Obamacare deadbeats: Some don't pay up

CNN ^ | 30 Jan 2014 | Tami Luhby

[mandaladon]

Just cause they've signed up for Obamacare doesn't mean they're covered. Around one in five people who picked health insurance policies on the state and federal exchanges last year haven't paid their first month's premiums, according to insurers polled by CNNMoney. These folks will likely see their policy selection canceled and they'll be left uninsured. Some 2.1 million people signed up for a plan in time for their coverage to start January 1, according to the Obama administration. But with the payment deadlines stretching until January 31 at the latest, anywhere between 12% and 30% of those folks still haven't paid up, insurers say. Most consumers were given until the middle or the end of January to pay their first premium, a necessary step to actually activating enrollment. Exchange officials and insurers repeatedly stressed the importance of sending in that first payment, with some following up with the slackers by phone or letter. The true enrollment figure likely won't be known for a few weeks.

Scott & White Health Plan reached out 10 times to each person who hadn't paid and delayed the deadline to Jan. 30, said Allan Einboden, chief executive. Early on, people said there were confused about what they needed to do to activate their policies. Others, however, said they were looking at alternative options or were considering forgoing coverage. The Texas-based insurer expected its payment rate to be in the high 80% range by its deadline, Einboden said, noting that about 450 people had signed up for coverage starting Jan. 1.

[Varsity Flight]

“Insurance companies” or investment houses? Actuaries for their own benefit, leveraged collective by force = communism

[cuban leaf]

Are you going to refuse Medicare also (if that’s possible)?

---

Yep.

Frankly, we will probably not need it. My wife was sick for almost the entire month of January. Turns out my brother in seattle had the same thing, but he went to the hospital because he felt so sick. I went to the internet and drilled into her specific symptoms. The consensus was clear: She had the flu - a particularly nasty strain. As long as her temp stayed within a particular range for a particular time, she was just going to have to sweat it out. In her case it was almost a month.

In my brother’s case, the hospital (for a significant sum of money) told him the same thing. For him it was seven weeks. But then, he eats at restaurants, etc. We eat mostly food we grow and much of our calories come from our masticating juicer.

And if one of us gets cancer, we won’t discover it until it’s too late and we’ll make funeral arrangements. But it is highly unlikely that we will. We take responsibility for our health rather than loaf around and eat big macs. We really don’t use doctors much and now will use them only for emergencies. Life is risk.

Philippians 1:21
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

[WayneS]

These folks will likely see their policy selection canceled and they'll be left uninsured.

I doubt it. I think it more likely that Obama will come to their rescue by issuing an "executive order" which provides benefits to those who refuse to pay (as long as they are members of a "protected class").

[DoughtyOne]

Remember that 40 million uninsured they kept harping on to get this thing passed?

Where’s the other 38 million?

And now that those who had healthcare are losing their policies, they’re having to scramble too.

Gosh this Obamacare has been a savior to the populace.

There’s probably 50 million without insurance now. Very few of them are signing up.

Tell us why oh omnipotent IIPOTUS. (illegal immigrant)

[WayneS]

I thought masticating juicers went extinct more than 75,000 years ago...

;-)

[JSDude1]

This is just going to get worse for Obamacare: How many (mostly young) people even if they pay the 1st month are going to continue into month 2, 3.., etc..

[dfwgator]

Good thing we’re all working so we can pay their bills.

[wildbill]

I have a lot of experience as an insurance agent selling health policies. You’ve heard a lot about people dropping their policies or having their policies drop them. Here are some of the reasons:

1. Lots of people buy policies when they know they are going to use them and then plan to drop them when the medical need is over. Would you believe that otherwise good people will lie on their applications in order to try an get a policy?

This is why insurance companies have pre-existing conditions clauses in their policies that come into play when claims arise.

2.Lots of people who are actually in good health stop paying premiums and drop their policies when confronted by financial needs that they think are more important than the uncertain need for health coverage.

3. Since the premium quote for Obamacare comes at the end of the process it isn’t surprising that people decide they don’t want to pay the premium they can’t afford and simply walk away from the payment process. Haven’t you ever got to the checkout page and decided that the items you have in your cart are too expensive?

[cuban leaf]

:-)

They really do juice by sort of “chewing’ the food. They don’t grind the food, but squish the daylights out of it so you can even juice stuff like kale and spinach.
An acquaintence got on the Gerson diet, juicing a huge amount every day, after being diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. She was completely cured. We’d heard about the diet before but thought it was one of those “mexico things”.

It’s real.

That touches on our other thought about health care. Other than the obvious benefits like fixing broken bones, we don’t really have much use for doctors. And if something is really serious (i.e. expensive) we figure that is the voice of the Lord calling us home.

[Qiviut]

Doctors, etc. are requesting Co pays & deductibles up front ... and I’ve seen the notice say “if you can’t pay today, you’ll have to reschedule your appointment”.

[Qiviut]

Check out this resource .... might be helpful:

http://selfpaypatient.com/

The last tab entitled “Self-Pay Healthcare Market” has excellent links.

[pallis]

Wait until the government subsidies stop. People won’t be able to make those big balloon payments. Once they experience the wonderful world of deductibles and overpriced premiums, the newbies to insurance will scatter.

[Desparado]

Oh, It’s possible to Refuse Medicare all right. The only problem is the longer you go without it after you turn 65, the higher your premium will be when you finally accept it. For the REST of your life. I just went through this last year. Those are the facts.

[cuban leaf]

Thanks. I emailed it to myself. I’m putting it on my facebook page as well.

[wku man]

Obamacare is working exactly as it was designed...to fail. It's supposed to be a debacle, so as to give cover to the single-payer advocates.

Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!

[WayneS]

I like the name, “Masticating Juicer”, because it sounds like some kind of prehistoric animal or bird. I can even imagine an ‘Animal Planet’ documentary about the creatures:

“The Masticating Juicer was a prehistoric bird, cap[able of flight, which is most closely related to the modern Toucan. They were large, averaging 36” in height, with wingspans up to 84 inches. It is thought that these fascinating birds mated for life, with the female typically laying one to three eggs in a large nest made of mud, twigs and leaves. Both parents participated in nest building, typically constructing their home on a stout tree branch anywhere from 18’ to 40’ off the ground.

While The Masticating Juicer preferred more tropical climes, where the citrus fruits that were its favorite juice-making materials were most plentiful and easy to find, “M-J”, as the creature is affectionately known among anthropologic biologists, ranged as far north as what is now central Canada, where it subsisted on a diet of juices made from various prehistoric berry-producing plant species which yielded fruit similar to modern wild blueberries and cranberries...”

Seriously, though, is there a specific brand/model you would recommend?

[cuban leaf]

Well, the most bang for the buck is in the $300-$400 range. We got a jack lalane grinding/spinning one and used it for a month before moving on. The reason was the friend we mentioned. The difference in quality and quantity of "good stuff" from grinders vs "chewers" is staggering.

For starters, the grinders rip up the plant material so that it oxidizes rapidly. You need to drink it right away. The stuff from masticating juicers can be thrown in the fridge for later. And leafy stuff just blows through a grinder without being juiced.

Regarding which to get, there are a lot of decent brands. We got this one from costco on sale (Less than $300 but it's around $330 now).

I would avoid the style below, mainly because I get the feeling the one we got is the improved design that is significantly faster, easier to clean, takes the food in bigger chunks, yet still uses low rpm to squish the food really well. My daughter in law got one and she does like it, but she has not even seen the type above yet.

Just google Masticating juicer. You'll find out everything you need to know. It's changed our life in some very GOOD ways. It's almost like a fountain of youth. Almost.

[WayneS]

Thanks.

[grumpygresh]

You’re right, the GOP will probably do nothing. But what they should do is say that people should have a choice to buy whatever policy they want or to buy no insurance at all.

Bozo can make promises and put out EOs, but he can’t force insurance companies to provide coverage for free, he can’t appropriate funds for insurance company bail-outs, he can’t force providers to provide care (at least elective care) for free, and he can’t create a new program out of thin air.

If zero is actually able to do this, it will only be because of the traitorous media, a compromised and impotent congress, and tacit acceptance by the dumbed down sheeple.