Do you believe Obamacare will ultimately lower healthcare costs?

by L.A. Times Posted 2012/12/05 18:00:00

4,892 votes
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	Yes	2,594 votes	53%
	No	2,298 votes	47%

Consumers saved nearly $1.5 billion in 2011 as a result of rules in President Obama's healthcare law that limit what insurance companies can spend on expenses unrelated to medical care, including profit, a new analysis shows.

Much of those savings — an estimated $1.1 billion — came in rebates to consumers required because insurers had exceeded the required limits. The study by the New York-based Commonwealth Fund also suggests that the Affordable Care Act forced insurers to become more efficient by limiting their administrative expenses, a key goal of the 2010 law.

+29

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DMC4196 2012/12/05 21:46:52

No

+38
Name one thing the government has EVER lowered the costs of. The current government model exists to bleed the public of their liberties, finances, morale, and property.
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wysiwis 2012/12/28 18:02:17

No

Premiums will, at best, stay the same, but most likely continue to rise. The only place cost MAY go down will be at "out of pocket" expenses, but only due to the fact that health care providers won't permit some treatments for certain age groups, no matter the persons prior health up to said treatment being required.

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JCD aka... to wysiwis 2013/01/05 11:51:47

Helath care expenditures are far lower in Western countries that introduced universal health care long ago than in the US, 6-11% of their GDP, vs. 17% in your country.

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wysiwis to JCD aka... 2013/01/05 15:11:19

Look at your tax rates, then look at what percentage goes towards said healthcare.

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JCD aka... to wysiwis 2013/01/05 15:17:41

Your tax load is very low, I agree. And again, our OVERALL health care bill is far lower than yours. We hate to be sick, but we are not scared of the idea that we can't afford medical treatment and surgey. I had a colonoscopy done last month, I paid 18 euros.

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Nathan 2012/12/20 00:23:54

No

And then taxes will shoot up. Thanks for helping ruin America's future, Obama voters. You'll hopefully see someday, you little Democratic puppies.

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Tom 2012/12/12 11:34:55

No

+1
Any time you add a layer of bureaucrats to any function, any kind at all, you introduce inefficiencies. It is therefore axiomatic that this will cost more, not less.

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JustMe 2012/12/11 08:19:24
Jasmine 2012/12/11 05:14:27

Yes

OVERALL TOTAL COSTS will go down.

HOWEVER, individual consumers will pay more of the cost than before.

Tests I have recently had done were less expensive but the amount I have to pay is significantly more. Companies are passing more of health costs on to employees and the insurance companies are making damn sure they get their share.

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David H... to Jasmine 2012/12/11 05:33:55

+1
In the end don't all the costs end up being paid by the consumer Jasmine? Whether the costs are deducted from the workers pay, or reflected in the cost of goods they purchase, or paid through taxation, ultimately we have to pay for the things we consume. I think the only real way of reducing costs is to shift to a single payer, not for profit system of insurance converge.

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BornToBeWild 2012/12/10 21:21:46

No

+3
it's already proving to increase costs and unaffordable! Obama's government ran healthcare doesn't cover everything so additional coverage will also be demand and forced or you pay out of pocket or get penalized! Can you afford $600 or more a month for Obamacare? I know we can't!

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Scrappyang to BornToB... 2012/12/14 23:27:12

+1
For the two of us we are already paying $1000/month and that doesn't include eye or dental!!
Part of that is for medicare and taken from social security check before taxes. Thus we paid taxes when we earned the money and now we pay taxes on it again. Obamacare has to be better for a lot of people than none!

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BornToB... to Scrappyang 2012/12/15 02:19:51 (edited)

+2
keep that in mind 6 months from now! Obamacare wasn't needed! What was needed are responsibility and solutions to policies and restrictions where health care coverage problems can effect on the care that should rightfully be given! Under Oblowmecare they want you to die quickly or pay the piper! Hope you will be prepared to reek what you sow!

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Scrappyang to BornToB... 2012/12/15 07:10:19

+1
I can appreciate your feelings and thoughts. Not everyone is going to agree with everything. I don't know what is going to happen in the future and neither does anyone else for sure. There is never anything free in this life even though some prefer to think others get something for nothing. There is always something paid, even with your self respect.

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Charge 2012/12/10 20:24:24

No

+3
Costs have already gone up and it appears they are about to increase again as Obamacare completely kicks in.

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Katherine to christi... 2012/12/10 21:09:36

+1
NickName: christinewhaler
Location: United Kingdom
SodaHead Since: 1 hour ago
Last Login: 1 hour ago

Really, that's the way you guys win, is it?
Fake accounts?

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David H... to Katherine 2012/12/11 05:36:42

+1
Are you saying that 'Charge' is this ' christinewhaler' account as well Katherine?

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les_gvt 2012/12/10 19:05:32

Yes

Because the more people that die due to the rationing, the fewer that will need it

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lylamerican 2012/12/10 17:25:27

No

+1
It will lower the cost for the companies because of the compitition. It will rise it for the all America naverage family tho.

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Bonita Colley 2012/12/10 16:29:11

No

+1
For the whole system is once again being put in the hands of Corporations! True health care will dwindle as the insurance companies quit allowing the doctor to decide what a patient needs.

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Katherine to Bonita ... 2012/12/10 21:11:58

+1
Oh please, doctors are going to be getting orders from the government. The dear sweet gov needs to make sure docs are spending their money wisely. Don't want to waste it on terminally ill people, kids in need of kidney transplants, whatever.

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Dogzebra 2012/12/10 16:11:32

Yes

+1
Look how the post office has driven down the cost of postage! Ye-Hah!

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idontkn... to Dogzebra 2012/12/10 20:21:06

+11
but watch your freedom.... the microchip is for them to track u and EVERYTHING u do.

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Dogzebra to idontkn... 2012/12/10 20:35:38

Just keep giving me more phone minutes and recharge my EBT card and I'm good with that.

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Nathan to Dogzebra 2012/12/20 00:30:48

You are being sarcastic, eh? Because I see that your profile says you are a conservative (which, by the way... that makes you awesome).

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Rod 2012/12/10 16:04:43

No

+4
Absolutely will not lower healthcare costs. There will be fewer doctors and longer wait times at clinics and hospitals also. Who in their right mind can believe that this will lower healthcare costs.

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idontkn... to Rod 2012/12/10 20:22:41

+10
im with ya i think its all a dirty scam

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Bastion 2012/12/10 15:30:05

Yes

+3
But we will eventually move to Single Payer. It's inevitable.

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JCD aka... to Bastion 2012/12/11 10:14:41

+1
The sooner, the better.

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JP 2012/12/10 14:47:09

No

+3
Anyone voting yes hasn't been paying their own insurance premiums.

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Kookiel... to JP 2012/12/10 16:47:47
Amasaman to Kookiel... 2012/12/11 20:02:18

+2
Oh, so that's why my insurance just went up now, to get ahead of the game.

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JP to Kookiel... 2012/12/12 17:32:51

My insurance just went up again. What is the point in capping something after it hits a tipping point?

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Bastion to JP 2012/12/11 13:54:56

+1
My insurance hasn't changed.

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Amasaman to Bastion 2012/12/11 20:01:46

+1
Mine just went up, again!

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JP to Bastion 2012/12/12 17:33:58

Are you in the public sector? I just moved to a 15,000 dollar deductible to get my monthly premium back to levels last seen before Obama.

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Bastion to JP 2012/12/12 17:41:04

No. I have Anthem through my private sector job. Nothing has changed.

I don't understand your phrase "last seen before Obama" - the ACA shouldn't affect anybody's insurance until at least Jan 1st - I think you're blaming the President for something your insurance company did on it's own.

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JP to Bastion 2012/12/12 17:47:33
Bastion to JP 2012/12/12 17:57:19

Relax . . . it'll be single payer before you know it, nd you can forget all your fears about "Obamacare".

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JP to Bastion 2012/12/13 14:30:03

+1
I am not afraid of Obamacare. I'm just smart enough to know that the government isn't really here to help.

I shop for my own insurance as our employer insurance packages have also dramatically changed.

I don't have to believe all the horror stories about Obamacare when it has already had projected inflating costs of implementing beyond the trillion original dollars to insure 30 million people.

Liberal math is horrid.

http://news.yahoo.com/cbo-oba...

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jas wats 2012/12/10 13:48:50

No

+6
I just went through just about every page and there are multitudes more of no votes than yes. How in the hell does SH conclude 60% yes?!?!?

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