going to meet the same fate in the end anyway. Obamacare be damned.


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## Strange Fruit (Aug 10, 2016)

Fred Ex said:


> Me too, we pay $1500 for 2 of us over 50's with $6500/$13000 deductibles. But, it may not be as bad as it appears, yes the 3x a young person limit will go but we won't have to buy coverage we don't need anymore, esp maternity, or even pediatric dental, just to buy it for Obama's base.
> The "compete across state lines" thing is more of a red herring. The main players already operate in any state they like, they just setup in each state, eg Blue Cross, HealthNet. And if the history of national businesses in the US teaches us anything it's that it converges soon enough to 2 main players, who match each other $ for $, plus 1 or 2 smaller companies.


And don't forget women paying for plans that cover vasectomies, ED, and prostate care. Or anyone paying for any plan that covers anything they don't need. My plan doesn't cover broken arms, cuz my arms are fine, and not cervical cancer either. That saves me money. Cuz they charge more for a plan that covers those specific things. I said leave out the uterus and the arm coverage.


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## UberTaxPro (Oct 3, 2014)

tohunt4me said:


> As long as they leave my money alone instead of stealing it with this unjust fine for not affording insurance.


Maybe next year or a refund sometime after the law is changed. 
My wife and I ended up with a $6000 deductible plan. Wouldn't you know she ended up with $5800 in med expenses due to a an unexpected procedure! And now We're gonna have to pay back the premium credit we received because our income ended up being higher then we estimated. $5800 in uncovered expenses and a credit pay back bonus at tax time! If this doesn't get repealed I'm gonna ask our veterinarian to do my next physical!


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

EX_ said:


> Welp, we're all going to meet the same fate in the end anyway. Obamacare be damned.


Mandatory Funeral Insurance next.


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## Greguzzi (Jan 9, 2016)

UberTaxPro said:


> Maybe next year or a refund sometime after the law is changed.
> My wife and I ended up with a $6000 deductible plan. Wouldn't you know she ended up with $5800 in med expenses due to a an unexpected procedure! And now We're gonna have to pay back the premium credit we received because our income ended up being higher then we estimated. $5800 in uncovered expenses and a credit pay back bonus at tax time! If this doesn't get repealed I'm gonna ask our veterinarian to do my next physical!


This is why Obummercare is a complete failure _for those who actually pay for it_. The people who get it for "free" through Medicaid expansion love it!


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

UberTaxPro said:


> Maybe next year or a refund sometime after the law is changed.
> My wife and I ended up with a $6000 deductible plan. Wouldn't you know she ended up with $5800 in med expenses due to a an unexpected procedure! And now We're gonna have to pay back the premium credit we received because our income ended up being higher then we estimated. $5800 in uncovered expenses and a credit pay back bonus at tax time! If this doesn't get repealed I'm gonna ask our veterinarian to do my next physical!


We had a charity hospital system in Louisiana. HAD .
No insurance,no problem.
Before Obamacare.
Now the system and the hospital's have been purchased by private medical corporations.
Ruined the retirements of several friends all over the state.
Before,everyone had helthcare access.
Now you must have insurance to crawl off and die even.


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## grams777 (Jun 13, 2014)

I'm more worried because now the market is ruined. Pricing is likely always going to be high now because this isn't really an appeal or overhaul. It's just another way to shuffle around the same old broken industry model. Premiums and medical costs will remain high but fewer people will get help to afford it.

The elephant in the room that nobody addresses is that the whole insurance, payment, and regulatory model is completely broken.

Insurance itself is more of the problem than part of any solution. Too much money sloshing around ruins price discovery in an otherwise cash market. Good luck even finding out what something will cost before you go in for treatment. Try it sometime.

Consider what the pricing of housing would be without loans or low down payments - Or higher education costs without financial assistance. In many cases insurance creates the very problems it is supposed to solve. It inflates prices by providing too much money to fund certain industries.

If everyone had to pay cash rather than insurance, I suspect medical costs would be more affordable similar to how veterinary care is. Then all you would potentially need is a relatively inexpensive major medical policy to cover purely catastrophic situations.


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## LAuberX (Jun 3, 2014)

grams777 said:


> If everyone had to pay cash rather than insurance, I suspect medical costs would be more affordable similar to how veterinary care is. Then all you would potentially need is a relatively inexpensive major medical policy to cover purely catastrophic situations.


We have dogs, vets cost more than people dentists/doctors. And they have health insurance for pets too....

I used to have major medical a.k.a. "trainwreck" insurance, I don't need a free annual "wellness" exam, I need my hospital bills paid when I crash my motorcycle! Obama made that kind of insurance go away. Giving people choices turned into the redistribution of wealth. bigger government, more "programs" more people to manage those programs.... all with pay and benefits NOBODY in the private sector gets.

I miss America.


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## grams777 (Jun 13, 2014)

LAuberX said:


> We have dogs, vets cost more than people dentists/doctors. And they have health insurance for pets too....
> 
> I used to have major medical a.k.a. "trainwreck" insurance, I don't need a free annual "wellness" exam, I need my hospital bills paid when I crash my motorcycle! Obama made that kind of insurance go away. Giving people choices turned into the redistribution of wealth. bigger government, more "programs" more people to manage those programs.... all with pay and benefits NOBODY in the private sector gets.
> 
> I miss America.


I do remember vets being more expensive when I lived in California.

Out here in TN, vet office visits are about $40. A recent pet foot infection cost us $80 which included 3 medications.

A visit including a full blood workup or x-ray and meds would run around $150.

When I go to my doctor or an urgent care clinic for something not much different in seriousness, my health insurance is billed about $500-$1000. The doctor bills around $400 plus any tests and meds. Insurance discounts 2/3 of it to pay only about 1/3 of what they are billed. Heck, if I could pay what insurance rates are negotiated I wouldn't hardly need insurance to begin with.

One year I had about $25k in medical bills while the insurance negotiated rates were only about $10k. And to make it worse, a lot of that care didn't really do much.

And now, many health plans have insanely high deductibles for such a high monthly cost. It's probably better to just save the premiums yourself and take your chances with cash negotiated rates with certain providers.

Between my wife and I, the govt is now paying about $30k a year to our obamacare. That's just plain crazy. I'm pretty sure if we had the $30k a year in a savings account and paid cash rates we'd have a small fortune leftover.

Yes 30k - $1k per month for each of us in premium credits plus about $5k a year for copay assistance ($800 max out of pocket per year). Of course, we only get that much in credits because we live in a low cost of living area and try to only make what we need to get by. Driving helps with the mileage credit offsetting some income.


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## Fred Ex (Feb 21, 2017)

Greguzzi said:


> This is why Obummercare is a complete failure _for those who actually pay for it_. The people who get it for "free" through Medicaid expansion love it!


The ones who get it on their state exchange for next to nothing because of the subsidies love it too.


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## EX_ (Jan 31, 2016)

tohunt4me said:


> Mandatory Funeral Insurance next.


Just throw my corpse in the incinerator! Let's see the government try to collect a fee from a pile of ashes.


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## Greguzzi (Jan 9, 2016)

Where's our ever-so-concerned cub reporter from the #FakeStreamNews? Is she being coached by Dan Rather and Brian Williams on how to make up a good "story?" This is the state of "journalism" nowadays. ****ing liars, every goddamn one of these assholes.


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## ChortlingCrison (Mar 30, 2016)

I don't think obamacare is perfect, but this proposal (Especially with Paul Ryan behind it) is a potential disaster. Many other countries have universal health care. So should we. This plan only helps the rich and not the poor.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

EX_ said:


> Just throw my corpse in the incinerator! Let's see the government try to collect a fee from a pile of ashes.


Globalist Carbon Tax on the Fuel Used to incinerate your body !
Medical devices recovery tax to collect tooth fillings,pace makers,artificial knees,medical implants . . ..
Death Tax ,to compensate the environment for the toll burial takes on it .
Only Government & Corporations live forever.
Watch.
They will tax death soon.



Fred Ex said:


> The ones who get it on their state exchange for next to nothing because of the subsidies love it too.


Those who live OFF OF TAXES live better than those who pay taxes !
" I'll never be your Beast of Burden.
Never,never ,never , be !"- Rolling Stones

The Ancient Democracy of Greece fell from its Citizens" VOTING FOR A LIVING".

All incentive of working has been removed along with the jobs.

As long


Strange Fruit said:


> And don't forget women paying for plans that cover vasectomies, ED, and prostate care. Or anyone paying for any plan that covers anything they don't need. My plan doesn't cover broken arms, cuz my arms are fine, and not cervical cancer either. That saves me money. Cuz they charge more for a plan that covers those specific things. I said leave out the uterus and the arm coverage.


As LONG AS SEX CHANGE OPERATIONS ARE COVERED,ITS ALL GOOD . . .
When I turn 80 I may demand 1/2 of one,just to have a set of firm breasts around the house and to have access to any bathroom I want . . .


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## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

tohunt4me said:


> And THAT was calculated at gas being $1.75 a gallon !


And before the rate cuts.


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## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

swingset said:


> Nope, just hoping that healthcare would be individual and personal like driver's insurance. Let me keep my wages, take it out of the employer & government's idiotic hands, and let me shop for the best policy that fits my needs. Let me pay directly, no more hidden costs, so I can shop around and get the care I need...just like you do with auto insurance when your car is damaged.
> 
> That's what brings costs down, that's what makes better care. Competition and personal choice. Government and hiding costs is what drove it all to heck and back.


Healthcare isn't LIKE drivers insurance. If you're a careful driver you are less likely to have an accident. If you have one that is NOT your fault then it doesn't make it impossible for you to get affordable coverage. In fact, it likely won't even change your premiums, just the other driver's.

With healthcare insurance, if you get sick or injured THROUGH NO FAULT OF YOUR OWN (yes, non smokers get lung cancer, healthy people fall off ladders) you can become completely unensurable, and your costs will skyrocket.

Plus, you don't HAVE to drive to live. You DO have to live to live.

Complaining about paying for other people's care when YOU are healthy is shortsighted. You could be the one needing it tomorrow.

Do you also complain that you haven't been able to use your life insurance, but your neighbor, who got cancer and died, did? And YOUR premiums paid his death benefit? This is no different. Everyone should pay for everyone's insurance and be happy if they never get to use it.



UberBastid said:


> Yes, that's the point.
> You work an extra job for your family. Exactly.
> No hospital in the US will turn you away if you need care. They will take what insurance you have, and put you on a payment plan, and if you can only afford $5 a month, then that's what your payment is.
> The government doesn't owe us medical care.


You are wrong. Emergency care, yes. But if you need say physical therapy for a back injury, no one will do it. If you need an artificial limb you'll get crutches. If it's an operation that will help you have a better quality of life, but you won't die without it, good luck.

As far as medications, they'll give you a prescription...


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## SamIam51 (Oct 27, 2016)

UberBastid said:


> ACA happened because we allowed it to happen.
> We voted for the guy.


Not this girl.


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## carsalesman (Apr 12, 2016)

Caroline O'Donovan said:


> Hey! Caroline from BuzzFeed News here. I'm wondering if anyone is actively worried about healthcare reform and whether you'll be able to have coverage.
> 
> Please DON'T troll this thread with political chatter. If you're not worried about ACA repeal or reform, that's great! If you think ACA reform plans are going to improve your life, please email me! But we don't need a forum wide political debate. Thanks


The only True Healthcare that will work in this country is: US Government should mandate that all states provide their citizens with healthcare and each state will be in charge of implementation. (Single Payer) Problems is, Insurance companies, providers and big pharma controls the Politicians. We are fooling ourselves if we think any other form will work!!


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## Karl Marx (May 17, 2016)

UberBastid said:


> Ya know ,,, I don't "like" very many posts, well, because few are as good at posting as me. But, ya'll gotta read this one again.
> Karl ... will you run for Congress. Please?


Dude, thanks for the compliment. That post I wrote was totally from the heart. I have family and friends throughout America and I worked in the US myself for many years. The world is staring in disbelief at the events that have overtaken and shaken people throughout every democracy. We now face the prospect of a world conflagration by the paranoid men who now inhabit and command the White House. Health care will now unfortunately be the least of our worries in the weeks ahead.


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## UberBastid (Oct 1, 2016)

Let me tell you how it will be
There's one for you, nineteen for me
Cos I'm the taxman, yeah, I'm the taxman

Should five per cent appear too small
Be thankful I don't take it all
Cos I'm the taxman, yeah I'm the taxman

If you drive a car, I'll tax the street
If you try to sit, I'll tax your seat
If you get too cold I'll tax the heat
If you take a walk, I'll tax your feet

Now my advice for those who die
Declare the pennies on your eyes
Cos I'm the taxman, yeah, I'm the taxman

And you're working for no one but me



Strange Fruit said:


> And don't forget women paying for plans that cover vasectomies, ED, and prostate care.


Women SHOULD pay for vasectomies, and ED and prostate ... after all, it's all for THEIR benefit. 
At least, that's what I have my wife convinced of. But then, I keep her barefoot and pregnant.



Karl Marx said:


> Dude, thanks for the compliment. That post I wrote was totally from the heart. I have family and friends throughout America and I worked in the US myself for many years. The world is staring in disbelief at the events that have overtaken and shaken people throughout every democracy. We now face the prospect of a world conflagration by the paranoid men who now inhabit and command the White House. Health care will now unfortunately be the least of our worries in the weeks ahead.


I can tell it came from your heart. 
And I encourage everyone reading these words, to go back and read Karl's original post in this thread. It is spot-freaking on. 
And, yes, I also agree about the course the US is taking. It is scarey. In a way I am glad that I am as old as I am. (I am 64). If I drop today - I've had a great run and have no complaints. But, I fear for my country. I fear for my kids, and my grand-kids.

I am a student of history - and I see a pattern. I see history repeating, as it always does. 
Read some history of Europe; starting in about 1920 and gong to 1940. We are there now. Same, same. This time ... weapons are MUCH more efficient. WW2 only cost us 60 million people, about 3% of the world population. WW3 will be much more expensive. Much more.

******

War Pigs
Black Sabbath

Gen'rals gathered in their masses,
Just like witches at black masses
Evil minds that plot destruction,
Sorcerer of death's construction
In the fields the bodies burning,
As the war machine keeps turning
Death and hatred to mankind,
Poisoning their brainwashed minds
Oh Lord yeah

Politicians hide themselves away
They only started the war
Why should they go out to fight?
They leave that role for the poor, yeah
Time will tell on their power minds,
Making war just for fun
Treating people just like pawns in chess,
Wait 'till their judgement day comes, yeah

Now in darkness world stops turning,
Ashes where the bodies burning
No more War Pigs have the power,
Hand of God has struck the hour
Day of judgement, God is calling
On their knees the war pigs crawling,
Begging mercies for their sins
Satan, laughing, spreads his wings
Oh Lord yeah


----------



## Strange Fruit (Aug 10, 2016)

And Pink Floyd's Us & Them, from Darkside of the Moon

"Us And Them"

Us and them
And after all we're only ordinary men

Me and you
God only knows it's not what we would choose to do

"Forward!" he cried
From the rear
And the front rank died
And the General sat
As the lines on the map
Moved from side to side

Black and blue
And who knows which is which and who is who?

Up and down
And in the end it's only round and round and round

"Haven't you heard
It's a battle of words?"
The poster bearer cried.
"Listen, son,"
Said the man with the gun,
"There's room for you inside."

"Well, I mean, they're gonna kill ya, so like, if you give 'em a quick sh...short, sharp shock, they don't do it again.
Dig it? I mean he got off light, 'cause I could've given 'I'm a thrashin' but I only hit him once.
It's only the difference between right and wrong innit? I mean good manners don't cost nothing, do they? Eh?"

Down and out
It can't be helped but there's a lot of it about

With, without
And who'll deny it's what the fighting's all about?

Get out of the way,
It's a busy day
And I've got things on my mind
For want of the price
Of tea and a slice
The old man died


----------



## DanB (Mar 18, 2016)

tohunt4me said:


> P.S. when your chicken is matured in 4 weeks with growth hormone feed and injections, your grain is fertilized with petrochemical sulfers and other chemical fertilizers, your water is chlorinated and dosed with fluoride . . . you will get more diseases than your forefathers. When Midwest Lobbyists decide to put GMO corn in everything, including your gas tank, expect problems.


They're already trying to best your hormone injected, fast maturing chickens. Lab grown meats are on their way....

*Lucky Humans Just Ate the Very First Lab-Grown Chicken Tenders
15 March 2017 - Gizmodo*
http://gizmodo.com/startup-makes-the-first-lab-grown-chicken-tender-and-du-1793299025


----------



## Polomarko (Dec 20, 2016)

The most actual political triller in Washingon is ACA, and you are asking, not to express political opinion. Hmmmmm
Repablican proposal of new healt care plan will destroy nation.
Uber driver cannot afford any healt insurance. If Uber driver got sick simply go to emergency room, got treatment and never pay the bill.



UberBastid said:


> Let me tell you how it will be
> There's one for you, nineteen for me
> Cos I'm the taxman, yeah, I'm the taxman
> 
> ...


Thank you Man.


----------



## swingset (Feb 26, 2017)

ChortlingCrison said:


> I don't think obamacare is perfect, but this proposal (Especially with Paul Ryan behind it) is a potential disaster. Many other countries have universal health care. So should we. This plan only helps the rich and not the poor.


Go ask the relatives of a vet who waited so long for care they died, or lost limbs at the VA how awesome government run healthcare "Universally" treated them.

Better yet, go to the DMV and imagine instead of sitting in that chair for 2 hours waiting on a lifeless drone to transfer a title you're waiting to see someone about your wife's abdominal pain, but no one gives a ****.

I've lived in a country with "Free" healthcare....insane taxes, shitty care, lines and the only good clinics were private and you paid above and beyond to get into them.

This isn't Switzerland where everyone's white and rich, you're begging for price controls and shortages, and healthcare professionals who get the soul sucked out of them on Uber-style compensation from your Federal Suckhole.

God help me people like you are dangerous.


----------



## Wil_Iam_Fuber'd (Aug 17, 2015)

emdeplam said:


> Caroline is sound-bite journalist so if you email her a quote keep it to one line.


I'm too busy counting my "life changing" Uber cashola to worry about #ACAReform.

Challenge accepted, challenge completed. FY17 SM compliant w/witty hashtag included. No Xtra charge!


----------



## scamp (May 2, 2016)

Caroline O'Donovan said:


> Hey! Caroline from BuzzFeed News here. I'm wondering if anyone is actively worried about healthcare reform and whether you'll be able to have coverage.
> 
> Please DON'T troll this thread with political chatter. If you're not worried about ACA repeal or reform, that's great! If you think ACA reform plans are going to improve your life, please email me! But we don't need a forum wide political debate. Thanks


Without ACA subsidies I can't afford health insurance cost because Mass doesn't allow those cheap junk plans with huge deductibles other states have.

Also, if Medicaid cuts go through, my family will face enormous burden for my 88 year old mom's nursing care. MOST middle class folks don't realize Medicaid NOT Medicare is actually what helps defray cost of expensive long-term nursing home care. It would be great to read the press actually report on this issue.


----------



## jfinks (Nov 24, 2016)

swingset said:


> First question: Why was there a risk corridor program to begin with? Whose idea was it? Hint: Not the Republicans.
> 
> Second question: Do you honestly believe the risk corridors were a workable idea? Almost immediately the supposed "profits" from healthy insurers was woefully inadequate to pay the losses - it was designed to crumble in on itself, requiring ILLEGAL bailouts. Everyone with an ounce of brains looking at that portion of the 3-R's knew from the outset there would never be enough gains from some insurers to offset and pay for those taking losses - and gee, look what happened? The lawsuits demand compensation that Congress has expressly forbidden (going back decades to settled case law).
> 
> ...


Absolutely and you see what the result of not having them is. It was only for 3 years until enough people got on plans so they could better set rates. Actuaries like data and on 20s of millions of people they had no data or health history. You can't compare this to car insurance because the insurance companies know their maximum liabilities. They know the car values, it is pretty much fixed. Personal injury is capped, etc. With health insurance and a very sick person, the sky is the limit on costs and these costs can go on for years. Just like car insurance, the health care mandate was absolutely necessary. I think one of the biggest mistakes made was to ramp up the penalty for not having insurance too slowly. In the first couple of years too many said F insurance just give me the penalty. A couple years down the road when the penalty got stiff, only then did people without insurance finally start paying "something" into the system. Speaking of subsidies, these people without insurance were getting subsidies all along. So either you give free healthcare to those without insurance and let the rest of the responsible population subsidize it, or you have risk corridors and subsidize it.



tohunt4me said:


> As long as they leave my money alone instead of stealing it with this unjust fine for not affording insurance.


I'm fine with that as long as you are fine with dying if you get sick and don't have insurance. Hospitals will give you all the pain meds you need. Nothing else.



UberBastid said:


> Let me tell you how it will be
> There's one for you, nineteen for me
> Cos I'm the taxman, yeah, I'm the taxman
> 
> ...


You build the streets, make the heat, build a sidewalk, build the chairs and benches? If not you are paying taxes so others can do it for you. Your little poem is pathetic.



swingset said:


> Go ask the relatives of a vet who waited so long for care they died, or lost limbs at the VA how awesome government run healthcare "Universally" treated them.
> 
> Better yet, go to the DMV and imagine instead of sitting in that chair for 2 hours waiting on a lifeless drone to transfer a title you're waiting to see someone about your wife's abdominal pain, but no one gives a &%[email protected]!*.
> 
> ...


Funny I don't remember a government official standing over me when getting my last checkup. The only role the ACA has is making sure the maximum number of people contributed. You can only do this with tax law with penalties. Kind of like a cop stopping you and you don't have insurance. You are gonna pay...


----------



## Jagent (Jan 29, 2017)

Single payer is the only solution. Problem is, all the insurance companies, hospitals, doctors, etc would lose the big paychecks. Money talks in the USA. If you don't have any, then you better shut up.


----------



## jfinks (Nov 24, 2016)

Jagent said:


> Single payer is the only solution. Problem is, all the insurance companies, hospitals, doctors, etc would lose the big paychecks. Money talks in the USA. If you don't have any, then you better shut up.


I'm fine with Single payer. At least everyone pays something into the system. Everybody needs healthcare at some point, everybody must pay SOMETHING into the system. Any arguments against that? This is the core of what ACA was trying to do. It is way more complex than that, but at is crux that is what we are trying to do. It isn't government run healthcare.


----------



## AVLien (Mar 4, 2017)

Caroline O'Donovan sorry for the trolls. I for one think the ACA is a step in the right direction. Most people who criticize it either don't understand it, partially understand it, or are just in a position where it doesn't benefit them over someone else. I grew up in a medical family & my wife is an FNP at a nearby hospital (not disclosing that though). Most people take the short view of the changes & focus on the immediate impact it _might_ have on them.

Also, most of these people are healthy young adults. If they suddenly fell ill, they would undoubtedly feel differently. I have a congenital chronic degenerative spinal condition that has been an ongoing issue for over half my life. Without insurance my care (which is not really all that involved) would cost me more than triple what it does now. Before the ACA, my insurance company would set arbitrary limits on how much of my treatment they would cover (specifically medications) after that I was expected to pay for everything out of pocket. It cost me thousands of dollars _on top of_ my premiums.

I am absolutely concerned about the proposed changes, as everyone should be. Most people don't take into account that the entire purpose of the ACA was to reduce costs across the board. The mandate for everyone to have insurance was intended to bring premiums down for everyone. Yes, it cost a few people more in the short term, but it brought the cost down for *everyone* in the long term. It's a shame that we can't think about the whole of the populace without someone crying "socialism" (as if it were a profanity). We _should_ want to help one another if we can. All this mine _mine_ *mine *attitude hurts everyone eventually, whether anyone wants to believe it or not.

When people don't have insurance here is what happens: They have a minor treatable condition, but they don't seek treatment because it is not in their budget. The condition progresses & gets steadily worse. What once was easily treatable becomes a complex condition which often spawns other conditions that come along with it. When it gets so bad that they can't cope with it anymore, they go to the ER (people who work there will tell you, it is used as a "free" clinic by a lot of people).

At this point they are admitted to the hospital, this costs thousands of dollars a day. Since there is no one to pay the bill (remember, we are talking about people well below the poverty level) the hospital has to absorb the cost. This in turn increases the cost of hospital care for everyone. It really does cost everyone more either way. At least with insurance, people have a choice in how they handle it. Otherwise it comes out of their pocket when they themselves require hospital care.

Politicians like to misrepresent, misinform, & mislead people. It is easier to tell people "what is wrong" than it is to come up with good solid ideas to improve things. This was clearly demonstrated in November. Not trying to enter into the political debate, but it is very ironic how all these middle class people think that 2nd, 3rd, 4th (etc) generation rich people want to help them out & "have their best interests at heart". Unfortunately by the time they realize they have been duped a lot of damage will already have been done.

If I were a Russian sleeper agent, I would totally run for president. That would be a really smart move. That would make it really easy to destabilize the entire country. I could probably win the election if I just focused on telling people why everyone is out to get them. I doubt I would even have to do anything positive at all. I could just go on & on about how white Anglo-Saxon Protestant males are an oppressed minority & everyone would probably buy it. You know "war on Christmas" & all that.

Oh well, I'm not a Russian sleeper agent. Hypothetically though, that would be the smart move. Then I'd call all the real news fake & all the fake news real, thus reinforcing the belief that the majority-who are practically invincible-are actually a minority and should be scared of everyone that is different than them. I bet bigotry & xenophobia would make a great political platform! It worked like gangbusters for Hitler!

"It is a well-known fact that those people who must want to 
rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it... 
anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President
should on no account be allowed to do the job." 
-*Douglas Adams*​*...Just Saiyan*​


----------



## jfinks (Nov 24, 2016)

This is a system I don't think has been explored. This is kind of how long term care insurance works.

What if young mostly healthy Americans were given a discount for having insurance? As long as they kept their insurance they would keep the max discount as they get older. However if they drop out of the program for a few years for one reason or another, those years wouldn't count so as you get older and more likely to need healthcare you would end up paying a higher premium. This is a very high level brainstorming idea with many details financially left out.

How this is similar to LTC insurance is the amount you pay. If you try to get LTC insurance at 70 when you have never paid before it is very expensive because you are probably a few years from needing it. However if you start buying LTC insurance at say 50 or 60, then your premiums when you are 70 or 80 are lower.


----------



## htboston (Feb 22, 2016)

SEAL Team 5 said:


> This is an Uber drivers forum. We drive drunk obnoxious threatening belligerent self entitled ungrateful a*#holes for pennies. We have to be tough.


With a name like SEAL Team 5, I'm surprised you haven't knocked anyone out and lost your access yet over these crappy fares


----------



## htboston (Feb 22, 2016)

Caroline,

Dinner and a movie, beautiful?


----------



## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

htboston said:


> With a name like SEAL Team 5, I'm surprised you haven't knocked anyone out and lost your access yet


Freedom of Speech, the ability to acknowledge the words of someone that will make your blood boil. Our flag not only represents your freedom to stand for the National Anthem, but your right to turn your back against it. 
And our country lost millions of lives protecting that freedom.



AVLien said:


> Caroline O'Donovan sorry for the trolls. I for one think the ACA is a step in the right direction. Most people who criticize it either don't understand it, partially understand it, or are just in a position where it doesn't benefit them over someone else. I grew up in a medical family & my wife is an FNP at a nearby hospital (not disclosing that though). Most people take the short view of the changes & focus on the immediate impact it _might_ have on them.
> 
> Also, most of these people are healthy young adults. If they suddenly fell ill, they would undoubtedly feel differently. I have a congenital chronic degenerative spinal condition that has been an ongoing issue for over half my life. Without insurance my care (which is not really all that involved) would cost me more than triple what it does now. Before the ACA, my insurance company would set arbitrary limits on how much of my treatment they would cover (specifically medications) after that I was expected to pay for everything out of pocket. It cost me thousands of dollars _on top of_ my premiums.
> 
> ...


If the majority of uninsured Americans were like you then I'm sure that ACA would be very beneficial. However when the majority of the uninsured are apathetic unemployed (by choice) irresponsible alcoholic drug addicts it's hard to justify the premiums of the insured increasing almost 300%.
True story
I have a good friend that is a captain for the Phoenix Fire Dept. He told me that 80% of all calls are for passed out drunks/drug addicts at bus stops, in city parks and in fast food restaurants. Who pays the $2500 bill to the city and who pays the $5k to the hospital? The worst part is that the same drunk will have another episode only a few months later.


----------



## UberDriverLV (Dec 21, 2016)

Buzz feed is fake news and fake reporters shouldn't be posting here.


----------



## phillipzx3 (May 26, 2015)

swingset said:


> Go ask the relatives of a vet who waited so long for care they died, or lost limbs at the VA how awesome government run healthcare "Universally" treated them.
> 
> Better yet, go to the DMV and imagine instead of sitting in that chair for 2 hours waiting on a lifeless drone to transfer a title you're waiting to see someone about your wife's abdominal pain, but no one gives a &%[email protected]!*.
> 
> ...


OK, Chicken Little. Enough with the BS scare tactics. I'm a Vet. Just as with the private sector, not all VA hospitals are the same. 100,000 people die from infections contracted while in one of your "oh-so-perfect" private systems.

My healthcare through the VA is just fine.



jfinks said:


> You build the streets, make the heat, build a sidewalk, build the chairs and benches? If not you are paying taxes so others can do it for you. Your little poem is pathetic..


FYI....That "pathetic" poem was a song written by a "pathetic" musician known as George Harrison.


----------



## Karen Stein (Nov 5, 2016)

What health care?

Premiums that I can't afford, with a deductible so high I can't use it?


----------



## jfinks (Nov 24, 2016)

phillipzx3 said:


> OK, Chicken Little. Enough with the BS scare tactics. I'm a Vet. Just as with the private sector, not all VA hospitals are the same. 100,000 people die from infections contracted while in one of your "oh-so-perfect" private systems.
> 
> My healthcare through the VA is just fine.
> 
> FYI....That "pathetic" poem was a song written by a "pathetic" musician known as George Harrison.


IDGAF, it is still pathetic.


----------



## phillipzx3 (May 26, 2015)

UberBastid said:


> Yes, that's the point.
> You work an extra job for your family. Exactly.
> No hospital in the US will turn you away if you need care. They will take what insurance you have, and put you on a payment plan, and if you can only afford $5 a month, then that's what your payment is.
> The government doesn't owe us medical care.


The government doesn't owe us many things. But I bet you accept a grip of things provided by "them." Do you use any roads? Do you every fly? Ever need a cop or fireman?

The "government" wouldn't provide healthcare. All they would do is pay the bill eliminating the bloated "for profit" middleman.



jfinks said:


> IDGAF, it is still pathetic.


So you've used all the VA hospitals. Or are you just flapping your gums? I can go up to our VA and be in to see my doctor (the same doctor I've had for the last 10 years) in less than an hour. What so pathetic about that?

The private sector hospitals suck too. What makes you think because they're more expensive they're any better?


----------



## Andre Benjamin 6000 (Nov 11, 2016)

Karen Stein said:


> What health care?
> 
> Premiums that I can't afford, with a deductible so high I can't use it?


Trumpcare will make it affordable. Let's make America great again!!!!

#MAGA


----------



## UberBastid (Oct 1, 2016)

_The government doesn't owe us many things. But I bet you accept a grip of things provided by "them." Do you use any roads? Do you every fly? Ever need a cop or fireman? _

The promises made in the Constitution are what are "owed" to us by the gov't. One of those things is to "promote the general welfare" of the people, and some interpret that to include health care. 
However, I don't think the founding fathers planned on this.
But -- I am not a constitutional attorney, or an attorney of any kind actually.
The "interstate commerce" part of the Constitution covers roads, and airports. 
Cops are firemen are provided by states, with the exception of federal cops - who are covered under the provisions to protect our borders and citizens from external forces. (Build that wall).

_The "government" wouldn't provide healthcare. All they would do is pay the bill eliminating the bloated "for profit" middleman._

So, they would PAY for it, but not provide it?
That is a distinction without a difference. 
If the gov't provides it - that is a single payer system. England, Canada.

_

_


----------



## cakoo10 (Dec 30, 2016)

Jagent said:


> Single payer is the only solution. Problem is, all the insurance companies, hospitals, doctors, etc would lose the big paychecks. Money talks in the USA. If you don't have any, then you better shut up.


Big fat pay checks over the survival of its citizens !

The American dream baby

No but really though, the US healthcare system is one bit fat con ! I've never witnessed such daylight robbery in my life. These hospitals charge $500 to take your pulse


----------



## goon70056 (Apr 21, 2016)

cakoo10 said:


> Big fat pay checks over the survival of its citizens !
> 
> The American dream baby
> 
> No but really though, the US healthcare system is one bit fat con ! I've never witnessed such daylight robbery in my life. These hospitals charge $500 to take your pulse


Hospital fees are a direct result of government interference, forcing these businesses (yes, hospitals are businesses) to provide a service to anyone, even to those that refuse to or can't pay.


----------



## cakoo10 (Dec 30, 2016)

goon70056 said:


> Hospital fees are a direct result of government interference, forcing these businesses (yes, hospitals are businesses) to provide a service to anyone, even to those that refuse to or can't pay.


This ideology that a lot of the systematic flaws are down to "government interference" is incredibly flawed. America has some of the most heavily unregulated industries in the world, (healthcare, environment) including the food industry with some of the most heavily chemically ladened processed foods. There is so much corporate greed in the U.S that takes precendent over the actual welfare of its citizens for the monetary benefit of very few. You must be brainwashed to believe that the power is in personal choice. How much power is there in paying $1K in premiums for a family of 4 a month for adequate healthcare ??? That's just a form of blackmail.


----------



## goon70056 (Apr 21, 2016)

cakoo10 said:


> This ideology that a lot of the systematic flaws are down to "government interference" is incredibly flawed. America has some of the most heavily unregulated industries in the world, (healthcare, environment) including the food industry with some of the most heavily chemically ladened processed foods. There is so much corporate greed in the U.S that takes precendent over the actual welfare of its citizens for the monetary benefit of very few. You must be brainwashed to believe that the power is in personal choice. How much power is there in paying $1K in premiums for a family of 4 a month for adequate healthcare ??? That's just a form of blackmail.


The brainwashed are those that believe they are "owed".


----------



## jfinks (Nov 24, 2016)

phillipzx3 said:


> The government doesn't owe us many things. But I bet you accept a grip of things provided by "them." Do you use any roads? Do you every fly? Ever need a cop or fireman?
> 
> The "government" wouldn't provide healthcare. All they would do is pay the bill eliminating the bloated "for profit" middleman.
> 
> ...





swingset said:


> First question: Why was there a risk corridor program to begin with? Whose idea was it? Hint: Not the Republicans.
> 
> Second question: Do you honestly believe the risk corridors were a workable idea? Almost immediately the supposed "profits" from healthy insurers was woefully inadequate to pay the losses - it was designed to crumble in on itself, requiring ILLEGAL bailouts. Everyone with an ounce of brains looking at that portion of the 3-R's knew from the outset there would never be enough gains from some insurers to offset and pay for those taking losses - and gee, look what happened? The lawsuits demand compensation that Congress has expressly forbidden (going back decades to settled case law).
> 
> ...


So are the 10 billion per year bailouts for up to 10 years (yes $100 billion) for the GOP plan illegal too?


----------



## cakoo10 (Dec 30, 2016)

goon70056 said:


> The brainwashed are those that believe they are "owed".


Keep believing that


----------



## swingset (Feb 26, 2017)

cakoo10 said:


> Keep believing that


So you think you deserve the output of others, just for being you? Do you uber for free because people need rides?


----------



## BillyTheKidd (Dec 22, 2015)

AVLien said:


> Caroline O'Donovan sorry for the trolls. I for one think the ACA is a step in the right direction. Most people who criticize it either don't understand it, partially understand it, or are just in a position where it doesn't benefit them over someone else. I grew up in a medical family & my wife is an FNP at a nearby hospital (not disclosing that though). Most people take the short view of the changes & focus on the immediate impact it _might_ have on them.
> 
> Also, most of these people are healthy young adults. If they suddenly fell ill, they would undoubtedly feel differently. I have a congenital chronic degenerative spinal condition that has been an ongoing issue for over half my life. Without insurance my care (which is not really all that involved) would cost me more than triple what it does now. Before the ACA, my insurance company would set arbitrary limits on how much of my treatment they would cover (specifically medications) after that I was expected to pay for everything out of pocket. It cost me thousands of dollars _on top of_ my premiums.
> 
> ...


There is so much wrong with your post I don't even know where to begin. First, just because you come from a medical family and your wife is a nurse means nothing as it relates to health insurance.

The most laughable is stating "it brought the cost down for everyone in the long term". The vast majority of people are paying significantly more in premiums or deductibles or both.

Yes, it helped your situation and others with chronic diseases and pre-existing conditions. I applaud all of those efforts.

The biggest cost are the people getting free healthcare because they are able bodied and don't want to work. Or people who work and keep their income below a certain level so they still qualify for subsidies.

There is nobody else paying less for health care.


----------



## cakoo10 (Dec 30, 2016)

swingset said:


> So you think you deserve the output of others, just for being you? Do you uber for free because people need rides?


Being you ? How do you rationalize a 5 year old with cancer as just being them ?

Uber and healthcare are not even comparable. One is a completely private service industry that bears no detriment to our wellbeing. Healthcare is monetized into a service industry with devestating affects on those who simply can not afford it. There is no reasoned rationale for not providing adequate healthcare to your citizens at an affordable cost. How about we privatize the police and fire departments also ? Are you going to risk fighting that criminal who breaks into your home or take a 50K bill ?


----------



## goon70056 (Apr 21, 2016)

cakoo10 said:


> Being you ? How do you rationalize a 5 year old with cancer as just being them ?
> 
> Uber and healthcare are not even comparable. One is a completely private service industry that bears no detriment to our wellbeing. Healthcare is monetized into a service industry with devestating affects on those who simply can not afford it. There is no reasoned rationale for not providing adequate healthcare to your citizens at an affordable cost. How about we privatize the police and fire departments also ? Are you going to risk fighting that criminal who breaks into your home or take a 50K bill ?


Both are private service industries and NEITHER bear detriment to our well-being.


----------



## cakoo10 (Dec 30, 2016)

goon70056 said:


> Both are private service industries and NEITHER bear detriment to our well-being.


If you can not understand how a private healthcare system doesn't have detrimental effects on people across this country (as we see everyday) then this debate is not worth having. You only want to see it from a monetary value.


----------



## Fuzzyelvis (Dec 7, 2014)

Especially the last verse. There's a reason he won for poetry





Come you masters of war
You that build the big guns
You that build the death planes
You that build all the bombs
You that hide behind walls
You that hide behind desks
I just want you to know
I can see through your masks

You that never done nothin'
But build to destroy
You play with my world
Like it's your little toy
You put a gun in my hand
And you hide from my eyes
And you turn and run farther
When the fast bullets fly

Like Judas of old
You lie and deceive
A world war can be won
You want me to believe
But I see through your eyes
And I see through your brain
Like I see through the water
That runs down my drain

You fasten all the triggers
For the others to fire
Then you sit back and watch
When the death count gets higher
You hide in your mansion
While the young people's blood
Flows out of their bodies
And is buried in the mud

You've thrown the worst fear
That can ever be hurled
Fear to bring children
Into the world
For threatening my baby
Unborn and unnamed
You ain't worth the blood
That runs in your veins

How much do I know
To talk out of turn
You might say that I'm young
You might say I'm unlearned
But there's one thing I know
Though I'm younger than you
That even Jesus would never
Forgive what you do

Let me ask you one question
Is your money that good?
Will it buy you forgiveness
Do you think that it could?
I think you will find
When your death takes its toll
All the money you made
Will never buy back your soul

And I hope that you die
And your death'll come soon
I will follow your casket
By the pale afternoon
And I'll watch while you're lowered
Down to your deathbed
And I'll stand o'er your grave
'Til I'm sure that you're dead

Songwriters
BOB DYLAN

Published By
Lyrics © BOB DYLAN MUSIC CO


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## swingset (Feb 26, 2017)

cakoo10 said:


> If you can not understand how a private healthcare system doesn't have detrimental effects on people across this country (as we see everyday) then this debate is not worth having. You only want to see it from a monetary value.


Even in nations with universal healthcare, the innovation, R&D, the advancements that really matter - the ones that have kept 5 year olds with cancer from dying are operated, funded, or available to those who pay above and beyond by private means....or they're borrowed from nations like ours. The reason you get good care in Japan is high taxes, and they've benefited from knowledge gained at Johns Hopkins by doctors who got into it for greedy, self-important reasons, but thrive as professionals and have the money and resources to innovate. Greed & profit makes the quality of care better, and that trickles down.

Look at Lasik....first prohibitively expensive and elective....so there was no government or healthcare involved. Eventually, the market starts competing for that business, more clinics pop up, the machines and tech get better, and the market where people are paying cash up front starts to lower costs and increase quality....now even those with modest means (like me) have gotten great Lasik surgery for a tiny fraction of what it cost.

That's what "for profit" does for medicine. It works on computers, and big-screens, and yes even your healthcare if you don't stand in its way hiding costs or over-regulating things. You probably know this in your heart too, but you're deadlocked into a political bias and will refuse it.

I lived in England with my aunt for a while when I was a teenager, you know what "free" care, universal and government care was? It was the worst care that you waited in line for. Sitting in a 100-bed ward with other sick people, waiting, waiting. Oh, but it was "free". lol.

If you wanted ACTUAL healthcare, you paid and went to a private practice for it. It's no different here. There are clinics and doctors who have went "cash only" now, opted completely out of the screwed up system. Know what it's done? It's made their care affordable. Even people who can barely afford their mandated ACA crap coverage have been able to buy their own care that way. But, no one's paying attention to that...they're doing like you, demanding the government tend to their needs. How's that working out? Is everyone saving $2500 per year on their premiums like Obama promised? Can we all keep our plans? Is the ACA solvent or the exchanges working as advertised? Remember the $6,000,000 non-functional website? Yeah, that turned into a $40,000,000 website. Know how many sick kids that would have treated? See the problem yet?

The US set the bar on innovation, quality of care and widespread access to the best medical facilities in the world LONG before anyone even dreamed of making it all a non-profit, price-controlled suckhole of mediocrity, fraud and waste. The free market, if allowed to operate, lowers costs and provides better product....and yes healthcare is a product. When you treat it like a government service, you'll get what the VA doles out - bad care, from disenfranchised people, and no accountability. Is that what you want? We can see it in action, right now, but that's your plan?

I agree there should be a safety net for those truly in need, but let that come from lean, efficient private charity not from a socialist/central government that's absolutely ripe with bloat & waste. We're not Switzerland....it's not several million rich white people here, we have a massive welfare state. Making it all a collectivist entitlement is a bomb-proof way of ruining our healthcare system and creating shortages, apathy, degrade the quality of care, and grind its way into the economy with oppressive taxes.


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## goon70056 (Apr 21, 2016)

cakoo10 said:


> If you can not understand how a private healthcare system doesn't have detrimental effects on people across this country (as we see everyday) then this debate is not worth having. You only want to see it from a monetary value.


Disease, illness and injury are what cause detrimental effects on people, not the healthcare system.


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## cakoo10 (Dec 30, 2016)

swingset said:


> Even in nations with universal healthcare, the innovation, R&D, the advancements that really matter - the ones that have kept 5 year olds with cancer from dying are operated, funded, or available to those who pay above and beyond by private means....or they're borrowed from nations like ours. The reason you get good care in Japan is high taxes, and they've benefited from knowledge gained at Johns Hopkins by doctors who got into it for greedy, self-important reasons, but thrive as professionals and have the money and resources to innovate. Greed & profit makes the quality of care better, and that trickles down.
> 
> Look at Lasik....first prohibitively expensive and elective....so there was no government or healthcare involved. Eventually, the market starts competing for that business, more clinics pop up, the machines and tech get better, and the market where people are paying cash up front starts to lower costs and increase quality....now even those with modest means (like me) have gotten great Lasik surgery for a tiny fraction of what it cost.
> 
> ...


I think your take on competition alleviating the cost of treatments (I.e lasik eye) is a little too blindsighted. That doesn't work for every treatment, The pharmaceutical industries in the U.S have such a strong hold on deregulating the price of medication for their very own gain and not every medication is trickled down into affordability (a good majority). Free unregulated markets have left medication in the U.S astronomically expensive, that even insurance companies will only pay so much of the burden. "For profit" contributes to better research and advancement in medication, but if you're honestly trying to tell me that "for profit" has worked , then why is healthcare cost only increasing and not decreasing due to better advancements. People are still going bankrupt. The medical suppliers are not interested in reducing cost.

I used to live in the U.K and had private health insurance. The difference .. it was drastically more affordable than the U.S, and I wouldn't face losing my home due to unregulated caps. Japan's healthcare is subsidized by the government (70%) but due to cultural practices (healthy diet, lack of fats and less overeating) , the Japanese are not a very big drain on medical resources like in the U.S. (Fast food everywhere, lack of exercise, poor education on nutrition)

The government doesn't need to mandate that everyone gets free healthcare, but there needs to be mandates on the uncivil and opportunistic operations of drug and insurance companies here. Please don't try to convince me it cost $500 to take someones pulse ?


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## steveK2016 (Jul 31, 2016)

swingset said:


> Go ask the relatives of a vet who waited so long for care they died, or lost limbs at the VA how awesome government run healthcare "Universally" treated them.


Not all VA's are created equally, unfortunately.

One of my close friends lost his leg in an IED on our last tour in 2010. When we got home, he had finally healed up and was starting to outprocess from Fort Campbell. He was in good spirit, top quality prosthetic and the VA in San Antonio was taking amazing care of him. He had no complaints, other than the missing leg...


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## swingset (Feb 26, 2017)

steveK2016 said:


> Not all VA's are created equally, unfortunately.
> 
> One of my close friends lost his leg in an IED on our last tour in 2010. When we got home, he had finally healed up and was starting to outprocess from Fort Campbell. He was in good spirit, top quality prosthetic and the VA in San Antonio was taking amazing care of him. He had no complaints, other than the missing leg...


I'm sure they're capable fof doing a good job, but the problems with the system persist. That there's even a uniformity question just heightens my argument. My experience with them has been frustrating, and illustrative of the fact that the Federal Suckhole should not be in charge of medicine. Ever. No matter what.

Is there ANYTHING that the Fed touches that doesn't get more expensive, more complicated, and less accountable to people? Even in an incidence of the VA doing what it should do, I'd wager that the private sector can do it more efficiently.


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## Go4 (Jan 8, 2017)

Moderator, why not move this thread to "Other". There really isn't any "Advice" here.


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## ryanfelton13 (Mar 23, 2017)

Hi everyone, Ryan Felton from Jalopnik here. I'm wondering if any drivers here have been following the healthcare reform developments, and whether they're concerned about possible changes to what's being proposed. Whether or not you believe the proposed reforms will be an improvement on your lives, shoot me an email! Thanks!


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## UberBastid (Oct 1, 2016)

ryanfelton13 said:


> Hi everyone, Ryan Felton from Jalopnik here. I'm wondering if any drivers here have been following the healthcare reform developments, and whether they're concerned about possible changes to what's being proposed. Whether or not you believe the proposed reforms will be an improvement on your lives, shoot me an email! Thanks!


But, no political discussion ... right?


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## ryanfelton13 (Mar 23, 2017)

It's inherently political. Chat away!


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## empresstabitha (Aug 25, 2016)

LAuberX said:


> I paid $1,754.00 to the IRS for NOT having health care.. thanks to the (NOT)ACA it would have been $9,000.00 for one year before ONE xray was a "covered item"
> 
> NOT paying out in Obama's "redistribution of wealth" is the reform I'm seeking.


You know new one still has a mandate. Pfft



thepanttherlady said:


> Sorry, not providing my personal email.
> 
> I, personally, hope something better comes along. Until ACA/Obamacare, I was paying g. A premium through my company and co-pays for service/prescriptions etc. Now? I hope and pray no one needs to go to the doctor because I can't afford the high deductible plan I was forced into. My son requires medication, 120 pills (60 day supply) costs $1,635. The doctor had to find a medication I CAN afford and hope it works for him.


Obamacare made my healthcar the bomb because california the bomb.


tohunt4me said:


> Uber drivers can't afford healthcare.
> I am tired of paying a " fine" for not being able to afford healthcare.
> It is illegal and unconstitutional.
> Government racketeering.


You pay a fine for not having car insurance



Delivery Mr.Guy said:


> My honest answer to you is , I am not worry, I don't want Obama care, this is a freedom country and I have the right to have any health care or not have a healthcare. Please don't force us on anything.
> 
> I can't waiting to reelect mr. Trump, please tell him that I love him very much,


The problem is leechers don't pay their bills when they inevitably end up going to the E.R. and since they dont have insurance the xost of taking care of them gets put on everyone


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## Andre Benjamin 6000 (Nov 11, 2016)

Wel, well, well...


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## Lee239 (Mar 24, 2017)

Jagent said:


> Not worried at all. How about giving the president a chance to actually do something before you write a hit piece? He's promised he'll fix it. It'd be tough to make it worse.


It's very easy to make it worse, that was their attempt. Instead of the tax penalty there was a 30% surcharge that goes in the insurance companies pockets, and the insurance lobby wanted to make sure they didn't have to pay taxes on executive's multi million dollar bonuses. Trump cares about the rich only and he is in their pockets, so glad it didn't pass.



tohunt4me said:


> Uber drivers can't afford healthcare.
> I am tired of paying a " fine" for not being able to afford healthcare.
> It is illegal and unconstitutional.
> Government racketeering.


You can't drive without car insurance, and that's the law.



goon70056 said:


> The brainwashed are those that believe they are "owed".


The brainwashed are those who are fooled by the ,01% ers who run the world who only want to get richer and want to tell you that healthcare is a luxury and not a necessity.


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## Michael - Cleveland (Jan 1, 2015)

LAuberX said:


> I paid $1,754.00 to the IRS for NOT having health care.. thanks to the (NOT)ACA it would have been $9,000.00 for one year before ONE xray was a "covered item"


The max penalty cost is the higher of:
$695 for a single [or $2,085 per household]
- or -
2.5 % of household income.

To me, the problem isn't the mandate - it's the cost of the mandate, which is DIRECTLY related to and caused by the cost of healthcare, which is too damned high in this country because it is a for-profit industry (insurance companies, pharma, medical devices, many hospitals and service providers, etc.)


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## Lee239 (Mar 24, 2017)

Michael - Cleveland said:


> The max penalty cost is the higher of:
> $695 for a single [or $2,085 per household]
> - or -
> 2.5 % of household income.
> ...


and those healthcare costs all have high paid lobbyists who's only job is to make sure they earn as much as they can and earn the CEOs the highest bonuses.

Politics is show biz for ugly untalented people.

I wonder if the losses involved in driving for Uber can offset the penalty cost.


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## Orange president (Mar 25, 2017)

.


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## Michael - Cleveland (Jan 1, 2015)

ryanfelton13 said:


> Hi everyone, Ryan Felton from Jalopnik here. I'm wondering if any drivers here have been following the healthcare reform developments, and whether they're concerned about possible changes to what's being proposed. Whether or not you believe the proposed reforms will be an improvement on your lives, shoot me an email! Thanks!


Thanks for being here, Ryan - and for your continued coverage of Uber and the industry.


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## Andre Benjamin 6000 (Nov 11, 2016)




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## phillipzx3 (May 26, 2015)

swingset said:


> Thank God the Republicans were there to stop the insanity of a never-ending suckhole of public funds to rescue a terrible idea to begin with.


So how did "thanking god" and the republicans work out for you? ;-)


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## phillipzx3 (May 26, 2015)

Karen Stein said:


> What health care?
> 
> Premiums that I can't afford, with a deductible so high I can't use it?


Volunteer a few years of your time protecting this county and you'll be rewarded with "free" healthcare for life. It may not be "the best," but it's not as bad as many claim it to be.


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## SEAL Team 5 (Dec 19, 2015)

empresstabitha said:


> The problem is leechers don't pay their bills when they inevitably end up going to the E.R. and since they dont have insurance the xost of taking care of them gets put on everyone


That is definitely a problem, but medicine for profit is a bigger problem. Living in a border state I have first hand knowledge of how the drug companies are screwing America. I can easily go over the Arizona border pay $35 to the doctor at the local pharmacia for a prescription and get the exact same drug from the exact same manufacturer for 1/20 of the price. More recently they've been showing a commercial on tv with an app for Good Rx. The price differences shown were as much as 1000%. Medicine in America is a joke. We have been becoming increasingly more unhealthy at an alarming rate. Obesity alone is now the #2 cause of death. Starvation is overwhelming the planet and America is dying from being too fat. It's a joke that people hold our government responsible for their own health care. Put down the double chubby with cheese and super size soda and drink a gallon of water while running a mile.



phillipzx3 said:


> Volunteer a few years of your time protecting this county and you'll be rewarded with "free" healthcare for life. It may not be "the best," but it's not as bad as many claim it to be.


You haven't been to the VA in Phoenix.


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## jfinks (Nov 24, 2016)

swingset said:


> I'm sure they're capable fof doing a good job, but the problems with the system persist. That there's even a uniformity question just heightens my argument. My experience with them has been frustrating, and illustrative of the fact that the Federal Suckhole should not be in charge of medicine. Ever. No matter what.
> 
> Is there ANYTHING that the Fed touches that doesn't get more expensive, more complicated, and less accountable to people? Even in an incidence of the VA doing what it should do, I'd wager that the private sector can do it more efficiently.


Feds have to mandate everyone have insurance or it wont work. That's where their involvement should stop, eventually. This doesn't happen overnight.


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## Hunt to Eat (Nov 19, 2015)

It's really too early to say. We've not yet seen a healthcare plan from the GOP Congress. Once we see a plan, then we'll be better able to comment.


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## LAuberX (Jun 3, 2014)

Michael - Cleveland said:


> The max penalty cost is the higher of:
> $695 for a single [or $2,085 per household]
> - or -
> 2.5 % of household income.
> ...


No, it's redistribution of wealth. Obama's plan all along.

P.S. "Household" income includes your kids summer job income, as if that goes towards the "family" health insurance bill!


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## swingset (Feb 26, 2017)

phillipzx3 said:


> So how did "thanking god" and the republicans work out for you? ;-)


Well, the Republicans I support (and voted for in the primaries) derailed Trumpcare, which was arguably worse than Obamacare....so once again, I'm delighted that obstructionist, freedom-minded people are fighting statist imbeciles who want a giant, unresponsive Central Authority in charge of healthcare. Is it going to result in meaningful, positive change? Who knows....but stopping bad ideas is a good move....no matter who is proposing it (usually liberals). So, whoever is there making bad policy, I'm happy to support the grown ups who try to stop them.

BTW, I meant "thank god" in a rhetorical sense, I'm an atheist and a Libertarian....so don't trip over any assumptions too quick.


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## Hunt to Eat (Nov 19, 2015)

LAuberX said:


> No, it's redistribution of wealth. Obama's plan all along.
> 
> P.S. "Household" income includes your kids summer job income, as if that goes towards the "family" health insurance bill!


_Obama's plan all along._

Good one!


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## Michael - Cleveland (Jan 1, 2015)

LAuberX said:


> No, it's redistribution of wealth. Obama's plan all along.
> 
> P.S. "Household" income includes your kids summer job income, as if that goes towards the "family" health insurance bill!


a) not compared to what the Trump and the GOP just tired and failed to pass
b) file separately


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## LAuberX (Jun 3, 2014)

Michael - Cleveland said:


> a) not compared to what the Trump and the GOP just tired and failed to pass
> b) file separately


It's redistribution of wealth. What else do you call having someone with NO health insurance paying a penalty? The govt is taking my money and giving health care to someone they feel needs it more. What America is this?

Yes, we file separately... but "family income" includes all members of a household.


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## Michael - Cleveland (Jan 1, 2015)

LAuberX said:


> It's redistribution of wealth. What else do you call having someone with NO health insurance paying a penalty? The govt is taking my money and giving health care to someone they feel needs it more.


uh, no... it's insurance, which by definition is 'shared risk'.

Under the ACA, if you don't buy insurance you pay a tax penalty/fine because otherwise everyone else is paying to cover the cost of medical care that you (ie people who don't have insurance) incur when you have no means to pay for your medical care and the provider has to write it off and claim a tax deduction/loss.

Even in a single payer system (that I believe we should have) we all still have to pay for our healthcare through higher taxes (assuming we don't cut other gov't spending).

Edit: btw: all taxes are a redistribution of wealth.


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## dirtylee (Sep 2, 2015)

Single payer funded by a federal sales tax & property tax. That way, everyone has to pay into it no matter what.


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## LAuberX (Jun 3, 2014)

Michael - Cleveland said:


> uh, no... it's insurance, which by definition is 'shared risk'.
> 
> Under the ACA, if you don't buy insurance you pay a tax penalty/fine because otherwise everyone else is paying to cover the cost of medical care that you (ie people who don't have insurance) incur when you have no means to pay for your medical care and the provider has to write it off and claim a tax deduction/loss.
> 
> ...


How is it "insurance" when I don't have any?

So you are saying this is a new "tax" ? I paid a $1,754.00 "tax" because having a family income of less than $50,000.00 means you should pay more "taxes" ??

No, it's Obama's re distribution of wealth... what else would you expect from a "community organizer" who never worked in the private sector or started a business/hired employees.

We wont pay $9,000.00 to pay my annual premium with deductible.... that does not mean I can't self insur. Please don't assume I can't pay for my own medical treatment. It is insane to pay $9,000 per year for "insurance" instead of putting money into retirement or investments.


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## Michael - Cleveland (Jan 1, 2015)

Hunt to Eat said:


> We've not yet seen a healthcare plan from the GOP Congress. Once we see a plan, then we'll be better able to comment.


huh?


LAuberX said:


> How is it "insurance" when I don't have any?
> 
> So you are saying this is a new "tax" ? I paid a $1,754.00 "tax" because having a family income of less than $50,000.00 means you should pay more "taxes" ??
> 
> ...


Sorry - but I disagree - and so did congress and the supreme court. Just because you don't need healthcare today doesn't mean you (or a family member) won't need it tomorrow. We all use healthcare services at some point and we 'share' in the overall cost of heath care by spreading the cost among all. If you 'opt out' of insurance, you are not paying into the system and the costs you (again, the 'collective you') incur are paid for by others.

Again, ALL taxes are a redistribution of wealth - and the GOP Ryan-Trump heathcare plan that just failed to get to a vote for lack of support would have 'redistributed' 30% in tac breaks to the wealthiest 1% in the US while causing 20+ million people to lose healthcare coverage. Our entire tax system is a redistribution of wealth.

It's not a debate over 'redistribution of wealth' - it's a debate over how wealth is redistributed and to whose direct and indirect benefit. In principle, redistribution of wealth under Obama was no different than under any other president's.


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## LAuberX (Jun 3, 2014)

Obamacare = Redistribution of wealth

simple.


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## Michael - Cleveland (Jan 1, 2015)

LAuberX said:


> Obamacare = Redistribution of wealth simple.


really - you want to keep playing last-word here?
Taxes (including Universal Health Care) = redistribution of wealth... 
just like every other industrialized nation in the world.


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## LAuberX (Jun 3, 2014)

https://www.wsj.com/articles/obamacare-is-working-as-a-wealth-redistribution-tool-1475794073


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## Michael - Cleveland (Jan 1, 2015)

LAuberX said:


> https://www.wsj.com/articles/obamacare-is-working-as-a-wealth-redistribution-tool-1475794073


Yup - just like ALL taxes. <smh> So what? That's what we do as a nation - to build roads, schools, defense, and a million other things. If you don't support universal healthcare, that's fine -
but do you also not support schools, roads, police, the military?
You can't 'opt-out' of supporting those things; you (we all) pay for them one way or another.
The majority of people believe that healthcare should be available to everyone (like our roads, schools, police, fire-fighters and military).

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/03/the-republican-waterloo/520833/


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## LAuberX (Jun 3, 2014)

Yep, I agree 110%, Obamacare is a tax hike.

I often find those in favor of higher taxes don't have to pay them....


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## Michael - Cleveland (Jan 1, 2015)

LAuberX said:


> Yep, I agree 110%, Obamacare is a tax hike.
> 
> I often find those in favor of higher taxes don't have to pay them....


Really? - so you've never voted for a school levy?


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## LAuberX (Jun 3, 2014)

I never vote for tax hikes in any way shape or form... call me crazy!

My family currently pays the following in Kalifornia:

Federal income taxes
State income taxes
Property taxes
Obamacare taxes
Conspicuous consumption taxes
Street lighting assessments
Storm drain assessments
Emergency Services surcharge
Utility taxes
State, city and county Sales tax
Gasoline tax


kalifornia has a very powerful teachers union any money sent in that direction is followed by a huge sucking sound.


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## Michael - Cleveland (Jan 1, 2015)

LAuberX said:


> I never vote for tax hikes in any way shape or form... call me crazy!
> My family currently pays the following in Kalifornia:


How many are in your 'family'?
Did any family members attend a public school, public college or state university?
(CA is 3rd among all 50 states with the highest % of 'gold' & 'silver' public high schools)
Anyone in your family ever have to make use of 'emergency services' - or know someone who did?
(and would you prefer those services not be available to anyone/everyone?)
Know anyone that has faced water damage in their home from flooding?
Are you old enough to remember what the air in the LA valley looked like in the '70's?
(would you prefer it look like that again?)
I personally hate most street lighting - but like yours, my neighbors voted for it and I pay for it
(just one of many reasons I'm moving a few weeks).

You forgot to mention the social security and medicare taxes your pay, along with unemployment and workers comp taxes/insurance.

Are you or your parents/grandparents receiving SS benefits? Are they on medicare? On SSI disability? Anyone you know ever had to collect an unemployment benefit?
Anyone in your family receiving those benefits who you think doesn't need them or 'deserve' them?

It sounds like you want all of the benefits of living in LA without having to pay the price of living in one of the more expensive places to live in the US.
Come to Cleveland! You would need to earn only $36,000/yr to live the same way you do now:
[ Cost Of Living Comparison Calculator ]


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## LAuberX (Jun 3, 2014)

Good Job, 6 stars!

I forgot about those tax categories!

My favorite, hands down is Paying $1,754.00 in Obamacare tax while having NO HEALTH INSURANCE MYSELF!

How many people in this thread paid a penalty for NOT having health care??


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## Michael - Cleveland (Jan 1, 2015)

LAuberX said:


> Good Job, 6 stars!
> 
> I forgot about those tax categories!


 


> How many people in this thread paid a penalty for NOT having health care??


I did, last year.
The year before I had an plan through healthcare.gov - and I picked up a new one for this year because the penalty is higher (and I need the coverage).

Of course, if caught without automobile insurance I'd pay a pretty stiff penalty, too. And if I finance a car I have to buy collision insurance or the finance company will just charge me an outrageous price for it. And I can't get a mortgage without having to also buy homeowners insurance - or, like the car finance company, the lender will just charge me an absurd amount for it... and depending on the LTV ratio and my credit history, I might even be required to buy PMI on the mortgage loan.

Mandated insurance coverage is not new. Moving towards covering everyone in the country with health insurance is. And the only way that works is if everyone - young & old, healthy & not-so healthy - are covered.

One of the problems with Obamacare is that the only way to get any health insurance bill passed at the time was to put something in place that protected health insurance companies: single payer insurance would never have made it through congress (and may not for another generation). (The other problem with Obamacare and health insurance in general is the cost of everything related to health care - and government can't control that without gov't regulations and controls that go against the grain of our idea of a free market).


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## ChortlingCrison (Mar 30, 2016)

LAuberX said:


> Obamacare = Redistribution of wealth
> 
> simple.


I disagree. Trumpcare would have been a disaster.


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## Adieu (Feb 21, 2016)

eye surgery for improved visual acuity was developed by the commies in the good ol' CCCP....as a free service.

FACT.

Too bad, so sad



swingset said:


> Look at Lasik....first prohibitively expensive and elective....so there was no government or healthcare involved. Eventually, the market starts competing for that business, more clinics pop up, the machines and tech get better, and the market where people are paying cash up front starts to lower costs and increase quality....now even those with modest means (like me) have gotten great Lasik surgery for a tiny fraction of what it cost.
> 
> That's what "for profit" does for medicine. It works on computers, and big-screens, and yes even your healthcare if you don't stand in its way hiding costs or over-regulating things. You probably know this in your heart too, but you're deadlocked into a political bias and will refuse it.
> 
> ...


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