No private insurance company would agree to a contractual deal where the benefits greatly outweigh the premiums. Over an average lifetime, one will receive much more in Social Security and Medicare benefits than is ever paid in; this a cold, hard fact.

For a group that likes to rail against socialism, benefits for the poor, welfare "queens", etc., nobody suckles more at the government teat than entitled villagers.

So you are saying you return your social security check in whole to the Treasury based on your statement.

So? Is it not the right of the Executive Branch to validate with the Judicial Branch whether a law passed by the Legislative Branch is Constitutional? Are you saying you don't believe in the Constitution?

No, I suggest that those hypocrites on this forum that believe that any whiff of socialism is evil, and that all vestiges of socialism should be eradicated, should return their checks.

"ACA" insurance is mostly myth and doctors "accepting" insurance is mostly myth. The insurance company I have health care with is FloridaBlue, which is an offshoot of Anthem Blue Cross. Most doctors in the area are participating providers, and "in network" physicians.

There are other insurance companies that don't require a participating provider; you go to your doctor, you (the patient) submit the claim, just like we used to do back in the day before HMOs were invented, and the insurance company either accepts your claim and reimburses you, or they don't. The doctor has no say in the matter, he has no part of the decision. That's one of those old fashioned 80/20 plans that still exist, and some of them are options for people in some states who qualify for ACA subsidies.

In addition, the ACA isn't an insurance. It is a set of guidelines, and it's a subsidy option for people who fall within a certain income range. It isn't even technically a subsidy - it's a tax rebate. People who have never paid into the system - are not eligible for ACA subsidies. In the state of Florida, you must have a certain MINIMUM income, in order to qualify for ACA subsidies. That is why I still work part time, even though I theoretically retired from the workforce two years ago.

However, that means they probably qualify for Medicaid, which is a whole other system.

Trump has appointed over 200 Federal life time judges. Think he will get it through? Hope the Supreme Court doesn’t ok it or we are sunk!!

Complete misunderstanding on your part. SS contributions are put into a government trust account invested in Treasury bonds that pay a near zero interest rate and that is why the SS fund is running low. Had it been invested in the S&P 500 there would be a huge surplus. And the kicker was your contributions in the trust fund were used for various social experiments. That’s the cold hard fact.

The United States Government has filed suit to eliminate ACA.

The thread, which you are attempting to dismantle was discussing the elimination of coverage of pre existing conditions. The suit filed by the United States Government was to totally dismantle the law, not validate it.

We were told that a new super duper plan would be unveiled over 3 years ago. Sometimes it was within a week or two...or a month or so. But, it has been over 3 years and still nothing. Based on track record alone and the fact that those in the admin who are responsible for putting those plans together saying NO such plan exists, I think it is clear as with Covid, we are being hoodwinked into watching millionslose healthcare in the middle of a pandemic.

If you think otherwise,please explain why you feel that way, and why no parties to the suit say what you say.

When health insurance was "invented" in the 1930s in Texas it was a cooperative operated by the hospitals. Everyone pitched in a few dollars monthly and any member needing to be hospitalized had their bill paid out of the fund.

The idea grew into the Blue Cross system, a network of licensees covering the country. There were hundreds at one time and now 36 separate licensees.

When commercial insurance companies entered the health insurance market, they began "underwriting" applicants, avoiding the currently sick. They were therefore able to undercut the Blue plans who began to suffer adverse selection. That is when all plans began underwriting and, for individual insurance, added pre existing clauses.

To work, pre existing must apply to all insurers and there must be some penalty for those who don't pay for insurance until they get a grave diagnosis. If they are allowed to sign up for health insurance in the emergency room, WE all pay as health insurance is a cost plus business just like all other industries.

Pre-existing conditions are not covered right now by insurance companies.And us that have medicare, let's hope not depleted and terminated or cut by 2023. Medicare and SS money is being used for other purposes right now! That affects us!

Gee, I came from a country with FREE healthcare (Australia). Great system, no forever bills coming in the mail - swipe your Medicare card once at time of service and you were done. Plus taxes are not much different than they are here, and 30 years later they still soldier on with it even though many claim it can't last.

My relative got a hip replacement a couple of years ago - ZERO cost, no bills in the mail, no insurance companies to deal with. Now if you want your choice of hospital with a private room (vs a shared room), and with your own doctor, you can supplement the government provided coverage with your own private insurance. But it is optional - some people get it just for the better food in the private hospitals.

I've no idea why people in this country fear a single payer system, or healthcare coverage for all. Wouldn't we all lead happier lives if healthcare costs were taken out of the equation? No need to worry about pre-existing conditions. And if you asked me is the healthcare provided better here - I'd say no difference at all. In fact, if I had a major illness I wish I could return home just so I wouldn't face potential financial ruin.

All my aging friends back in my home country constantly remind me of how happy they are with the medical system there. I lived my first 30 years there with their health coverage system, and now 30 years here with ours - trust me that our system sucks and I much prefer what they have there. No reason why we can't do something similar here.

Which country would you be referring to? Venezuela? I think your sample size needs to be expanded and perhaps include the G7.

Nothing is for free. Everything that the government "pays for or subsidizes" is paid from tax dollars, which we ALL pay. Unfortunately, some do not want to pay their share.

Thank you.

In many situations, the percentage of an American family’s income that goes to pay for health insurance is ridiculous. Premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket costs grow bigger each year — even for those who have access to plans through employers.

I have often wondered if those who are so vehemently opposed to an OPTION being offered by the federal government have ever looked at the reality of what working people face today in the scramble for health insurance coverage.

The elder-boomers (and those older) now have Medicare available to them. The very first boomers born are about 9 years into Medicare. The cost of health insurance to that age group — when they were still working — was not much more than a blip on their budget’s radar.

But ask anyone still working how much their employer health insurance costs now. Ask your adult kids.

Speaking of Medicare, I have several friends who have (or had) to continue to work until age 65 or had to wait for a younger spouse to turn 65 so Medicare could kick in. Working until 65 is often a choice made strictly based on health insurance coverage.

Health insurance? The solution can be in the middle with a Buy-In to a federally sponsored program available. Medicare works and I have not heard any of the self-absorbed “I got mine, too bad you don’t have yours” crowd volunteer to give up their Medicare.

The SC case is to be heard soon. I think there are a lot of people who have no idea what is happening behind the scenes because they do not look beyond what they are being told.

Back to Covid as a pre-existing condition — anybody who thinks insurance companies will miss the opportunity to term it a pre-existing condition in order to increase premium costs or to deny coverage is not paying attention.

The pre-existing conditions protection can be knocked out by the SC in their ruling on the case to dismantle the entire ACA. As I understand it, because part of it is already gone, the argument is that is what should render the rest of it unable to stand — and that is where the pre-existing conditions protection is — for now. (Loophole? I guess we will find out.)

The answer to our health insurance crisis is somewhere in the middle, but divisive emotions are running so high in this country right now that logic and clarity are getting trampled. We are in the throes of serious problems being purposely exacerbated instead of solutions being planned and offered.

I also want to thank you for your post. Did you happen to see the recent five-part series on PBS News Hour which looked at three universal coverage health care systems and how they differ from the U.S.: UK, Switzerland, and Australia? It is worth watching. Overall, Australians seem pretty happy with their system. The Best Health Care? America & the World | PBS NewsHour