# What is your experience with Obamacare? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 14, 2014, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-experience-with-obamacare/698481 "2014-09-14T16:49:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![race\_to\_the\_bottom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c4cdca/32.png) [@race\_to\_the\_bottom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/race_to_the_bottom)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-experience-with-obamacare/698481/1 "2014-09-14T16:49:57Z")
What, if any, is your experience with the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare. I do not have any experience with it, since I have Medicare. However, an excellent plan which I had pre-retirement and is now a backup plan will be taxed in 2018, which I am sore about since Obama accused McCain in a debate of planning to tax medical benefits. But what I am interested in is whether it has helped people get better medical care at a more resonable cost. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-experience-with-obamacare/698481/2 "2014-09-14T16:56:08Z")
After I lost my job and as my wife and I have worked to get our business off the ground, it has indeed gotten us great coverage at under $50 a month. Prior to this we were paying almost $500 for a seriously shitty plan. I understand EMMV, but for us it’s been a Godsend. ETA: Before our plan kicked in Jan 1, I had some serious medical problems at the end of December, but I put going to the doc off until after the new year. Getting what I needed done before the new plan kicked in probably would have bankrupted us. Luckily it all worked out. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-experience-with-obamacare/698481/3 "2014-09-14T16:56:27Z")
My spouse and I have workplace coverage so the impact on us has been fairly minimal aside from things like not getting charged for a “well visit” at the doctor. Our premiums have gone up but they’ve gone up every year since the dawn of time and the recent increases haven’t been worse than they were previously. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-experience-with-obamacare/698481/4 "2014-09-14T17:00:15Z")
**Without it, I wouldn’t have health insurance.** I had heart surgery 4 years ago, and since then, no insurance company would issue a policy. It was only the ACA that forced companies to insure people like me, who are healthy, but have pre-existing conditions. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-experience-with-obamacare/698481/5 "2014-09-14T17:23:02Z")
It is costing me a fortune and I would rather have universal health care for everyone. ---
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-experience-with-obamacare/698481/6 "2014-09-14T17:26:22Z")
The cost of generic drugs went up after the new law. I use two generic acne medications that went up in price by around $80 each. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-experience-with-obamacare/698481/7 "2014-09-14T17:37:26Z")
A few years ago they started offering PCIP policies to people who couldn’t get insured under private insurance plans. I bought into that back when I had a job that didn’t offer insurance. It wasn’t a plan I actually used for anything and I paid more into it than I took out of it, but it was nice having insurance for a few years until I found a better job. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-experience-with-obamacare/698481/8 "2014-09-14T18:53:58Z")
The costs of our employer-paid plan has leveled off. I can’t say that is \*because of \*Obamacare, but it might be. ---
**Author:** ![Amberlei](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e56c9b/32.png) [@Amberlei](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amberlei)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-experience-with-obamacare/698481/9 "2014-09-14T19:26:21Z")
When I started my current position, I had pre-existing conditions that my insurance wouldn’t pay for until I’d been on their policy for a year. Thanks to the ACA, that waiting period was waived and my pre-existing conditions have never been an issue. If I had to pay out of pocket for treatment of these, the meds alone would cost over $1500 a month, vs. $90 they now cost. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-experience-with-obamacare/698481/10 "2014-09-14T19:34:17Z")
> [@race\_to\_the\_bottom](#): > > But what I am interested in is whether it has helped people get better medical care at a more resonable cost. I think the point of the ACA was to allow people to access health insurance, not to change how care is priced. That said, having insurance – even crappy insurance – virtually guarantees that you pay a lower price than the uninsured. The ACA doesn’t affect me at all; I live in Massachusetts and would be covered under Romneycare if I weren’t employed. I do like having the fallback of MassCare if it’s needed. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-experience-with-obamacare/698481/11 "2014-09-14T19:40:58Z")
> [@Lakai](#): > > The cost of generic drugs went up after the new law. I use two generic acne medications that went up in price by around $80 each. I suspect that is unrelated to the ACA. Most likely, a number of generic manufacturers stopped making the drug or were consolidated into one company. When that happens the remaining manufacturer can jack up the price. Yay, free market. It happened with doxycycline recently – the drug went from about $.03 a pill to over $3.50 a pill. And they say we don’t need government oversight on drug costs. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![percypercy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8baadc/32.png) [@percypercy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/percypercy)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-experience-with-obamacare/698481/12 "2014-09-14T20:20:17Z")
I pay far less now. My prescriptions are nine dollars a month(3 dollars each), and my deductible is 1/2 of what it was. ---
**Author:** ![LibrarySpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@LibrarySpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LibrarySpy)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-experience-with-obamacare/698481/13 "2014-09-14T20:47:17Z")
Like others, I had pre-existing conditions and was not able to buy insurance on the open market, despite having the money to do so. I’ve paid $400/month for an Obamacare platinum plan since day one. My doctor visits, which are frequent due to said pre-existing conditions, are $10. The price of all my generics did not change, $4/month each, but my birth control is now free. I have low deductibles. I haven’t gotten close to meeting them this year. I DID have to switch doctors, since my mental health provider wasn’t included in the network, but that’s actually worked out great. My allergist is also not in network, so I pay full price for shots ($25) and about half price for office visits, which go toward my deductible. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-experience-with-obamacare/698481/14 "2014-09-14T21:21:32Z")
> [@race\_to\_the\_bottom](#): > > What, if any, is your experience with the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare. I do not have any experience with it, since I have Medicare. However, an excellent plan which I had pre-retirement and is now a backup plan will be taxed in 2018, which I am sore about since Obama accused McCain in a debate of planning to tax medical benefits. > > But what I am interested in is whether it has helped people get better medical care at a more resonable cost. Small business owner - the ACA has reduced our medical plan costs. In addition, no pre-existing condition exclusions means that my wife has stopped complaining about that part of insurance coverage, so win-win! ---
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-experience-with-obamacare/698481/15 "2014-09-14T21:59:24Z")
> [@GrumpyBunny](#): > > I suspect that is unrelated to the ACA. > > Most likely, a number of generic manufacturers stopped making the drug or were consolidated into one company. When that happens the remaining manufacturer can jack up the price. Yay, free market. > > It happened with doxycycline recently – the drug went from about $.03 a pill to over $3.50 a pill. > > And they say we don’t need government oversight on drug costs. :smack: My pharmacist told me it was because of the new law. Who am I supposed to believe now? ---
**Author:** ![Tremblay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e56c9b/32.png) [@Tremblay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tremblay)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-experience-with-obamacare/698481/16 "2014-09-14T22:03:27Z")
It was way too expensive for me. I am a healthy 28 y/o with no preexisting conditions. What I received from through a private insurance agency was $150.00 less per month than Obamacare open market options for the same policy. ---
**Author:** ![GreenElf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@GreenElf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenElf)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-experience-with-obamacare/698481/17 "2014-09-14T22:54:25Z")
After having no health insurance, I now have free health insurance through the state medicaid program. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-experience-with-obamacare/698481/18 "2014-09-14T23:04:15Z")
> [@Lakai](#): > > My pharmacist told me it was because of the new law. Who am I supposed to believe now? FWIW [this](http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2014/01/31/Why-Are-Costs-For-Generic-Medications-Soaring) says it’s simple supply and demand (but, demand is up due to ACA). Note that this is from [breitbart.com](http://breitbart.com), so I won’t vouch for it’s accuracy. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-experience-with-obamacare/698481/19 "2014-09-14T23:16:23Z")
> [@Lakai](#): > > The cost of generic drugs went up after the new law. I use two generic acne medications that went up in price by around $80 each. The law doesn’t affect drug pricing. It’s possible that you were paying a much lower copay for each prescription; if you changed plans, your drug coverage probably changed, as well. You might want to call your insurance company to see why you’re paying more for these drugs. Something’s changed, but the law probably didn’t have a whole lot to do with it. As far as the Doors family is concerned, we got screwed (sort of). I’m eligible for lifetime VA coverage, so I don’t have to worry about being penalized, but I don’t get the subsidy. Airman loses his VA coverage at the end of the year, so he becomes eligible for subsidized coverage, as does the sprog. However, I am eligible for insurance through my job, but that’s only guaranteed through the end of the year unless I can find another agency to hire me full-time. (I work for a state agency.) It’s not as bad as it could be, but it could be a whole lot better. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-experience-with-obamacare/698481/20 "2014-09-14T23:21:06Z")
> [@Lakai](#): > > My pharmacist told me it was because of the new law. Who am I supposed to believe now? When it comes to the ACA, I don’t think I’d ever believe a pharmacist. All the cases I’ve seen in the last few years of old, generic drugs getting suddenly jacked up in price (like tiopronin, colchichine, and progesterone) have either been a bad (IMHO) application of an FDA application process or just because the manufacturer can. There have also been problems with the GMP compliance of manufacturers as well–most notably overseas, but Johnson & Johnson got hit hard by problems in Puerto Rico. There have been cases of companies trying all sorts of legal tricks to keep other companies from filing ANDAs and competing in the market. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-experience-with-obamacare/698481.md?page=2)