Obamacare Has Reversed A Negative Trend. Researchers Call It ‘Remarkable.’

[DonViejo]

BY TARA CULP-RESSLER POSTED ON JANUARY 15, 2015 AT 8:47 AM UPDATED: JANUARY 15, 2015 AT 10:20 AM

For the first time in a decade, the number of people struggling to pay their medical bills has started to decline, according to a new survey released on Thursday by the Commonwealth Fund. The researchers attributed the historic drop to the number of people gaining insurance under the health care reform law.

Between 2012 and 2014 — as Obamacare’s main coverage expansion took effect — the Commonwealth researchers found that the number of people who had issues paying for health treatment dropped from 41 percent to 35 percent. Over the same time period, the people who skipped out on health services because they couldn’t afford them declined from 43 percent to 36 percent:





In a press release, the researchers described the declines as “remarkable.” This marks the first time since 2005, when Commonwealth started surveying people on these questions, that the number of Americans struggling to afford medical care hasn’t increased.

“Health insurance really provides people with a financial means to get care,” Sara Collins, a vice president at the Commonwealth Fund and one of the people who worked on the study, told the New York Times. “We don’t know yet that the law is improving people’s health, but this is a first indication that people are affording care that they weren’t able to get in the past.”

more
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2015/01/15/3611905/obamacare-medical-bills-commonwealth/?utm_source=email&utm_medium=tptop3&utm_campaign=tptop3

[Nye Bevan]

1. K&R. I know Obamacare isn't perfect,

but it is a huge step in the right direction. And it is making a huge difference.

[calimary]

14. TOTALLY. It's a START. And a good one.

Especially considering what we had up til then. Which was a whole lotta NOTHING.

This is how you can slap down an argument from a knuckle-dragger.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, I know, I know. The Affordable Care Act isn't perfect. BUT IT'S A START!!!!!!!! Took 'em YEARS to get Social Security into workable condition after it was instituted. YEARS. IT WASN'T PERFECT, EITHER!!!! It had a bumpy start, too, BUT IT WAS A START!!!!! It was needed! And it was a START!!!!!! And over time, it was perfected and improved and now people don't want to do without it. Now some of them CAN'T do without it! It's an essential for life support in this country now. It wasn't perfect, when IT launched, EITHER!!!

I threw that at a friend of mine who was just so anti-Obama and every time something went wrong with her flight schedule or some such, it was always "dammit - OBAMA!!!!!!!" I found I had to start stepping in and debunking that, or at least give her a hard time when she'd spew that. I just won't let that shit stand there, as though it were the "last word", unassailed and unchallenged. I'm no chuck todd!!!!

Anyway, I threw that at her - IT'S a START!!!! And added the reminder about how Social Security had a pretty bumpy start, too, according to what I've heard and read, and she actually had to capitulate. "Well, yeah..." And then a pause. And then - a slow, deliberate "yeah, that's right" (spoken with a tinge of reawakening and an "oh-yeah, I forgot about that..." in her voice). And that was that. Check-MATE. She hasn't brought it up, since.

I don't know whether I actually changed her mind, point-blank, OR she just decided it was too much of a hassle to keep badmouthing the ACA every time it came up because she knew I was gonna pounce and give her a hard time about that because I'd be challenging her assertions. And I don't care! I've decided I HAVE TO speak up and make a correction and set the record straight - since that kind of statement is propagating LIES and distortions that people have been conned into believing through constant propagandizing and relentless repetition of that propaganda. There's no pushback on that - UNLESS WE DO IT OURSELVES. You sure as hell won't see the chuck todds of the world paying any attention to setting the record straight when shit like this gets spewed on the air with them. WE HAVE TO DO IT OURSELVES!!!!!

Besides, you may be performing a public service. Changes are, with some of these unthinking human parrots, it might be the first time they've ever heard the other side. It could just be the first time they've ever been presented with the actual truth about that issue (or any other issue the bad guys are trying to brainwash the public about)!

REALITY-CHECK TIME!!!
These unthinking, unreasoning propaganda regurgitators - who just parrot what they hear on hate radio or Pox Noise - HAVE TO BE CHALLENGED! What they spew CANNOT be allowed to just stand, out there, unquestioned and unchecked. Because if nobody says anything or challenges it or fact-checks it, RIGHT THEN AND THERE, then it's perceived to be truth. "Well, nobody said anything..." "Well, nobody offered any rebuttals..." "Well, nobody said it wasn't true..." "Well, nobody's denying it..." HELL WITH THAT!!! Well, then, I, myself will deny it!!! I will take it upon MYSELF to deny it. Because it needs to be denied, and challenged, and rebutted, and fact-checked, all over everywhere!!!!

[Fred Sanders]

21. The free speech we have is being drowned out by the free speech of billionaires. Street protests

need to be near media and against media and its outlets, not police and Wall Street only.

[calimary]

40. Man, I'd go march in that one!

Protest the damn media bias. I found myself imagining liberals and Democrats literally banging on the doors of the bookers at "Meet the Press" and other such shows, loudly and relentlessly demanding to be allowed on the air. Meanwhile, since that never happened, those shows continued to recycle a VERY used and used-up john mccain. Or lindsey graham. Or bill kristol.

[Fred Sanders]

51. The power of the media is out of control. Folks are protesting in the wrong places against the usual

things the media wants you to protest against.

[SharonAnn]

28. Just found out that my extreme R-W friend is applying for Obamacare and will probably get a subsidy.

Since she's over 50, she wasn't able to get any insurance for the last few years.

She finally got around to considering it and found that it's going to be terrific for her, so she's gathered the information and documentation and is applying.

[mwb970]

31. Most right-wingers don't want to look into the options.

They'd rather get "stuck" with a bad policy so they can whine about it.

[tridim]

2. That trend makes Republicans sad and angry.

No doubt the Republicans will attempt to reverse the trend and blame Obama for the outcome of their actions.

[C Moon]

20. That or they'll attempt to take credit for it.

[Cosmocat]

48. I wish

having successfully labeled it as a massive disaster and failure, as with everything else evidence based like climate change they will ignor the data and simply say "everyone knows its a failure."

Just the way they roll.

Them being sad and angry would imply intellectual honestly on their part.

They KNOW it is a failure, so therefor it is a failure.

[SunSeeker]

3. K & R

[sheshe2]

4. KnR!

[Roy Rolling]

5. Yep

And right on time, I just got an email from my senator about a bill he is sponsoring to repeal this "train-wreck of a law" (his words, not mine)

Next,, he will be sponsoring a bill to feed farm crops Gatorade because the science is not in on whether Gatorade kills crops.

[gelsdorf]

11. But, but, but, it's got electrolytes n/t

[ArchTeryx]

37. Mike Judge already got there.

Bring on the Brawndo! ^.^

[bemildred]

6. Remarkable my ass. How about predictable? nt

[padfun]

7. When even Megan Kelly

says that Obamacare is working, then the game is over for the deniers.

[oberliner]

47. When did she do that?

Just curious.

[Ace Rothstein]

8. My cousin didn't have insurance for about a decade.

He was able to sign up for the ACA. Last spring he was diagnosed with leukemia at age 35. I couldn't imagine his medical costs if he wasn't able to obtain health insurance.

[JaneyVee]

9. Wow. Thanks for sharing.

And yes, costs for cancer treatment without insurance is astronomical.

[calimary]

16. Welcome to DU, Ace Rothstein!

Glad you're here! Thanks for the anecdotal evidence! There are stories like this - multiplying all over the place. There are versions of this, happening in real life, all over the place! Wouldn't have happened without the ACA! Would NOT have happened. What did the GOP ever come up with to address this issue? What? Where? When? Anybody? Answer - nobody. Nobody has an answer for that one. Nobody EVER has an answer for that one. They've had SO many opportunities to do something of their own about this problem and they've always passed. It's never been important.

I actually got a $95 refund check in the mail from Anthem Blue Cross on my insurance rates, a couple of years ago - BEFORE the ACA was even implemented. Back when it was just those few "little" proposals that took effect across the board BEFORE the actual ACA itself could formally kick in (and was still being fought and nitpicked over). The ones that mandated, immediately, that your kid could stay on your policy til age 26; that pre-existing conditions couldn't be used to deny you coverage anymore; that the lifetime cap on coverage was done away with; and that a HIGH percentage of your premiums absolutely HAD to apply directly to YOUR coverage, rather than enriching some CEO or corporate board of directors or stockholders. I forget the number - 85%? 90%? Not sure. But it's up there THAT high. That's where my $95 refund check originated. And THAT wouldn't have happened if not for the ACA.

[aggiesal]

24. Republicans plan woulld have been to just die...

Thanks for contributing to SS and Medicare, we'll just keep your money since we won't
be paying you your benefits. Thanks for playing.


So glad to hear your cousin has health insurance.

[Wellstone ruled]

10. The charts explain why the Rethugs want to

wipe out the ACA. There is money to be made in POVERTY and DEATH or lingering ILLNESS. Noticed thru the years,many of our Politicians have vested interests in Nursing Homes or Extended Care Facilities,wonder why.

[riqster]

12. Nononono, Obamacare sucks! Rilly!! A giveaway to the 1%!!!

I read it right here on DU!!!!

[joeglow3]

13. Sadly, my father-in-law will still be facing bankruptcy soon

My mother-in-law was recently diagnosed with Lynch Syndrome after her third bout with cancer. Under Medicare, she has spent too many days in the hospital and they are now in the process of going bankrupt.

[marions ghost]

15. Sympathies

Sad the way they beat up on the sick in this country. Been there with a parent also.

[1StrongBlackMan]

17. Yeah, but ...

My cousin's friend's girl-friend's uncle knows a guy told him that he heard that his bar-tender had to buy a drink for a patron that told him that he read somewhere that he couldn't afford the premiums if he wanted to .. in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ...

[Cali_Democrat]

18. hahahaha. nt

[Tarheel_Dem]

19. You know it's coming.

[Jefferson23]

22. The Republicans knew very well this would be a positive for the American people..that's why they

fought so hard against it..duh.

K&R

[VWolf]

23. Goddamn

hippie muslin commie fascist terrist socialist Marxist Kenyan!!!


(Did I cover them all?)

[Spooky69]

25. you forgot lesbian . . . .

[Thinkingabout]

26. The rollout of the death panels has been the largest failure.

They have not been able to get it going yet.

[Iliyah]

33. Death Panels by yours truly the GOPs and their SC Justices

followed by the corporate media blaming everything with a "D".

Co-worker who has seizures for about 2 years used up everything by way of his health insurance and had to submit to "Obamacare" -which can not deny anyone with pre-existing condition. His father is a Obama hater.

[SHRED]

34. Oh they are there

They are called "insurance corporations".

They still decide which doctor you can see and which treatments they will cover.

..

[Thinkingabout]

35. Those decisions are somewhat built into the policy you purchase. For those on

Medicare if Medicare does not cover the treatment then the medical, etc doesn't either. I have been lucky my problem is covered. I took a policy this year where I can go to almost any doctor anywhere in the US, have to pay more but better for me.

[Scurrilous]

27. K & R

[zipplewrath]

29. I am surprised

Last data I saw still had medical bankruptcies on the rise. I wonder if that has gone down too.

[KauaiK]

30. The GOP has been wrong on EVERY SINGLE issue

Read history. The Republican's have been the wrong side of history making every single time w/o exception (except maybe slavery but are making up for it now).

[Proud Liberal Dem]

32. Just in time for SCOTUS to (maybe) gut subsidies for residents in GOP stronghold states

The law is working as intended (or maybe better) and the Republicans are literally salivating for SCOTUS to try to remove subsidies, which would effectively take many people back to having unaffordable premiums if they weren't lucky enough to be born in/currently reside in one of the 14 states to have created their own state health insurance exchange- all over a stupid drafting error that any sane and/or intelligent individual would still understand the legislative intent behind.



Republicans just can't stand anybody helping people less fortunate than them.

[Thinkingabout]

36. How these folks who are poor as church mice continue to vote against their own

Best interest I do not understand. I would be writing and telling them unless they change their ways I would not vote for another R.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

38. I doubt, unfortunately, not many know what is *really* going on

at least not until they start to feel the pinch but, usually, by that point, it's too late. People NEED to know what their leaders are up to and need to stop fooling themselves into thinking that not caring about what goes on in statehouses and in Congress somehow makes them smarter or morally superior to everybody else but makes them negligent in a civil society such as ours.

[liberal_at_heart]

39. sorry, not believing it. Premiums and copays are still very expensive.

I stopped going to see my psychologist because it was costing me $50 a week and that is with insurance. My daughter is seeing a graduate student psychologist so it only costs her $20 a week, but still even $20 every week adds up. Not to mention we just paid a $50 eye exam copay and a $45 contact lens fitting fee for her. On Monday we get to order the contact lenses which I know will be expensive. A couple of months ago I paid $250 for my daughter to get a replacement retainer. My husband isn't taking the prescription glaucoma meds he is supposed to be taking. The pills cost $600/month and the drops cost $90/month and this is with insurance. He instead takes MMJ for his glaucoma, and luckily his ophthalmologist gives him samples of the drop. Sorry, just not buying that medical bills are going down.

[SheilaT]

41. You seem to have some very high costs.

But what would the psychologist cost without insurance? What would the eye exam and contacts cost without insurance?

Retainers, I assume you mean for teeth, are almost never covered by any insurance, and having been through them with my sons, $250 is probably reasonable.

Have you looked into other possible plans for you?

[liberal_at_heart]

42. Health insurance is a for profit business. Until we have single payer people will continue to

pay high premiums, deductibles, and copays. I'm glad so many now have insurance. I am not glad so many are being burdened with so much debt. Between credit card debt, college debt, mortgage debt, medical debt and low wages how are people supposed to eat? How are people supposed to pay their heating bills? How are people supposed to pay for prescriptions? We have major problems in this country. It gets worse and worse every year and eventually it will get to a point when we can no longer ignore the problems.

[mnhtnbb]

44. Have you checked this website for coupons-- for your husband's glaucoma meds--

as posted by Mineral Man? http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=6044069


Maybe there is a coupon you can use at a pharmacy near you?

http://www.goodrx.com/

[liberal_at_heart]

46. I'll check, but I doubt it will be a big enough discount. Even if it were say

70% off the cost of the pill, it would still cost too much. It may be worth while to check out for the drops, but he gets samples of his drops from his ophthalmologist so so far that is not a problem. We were once told by a physician's assistant that most doctors get so many samples from pharmaceutical representatives that sometimes they have to throw them out if they don't get given out and used by a certain date. It would be worth asking about samples of the pills but they are so expensive I have a feeling that is not one of the ones they give out many samples of.

[ND-Dem]

43. if true, that's great.

[RiverLover]

45. 64 million people report having problems paying their medical bills. That's alot of people.

Its improved, but there is still a huge problem.

[Cali_Democrat]

53. We're moving in the right direction...

There's still work to do!

[Vinca]

49. More importantly, it has alleviated a whole lot of suffering.

I've got first hand experience with that.

[Enthusiast]

50. This is wonderful.

But!

We must move rapidly toward a not for profit European type system.

This is one part of our lives that we should all be able to agree on.

All Democratic office holders and candidates should take every opportunity to point out that this is the only reasonable course of action. If they don't take the opportunity to point this out in print, on TV or in campaign appearances, I see them as a grave disappointment. They must make the opportunity.

[lovemydog]

52. That's a good start.

I'll be forever grateful to President Obama and the people who voted for the Affordable Care Act. It seems to be working on some of it's intended purposes.

Next up for progressives like me: convincing the majority that we need to reduce health care costs further by going toward a single payer system. We have the wealth in this country to provide health care for all, on a sliding scale in which the poorest don't have to pay.

[Stuart G]

54. Very Important for all to see...k and r..nt.

[SHRED]

55. That's all good and well however...

...for a couple making 50K per year with medical issues the cost for visits and care go through the roof. And not all care is in the network or even covered at all so a good chunk of care expense does not go towards the "maximum out-of-pocket" total.

Much better than before but still way too damn expensive.