Lot of talk about the possible impact of lost ACA subsidies for those earning more than 400% of poverty level, but the base premiums are up bigly, and expected to go up more than that in 2027 (due to increasing losses).

2026 numbers:

States that use their own exchanges -- up average of 17%.
States that use the federal exchange - up average of 30% (includes Texas)
Employer plans (up ~10%) but most are shifting an additional 15-20% back to the employee.

I don't really have a great take on this that hasn't been expressed in other threads, except to say the Dems put people in this position. Don't see how many families pay this, but I also don't see how a possible 60% + increase over 2 years can be afforded in the US budget.

Socialism in action is always ugly.

https://www.kff.org/quick-take/aca-insurers-are-raising-premiums-by-an-estimated-26-but-most-enrollees-could-see-sharper-increases-in-what-they-pay/

Mine didn't go up very much, but coverage went down about 1000%. Basically shrinkflation in medical coverage form. At this point it's pretty much useless unless I have to spend 16k out of pocket (other option I can get makes it only 8k) yearly. At that point, I'm golden...

Fingers crossed for major surgeries the beginning of every year so that I can go to the doctor and get my meds the rest of the year.

We will have UHC within 10 years.

No surprise. When the US government sponsors a social program, it doesn't take long to get way out of control. The problem with Obamacare is they're trying to provide discounted health insurance to people -- many of whom won't hold down a reliable job to pay for it themselves -- by foisting much higher premiums on working/retired people who aren't covered under an employer's plan.

So basically, make it good for millions of people by screwing it up for millions of other people.

Naturally, those who don't have the moral fortitude to provide for themselves will find every way possible to abuse the system, which just robs it of revenue and drives up the cost for the honest folks.

Case in point... I know a late 20's woman who is not blood-related to me who's about to have her fourth child on Medicaid. She's shacked up with a guy who's got a good job with an energy company, but they refuse to marry because she would lose her free benefits from the government and he would have to pay for it.

Take that example and multiply it by millions. And then the same verse for SNAP/EBT, etc. And then go figure that illegal aliens are sucking off the public teat too.

We are suckers for letting these leaches rob us blind in broad daylight.

It's doing exactly what it's supposed to do.

Which sucks for all of us.

Health insurance premiums will keep me trapped in the army reserve until I'm 59

It really is crazy but it is better than nationalized healthcare by miles.

It's all going according to plan. Marxist Obama with the saving assist from McCain. A match made in hell.

Might support removing the filibuster if it was to impose that Congress must use and make do with any system they vote into existence. So none of them (Dems, no R's voted for it) would be allowed to use something other than ACA. This should apply to all their laws in truth.

Obamacare was designed to fail and usher in universal healthcare.

It needs to be repealed and replaced with legislation that requires medical providers to offer their lowest negotiated rate to cash payers.

Then for those that can't afford standard insurance, they can access catastrophic plans that cover cancer, car wrecks, and cardiac events with a $30k deductible. Basically equivalent to a car loan, which should be enough to keep premiums low, but not enough to provide life long crippling debt.

All those who only cary catastrophic coverage will pay for their insulin, statins, ozempic, HRT, broken bones, ear infections, and regular checkups out of pocket at the cash rate.

Absolutely shocked by my Blue Cross HMO Premium increase of 53%. On top of that, the subsidy is going away, so the amount I will be paying, $3600 per month for my wife and myself, has tripled.

I think this will have an effect on the current shutdown fight, probably in favor of the democrats unfortunately.

What is really disturbing is how unsustainable our health care system has become. This thing is falling right off the cliff.

Most likely short term solution? The same as always - go into more debt and have the government pay for it.

We all knew obamacare was the worst and would never work.

It never did

titan said:

---

Might support removing the filibuster if it was to impose that Congress must use and make do with any system they vote into existence. So none of them (Dems, no R's voted for it) would be allowed to use something other than ACA. This should apply to all their laws in truth.

---

I agree, but the rub is so many are millionaires by abusing their positions that they can just pay cash for whatever health care they want.

UntoldSpirit said:

---

Absolutely shocked by my Blue Cross HMO Premium increase of 53%. On top of that, the subsidy is going away, so the amount I will be paying, $3600 per month for my wife and myself, has tripled.

I think this will have an effect on the current shutdown fight, probably in favor of the democrats unfortunately.

What is really disturbing is how unsustainable our health care system has become. This thing is falling right off the cliff.

Most likely short term solution? The same as always - go into more debt and have the government pay for it.

---

lb3's post seems to offer a promising direction. If it could only be imposed soon enough.

Personally, strongly inclined to think our parents will be the last to know really good and reliable and at least somewhere in the payable range of health care and treatment.

The more some can think in 19th C terms of they get what life length and health they are given by God and not much more, may be the route.

Of course in return, it needs to be worked on that no one can be mandated to purchase care either and any such remaining rules abolished that may linger. If you are going to be left to your own devices, than that also goes for any expense.

As much as people talk **** about big corporations, I will say the insurance is the best thing by far. I barely pay anything. And had a couple health issues the past couple years which would have cost me 10x easily if I didn't work for big corp.

Over_ed said:

---

Socialism in action is always ugly.

---

This isn't even socialism. It just seems like corrupt crony capitalism.

UntoldSpirit said:

---

Absolutely shocked by my Blue Cross HMO Premium increase of 53%. On top of that, the subsidy is going away, so the amount I will be paying, $3600 per month for my wife and myself, has tripled.

I think this will have an effect on the current shutdown fight, probably in favor of the democrats unfortunately.

What is really disturbing is how unsustainable our health care system has become. This thing is falling right off the cliff.

Most likely short term solution? The same as always - go into more debt and have the government pay for it.

---

You know no employers are paying ~40k per year? Assuming no subsidies. Shocked is not where I would be - probably mad as hell, at least.

I am not an expert (or even knowledgeable) but it seems to me you might be better off getting a couple of bronze catastrophic plans at that price level with some upside possible if you don't have an expensive year? I'm sure you have probably looked at all the alternatives, though.

Really sucks.

Waffledynamics said:

---

Over_ed said:

---

Socialism in action is always ugly.

---

This isn't even socialism. It just seems like corrupt crony capitalism.

---

Government forcing people to buy a product they don't want is not capitalism, imo.

titan said:

---

lb3's post seems to offer a promising direction. If it could only be imposed soon enough.

---

It sounds promising, but I think most would be surprised at just how much a $30K deductable catastrophic coverage plan would cost for older Americans.

Injecting competition into the system is the only way. So if that idea would do that, then I'm for it.

Media hate programs are the way to go if you're a healthy individual/family. We have Christian Healthcare Ministries Medishare Plan and it's been great for our family

Over_ed said:

---

UntoldSpirit said:

---

Absolutely shocked by my Blue Cross HMO Premium increase of 53%. On top of that, the subsidy is going away, so the amount I will be paying, $3600 per month for my wife and myself, has tripled.

I think this will have an effect on the current shutdown fight, probably in favor of the democrats unfortunately.

What is really disturbing is how unsustainable our health care system has become. This thing is falling right off the cliff.

Most likely short term solution? The same as always - go into more debt and have the government pay for it.

---

You know no employers are paying ~40k per year? Assuming no subsidies. Shocked is not where I would be - probably mad as hell, at least.

I am not an expert (or even knowledgeable) but it seems to me you might be better off getting a couple of bronze catastrophic plans at that price level with some upside possible if you don't have an expensive year? I'm sure you have probably looked at all the alternatives, though.

Really sucks.

---

Yes, you are right, this is going to likely force me into a bronze plan to lower the cost about $1000 per month, but its not clear that with the reduced coverage, I will actually save any money that way. But I might save some, so I'll probably end up doing that. Still evaluating everything. Lots to look at.

The market for healthcare is so incredibly distorted by regulation, government interference and manipulation, and corporate quasi government doing the same that there is no pricing information that gets to the consumer to allow supply and demand to align. Third party payers and price fixing for parts of the market by government have caused most prices to vastly inflate for the rest of the market. It's a real mess.


Pricing clarity would go a very long way to clear this up but that's the last thing providers, governments, and insurance want.

You say "much higher premiums on retired people." Do you mean retired people who do not yet qualify for Medicare? I just want to make sure, as I'm about to qualify.

Gotta love that free stuff tact the left uses.

MemphisAg1 said:

---

No surprise. When the US government sponsors a social program, it doesn't take long to get way out of control. The problem with Obamacare is they're trying to provide discounted health insurance to people -- many of whom won't hold down a reliable job to pay for it themselves -- by foisting much higher premiums on working/retired people who aren't covered under an employer's plan.

So basically, make it good for millions of people by screwing it up for millions of other people.

Naturally, those who don't have the moral fortitude to provide for themselves will find every way possible to abuse the system, which just robs it of revenue and drives up the cost for the honest folks.

Case in point... I know a late 20's woman who is not blood-related to me who's about to have her fourth child on Medicaid. She's shacked up with a guy who's got a good job with an energy company, but they refuse to marry because she would lose her free benefits from the government and he would have to pay for it.

Take that example and multiply it by millions. And then the same verse for SNAP/EBT, etc. And then go figure that illegal aliens are sucking off the public teat too.

We are suckers for letting these leaches rob us blind in broad daylight.

---

And idiot voters keep voting for this. They keep banging their head against the wall thinking this time it will be different.

ts5641 said:

---

Gotta love that free stuff tact the left uses.

---

Yup. And they praise Mr obama as a savior, the first black president! All the while he is richer than most folks of any color, hosed poor people, really screwed over poor blacks . I'm guessing that's his white half that does that?

This was the plan. They need the half measure of socialism to fail so they can force a single-payer solution.

lb3 said:

---

Obamacare was designed to fail and usher in universal healthcare.

It needs to be repealed and replaced with legislation that requires medical providers to offer their lowest negotiated rate to cash payers.

Then for those that can't afford standard insurance, they can access catastrophic plans that cover cancer, car wrecks, and cardiac events with a $30k deductible. Basically equivalent to a car loan, which should be enough to keep premiums low, but not enough to provide life long crippling debt.

All those who only cary catastrophic coverage will pay for their insulin, statins, ozempic, HRT, broken bones, ear infections, and regular checkups out of pocket at the cash rate.

---

The only way that happens is nuking the filibuster, but too may conservatives are opposed to doing that. So, we wait until the Dems nuke it and then we get UHC run by the government!

HTH

It's seems a trivial point, but it's "medical care", not "health care". Medical care is a product I buy from providers, unfortunately the (now 80 year old) third party payer paradigm means that I don't really have an economic relationship with the sellers of what I'm buying. Therefore the providers have no incentive to provide value and I have no incentive to seek value.

Recognizing that medical care is but a portion of health care might be a start. My health is on me, even if the medical care that needs to be paid for is being paid by someone else.

MemphisAg1 said:

---

No surprise. When the US government sponsors a social program, it doesn't take long to get way out of control. The problem with Obamacare is they're trying to provide discounted health insurance to people -- many of whom won't hold down a reliable job to pay for it themselves -- by foisting much higher premiums on working/retired people who aren't covered under an employer's plan.

So basically, make it good for millions of people by screwing it up for millions of other people.

Naturally, those who don't have the moral fortitude to provide for themselves will find every way possible to abuse the system, which just robs it of revenue and drives up the cost for the honest folks.

Case in point... I know a late 20's woman who is not blood-related to me who's about to have her fourth child on Medicaid. She's shacked up with a guy who's got a good job with an energy company, but they refuse to marry because she would lose her free benefits from the government and he would have to pay for it.

Take that example and multiply it by millions. And then the same verse for SNAP/EBT, etc. And then go figure that illegal aliens are sucking off the public teat too.

We are suckers for letting these leaches rob us blind in broad daylight.

---

You got the suckers part correct. Now... quit blaming the leeches and quit voting for the real leeches.

YouBet said:

---

We will have UHC within 10 years.

---

Medical tourism will continue to skyrocket. I've had several procedures done outside the US for far cheaper and same quality of care.

Obama and the left all praised Obamacare claiming:

1). You will save money - Negative
2). You can keep your doctor - Negative for many
3). Americans will be healthier

Regarding #3, are Americans healthier? With the meteoric rise of weight loss drugs alone, I'm going to anecdotally claim that Americans are less healthy now.

End Obamacare and come up with a program that helps only those who can't take care of themselves. For those living off the government who simply don't want to work, sorry but you don't get this.

It's not healthcare, it's a socialist, government run medical insurance plan that is an anchor around the neck of this country.

TheCurl84 said:

---

You say "much higher premiums on retired people." Do you mean retired people who do not yet qualify for Medicare? I just want to make sure, as I'm about to qualify.

---

Yes, higher premiums for retired people who aren't yet eligible for Medicare and aren't covered under a company insurance plan.

They changed the law in 2024 regarding the length of Short Term Medical policy length in Texas. It was shortened from 12 months to 3 or 4 months. About 1/3 the premium in my age group vs ACA plan.

The ACA subsidy drops off a cliff at 4x the poverty rate. Around $84,000. Below $84k you get $1000 per month, above $84k = $0.