Cruising and the Affordable Care Act.

[letsgetsailing3]

Originally Posted by Captain Bill

I just tried to get an appointment with a dermatologist. They can give me an appointment in October. It's good I don't have to wait here in the US.

I humbly suggest that you can get a dermatologist appointment before October, unless you really just want that one provider, so you can't really blame the system for that. I'm also going to suggest that the ACA isn't going to improve your wait times.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by SV THIRD DAY

....
1st was IMG
Travel Insurance, Travel Health Insurance, International Travel Insurance – IMG Insurance

2nd was Assurance
Overview
....

IMG prices are decent when you go to the large deductibles -- which is what most crusiers would need, as the small stuff can be handled outside the costly US system. The pre-existing conditions clause is pretty tough on the IMG policy. The actual policy definition of pre-existing condition does not seem to still be downloadable on their site without being a member. The brochure limitation is in the image below. If you got breast cancer or prostate cancer in the first months of the policy, you're SOL. Any declared pre-existing conditions are for all practical purposes not covered, as their limit is $50k instead of the normal policy limit of $5,000,000 and that only after 2 years. IMG is definitely an option, but understand its limitations too.

[Greenhand]

My health insurance "costs so much" now NOT because the system is broke but because the ACA is broken. My fabulous plan for a family of 4 was ruled Illegal by the ACA

Did you verify that? Many companies took advantage of the deadlines to cancel policies that DID fit the guidelines and steer clients into much more expensive policies. The letters even said that it was due to ACA, but independent reviews found that it wasn't.

[Boatguy30]

Clearly this is just a bunch of fools on this thread with no actual knowledge of healthcare or the ACA.

"My wife has no ovaries" I love it! How did she have kids? Did the ovaries fall out into a sterile environment while walking down the street?

Everytime I turn on the TV I see commercials for "exciting new careers in healthcare" who pays me for all this BS??

When I lived in New Zealand, I paid my taxes; recieved excellent care when my daughter was born and was not subjected to all the BS.

US healthcare is expensive because it is 1/2 for profit and 1/2 paid by government with all the profit going to for profit companies. Insures make more money the higher the costs even under ACA and no one wants death panels. IE Medicare and those F****ers VOTE!!! Take your government hands off my Medicare!

I'll vote any day to REPEAL the ACA as long as VA and Medicare are also repealed.

We'd have single payer by the next election.

[Paul L]

For at least one of the IMG policies the definition of pre-existing condition is:

Pre-existing Condition: Any Injury, Illness, sickness, disease, or other physical, medical, Mental or Nervous Disorder, condition or ailment that, with reasonable medical certainty, existed at the time of Application or at any time during the three years prior to the Effective Date of this insurance, whether or not previously manifested, symptomatic or known, diagnosed, Treated, or disclosed to the Company prior to the Effective Date, and including any and all subsequent, chronic or recurring complications or consequences related thereto or resulting or arising therefrom.

the bold I added. Seems like a big out for the insurer in case of a big claim.

[smj]

Here's your US healthcarehttp://thinkprogress.org/health/2014/06/16/3449242/us-health-system-ranking/
And no the ACA didn't cause this. Healthcare has been going up 14% per year for over 10 years so how many people will be able to afford this high dollar elitist system? Kind of sad considering the US is supposed to be a model nation.

[Boatguy30]

There was a woman in FL I believe she was on the CBS even news several months ago.

She "loved" her old policy and was getting screwed by Obama.

Her story and policy was eventually investigated and her previous policy had a LIFETIME LIMIT of $50,000. what's not to love?

[Boatguy30]

Originally Posted by smj

Here's your US healthcarehttp://thinkprogress.org/health/2014/06/16/3449242/us-health-system-ranking/
And no the ACA didn't cause this. Healthcare has been going up 14% per year for over 10 years so how many people will be able to afford this high dollar elitist system? Kind of sad considering the US is supposed to be a model nation.

I believe the increase has been a bit less the last few years. But there are many like out good mate ThirdDay and this redneck in FL that saw huge increases since they are now actually really buying into the corrupt US system not just holding a piece of paper saying insurance.

If nothing else, the ACA will eventually educate the masses (maybe) on how much reform we really need.

"Repeal and replace" gets real complicated when you actually have to come up with a solution.

[SV THIRD DAY]

Originally Posted by Boatguy30

Clearly this is just a bunch of fools on this thread with no actual knowledge of healthcare or the ACA.

"My wife has no ovaries" I love it! How did she have kids? Did the ovaries fall out into a sterile environment while walking down the street?
.

No doubt...Fools abound even those that have never hear of a little medical procedure of having the Ovaries removed after the kids were hatched...ha ha ha ...classic indeed. What's the point...easy...the ACA mandates you MUST have Prenatal care even for a woman that HAS NO OVARIES...bingo costs go up.

[Darrelwalters]

In the uk we have free health care, but all people who work pay around 7% of their earnings after a basic allowance toward it.

As we are part of the eu or not part of the eu depending how you see things, we are entitled to free medical health care in countries that is part of the eu.

I personally have insurance for good cover on cancer and heart etc that covers my partner also.

If I was to sail outside of then eu I would need additional health cover

People criticise our health care, but better to have some than none, but that would start a complete new thread on that topic

Hope this helps



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[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Darrelwalters

In the uk we have free health care, but all people who work pay around 7% of their earnings after a basic allowance toward it.

As we are part of the eu or not part of the eu depending how you see things, we are entitled to free medical health care in countries that is part of the eu.

I personally have insurance for good cover on cancer and heart etc that covers my partner also.

If I was to sail outside of then eu I would need additional health cover

People criticise our health care, but better to have some than none, but that would start a complete new thread on that topic

Hope this helps



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And this is relevant to the thread, how?

Dave


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[Darrelwalters]

Is not the thread about health care, i admit, I have not read all the comments, but I am responding to the original question. About health care ...... Have I missed something dave ?



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[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Darrelwalters

Is not the thread about health care, i admit, I have not read all the comments, but I am responding to the original question. About health care ...... Have I missed something dave ?



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The original question was about the ACA and cruisers. Then all the ACA haters jumped in, but don't worry, Hiliary will sort those types out in a few years !!

Dave


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[HBWT]

So much is wrong with this thread that I hesitate to give some educational facts but I am a glutton for punishment.

If you are a US citizen that can prove out of country status for 330 days in a Calendar year, you are exempt from ACA mandates for health insurance.

If you make 10,000 per year and your state does not have expanded Medicaid you do not need to purchase health insurance as you are not subject to federal penalties due to the " affordability" clause. Here is a good rule to follow. If your health insurance cost exceeds 9.5% of your annual household income, you are exempt from the federal mandate. Even if you make 200,000 per year and your total health insurance cost exceeds 20,000 per year, the federal penalty does not apply. How to figure this out, take your monthly premium and multiply by 12. Your welcome. Easy math for a easy concept.

Several plans do cover out of country coverage but it is limited and always out of network. These are typically pay and reimburse meaning you pay and file a claim with your health carrier within 60 days. The insurance company will reimburse a fraction of your cost.

For out of country part time cruisers you are far better purchasing a travel plan or emergency plan that would relocate you in case of health emergency and keep your state plan that works with your income and cost variables. These plans are fairly cheap and extremely effective. For year round cruisers, don't get health insurance in the u.s. unless you plan in being in the u.s.

I would kindly ask all Canadian cruisers to not comment on this thread as you most likely have such little knowledge of US healthcare that your comments are shortsighted and uneducated. Now that I say it, most U.S. Cruisers too!

...From someone who gets paid money to talk about the health insurance industry for both countries.

[letsgetsailing3]

The ACA didn't cause the problem, and likewise didn't solve the problem.

Too many people with a vested interest in keeping the U.S. healthcare system roughly twice as expensive as other first world countries, while offering comparable results. There are some pros and cons of the current system, and one of the cons is the high cost, which creates a powerful incentive for the problems not to get fixed.

The problem is in the cost and lack of transparency in health care, but it's pretty clear that the industry doesn't want that problem to get fixed, and there isn't the political will in Washington to go after big moneyed interests.