I am a officer manager for a small family owned company. I had health insurance through the company until last May when I went part time so I could be home more to care for my mother who has Alzheimers. As a part-time employee, I was no longer covered and had to paid the whole insurance bill, which at the time was 500.00 dollars. That was a hardship considering I no longer was getting a full paycheck.
I tried a few insurance companies before finding out about Commonwealth Care. There plans were not that good and costly. But with the help of Health Care for All I found about Commonwealth Care and they helped me to enroll and get started on the plan.
I have gone for my yearly physical blood work, mammogram. It is great coverage I have not had any out of pocket expenses just my co-payments which are very good. It’s a really good plan and a big price difference from 500.00 to 35.00 a month. If not for this I would not have been able to go part time. With every thing else that is going on I am glad I have good health insurance. It makes things easier for me.
Kathy Riley, Wilmington
I’m glad you have healthcare and yes, for some people in certain circumstances this obscenely costly, bureaucratically bloated, industry-sponsored law might be helpful.
But please don’t suggest that we not see the forest (everyone deserves good affordable healthcare) for the trees (the comparatively few positive situations where the individual mandate law gives cover to the insurance industry and their politician-puppets).
In response to Katy Riley;
I am very happy to hear your satisfaction with the insurance but for me and alot of others this is unaffordable.Because of your income level you can afford this but say you get a raise?Say that every time you get a raise the cost goes up and up?that’s what will happen with this law.Myself and many others cannot afford $400.00 a month and a very high deductable would not pay for any test so that would all come out of pocket.The Commonwealth Connector and WBUR are using your story to try to convince us this is a good thing and we know it’s not.
Hi Norma,
I agree with you. I had a co-worker who had been laid off Feb. 2007. In Feb 2008 he was called back and was offered another $1.00 per hour over his previous salary. Who could say no? My co-worker should have. He has sole custody of his two sons and receives no child support. He was on a Commonwealth Care plan (I’m not sure if he had to pay premiums or not).
This salary increase put him at an income level where he has a premium increase greater than the raise itself.
We all got laid off on May 1st when the company closed so I’m sure he will be able to avoid paying the higher premiums.
No, this law is NOT a good thing. It overcompensates some and criminalizes others. I don’t think ANYONE should have to settle for an over priced high deductible plan just to satisfy a mandate. The high deductible plans should cost less than half of what they cost currently so that the people who CHOSE them (not FORCED to purchase them) could afford to contribute to a health savings account to help cover deductibles.
It is sickening that I am subsidizing care for people who have more than I do with my tax dollars while I struggle to maintain my own coverage, Next year, unless I find a job which provides an opportunity to purchase a health plan, I will be unable to afford my current level of coverage.
On a whole separate note, why aren’t smokers surcharged? They pay more for health coverage in other states, why not this one? I know a handful of Commonwealth Care subscribers and every one of them can afford to smoke. Go figure!
Sorry for the rant, Norma
PJ,
The problem is we need more people in Mass to rant.The truth about this health reform law must be told so it is up to us to tell the real story of what is happening.The discrimination against the uninsured,the fact that it is not “affordable.”The fact if a person gets a raise or a higher paying job they will have to hand that extra money over to an insurance company.We need a health system that is fair and affordable to all.My husband is on Medicare and pays $94.00 a month and he never had to show financial records to anyone.Our Right to Privacy is very important.