Affordable Care Act I finally opine on President Obama’s signature legislation. On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed comprehensive health reform, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) into law with a whopping $684,000,000 advertising budget to promote his plan. I want to explore the impacts of this law personally, professionally and local consequences. On a personal level, when President Obama took office we were paying $933 per quarter for a high deductible health savings account (HSA) eligible health plan. As a result of the law we lost our old plan and the new ACA compliant plan through Anthem Blue Cross almost tripled the premium to $869 per month, which does not include an additional premium for mandatory pediatric dental coverage-even though we do not have children. Furthermore, we do not qualify for a premium subsidy as provided by Covered California exchange-a married couple must have a combined income of less than $62,040 per year. For those who cannot afford or choose not to purchase ACA compliant health insurance Implications the penalties increase in 2016 (presidential election year) to 2.5 percent of income or $695 per person, whichever is greater! Professionally, there has surprisingly been little impact on our chiropractic practice, probably because most of the less expensive ACA compliant health plans and Covered California plans have high deductibles, hence no coverage so the patient benefits from cash discounts. From what I understand, chiropractic adjustments are not a covered service under the Covered California; however examinations reportedly have some coverage. In other words, you can get an exam covered, but there is no coverage for a spinal adjustment. Locally, in Butte County for a consumer to purchase an ACA compliant health plan you have only 2 choices, Anthem Blue Cross or Blue Shield of California. Really? Why is health insurance the only business that has an exemption from the Sherman Anti-Trust Act other than MLB? Where is the competition? Do you see the Geico lizzard or Flo advertising health insurance? Some feedback from my patients: The most common complaints relate to losing their old policy, higher insurance premiums or both as in our case. Also, complaints because of appointment scheduling delays-sometimes over 2 months to see a doctor or losing their physician entirely and finding it difficult to find a new physician willing to accept them as a new patient. One patient in his 60s was happy with the plan on the exchange as he qualified for subsidies and had a monthly premium of less than $300 per month (subsidized by tax payers). I would like your feedback: 1. Did you loose your health plan? 2. Did your premiums increase? 3. Did you loose your PA or physician? 4. Did you qualify for financial assistance from the exchange? 5. Are you happy with your current physician and ability to schedule appointments and be seen in a timely manner?
Posted on: Sat, 20 Sep 2014 00:42:47 +0000
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