At ObamaCareFacts.com we aim to bring you the facts on health care reform under the Affordable Care Act. We know that if we stick to the facts, we give you room to make up your own mind on what is going on with our healthcare system. If you would like to share your story on HealthCare or ObamaCare simply send it over and you could be featured on our site.

Don’t just listen to the talking heads and politicians, see how ObamaCare and the health care system are effecting your fellow Americans directly from them.

The Following are true ObamaCare Stories from real people Across America . We post the good, the bad, and the ugly, so you won’t simply find ObamaCare horror stories or ObamaCare success stories.

Thank you for the overwhelming amount of responses. We have done our best to answer your questions on ObamaCare and to share your story. Check back and share this page with with your friends. We always post every ObamaCare story and try to answer our readers questions to help everyone better understand ObamaCare and how the law is really affecting America.

Below are Real ObamaCare Stories from our readers. We asked you to share your ObamaCare stories on how health care reform has affected you.

I was fine BEFORE the government got involved in “healthcare.” I used to pay$364.oo a month for my health insurance. That insurance helped me through the trials of breast cancer and radiation treatment etc. Then, some legislators decided to FORCE me to buy new insurance as they caused my own policy to be discontinued!

I’m very blessed, but living on SS, is, well you know is just month to month!! I believe that the ACA, helps people, but good grief, you get some extra money and we lose again!! And I know, life isn’t fair……

There was apparently an error with my health insurance payment last month (I had no idea, I thought I paid my bill) and Providence didn’t send me a non-payment notice, so they canceled my health insurance.

Obamacare is unfair, provides crap coverage for high prices. Everyone should be in via national sales tax. We are either ALL IN TOGETHER

My premiums continue to go up by 8X the rate of inflation. I am forced to buy coverage I don’t need. I am finally considering going uninsured. At some point I will choose to stop earning money. Who is John Galt?

I have worked at goodwill almost 44 years, I was clearly told, I didn’t make enough money a year to get Obama care, if I went to welfare, I would make the 11 400.

I am a single woman who just lost her job. I am appalled that you ask for my income, however you do not ask what my cost of Living is.

Once I looked into Obamacare, I came to learn I could finally obtain a basic health insurance plan thanks to it’s tax credit system that affects people like myself with lower incomes. It has enabled me to have Health Insurance for the first time since I lived with my parents as a child.

I could not afford the insurance offered to me by the school board and am very thankful for the Affordable Care Act.

I am one of of the many people in America who is suffering from the broken healthcare system we have in our country right now. Every single day of my life I have to fight against my multiple chronic illnesses. It is a daily struggle that sometimes I win, and many times I lose. I…

I have bipolar disorder. Without Obamacare I wouldn’t have had access to the care and medication to keep me mentally same and safe.

Without the ACA my husband could’ve been denied coverage. If you have a loved one with ANY pre-existing I urge you to look at the ACA “ObamaCare” from their prospective.

some people would save money under the AHCA/TrumpCare (like older Americans, sick Americans, and those who qualify for assistance), while others like younger Americans would save.

My insurance was very high until Obamacare! Now I have been able to go to Drs and get everything checked out! I would be dead or dying with colon cancer and major thyroid problems… if “Trump Care” was EVER passed!!!!

In 2015 I was diagnosed with breast cancer and I was uninsured. For me Obama care came in and saved the day. So thank you ACA for saving my life. Please do not repeal and replace just fix what is wrong with it.

See more ObamaCareFacts.com stories from our users in our ObamaCare stories archives.

ObamaCare Stories Archives

Below is our archive of ObamaCare stories going all the way back to 2012.

My Experience with the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare)…

I am one of the 5 – 6% of Americans who buy their insurance in the individual marketplace. I currently have a high deductible plan, which is one of the plans that will not meet the minimum requirements of the new law so my old plan is being phased out.

With the changes in the law that have already been implemented, I have already benefited from Obamacare.

Before the law changed and health insurance policies were required to cover preventative screenings, I had put off getting a colonoscopy because I would have had to pay for the entire amount myself (the $3000 cost being less than my deductible).

My family history for colon cancer is downright scary. My father and both of his parents had colon cancer. My father was diagnosed at age 45 and died 4 years later from the disease after “living” with several surgeries, radiation treatment and chemotherapy during his last years. His mother lived into her 80’s before succumbing to the disease and his father died of other causes in his 50’s before the colon cancer could get him.

In the years leading up to and past the age that my father was diagnosed and then died of colon cancer, I had a nagging fear that the disease would visit me also.

Finally, in my later 50’s, the ACA changed what my policy was required to cover and I scheduled my test since my insurance company was now required to pick up the tab.

Years of stress melted in relief when I saw the photos of my healthy, pink colon after my test. Another test isn’t needed for 10 years. The peace of mind I was able to experience because of the new law is more valuable even than the money I was able to save.

I recently found out through coveroregon.com that I qualify for a substantial subsidy toward my health insurance premiums under the new law. So although my current plan is being phased out, I have the choice of upgrading my plan and keeping my premiums about the same or paying even less, or signing up for a similar (but better) plan to the one I currently have and paying much less than I have been.

I am sure there are hundreds of thousands, and probably eventually millions of stories similar to mine. I understand that there are a small percentage of people who will end up paying more for health insurance, but almost all of them are so well off that they do not qualify for government subsidies. Most of these people can afford to pay a bit more.

There is a lot of noise from the people who want to kill, stop, impede and otherwise throw a monkey wrench into what is being called Obamacare. The true source of this noise is not anyone who actually cares about helping people – it is about protecting power and money. Too bad the press has been giving this B.S. so much airtime.

If I had my way, there would be universal health care for everyone – but the political climate makes that impossible right now. I think the Affordable Care Act is probably about as much improvement to our broken health care system as we could have hoped for right now.

John G

Ashland Oregon

I grew up in Oregon but now live in Australia, a country with a national health scheme. My son, who is currently in the U.S., had an cycling accident in Montana and was treated in Northern Idaho. He had to have major stitches on his foot. The bill was over $600 for something that would have been treated as part of the national scheme down here and would have cost less than one third of the cost in the U.S. Fortunately for my son, the doctor waived the bill under some local (northern Idaho) program, but we were going to pay the bill to avoid any legal action against our son as his travel insurance had expired.

When I was in the U.S. a few weeks ago, I lost an asthma puffer and when I looked into replacing it in Oregon, I was told I needed a doctor’s prescription and $95 for a single puffer. Something is very wrong in the U.S. when an item so common and important in the treatment of asthma costs 10 times more than it costs in other countries. An asthma puffer in Australia is less than $10 and can be purchased over the counter. Thank goodness Australia has a pharmaceutical benefits scheme that keeps the cost of medication within reason.

The folks who cry ‘socialism’ whenever ‘Obamacare’ is mentioned need to have an objective look at how health care operates in other countries because caring for your citizens should not be a profit industry, it should be caring and compassionate field. If Mr Romney genuinely cared about the American people, he would back this compassionate policy. He and his fellow republicans should be ashamed for turning a caring and sensible policy into an evil and unaffordable policy.

‘Obamacare’ must become reality early in the days of the next Congress.

Robert H

Temora N.S.W. Australia

This is a great plan I work for a small business that Blue Cross blue shield dropped because we had older women working and the premium became so high we could not afford it, but under the Inclusive Health plan we all have insurance again even women with diabetics and older males that smoke, they are better off because they can all afford to see a doctor regularly and can afford their medications again, which keeps them healthier and able to work and have preventive care rather than more expensive catastrophic care.

I myself was diagnosed with breast cancer while I was uninsured and have a huge hospital bill to pay but under inclusive health plan everything from Oct 1, 2012 is covered even if the cancer comes back. the recommenced drug for estrogen blocking was $89 a month under the plan it is $10.00.

I feel so much better knowing my co-workers have health insurance. Everyone has gone for a much needed physical after getting their insurance which ma kes them feel better and safer

Thank you very much

Roxanne K.

North Carolina

I came to your website looking for answers. Thank you for strait forward simple, to the point information.My husband and are are business owners of very small businesses. What will the health care act mean for us as our businesses grow?As we have a need to hire help? We are worried this may affect many small businesses that are springing up here in the midwest.

Mary H.

Hello Mary, we are a small business too!! Go here and you will actually see that WE are the Job Creators and will greatly benefit from this! Thank you

My insurance premiums increased 46% . thanks.

David C. Iowa

David, Obamacare was created to combat a situation such as yours. The Insurance Companies can do whatever they want in regards to raising your rates. The ‘actual’ part of the law that protects you from what has happened will not come into fruition until 2014. At that time you will finally be protected from your rates being raised arbitrarily. Good luck until then!

I’m 83 y/o & for the last 10 yrs – I’ve been eating more wisely – & losing excess weight. My doc ceased high blood pressure meds – since i no longer have it!!

I only see my doc once a year for a checkup & thyroid med o.k.

I’m a living example of, “Staying healthy & not needing much insurance” – my health insurance Is medicare only….can’t afford a supplement. I am on social security & living very simply & frugal. Plus, I feel very blessed too. My love to obama & his family……You’re our man barack!!!

CosmicDawn

QUESTION

I am a 48 y/o female, unemployed for a year now. I have diabetes and a seizure disorder. I no longer have health insurance and cannot afford it. I have trouble getting my medicine and am in debt because of it. It’s not that I want it, I have to have it or I will die.

Thank you,

Cristy G

ANSWER

Hang in there, ObamaCare keeps rolling out protections for you and your family. Please get on state insurance until 2014 and you’ll be taken care of (assuming Romney doesn’t repeal ObamaCare day 1).

I am 29 years old and have a beautiful 13 myth old daughter. In 2011 I lost my job and health coverage. Lucky for me there is a bill in NJ that allows adults under 30 who live with there parents to ride on there insurance.

However I had to pay an out of pocket premium which was much cheaper than COBRA, BY OVER $400.00 a month. However this option is only available to children of employees who have private coverage through the state. whether they are local township employees or employed directly by the state. Not long after I enrolled I found out I was pregnant, I knew from previous medical history and my doctors that I was at moderate risk for early labor. So it was extremely important that I had good coverage, Aetna was amazing! But the state stipulates in order for me to have or qualify for this coverage I could have no dependents of my own, so I knew once my daughter was born I’d lose my coverage.

I applied NJ family care early in case I had to find other private coverage for myself. I also did my absolute best to find work but in my field most employers don’t want to hire someone who is pregnant. I feel that this is discrimination in its finest. Because I was unemployed I did not qualify for family care even though I met income requirements. It was good I applied early because my daughter was born prematurely at 32 Weeks. She was automatically given coverage. I appealed family cares decision due to the fact that I could no longer afford private coverage. And also because she was early I made the choice not to return to work right away. Her father and I are still together but we’re not married. He worked and I chose to stay home with our daughter.

My state insurance actually required me to request to be terminated because I had a child even though I did not want to lose my coverage. But since I had a child I no longer qualified. Familycare never responded to my appeal, I actually had to call almost 10 myths later and had the appeal refiled. Because my income was unemployment it was counted differently. and I was still ineligible.

This is apparently the case because there are so MANY parents who meet these requirements but choose not to work, or are disabled, or are looking for work and collecting unemployment. The need for affordable healthcare is exponential. A lot of these people who do qualify that work are barely over the income limits and are either just at are denied coverage.

Since Familycare in NJ is tied to medicaid, I didn’t or don’t qualify for that either because they go hand in hand. Now in theory when family care started it was great, and its still good because all children are covered regardless of a parents working status. But if you think about it a majority of small employers do not offer health coverage because of the expense. But also if you want to improve the economy and increase jobs, people need to be healthy. That’s hard to do when some Americans have never had insurance ever.

This leads to emergency rooms being overwhelmed with issues that are not necessarily urgent but the patient in question has gotten so sick by not having the option of just going to see a Dr, that they have to resort to going to an emergency room. Also by waiting to this point recovery time is longer which means the patient misses more work and loses money. Which in turn means the employer loses money. don’t get me wrong, I think everyone has the right to choose whether or not they have coverage. But my story is a great example of how messed up things are.

I a 28 year old patient at the time I applied for coverage was pregnant and losing my coverage was denied by a state program. I included in my application that my coverage would cease the day my daughter was born. Which meant that my c section was covered but any follow up care I would need, would not. This is baffling to me. I paid for my coverage while I was working, and even paid privately when my employers did not offer it.

The one time in my life that I needed my states help it wasn’t available to me because of where my income came from. That’s crap. I work in the healthcare field. and i’m familiar with how the insurance companies work. How they decide whether or not something is medically necessary or requiring authorization for diagnostic testing and procedures as well as certain medications, and treatment procedures. I’m also familiar with how claims are paid out etc. this insurance companies make billions, from people who are covered through their employers or pay privately. They don’t pay anywhere near that amount of money out. And I know a lot of people have negative things to say about Obamacare, but do these people really get it?

Its not nationalized healthcare like Canada or great Britain, but I think people feel that because our government is finally stepping in that it could end up like that.

People don’t realize that medicare,medicaid and various programs will and cannot keep up with demand and the way things work right now. I hope that this works out the way its intended to. Insurance companies would make more money if they offered more affordable coverage. Most states offer private coverage that you can get through them but the premiums are unaffordable for a majority of people who live paycheck to paycheck. I also feel that parts of Obamacare that were already in place were what allowed me to have fantastic care while I was pregnant with little or no cost to me.

I don’t how exactly this will go but I’m hoping that these tax credits or assistance to pay for coverage for us as Americans gives us access to the same type of quality care we would get if we paid for or had private coverage through an employer. I have yet to see anyone offer better solutions. So as of now until I see negatives, or someone can point them out to me, I fully support this. There’s got to be a better way.

Sincerely,

Tara U.

Hello, My name is Brittany and I would like to share my story. Being only 20 years old, I have never known or participated much in politics other than in my government classes. I only recently began paying attention to the presidential candidates and this year’s election, because of a small yet important set of events.

My fiancé just got into a car accident a couple of months ago, and although it could have been way worse, it did require a hospital visit. We are very thankful that he was allowed to go home that night with nothing but some stitches and a pair of crutches. Of course we knew that we would have to follow up with several doctors, car insurance, and police reports.

We did not worry about how the car insurance and police reports would play out because he was very simply not at fault in this case. However, what we dreaded was the hospital/doctor bills we would receive. My fiancé, Brandon, turned 25 this year and to our knowledge had no health insurance.

As the bills started to come in, our debt appeared to be increasing, and he was out of work until he healed. After a few phone calls, we had Obama to thank.. Since the ObamaCare bill had been passed, he was now covered under his dads insurance!

Being young and trying to start our careers, this was a huge sigh of relief. Thousands of dollars owed turned into the bare minimum. Thanks to this chain of events, we no longer had to fear this accident would throw us into debt and Obama has made a few more people politically aware!

Brittany W.

QUESTION

I don’t have a personal story about breast cancer, but have seen many of my dear friends and relatives go through it. I have a question for you. Will the Affordable Care Act resolve the problem described below?

The Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act of 2009 (HR 1691/SB S688) was passed by the House but never enacted by the Senate. This legislation was intended to protect women who had breast cancer surgery from being sent home from the hospital less than 48 hours after surgery. This came to be called “drive by mastectomy,” and is caused by insurance companies who refuse to cover more than 24 hours in the hospital in some 30 states.

I have been a strong advocate for women who are sent home from hospitals in 30 states around this country with tubes coming out of their chests and a bottle of pain pills. That just ISN’T RIGHT and it is still going on.

I am a life long republican who voted for Obama in 08. I believed President Obama’s message of “hope and change.” Now I am wondering if anyone knows the answer to this question. So far, all I have heard is “we don’t know that yet.” I will be thinking of this issue as I approach the voting booth November 7th.

Sincerely,

June S.

ANSWER

Obamacare doesn’t fix everything that is wrong with the health care system. While the ongoing healthcare reform under Obamacare aims to address all issues, it’s not something that we can reasonable expect.

However the current Health Care Reform under President Obama does make a big difference in terms of offering better coverage to more women, eliminating co-pays for cancer screenings, additional decection and prevention services such as mammograms and providing garunteed treatment to Women with preexisting conditions.

All we can tell you is that ObamaCare is the first step towards reforming this sort of sick behavior. Support ObamaCare and the more popular the program becomes the more protections women will get for their tax dollars.

To date over 45 million women have taken advantage of these services since Obamacare was signed into law.

QUESTION

Hi,

I am interested in information on how Obamacare will reduce pharma expenses.

It seems obvious to me, that it should and this might become a strong argument for it.

I am interested having a presentation in an Economics class at a graduate level, where I would like to argue for Obamacare.

Thanks,

Hedinn S.

QUESTION

So I pay a penalty if I choose no insurance because I can’t afford it so others can live off welfare not work at get free insurance long run your telling me quit my job live off state get free insurance to avoid paying lazy deadbeats free living. K guess I will do that I’ll live way more comfortably for free rather than busting my ass to just survive.

Justin S

ANSWER

You are paying into the program that supports the middle class. Our nations poorest will be insured through Medicaid. You will be insured via an online market place where your insurance costs and quality insurance is regulated… not your health care. You will pay less than you do now if you are struggling. Only those who make an excess of $250k will pay the ObamaCare tax. This is why the facts are so important.

I am a President Obama supporter! One of my friends sent me this attachment about the President’s health care plan is this true or a lie? (Please read below).

Mr. Kirk E.

Home Sales Tax becomes effective Jan. 1, 2013

The National Association of Realtors is not pleased with this new tax and hopes this information is forwarded to every voter prior to the election in November.

It doesn’t matter which side of the political fence you sit on – it will affect ALL of us. EDUCATE YOURSELVES!

When does your home become part of your health care? After 2012! Your vote counts big time in 2012, make sure you and all your friends and family know about this!

HOME SALES TAX I thought you might find this interesting, — maybe even SICKENING! The NationalAssociation of Realtors is all over this and working to get it repealed, –before it takes effect. But, I am very pleased we aren’t the only ones who know about this ploy to steal billions from unsuspecting homeowners. How many realtors do you think will vote Democratic in 2012? Did you know that if you sell your house after 2012 you will pay a 3.8% sales tax on it?

That’s $3,800 on a $100,000 home, etc. When did this happen? It’s in the health carebill, — and it goes into effect in 2013. Why 2013? Could it be so that it doesn’t come to light until after the 2012 elections? So, this is ‘change you can believe in’? Under the new health care bill all real estate transactions will be subject to a 3.8% salestax. If you sell a $400,000 home, there will be a $15,200 tax. This bill is set to screw the retiring generation, — who often downsize their homes. Does this make your November, 2012 vote more important?

Oh, you weren’t aware that this was in the Obama Health Care bill? Guess what; you aren’t alone! There are more than a few members of Congress that weren’t aware of it either. You can check this out for yourself at: http://www.gop.gov/blog/10/04/08/obamacare-flatlines-obamacare-taxes-home

ANSWER

First off this comes from www.GOP.gov… Obviously they don’t support ObamaCare, so this is a red flag. Also the idea that a Democratic bill attacks seniors is hard to swallow.

Obamacare reforms healthcare to offer better healthcare to more people. Part of ObamaCare is paid for via taxes (You already pay a medicare tax on income, now there is an additional tax on investment income for couples making over $250k and individuals making $200). Essentially no matter how old you are, if you own over $200k in personal investments or $250k as a couple (this includes real estate) you will pay an additional 3.8% on that income.

The B.S. about everyone paying 3.8% capital gains tax on selling real estate is right wing rhetoric. Only people who have owned their houses for less than 5 years and are making hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxable profit will pay the 3.8% tax. Unless you are flipping real estate you are basically fine. In other words, this is another are you in the 96% or 2% question. Chances are grandma isn’t in the 2% is she.

The bottom line is the math above is wrong and misleading. This GOP B.S. is backed by big business who doesn’t want you off their insurance.

I am a 41 year old divorced mother of three. We were married for 11 years and my husband suffered from ADHD to the point he could not hold down a job for any long periods of time. I am a full-time graduate student and work full time for 10.00 per hour. I hope to have an MBA in Dec. 2013. If a decent salary is not available then I will continue until I receive my Doctorate. I am accomplishing this with financial aid. All three of my children have ADHD. Only the youngest of the three has health coverage through Social Security Disability.

She has severe Epilepsy and Apraxia. We still do not have a primary diagnoses. If I earn more than 2,000. per month my youngest child will get dropped from SSI. I would have to earn 20.00 plus per hour to afford paying for an employer based insurance plan to cover my family as a whole. Based on my income decides whether my other two get kicked off of Medicaid when I clearly qualify for EBT benefits.

My other two children take medication for the ADHD which clearly helps them for their academic goals. Two of my children have an IEP from their respective schools to help them in their academic careers. I have been terminated and let go more times than not because of the health problems of my youngest. I am a resilient person and do not complain about the hand life has dealt. It just seems that no matter how hard I work to get caught up something happens and the rug is yanked out from underneath me again and again.

I have come to realize that I know many people are in much worse situations than I am. I am thankful. However, all I know to do is keep going to school to further my education to set myself in a position where lack of money, opportunity and health coverage will not be a issue. In the meantime I have no medication for two of my three children for their ADHD I can’t take them to the doctor if they are sick or myself. My medical experience has given me enough experience to medicate my family at home. This is not the best thing but all I can do.

I am doing all I can to keep a roof over my children’s head. Because my special needs daughter is out of district I have to transport to and from school. I can not afford to pay for after school care and with her needs we need a caregiver to help with her needs in the evening until I get home from work. Her medications make her real emotional and it wears on her siblings when they are struggling to get homework assignments complete. Needless to say the anxiety levels in our home are very high.

I have been struggling with worries for my health. I am sure it is stress related but I deal with chest pains very often. I know we are falling through the cracks of the system and the inability of Department of Family and Children Services to be organized and thorough enough to handle each case.

I have had to wait up to 8 hours in their office and politely demand to speak with someone in supervision in order to show proof of copied documents that never were processed. People have to be dealt with regard to their individual case not their skin color. I have no doubt I will make it, but, I do believe there is help that is available for my situation that I am not being informed of.

Even if benefits are made available through Obamacare I am not going to be able to afford it with my circumstances.

Clearly need some help.

Sincerely,

Angela M.

COMMENT

Thanks for sharing your struggles. No system is perfect, but the Affordable Heatlh Care Act does offer help to those who can’t afford healthcare. It may not solve every need you have, but one of the reasons health care reform exists is to help people like you.

A True Story About ObamaCare and Medicare Reform: Closing the Prescription Drug Donut hole for Seniors

I wish my mother had lived to see the closing of the infamous Medicare “doughnut hole” due to health care reform under ObamaCare. She died on July 28, 2011, and I think it’s fair to say that the doughnut hole hastened her death.

I’ve heard the talk about “death panels” and health care rationing as a result of ObamaCare. Anyone who thinks that health care isn’t already subject to rationing is fooling herself and lying to others. The doughnut hole led my mother to ration her pills, kept her on the phone for hours with pharmaceutical companies who might be able to send her samples, led my parents to switch repeatedly from one supplemental insurance provider to another, always chasing a slightly lower premium and better coverage. In the midst of the worst of it, my mother contracted a terrible case of shingles and suffered neuropathy from it for her remaining days.

My parents combined income was about $1500/month. This put them about $70/month over the limit for full Medicaid assistance, a pittance that was more than eaten up before her very first prescription was even filled. They had no assets—they did not own their own home; they had no savings, pension, or 401 K. They had been small business owners all their lives until the oil bust of the 80s in South Louisiana forced them to close the doors for good.

My husband and I moved my parents from Louisiana to Connecticut in August 2010, and we have been fortunate to connect my father to the amazing VA hospital in West Haven, CT. (He is a Korean War veteran.) His care has been exemplary—compassionate, preventive, integrated care. Anyone who thinks the government can’t run a health care organization need look no further than this impressive facility. At 83 and despite having multiple chronic medical conditions, he has not suffered a hospitalization in the more than two years since he has been in Connecticut with us.

My mother, unfortunately, did not fare so well. In the 2008 election, she cast her last vote in Louisiana, where she had lived all her life, for President Obama, and one of the first things she insisted we do when we moved my parents to Connecticut was to get them registered to vote. She quickly got herself up to speed for the mid-term elections and proudly cast one ballot here in Connecticut. It was a struggle for her to get to the polls, but she made it there under her own power. Were she alive today, I know nothing would keep her from voting for the President Obama again. On Tuesday, I will be driving my father to the polls for him to cast his ballot for President Obama again, and I will be doing the same, in memory of my mother and in the hope that no one need suffer like her again.

Thank you,

Beth B

QUESTION

I live in the middle of a strongly Republican enclave and their beliefs run hot and strong. They spout off “facts” about Obamacare that I can neither deny or debate because I just don’t know enough about it. Is it true that Obama care will result in loss of the Medicare Advantage Plan? If so how is this going to impact seniors now and in a few years? Is this a good or bad result??? It sounds bad to hear it explained.

Is it true that people will have to get onto lists and wait for many kinds of care, just like the socialized medicine of Great Britain and Canada???. I lived in Scotland, was born in Canada, and I can tell many stories about how their systems reduce available medical care for almost every one. Young people in pain caused by back injuries wait to get “voluntary” back surgeries since it is not a life threatening condition. Many doctors refuse to care for more that a limited number of patients on the system as they barely eke out a living in it. My own grandmother was refused cataract surgery because she was “too old” and so spent the last 20 years of her life legally blind.

My friend has a niece who is a physician in North Carolina and she believes that Obamacare will result in many of us senior citizens NOT getting basic or preventive care. One gentleman, a prostate cancer survivor, believes he will not be allowed PSA tests under Obamacare. Oh,these Republicans do fill my ears with a lot of info but I suspect they just tell this stuff to each other and all believe it without knowing any more about it than I do. Is there a source of info that is not 150 pages long? I am a life-long Democrat/Independent and think we are heading down the right path but people seem to have very short memories of what it was like just 4 short years ago!!!

Bob & Robin

ANSWER

1. Obamacare reforms Medicare Advantage. 99.6 percent of beneficiaries will still have access to a plan. Plan choices increase by 7%, coverage improves, waste decreases, enrollment has grown almost 30% since Obamacare was signed into law in 2010. Enrollment continues to increase. There is no negative effect on Medicare Advantage premiums or co-pays. Of course there is a lot more to it than that. Bottom line is Obamacare doesn’t affect any Medicare or Medicaid program in a negative way.

2. People already wait on lists, for long periods of time. If you have the money for private insurance you will still get better care than those who don’t. Obamacare does work to improve this.

3. Obamacare aims to bring down healthcare costs by providing more preventive and detection services. It’s a major point of the whole reform. Right now countless Americans don’t get preventive or detection services because they can’t afford insurance or their current insurance won’t provide it.

4. The problem is that everyone is trying to give you skewed facts. Not just about healthcare, but about everything. You just have to try to take your emotion out of it and not believe everything you hear… especially if you are listening to someone who is obviously left or right wing.

Check out President Obama’s official site for “facts”. Of course we started ObamaCare Facts to give all the Obama Care facts in one place, so check out the obamacare-facts page for a quick Affordable Care Act lesson.

QUESTION

I am so 34 year old woman. Ii have carried insurance on myself since I was 18. My husband has also carried me on His since I was 20. My husband lost his job in April and at that time my whole family of four lost their insurance. As of October 1st I elected to drop my insurance due to the premiums becoming too high. With my policy at work I would have to pay out over $7000 before the insurance company would pay anything. In six months I went from having to pay nothing to go to the doctor to having no insurance at all.

ANSWER

You are the perfect candidate for health care reform under The Affordable Care Act. Before ObamaCare Americans would have to fear losing their job since it was the only way to provide affordable health care for their families. Over the next few years (from 2012 to 2014) the protections of ObamaCare will ensure that you and your family have access to insurance that you can afford. You will no longer be at the mercy of your employer or health insurance companies who charge Americans more than they can afford.)

QUESTION

Exactly what it will cost me, and how much will be taken out of my SS check only make 841.00 per mo.

ANSWER

ObamaCare works on a sliding scale. Your cost to purchase health insurance, on the health insurance exchange which opens in October 2013, will be based on your total taxable income. Please check out ObamaCare Taxes for more informaiton.

QUESTION

I am 17 years old and happily married. I am in college for medical assisting and soon will be in college for nursing. I live in Polk county FL and was denied free health insurance because I do not have a child, I am not disabled, and not elderly. I do not have the money for health insurance and need health insurance to attend my college and might have to drop out because a lack of health insurance. Please help!

Aime

ANSWER

Aside from applying to state insurance or getting help from a loved one (perhaps your Husbands work) you are going to have to stick in there until you are able to buy affordable health insurance on the health insurance exchange starting in OCT 2013 where insurance companies will compete to be your provider. Of course no one is getting a “free ride” if they can pay for it, instead you will be offered a plan that will cost what you can pay.

QUESTION

I have a question, not a story. I just read from retires website that GM will stop providing me with a prescription drug program. I am retired and need this program.

Wallace

ANSWER

No one is going to stop your access to the drugs you need to survive. ObamaCare protects your access to healthcare, this includes prescription drugs, it even helps you afford non-prescribed drugs.

QUESTION

I work for the health care industry, I will look for other employment if Obama care becomes totally enforced, I know many others feel the same as I do, many doctors hate the idea due to medicaid pays only a portion of the actual cost (66%) that will hurt the hospital and doctors. Also the working class will pay for those who cannot afford insurance, the rich have many loop hole to hide behind. I pay for my insurance. I expect those who make less than 31,000 a year to pay for their own too and if they can not they should go to school so they can but many just want a handout…its easier.

Shawn V

ANSWER

Words like handout should be used when talking about getting a new car or an extra serving of fudge on your sundae, not when it comes to whether or not you can put food on your families table or if your son’s life can be saved with a procedure deemed too expensive by your provider. The rich have always hid behind loopholes, but the 3.8% capital gains and income taxes that tax the 2% on profitable income over $250k will help (you can only hide so much money).

Sean, the health care industry pretty much uniformly stand behinds ObamaCare. Yes things may change, but only things that aren’t working. That is what reform is all about. ObamaCare is all about supporting the working class, the idea that it would hurt them is bunk.

REAL LIFE OBAMACARE STORY

I was pregnant and couldn’t, get healthcare. I hate that unborn babies have to be neglected because pregnancy is considered a Pre existing condition. And the state Medicaid program is awful makes you feel like your on welfare that’s why many women dont get prenatal care they need.

Rinda C.

COMMENT

Thanks for sharing your story, this is one of the reasons why healthcare reform is so important. ObamaCare stands up for women and helps them get the treatment they deserve. ObamaCare greatly reforms the way the health care industry treats women. Women will be offered much better preventive services, wellness visits and access to proper health care that applies specifically to women. ObamaCare also does a major reform on Medicaid and helps to expand and improve coverage to the nations poorest. There is no shame in getting the care you need.

QUESTION

Because I have HSP and can no longer work.I am getting ssdi. I am also going to get medicare benefits, but there is a two year waiting period. In the meantime I have no health insurance. The state of Oregon has denied me healthcare because my ssdi payments are too much. There is a state program to provide anyone with high risk healthcare, but the premiums equal about a third of what I bring home on ssdi. I have a choice, either healthcare or a home. I have chosen a home but I keep getting hurt. I would like to see the rules changed just a little bit. It makes sense to at least have major medical. This has been a tough year, I have had three accidents that have resulted in either broken bones or stitches. The hospital has allowed me to make monthly payments, but a serious illness could wipe me out.

Rex R

ANSWER

The current system is still broken in this regard, ObamaCare will decrease the amount of money you have to pay out. By 2014 your premiums won’t be able to be raised for the profit of the health care provider and you will find a health care option that doesn’t break the bank. Hang in there Rex!

QUESTION

I am a senior and been told by friends, if I vote for Obama and his ObamaCare, and if we need surgery or any special medical care we would be governed by a panel of 15 people (not doctors) who will make that decision. If we are over the age of 70, we would not get approved because we are too old and don’t have long to live.

Jo R

ANSWER

Well none of that is true. The panel which worked to reform Medicare advantage (it includes health care experts and economists) came back with a plan that will greatly increase coverage for seniors and costs to seniors. Trust us ObamaCare is about saving lives and about 1/4 of the bill is about how to provide better coverage to seniors. Anything else you hear is a lie. Make sure your friend reads this site Jo.

QUESTION

I just have a quick question:

We have BC/BS of Kansas during the months of April thru maybe the end of Dec. It just depends when my husband goes on lay off. You see he is road construction. We depend on his job for our family Ins. Now durning the months of lay off we will get our kids on state ins., this is when my husband is getting unemployment. Now we are told that durning this time if we dont have Ins we could get fined. Well I don’t believe this is right. We cant afford COBRA, they want at least 800 to 1,000 a MONTH for just my husband and I! I do work but both my jobs are part time(I do this soI am available for my kids things) but there is NO ins at these jobs. So is it true will I get fined if I have no ins?? And if we never have to go to the hospital or see the Dr. how can we be fined then?

Also real quick:

Under the preventive care does that mean my mammorgrams and colonascapies (sp), my dad had colon cancer so his chidden are told to have this done every 5 years, are free??

Thanks,

Valerie S.

Fairbury Nebraska

ANSWER

Most preventive care will be free or covered under your insurance. There are some exceptions, but over all this will help to bring your costs down. Also you do receive a tax for not having insurance, but only if you can afford to pay it. This ensures that health care reform under Obamacare is affordable. All the top economists agree that it must be this way. Don’t worry about the tax though, as an example the tax in 2014 will be $95 for not having insurance… if you can afford it.

QUESTION

Thank you for the opportunity to share our story.

Facts: we are a family of 4 living in the middle class bracket. Our daughter (4 yrs old) has Down Syndrome.

My husband and I make an average gross income of 150K annually. He is self employed and I work as a professional.

Prior to Obamacare we could afford all medical/therapy related Needs for our daughter.

Post Obamacare we cannot and have bills coming at us weekly from any doctor/hospital or lab/therapist that we see in a given month.

It is not my daughter’s fault that she needs help so I take full responsibility for her needs and care. Unfortunately, even with all other living arrangements being equal, I have lost 8,000 in income to out of pocket expenses and that amount is what I have been able to pay out of pocket. I am now on a payment plan with 4 providers because I can’t pay them. This is after insurance offered by my company and my investment of 3,500 into flex spending has been used up.

I now am having to consider cutting therapy sessions (she has apraxia) and we want her to have the help she needs to learn to speak but the bills aren’t getting paid because of limits in care by my firm and me being able to pay the bills for more care and not having income left to do so.

Finally, next year the limit for flex spending is going from 8,000 to 2,500. This is honestly unimaginable to those of us trying to care for our own. This is by far the biggest shock as you would expect more help not 40% less!

I am meeting with a social worker next week to determine if working hard and having an income is a detriment to my daughter’s ability to qualify for the care she needs. If I make less money and can qualify for government help and let my fellow Americans pay a portion, I will likely have no choice but to do it because my purpose in life is to care for my children who cannot do it themselves.

This has been a very depressing 2 years as Obamacare in the short term has dramatically changed our way of living and providing for our family.

While I am trying to remain optimistic, the results speak volumes to me as a citizen.

I beg you to consider my example, as there are 1,000’s of my story out there and there will be more and more as companies change their healthcare plans to reflect the market trend.

I do not want to ask my fellow Americans to pay my bills through Medicaid and I do not want to give up my career just to qualify to get her the help she needs either. There has got to be a better way and this current system isn’t it.

Respectfully,

Stacey Y

QUESTION

So far, for me, I have seen a small increase in what I pay for my

premium, and RX drugs. I do not anticipate any major changes in the

future.

What I really want to know is how this effects my primary physician. I

know he is against it, and I see that his hours, and staff have been

cut back. I know that he receives less from Medicaid, or Medicare

patients. I would like to see how the plans will look in the future

for doctors, hospitals, and other health care providers

Fay W

QUESTION

I am a WV state employee. I was very thrilled to get an email from Human Resources stating that I could qualify in adding my 24 year old son back to my PEIA insurance. He doesn’t live at home, but is a full-time student, a member of the Army Reserve and works full-time at a hospital which also carries PEIA for its employees. When I called PEIA, I found out although he does meet the qualifications under the “Obamacare” program, he would not be allowed to drop his present coverage and enroll under my family plan until PEIA’s “Open Enrollment” period during the month of April in 2013. At that point, he would have effective insurance coverage as of July 1, 2012 under my plan for one year only, at which point he would turn 26.

I find this to be a glitch in PEIA’s program. Obamacare is trying to get more young adults insured under their families, if possible. Since my son and I both have PEIA, he should be allowed to drop his existing coverage and enroll under my plan during this “special” enrollment period for Obamacare recipients. He was previously covered under “my” plan not more than 3-4 years ago anyway. It’s not like he had totally different insurance and there being a fear of “pre-existing” conditions.

I would appreciate this experience to be featured on ObamaCareFacts.com, and also a resolution to this issue be made so that I CAN get my son covered under my insurance.

Sincerely,

Tina M. Walther

QUESTION

Our small business may have to discontinue our Health Insurance. Why? We had a 21% increase across the board for our 2013 plan. How can we handle that… They say it is in preparation for Obamacare. Isn’t there a cap on what they can go up? I can’t find info on that anywhere.

If the exchanges do not come in for a year and they don’t get regulated on how high they can go on us we are just out of luck. They just rack up the rates and WOW! Why bother payting for it anymore.

Not the kinda story you wanted but I thought you should know. I wonder if I should change my vote and get this ACA repealed.

Disappointed in Obamacare in AZ

Pattie T

QUESTION

The website obamacarefacts.com is a little appalling. If you said you were all liberal, or at least included an ABOUT section on your website, people could see past these “facts” and notice how biased you are. Half of the time you talk about how bad the opposition is, saying things like “A Romney-Ryan endorsed voucher program will end up costing seniors up to 4.8k more a year for insurance.” That’s NOT an ObamaCare fact…

You mostly say what Obama’s goals are, which aren’t facts but it makes sense because the plan is entirely theoretical and will only end up costing more money and time spent in hospital waiting rooms. Frankly I don’t care about your opinion I’m just saying it’s wrong to present those points as fact.

QUESTION

I grew up in Oregon but now live in Australia, a country with a national health scheme. My son, who is currently in the U.S., had an cycling accident in Montana and was treated in Northern Idaho. He had to have major stitches on his foot. The bill was over $600 for something that would have been treated as part of the national scheme down here and would have cost less than one third of the cost in the U.S. Fortunately for my son, the doctor waived the bill under some local (northern Idaho) program, but we were going to pay the bill to avoid any legal action against our son as his travel insurance had expired.

When I was in the U.S. a few weeks ago, I lost an asthma puffer and when I looked into replacing it in Oregon, I was told I needed a doctor’s prescription and $95 for a single puffer. Something is very wrong in the U.S. when an item so common and important in the treatment of asthma costs 10 times more than it costs in other countries. An asthma puffer in Australia is less than $10 and can be purchased over the counter. Thank goodness Australia has a pharmaceutical benefits scheme that keeps the cost of medication within reason.

The folks who cry ‘socialism’ whenever ‘Obamacare’ is mentioned need to have an objective look at how health care operates in other countries because caring for your citizens should not be a profit industry, it should be caring and compassionate field. If Mr Romney genuinely cared about the American people, he would back this compassionate policy. He and his fellow republicans should be ashamed for turning a caring and sensible policy into an evil and unaffordable policy.

‘Obamacare’ must become reality early in the days of the next Congress.

Robert H

QUESTION

My daughter is a divorced single parent. She is 40 years old. She has several medical issues that need to be treated. She was laid off her job and has not been able to get another job. She has a seventeen year old daughter who is on on soonercare. My daughter cannot get the medical care she needs because she cannot afford to do so. How can she get the the medical care she so urgently needs. ?

Linda L

QUESTION

Both my sons benefitted from the healthcare option of staying on our health insurance plan until they turn 26. Without this option neither one of them would have had health insurance. Our oldest son , a college graduate, now has a full time job and has his own insurance. Our youngest son will stay on our plan because the insurance his fulltime job offers is high priced and offers poor benefits. We need Obamacare for every single American citizen who qualifies. Anyone who says differently is not looking at the facts or talking to people who are seeing the benefits and who will benefit in the future as the plan unfolds.

Jackie B

QUESTION

My husband was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in 2011. My son watched him lose weight over a period of a year, and lose his ability to eat or drink. It played a toll on his mental state. He eventually had a breakdown. Went to work and quit his job because he could no longer function. He couldn’t think to get a doctor to place him on a medical leave, all he could think is his dad was dying. After the funeral, He tried to commit suicide. I took him to the ER, from there he was taken to another hospital, placed on some program to be admitted to a hospital way out of my area. I was sent a bill for $3,201.00 and $1186.00 for doctor fees at the ER visit only. I was not consulted as to what was going on in his life, to get family input.

They placed him on a cheap medicine called Haldo. They called me to come and get him, and he was like a zombie. He was not scheduled with a doctor for 3 months. I had to take him to the ER again because of the side effect from Haldo he was like paralyzed. They could not do anything because mental was not their field. For that I was billed $1500.00 for hospital and $979.00 doctors fee to do nothing. I had to pay $200.00 to get a private Psychologist to help him get off of the Haldo. He is still having problems and it cost me $70.00 each visit. They wanted to put him in Detroit Receiving Hospital, but I said no because I payed $200.00 for another medicine that this hospital would not give him, they would give another cheap medicine. I want him well. I am on a fixed income social security only. His place of employment does not want him back, I guess they don’t understand He had a breakdown, so his actions were not his character. Health Care is completely out of control and if you don’t have insurance you are treated like you have a dreaded disease.

Sally O

QUESTION

I am not sure this is an ObamaCare story but I have a meeting to go to tonight on my insurance plan thru a hospital. They are now offering 2 plans. 1. basic plan by paying more per month and less coverage or an engaged plan which is going up 200.00 a month for me and all my number need to be sent in like BMI and etc, which is fine but 200.00 more a month. My boss keeps saying this is because of ObamaCare and I am not getting in an argument on this with her, she has her own thoughts but I thought this was for affordable insurance and I do know a lot of single moms cannot afford this and pay rent. So I am confused that they can do this. I see a lot of employees at this hospital maybe having to go elsewhere for insurance to be able to afford it in stead of taking advantage of the hospital insurance. Just a thought.

Jo Ann

QUESTION

I personally appreciate my daughter being added to our health insurance at the age of 20. I’m thankful knowing she’s covered.

pix

QUESTION

I dont really have a story. I have an issue and it’s not good. I thought that this was suppose to make it where the Ins at a job was affordable. It is not at mine. They are raising the costs of the premiums. I am going to really go broke if this happens. I am a mother of 4 small children and my income is a big part of what we live off of. If the rates on my ins double like they are suppose to then my children are going to be left out of either clothing or food since they will be taking more out of my check next year. This is just right out ridiculous. How is anyone suppose to survive on this ins change?????????????????????

“Do not ask the Lord to guide your footsteps, if you are not willing to move your feet!!!”

Felicita P

QUESTION

I never thought I would be in the predicament I am in now. I have been working since I was 16yrs old. For the last few years I have worked as a contractor for the DOD. For almost 18months I have been aggressively treated for psoriasis without a cure. I am now at home using a wheelchair and have rarely been out of the house since Sept 2012. On Oct 19th, on my birthday, my company had to let me go due to downsizing. I now find myself unable to look for work, without a computer, being disabled, my husband disabled, loosing my retirement home and no health insurance. I have always paid all my bill and have outstanding credit. I have been hit hard as well as many Americans and making alot less money than I use to several years ago. I voted for you and we will both vote for you again. But I got to tell you, I have no idea how we will not end up on the streets. Without medical care, both my husband and I will suffer without getting medications and or treatments. Can you help us?

Eileen and Charlie

ANSWER

ObamaCare offers all Amerians insurance starting on Jan 1st 2014, and you can start buying it on an online market place called the health insurance exchange in Oct 2013. Hang in there.

REAL OBAMACARE STORY

I would like to bring to your attention a loop-hole in the ObamaCare policy that my insurance company (and probably others) are using to skirt the law and to deny preventive care services in some instances.

I recently went to the doctor for a preventive care exam (Well Woman Visit). This exam is now covered 100% under my Blue Cross Blue Shield Insurance Policy. I believe that the credit for this full coverage should go to ObamaCare. However, in order to receive coverage I was required to sign a form that stated,

“If a problem such as a breast lump is found at your ‘annual exam’, the exam is no longer considered by the AMA guidelines as an annual exam.” Such an instance would constitute a “problem visit[s] and will be coded accordingly.”

It appears that the insurance companies are already trying to avoid having to cover preventive care visits. The AMA policy outlined above defeats the purpose of a free preventive care visit. I can understand that any follow-up care would not fall under the category of a full coverage preventive care visit, but why should the initial exam not be covered if a “problem” is found? Isn’t this the whole point of covering preventive care exams? Don’t we want to encourage individuals to seek medical attention so that these “problems” can be detected early and therefore be treated early before the “problem” gets out of control and requires more medical attention and higher medical costs?

The above policy discourages individuals from seeking preventive care. Before going to the doctor for a preventive care visit, most individuals do not know if the doctor will detect a “problem” that requires follow-up. Therefore before going to the doctor for a preventive care visit, it is impossible to know if the exam will be covered or not or, for that matter, how much it will cost.

When I called the billing department at my doctor’s office to inquire about my coverage, I was informed that if I asked questions to my doctor, my exam might be billed as a “problem visit”. Therefore my visit would not be considered a “Well Woman Visit” and therefore would not fall under the label of a preventive care visit and hence (under my policy) would not be covered. I was outraged that my insurance policy was affecting the quality of care that I received from my doctor. Do we really want to discourage people from asking their doctor questions about their own personal health? Do we really want to discourage people from speaking honestly and freely with their doctor?

My intention in writing this is to bring this problem to the attention of our legistators, so that they can seek ways to prevent insurance companies from eroding our right to covered preventive care services. In doing so, I am trying to improve ObamaCare and to make it better. Please let me know what suggestions you have and to whom I should raise my concerns.

Sincerely,

Dr. Susan Schweinsberg

PS To view the insurance policy which I was required to sign in order for the insurance company to cover my preventive care visit, please go to http://www.tvobgyn.com/share/Patient_Insurance_Information.pdf.

ANSWER

WOW this is a loophole indeed. Don’t worry we will bring public attention to this and help to fight the good fight. Thanks for speaking up. We know that moving forward preventive measures, especially for women, will be ironed out, but if this is happening now it needs to be talked about. Just another reason we NEED MORE REFORM.

REAL LIFE OBAMACARE STORY

This is a great plan I work for a small business that Blue Cross blue shield dropped because we had older women working and the premium became so high we could not afford it, but under the Inclusive Health plan we all have insurance again even women with diabetics and older males that smoke, they are better off because they can all afford to see a doctor regularly and can afford their medications again, which keeps them healthier and able to work and have preventive care rather than more expensive catastrophic care. I myself was diagnosed with breast cancer while I was uninsured and have a huge hospital bill to pay but under inclusive health plan everything from Oct 1, 2012 is covered even if the cancer comes back. the recommenced drug for estrogen blocking was $89 a month under the plan it is $10.00 I feel so much better knowing my co-workers have health insurance. Everyone has gone for a much needed physical after getting their insurance which ma kes them feel better and safer

Thank you very much

Roxanne K

Chapel Hill NC

COMMENT

Glad to hear that you and your co-workers are in good hands.

QUESTION

My premiums in the last few years have gone from around $300 to over $1000. And now I have to drop it because as a part time worker who can’t find a job it’s not as the website says “affordable”. Wo-ho yea Obamacare!

You should be ashamed… But you’re not.

Greg S

ANSWER

The Protections under ObamaCare prevent this sort of thing. Unfortunately until additional protections kick in 2013-2014 health insurance companies will still be able to treat you like this (this is why we NEED health care reform). After 2014 you will be able to afford health insurance (in fact you will be guaranteed coverage unless you opt out and pay a tax). Help support ObamaCare and make it so insurance companies can’t increase our premiums for profit knowing that we can’t risk dropping them, for now our lives depend on it.

QUESTION

I came to your website looking for answers. Thank you for strait forward simple, to the point information.

My husband and are are business owners of very small businesses. What will the health care act mean for us as our businesses grow?

As we have a need to hire help? We are worried this may affect many small businesses that are springing up here in the midwest.

Mary H

ANSWER

ObamaCare does the most for small businesses and Americas poorest. In fact the more your company makes or the more you make as an individual the more you have to pay under ObamaCare. Small businesses with under 50 employees and over $250k in excess profitable income will have to pay a 3.8% tax… That is it. Considering most small businesses (Americas biggest job creators) have a hard time covering themselves and their employees ObamaCare does nothing but help people like you (and us!). Want the rest of the truth on ObamaCare and Small Business? Go here

QUESTION

I am so 34 year old woman. Ii have carried insurance on myself since I was 18. My husband has also carried me on His since I was 20. My husband lost his job in April and at that time my whole family of four lost their insurance. As of October 1st I elected to drop my insurance due to the premiums becoming too high. With my policy at work I would have to pay out over $7000 before the insurance company would pay anything. In six months I went from having to pay nothing to go to the doctor to having no insurance at all.

Lisa C

ANSWER

Hang in there. ObamaCare protects you from this and offers Affordable insurance, but the full effect doesn’t start till 2014.

QUESTION

My insurance premiums increased 46% . thanks.

Dave C

ANSWER

Insurance companies can still grandfather you in to higher rates until 2014 when ObamaCare stops this. Some companies are squeezing us for everything they can get to recoup costs until it is illegal. We suggest finding a better provider on the health insurance exchange in October of 2013. Hang in There!

QUESTION

I get an email CaringBridge newsletters from a great person named Mike Guilbeau. He is fighting cancer.

Here is his link

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/mikeguilbeau

and in his story he says:

“The doctor recommended two drugs that I could have administered by my local oncologist. I was ready to get on with it. My insurance company was not. They denied one of the drugs on the 13th of September and the second one at the end of the month. One of the drugs, Tarceva, has already been a successful part of my treatment plan. But because of new regulations related to Obamacare I would no longer be able be eligible.

Can anyone check this to see if the insurance company is telling him the truth?

I am a firm believer in ObamaCare and I want to know the truth for Mike Guilbeau’s life and for my knowledge and everyone else reading his CaringBridge story.

Thank You

Diane T

ANSWER

Doesn’t sound right does it. Consider this, one thing ObamaCare does is close the donut hole in medicare that was causing seniors to have to pay out of pocket and thus not be able to afford necessary medication. Haven’t found anything in the books about ObamaCare stopping sick people from getting help… health care reform helps people in these situations… what aren’t we being told in this story?

QUESTION

To All Concerned:

My first experience with Obamacare has been negative. When I visited my OBGYN for my yearly check-up my appointment cost me nothing because it was a “wellness visit.” However because my doctor found something wrong, the insurance bounced back the claim and charged me a $50.00 co-pay. My regular co-pay is $25. Will this be common practice in order to avoid “free welllness visits” as stated on your website? If so this is highly deceptive!

ObamaCare Facts: Facts on the Obama Health Care Plan

C

ANSWER

Not all of the proectections under ObamaCare are implimented yet. One of the main focuses of Obama’s health care reform is free preventive treatment for women. This would be your insurance comapny mucking with you… This is what ObamaCare fights against. Hang in there.

QUESTION

Ok…..did you know…..that Pelosi said you have to pass the bill in order to know what is in the bill (obamacare). I say this to update y’all on yet another issue that is in obamacare….in case you haven’t heard. As of October 1, 2012, yes that is this month, this went into effect cause of obamacare……if you have someone who has Medicare (as in our parents, our special needs children, etc) and they go to the hospital and then are released to go home once stable enough and you happen to return within 30 days, the hospital will be fined $125,000. The Cleveland Clinic that the president so loved to share in the debate that is doing well could go out of business cause of this obamacare law because they are funded by donations. So, what is your discussion on this, other than we have to get Romney voted in so he can get obamacare repealed. It’s scary, obamacare is finally starting….

ANSWER

We are aware that there are some growing pains… however most hospitals, doctors and health care employees from workers to CEOs agree ObamaCare is the way to go. No system is perfect, but there is some part of the truth we are not getting in this story. ObamaCare does not hurt the healthcare industry… in fact the health care industry will make far more money and create more jobs…

QUESTION

I just wanted to say that my insurance is going up 10 % January of next year and I did NOT get any decrease this year. Obama Care is not working today for the middle class and looks like it will not work in the furture for anyone.

Thank you,

Sally N, SCP

Senior Integration Developer

Information Technology

Floyd Medical Center

ANSWER

Remember premiums aren’t regulated by ObamaCare yet. This won’t happen after 2014. There will be a Cap on raising insurance premimums.

If you make less than $200k in taxable income as an individual you get the benefits of ObamaCare’s reform on the insurance companies and pay less for coverage (on insurance purchased through the health care exchange market place)… Unless you choose private coverage. If so, then your future is in your hands (with some extra protections from healthcare reform).

Note: Middle class = less than $250k… $250k means you make about $700 a day in non taxable income. So chances are 98% of us are “middle to lower class” and helped by ObamaCare.

QUESTION

I am interested in information on how Obamacare will reduce pharma expenses.

It seems obvious to me, that it should and this might become a strong argument for it.

I am interested having a presentation in an Economics class at a graduate level, where I would like to argue for Obamacare.

Thanks,

Hedinn

ANSWER

ObamaCare helps to control costs by reforming the system as a whole. This is one area of health care that still needs big reform. One step at a time.

QUESTION

It has changed my medicare coverage. Last year I had a heart ablation and everything went well. But when I went to my heart dr. This August for my yearly checkup and echocardiograph I was told I it wasn’t covered. Since I wasn’t having any heart trouble right now Medicare will only pay for it every two years. I would think that would have been preventive medicine since I have a history of heart problems.

ANSWER

ObamaCare rolls out many protections to people like you over the next few years. One of the main ways ObamaCare saves money is by focusing on wellness and preventive care that stops people from getting sick or needing costly operations.

REAL LIFE OBAMACARE STORY

Hello, My name is Brittany and I would like to share my story. Being only 20 years old, I have never known or participated much in politics other than in my government classes. I only recently began paying attention to the presidential candidates and this year’s election, because of a small yet important set of events. My fiancé just got into a car accident a couple of months ago, and although it could have been way worse, it did require a hospital visit.

We are very thankful that he was allowed to go home that night with nothing but some stitches and a pair of crutches. Of course we knew that we would have to follow up with several doctors, car insurance, and police reports.

We did not worry about how the car insurance and police reports would play out because he was very simply not at fault in this case. However, what we dreaded was the hospital/doctor bills we would receive. My fiancé, Brandon, turned 25 this year and to our knowledge had no health insurance.

As the bills started to come in, our debt appeared to be increasing, and he was out of work until he healed. After a few phone calls, we had Obama to thank.. Since the ObamaCare bill had been passed, he was now covered under his dads insurance! Being young and trying to start our careers, this was a huge sigh of relief. Thousands of dollars owed turned into the bare minimum. Thanks to this chain of events, we no longer had to fear this accident would throw us into debt and Obama has made a few more people politically aware!

COMMENT

Americans will no longer have to go into debt due to getting sick. This is one of the benefits of ObamaCare that will really help Americans. America has no debtors prison and soon no Americans will go bankrupt just to stay alive. Reform is a wonderful thing.

REAL LIFE OBAMACARE STORY

I am 29 yrs old and have a beautiful 13 mth old daughter. In 2011 I lost my job and health coverage. Lucky for me there is a bill in NJ that allows adults under 30 who live with there parents to ride on there insurance. However I had to pay an out of pocket premium which was much cheaper than COBRA, BY OVER $400.00 a month. However this option is only available to children of employees who have private coverage through the state. whether they are local township employees or employed directly.by the state.

Not long after I enrolled I found out I was pregnant, I knew from previous medical history and my doctors that I was at moderate risk for early labor. So it was extremely important that I had good coverage, Aetna was amazing! But the state stipulates in order for me to have or qualify for this coverage I could have no dependents of my own.so I knew once my daughter was born I’d lose my coverage. I applied NJ family care early in case I had to find other private coverage for myself. I also did my absolute best to find work but in my field most employers don’t want to hire someone who is pregnant. I feel that this is discrimination in its finest. Because I was unemployed I did not qualify for family care even though I met income requirements.

It was good I applied early because my daughter was born prematurely at 32 Weeks. She was automatically given coverage. I appealed family cares decision due to the fact that I could no longer afford private coverage. And also because she was early I made the choice not to return to work right away. Her father and I are still together but we’re not married. He worked and I chose to stay home with our daughter. My state insurance actually required me to request to be terminated because I had a child even though I did not want to lose my coverage. But since I had a child I no longer qualified. Familycare never responded to my appeal, I actually had to call almost 10 mths later and had the appeal refiled. Because my income was unemployment it was counted differently, I was still ineligible.

This is apparently the case because there are so MANY parents who meet these requirements but choose not to work, or are disabled, or are looking for work and collecting unemployment. The need for affordable healthcare is exponential. Alot of these people who do qualify that work are barely over the income limits and are either just at are denied coverage. Since Familycare in NJ is tied to medicaid, I didn’t or don’t qualify for that either because they go hand in hand. Now in theory when family care started it was great, and its still good because all children are covered regardless of a parents working status.

But if you think about it a majority of small employers do not offer health coverage because of the expense. But also if you want to improve the economy and increase jobs, people need to be healthy.

That’s hard to do when some Americans have never had insurance ever. This leads to emergency rooms being overwhelmed with issues that are not necessarily urgent but the patient in question has gotten so sick by not having the option of just going to see a Dr, that they have to resort to going to an emergency room. Also by waiting to this point recovery time is longer which means the patient misses more work and loses money. Which in turn means the employer loses money. don’t get me wrong, I think everyone has the right to choose whether or not they have coverage. But my story is a great example of how messed up things are.

I a 28 year old patient at the time I applied for coverage was pregnant and losing my coverage was denied by a state program. I included in my application that my coverage would cease the day my daughter was born. Which meant that my c section was covered but any follow up care I would need, would not. This is baffling to me. I paid for my coverage while I was working, and even paid privately when my employers did not offer it. The one time in my life that I needed my states help it wasnt available to me because of where my income came from. That’s crap. I work in the healthcare field.and i’m familiar with how the insurance companies work. How they decide whether or not something is medically necessary or requiring authorization for diagnostic testing and procedures as well as certain medications, and treatment procedures.

I’m also familiar with how claims are paid out etc. this insurance companies make billions, from people who are covered through their employers or pay privately. They dont pay anywhere near that amount of money out. And I know alot of people have negative things to say about obamacare, but do these people really get it? Its not nationalized healthcare like Canada or great Britain, but I think people feel that because our government is finally stepping in that it could end up like that. People dont realize that medicare,medicaid and various programs will and cannot keep up with demand and the way things work right now.

I hope that this works out the way its intended to. Insurance companies would make more money if they offered more affordable coverage. Most states offer private coverage that you can get through.them but the premiums are unaffordable for a majority of people who live paycheck to paycheck.

I also feel that parts of obamacare that were already in place were what allowed me to have fantastic.care while I was pregnant with little or no cost to me. I don’t how exactly this will go but i’m hoping that these tax credits or assistance to pay for coverage for us as Americans gives us access to the same type of quality care we would get if we paid for or had private coverage through an employer. I have yet to see anyone offer better solutions.

So as of now until I see negatives, or someone can point them out to me, I fully support this. There’s got to be a better way.

Sincerely,

Tara U

COMMENT

Thanks for sharing your story. Being able to stay on your parents health insuarnce gives many Americans that extra protection to their health and their wallets until they can start to care for families of their own.

REAL LIFE OBAMACARE STORY

As free thinking small business owner I have a mix of conservative and liberal values. I consider myself an intellectual at the very least I’ve cared enough to study ObamaCare since it’s inception (I have a lot of sick people in my family, so it’s live or die for us). What I have found is that like Social Security, Medicare or any other major milestone in our countries history that is meant for the good of the people we can’t afford to lose ObamaCare. In fact you might be surprised but the program is extremely popular, you might hear different, but this is simply not true.

The most disturbing thing I have found is that anti-Obamacare campaigns and rhetoric is being backed and funded by those who stand to lose the most. It’s not as political as it is socioeconomic, in fact this is the exact same thing that happens every time the government wants to give more to the people… it’s attacked by big business for being communist and all the money-men cry less government.

I mean literally history has repeated itself over and over again, it should be plain as day, but there is a lot of manipulation going on (has been since we learned to walk upright… one day we will get it). It’s really scary to me as a person, but we CAN and are fighting back.

While corporate money may be corrupting part of our system of government, we have one thing that no one can take away and that is our voice and our numbers. We are the 98%, and the better we understand ObamaCare the less likely it is to be taken away. It might scare you, but trust me, from everything I know having healthcare reform stripped away and given to the states to be manipulated by big business will scare you a lot more!

Don’t let Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan, ALEC, the NFIB or anyone else take away your right to health care. Remember the Affordable Care Act is the law. It offers 98% of Individuals and 97% of businesses better healthcare at a more affordable price. It worked in MA and its working in the US… Heck, even the healthcare industry is on board.

The people who want to stop are ALL big businesses or backed by big businesses (or manipulated by big business… sorry Dad, but it’s true).

But hey guys, this is just one opinion. This is America and at the end of the day the choice of who you support is yours… but read the stories and read the facts and you’ll see we are all in the same boat and want the same things. Well all of us except the big businesses that funded $450 million dollars in superPACs to get rid of ObamaCare and Obama…

PS. How did I come to care about politics? I mean I started life interested in music, video games, drinking, art, GIRLS!, but no way did I care about history class or especially political history. The only thing I knew about Clinton was about “not inhaling” and “not doing the other thing”… Really didn’t care. That was until 9/11.

I remember being in my dorm room in 2001, my father called me, woke me up and said “we have been attacked.” My heart sunk into my stomach and it was a dark day that I spent with close friends. Honestly I never cared about politics, but over the next year I started hearing crazy, racist and ignorant things from my friends and people on the street.

Later I found out that “right wing-ers” like Fox News were using peoples patriotism to manipulate us into going to war with some country that had nothing to do with the attack. They wanted us all to back the killing of millions of people by spending trillions of dollars. Honestly it didn’t sit well with me. I remember watching “shock and awe” on TV because everyone was too scared to stand up and say “HELL NO!”. It scared me and left a real bad taste in my mouth. years later people got the guts to speak up against this insanity.

SIDE NOTE: Remember when everyone was getting black listed for being communist in the 50’s and no one had the guts to speak out. But eventually enough was enough and about a decade we finally overcame it, until it was used again a decade later… history repeats… and repeats… in very small cycles. It’s almost insane that we don’t all see this. But then again most of the country is still listening to music in there dorm room talking about girls, no noticing that the talking heads of today are calling the left and the president “communist” oh how nothing has changed… but one thing that has is peoples access to information… Thanks ObamaCareFacts.com a site run by normal people and not big business or private interests.

You see growing up both my Stepfather (wealthy banker in his day) and Father (Multi-million dollar mergers and acquisitions guy in the 80’s) pushed what I consider “right wing hate” on me. I later found out this was pushed by big business on them… this happened a good two decades (one I didn’t notice and didn’t care)… Starting on 9/11 I believed it for a while and would laugh about “killing sand N” with my buddies (that’s how white people talk, even up north, sucks huh?)… but after a while, it just didn’t seem right any more.

Over the years it started to really piss me off and I started to educate myself, but I couldn’t win an argument with my extremely smart stepfather or father. They would pull out these crazy facts to tell me why we should be at war and why we needed to get rid of Social Security (turns out this is a lie propagated by big business to privatize a public service… btw this is why they want to move things to the states and shrink government… it makes it easier to control the people… and they do want control).

Well any ways, even though it didn’t sit right I loved and respected my Father and Stepfather so much that I lied to myself and went into denial. Heck if both these guys thought we should hate people, be racist, fight wars and back big business obviously there was something I didn’t get. The left was trying to take away my parents money! Screw them (turns out we were in the 98% after all and this wasn’t true… oh well).

The last straw for me was when my stepfather was very sick and at the end of his life didn’t have proper healthcare (he had declared bankruptcy and lost everything from his banking business). My stepfather, one of the most important people in my life, died in a delusional state telling me and my mother that terrorists were torturing him and trying to kill him…

He begged me to get him out of the hospital, I didn’t save him from the terrorists so he tore his catheter out and died because there were no nurses around to help him… had he had better care, had there been more nurses, maybe this could have been prevented. But it’s not just the healthcare aspect, it’s the fact that he watched fox news every day and his last days on earth were full of paranoia caused by fox news, full of him being scared of Terrorists.

Ever since that day, I wouldn’t hear it anymore. When my buddies said “F them Sand N” I stood up and said, look here is the truth. When my friends said “Obama that N is trying to shove health care down our throats” I said look buddy you are in the 98% with me, here is how ObamaCare helps. And when I saw the NFIB try to repeal ObamaCare I said, enough is enough I’m going to reach as many people as I can and make sure that what happened to my stepfather never happens again…

The most I can do, and what this site can do is spread the truth. Sometimes the truth is left, sometimes it’s right and sometimes big businesses is the saving grace of America (in it’s best representation it is the pinnacle of the American dream and American Ambition)… but when it comes to life, liberty and happiness the 98% come first, not corporate interests and narrow minded hatred. It’s time to make sure that your fellow Americans have a home, food in there bellies, health care, protection at the work place, protection when they are older, a clean environment for their children and a thriving economy. Less government and more debt, pollution, war and disease, manipulation and hate… that’s not the world I want for me or my children.

Today a large majority of us can see past the BS. We see that they all use the same talking points, we have found out that it was big business who were trying to use our hate and anger and patriotism to manipulate us against our own interests. We learned that we have been being screwed by corporate robber barons since… well pretty much forever. The more we have access to information the better off we will be. For now we need to fight for one reform at a time. Today our battle is to make sure ObamaCare stays around. Good health to you, your family and your country.

PPS. Man, I really wanted to be a rock star… but when you get a chance to make a difference, you do it. Life isn’t about getting what you want, it’s about doing the next right thing and hey, if Obama wins the election by 537 votes then all the people have helped to get the truth out made a big difference, no? Thank you guys for doing your part, ObamaCareFacts.com has helped me to understand and spread the truth to people in my life.

Keep digging guys, the truth isn’t easy, but its the most rewarding. We are the 98%.

T.

COMMENT

Thanks for sharing your ObamaCare story. We all have different backgrounds, but we all share the same core American values and experiences even if that leads us to different conclusions. Keep standing up for what you believe in regardless of who stands against you. It’s your right as an American and we appreciate you supporting health care reform.

QUESTION

No health ins. provided thru my husbands job that is affordable.

Tracy H

ANSWER

Thanks to ObamaCare’s health insurance exchange opening in Oct 2013 we will no longer have to rely on our employers for health insurance. Sorry big business, but now we get one extra chain lifted that was stopping us from following the American dream.

QUESTION

My daughter and son-in-law are confused as I regarding some of the fact of “ObamaCare”. She stated to me that because of “Obamacare” they are now having to pay more insurance premiums on his son because he was forced to put him on his plan at work. He had coverage for him on an individual plan but when “Obamacare” became effective he stated it was costing him another $100 a month because of the change. Can you clarify this for me? Did he have to give up the private plan and cover him on in group plan?

Very confused voter.

J

ANSWER

If someone is covered they don’t have to switch insurance plans. Everyone is free to keep their current coverage. The law only states that a dependent CAN stay on their parents insurance until they are 26, not that they have to be on their parents insurance for an additional charge… Does this mean he now has two insurance plans? I can’t imagine that insuring his son under his plan could be more expensive than a private insurance plan just for him. Also it’s worth noting that young people tend to be in good health so it curbs the cost for the rest of us. In other words providing more insurance to young people helps to lower health care costs for everyone. Hope this clears some of this up for you, check out the exact wording in the law below.

SEC. 2714 [42 U.S.C. 300gg–14]. EXTENSION OF DEPENDENT COVERAGE.”(a) IN GENERAL.—A group health plan and a health insurance issuer offering group or individual health insurance coverage that provides dependent coverage of children shall continue to make such coverage available for an adult child until the child turns 26 years of age. Nothing in this section shall require a health plan or a health insurance issuer described in the preceding sentence to make coverage available for a child of a child receiving dependent coverage. [As revised by section 2301(b) of HCERA]”(b) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary shall promulgate regulations to define the dependents to which coverage shall be made available under subsection (a).”(c) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this section shall be construed to modify the definition of ‘dependent’ as used in the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 with respect to the tax treatment of the cost of coverage.

QUESTION

I hate ObamaCare.

I just renewed my insurance policy with my company and my rates went up $100.00 a month for next year just to pay for the extra things we are made to cover. I make right around 35,000 a year and have a child in school. I am a single father taking care of a child in elementary school. This plan is costing me 1200 a year. I have never had an increase like this one. I have the exact same coverage as what I have had for years. I also saw an increase in my deductable that I must pay. My copay also went up. Before this rate increase I was just making it. I will now have to cut back on my budget even more. Why should I be made to pay for a persons choice to go out and screw anybody they want. Why shouldn’t they bare the cost of their choice. I teach my children to be responsible for their choices. You have now made me a single parent of a daughter pay for a lawyer’s choice to screw around. By the way, I am sure she makes a lot more that 35,000 a year.

Mr. R

ANSWER

First off we are sorry that you are paying more, no one wants to see that and few of us can afford it. ObamaCare provides reform to fight back against this kind of behavior (finally!).

Unfortunately not all the protections of ObamaCare have kicked in yet. As of today November of 2012, insurance companies can still increase your premiums without justification. ObamaCare’s protections against raising insurance premiums doesn’t kick in until 2014.

If your current private insurer tries to lock you in at higher rates, starting Oct 2013, you can buy health insurance on the online marketplace like the rest of us including all of congress.

When your insurance (purchased from the ObamaCare exchanges) kicks in January 1st of 2014 you should be paying less for better coverage.

Part of the costs will be offset by young people who don’t usually need costly medical services.

Young people drive the cost of our healthcare down since they are in a low risk pool and usually don’t require health services outside of a yearly check up.

ps. Probably worth noting that whenever people decry Planned Parenthood, ACORN, ObamaCare or any other program that helps out our nations poorest you should really take a close look at their motives. Big business has historically tried to keep the working class dependent on them for healthcare to keep wages down and maximize profit… Unfortunately these same practices are still occurring today.

Think about the women in your life before you speak poorly about women and programs like planned parenthood. Regardless of what you may hear the preventive services it provides far outweighs the few who abuse the system.

The bottom line is planned parenthood may provide some controversial services, but as far as costs go women’s health services, specifically the wellness visits and preventive measures provided at planned parenthood and similar programs help to drive the cost of health insurance down by preventing sickness before it starts, again lowering the risk for the insurance companies. preventive measures are cheap, emergency room visits drive up the cost of health care drastically.

… Remember women have been repressed for most of the history of Human Kind. History is not so far away and can certainly repeat.

QUESTION

I’m upset my flexible spending account has been reduced from $5000 to $2500 for 2013. So far obamacare has NOT helped me.

I work hard for my money and am tired of having politicians rationalize why I should keep less and less and have to pay more and more in state and federal taxes.

American dream….fleeting…..?

Deanna P

ANSWER

While ObamaCare has put a cap on your FSA, it’s not without good reason. Here is what was happening:

Americans would put more money into their FSA then they needed. Due to the “use it, or lose it” policy many people were spending their tax free FSA dollars on things they didn’t need. This created wasteful spending and of course if you are spending money you don’t need to spend, on things you don’t need the next result isn’t saving un-taxed dollars it you spending more then if you had just paid the taxes in the first place. It’s a reform to your FSA, that will work in the Average Americans benefit.

QUESTION

I’m upset my flexible spending account has been reduced from $5000 to $2500 for 2013. So far obamacare has NOT helped me.

I work hard for my money and am tired of having politicians rationalize why I should keep less and less and have to pay more and more in state and federal taxes.

American dream….fleeting…..?

Deanna P

ANSWER

While ObamaCare has put a cap on your FSA, it’s not without good reason. Here is what was happening:

Americans would put more money into their FSA then they needed. Due to the “use it, or lose it” policy many people were spending their tax free FSA dollars on things they didn’t need. This created wasteful spending and of course if you are spending money you don’t need to spend, on things you don’t need the next result isn’t saving un-taxed dollars it you spending more then if you had just paid the taxes in the first place. It’s a reform to your FSA, that will work in the Average Americans benefit.

QUESTION

My husband is a Neurologist who is starting his own practice. Medicare is being cut so drastically that my husband will no longer be able to afford seeing those patients – which take up the majority of his patient care. With over $100, 000 in student medical school debt and a practice with a new loan, how is it that doctors will be able to afford their own practice?

Some of the tests that my husband runs on his patients are being cut by about 50%. Many of his patients are worried that Obamacare is going to prevent them from seeing good doctors like my husband. It’s true, many doctors are not seeing medicare patients because they just can’t afford too.

When my husband was working for Heart and Family, time after time doctors were turning down seeing Medicare patients because they couldn’t afford to see them.

It is good that Obamacare focuses on preventive care, but the medical treatments need to be paid for as well, otherwise we will all be left with doctors who treat patients with substandard care.

In addition, the hospitals who are said to support Obamacare will have trouble getting doctors who will treat patients who have a plan that doesn’t provide adequate coverage of expenses.

Is there something that we aren’t understanding? How can doctors afford private practice? How will we keep good doctors that want to treat all of their patients, but simply can’t afford to? My husband does not want to turn his patients away and he is very sad that he is forced to decide between paying his bills and treating Medicare patients. How will Obamacare keep good doctors that can treat everyone?

Sincerely,

Cayla M

ANSWER

Some of the reforms under Medicare cut “wasteful spending”. While this works out good for a Medicare recipients in general it does cause extra issues for someone like your husband. Although Obamacare creates more health care jobs and the health care industry as a whole will make more money and held to a higher standard of care not every doctor is going to be able to do things they same way.

Patients will still be able to find the best doctors and be covered for the best services, however depending on the specifics of your husbands practice he may have to reorganize how he goes about treatment and if there is a hole in this part of the system it will be found and repaired. Health reform is a big process, but one of the main focuses is on Medicare and staffing the health care industry with quality professionals.

Here are some areas where health care increases jobs:

NFIB Research Foundation, Jan. 26, 2009: The employer mandate would boost demand for healthcare goods and services, thereby increasing employment in healthcare-related sectors. The number of ambulatory healthcare professionals (physicians, dentists, and other healthcare practitioners) needed will increase by 330,000. An additional 327,000 staff will be required to work in hospitals. Some 157,000 more nurses (net of retirements) will be needed to staff doctors’ offices, outpatient clinics, and other provider locations. And payrolls at insurance companies will expand by 76,000 workers.

QUESTION

I think you have grossly misstated what the CBO and The Heritage Foundation have stated about this bill. Both say it is unethical, unconstitutional, and will cost millions of jobs. You can find the correct facts at the CBO & The Heritage websites who are asking to repeal the bill. As for my experience with ObamaCare…I have lost my job as a health insurance agent.

Dr. Rick S

ANSWER

Thanks Dr. Rick, we are very sorry you lost your job. No one feels good that health care reform may be putting some insurance agents out of work. While the health care companies will restructure and new jobs will be created for the good of everyone, we understand it hurts your paycheck and your family.

We at ObamaCare Facts know you can put your skills to work in the new jobs created in the health care field, new insurance jobs associated with the new health care reform or jobs selling other types of insurance. (my neighbor is in the same boat) Hang in there!

About the CBO report, we focus on just Facts. For this reason we don’t use the Heritage Foundation as a news source since it is a privately funded organization 