Boomers: Health Care Reform and You

The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don't want, drink what you don't like, and do what you'd rather not.  Mark Twain

I think the health care reformers skewed the above quote a little bit when they were drafting health care reform. Perhaps they see it as follows:

The only way to keep your health care is to pay more in premiums, drink the 'kool aid' we serve you and do what you'd rather not.

 

You can’t ignore it.  You can’t sweep it under the rug.  It is the 600 pound gorilla and it’s chasing after you.  It’s Health Care Reform.  Maybe you aren’t affected at the moment, but you will be soon enough. Whether it’s through higher premiums, higher co-pays or even having your health care coverage dropped by your employer, you will be touched by this quagmire.

Look at the headlines.

Health Care Reform Blamed for Huge Hike in Premiums

Sullivan responded to Blumenthal saying the new rates included "very rich benefits" mandated by federal law.

Health Insurance: Coverage Expands For Children, Young Adults; Not Necessarily For Retirees

Thanks to a little-noticed clause in a 1996 law, retiree-only health plans are exempt from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that went into effect last month."

30 Companies, Other Groups Escape New Health Care Rule for Now

The federal government has granted 30 companies and organizations one-year waivers to exempt them from one of the newly-implemented health care reforms.

Obama and health care: Waivers for objecting companies

The latest issue: Waivers granted to big companies who suggested they might drop coverage for their employees rather than comply with new government demands.

Federal Judge OKs States' Challenge to Health Care Reform, or 'Obamacare'

A victory for the states opposed to the health care reform legislation played out this Thursday. Federal Judge Roger Vinson of a U.S. District Court in Florida allowed a lawsuit brought by 20 states to proceed.

For those of you who are retired and are under your former company’s health care insurance and want to add your children 26 years of age down to 19 on to your policy, you could be out of luck. The new health care reform bill allowed big business to weigh in with complaints that “Employers say they might drop retiree coverage altogether if Congress were to force them to extend dependent coverage…”  The current bill passed, granting big business their wish to exclude their retirees from adding their adult children onto their current health care insurance.

If you believe this is just plain wrong and want to make your opinion know, please visit:

http://capwiz.com/abtr/issues/alert/?alertid=18506501 , fill out the information and send a message to President Obama and Washington that says Boomer Retirees should not be shut out just because we are retired.