[!@#$%!]

Well, shit, say what you want about hopey changey, and all the disappointments that politics brings on a daily basis, but one big thing that stands the test of time today is Obamacare, which is now the law of the land for good, it seems. Looks like we're firmly in civilized nation territory now. Major achievement & legacy or Mr. O. & the democrats before the Koch baggers took over congress.

[tw2113]

I'd be happy if everyone just stopped saying it's free.

[!@#$%!]

it's not free but it's for everyone, just like the interstate highway system

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Originally Posted by tw2113

I'd be happy if everyone just stopped saying it's free.

Who said it was free exactly?

[tw2113]

Originally Posted by SuchFriendsAreDangerous

Who said it was free exactly?

Majority of society when they talk about it. "Free healthcare for all!"

[!@#$%!]

Originally Posted by tw2113

Majority of society when they talk about it. "Free healthcare for all!"

that's a nice dream but the reality is everybody is paying for their plans so at this point it should be clear to all that insurance costs money. there is also a choice of plans-- bronze, silver, etc-- and the higher you go the more it costs.

what some people get to varying degrees is a subsidy to help pay for their premiums, and everyone who gets it is very conscious of it as well because they have to qualify.

however, yes, there has been an expansion of medicaid for the poorest people and that i suppose may appear as "free" to some but it's better than people dying under a bridge or in the middle of the street or trying to patch themselves up from a mortal wound with duct tape.

there are also high risk pools for people who would have been denied in the past because they have such "preexisting conditions" as having been born with a heart defect or old wounds from accidents and what not.

best of all is now we are all free to leave our tedious jobs and start a business because anybody can get health insurance. to those who moan their praises about the "job creators" this should be a great boon-- now more people can be job creators.

[tw2113]

Now to reform small business processes and make it easier to do so. Get rid of red tape.

[Toilet & Bowels]

There are 3 things that stop me wanting to move to the states: muderous police cops, only 10 days off work/year, and no national health service. As someone who has grown up in a country with a national health service Obamacare seems almost barbaric, but I guess it's better than what you had before, which truly was barbaric.

[gmku]

There's national health insurance. It's called Blue Cross Blue Shield.

[ilduclo]

I have the O care and it's fairly poor,but cheaper than an identical plan would have been before the law passed. PLUS it allowed me to finally quit my job, since health insurance was about all I was really working for back then. One of the nice results of the plan has been the removal of financial fear that ill health brings to the US, and the reduction of medical bankruptcy. 2 bad things about the act are the retention of high profit medical insurance companies and hospitals and the insanely high doctors salaries here.

[SuchFriendsAreDangerous]

Originally Posted by tw2113

Majority of society when they talk about it. "Free healthcare for all!"

I haven't heard that, if anything the opposite everyone seems to bitch and moan about the costs

[rebeccagotcursedout]

Originally Posted by Toilet & Bowels

There are 3 things that stop me wanting to move to the states: muderous police cops, only 10 days off work/year, and no national health service. As someone who has grown up in a country with a national health service Obamacare seems almost barbaric, but I guess it's better than what you had before, which truly was barbaric.

lol. those should be least of yr worries. whitebread educated male right?

whatever happen to an old school patch job and looking out for one's own self, staying off the grid?

[gmku]

This and the gay marriage decision are huge victories, of course. I'm worried about backlash, however, especially in face of incredible smugness.