What was the forum like before lollipop?

[MiiHere]

Perhaps if someone was paying for my health insurance, other than me, which won't happen until I retire in some 40+ years.

[MiiHere]

The ACA allows people who otherwise wouldn't be able to get insurance, be it that their work doesn't offer it, now can pay for it themselves without any government help. Pre-ACA the monthly premium was to be 2x what I pay now, but with everything standardized and there being new companies, it's half the cost, which is something I can afford. I don't quite follow what your monthly premium has to do with what mine is.

[Snn5]

I can't include much more without personal info included:

That's just an extra increase that goes to cover...well, ACA fees and taxes.  It's affordable through subsidies.  I help pay the difference so that the government doesn't lose all the other money I paid in other taxes for other liberal initiatives. 

[MiiHere]

Which to my understanding everyone pays, except those receiving assistance. Though I could be wrong.

[mama23dogs]

The ACA is a mess.  My sister and brother in law were convinced a democratic president and ACA was going to solve their medical insurance woes. 

Instead, my brother in laws employer is using a loophole to screw over his employees. 

They offer 2 plans.  A top of the line HMO, no one can afford, and a bargain basement, high deductable plan.  As long as they offer a plan approved by ACA, employees can't chose a more affordable OBAMA care option.

meanwhile, other couples are legally divorcing, so the wife and kids can go on Medicaid.

AS far as Veterans healthcare, our service people don't get paid enough.  The least we can do is provide adequate medical care for the long run.  As recent as 5 years ago, the VA was still not able to provide what I considered adequate medical care.  A friend of mine, a Korean Vet, was just about dead in a VA hospital.  he lived another 5 years because his daughters got him out of there and into a good hospital.   He was a marvelous man.  It was 5 years his friends and family are grateful for.

[Snn5]

Yes, nothing is ever free or reduced in price laterally.  The money for free stuff comes from somewhere.  Somebody has to pay for what the gov gives away for votes.  I won't say Nov will change anything, but I'm sure most folks are as sick of these past 8 years as the other side was sick of the 8 years previous to those.

[MiiHere]

That's when it's time to look for a different job. Or start your own company. It only takes 2 people to start a group insurance plan.

I knew a lawyer that created a group insurance policy for his business so him and his family could have insurance. Just not the employees.

[Tidbits]

It has to do with 1/3 of service men abusing loopholes which brings a lot of backlog.  A lot of them don't deserve what they have.  For example there is a guy who played college football and injured his foot, and he receive 30%...  That's more than what my father gets getting injured during the Korean War.  There's a lot more, but between my father and I(veterans we both are) we seen.  One of the many things that increases costs.

Doesn't matter what president we have.  They do not have the power like we think they do.  Congress and House controls the power.  They both can override a president. 

[Snn5]

Then you have the people who don't know the legal loopholes and get taken advantage of.  If it was fair and affordable, it wouldn't be an in-the-know type situation nor unaffordable.

[Khines5705]

I have to disagree with you a little there Tidbits, although there are some veterans that may be scamming the system I do not believe it is as high as 1/3 of them. Maybe if you saw things from my perspective as a former homeless veteran. I have seen, and know, way too many veterans that are barely scraping by. I will use myself as an example. I have no cable TV, no internet, no frills like that. I am lucky to have a neighbor let me tap into his wifi for my dinosaur of a computer that was a gift from years ago. My phone is my one luxury item but I'm hitting that Daily Deal like clockwork at 2 every day for those Verizon gift cards to offset the cost of my phone. I can tell you that way too many of my meals on a daily basis consist of a can of pork and beans or a ramen noodle soup. MANY of my veteran friends are surviving the same as me. I make just enough money to pay my bills, which is great, but that means I'm just above the level to qualify for food stamps. I am a war veteran and I have an honorable discharge. I do not feel bad at all about receiving my medical care for free from the VA, I feel I earned it, especially since my health issues are related to my active service. (They still do not provide dental care though which we also need)

I guess my point is this, please do not arbitrarily throw out figures like 1/3 of vets scamming the system when nobody knows everyone's personal story. Like the guy that injured his foot playing college football. Maybe that's all he is willing to tell people. He may have injuries and disabilities that aren't visible or he wishes not to share. Lots of people can't tell just by looking at me that I have a spinal cord stimulator implanted in my back to help me cope with my chronic pain, nor do I want to tell every person I see.

I do thank you and your father both for your service. Semper Fidelis