What Every American Should Know – Minus the Parts We Don’t Want You To Know

Okay… So, I got this from the Obamacare Explained website. They have it listed by bullet point. Let’s go over it… Shall we?

Here is a simplified ObamaCare explanation of what every American should know about our new health care law. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) does a lot, luckily most of us don’t need to know the details, let’s take a look at what we do need to know:

Uhm… ⏰ Ding Ding Ding So, what you’re saying, essentially, is… drop your pants, bend over and enjoy the ride!

• ObamaCare does’t create health insurance, it regulates the health insurance industry and helps to increase quality, affordability and availability of private insurance.

So, you (the government) are going to take over the healthcare industry? Kinda like when ya took over the auto industry…? Y’all did a bang up job with that one. One can only hope you do half as good with the medical industry.

• Most people who currently have health insurance can keep it.

Suspicious use of the word “most”. Perhaps figuring out who is ‘most’ is one of those details we don’t need to worry our pretty little heads with…

• Young adults can stay on their parents plan until 26.

Well thank goodness. It’s becoming so expensive to put a roof over my adult child’s head. This will help a lot. Never mind the fact that he doesn’t have a job, sits in front of the TV all day, playing video games and eating donuts. It’s all good though. When his heart fails at 30 – he’ll have insurance!

• If you don’t have coverage, you can use the new Health Insurance Marketplace to buy a private insurance plan.

What is this new “Health Insurance Marketplace”? This falls under things our pretty heads don’t need to worry about, right? There’s more than just one plan? Not just “insurance”…? Or is this where we choose between wanting coverage that will inject collagen in my head or that new kidney I’ve been waiting on?

• Open enrollment in the Health Insurance Marketplace goes from October 1st, 2013 to March 31st, 2014.

What? No exemption?

• If you don’t obtain coverage or an exemption by January 1st, 2014 you must pay a per-month fee on your federal income tax return for every month you are without health insurance.

Whoa Whoa Whoa… If I don’t have insurance because I can’t afford it and I don’t get insurance because I can’t afford it, I’m going to pay a fee for not getting something I can’t afford to buy…? It’s kind of like charging me a fee for not spending money I don’t have. And I thought the banks were bizarre for charging me a fee, which I don’t have, when I DID spend money I didn’t have… I’m dizzy. Who ordered waffles…?

• In 2014 the fee is $95 per adult ($47.50 per child) or 1% of income, whichever is higher. The family max is $285.

Oh sheesh. Where do I start…? “In 2014…” meaning that in all subsequent years the amount “could” change? $95 per month – per adult -or- 1% of my income, whichever is HIGHER … Okay, so now that fee you’re charging me for not having insurance I can’t afford is a fee based on the MOST amount of money you can get out of me and not the least? Wait… How is this helping me again? I must have missed it somehow.

So far, I’m about as impressed as the house cat is with the new dog.

• The cost of your marketplace health insurance works on a sliding scale. Those who make less, pay less.

Ah yes… The golden egg of this whole thing… Do less work, save more money! Nothing like motivating Generation X and Y to contribute LESS to society. How does this encourage them to do less, you say? Have you forgotten youth? Do the least amount possible and get the most possible. Those just past that proverbial ‘line’ on the scale will do less to drop into that lower monthly amount. Those smack in the middle or near the top of the next line will stop progressing and marinate right where they are just to save the money. Nothing like motivating mediocrity!

• American making less than $45,960 as individual or $94,200 as a family of 4 may be eligible for premium tax credits through the marketplace. Tax credits subsidize insurance premium costs.

Suspicious verbiage “may be eligible”.

• If you are able to get qualified health insurance through your employer you won’t be able to receive marketplace tax credits unless the employer doesn’t cover at least 60% of your premium cost, doesn’t provide quality insurance or provides insurance that exceeds 9.5% of your families income.

• If you are able to get qualified health insurance through your employer you won’t be able to receive marketplace tax credits unless your employer doesn’t cover at least 60% of your premium cost, doesn’t provide quality insurance or provides insurance that exceeds 9.5% of your families income.

I’m bothered as to why this paragraph was listed twice. Okay, so… I can’t get insurance through the marketplace if my current insurance doesn’t suck or if they “exceed 9.5% of my family’s income”…? So, better coverage disqualifies me? Perhaps you meant if the cost doesn’t exceed…

• Up to 82% of nearly 16 million uninsured young U.S. adults will qualify for federal subsidies or Medicaid through the marketplace.

Suspicious wording – again! “Up to…”, “nearly” … So, could be 1%, could be 80%… Who knows?

• You don’t have to use the marketplace to buy insurance, but you should fill out an application to see if you qualify for assistance before shopping for insurance outside of the marketplace.

Well sure… Why not cancel the insurance you have now, sign up for a ‘government’ insurance and just pray that it doesn’t fold like every other entity the government has meddled in.

• The ACA does away with pre-existing conditions and gender discrimination so these factors will no longer affect the cost of your insurance on or off the marketplace.

Well that’s good. Now it’s only the “rich” kids that are discriminated against. Serves them right though. They should have chosen to be born into a poor family. Not our fault they didn’t choose to be born poor… or a minority…

• You can’t be denied health coverage based on health status.

Only wealth status…

• You can’t be dropped from coverage when you are sick.

But you can if your long lost aunt remembers you in her will. Or if you hit the lottery…

• Health Insurers can’t place lifetime limits on your coverage. As of 2014 annual limits are eliminated as well.

Hmmmm… I guess that $94,200 ‘limit’ isn’t a ‘limit’ at all. Wonder what it is then? Oh… Wait… That affects the rich. Right. They don’t count. Forgot. Silly me!

• All new plans sold on or off the marketplace must include a wide range of new benefits including wellness visits and preventative tests and treatments at no additional out-of-pocket cost.

Because, by golly, I have a right to have a doctor tell me whether or not my son’s hang nail is causing his 99˚ temp. And the doctors are right to force me to get vaccines, even if my child is completely immune without the booster. Or force me to get my daughter the HPV vaccine at 14…

• All full-time workers who work for companies with over 50 employees must be offered job based health coverage by 2015. Employers who do not offer coverage will pay a per-employee fee.

Or, they’ll fire off some of their employees because they can’t pay them and the expensive coverage fees. There will be more people out of work, but that’s okay because they’ll have healthy insurance!

• Small businesses with under 50 full-time employees can use a part of the marketplace called the SHOP (small business health options program) to purchase group health plans for their employees.

So, determined by the number of employees, not the amount of money my company makes a year? Seems odd to give families discounts based on income but not a business… che che che che – rip! Here that? That was the pink slips printing up as we speak!

• Small businesses with under 25 full-time employees can use the marketplace to purchase subsidized insurance for their employees.

See above. And what if I happen to run a website and have 2 employees? Do I now have to provide subsidized insurance for them? (If so, say good-bye to Clean Funny Pics folks…)

• Medicare isn’t part of the marketplace. If you have Medicare keep it!

Wonderful… Because it’s SO awesome just as it is! It’s not like our old folks – the ones that made this country you’re now taking a giant dump on – need extra care or anything. Psh. We’ll just ship them up to Canada and send them off on blocks of ice…

• Medicaid and CHIP are expanded to provide insurance to up to 16 million of our nations poorest.

There’s that suspicious verbiage again… “up to” 16 million of the poorest…? Not all the poorest, just an amount up to 16 million of them… clicks tongue got it.

Meanwhile, many doctors and nurses are retiring early because out of all of them – they’re the ones that get screwed the worst. All the work at school – studying – and for what? To get the same amount as the schmuck in a cubicle…

It’s Free, so it must be a good thing…

Last night, at the dinner table, I presented the boys with a scenario. What if the government wrote a law that made all forms of entertainment free for everyone? No one would have to pay for movies, to go bowling, skating, watch a ballgame, etc.

Earlier in the day I’d been reading comments on the Right Wing Obamacare Myths Debunked post by Matt Walsh. There was a lady, who wasn’t even an American, saying she didn’t understand why so many were against Obamacare when it would help so many.  All I could think was “My ten-year old would understand why this isn’t a good idea.”

As a family, we don’t always have the money to go to the movies, our local fun center, ball games, etc. We go to about 2 movies a year. Sometimes not even that much. Not always because we don’t have the money, but often times there’s not anything we really want to see. I figure, for just the boy’s admission and snacks, it’s about $15 a pop.

Before dinner, I sat down and wrote up the “Entertainment Act”. Before I read it to them and went over it, I told them to assume they’d pay about $15 to see a movie and the money they get for their allowance would be their annual income. Once they understood the ‘scenario’, we went over each section discussing it and answering their questions if they had any.

Entertainment Act

Article I. Allows everyone to participate in all local entertainment for free. Movies, roller skating, bowling, etc.

Needless to say, they were all for it. Free fun stuff? Sign me up!

Article II. Those working in the entertainment industry (actors, ball players, etc) as well as the owners of the theaters, stadiums, etc and their employees must still get paid. In order to cover the costs of the entertainment and to pay those working in it, there will be a slight rise in the amount of tax paid on purchases, a few new minor taxes, and less tax breaks at the end of the year.

Here’s where they began to have some questions. At first they were like “Okay, I guess.”, but wondered how it would work. We explained it would be a minor raise in taxes on things, which didn’t seems like a lot. Then they realized that the little – when put all together – adds up to a lot. This was when Brinson started thinking it wasn’t such a good idea. Harrison said “Well, it might still be good. I’m not sure yet…”

Article III. Those who don’t attend entertainment events, by choice, may choose to “opt out” of the program. However, in order to fund the program, those opting out will have to pay a monthly penalty fee. This fee will be in addition to the higher taxes to the less tax breaks, etc. People who never participated in any entertainment activities, and don’t plan to in the future, must still participate or pay the penalty. If a person has a bowling alley or some other form of entertainment in their home for personal use, that is fine, but they must still participate in the program or pay the penalty.

They began to have a few more doubts and questions. Their Gran doesn’t do any of those things, so we talked about how that would impact her. Then we talked about how it would impact them. As it was now, they paid $15 when they wanted to see a movie. Harrison began to get his quizzical eyebrow raise face going. “Wait a second” he says “So, if I don’t want to go to the movies, I have to pay?”

Nod

Brinson – “That doesn’t seem right… or fair.”

Harrison – “So, if I don’t want to do it… I have to pay and still pay more taxes and all that other stuff?”

I just gave a nod again. I was trying very hard not to sway their thinking with tone or expression or anything and I made sure they understood that there wasn’t a right or wrong answer…

Tom asked the boys “How much do you pay now to see a movie when you’d like?” They answered $15 (per the parameters at the beginning of the scenario) “So, about $30 a year. How much do you pay to not see movie and stay home?”

Brinson – “Nothing.”

Their expressions began to change from interest to ‘Hey, wait a second…’

Harrison – “This makes no sense…”

Me – “I’m not done. There’s more… Ready to move on?”

Harrison – “Yeah. I guess…”

I began to get the feeling this was no longer a ‘fantastic idea’ in their minds.

Article IV. City officials and city government employees (mayor, secretary, etc) do not have to participate in the program and won’t be required to pay the penalty.

Brinson – “See.”

Me – “What?”

Brinson – “I said it didn’t seem fair. That’s not fair. Why do I have to pay the money, but they don’t?”

Me – “Yeah, why would it be that way? Why would they put that in there?”

Harrison – “Because they don’t want to spend their money or taxes on it…”

Brinson – “Because it’s a dumb idea and they know it.”

We went on to show how the different people’s incomes and how what they pay in is comparable to what they make for a living. Kept it basic, I reminded them of how much they make in allowance each year. Then grabbed the taxes off of that amount. They noted that the people making the most money, paid the most money. Harrison mentioned finding a job that was easier work and less pay if the benefit was the same. This is another problem with such a program. Someone explained in this video that explains socialism to children.

The conversation eventually went on to how much the taxes would be raised or how much the penalty would be and things like that. That was when I said “Well, I’ll tell you how much your taxes will be raised and how much the penalty is after you agree to it and make it a law.”

Harrison – “WHAT!?”

Me – “Tell me if you want to make this a law. Once it becomes a law, I’ll tell you how much it will cost.”

Harrison – “That’s stupid.”

Brinson – “See. Not fair.”

Harrison – “Who knows what you’ve written in there. I could be agreeing to give away a kidney or something.”

Me – “So, do y’all want to make it a law?”

Brinson – “No. I don’t.”

Harrison – “Who would?!”

In the end, the kids decided it wasn’t a good idea. I put the paper, where I’d written it, on the table and said “So… That’s a no then?”

Harrison said “Hang on…” He left the room and came back a second later with the “Like” and “Dislike” stamps. I think the stamps speak volumes…

The fact that this is the basic crux of the Obamacare ‘bill’ and a 10-year-old and 13-year-old can understand it won’t work – while others insist it’s awesome – is incredible. It’s not that my kids are the savants. I love ’em, they’re smart, but it doesn’t take a lot of brains to ‘get’ that this just won’t work.

How anyone can is beyond me…

Edit: Please note – I have not said that going to the movies is the same as someone dying. My children (Thank the Lord) haven’t had to deal with a loved one or close friend dying from anything other than old age. Relating this scenario to them that way seemed a bit morbid to me. There was no reason to scare or upset my kids in order to point out that even a child can see discrepancies. They have also heard me discussing healthcare as of late and I wanted an unbiased reaction – I felt relating it to something they would really like to have and do made more sense and would get a more honest response.

Also – I need to make a correction. Congress isn’t “exempt”. Clearly that is not the proper word. Congress is not getting ‘exemptions’, they are getting preferential treatment. OPM will pay the majority of their premiums. So, they’re not exempt. They’re just letting us pay their premiums for them.

Perhaps This is the Core of What’s Wrong with Society

These are screenshots from video games:

Cracking someone in the head with a golf club.

Head shot! Worth bonus points too!

Beating another person with a pipe or similar.

In these games, and others, your character shoots, stabs, hits, beheads and kills other persons and/or characters in the game. You get kudos and bonus points for “head shots”. There’s no mention of the person you’ve assaulted after you’re done assaulting them. Did they live or die? Did they go to the hospital? Nope. They’re just dead. And that’s good – right? Well, it is in the game if you’d like to advance…

Now, let’s counter that – shall we? …

Here is another screenshot from another game. Just prior to this screenshot you had to get past guard dogs so you found a ‘potion’ and fed it to them. But don’t worry about the poor dogs…

According to the game, they’re just SLEEPING and not harmed in any way.

Now, if that just don’t speak volumes, I don’t know what does… Clearly the gaming industry realizes there is more value placed on an animal’s life than a human’s. Actually, no value at all on human life. How many people probably called and tore them a new one for killing innocent NON EXISTENT dogs in a video game!

Hell in a hand basket I tell you. Hell in a hand basket.