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(Senator)Barrasso: Obamacare Deductibles So High, No One Gets to Use the Insurance
CNS ^ | May 25, 2016 | Susan Jones

Posted on 05/25/2016 7:51:08 AM PDT by xzins

The Department of Health and Human Services insists that the Affordable Care Act not only expanded health insurance to many more Americans, but it also "made everyone's insurance better."

But some Republicans are asking, what good is the health insurance if sky-high deductibles mean you never get to use it?

The Democrats' Affordable Care Act is a mandate -- "not to get care, but to get coverage," Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) said on Tuesday.

"And many people are finding the coverage is not at all of value to them because they can't get care. Either...their doctors don't take Obamacare or the deductibles are so high that they're never able to get to the insurance," Barrasso told a news conference.

"The president may call this a victory for the American people. I think this is something the president should not be proud of at all."

Barrasso noted that on Wednesday, Healthcare.gov will start reporting the 2017 premium increases for Obamacare policies sold on the exchanges.

"The news is not good for the American public," Barrasso said.

"We're seeing numbers in New Hampshire above 40 percent increases; in New York, above 40 percent increases; in New Mexico, where Blue Cross-Blue Shield of New Mexico pulled out a year ago, they're talking about coming back in, but only if they can get a rate increase of over 80 percent.

"So, the people that can still get their insurance, they may be the lucky ones in the sense that so many people are no longer even able to get the insurance they've had.

"Obamacare is a sinking ship. When you take a look at the companies around the country selling insurance, about 25 percent were able to make money last year. And the only way they did it is because they set the deductible so high that for people who had that insurance, the deductibles were so high that they never actually got to the point where they used the insurance. They were just paying out of pocket all the way through.

Barrasso noted that in Idaho, the most commonly sold "silver" plan is considering deductibles of $6,850. "If you have insurance with a deductible of $6,850, is there any chance you're actually going to get to use that insurance?" he asked.

"President Obama went on the attack years ago before the health care law was passed talking about junk insurance. But what most people are finding on the Obamacare exchanges is exactly what President Obama is making them buy."


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 0carenightmare; 114th; 2016issues; aca; barrasso; deductible; obamacare; obamacaredeductible; obamacaredeductibles; obamacarepremiums
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To: NEMDF

My brother in law is a doctor and owns a chain of urgent care clinics and since obamacare his business is booming. No one can afford to go to their doctor or hospital with their deductibles. So people with normal run of the mill ailments come to an urgent care, pay $50 and walk out treated or with a prescription. He takes no insurance whatsoever but will give you paperwork to file with your own insurance company if you desire to keep costs down.

Since he runs his own company he has to buy his own insurance and for his family he pays $700+ a month premiums and has a $7000 deductible for each family member. He can afford it but essentially unless there is a major medical issue he would be out over $15K before his insurance pays one cent for one family member.


61 posted on 05/25/2016 11:28:27 AM PDT by sarge83
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To: Cedar

The only conclusion an honest person can reach is that our government is a criminal enterprise.


62 posted on 05/25/2016 11:30:42 AM PDT by xzins ( Free Republic Gives YOU a voice heard around the globe. Support the Freepathon!)
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To: xzins

It takes the risk analysis out and forces insurance to cover everyone for everything whether they need it or not. Forcing single males and elderly people to pay for maternity care and birth control they have no risk of ever using. HIV care is expensive but everyone has to pay for coverage whether we live a lifestyle that puts us at risk of contracting it or not.


63 posted on 05/25/2016 12:08:14 PM PDT by Rusty0604
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To: chris37

I’m in the same boat. It’s cheaper to pay cash.


64 posted on 05/25/2016 12:10:46 PM PDT by Rusty0604
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To: NEMDF

Basic income distribution.


65 posted on 05/25/2016 12:22:18 PM PDT by Rusty0604
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To: goldstategop

If you have Medicaid then taxpayers are paying for it. I don’t know your circumstances so I’m not insulting you but you need to realize not everyone that works can get this “free” insurance.


66 posted on 05/25/2016 12:33:44 PM PDT by Rusty0604
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To: Grampa Dave

So the liberal doctor went out of business?


67 posted on 05/25/2016 12:36:48 PM PDT by Rusty0604
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To: chris37
Their votes were not needed to pass it, thus they can pretend they are against it, when they are obviously not against it.

Obvious to a few freepers but not enough of us. I remember when freepers just knew that Roberts would save us from this travesty and I was telling them that he would not because the GOP, at least the ones that counted, was in favor of it all along.

68 posted on 05/25/2016 1:01:07 PM PDT by itsahoot (Trump is a fumble mouthed blowhard that can't finish a sentence, but he will finish a term.)
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To: itsahoot

The problem is that almost everyone believes the kabuki theater.

The purpose of the kabuki theater is to keep those Americans who care pacified as much as possible in spite of the constant advancement of the government agenda.

Basically, the kabuki theater makes Americans think that their votes matters when their vote clearly does not matter at all.

Head they win, tails we lose.


69 posted on 05/25/2016 1:12:03 PM PDT by chris37 (heartless)
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To: BuffaloJack
The vicious advanced 30 years and now costs are astronomical because of this self-feeding greed.

Hey it was just the same people that introduced guaranteed college loans so that everyone could get an education. Cost went up and quality went down. Who could have foreseen that?

70 posted on 05/25/2016 1:15:02 PM PDT by itsahoot (Trump is a fumble mouthed blowhard that can't finish a sentence, but he will finish a term.)
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To: Grampa Dave
Some of our healthy younger relatives use walkin clinics for their minimal health care, pay cash and write off the expenses when they do their taxes for that year.

Practically impossible to have enough out of pocket medical expense to be able to deduct it. I live in Oregon and they allow 100% deductible on their state tax, Federal not so much. Remember before Ronald Reagan lowered taxes all that was deductible, as was all interest paid including credit cards. Rates went down but deductions disappeared. Clinton came along and retirement income became taxable including SS.

71 posted on 05/25/2016 1:23:13 PM PDT by itsahoot (Trump is a fumble mouthed blowhard that can't finish a sentence, but he will finish a term.)
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To: Rusty0604

No.

The good doctor retired, like so many did!


72 posted on 05/25/2016 1:33:03 PM PDT by Grampa Dave ( http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3432051/posts?page=12#12 for the latest delegattes count!)
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To: chris37
Basically, the kabuki theater makes Americans think that their votes matters when their vote clearly does not matter at all.

It is enough that the people know there was an election. The people who cast the votes decide nothing. The people who count the votes decide everything. Joseph Stalin

If voting made any difference they wouldn't let us do it."
Mark Twain -


73 posted on 05/25/2016 1:37:39 PM PDT by itsahoot (Trump is a fumble mouthed blowhard that can't finish a sentence, but he will finish a term.)
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To: itsahoot

Another blind side of Obozo care is if you need a medical device like for sleep apnea. The providers charge an arm and a leg. So you are better off finding a provider with good prices on the equipment/gear and writing the costs off with your taxes.


74 posted on 05/25/2016 1:38:25 PM PDT by Grampa Dave ( http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3432051/posts?page=12#12 for the latest delegattes count!)
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To: Grampa Dave
So you are better off finding a provider with good prices on the equipment/gear

You are better off not going into one of those sleep clinics, I never met anyone that went into one that didn't come out with a hose attached to them. I will take my chances.

75 posted on 05/25/2016 2:29:09 PM PDT by itsahoot (Trump is a fumble mouthed blowhard that can't finish a sentence, but he will finish a term.)
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To: xzins

“A day late and a dollar short”

In this case... Hundreds of days late and billions of dollars short.


76 posted on 05/25/2016 2:44:21 PM PDT by VideoDoctor
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To: EVO X

I want no part of obamacare no matter what hoops it is possible to jump through.


77 posted on 05/25/2016 2:45:02 PM PDT by arthurus (Het is waar. Tutti i liberali soli o feccia.)
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To: arthurus

That works till they change the rules and can collect using any means avaliable. Itll happen when to many owe to much. They will blame the non payers for the budget ahortfall when it starts falling apart.


78 posted on 05/25/2016 3:20:36 PM PDT by cableguymn (We need a redneck in the white house....)
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To: WMarshal

Remember John Roberts opinion?


79 posted on 05/25/2016 3:25:56 PM PDT by zek157
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To: kiryandil

>They’ll probably do the usual and ding peoples’ Social Security - going back YEARS, and adding interest & penalties.

Yeah! I mean, it’s not like SS is insolvent. Wait, what? $20T+ deficit and $120T+ in unfunded liabilities?

Never mind...


80 posted on 05/25/2016 4:59:27 PM PDT by i_robot73 ("A man chooses. A slave obeys." - Andrew Ryan)
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