Posted on 03/30/2014 5:47:11 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
In 2009, the Journal-World profiled four Douglas County residents who lacked health insurance. Since then, a lot has changed: The Affordable Care Act passed at the federal level, with the aim of expanding insurance to most of those who previously went without it. What has that meant for the four people the Journal-World wrote about five years ago? We revisit their stories today.
Five years after her story was told in the Journal-World, Linda Wilson, formerly Linda Gleasure, still isn't insured. But it's perhaps less of a worry for her than others. She will turn 65 in September and become eligible for Medicare.
Not a whole lot has changed for Steve Pitnick in the past five years. He's still working construction with his brother. He still gets his medical care through Health Care Access. And he's still uninsured.
Paul Halford knows he probably needs insurance. He just can't afford it, he says.
After her husband died in 2003 after a long fight with cancer, Anna Doktor and her two children would get health insurance for a while, then lose it. Now, thanks to Doktor's job at U.S. Bank in Lawrence, they are once again insured.
(Excerpt) Read more at 2.ljworld.com ...
Bump
This is a fine piece of reporting. Of four people in the lower middle class, one got a full-time job with benefits during the past four years and, thereby, get health insurance. One, a young man, was employed for a while, but is now back unemployed. Like many other young men and women in society, he’s not getting on with life. No job. No family. A this, a middle-aged man, works construction and continues to obtain health care through charity or semi-charity organizations. I’m not sure he was ever without health care. He was simply taking his chances. “Gaming the system,” as the Obamanoids would say. He still is. Buying insurance is now even more expansive. The final person was middle-aged four years ago and is now nearing retirement age. She and her husband piece together income and insurance through a variety of means other than full-time work. She’s on partial disability because of back problems, and he has something going on being a veteran. I’m not questioning their conditions. But, if we had a vibrant economy, with full-time jobs with benefits, many people in situations like this would find it profitable to rely on work rather than programs. Obamacare didn’t help them either. So, out of four, one solved her lack of insurance problem on her own, by getting a full-time job with benefits, and three are in the same situation only older.
Interesting how when and if the government help runs out, they’ll do something about taking responsibility for themselves.
The polish woman got a real job when husband’s social security ran out, the construction guy would do something if he didn’t all ready have cheap healthcare through the clinic. The other woman is happy to live on $500 a month because she’ll get medicare soon.
Sad.
I agree. If there were jobs, this problem would be solved.
One problem I see is the type 1 diabetic thinks the fine is only $95, its $95 OR 1% with ever is higher. He may be in for a surprise next year.
This article confirms what I’ve been preaching for years. People without insurance still have access to health care through programs set up in their local community.
Most are based on income and the ability to pay.
I believe the penalty is $95 or 1% PER DEPENDANT. If he has a wife and kids and he makes any kind of money at all his penalty will be much more than he expects.
Also, the penalty will go to 2.5% per dependant next year and 3.5% per dependant the year after that.
#screwedeitherway
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