The Ugly Truth about Obamacare

President Barack Obama campaigned for universal healthcare since his initial run for the presidency. He has faced opposition from the Right and countless mudslinging and comparisons to dictators like Adolf Hitler. After a hard fought battle, the Affordable Healthcare Act was approved by Congress and implementation began in late 2013. The rollout of the website Healthcare.gov was shaky from the gate and it looked as though the Right Wing Liberals were having their “I told you so” moment. After improvements were made to the website, people were finally able to log on and sign up for coverage. Some healthcare facilities even sent personnel through training to become federal certified Navigators. Navigators are the people who can actually sit down with you from start to finish and help you “shop” for the insurance plan that fits your specific needs in regard to your health and finances. Now, here we are into the 2nd quarter of 2014 and people are beginning to use their newly acquired insurance plans purchased through the Marketplace.

Here’s the ugly truth about “Obamacare” from what I’ve witnessed being in the healthcare industry. Some hospitals are not accepting these Marketplace or Exchange plans. Even though they are well recognized plans, some facilities, when verifying benefits, are asking the insurance if it is an Exchange Plan (meaning purchased through the Marketplace) and if they are then the facility isn’t contracted or not in network; Or you have the plans were the monthly premiums are so high for a family it doesn’t make coverage so affordable. For my family and I on my group insurance comes out to be about $500 a month. However, some of these premiums are upwards to $1200 a month with high deductibles and out of pocket expenses. If you have a $10k deductible please understand that your insurance IS NOT paying anything until you’ve met your deductible.

So what’s the cause of all this Affordable health being so Unaffordable?  When you have states such as Georgia not participating in the Medicaid expansion for people who cannot afford to purchase health insurance, it boosts up healthcare premiums. See, there has to be competition within the market to drive the costs down, which is what this was supposed to do. Seems like poli-tricks are still being played by the Right. I believe healthcare should be offered to all and indeed should be affordable. People are choosing to forgo medical treatment because they’re scared to get a bill. We need to get it right. Let’s take away the healthcare of these politicians and see how it feels to seek financial assistance for a $6k surgery that the hospital will bill you $15k for. I bet their perspectives will change then.

More about the writer Jaesun Moore

I am a spoken word artist, emcee, writer, actor, author, and motivational speaker in the metro Atlanta area. I speak poetry and touch topics such as domestic violence, spirituality, self improvement and issues that will feed your spirit. My mantra is “iSpeak…L.I.F.E” or Lyrics to Implement Faith into Existence (LIFE). I will bring energy to your event. My words will make you laugh, think, cry, and reflect. I have iSpeak…L.I.F.E. bands to put on your wrist as a constant reminder to always surround yourself with positive energy. I have a passion for speaking to youth, and young men in particular.