When Obamacare passed in 2010 I personally didn't think much of it. Mainly because it really addressed nothing related to the increasing costs of health care and I was already covered.
I consider myself a little more educated in this matter now. I look to the election with only one thing on my mind at the moment. What happens to me and the millions like me if Romney gets in there and manages to repeal Obamacare?
While most of Obama care's mandates don't take effect until 2014, one of the provisions that is currently in effect, the elimination of a lifetime maximum benefit, is of great personal interest. By now, I am well over what had been the $1,000,000 lifetime max benefit on my insurance. So as I see it. Repeal Obamacare = Repeal Joncare.
Look at it this way, health care costs were going up significantly year after year prior to Obamacare. No one can dispute that. So the argument that healthcare costs would go up after Obamacare is both true and political fluff. Costs were going to keep increasing anyway. All the math thrown around to say the costs would be accelerated or whatever seems to be just guess work, unless we now have a means to foretell the future. The full Obamacare provisions are not yet in effect anyway so analyzing costs\benefits impacts is touchy when we're halfway through putting it in place. Consider that since the uninsured aren't even paying yet, there is no income to cover current costs. I'm a bit cynical here but the guys that really get the math\economics behind all this complex stuff are to smart to work in Washington. None of them agree anyway. It's just way to complex.
It comes down to the dollars and cents. Most people with employer provided insurance will be minimally affected. In 2014 people with no insurance have to start being insured. In 2014, the fee is capped at $285 per family, or 1% of income, whichever is greater. By 2016 if you are uninsured your insurance costs are capped at $2,085 per family, or 2.5% of income, whichever is greater. (http://tinyurl.com/cmol6tc) I pay more then that now, but I have good coverage. That is my choice.
Obamacare has started to look to me as more of a good starting point rather then a poor idea. Improvements can be made but isn't better to have somewhere to start from the return to the drawing board. If Romney's message was to replace instead of repeal, he'd probably have my vote. I really don't care for most of Obama's approach to things. But, I can't vote for someone pushing for a repeal with no viable replacement leaving me and my family in limbo while they work it out. Can someone convince me otherwise? I really don't want to vote Obama. I don't trust that either side really cares about us. Our elected officials are covered regardless. It's all about which party wins and which loses. I don't trust that they can make any real progress.
Not an expert, but simply looking out for my family. Anyone want to tell me I am way off base here?
In all likelihood, Romney can't repeal this on Day 1 as he has repeatedly promised he would. The President can't just do that on his own. Instead what will happen would be a lengthy battle that will take years to resolve and will distract from any other real progress that could be made. Isn't that almost as bad\worse?
Does Repeal Obamacare = Repeal Joncare? I don't know... but it's got me (and others like me) worried.
** This message was approved by "The Cure Everyone of Cancer and Everything will be Better" campaign.
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