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More Californians signing up for health care plans

December 11, 2014

Covered CaliforniaCalifornia’s state health exchange, Covered California, is reporting large numbers of residents signing up for health care plans under provisions in the nation’s new health care law. [Mercury News]

Between Nov. 15 and Dec. 3, 300,000 Californians submitted applications to Covered California and were determined eligible for either private insurance or Medi-Cal. Of those 300,000 successful applicants, about 130,000 applied for individual health plans, and approximately 160,000 requested to enroll in Medi-Cal.

In the first year of Covered California enrollment, 1.2 million Californians signed up for private health insurance. Covered California hopes to enroll 500,000 residents in private plans this year, while doing so in less than half the amount of time.

The current enrollment period ends on Feb. 15.

In the inaugural year of the state exchange program, 2.2 million residents enrolled in Medi-Cal. About 30 percent of Californians now are enrolled in Medi-Cal.

Covered California says all of the health care members are legal residents of the state.


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The title should have read: ‘More Californians signing up for health care plans … because they lost their regular insurance due to ObamaCare’.


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Pigsrule,


Tell me if you’ve heard this one before, okay? The ones that lost their insureance had Junk Healthcare that did not meet the minimum standards of ObamaCare. These people were masturbating their minds into making them feel good in thinking they had at least some kind of Healthcare to cover all aspects of their health concerns, but they didn’t!


I am surprised that you didn’t bring up the erroneous “Death Panels?” What happened to this scary tactic, along with the others that were swept out the door when FACTS presented themselves?


I am sure you’ll miss Michelle Bachman and her GOP cohorts doing their scare tactics lies!


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Actually Ted, people like myself chose those plans to keep our monthly premiums down because we are healthy, use few services and have the money in the bank (or in my case an HSA) for the deductibles in case of an emergency situation.


In other words I chose a plan that fits my needs and my family needs.


Aren’t politicians like Obama always talking about the “right to choose”?


By the way, I am not a republican or democrat. I am a common sense consumer.


Pray to your god for some wisdom.


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achillesheal,


In a Nirvana state, if everyone only had your blessed situation of an abundance of money in the bank and a HSA that would justify a junk healthcare fund; wouldn’t that be wonderful? In the real world, that is not the case, so God forbid, a minimum standard was initiated for the benefits of the whole. Just terrible, isn’t it?


Because you had to forgo your junk healthcare fund and “choose” at least a minimum one like you had before, are you enjoying the status where insurance companies can’t deny coverage or charge more for people with preexisting conditions? How about no more lifetime or annual dollar limits on essential health benefits which include screenings, preventions, and treatments for most life threatening sickness such as cancer? Do you like these?


Do you like the free wellness and preventive services where there is no longer a reason to put off doctor visits, meaning early detection will help stop sickness before it starts and early treatments will help treat people before its too late? Yes? Wait, do you like the notion of having your offspring to remain on your health insurance up to 26 years of age if apropos?


To not be a hypocrite, why don’t you tell your insurance provider that you want to eliminate the above given entities, and the other pluses of ObamaCare, so you will feel more at home with your prior junk healthcare that you had before ObamaCare? Yes?


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When confronted with the choice, I choose freedom to make the decisions that are best for my family on my own accord.


Not everyone can afford an HSA and money in the bank because not everyone has bothered to make good choices to become educated and work hard. That should be their situation, not mine.


My healthcare plan was fine. I paid until I reached the deductible limits, which I never reached. The savings to my family were profound compared to now. Savings that I could invest toward my children’s education so taxpayers will not have to foot the bill of their future defaulted loans.


No, I do not want my kids on my Health Insurance until age 26. They will have learned to be self supportive by the age of 21. That’s how they are raised, to not be dependent on me or government for their needs.


I want my old policy back. My insurance company cannot provide it for me. There is nothing hypocritical about that. It is fact.


The only plus to Obamacare is for the previously uninsurable. They are likely grateful. For those of us footing the bill for their lot in life (whether their fault or not), we have been screwed by the piece of crap currently occupying the Oval Office and his ilk.


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achillesheal,


You have the choice in taking the least amount of health insurance through ObamaCare that is now the best for you. Take it.


Barring the economy collapse initiated by you know who, (W), and trying to get back on track going against the Republican obstructionism, again, everyone does not live in Nirvana like you do subsequent to the most devastating economy collapse since the Great Depression. In part, your whining on paying for others, is a part of the Capitalism & Socialism United States of America. If you don’t like it, then move to another country.


Very admirable that you can pay for your own healthcare up to your deductible limits! Again, if only there was an absolute formula for everyone to fall under, like your Nirvana state of living. This type of scenario will never happen, so once again, if you don’t like the operations of the United States for the last 80 years, pull up stakes and move.


Again, very admirable that your off spring will not be allowed on your current ObamaCare until the age of 26. Your children are considered adults at the age of 18, so why not use that age for their self-supportive way of life? In this way, they will build character a lot quicker which seems to be your modus operandi for your off spring.


You can have your old policy back for the most part, just tell your current Covered California health insurance representative to eliminate all of the gains of ObamaCare! So as not to be a total hypocrite, call them and deny the preexisting condition clause, the no more lifetime or annual dollar limits on Essential Health Benefits, the FREE preventive services, and the many other benefits that you didn’t have with your previous junk healthcare plan.


Again, for the last time, you need another country to live in because you just cannot accept the FACT that we live under a Socialist/Capitalist way of government. Albeit, you miss George W. Bush and his two fraudulent wars, along with Medicare part D, and ALL unfunded where we’re picking up the tab at this time. Barring the needless deaths of U.S. armed service personnel, along with Iraqi and Afghanistan people too. How “W” can sleep at night is beyond any reason.


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So people who strive for self sufficience and personal responsibility as well as market choice should leave the United States of America?


Wow, we have fallen a long way haven’t we.


The truth of the matter is that if those pulling the wagon (such as myself) left the United States, then those sitting in the wagon, or laying in the hammock that was supposed to be a safety net, might have to get out and pull themselves along.


They’d be better off if they did.


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…and by the way, from which branch of Government do you draw your subsistence.


You obviously don’t work in the private sector.


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achillesheal,


As shown, you’re still having a very hard time in accepting facts relative to how our system of government works.


Your weak and evading refutation is a sign that these FACTS are starting to sink in, and that is a good thing for you to ponder before you try in vain to lash out at a system again that will not be changed anytime soon.


Have you heard of this adage; “Love it or leave it.?”


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What an uneducated blanket statement, but alas, that is the typical response of your ilk. How about the one about saving $2,500 a year? Or keeping your doctor? Or your plan? Explain to me again why I HAVE to pay for pediatric dental or prenatal care when I am a man and have no children? Yea my new plan is great… It even came with a free 74% premium increase and a 200% deductible increase.


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Because the dirty little secret (not so secret now) is that you are not paying for those services for yourself. You are paying those premiums for others who will use those services and do not pay for it themselves.


This law is a wealth redistribution scheme. That’s what Gruber was referring to when he spoke of the stupidity of the American peeps.


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st33L,


If your insurance is through your employer, there’s no guarantee that they won’t switch plans, just as companies could have done BEFORE the law. And, if you switch jobs, your new work-based coverage might not have your doctor as an in-network provider either, just like BEFORE ObamaCare.


To some, their rates are going down more than 2500.00 (FactCheck.org). Not all of the provisions of the law have gone into effect, and even if it does not save you 2500.00 a year, the increases in premiums were rising sometimes in the double digits in certain areas for the previous 10 years to ObamaCare. If there’re increases now, they are an average 4 to 5 percent, how terrible is that?! .


I really have to explain your erroneous notion of you having to pay for pediatric dental/prenatal care when you have no children, really?! Do you go around complaining that you pay taxes for a fire department, when your living conditions has never caught fire? Do you insidiously complain about the fact that you pay taxes for roads within our County that you never drive upon?


Wait, do you equally complain about paying for public parks that you never have used, or town or state run beaches that you never have walked upon? Should I go further? Okay, just one more of many; why do you pay taxes for a police department if you don’t plan to call them when needed? Can you answer these questions and still not remain a hypocrite?


Give FACTS about the healthcare plan that you had before, and the current ObamaCare plan you have now, and why it is allegedly costing you a 74% increase in premiums, and a 200% deductible increase, otherwise, conjecture and hearsay is entertaining to many to prove their otherwise weak assertions.


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Ted you are without fail a True Gruber-ite. But I expected nothing less than a wanna be know nothing, know it all justification from you. Great comparison too btw. Taxes for roads now equates to me paying for out of wedlock uneducated future democrats dental? Hahah you’re too funny! At least you threw in some legal terminology at the end. Slow clap…


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st33L,


Uh, what did you forget to do? Oh yeah, you forgot to address the FACTS of ObamaCare that I gave you, and the FACT of you being a hypocrite to your notion of paying for dental care of others, and at the same time, forgetting about the other SOCIAL entities that you pay for by giving you a few examples.


I expected nothing less than you remaining silent to facts that were embarassing to your blatant ignorance.


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So now it’s my social responsibility to pay for others health care? Ok comrade. So when are you sending me a check out of YOUR pocket to pay for my care then? Besides I don’t care about what “facts” you posted (even though there was no link, you simply put a web address). I am talking about MY out of pocket expense, not an average. MY deductible went from $1,500 to $4,500 (200%) and my premium went from $160 to $276 (72.5%) sorry I was mistaken about 74%.


Not to mention schedule A medical deductions went up 33.33%, thus making it harder for moderate income families to realize the tax benefits year end.


Btw your Gruber is showing…


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st33L,


I have already addressed your blatant ignorance relative to the USA being a Capitalistic/Socialistic government. Therefore, I don’t want to embarrass you again in bringing the aforementioned “Socialist” entities that you pay for to the forefront again, but never use. You can thank me later.


I will not be held responsible for your ineptness in not being able to search the web site in question for the topic at hand. Google is your friend and keeps you from ignorance. Try using it sometime.


Like I stated before, I am sure you’re not giving all of the circumstances to your seemingly conjectural claims. It is hearsay, and goes against the norm, and we do not know of what “junk healthcare” you had before to “compare” in what you have now.


Does “preexisting conditions” and an array of other previous and insidious health insurance conditions come to mind, my Faux News swallower fellow earthly passenger?


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Our California legislature is getting ready to allow the undocumented immigrants included in Obama’s new immigration policy of authorized work status/ no deportation to get health care under MediCal Covered California. In other words, they can receive the free health care and those in Covered California who have private insurance can pay for it through increased premiums.


For those stuck with the high deductibles and insane monthly premiums in Covered California (non MediCal), you had better start screaming NOW.


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I’ll start screaming single payer single payer!


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Is this news? How about reporting Druber-gate’s “stupid American voters.”


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In the days to come, you will all discover (including those that cannot afford and get free medical insurance) that Obama Care is the biggest lie next to Bush’s Affordable Housing for the poor.


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If enough people believe in the lie. It becomes the truth


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Wait until you see what happens to the premiums (conveniently in 2016) after the federal kickbacks to the insurance companies to temporarily artficially lower rates expires.


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PRAISE JESUS AND COVERED CALIFORNIA!


In prayer with Jesus last night, He Celestially told me how proud He was that Covered California was in effect for the second year now, so as to take care of His creation in the way of Healthcare, praise!


Obviously the disparaging remarks made from some of the alumni here within this thread about Covered California are NOT Christians! Jesus will sort out these non-believers of His word come Judgment Day!


ObamaCare, plus Covered California, equals Jesus’ teachings to the letter, relative to anyone needing Healthcare and couldn’t afford it before, or couldn’t get it to begin with, and removing the insidious act of “pre-conditions.”


Again, if we’re truly a Christian Nation, then ALL, and I repeat ALL Christians should hold these aforementioned Healthcare entities in high esteem.


JESUS, said the following in regards to taking care of ALL of His creation, and that includes a religious basic RIGHT to Healthcare for His Creations well being.


“Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.” (Psalm 82:3)


“Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.” (Proverbs 19:17)


Jesus said: “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. Protect the rights of all who are helpless.” ( Proverbs 31:8)


“For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I COMMAND YOU, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’ (Deuteronomy 15:11)


Fellow Christians, can we get a big AMEN? Thank you.


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Lies.


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Crickets. I’m sure no self respecting libertarians here will sign up for this communism.


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Awesome! More non English speaking, free health care getting, drivers license acquiring dreamers! Thanks Democrats!!!


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thank them after they graduate and begin paying taxes and contributing to the greater prosperity enjoyed by a healthy inclusive society.


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Keep dreaming. A very small number are graduating. Only a very few of all those family’s parental units embrace education. Only a very small number of the high school aged kids have the drive to succeed when the parents give them no support. The school system (Administrators, not so much the teachers) pushes them through. Pretty tough to teach kids anything when they have no command of their own written or spoken native language. They are an intense drain on the school system and those in the classroom that have the capacity to flourish. This coming from somebody on that “front line” right now.


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Also, if you have a Primary Care Physician right now, ask them if they’re taking “Covered California” patients. You’ll find they don’t and most specialists don’t either. First hand information there.


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front lines of the racist culture war that we’re going through right now?


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Typical dreamer rhetoric…. Yawn… You are a disease


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I agree with you. If nothing that’s currently proposed will work (according to you) what do you propose we do?


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Free government medical….yep….we going broke folks.


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TANSTAAFL (There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch.) We were paying for it before to insurance companies, we are paying for it now to them — plus to the government acting as a middle man. This is the biggest flaw in ObamaCare.


If the government is to be involved, there should at least be a “single payer” option wherein the big health insurance companies had to compete with a government program. As it is now, they are slowly lobbying for and getting rate increases while the government subsidizes those who are too poor to afford those rates on their own.


I am not sure whether the waste inherent in a government-run health care system is more expensive than the obscene profiteering that the insurance industry engaged in previously but it is becoming more apparent that they will still be getting most of those profits while the government will spend more to oversee the process.


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