Anymore, Obamacare (and even the cheapest private insurance-which is a far cry from cheap) is catastrophic coverage, period. Some would argue that's what health insurance should really be. Your car insurance doesn't cover oil changes or tire rotations. Your homeowner's insurance doesn't cover lawn cutting or painting.
How we got this concept that health insurance was supposed to cover every visit to the doctor for even minor issues, every RX, routine dental, and eyewear is something that intrigues me.
If all that were covered, then paying the exorbitant premiums would make a little sense. But they're not.
I know several people paying $1000 a month plus for themselves and their spouse for their coverage and they haven't gotten much benefit at all because of the high deductibles. With the penalties in effect its more than a tax; its like paying extortion "fees" (pay up or else)...
You can add other durable items like hearing aids. I need new glasses every year, and I pay for them, no co-pay exist for dental or vision when you are on Medicare or Tricare Life both of which are per-paid either with taxes or Military service of 20 years, both Fed government controlled. Medicare will pay $75 for 1 lens bi-focal if you have cataract surgery. I wear Tri-focals, blended lenses and I buy the best Zeiss, I don’t waste money on box store crap.
2014 We were DOD MANDATED to get all daily meds from Military Dispensary or Express Scripts. 2015 this pilot program becomes permanent, co-pays went up. 2016 NO COLA RAISES even though the cost of food has risen quite high. Then we get this: Medicare Rates Set to Soar for Many Seniors
http://www.wsj.com/articles/medicare-rates-set-to-soar-for-many-seniors-1444920052
Lots of test are now on a 2 year rotation, instead of a 1 year as they should be, some blood work won’t be covered, doctors are starting to turn us away with specialist being the worse. Quality of care in hospital is less than it was 7 years ago. Techs are ill trained, and they don’t care how much pain they cause trying to do a simple IV PICC line. Just went through the Cardio work up from HELL. Took 3 weeks to get the results, a small leaky heart valve. A 3 hr procedure that took 5 hrs, and they let me walk out totally dehydrated in need of an IV. Nothing done to mitigate the level 10 pain. Had to beg for a glass of water to start re-hydrating.