The United States Presidential Administration thread [RULES]

[wildmaven]

While many enjoyed the prior 100 page thread about the Trump administration, it had to be locked for many reasons. As such, this new thread has been created so that the dialogue may be continued, but with some stipulations for those who wish to participate:

1. No hate speech. 
2. Posts must further the conversation. Spammy posts will be removed. 
3. Members will treat each other with respect. Name calling, insults, and statements questioning a member's mental status will not be tolerated. 
4. If you are stating a statistic, a source must be provided. 
5. You must be willing to have your statements challenged and must be willing to behave like an adult in response. 
6. Even if you completely loathe a political figure, this is not the place to question their gender, family lineage, etc. 
7. If you feel you cannot act according to these Rules, please move on.
8. If you feel you are getting angry, take a step back and wait until you calm down before posting. 

If you see a post which violates any of the above, please use the Report Post feature available by clicking on the gear icon on the questionable post. DO NOT quote the post as a reply, DO NOT engage the member in question. Let the moderators handle it. 

[wildmaven]

I'm having a big issue with the decision to scrap Critical Health Care Subsidies right before most of the employers have their mandatory annual insurance enrollment. Link It's irresponsible and will cause major issues, resulting in yet again more people without insurance.

Two days ago, 18 states have sued to block the cuts. Link

I'm not sure yet what repercussions this is going to have on the rural hospital in which I work, but I'm sure it's not going to be good. It just seems that Trump is soooooooo eager to get rid of the Affordable Care Act that he's willing to cause his own people to suffer as a result.

[Søren]

Oct 15, 2017 8:01:10 GMT -8 wildmaven said:

I'm having a big issue with the decision to scrap Critical Health Care Subsidies right before most of the employers have their mandatory annual insurance enrollment. Link It's irresponsible and will cause major issues, resulting in yet again more people without insurance.

Two days ago, 18 states have sued to block the cuts. Link

I'm not sure yet what repercussions this is going to have on the rural hospital in which I work, but I'm sure it's not going to be good. It just seems that Trump is soooooooo eager to get rid of the Affordable Care Act that he's willing to cause his own people to suffer as a result.

This makes me very happy for the NHS. It not perfect for sure but I would hate to go though what many Americans do. I am sure I be badly effected by this if I lived in US or dead as my family wouldn't have afforded any treatments or meds  

[endo]

It sounds to me like Trump's plan helps provide coverage for people who simply couldn't afford it under Obamacare. I don't see where he's forcing people to drop coverage they have if it works for them, just giving people that don't have great coverage options.

link

[wildmaven]

Oct 15, 2017 10:45:45 GMT -8 endo said:

It sounds to me like Trump's plan helps provide coverage for people who simply couldn't afford it under Obamacare. I don't see where he's forcing people to drop coverage they have if it works for them, just giving people that don't have great coverage options.

link

The cut of the subsidies will cause insurance companies to raise their rates, once again pricing plans out of reach for the poor. 

[daniel]

Oct 15, 2017 10:45:45 GMT -8 endo said:

It sounds to me like Trump's plan helps provide coverage for people who simply couldn't afford it under Obamacare. I don't see where he's forcing people to drop coverage they have if it works for them, just giving people that don't have great coverage options.

link

You are mistaken. His recent actions threaten to eliminate the subsidies that poor and middle class workers used to afford mediocre plans. This will make those plans more expensive. Also, he removed restrictions so that insurance companies could offer bare-bones plans which afford very little practical coverage for routine care.

To use myself as an example, this will likely increase my costs by $50 per month. This is a plan for which I pay $126 per month. It has a $5200 deductible, meaning I pay 100% until that. It's primary benefit to me is in case of major medical events. Otherwise, it's been a farce. Trump's actions mean that these costs will go up. It also means that more of these "affordable" plans are of almost no practical use and just a windfall to insurance companies.

Obamacare is blah. But, it's better than having almost no options. The solution would be to remove the insurance layer from the equation and to regulate out of control prices. Every other nation with a strong and modern economy manages this. The only reason the US hasn't done it is because insurance companies (among others) have politicians in their pockets.

[♥ ℒʊ√ ♥]

This is an extraordinary gamble with people's lives hanging in the balance.

These subsidies, if they don't come from the government, will be paid by the entire insured pool of the companies owed these subsidies. It will NOT be paid for by those receiving the subsidies. They will still get them. It's the rest of the insurers who don't receive the subsidies (and the government) who will pay for those who do.

So POTUS is actually making insurance far more unaffordable, except for the inexpensive plans that basically will offer very little in services. And that fact will be well hidden within the tens of pages of fine print that accompanies the policy. And there will be no one to stop them from this practice. As they say, you'll get what you pay for, or in this case, don't pay for.

Additionally, with POTUS doing this, it will cost the government, therefore we the taxpayers, far more than what we are now spending in subsidies according to the CBO ~ which is non-partisan.

So companies have three choices. Take the government to court; hike their premiums; or pull out of the state.

~ Link ~

[Former Member]

Admittedly I haven't read anything about Trumpcare. However, it simply HAS to be better then Obamacare. Under Obamacare I couldn't afford insurance on my own when I was in between jobs last year. I was paying $252 a month for a subsidiary for Sheri and there was nothing else in the pot for me. Started two different jobs and was forced to wait 90 days to get insurance at the first one and got laid off at like day 80. Started a new job about a month later and had to wait 60 days for insurance at that place. Since I couldn't afford it, I had no coverage for five months that year. What did I get for being broke and out of work? Fined $85 a month on my taxes. Obamacare sucked! I'm glad to see something mew coming. How can a system that fines you for being broke be a good thing in any form?

[♥ ℒʊ√ ♥]

Unfortunately, @thecaptainstable , be prepared to pay even more with this change, unless you decide to lower your payments by lowering the health services you'll receive, if any insurers decide to stay.

And if you have a pre-existing condition, forget about coverage of any kind.

This is a case of Trump supporters being careful of what they wish for.

Trump will have to own this when it implodes and the consequences come home to roost.

Once the insured realize they are now paying the subsidies, there'll be a very rude awakening.

[STLUEE]

I would like one of Europe political systems. I mostly stay out of political threads because, of the bashing. Everyone is quick to judge the US political system, how about a thread on other countries? Thank you!

[daniel]

Oct 15, 2017 13:42:18 GMT -8 @thecaptainstable said:

Admittedly I haven't read anything about Trumpcare. However, it simply HAS to be better then Obamacare.

This simply isn't true and is part of the reason we have a terrible system in the first place. Reduce it to a very simple exercise: 1 piece of bread is better than starving with zero. A whole loaf would be better. But, you have politicians and corporations tell you how bad the 1-piece plan is. They want to do away with it and leave you with no pieces rather than reform the system so that we all don't starve. They have you believing, and repeating, that zero bread is better.

You have to look at who is behind these things and who benefits from the change. Obamacare is terribly flawed. It was rushed too soon in Obama's term. It gave away too much to health insurance companies (who faced an existence threat if single-payer passed). But, it still has it's advantages.

The advantage of everyone paying in is that it's cheaper when you do need it. Complain about the "penalty" all you want, but the reality is that that penalty covers the cost of others who already need it. When you need it you'll appreciate that others can't opt-out. The key thing is that we all have these needs and increasingly so as we age. It's way more affordable to spread those costs out from the moment we enter the workforce than to wait.

Another major benefit of Obamacare is that those with pre-existing conditions have to be offered coverage. Before that change you were often completely out of luck if you developed diabetes, heart disease, or various other conditions. Again, these will effect almost all of us eventually.

Trump, as a person, has no real ideological leanings on the matter. He's simply pandering to the corporate interests that profit by Americans *paying for health coverage but not able to use it effectively.* He's also simply pandering to his base of people that voted for him who have been brainwashed to support platforms that are actually contrary to their own interests.

[Tumbleweed]

First of all, why was it o.k. for people to die before the ACA? The fact is no one is going to die because subsidies are cut. The same things are still in place prior to Obamacare. ER is still available for the poor just like it was prior to the ACA. And before you say it, ER visits never went down as Obama hoped they would and in fact seems to have increased since the ACA was enacted. I'm saying this before someone claims they'll increase now. (Politifact)

Trump is trying to force the hand of congress to get their acts together and do something about the disaster Obamacare. That's why he did what little he could on his end.

And daniel, Didn't you read Wildmavens post? I am not brainwashed! What an insult.

As to your comment, as I've said in other threads, my premiums are almost the same as my mortgage payment and my deductible is $5500 (t was $1500 before). I'm paying $425 more per month than prior to the ACA. I can't afford to go to the doctor because I just do not have the out of pocket costs. The ACA is failing and everyone knows it. If removing the subsidies  makes it crash and burn sooner then I'm fine with that, rather than a long tortuous death. On the other hand, if congress both dems and repubs want to get re-elected, they better do something about the ACA now. You guys seem to care about those who were too poor to afford health insurance meanwhile not caring at all for people like me, who work and pay for our our health insurance without subsidies. But we can't use it!!! That's not right! 

[📚 Dianne 📚]

I am seeing no proof to back all these accusations.

Okay -I would like to know this -just why does everyone in America want to emulate other countries healthcare systems. From speaking to my friends in other countries, I am lead to believe that the countries have nearly excruciating taxes to afford national health care among other things. Please explain why we (The USA) should emulate these other countries?

[Bugme]

Oct 15, 2017 14:09:53 GMT -8 STLUEE said:

I would like one of Europe political systems. I mostly stay out of political threads because, of the bashing. Everyone is quick to judge the US political system, how about a thread on other countries? Thank you!

Speaking as someone who has spent time in other countries and have seen other systems at work, the U.S. system maybe stinks at times but I'll take it over the any of the European forms that simply smell like a sewer. Need I remind folks of the PIGS in the EU as just one of many examples?

[STLUEE]

its a better system than having Kings and queens, as well as dictators.Better than being slaves to the government and depending on them to support their people.