Why Obamacare Sucks
I'll let you in on a little secret, I DO NOT LIKE the Affordable Care Act. I only called it Obamacare in the title because I wanted people to get confused for a second. "Wait, what, Gina the liberal Democrat has a problem with health care coverage for many?"
And yes, Virginia, I do have a problem with health coverage for many.
Because dammit, it isn't health coverage for ALL. I want a freaking single-payer system and I want it now.
I want all the idiotic Republicans who keep talking shit about the Affordable Care act to SHUT UP and face the fact that it is essentially a Republican blueprint for healthcare.
I remember a few summers ago when the Democrats were going to try to push a single-payer bill through Congress before the recess and I knew, I just knew, that they were going to blow it. That because the Democratic party does not vote in lockstep with each other, they would wind up killing their own bill.
And sure enough, they did, and now we have this other ludicrous thing that was some sort of screwed up compromise to get some kind of health care reform passed at all.
My daughter is "additional needs," (to coin a phrase from the fabuloso Magneto Bold Too) and even though we have healthcare coverage through my husband's employer that is better than about 90% of everybody's else's healthcare, we still wind up paying over three hundred dollars a month in copays for all of her therapies.
To us, three hundred dollars is a freaking lot of money.
But I cannot imagine what kind of situation we would be in if our coverage was not as excellent as it is. What kind of dilemma might face parents with lower incomes. I could easily see it being an issue of eating vs. therapy for their child in some months. Hell, we are one bad thing from the same thing happening to us.
We are right in that sweet spot of making too much money to qualify for any government help (which is being chipped away slowly but surely) but not quite enough that we can let three hundred bucks go out the door every month without a second thought.
Of course we will pay the money for as long as my daughter needs help, but I can't help but be a little bitter when I know there could have been a much better solution for everyone.
And yes, Virginia, I do have a problem with health coverage for many.
Because dammit, it isn't health coverage for ALL. I want a freaking single-payer system and I want it now.
I want all the idiotic Republicans who keep talking shit about the Affordable Care act to SHUT UP and face the fact that it is essentially a Republican blueprint for healthcare.
I remember a few summers ago when the Democrats were going to try to push a single-payer bill through Congress before the recess and I knew, I just knew, that they were going to blow it. That because the Democratic party does not vote in lockstep with each other, they would wind up killing their own bill.
And sure enough, they did, and now we have this other ludicrous thing that was some sort of screwed up compromise to get some kind of health care reform passed at all.
My daughter is "additional needs," (to coin a phrase from the fabuloso Magneto Bold Too) and even though we have healthcare coverage through my husband's employer that is better than about 90% of everybody's else's healthcare, we still wind up paying over three hundred dollars a month in copays for all of her therapies.
To us, three hundred dollars is a freaking lot of money.
But I cannot imagine what kind of situation we would be in if our coverage was not as excellent as it is. What kind of dilemma might face parents with lower incomes. I could easily see it being an issue of eating vs. therapy for their child in some months. Hell, we are one bad thing from the same thing happening to us.
We are right in that sweet spot of making too much money to qualify for any government help (which is being chipped away slowly but surely) but not quite enough that we can let three hundred bucks go out the door every month without a second thought.
Of course we will pay the money for as long as my daughter needs help, but I can't help but be a little bitter when I know there could have been a much better solution for everyone.
Comments
Sorry about your medically related financial troubles. I think the US has, simultaneously, the best and worst health care system in the developed world. As Sue's physiotherapist, who worked down there for awhile, says, it's all about the money. No doubt that is an overstatement, but still ...
It also pissed me off soo much that the government shutdown was over the affordable care act. We finally got something in place (crappy as it was) and the Republicans were throwing a fit like a two year old.
There are many facepalm moments in this political circus. Also, the media (and yes, I know the irony of using that term since I work in the media) is reporting the story as if the WEBSITE rollout is Obamacare. Um, since 2010, Obamacare has been rolling out in phases. The "keep your kids on your health plan until they are 26" is one. No more co-pay on birth control for women and a few other things that I should know, but am too lazy to look up.
I think the Obama Administration should start reminding people of the benefits they are already getting under the ACA, but it's tough when all the media wants to talk about is failure and what this means for the 2014 elections.
You'd think the republicans would be hot on the trail to get rid of that linkage.
In Australia you can get treated for cancer without having to worry about losing your house. Or forgo treatment cause you can't afford it.
Or cook meth.