Any primers utilizing the ACA (Obama care)

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This thread is not to debate the law itself but for me to ask if anyone here is signing up, are you giving up a higher cost plan, been released from your employers plan, or have never been insured and now figure it is time. This thread can be used to report how the exchanges are working.
 
I'm curious about this, too. I know one person, a friend from back home in Kansas, who signed up yesterday at the Federal site. Don't know which plan he took, I think he was probably uninsured before that.

We are self-insured at my workplace and use Aetna for administration. Our HR department says no price or plan changes for now.
 
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I have been buying my own insurance and my insurer said no change for me and I don't need to do anything, yet.
 
It's the same exact plan as what has been available in my state (MA) for a few years. Me and my current employees use it, it is lower cost and the coverage seems to be better than what we were paying before.
 
It would be cheaper for me to cut off my employees and pay the penalties than continue paying almost $17k per year per employee (i pay 100% of the cost) but I am still trying to give a tangible benefit to them as part of their package. But it is tempting to cut them all off......
 
It would be cheaper for me to cut off my employees and pay the penalties than continue paying almost $17k per year per employee (i pay 100% of the cost) but I am still trying to give a tangible benefit to them as part of their package. But it is tempting to cut them all off......

So this has me thinking. What tangible benefits would take its place? I know a lot of individuals take jobs precisely for the benefits. With ACA essentially forcing employers to cut their benefit plans out, what is the incentive for individuals to seek out employment other than monetary income, which can be had though unemployment, welfare, medicare, etc??? What benefits can employers offer other than a meager salary for a grueling job??? This of course doesn't apply to all businesses, but to a vast majority of the smaller businesses.

If this is too off topic, feel free to delete. I'm just curious how this is working out on both sides of the fence.
 
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Juice, as an employer it worked out to my benefit. I used to pay for part of my employee's health insurance. When that same insurance became available for less money, we together decided that they would apply and buy on their own as did I, and instead of my paying an insurance company, I simply increased their pay.
 
did you match dollar for dollar?
 
I'm going to look into dropping my group plan and tell my employees who voted for Obama to buy their own insurance. If they want to leave and find a new job, then so be it. They'll start out at a lower salary and won't get as much paid time off. It sucks that I'm going to do this, but I need to be more concerned about the welfare of my family.
 
interesting that we are hearing mostly from employers...I hope to hear from customers to the exchanges.
 
I am in the military so this doesn't apply to me but I did not vote for him or want this law.
 
do you know if every employee chose to get insurance or are some going to pocket your extra $ and pay the fine,and take their chances.
 
do you know if every employee chose to get insurance or are some going to pocket your extra $ and pay the fine,and take their chances.

No they all got on the plan offered by Massachusetts Health. Because there were more options and different kinds of plans, some changed their coverage's and saved some money (as did I)... and pocketed the difference. There was a net savings for everyone.
 
I looked at Covered Ca yesterday and a plan for my family of 3 runs around $600 /mo for silver and a couple hundred more for gold iirc. I suspect it works out to more than I plus my emplyer (federal gov't) pay, but is less than 3 times what i paid about 13 years ago for a self policy when i was on Cobra. YMMV.
Miner
 
I'm keeping my plan until it becomes Unaffordable. After that I'm going to pay The fine for not having any. They cant refuse me if I get Seriously ill. I will not support it with anymore money then they can steal from me. Fingers are crossed for a crash and burn on that law.
 
I have not looked into ACA yet. However, I am self-employed and have been paying for a plan through Anthem BC/BS. About a month ago they informed me that my rates are going up, and the jump is almost 18%. Within the past month I got letters from all of my health care providers, all of whom I have utilized for many years, telling me that they have been in negotiations with Anthem, it doesn't look good, and my insurance will probably not be accepted any more.
Thanks Obama.
Docjohn, what's the take on the ACA within the medical community?
 
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It would be cheaper for me to cut off my employees and pay the penalties than continue paying almost $17k per year per employee (i pay 100% of the cost) but I am still trying to give a tangible benefit to them as part of their package. But it is tempting to cut them all off......

Unless the employees can't do math, it wouldn't work.
Insurance, 401K matching, vacation days. All of this is basically forms of money that they're earning for working.
Everyone would simply leave for a job that pays more(in total). At least the good ones would.

A better idea would be to disclose how much you pay to your employee and let them know of this as a reason to work for you. They do this where I work. I know my base salary and I know how much my company pays in benefits. Our benefits are one of the selling points when trying to attract top talent here.
 
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I'm no burger flipper, but I do work for a pretty large company (monetarily). I am in Oil & Gas and thus far I haven't seen anything stating we are going to have a change in our insurance premiums. Mine will, however, be rising a bit as I have another baby due in Dec.

I will, for as long as possible, avoid the ACA. I didn't want it and I want nothing to do with it. If my company drops our healthcare (Which I HIGHLY doubt the will do, because so many would walk for that reason alone) would I sign up for it? Yes, but only because I worry about the welfare of my children. Beyond that, I would probably first look for a position with another company doing similar work who would provide healthcare via the company.

Whenever the government gets their hands on anything, it goes to hell in a handbasket.
 
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You shouldn't be surprised. Folks who own $50K toys are unlikely to be burger flippers.

you'd be surprised..so many well qualified part time workers,self employed ect.......plus for many the entry point to ownership is 20-30k and many get loans for that.
 
It's amazing to me how little some people understand this. The affordable car act is not some government funded insurance. It is simply some set of rules and regulations on insurance companies. ALL HEALTH INSURANCE has and will continue to be provided through the very same health insurance companies. In my state's case, and my own case, and my employees case, we simply got a little bit better deal through the same damn companies who are now slightly more regulated. That's all.
 
It's amazing to me how little some people understand this. The affordable car act is not some government funded insurance. It is simply some set of rules and regulations on insurance companies. ALL HEALTH INSURANCE has and will continue to be provided through the very same health insurance companies. .... That's all.

But it does give employers like me incentive to cut out providing health insurance since it would be available to my employees on their own. It would save me a lot of money and I would have no problem in this econonmy replacing current employees with the same caliber, if not better, for less money since there are quite a few people looking for work (at least in my area). I choose not to screw over my employees by doing so but admittedly I would love to pocket that money. Every October I need to sign a new contract for health coverage with premiums going up and benefits being reduced. I just took another 18% hit and this is with a track record that has zero births, zero surgeries, zero hospital stays and zero claims of HIV/heart disease/etc. since 2007.
 
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