Your health insurance costs are going up because of the government interference. You understand this right? The govt has been screwing around with healthcare for decades.

Oh no, I did.  I'm just more concerned about the rest of us getting fucked in the ass than all the bennies you picked up.  BTW I'm your age.[/quote]

Didn't change one benefit, just the cost of insurance and I am 28 now working as a 2nd year mechanical engineer with 1.5 years left till I get my PE, the only person getting fucked is me on taxes since I make way to much to qualify for student loan deduction on my taxes. SO please tell me how I fucked you on anything?[/quote]

You came here to extoll the virtues of Obamacare and how it positively influenced your insurance rates while the rest of ours went up at least 20%.  And now you want to complain about the student loans you chose to take out that you don't get deductions for.  You can't complain about not getting tax deductions and then tell us how awesome Obamacare is.  

I think you misunderstood the word "bennies".  You benefited from a socialist power grab in the past yet now you're on the cusp of having to deal with real world issues, such as having to pay taxes and not getting all the sweet deductions.  Just think, there was a guy in your current position right now about 10 years ago.  I'm not trying to attack you personally, but the truth is that you're now realizing the effects the current tax and oppression system had on the guy before you.  That's been the whole plan of the system in the first place: robbing Peter to pay that old bastard Paul.  And we're left holding the bag now that its all coming down.

8K for my family of 5, and we have 3k deductible per person.


So yeah, self insurance blows.

Once again.  Why is my split cost ( employer/me) insurance now showing up on my W2?  Because I will eventually be taxed on a benefit I work for to pay for the people who dont work.   When I retire I expect to pay for 100% of my insurance out of pocket.  I dont want obamski care anywhere fucking near me.    If you dont have a good health care package then maybe you should educate your own damned self and find a better job so you can get one and stop expecting everyone else to pay for it.

[/quote]

You came here to extoll the virtues of Obamacare and how it positively influenced your insurance rates while the rest of ours went up at least 20%.  And now you want to complain about the student loans you chose to take out that you don't get deductions for.  You can't complain about not getting tax deductions and then tell us how awesome Obamacare is.  

I think you misunderstood the word "bennies".  You benefited from a socialist power grab in the past yet now you're on the cusp of having to deal with real world issues, such as having to pay taxes and not getting all the sweet deductions.  Just think, there was a guy in your current position right now about 10 years ago.  I'm not trying to attack you personally, but the truth is that you're now realizing the effects the current tax and oppression system had on the guy before you.  That's been the whole plan of the system in the first place: robbing Peter to pay that old bastard Paul.  And we're left holding the bag now that its all coming down.[/quote]

I never ment to imply in any way that I was for what happened (Obamacare) if I was some du bitch I would have called it by its name,affordable care act. I was trying to give the OP with the information on what has happened to me personally since it was enacted.  Also if you are "my age" you would have benefited from it too meaning your rates would not have gone up 20%. Also I said that when I got off my parents plan my rates slightly went  from when I was on theirs but was significantly cheaper than before.

And there wasn't someone in my position 10 years ago, fresh graduate still learning the industry, in the 90's mechanical engineering wasn't a degree people were going after. the guys above me are all in their 50's+. Also I believe you are missing what I was saying about taxes.
It was mentioned and implied that I was pretty much living off mommy and daddy, I was simply informing that I was not and worked damn hard to get where I am today. I am also not complaining about the taxes I pay because someone has to pay for our .mil, .gov, and entitlements. I am more then proud to call my self an American. I therefor pay my taxes so people like my parents can eventually retire, and have health care, albeit not the best through social security. I hope your parents think highly of you since you are calling them the " old bastard Paul". Where I come from we are taught to shoot, taught to obey the law, and taught to respect our elders.

Self empoyed, me wife three kids 1k deductible per person 3k family deductible 1200/month. BCBS

Once the FEDS step in and begin over regulating any industry that industry will have the costs go up.

Bottom line is insurance is expensive and not everybody can afford it. If it is really important to you than you will find a way to afford it. If not than drop it and pay you fine to the FEDS.

Consider it a luxury item.

The only reason I pay for it is I have 3 kids. I choose to pay and I refuse to ask the FEDS for any help.

Once you ask DC for help you are screwed and they own you.

Sorry, I ranted. Obamacare is not the answer, it is the start of a bigger problem.

From you. Tricare.

The answer is clear, you should move to Germany.

Currently through my employer. Before that I was uninsured and either paid in cash or went without. Hell, I even resorted to a barter clinic when I had pneumonia.

From the same place I was before. It just costs me $120 a month more. Or no $140. Whatever. Thats just the increase for 2013. Went up in 2012 as well. Will go up in 2014 if my company can even get it.

I'm sure its just a coincidence though.

That is a full month of bills, mortgage, insurance, utilities, to run my house. Gone from my pocket and the economy in general. See, I pay my bills and am a responsible consumer. I sacrifice to do the right thing.

Heres an ironic little fact. To help cover the cost of the increase in my health care premiums I cancelled my health club membership.

Half of the reason health insurance is so expensive is because people want such a low copay and they don't want to be responsible for preventive maintenance costs.  Imagine if people bought car insurance and they expected it to cover oil changes, tire rotation, new tires, belts, car washes and waxes shampooing for spilt coffee, etc. it would be through the roof. just like health insurance.  Certain things people just need to pay for themselves. Annual checkups, birth control and the like are things that don't require insurance.  Breaking your leg does.

we have family plan through wifes work.  according to her most recent pay stub,  150 a month (75 per check) for Blue Cross/Blue Shield.  

OP: Get a quote from your local Farm Bureau.  In most states, anyone can join their local Farm Bureau, and the prices are usually low.  

https://www.txfb-ins.com/Services/Personal/Pages/health.aspx

The rates will NOT decrease. There is no way. It is mathematically impossible to cover preexisting conditions and a no-copay mandatory "coverage" for a multitude of items and have premiums decrease.

There are actually new spots in med school.  There have been several for profit med schools popping up to meet the demand.  The problem is US residency spots.  These are goverment funded and have been more or less capped for years.  They increase only at a very small rate, almost 0%.  The rate of increase in medical school graduates far outpaces the available residency spots.  Add to this all of the foreign medical school graduates that come over here and take US residency spots.  You can't practice medicine without a residency.  Therefore, the number of actual practicing doctors is not increasing, and the rate of retirement of current docs in skyrocketing.  Access to an actual doctor is rapidly worsening.

We do not have health insurance, and get along just fine without it, as people have done for centuries.


http://www.samaritanministries.org/

9k doesn't really sound all that bad if it is good coverage, we payed more than that for two of us for good coverage when self employed up until a couple of years ago.

The answer is easy, although it sounds bad, flexibility is one of the big benefits of self-employment. Get a good cpa and work the tax/insurance system to the best of your ability as the laws and rules change. You control your income both by how much you work, and your salary versus company profits.

13,000 a year for me and my wife. $3000.00 deductible.  4 years ago is was $9600 and $2000.00 deductible.

Go live in Germany. And choke yourself.

The American healthcare system isn't working because nobody wants to pay for their own healthcare with their own money.

paying the penalty until the penalty is = or greater than the cost of insurance that year.

Damn. With all that disposable income you would think you would buy a team membership.

It's failing because nobody taught the people that the money their government spends, IS THEIR MONEY to begin with, minus a use fee (government wages)

This is a great point.  I find it interesting that people will pay for iPhones, and spend $120/visit at the vet.  They bicker about paying a $20 copay at the doc's office though.  The consumer is removed from the actual cost of the healthcare and therefore subconsciously values it at the rate of their $10-20 copay.  Most people would not consider paying their primary care doc $120 cash.  

If fat people who smoked and drank had to pay for their own medical care we would solve a lot of problems rather quickly.

Mine went up 20% for a married guy 40yo.  Do you want to guess who paid for your reduced cost?

I agree with you.  When primary care docs are netting about $15/patient, there isn't much incentive to go $150k in debt and give up 8 years of your life after college to do it.  

Extenders (NP/PAs) can be an awesome resource, but using them outside of their training is actually adding to the inefficiency and increases in healthcare costs.  I don't see a great solution but it is a shame that we can't fill primary care positions with the best US grads anymore.  I worry about who will be taking care of my family in the future.

It's a shame out of state insurance companies can not compete for your business. There are a plethora of reasons why insurance costs have gone thru the roof.
Obamacare's implications are much more dire and serious for your children and mine. THAT is what worries me most about it.

It is a cadillac plan but if it is a union type shop where she works or an organization who contributed to Obama's reelection, it probably got an exemption from Obamacare.

Hundreds of union plans (e.g., UAW and SEIU) got exemptions because they supported Democrats.

1st, a large reason your healthcare is so expensive is due to the government demanding new benefits and adding new regulations.  That's why they weren't there before, in order to keep cost down.
2nd, that healthcare system that isn't working has been the main driver for most major medical advancements that will help you live past 80.  It has also helped the world with innovations in vaccines and medicines, including your buddy in Germany.

But hey, we all know the Feds have a LONG track record of running successful businesses in the most efficient manner possible, just look at...

People getting monetary benefits from obama don't really give a fuck where their newly found largesse came from.
 

I get mine from my job. Alot of why I stay with my company has to do with my benefits.

I would think most people would be just fine if they had a high deductible plan and put aside a little bit each year for the deductible.  Unfortunately I'm guessing high deductible plans will be eliminated because of the ridiculous requirement on insurance companies regarding the ration of  income to spending.  If people treated car insurance like they do health insurance they would be expecting $50 for a new set of tires and a $5 copay for a tank of gas and car insurance would be more than the cost of a car.

I assume MEs still have to take an economics class.  Maybe our young engineer can tell us what happens when demand goes up and supply stays the same.

Through my employer, and I pick up the rest, just like I have been for well over thirty years.   I work for it and / or pay for it.

Fuck the FSA and obamacare.

FBO II

Wait a few years and our young engineer will see the light. When he and with future wife start earning enough money to be "rich".  

The way this is going there should be nothing but individual policies sold.  Each person is a unique risk.

Mines about $1600 a month, 20% of which I pay.  I'm 66 years old.

until you get sick or iinjured!

Cheap?

Her compensation pkg. is paying everything.

The only reason she does not write the check is that it is a tax break for the employer to do it.

Another thing that bothers me about obama care.  health care under your parents umbrella til your 26.  get the hell out of the house junior!!

I am self employed as well. I pay $109 per month, $5000 deductible. I use Assurant.

If you are paying $9000 you are seriously ill. Or you have a $1 deductible.

ETA: I am 53

 

Through my  employer the state gov.

How much was it when he took office?