Affordable Care Act
By TheRealDawn
@dawnald (85130)
Shingle Springs, California
May 30, 2013 12:03pm CST
So I am actually working on Obamacare, or abominable care, or technically the California exchange version of the affordable care act.
I'm working for a major health plan in their QA department, which means that once changes to their computer systems for ACA are deployed, I'm involved in testing them to make sure that they work right.
A couple of days ago there was an announcement from the California exchange that was a pleasant surprise. Basically there was an aggressive effort to have the so-called QHPs (qualifying health plans) aggressively renegotiate their agreements with providers (doctors, pharmacies, etc.) to keep reimbursement amounts down. As a result of this, most health plans on the individual market will be less expensive, not more. Considering that they are taking on all comers regardless of health status, and considering the requirement that certain "essential health benefits" be covered 100%, this is actually much better news than the doomers and gloomers were predicting.
It will be interesting to see how, or if, this affects employer group premiums.
3 responses
@lilwonders456 (8214)
• United States
2 Aug 13
Mine main problem with this whole thing is making it mandatory and using the IRS as an enforcer. If they want to make the exchanges and offer these programs fine....but don't make it mandatory and don't use the federal government as its attack dog.
@dawnald (85130)
• Shingle Springs, California
2 Aug 13
Personally, I think the way t go was to expand Medicare to cover everybody, but you so much as mention that, and people start screaming "socialism"....
@changjiangzhibin89 (16518)
• China
1 Jun 13
It seems to be hard to draw up an ideal plans ,seeing that Republicans keep impeding Democrats from doing that.
@fruitcakeliz (2641)
• United States
31 May 13
It all sounds well and good..(or at lease "somewhat better")....but then isn't that their job? to make us think it will all be good.......and uncover the exceptions later, when we no longer have any say in the matter?
I am happy there is something that came up in your area that gives you hope about this......will have to wait and see how the rest of the country handles it as well...
@dawnald (85130)
• Shingle Springs, California
31 May 13
the bill was a compromise and it has known flaws, problem is, the Democrats want to fix the flaws, the Republicans want to repeal the entire bill, and so nothing is happening... the good stuff stays, the bad stuff stays, and we shall really see how it all works next year, I guess.
