s/o explanations - "obama"care

AuntFlo

Who knows anything about "Obamacare"?
From what I've read and how I understand it - every individual is going to be required to carry health insurance.   Does anyone know when this starts?   What is the penaly for not having insurance, and is it going to be enforced?
I ask because I am getting my paperwork filled out to have our family health insurance through my employer, since my husband lost his job and I know we don't want to pay for his benefits through COBRA for very long or at all. 
We've been discussing the possibility of not insuring DH.  He does not use it - he never meets his deductible -  he doesn't see the point.  It truly has been a waste of money for him.   Now, for me, the thought of being uninsured or him being uninsured, freaks me the f out.
Thoughts?

VarunaTT

I would at least look into catastrophic.  Auto accidents happen and if the person who hits you or your auto insurance only has medical payout of $25K, what happens then?  ICU, ER, surgeries, etc can be very expensive.  Basically, if you use an OR, you're looking at a 25K bill minimum.

I had a really great website sometime back.  I knew I found it through reddit, so I'll look for it for you and find it.  It might be tonight though, it was some time ago and i might have to dig.

PMeg819

1. Different parts start at different times. So I'm not sure when you are required to carry health insurance, but I think it may be 2014 if I remember correctly.

2. I would possibly look into a private policy and compare what your rates will be through that or what they'll be if you pick up insurance. I would honestly never go without health insurance. Even if you have crappy insurance, sometimes that is better than nothing. You really do not know what will happen tomorrow- god forbid he has a freak heart attack or is hit by a bus.

AuntFlo

Thanks Varuna - it would be great if you could find that.

I completely agree that you never know what will happen, it's just hard to get that through his thick skull.  

And Pmeg, if DH had a heart attack, it would not be freak.  You should see what this man eats.   I'm amazed that he's not 500 lbs.

GBCK

I'm going to second that I would NEVER go w/o catastrophic.

The Mr. had a catastrophic policy when we were dating, or else the freak accident of him breaking his arm would have been about $20k.  Instead it was $3k, ($1k deductible * 2 since it was yearly and he broke it in Dec, so it carried itno Jan+ copays), and also had it when I was unemployed, or else him developing the sudden, life threatening shrimp allergy would have screwed us

DG1

Looks like the average penalty will be $1200 in 2016, when things are fully in effect (unless they get repealed by a Romney administration...)

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/19/obamacare-cbo-report_n_1898370.html?utm_hp_ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false

Ditto catastrophic. When I fell rollerblading almost 10 years ago and broke my arm, it would have been more than $10k without insurance. Medical costs have probably doubled since then, and that isn't even something bad. (I don't know anything about insurance, but I'd find out if that even qualifies as "catastrophic." I mean, a $10k orthopedic surgery =/= dealing with a massive car accident and weeks of hospitalization, you know?)

And if you say he eats crap and you won't be surprised if he has a heart attack, I'd definitely not go without insurance. Even if he ends up in the ER for simple stitches or something, you're probably paying less for the policy than you would for an unisured ER visit. 

Nope. I'll never go without health insurance in this country, for sure. 

And I'll throw out the friendly reminder that you only have 31 days from the layoff to switch to your work insurance, or you won't be able to until the next open enrollment period. You probably knew that, but a lot of people don't. I knew a guy who didn't insure their new baby in time and then couldn't for the better part of a year. Ouch.

GBCK

I know I've said this before, and I also know that I don't explain it well, but a lot of time group conversion plans are catastrophic (it's what we had w/ above mentioned shellfish allergy wa discovered) and means ther earen't pre-existing crappy policies.

You call the current insurance provider, say "we have someone who wants to convert from group insurance to individual policy" and they'll send you the info.  easier than normal private policie a lot of the time...and way cheaper than COBRA