Thoughts on ObamaCare?

[FinHopeful]

Unemployment isn't going to skyrocket. Most companies provide healthcare for their full-time employees anyways. Besides, there is a bare minimum of employees a business needs to run itself profitably. If you think most business don't already hire as few people as possible already, I've got a bridge you might be interested in buying...

All full-time employees that retain their full-time status will keep their healthcare. Some full-time employees will be given the choice to loose their job or convert to part-time work at no more than 25 hours. Some will just be part of a layoff, and their job will be replaced by a part-time employee. Companies that choose this path anticipate problems asking employees. Some companies will reduce their work force. A very small number of businesses can absorb the additional cost and will try to,make it work.

[jared81]

As others have pointed out, it doesn't go nearly far enough but it's a necessary step in the right direction.

Once it's fully implemented it will become more popular, and bust the 50% approval rating. It was always hilarious the Republicans thought they could make this a tipping point issue when the approval number was not far below 50/50 to begin with. Conservatives have been conveniently skewing polls for years, not months. Relying on fear, the typical tired game plan.

Alan Grayson's summary of the GOP health care plan is exponentially more accurate than the typical Republican's description of Obamacare.

i didn't notice you without your tin foil hat on. So you believe that republicans want people to die instead of fixing a broken system. The one thing most republicans and democrats can agree on is Alan Grayson is a retard. Except you.

[jared81]

All full-time employees that retain their full-time status will keep their healthcare. Some full-time employees will be given the choice to loose their job or convert to part-time work at no more than 25 hours. Some will just be part of a layoff, and their job will be replaced by a part-time employee. Companies that choose this path anticipate problems asking employees. Some companies will reduce their work force. A very small number of businesses can absorb the additional cost and will try to,make it work.

or, companies around the 50 employee threshold will just form other s-corps and move the additional employees over to the new companies, always staying below 50 employees. Another thing they will do is start having more w-2employees do contract work (1099) so they aren't included on the payroll. The people have always been able to outthink the government. Companies, their lawyers and accountants will play this cat and mouse game, I am glad.

[CANDolphan]

I was listening to NPR Now today. There is a small university that just announced a portion of their staff will be converted from full time employees to part-time at 25 hours a week. This is because they cannot afford the healthcare plans for their employees, and every employee that works 30 or more hours must be covered. Thanks to the new rules the unfortunate employees earn less money and still do not have healthcare. I do not see how this helps people. For those of you who believe this an isolated incident, just wait for the mass conversion of positions in 2013 to part-time workers.

We're blaming the wrong people here. There has to be a fundamental change. I'm sorry, it's going to take some time and money from people, but it has to change. I'm so sick and tired of reading about these companies firing people or cutting hours with this and using Obamacare as an excuse. It's infuriating. Blame the ****ing insurance companies. They are the ones who have rocketed premiums so high, and at such a high rate, that they can afford to pay their 1st and 2nd year associates 6 figure salaries.

[trojanma]

We are headed for huge changes on how healthcare is delivered in the US.
It is hard for me to say if this is 10 or 20 years away. Though I think the ACA has accelerated this process.

Universal Healthcare should be a pillar of a modern wealthy society(as we like to think of ourselves). If implemented correctly then it will result in savings down the road, because a healthier society is a more productive society and doctors will be able to intervene on issues earlier when they are less expensive.

Unfortunately this is not fiscally compatible with the way Americans have come to perceive the delivery of healthcare which is a kin to a fast food restaurant where they can come when they like on the menu at any time they want. Continuing to deliver healthcare this way while adding universal healthcare will be financially ruinous.

There are various factions that will fight tooth and nail to keep the changes from happening because they are making too much money.

What you will ultimately see is the elimination of the small entrepreneurial/small business doctors office. Several physicians with a keen business sense have used this model to make themselves very wealthy at the cost of everyone else in the system.

You will probably see the implementation of an automated medical home.
Your direct care will likely be given by a mid level provider such as a nurse practitioner or physician assistant. The doctor will come in on more serious issues.

The ACA/Obamacare is a start down this path and will likely evolve and change many times over the coming decade.

[trojanma]

The republican plan under Ryan was essentially a minor tweak of the current system with no structural changes.
Essentially a way of maintaining the status quo for as long as humanly possible.

Patients on medicare(the largest deliverer of healthcare in this country) would see much of the savings by the government essentially passed on to the people in the form of higher premiums.
Lower middle class elderly would get hammered by this. Upper middle and rich would simply shift costs to supplementary private insurance.

Many providers preferred this system because they feared change.

[CANDolphan]

State driven medicaid systems simply do not work, and when Romeny began spouting off about how successful this model was, I burst out laughing. The state of Florida has easily one of the most poorly run, inefficient, and underfunded medicaid systems in the entire country.

I gladly embrace a company (like MCNA) to privatize medicaid. They not only deliver savings to the state (3-6% typically) but also enhance provider compensation. If there is no change, the entire state will find itself with zero providers