Obama Care Saved My Life It Seems

[Chestertonian]

I had been living without health insurance and simply returning to a clinic every 6 months for refills on my blood pressure medicine. I couldn't afford lab work, which the clinic required payment for up front. So no lab work since 2009.

Well, now I'm in compliance and have insurance. I'm one of those who would benefit most from the Health Care Act. I make a tad too much for a medical card and not enough for a decent health care plan. Now with the tax credit I can claim, my premium is covered by about 65%.

In the last few weeks, I've been diagnosed with emphysema, diabetes, and far too high potassium levels. The doc said I have caught the diabetes with no time to spare. Sky high blood sugar, at risk for coma. Also, I've suffered from muscle cramps for a few years and it was getting worse and daily. Leg cramps were keeping me from sleeping at night. I was becoming exhausted. Also, the condition cause by the high [potassium put me at high risk for stroke and fatal cardiac arrest.

My medications are working and the doc told me to count my blessing. I dodged a bullet.

I don't support Obama's ideals, nor do I support everything in the Health Care Act, but as I now see, lives are going to be saved due to the HCA.

Again, mine has been. Deo gratias.

Glad you got coverage Acolyte.  You might want to get the book by Dr. William Davis called 'Wheat Belly'.  I just finished reading it.  It's an eye opener.  He claims a lot of his patients are getting better, like the reversal of diabetes, high blood pressure and other ailments, to the point of not needing their medication any more.

Thanks Mike, I'll check out that title.

I'm certainly going to give it my best shot. I don't want to wind up on insulin shots 

I prefer tequila shots myself

[Acolyte]

Now with the tax credit I can claim, my premium is covered by about 65%.....I just have reservations about circumvention and welfare. If I can work I will. I'd rather offer it up than be part of those playing the game.

You are now on welfare.

What are you gonna do about it then ? Try and convince me to get a second job and work 65 hours a week so I can surpass the income limit ? Would me not having a life make you feel like you saved the The US economy ?

Save your keystrokes bud.

What are your monthly premiums and what is your deductible?

You might want to look into some of the Christian health shares.

Platinum plan. I pay 208 a month and the credit pays 327.

500 dollar deductible and the max out of pocket is 1250 or 1500 ... I'd have to check on that number.

[Acolyte]

I had been living without health insurance and simply returning to a clinic every 6 months for refills on my blood pressure medicine. I couldn't afford lab work, which the clinic required payment for up front. So no lab work since 2009.

Well, now I'm in compliance and have insurance. I'm one of those who would benefit most from the Health Care Act. I make a tad too much for a medical card and not enough for a decent health care plan. Now with the tax credit I can claim, my premium is covered by about 65%.

In the last few weeks, I've been diagnosed with emphysema, diabetes, and far too high potassium levels. The doc said I have caught the diabetes with no time to spare. Sky high blood sugar, at risk for coma. Also, I've suffered from muscle cramps for a few years and it was getting worse and daily. Leg cramps were keeping me from sleeping at night. I was becoming exhausted. Also, the condition cause by the high [potassium put me at high risk for stroke and fatal cardiac arrest.

My medications are working and the doc told me to count my blessing. I dodged a bullet.

I don't support Obama's ideals, nor do I support everything in the Health Care Act, but as I now see, lives are going to be saved due to the HCA.

Again, mine has been. Deo gratias.

Glad you got coverage Acolyte.  You might want to get the book by Dr. William Davis called 'Wheat Belly'.  I just finished reading it.  It's an eye opener.  He claims a lot of his patients are getting better, like the reversal of diabetes, high blood pressure and other ailments, to the point of not needing their medication any more.

Thanks Mike, I'll check out that title.

I'm certainly going to give it my best shot. I don't want to wind up on insulin shots 

I prefer tequila shots myself

lol

I like Ky Straight Bourbon, but I'll have to back away from it for a while it seems.

[Gardener]

Now with the tax credit I can claim, my premium is covered by about 65%.....I just have reservations about circumvention and welfare. If I can work I will. I'd rather offer it up than be part of those playing the game.

You are now on welfare.

What are you gonna do about it then ? Try and convince me to get a second job and work 65 hours a week so I can surpass the income limit ? Would me not having a life make you feel like you saved the The US economy ?

Save your keystrokes bud.

What are your monthly premiums and what is your deductible?

You might want to look into some of the Christian health shares.

Platinum plan. I pay 208 a month and the credit pays 327.

500 dollar deductible and the max out of pocket is 1250 or 1500 ... I'd have to check on that number.

With pre-existing, it's tricky...

The health share my fiancé has is this one: http://www.chministries.org/preexistingconditions.aspx

Her monthly is 150, 500 deductible. She has the highest plan.

Might want to look into that health share and any others you can find and see if there is a more moral option for you... might even save you money.

Also, could try to see if there is any possibility for a cash-payment to a doctor. Some are willing to charge far less if they don't have to deal with insurance companies. Apparently there is some cash-only hospital/clinic in Kansas or Oklahoma that charges sane prices. James03 had info about that, I believe. Might want to PM him if he doesn't reply here about it.

[Acolyte]

Thanks Gardener. I'll look at it over the weekend. 

[james03]

Save your keystrokes bud. 

To the other readers, note the hostile reaction when it is pointed out that this is indeed welfare.  Which is why it is not called welfare.

Platinum plan. I pay 208 a month and the credit pays 327.

This doesn't jibe.  You are PAYING 208 per month?  How much does it cost to get checked for diabetes?

Seems like you are getting ripped off, especially since you have to cover the first $500.

You might want to get the book by Dr. William Davis called 'Wheat Belly'.

Type II diabetes appears to be curable.  Cut out all simple starches, sugar, HFCS, and alcohol.  Couple it with a little exercise.  My wifes friend followed it and dropped her blood glucose by 80 in one month.  Yes one month.  She did take the glucophage pill and cinammon pills.  It would have been interesting to see the results without the glucophage.  Bottom line is she avoided the insulin.

[james03]

Also, could try to see if there is any possibility for a cash-payment to a doctor. Some are willing to charge far less if they don't have to deal with insurance companies. Apparently there is some cash-only hospital/clinic in Kansas or Oklahoma that charges sane prices. James03 had info about that, I believe.

My local cash-only doctor charges a flat $60 for an office visit.  He also gets discounts on lab work because it is a cash-only transaction, and yes the savings are big.  Rough guess, about 35%.  For the visit / treatment the OP described, one month's premium for the platinum plan would have covered it.  For surgeries, the Oklahoma Surgical Center is cash-only, and the costs are about 70% lower than a hospital.  I don't think traveling to OK is feasible from KY, though their biggest customer base flies in from Canada.

I have also been looking at the Christian Health networks you posted.  They are exempt from Obamacare, and don't fund abortion or contraception.  This is a good alternative for Acolyte since the diagnosis is complete, and all he'll need going forward are maintenance visits.  The preexisting condition might be a problem. 

[james03]

In the first year of participation, bills incurred for a pre-existing condition are eligible for sharing up to $15,000.

Hmm....  Seems like with a Gold Plan at the Christian place, they do provide some coverage.  This could be a good fit, with a $58/mo savings thrown in.  On top of that, no welfare, no abortion, and no contraception.

[Habitual_Ritual]

I'd always been taught that the Roman government in the time of Our Lord was even worse than our current one.

What is worse than state funded abortion?

[james03]

That is the problem.  And I'm paying taxes.  My defense is that the Church refuses to fight, so any attempt to fight is futile.  However, this is similar to Adam's defense:  Eve gave me the apple.

[nmoerbeek]

I think unless you're some kind of Old Order Amish type guy with hooks on his clothes instead of buttons, you're paying for contraception and abortion.

With Obamacare, I'd be directly paying into an abortion plan.

But yes, you are correct.  Furthermore some of our taxes are now being used under Obama to fund overseas abortions.  This is the Barnhardt argument for a complete tax strike and it haunts my every step.  This is why when God rains down nukes, plague, starvation, and persecution on our heads, every single Catholic except for a tiny few will deserve it.  I too suffer from the effeminate reprogramming.

but didn't Our Lord say "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's?"  I'd always been taught that the Roman government in the time of Our Lord was even worse than our current one.

"When thou hearest that the things of Caesar must be rendered to Caesar, doubt not that those things only are spoken of which do no harm to piety and religion to pay them. For tribute, or toll, which is opposed to virtue or the faith, is the tribute and revenue of the
devil."

- St. John Chrysostom

Do you have a source for that quote?   I would like to read the context that it is used in.  Remember Roman Taxes among other things would have been used for the state religion of Rome. 

[Gardener]

I think unless you're some kind of Old Order Amish type guy with hooks on his clothes instead of buttons, you're paying for contraception and abortion.

With Obamacare, I'd be directly paying into an abortion plan.

But yes, you are correct.  Furthermore some of our taxes are now being used under Obama to fund overseas abortions.  This is the Barnhardt argument for a complete tax strike and it haunts my every step.  This is why when God rains down nukes, plague, starvation, and persecution on our heads, every single Catholic except for a tiny few will deserve it.  I too suffer from the effeminate reprogramming.

but didn't Our Lord say "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's?"  I'd always been taught that the Roman government in the time of Our Lord was even worse than our current one.

"When thou hearest that the things of Caesar must be rendered to Caesar, doubt not that those things only are spoken of which do no harm to piety and religion to pay them. For tribute, or toll, which is opposed to virtue or the faith, is the tribute and revenue of the
devil."

- St. John Chrysostom

Do you have a source for that quote?   I would like to read the context that it is used in.  Remember Roman Taxes among other things would have been used for the state religion of Rome.

I've found variants of it, but here's an example from his homilies on Matthew:

http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/200170.htm
Pertinent section:

2. He stopped not, however, at the rebuke, although it was enough merely to have convicted them of their purpose, and to have put them to shame for their wickedness; but He stops not at this, but in another way closes their mouths; for, "Show me," says He, "the tribute money." And when they had shown it, as He ever does, by their tongue He brings out the decision, and causes them to decide, that it is lawful; which was a clear and plain victory. So that, when He asks, not from ignorance does He ask, but because it is His will to cause them to be bound by their own answers. For when, on being asked, "Whose is the image?" they said, "Cæsar's;" He says, "Render unto Cæsar the things that are Cæsar's."  For this is not to give but to render, and this He shows both by the image, and by the superscription.

Then that they might not say, You are subjecting us to men, He added, "And unto God the things that are God's." For it is possible both to fulfill to men their claims and to give unto God the things that are due to God from us. Wherefore Paul also says, "Render unto all their dues; tribute to whom tribute is due, custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear." Romans 13:7

But you, when you hear, "Render unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar's," know that He is speaking only of those things, which are no detriment to godliness; since if it be any such thing as this, such a thing is no longer Cæsar's tribute, but the devil's.

Ctrl+F for "tribute"


Also, cf. Diuturnum #15:

15. The one only reason which men have for not obeying is when anything is demanded of them which is openly repugnant to the natural or the divine law, for it is equally unlawful to command to do anything in which the law of nature or the will of God is violated. If, therefore, it should happen to any one to be compelled to prefer one or the other, viz., to disregard either the commands of God or those of rulers, he must obey Jesus Christ, who commands us to "give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's,"(18) and must reply courageously after the example of the Apostles: "We ought to obey God rather than men."(19) And yet there is no reason why those who so behave themselves should be accused of refusing obedience; for, if the will of rulers is opposed to the will and the laws of God, they themselves exceed the bounds of their own power and pervert justice; nor can their authority then be valid, which, when there is no justice, is null.

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/leo_xiii/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_29061881_diuturnum_en.html

ETA: quote from Homily and Diuturnum

[Chestertonian]

Now with the tax credit I can claim, my premium is covered by about 65%.....I just have reservations about circumvention and welfare. If I can work I will. I'd rather offer it up than be part of those playing the game.

You are now on welfare.

What are you gonna do about it then ? Try and convince me to get a second job and work 65 hours a week so I can surpass the income limit ? Would me not having a life make you feel like you saved the The US economy ?

Save your keystrokes bud.

What are your monthly premiums and what is your deductible?

You might want to look into some of the Christian health shares.

Platinum plan. I pay 208 a month and the credit pays 327.

500 dollar deductible and the max out of pocket is 1250 or 1500 ... I'd have to check on that number.

With pre-existing, it's tricky...

The health share my fiancé has is this one: http://www.chministries.org/preexistingconditions.aspx

Her monthly is 150, 500 deductible. She has the highest plan.

Might want to look into that health share and any others you can find and see if there is a more moral option for you... might even save you money.

Also, could try to see if there is any possibility for a cash-payment to a doctor. Some are willing to charge far less if they don't have to deal with insurance companies. Apparently there is some cash-only hospital/clinic in Kansas or Oklahoma that charges sane prices. James03 had info about that, I believe. Might want to PM him if he doesn't reply here about it.

looks like they make a distinction between "active" preexisting conditions and those in "maintenance"...  I'm not sure if I've been in maintenance like that in years

Tops out at 150k.... For many that of fine.  My wife's PPO plan tops out at a million per year and we have had years when we've gone over that...crazy

[Habitual_Ritual]

  Remember Roman Taxes among other things would have been used for the state religion of Rome.

Rome did not have a state religion. It was a polytheistic society.As the Romans extended their dominance throughout the Mediterranean world, their policy in general was to absorb the deities and cults of other peoples rather than try to eradicate them.

[nmoerbeek]

  Remember Roman Taxes among other things would have been used for the state religion of Rome.

Rome did not have a state religion. It was a polytheistic society.As the Romans extended their dominance throughout the Mediterranean world, their policy in general was to absorb the deities and cults of other peoples rather than try to eradicate them.

Are you saying that the Roman Temples, Priests and the various rituals that the Romans themselves engaged in where not funded with money from taxes?  They mandated everyone (save the Jews) offer Adoration to their Emperor, perhaps they did not have a state religion like Anglicanism, but they very much did require people to recognize and worship their Gods.