Well....it's done. Is it just me or does the passage of something that 55% of American's didn't want feel wrong? For now, Obamacare has been passed. I say for now because there are many states (including Utah) that are planning to sue to stop health care reform because of the individual mandate. At least now we can find out what's in the dang thing. Thanks Speaker Pelosi.
Feels a little like we just boarded the Crazy Train but the destination on the ticket we were given is blank. I'm not sure I can trust the crew....
Calvin and I have spent a lot of time reading articles and listening to our favorite conservative radio host (Mike Rosen in Denver) and together we came up with a plan to help our family adapt to Obamacare.
1. Move to the country so we can raise our own free range chickens, cows and pigs and grow all of our own food so that we can stay as healthy as possible so that we don't have to go to the doctor or the hospital. (By the way, when the country was more agriculturally oriented, the average live expectancy was only around 68-70, that is why the age for social security was 65. Farming is hard and dangerous!)
2. Eat only healthy foods, (which cost way more than processed foods.) The reason for wanting to stay healthy is to avoid having to make an appointment. It is not likely that you will be able to get one in a timely manner. (Did you know that half the doctors in the country are working on exit strategies and early retirement. They will have their rates dictated by the government.)
3. Drop our health coverage. Because even if you can get an appointment, the co-pays and deductibles are sure to increase since so many people will likely opt out of the mandatory health plan option. How you ask? The penalty is only 1% of your total income. For an under-employed person making $20,000 a year, that is only $200. Try getting a health plan for less than $200 a month. $2400 a year is way more than $200 year.
4. Buy a health care plan only when we need it. But we won't be covered, you say? Au contraire, if we really get sick or injured, we can apply for health insurance on the spot. The insurance carriers are required to provide insurance even with pre-existing conditions. (I'd say a pitch fork stuck in my foot is a pre-existing condition.)
5 . Forget the college fund...we're going to start a special savings account for the kids to help them pay their future taxes. Besides...isn't Obama planning to pay for my kids education?
6. Cut out all vacations, date night's and movie rentals. Calvin's paycheck (if he can still find work in the private sector) will be getting smaller because our taxes are going to go up. You know it's going to happen...who else is going to pay for 32 million people to get insurance and treat their pre-exsisting conditions? The taxpayers will be footing the bill.
7. Analyze the children's strengths to find out which government job they will be good at and begin training them for that position. We want our kids to have job security when they grow up and the fastest growing job market is the government, plus they have better health insurance and retirement plans.
8. Sell all our stock. Obama is putting a 3.8% tax on investment income.
9. Run for office. The only way to get great health care will be to become a Senator or Congressman. (Calvin can't run for President because of the little Hot Tub Incident in 1985)
10. Sit on our porch with a shot-gun reminiscing about the good ol' days when Reagan was in office.
In the end, we may not have to worry for much longer...based on the events of the last two years...I'm pretty sure Jesus is Coming!
How sad that this post had to be written!!! I am so disgusted with this bill. We already live in an incredibly expensive/high tax area of Northern VA. Every time we turn around there are more discussions of increased local and state taxes to pay for ______. Now this? I just don't see how in the world we are going to pay for it! And the QUALITY of health care is only going to decrease.
ReplyDeleteWe should all be very, very concerned that the best jobs are government jobs. Shades of Europe are coming our way .... (And yes, my hubby works as a civilian for the Defense Department so he has one of those jobs! In his field, he could still get a higher paying job in the private sector BUT it isn't as exciting as the government job.) :o)
Your suggestion to sit on the porch and reminisce on the days when Reagan was President? I was SHOCKED when I started to miss Bill Clinton. Oh, how times have changed ....
(The Hot Tub incident comment? HILARIOUS considering the news last week about Utah's State House speaker. I can't believe he had to resign over it. Utah is pretty darn conservative! Love that!)
The thought of universal health-care makes me ill. But, hey, at least I can send the bill to the government and they will pay for it right? Oh - wait - I will stay be paying for it - with my increased taxes. Lucky me.
ReplyDeleteMakes me wonder what's next. What next are they going to stick their nose into? Are they going to start telling me when I have to go to bed? Will I get a fine if I am up past 9? Oye! It's a sad, sad, SAD day in the US when that bill passed.
Wanna start a commune? Halfway between NY & Utah?
Good post Connie. One can only hope that the states will be successful in fighting this one (Virginia being among them). We need to get the word out that the ENTIRE US House of Representatives is up for election in November. I hope everyone who voted for this bill is TOAST.
ReplyDeleteYep, Jesus is coming. In the meantime, I just have to trust that God knows what He's doing. NOTHING passes without His hand in it somehow.
ReplyDeleteI just can't help thinking how STOOPID we all are... (Pelosi thinks we're stupid!). I mean, er, the Gov't "knows what's best for us", right? What are we all so worried about?!?!
ReplyDeleteI don't think "most" Americans know yet that they will be required to pay 5 YEARS worth of taxes before they will even RECEIVE the benefits. And once you get the benefit there won't be any doctors left to treat you anyway... so your go on a waiting list. Think about it, whne you call your doc's office now, unless your sick, they schedule you out for weeks, sometimes month. Imagine that when your SICK and we have half the docs in this country... it's going to be nuts. Survival of the "fittest".
They say they will not allow taxes to fund abortions, yeah... ok?! I wonder what creative term they will come up with to cover it anyway!
My hubby works for the enemy (the big bad Ins co), and believe it or not he (and almost everyone in his industry), agree that there needs to be a reform, but NOT a forced Gov't option. The Gov't regulates Insurance as it is, so when they are in control of it completely there is no way they are going to let Ins Carries competatively compete. The gov't is going to stand back and watch them all fold.
We believe their whole agenda is more than JUST healthcare reform... if they control healthcare, they control the people... i.e. Socializm. I think this is only the beginning...
..."Its the end of the world as we know it" :=/
I'm looking forward to it. But we are uninsured so I guess that makes all the difference.
ReplyDeleteHow does this "reform" help the uninsured? Forcing you to buy something you couldn't afford previously? Makes total sense.
ReplyDeleteAs they say, there's nothing like health care reform and this is NOTHING like health care reform.
Not having health care doesn't always mean you can't afford an reasonable plan. It may mean that you work for yourself and can't afford to take out a private policy. Or that you work for a small company that doesn't offer insurance. Or that you're employee insurance plan denied you or your kids for a pre-existing condition. I'd be more than happy to pay for a plan if it didn't mean taking a majority of our income. Or the US taxpayers can go on paying for FREE healthcare for many of the uninsured... whatever. But I'd rather people who CAN pay, pay.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a plan we are ALL going to have to live by!
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Connie!
ReplyDeleteI lived in England for a few years and loved it except for the NHS (National Healthcare System).
If it weren't for the health care I probably would have lived there indefinitely. When my son was 14 months old we were living in England and he needed surgery. We were told the waiting list was 3-6 months.
My husband (who is British) waited over a year to have a simple procedure done.
These are only two of many reasons why I completely disagree with nationalized health care.
I am "unfollowing you". You obviously have not read the new law or anything that has to do with it. You obviously don't care about your neighbors. You obviously don't care that if your child has cancer they would be uninsurable as an adult. Of course now, thanks to the new law they WILL be insurable - but that's just you. I'm sure you or your husband is employed, has excellent health care, is not near retirement.
ReplyDeleteMy, what has happened to Americans that we no longer care about our own?
Bye Bye.
@The Good Cook. NO ONE has read the new law. It had to be passed before we could find out what is in it.
ReplyDeleteI care VERY MUCH about my neighbors and people who have children with cancer.
THIS IS NOT THE ANSWER.
Good Bye!
As someone who works in a doctor's office I can say first hand that the doctors are looking for a way out.
ReplyDeleteI agree that healthcare needs reform but NOT this reform! I'm going to dread going to work if this bill isn't changed.
And for those of you that are uninsured, most medical offices will work out a payment plan or have a special price for those without insurance.
@ The Good Cook- don't let the door hit ya where the Good Lord split ya!
ReplyDeleteGood grief. He/she is totally delusional if they think that having gov't ins= actually receiving care.
People were just given a Lexus but the roads were shut down. Have fun with a car that can't go anywhere.
Lucky for me, I can debate people based on my experiences not based on theory (however, you'd be surprised how many people still argue with me about MY experiences. Hey, they're MINE! You can't change what I experienced kiddo!!)
Not that she'll hear it, but is The Good Cook saying that my husband who is a 25 year cancer survivor (diagnosed at 14) wouldn't be able to get insurance now if it weren't for this bill? Oh wait...he is insured...I hope Blue Cross doesn't read this or else he's screwed!
ReplyDeleteIt's all about competition baby...I wish the gov't would wake up!!!!!
As a mother, who's child was just diagnosed this week with a condition that our health insurance can drop us for, I feel much differently. I've never abused our insurance and still our premiums rise and rise.
ReplyDeleteThe thing I am most happiest about is the preexisting conditions. I feel lucky my daughter will still be able to receive care instead of being dropped because she effects a corporations bottom dollar.
thanks for being brave and writing this. i can't bring myself to broach politics on my blog. good for you :-)
ReplyDeleteMy husband was FUMING the other day because the paper had posted something about Pell Grants for college kids and the response was, "well, that is addressed in the health care bill". Now, when you think of health care, think of financial aid for college students!??
ReplyDelete