Norma Brown - July 10, 2012

I have a blood-clotting disorder that requires I take blood thinners; I’ve had two cerebral bleeds, the last one leading to an emergency craniotomy in Moscow, Russia. They were both attributable to the coumadin I was taking. Now I have a fantastic doctor in Florida, both my internist and cardiovascular specialist, and he has turned my health situation around. He may leave the practice of medicine now that this law stands. That will leave me where I was before, with a whole handful of doctors, none of whom could grasp my situation or properly treat it. This law is criminal, and a criminal invasion of privacy.

Ellen - July 10, 2012

I’m a teacher. Our master agreement says the district will provide a certain level of health insurance that is either what we already have or substantially the same as what we have. What would prevent all school districts from saying no more insurance coverage you can now go to Obamacare?

John Clark - July 10, 2012

My health insurance premiums (and my wife’s) has increased from $389.00 per month to $956.00 per month under this idiot president and congress. I can’t wait to see how high it goes until I cannot afford it. I am almost there. This has to be repealed and the insurance companies need to drop the damn premiums back to what they were before we went on this journey to nowhere! I am sick of the politicians “ruining” and running this country!!!!!!!

Ted George - July 10, 2012

I am a 79 year old retired military, I have tricare for life. I did not see anything in this article about tricar for life. Just wondering what will happen to us military retirees.

Dave - July 10, 2012

Obamacare has already impacted me. My monthly premium doubled between 2010 and 2011. My (ex)employer notified me that in order for them to qualify for subsidies included in Obamacare, they are required to have me pay 20% of the premium cost. I had been paying 10 – 11%.
Recall how Obama screamed about Walker (gov of WI) wanting unions to pay 12% of their health insurance cost.
Do as I say not as I do.

John R. Ashburn, Jr. - July 10, 2012

I am 74 yearsd old, retired, and on Medicare. I have Medicare supplemental insurance that I pay for out of my Social Security checks and savings (all of which has been taxed). Although Obamacare is not yet fully implemented, the annual premium for my Medicare supplemental insurance was increased almost 20% this year. I may have to consider letting it lapse.

Also, I am on my third primary care physian since the law passed Congress. The first doctor that I had been seeing for over 18 years left his practice to go into hospital administration. He arranged for an associate to take me on as a patient. This arrangement only lasted for about 10 months and the new doctor, who was nearing retirement age, suddenly developed “medical problems” of his own and retired early. My third doctor is in his 50′s and is not tipping his hand, but I suppect I may be searching for another new doctor soon.

Notwithstanding that anything can be improved, we had the best medical care system in the world before Obamacare. Otherwise, why would so many third world leaders travel to the the United States when they need advanced medical care. The [Not So] Affordable Health Care Act provides little improvement to the system, but does do great damage. We must not let the Obama Administration and Liberal politicians destroy this great system and chase all the accomplished medical specialists out of medicine.

phyllis talmadge - July 10, 2012

At my age,I expect to be cut off from the fine health care I have had in the past.
A few years ago my friend’s mother who lived in Sweden broke her leg,” socialized medicine” provided a rolling chair and told her she could be seen by a bone Dr in three months.
I don’t think I will be given that much help with Obamacare.

Tony Lambros - July 10, 2012

Obama Care is very simple. It’s the loss of freedom. Health care has historically been an individual’s right to choose to go to a doctor or not, to get treatment or not, to take medications or not, to have surgery or not, etc. Now you’ll be taxed even if you don’t want Obama care.Socialism is the absence of freedom, that’s Obama Care.

Thomas J Clarke - July 10, 2012

I own and operate National franchised restaurants. And Obamacare will really hurt my workers… There will be a big shift to part time workers to limit costs. (Think Hawaii) Also, Since many restaurants are family owned with less than 50 employees we will be at a competitive disadvantage. So we already have a plan to eliminate expensive middle managers as dollars will be shifted from wages to benefits.

Linda B. - July 10, 2012

I was under the impression that there were many “special interest groups” that were excluded from Obamacare, ie unions & Muslims. Is this not true?

Debbie - July 10, 2012

For now I’m going to assume that none of my doctors will leave their practices — perhaps a large assumption. I see my premiums going up to the point that I can no longer afford them versus paying the “tax” and wondering what I do about accessing healthcare. Hopefully, I’ll survive; but I am less sure of my husband being able to do that. It is impossible for me to believe that our “fearless leaders” do not know that as well, and I wonder whether this is a large scale “population control” program.

Frank Kreutzer - July 10, 2012

Obamacare is about not only abour health, but the take over of our economy. Socialism and or Communism.
The progressives knew they had a narrow time frame having both the Senate and the House and they were successful in raming it through.

Katherine - July 10, 2012

Since Obama became President, my health insurance has gone up. NOT down. Up $200.00. more!
I can’t!!!!

Janice Bennett - July 10, 2012

My primary care physician is seriously considering retiring if Obamacare is not repealed. I am 61, disabled, and have numerous health problems that are pretty complicated so I have a lot of specialists I see. I do NOT trust the government with my health. I, like Norma Brown, also am on Coumadin because I have had 2 pulmonary embolisms. It must be monitored weekly because they can’t get the levels stabilized. I have had brain surgery for tangled blood vessels. I also have A-fib and tachycardia, have severe memory problems starting, have low blood pressure, dizziness & shortness of breath, am hypothyroid, am in constant pain, and a host of other things. BLUE CROSS/BLUE SHIELD cover me very nicely, but will the school district my husband works for drop their coverage and opt for something cheaper? I hear it’s a real possibility. THIS IS A NIGHTMARE.

Marti - July 10, 2012

My husband and I will be 64 this year and we fear for our lives as we age. I think it’s inevitable that the care for the elderly will greatly diminish and then maybe an earlier and even painful death that didn’t have to be.
The thing that gets me is AARP was for obamacare and it represents Seniors. They are a joke. When my husband I learned their liberal views, we cancelled our membership. They’re excited about the $ they will make from being one of the approved insurance companies. They are disgusting and an example of many of our leaders – they are only thinking about themselves. It’s a shame politics has sunk to this level.

kay depoy - July 10, 2012

My company provide coverage is already being threatened by the big increases the insurance companies pushed thru before the deadline for them having to ‘justify’ an increase under Obamacare. My deductible has also doubled.

Robert Sayes - July 10, 2012

Wonder what the Nanny State will do once my lawn business is shut down by all of these taxes. My clients increased when President Bush pushed through the tax cuts. No need to guess what will happen to my once the cuts are gone and everyone has to pay through the nose for Obamacare. I either pay insurance or a fine. What if I can’t do either? This cannot stand! we must repeal Obamacare and get our government out of our lives.

Kimery - July 10, 2012

I chose not to use traditional doctors for my health care needs. Now I will be forced to buy health insurance that isn’t usable with alternative medical practitioners. Of course, how long will it be before the government will not allow the use of alternative medical practitioners?

Dennis Fink - July 10, 2012

I am a small business owner struggling to grow in a new business averse environment. How do I plan hiring expenses until the full costs of this plan are evident. Why would I risk hiring until I know this answer. This is compounded by the threat of increased taxes beyond Obamacare.

Judith Weiss - July 10, 2012

My husband and I have Medicare Advantage so there is a good chance we will loose this coverage. We could very well face the possibililty of being put on a Death List at some point. I understand that when one reaches the age of 75 they are referred to as a “unit” in the Obamacare legislation. I also wonder how many poeple are aware that one of 21 new taxes is a 3.8% tax on the sale of one’s home. This is due to take affect in 2013.
I agree with Norma who states that this law is criminal.

kathleen hurley - July 10, 2012

The abouve concerns are very important, but what is very important is the RFID that is to be implanted in evey individual, (optional of course). This was a rider burried in Section 2521 of the health care bill which was passed by Congress in 2010. And while everyone will have to pay the tax, health care still can be denied if you do not have the RFID implant either in the wrist or fore head. I had to find out this info from reading the book Battle Hymn by John Scura and Dane Phillips. Can any body knowledagble in the Health Care bill prove thet the RfID is false?

Donna Kellerman - July 10, 2012

I am an American citizen living in Canada. My husband had non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma 25 years ago. Before giving us any treatment which was nearly impossible to get, we were interviewed by the Canadian cancer doctor. My husband and I were both asked, “What kind of work do you do, where do you work, how much money do you earn, what is your level of education, do you own a house, what is the mortgage, how many cars do you have, do you have car loans, how many children do you have, what are their ages, how much money do you have in your bank accounts?” etc. etc. etc. You wouldn’t think this kind of information would be necessary when a doctor has told you you’re going to die in 3 months. But this is the information the cancer doctor wanted before he examined my husband. We were very lucky and he survived. We have since spent over 200,000 out-of-pocket after-tax dollars to get care in the U.S. for major back surgery, 3 ankle surgeries, 2 knee surgeries, wrist surgery, a colonoscopy, etc. Thank you to all the doctors in the U.S. that have given my family and I excellent care. In February, I was involved in a ski accident and went to the hospital on a backboard. They thought I was going to be paralyzed. I was denied MRIs ordered by my general practitioner. My GP is thinking of quitting. After 5 months, I am still awaiting care. My GP is today reordering the MRIs, but has told me they will most likely be denied again. I would have left Canada for the U.S. but have mobility problems from my injuries. I pay over $100,000 annually in taxes supposedly for socialized medicine, but am denied any care by some bureaucratic pencil pusher. I have had to realize that my taxes are not for my healthcare but for someone else’s. You would think that if the Canadian healthcare system were so great, we would just keep our money. There are death panels in Canada.

Jenn - July 10, 2012

I have been working as a tax preparer for the last 23 years. i am getting out of the field. i will find a way to eat, but I cannot participate in the enforcement of this unconstitutional mandate. To add insult to injury, all tax preparers, no matter their time working in the field must either be a CPA, an attorney, or pass a test to become an Enrolled Agent, then pay a fee to be Allowed to continue working in your field. I am a CPA. It is wrong. I cannot even hire data input clerks who haven’t taken and passed this test. So stupid. Who can afford to stay in business?

Steven Distelrath - July 10, 2012

It will effect quality of healthcare as it has in countries like Denmark. You can’t have one size fits all for healthcare because everyone has different health needs. Stop Government from it’s attempt to enslave us all to pay for it’s profligacy, force Government to be responsible for the debt and not look for corrupt ways to pass it on to its citizens.

Watchman48 - July 10, 2012

I haven’t had any health insurance since Oct. ’09. My trust is entirely upon my LORD, Christ Jesus for my health.
I have had better health in the last 3 years than the previous 60 years.

Sally Vose - July 10, 2012

Losing my Medicare Advantage and the probability that my doctor will retire within the next two years, are adding undue stress at a time in my life when I thought life should settle down. I may have to consider returning to the work force (but who will hire an old lady or who will have jobs available).

Greg Rumsey - July 10, 2012

I’m counting on the GOP to stop this madness of Obama and his henchmen. I work in the coal mines of Wyoming and I’m afraid I’m not gonna have a job if he becomes president again. Please stop him and save over 1300 jobs in Wyoming. If we loose the coal mines in Wyoming do you realize that 2 out of 6 people depend or there job is coal mine related? And this health care that is gonna go into affect is gonna destroy the American economy and our young kids future. Please Help!!

Chris Sherry - July 10, 2012

I can not afford insurance. I live paycheck to paycheck and if I am forced to have this insurance, what am I to give up? If I don’t get insurance I am to pay a penalty… Yes this is a penalty not a tax. If someone has insurance they are not taxed. If another doesn’t have insurance they are taxed…. Sorry, it is a penalty not a tax! Either way I am screwed. I think I would be better off being an illegal with all their benifits! They have it better than the citizens.

Charles - July 10, 2012

My concern is where are the doctors going to come from. Right now, in some cases the wait to see a internist or a specialist is 2 weeks to 6 months or more. If you add millions of patients without first increasing the number of doctors, the wait maybe 2 years. The premiums are already increasing and the number of doctors is dwindling because they see that they will only provide triage rather than providing real medical care. This has been forced on us, isn’t it time to say enough and vote the people out that started this in first place.

Robert E. Black - July 10, 2012

It will effect me fatally! I am 85 years old and the death panel bureaucrats formed by Obamacare “Lack of Care” for we oldies will quickly seal my fate. Sad sad day for America
when my doctor and my family are not allowed to be heard on this very very personal matter. However, we should not be surprised by this coming from an Administration that believes end of life by abortion is okay also. We collectively must put an end to this ObamaCare madness come November 6, 2012!

Tom Ticer - July 10, 2012

My wife and I are on a Medicare Advantage program that is superior to many of the HMO and PPO insurance coverages that we had in past years. We really don’t want to lose it.

Dr. Chris Albritton - July 10, 2012

I am a Podiatric Physician who works 68-72 hours per week seeing patients in the office and hospital.

The day after the Supreme Court upheld Obamacare, I made the decision to no longer take any Medicaid patients…period.

Medicaid used to pay me 30 cents on the dollar.

Thanks to Obamacare, they “reimburse” me less than that now.

Most docs have an overhead of 45-60%.
Mine is 57%.

Thus, I’ve been losing money on every Medicaid patient I’ve seen over the past 10-20 years.

I keep asking my patients, employees, and others if they would continue to work for their employer if their paycheck was cut to only 30% of their normal salary.

I ask my retired patients how will they be able to live when their SS payments, or their disability payments are cut to 30% of what they have recently been receiving.

It won’t be long before the same cuts hit Medicare patients.

Currently, less than 8% of the docs here in my town take Medicaid…and others are considering stopping accepting new Medicare patients.

It won’t be long, and Medicare and Medicaid patients (ie, government funded health care plans) WILL NOT BE ABLE TO FIND DOCTORS who are willing to take them on as patients.

What good is having “health insurance” if you can’t find a doctor who will accept your health plan?

Brilliant plan, huh ?

Rhonda - July 10, 2012

If this Obamacare or now the Obamataxes goes through I as a disabled senior citizen with a handicapped daughter will be thrown under the bus. We will not get treatment for our illness, our Medicare Advantage will be cut $500,Million and most of us will be deleted off the Insurance all together and the Illegal Immigrants will get our insurance, jobs, and everything else that Obama wants them to have. They are already getting Unemployment benefits and they are major and for what? The Obama evil gang could take our house away for us and sell to someone that might want to build something on our land. Obama, Pelosi, Reid, are so corrupt that they would thrown their grandmother over a cliff. We won’t have money for our meds or have surgery if we need it. There is a person in Tennessee that was on Dialysis and Obamacare put a stop to that and this person is getting no treatment and now she has gone home to die. Just because these evil corrupt gang has already started taking our medical insurance away from us. I saw on TV that 59% out of 89% of the Obamacare is already in effect and we have got to get all this crap out of our lives. We have got to get these evil corrupt people out of the WH in order for us to get the Obamataxes shredded and never want to have someone like we just had in the WH. These evil corrupt people have got to be deported and not ever let them back into the US. We are going to be in a world of hurt if this Obamataxes take effect. Everybody needs to call the WH and hound Obama to death about the Obamataxes. The American people want all of these evil people out of the WH Immediately.

D.Tyner Brown - July 10, 2012

The Affordable Care Act is neither affordable nor designed to care: it’s design to ration health care and impose price controls to keep costs low. The elderly will not get “care” because they do not have an economic life expectancy to justify the cost. At 85 would I have warranted an open heart 5 bypass operation? No way!

jack parry - July 10, 2012

The ACA creates “accountable care organizations” that are remakes of PPO and force managed care on a national level. Medical teams are developed, lead by the PCP, to provide “an affordable continuum of care”. Members will be prospectively ASSIGNED. The goal os to ramp down costs through a profit sharing scheme realized as the medical team achieves savings goals and keeps 50% of the savings. Reminiscent of HMO which underutilized care in order to pocket the savings differential. As a private practice physical therapist, I will be driven out of business because PCPs will defer to the hospital’s physical therapy practice (who own them), for all of the physical therapy services needed in the community. In the end the small guy will be pinched out of the scene and out of business.

Josh Watson - July 10, 2012

I am an active duty physician in the US Army. My wife is civilian physician, but she is currently staying at home with our young children. She is unlikely to re-enter the health care profession, due in part to Obamacare. We believe the ultimate goal of this bill is to mortally wound our health care system in hopes of leading to a government-run single-payer system. We believe this because many Democrats, including Obama, have publicly stated in the past that a single-payer system is their ultimate goal. Also, there is nothing in the bill that improves our health care system or bends the cost curve in any substantial way. Instead, this bill erodes individual liberty, expands Medicaid, plunders Medicare, decreases available insurance options, and places more restrictions on health insurance providers. Also, consider the following: The ACA was comprised of over 2700 pages (most of which went unread by those who voted for it). So far, over 13,000 pages of regulations have been written to administer it, and (supposedly) around 16,000 IRS agents are going to be hired to enforce it. Yet, how many physicians will be added to our system as result of this bill? Answer: None. Instead, we are likely to have a net loss of physicians because of this bill.

Charmaine Cooper - July 10, 2012

So, the Government now owns banks, auto makers, our decisions and now our lives!?

Pamela Lee - July 10, 2012

Did not the govenor of FL announce his un-willingness to innplet Obamacare? What would happen if everybody announced same?- peaceably – how CAN we keep paying more?
How many would ‘go to jail’ before the jail were full?

Military covered by Tri-care et al affected in that, like other insurances, primiums would go up.

VIRGINIA WILSON - July 11, 2012

I am a 75 year old widow with very little money. We all know that Obama wants seniors and babies gone so we know he does not care if we even have health care. Of course, we are his lowly subjects and he and his family and all of Congress are exempt from this monstrosity. This man is a horrible person and we MUST get HIM gone!!!!! How did we end up with this illegal traitor-in-chief
in our precious White House? He thinks he is God but God will give him a wake-up call one day and it cannot come too soon for me.
How does he expect families to keep children on their plan until they are 26 when they have no job? This person is a real piece of work. They cannot even put food on the table and yet he wants to “fine” them if they have no healthcare insurance. He is outright CRAZY!!!!! GET HIM GONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Joann Aldridge - July 11, 2012

As a senior, I will be affected by losing doctors as a result of Obamacare and probably losing my Medicare and Drug supplements provided by my Company(which I cost share) since they won’t receive tax advantages for retiree insurance benefits.
Also, part of my income is derived from investments which will have increased capital gains taxes.
I will pay more & receive much less health care. I’m a 35 Yr. healthy “Ovarian Cancer Survivor”

Bruce h - July 11, 2012

I’m an ER doc and have watched as the uninsured have steadily increased the volume in EDs in the several states I have worked in. Obamacare will not solve this. The # of uninsured will increase as employers drop coverage and as doctors decide it is less expensive to drop medicare patients and see paying/insured patients, even more will come to the EDs. I’ve already moved from a busy ED to a more rural one in anticipation of the coming tax increases (to get me below the “target” income level, and like many of my peers, am very likely to leave the practice in the next couple of years (at least in this country) because I am tired of government interference trying to tell me how I should treat my patients. My apologies to the patient population, but if you know me, you know I’ll still take care of you, but Big Brother won’t get his cut.

Ray Cory - July 11, 2012

As a business owner and employer, I made my position as clear as possible to my congressman and senators prior to the passage of the Affordable Care Act. Simply put, in the event that this legislation is implemented as planned I intend to close my business and let my employees go. I WILL NOT BE EXTORTED BY MY OWN GOVERNMENT. Period, end of discussion.

Terrence McBroom - July 11, 2012

I won’t go into the details of our particular situation BUT seniors be very afraid, the tangled web of rules and regulations that is being woven into the health care system is specifically targeted at you (us). It is blatantly designed to redirect medical resources away from our age group regardless of the fact that virtually all of us have paid into the M/C system since it was enacted in 1965. If what has transpired over the last 3-1/2 years doesn’t motivate the reported 30%+ of registered conservative voters who sat on their @$$%$ in 11/07 to vote in 11/11 then we should all be prepared to wheeze, wobble and/or choke to death on more “Hope and Change”.

Lorraine Nobles - July 11, 2012

I have a niece who is a nurse in Oregon. She lost her job – a total of 75 nurses were let go – the reason – the hospitals needed to hire 75 administrators in their place to start putting in place Obamacare. This involved just four hospitals. This is only one small area in the United States. Can you imagine what is happening all over the country? This is going to destroy health care in America. So much for improving health care. Also did you hear the neurosurgeon call in to the Mark Levin show. He was returning from a conference for neurosurgeons where they were updated on rules under Obamacare. They were told that seniors 70 years and older had to go before an ethics panel of bureaucrats to decide it they could get treatment – and they were to be given “comfort” treatment – how will that work for someone in emergency needed treatment for a stroke or aneurism? Did someone say “death panels”?

Robert Auten - July 11, 2012

I’m a health insurance agent who has already lost 1/3 of my book of business to Obamacare. I’m a senior and know Medicare will be rationed within 3-4 years. Increased taxes will further erode my income. All of these things to “insure” 10 million uninsureds. DUH!

James Talerico - July 11, 2012

Why is there so little mention of the other tax negatives of ObamaCare? For example, it imposes what amounts to a sales tax on the sale of a home (gain or loss), which effectively to that extent negates the current tax provisions about rolling over gains into new houses or the one time exclusion for older Americans who are downsizing as part of retirement. Another example is the tax on capital gains. These taxes will negatively affect the housing market, which is already depressed, and cut into the retirement savings of everyone who depends upon investments to save for their retirement and thus give – yet again – the lie to Obama’s pious pronouncements that he is taxing only “the rich”.

C. Sala - July 11, 2012

Here is a very big question: HOW WILL OBAMACARE IMPACT THE LEGISLATORS WHO FORCED IT ON US? Will members of Congress be subject to the same conditions/rules/fines, etc., as the rest of Americans?

Kathleen McCollum - July 11, 2012

Can someone tell me what the law says about a state setting up exchanges? Georgia is insisting that it has to set them. I don’t think they do, I think there is a choice. I have also read thar if a state doesn’t set them up the Feds will, but there was no money allocated for the Feds to do this, therefore they can’t without more legislation. I think Georgians can be protected from ‘o’ tax if they will just not set up exchanges, sec. State says I’m wrong. Am I?

Eric Hagemeister - July 11, 2012

In anticipation of the wide-sweeping changes of Obamacare, my employer reduced our coverage options in Texas to where we had only one choice of medical provider (with either an HRA or HSA option) and in turn one prescription drug provider, increased our premiums, and restricted coverage with an immediate increase in our out of pocket costs of approximately $1,800 in 2012. And that was before full implementation of the program. This is nothing more than bigger government fueled by increased taxes that will complete the process of putting this country into bankruptcy.

Dr. Henry D. Sinopoli - July 11, 2012

Did you see all the life-long politicians smiling in the picture…The only ones missing are the lifer Republicans. Obama care is here to stay…it’s too big a revenue stream for the poliicians ever to give up. They don’t have to participate…it’s here…that’s how it will impact me…

Stephen Jones - July 11, 2012

I haven’t looked at the healthcare requirements in hopes that it would get thrown out. Since it appears that without a complete change over in the government, we will have to deal with this. I would like to find the information as to exactly what I will have to do when it goes into effect.

Questions:
1. When do I have to meet requirements?
2. What is required of the coverage?
3. Does my HSA plan meet the requirement?
4. What contribution do I have to make toward the cost to comply?
5. Can I just cover the required percentage of employee cost or do I have to participate in the cost of family coverage?
6. What is the penalty if I drop all coverage?
7. Can I provide coverage to some employees and not others and just pay the fine/tax for those that I do not cover?
8. I read that there are no penalties for not paying the fine or tax and that there are no provisions in the law to force collection. Is it a viable choice just to ignore it and do nothing?
9. I have different corporations, can I do something different in each corporation?

If there is a paper or web page that provides these answers let me know where it is. Everything I have seen just glosses over the details.

Robert Hansen - July 11, 2012

I have had 5 business, 4 are good 1 is bad. All but one are sold. I have developed 23 properties, still have some. I have stopped everything and have moved to protection. All indications show morally, economicly and politically are all being distroyed and Americal is on a serious down hill slide to extinction. The integraty of the government is no were to be found and no changes are being made so the future is written on the wall. But few will view until the end is the near.

jane miller - July 11, 2012

Obamacare–call us when you are shovel ready!!

Dennis Smith - July 12, 2012

Of course the ACA will affect me! The scariest part is the rationing: Unless you are very wealthy, all healthcare must be rationed. Few can afford unlimited care. The question might be: Who do I want rationing that care? A government entity relying on taxes, mandates and bureaucracy, or private companies that succeed by making me satisfied with the value I receive for money spent?

And ultimately, I want to control who I pay, how much I pay, and what I’m willing to accept in return.

Paula Piltz - July 12, 2012

We have gone to a high deductable to keep our share of monthly premiums down but the co-pay has doubled. We put $ into a FSA to at least keep from paying taxes on it. I have a feeling that costs are going to continue to sky rocket! FYI…our local university rep. was speaking to the fact that students have been dropping health care coverage through the university because it went from $60+ per year to over $2,000. Way to go Obama & friends!!!

Mary Jane Casablanca - July 14, 2012

My husband and I are in our 70′s and compelled to be enrolled in Medicare. Prior to our retirement we were self-insured and always could afford to pay for our medical care as we needed it. Now we are enrolled in an Advantage plan which we like, but now the government will take it away from us as well as doubling our monthly premiums. This means we will be paying more for less and will lose our current plan, and probably our current doctors. This is certainly not an improvement and we want Obamacare fully repealed and replaced with common sense solutions.

Jerry Wynn - July 16, 2012

I think the bigger issue is that we really don’t know the extent to which Obamacare will affect anyone. I have been told I need a hip replacement and it can be scheduled whenever I can no longer handle the pain. The question then arises, if I delay until Obamacare is fully implemented with it’s egregous regulation and myriad of commitees and panels approving or disapproving procedures, will I still be able to get approval for surgery at near age 70, or have I become expendable??

George Herrmann - July 20, 2012

Either way it will cost my wife and me more, but at least we would receive better care without “Obamacare.”

Sharon - July 21, 2012

We are a small franchise business with 8 locations. We have approx. 70 employees. We have to do a lot of volume to make a living. There is no question that we will be unable to afford health insurance. If i have to pay a $2000 penalty on these employees, that’s $168000. There goes my profit. So we will go in the hole. No more locations, no more hiring, less employees, worse service. Will customers understand this? I think not. Be afraid, very afraid.

reichard kozlowski - July 23, 2012

I cannot be certain that the plan was not developed before this legislation was passed but the firm I retired from has announced that it will dissove it’s retiree medical plan in 2014.

Victress Jenkins - August 6, 2012

As a person over 65, I am concerned about the alleged “death Panels” which will affect not just the elderly but eventually the handicapped, the chronically ill [young & old], premiture babies, etc. I’m blessed right now with good health but I fear for my friends who might not have such health. With medicare getting cut, that’s going to be alot of pain for many especially if their prescriptions are denied. [Will it include eye drops for a glaucoma patient or insulin for a diabetic?] Get rid of this “noose”!

D. Sanders - September 15, 2012

I can’t help but feel the majority of people here are misinformed and even brainwashed. ObamaCare intends to increase payments to doctors accepting Medicaid patients, to the level of Medicare payments, and this will lead to more doctors serving these patients, not less. What’s more, in my own case, I’ve seen my health insurance costs come down under ObamaCare, since my insurance company must spend at least 80% on health services. I got a good-sized rebate check in the mail (to my surprise and delight). What’s more, my doctor continues to see me regularly, continues to provide excellent care, spends considerable time and advises me in detail on disease prevention. My health has never been better. Years ago, my doctor decided to focus on Medicare and Medicaid patients, ending his dealings with insurance companies. Why? Because he had to fight them and wait months to get paid. Before my doctor switched to this method, he would tell me regarding a test — if you pay cash, the test is $45, if you run it through your insurance company, it’s $175. In one instance, I needed a procedure that cost $3,000, the same procedure through the insurance company was $14,000. Mistakenly, I opted to go through the insurance company to save a little money, but then my insurance company immediately raised my rates, so that it took just a few months to eat up my savings and then I had to pay more every month. My doctor later told me after fighting the insurance company for 10 months, he settled for $7,000. Think of the waste in that system? Finally, I made it to Medicare, and my care has been excellent under ObamaCare. There has been no decline in my care; in fact, I’d say it’s better. ObamaCare has been very good for me and my wife. Our rates are lower now, and the care is better. In fact, my wife’s rates will likely come down further in 2014, as she is self-employed. She’s also happy to feel protected against insurance company abuses. Finally, let me say that if ObamaCare ultimately fails to lower costs for everybody, then the only solution will be to have Medicare for all, an excellent solution that will get the real death panels out of our lives — the insurance companies. My doctor agrees this is a good solution. If your doctor doesn’t, maybe find a new one. And here’s another tip — look into prevention. For most people, there is no good reason to have arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and numerous other ailments. Bad foods, bad drugs, and environmental toxins are making you sick. In closing, consider that American food manufacturers, numerous industries, AMA doctors, and insurance companies DO NOT have your best health interests in mind. There’s big money in keeping you sick. Think for yourself and don’t be misled by the propaganda.

Kate - October 19, 2012

My health insurance has gone up twice in 2 years under obamacare! I thought he said, ‘our insurance premiums would not increase?’. My deductible went up to 8,000 from 2,000. I hope we can repeal Obama no care.

Mogli - October 20, 2012

I have been reading through the comments, and I do not see any from people in my position, so here it is…
I am a single mother, who works two jobs. My first job is a full time position in a very small family owned business. They pay me fairly well, and are very good people. My second job, is handcrafting items to sell at craft fairs, not a large income, though it helps. My first job, barely pays for our rent, food, clothing and utilities, even though they pay me well. I make and sell the handcrafted items, to afford a portion of the tuition for my daughter to attend an advanced academic/performing arts school. We have never had health insurance. I pay for their medical care, and we practice prevention in the form of healthy living. To be straight, I pay about 400.00 per month, for my daughter’s schooling, and health insurance…if we were to find a policy which has a low enough deductible or copay where it would actually cover the few times a year we see doctors…would cost me a minimum of 600.00 per month. If Obama care is not stopped, my daughter would have to give up her schooling, and then we can pick one…give up clothing? Food? We have no car, there is no way to cut corners to come up with the money for it…and we do not even go to the doctors. We would be giving up these basic things, to pay an insurance that we do not even use. As it is right now, we pay 500.00 per YEAR, by directly paying for our health care. I work very very hard, to give my children a chance to become who they dream of, to get good schooling, and live in a place where they do not have to walk in fear. I take no gov assistance…But Obama care will not only wipe out our life that we work so hard for, in the end, it could potentially leave us homeless. I do not see how I can pay the high rates for health insurance, and pay our monthly bills. The scam insurances everyone is popping up with, they offer a low monthly rate, but cover nothing if you read the fine print. Some have up to a 2000.00 deductible, for Each Incident. Those are the insurance plans I could afford without becoming homeless, and being forced onto full time gov assistance. In other words, it would be simply giving away 400.00 per month, my daughter loosing out on schooling, and us still paying for our own doctor visits….I can choose between that, or being homeless. Nice choice, eh?

Ellen - October 22, 2012

1. I want to just vomit when I see doctors make statements about their loss of money seeing Medicaid patients….. no they did not have any such loss …. they agreed to take Medicaid and what it pays.
2. All the health care plans in the world will not work until the fix the rates these doctors and hospitals and drug companies can charge. As stated above, these doctors agree to something and then make statements like they have lost money taking Medicaid patients…. BULL. It is called greed.
3. Are you all aware of what nurses make per hour? Well, I don’t know many people who make what the people in health care make other than maybe an attorney. We can’t have nurses, doctors, hospitals and on and on and expect health insurance to be cheap. After all, they have to pay that nurse 30 dollars and upward an hour to bring you that Tylenol which costs 25 dollars a pill!
4. This is where we are folks… and I have a good feeling this is why the doctors and threatening to quit … because they can’t charge what they want and will not be able to decide if they feel like taking a health care plan or not! It will be reglated and they don’t like that. I see a large number or nurses and others in health care looking for other work when they can’t make those kind of hourly wages.
5. Did you notice that when the economy went south so to speak heath care was being pushed saying that is the feild to get into because there will always be a need to see a doctor, nurse, and hospitals. Now that that has taken off the bottom is going to fall out of that …. WAIT AND WATCH…. IT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW WITH THIS OBAMA CARE CRAP. They will feel the crunch like everyone else has! This is what it is all about folks…. write this down in your Little Black Book because I am telling you! Wake up and see what is happening! It does not matter if Obama makes it again or Mitt …… health care is going to be slammed very hard.
6. Do I like Obama Care? No. I think it is not a good idea but then again I do believe it is a plan to start to bring down health care and this is the only way to bring it down like the rest of the economy. Health care is huge business and needs to be brought down with the rest of the economy.
7. As it stands health care if for the wealthy now. As you can read on this board no one cares about anyone who does not have health care insurance really…. we all only care about our own health care and insurance and our own needs…. well let me be the first to say welcome to my world when you no longer have or can afford health care insurance!
8. It is going to go back to the time when doctors loved being doctors and it was a calling so to speak… and nurses as well. It has gone way out of control and it is going to be brought down.
9. If you can’t afford insurance do you really think you can afford a tax? That is not what this is all about …. this again is about bring down the health care with the rest of the economy crunch.
10. Stop thinking about only yourself and what you have and don’t have….. stop thinking of these doctors and such as some kind of god…. stop the blame of Obama/Mitt and the insurance companies because without the doctors and hospitals and such our insurance would not be this high. Ultimately it is the fault of health care itself … it has not been regulated enough to keep the costs affordable so that we can afford to buy insurance!

Geoff - November 13, 2012

The wonder is, when the 20-something kids get their hours rolled-back by their employer so they don’t have to give them medical insurance, will the remember that THEY voted for Obama? Will they remember that THEIR Democratic party voted in full-force for this ? As ye reap, so shall ye sow. Look at what happened the last time Government stuck it’s misdirected grubby nose into the free market: we got a housing bubble the blew us into the second great depression. Now, less than a half generation later, they’re at it again. Democrats: you’re killing this country. You have tricked the cool aid drinkers into thinking you are the giver of free money. You’ve sold food stamps to Mexicans still in Mexico for their state-side votes. You’ve committed TREASON. What does it take to light the tender box? I truly believe we’ll be finding out very, very shortly. We once had a chance to get out of this mess…in a reasonable amount of time. But now? Now?? Not only did Democrats and Obamakare KILL that chance at recovery, effectively pushing-back our ticket to “normal” by the first four years, now we have another four years to deal with as well. What makes matters worse is COMPOUND DEBT that will only fester and boil over into a funeral dirge for this country. We are in extremely serious waters my friends. Our Democracy has begun to unravel from within. One party has learned to buy votes by promising money from the treasury. Human nature of the lesser degree is to take that money today, and not worry about it tomorrow. Well guess what…the party is over. What has happened to “We, The People” ?? We’ve been sold-out. Stand up America….stand up. Maybe we have to start another country. Maybe this really IS the end to the Democracy that was once this country.. Let there be no mistake…this country is no longer a functional representative form of government; it is a dictatorship. I’m begging for sparks to fly.

mfitzhill - November 14, 2012

I can’t believe the lies you are perpetuating. You really should be ashamed of yourselves, telling people that this will impact their coverage. this will improve their coverage. For instance, why does mr John Clark think that his premiums going up has anything at all to do with Obamacare, so-called. The premiums go up when our private insurance companies WANT them to go up. I am so sick and tired of the crap you people shoot around. Why don’t you want to help rather than lie.
I’m so sick of you all.

Justin - November 23, 2012

@mfitzhill
So you think everyone on here is lying?

I know people who have been fired from there jobs due to ObamaCare affecting there bosses small business. I know that my health insurance costs have gone up! These are no lies! Maybe you are one of the people who benefits from this ObamaCare but there are tons of people suffering cause of it.

Patty - November 26, 2012

I have several questions, and major concerns about healthcare in 2013 (introduction of Obamacare)

I am a special education teacher and have been working for 20 years in the public school system. I am currently in a healthcare plan (which I might add, am very happy with) which I pay for bi monthly.
Cost of living dictates increase in co pays and medications and other healthcare needs. My co payments have slightly increased and so have some occasional medications I have required. These things are a part of life, and I am lucky to say, I can afford the slight increases. My question is, will there be changes to my healthcare plan (which I pay into)?…

Herman - December 1, 2012

Well you sure have presented the Medical Care Act will emphasis on fears and without explaining other likely outcomes of the bill, including the outcomes intended by the bills authors. So your readership will see your opinions as fact and not consider all viewpoints. You should at least acknowledge that the bill reflects bold new ideas, something that one party has said are needed. Well here it is and your readership should consider that change does inspire fears, but that those fears are rarely the truth. In fact, a GOOD congress would naturally tune up the law over time to the betterment of the citizens. Since we are not served by a congress that will work together, we are not better served.

GM - January 18, 2013

The impact of Obamacare as it applies to me (currently unemployed and reaching ssa age) I am screwed to the max. We are being force fed to eat this new healthcare insurance tax created by our President without any regards to those who do not have any $$$$ to buy any type of health care insurance, government or otherwise. I guess by the time of my death, I will either owe the government a huge amount of $$$$ in penalties or just simply leave this earth with a huge bill owed to the feds.
This obamacare does not do justice to all American citizens…..And I Mean Everyone (children too). I mean not disrespect to our President however this particular issue was just not thought out well to include non government healthcare insurance experts.

Debra - January 26, 2013

We can’t afford insurance. We applied to the state but we are on a waiting list, two years. The budget is full and they aren’t taking any new people. You think they won’t put a lean on my house when one of us needs care? Might as well face it. I think everyone should stop paying stop going just stop. If I have to pay with my life I guess it no less than our forfathers and young soldiers did when they pay the ultimate price for us. But nobody will care except my family.

Bob Raybury - March 19, 2013

Wow, this article is the biggest bunch of baloney ever. Most of it is simply not true. All of you really need to get your facts straight and stop making up silly stories to needlessly scare our seniors. I would imagine most of them have been fictionalized by The Heritage Foundation itself. You should all be ashamed of yourselves.

cindy reed - May 1, 2013

I want to know how and why the government can dictate when we see a doctor,for what reasons, and how they can determine if we have cancer or some other disease that is terminal if we live or die? when did we become a democracy rather than a republic, FREE to make our own decisions?. This is the stupidest thing that can happen from someone who legally isn’t even qualified to be the US President. What’s next? total government take over?