Obamacare pros and cons

[EgyptianDentist]

Pros:
.It provides basic health care for millions of people who don't have it, in a very rich country that can afford it.
.Semi-Complete health coverage of children even vision and dental.
.Stopping the discrimination against patients with pre-existing conditions, the people who actually need insurance the most!

Cons:
.It is not a total reform to the health care system as some suggest, but a reform to the health insurance system. "People expectations are higher than reality"
.It offers nothing new to doctors, to help them cope with the new system which put pressure on doctors (increased number of patients plus difficult patients to deal with).
.It will cost more than they imagine to be effective.

I think it doesn't need all that debate.. People who support it think it will reform the whole health care system, People who are against think it is more complicated than what it actually is.
I think it's basically about adding millions of patients who dont have the basic privilege of having basic health insurance, it will of course need more reform in the future, but I don't see the big deal to refuse it? Why refuse giving basic health care to 50 millions who can't afford it?
But also people who are pro, need to tell general public the facts and only facts of the system, there are many people who think the new system will allow them to have full health care benefits, the same as in private, for much less money! which is not true, there will be waiting hours or days, shorter appointments, busy doctors, and even if you're golden it wont cover all stuff etc

Any way, I dont understand why people are so divided about the issue.

[NYC_SKP]

1. "there will be waiting hours or days, shorter appointments,"?

Not supported by facts, AFAIK.

[EgyptianDentist]

8. increased no of patients, same no of hospitals

[NYC_SKP]

9. No. Same number of people still being treated, but treated more efficiently than in ERs.

Sure, there will need to be a shift in the work done by individuals, and we might see drops in the number employed in ERs while GP offices grow, but our population is the same and medical needs are the same.

While there will be more doctor visits, there will also be better preventive care, thus fewer resource intensive events and fewer resource intensive ER visits.

Add to that the fact that a bunch of DUers apparently hate ObamaCare and won't use it...

[EgyptianDentist]

11. actually treated way more differently than in ER

A diabetic homeless patient (Diabetes is a metabolic disease affecting almost every thing in the body) will now get much more advanced treatment from all specialists. A diabetic female will be able to go to the gynecologist, etc
It's amazing that patients will get the right management of the disease they actually need, but yes hospitals and clinics are gonna be more crowded.

For example Dental care for children is now insured , wow, not even all dentists can actually work with children, and when there are many children in the hospital

I am not saying the law isnt an important step, just stating that for it to be effective it needs REAL MONEY

People who will really benefit from the new insurance plan:
.people with chronic diseases, they will even have much more organized management.
.poor patients who cant afford any other treatment.
.elderly patients who dont have problems with waiting hours, they often make friendships with other patients, with hospital staff, etc.. cause they feel bored

people who wont benefit, are healthy people especially if they are working, who dont have time for waiting, and who want an advanced treatment and management usually found in private only. people often forget the insurance scope, it's for times when you're down like either you dont have money, a chronic disease, etc
They get angry when they don't find the management they are looking for, especially that they think they pay for the whole system, they say "doctor nooo what do you mean I have to come tomorrow I cant be out of work again doctor this is the first time I go and I have been paying for 3 years it's just my back let me enter" etc etc

[dkf]

2. Actually we can't afford it. It's way too expensive for what we are getting.

It will be like college costs, throw more money and subsidies and taxes at it and it goes up and up and up.

Then you need to cut other things, like investments in education and research.

Our health care system is wasteful. It needs a complete overhaul so that it is truly affordable and the best way to do that is single payer.

[NYC_SKP]

10. So you'll stick with your private insurance, or do you have employer insurance?

Or will you just pay cash for everything?

[EgyptianDentist]

12. good point

The 50 millions who dont have insurance is fluctuate, in the US system you can have insurance today and lose it tomorrow, this will end.. But not without a cost..

[spanone]

3. people are divided because democrats implemented it.

[Uncle Joe]

4. My biggest problem with the ACA is that it all but institutionalizes

the for profit health insurance industry by government decree.

This industry only serves to undermine health care, not enhance it, and they will be strengthened by that law giving them more unused health care treasure to promote, lobby and bribe future politicians; to power who will only work to undermine the positive aspects of the ACA.

Thanks for the thread, EgyptianDentist.

[Heather MC]

5. I wish they had removed insurance from the equation

I would have preferred a direct to doctor patient plan
Why have this insurance middle man bs????

What is to stop one Insurance company from buying up several smaller companies and creating a monoply. that is what happened when the GOvernment started the Farm subsidies plan. soon one corporation owned most of the farm land in some states.

I want to be optimistic about this but I can see it getting really fucked up.

[MrsKirkley]

6. I don't like the subsidy eligibility requirements.

Eligibility for subsidies should be based on income alone, not access to employer provided health insurance. Some employers offer such horrible health insurance that low paid workers and their families can't afford medical care. These workers are paying for health insurance they can't afford to use. For example, the only family plan offered to Walmart employees with an affordable premium has a $5,500 deductible and $10,000 annual out of pocket maximum. If that family was able to get subsidized coverage on the exchange, they would likely be eligible for a policy with a 94% actuarial value. That means insurance and subsidies pay for 94% of everything and they only pay 6%. But because they have access to employer based insurance, the entire family is ineligible for subsidies, regardless of how low their income is.

[Ms. Toad]

7. Mischaracterization of positions is one reason -

I don't know anyone who supports it who feels this way: "People who support it think it will reform the whole health care system"

So when people who are tearing it to shreds because it is not a perfect solution insist that anyone who supports it loves insurance companies and thinks it is the be-all-end-all to health care, it that misrepresentation creates division.

[EgyptianDentist]

13. So what is Obamacare doing now?

I am very busy, please tell me how it is going..