I feel like I'm beating the subject into the ground sometimes, but there are still folks like myself that were happy reform was passed, but still stuck in the same damn spot we were in before.
As soon as that darned web site went up I scrambled to check it out. It looked good, simple to use, not crammed with a bunch of hoo ha and whatchamacallit's, and other distractions, so far so good.
http://www.healthcare.gov/...
Until -- I got to the part about the money. Yeah, I know, who isn't having money trouble these days? But, the price was going to make it or break it for me.
First, sooooo damned unaffordable!!!! How much damned extra, disposable, freakin fun cash do they think we have? My price for California? A whopping $575.00 for my age group with a $1500 deductible.
My absolute cap that I can afford, even though it would be tight as hell, was $300. That's it. Now I think $300 a month is nothing to sneeze at. That $300 is 2.5 to 3 days worth of work, 10 hour shifts, exhausted at the end of the day type work. What happened to the high risk pools being affordable? Or did I just dream up that part? I am so confused. When we lost the Public Option I was upset, but the consolation prize seemed to be that I could get my cancer survivor stricken tush into a high risk pool. This is clearly not going to happen now.
Second, as far as the prices, it looks exactly like the same CA high risk pool as before, no difference, the prices are high, and there is a lot of paperwork to be gathered. I think the main diference is no more waiting list (not 100% sure about that) and they "have" to cover your preexisting condition. Before, they'd sign you up but not cover your preexisting condition for I think it was 6 months or a year.
So, what now? What's a gal to do? I was thinking of perhaps sitting at the end of the offramp of the 101 here in North Hollywood, cardboard sign, lawn chair. But not to collect cash, but to find a doctor or hospital that will see me pro bono, just till this whole health care reform is figured out enough to help 100% of the people who are hurting without care.
If anyone has any newer information or advice about what to do, I'm all ears.
Update/edited to add: Just so you all know, I think the HCR bill was a good start and the fact that it will help millions more Americans get health care is wonderful. Many will have access they otherwise wouldn't have had, but we still have a long way to go. Health care is still very much attached to the ability to pay to get care.