Post Punk Kitchen Forum

Pretty big day Thursday, no? I'm nervous. What are your predictions on how the Supreme Court will rule?

Commentators like Jeff Toobin seem to think either they will strike just the mandate or the whole law. Which is so crazy, because just a few months ago, the mandate seemed a no-brainer and like it would survive a constitutional challenge without issue.

I am nervous too. My COBRA has expired and in NJ to get a plan with a $5,000 deductible i(so what used to be called catastrophic coverage), i have to pay $1,500 per month for my husband, self and kidlet. NJ is guaranteed issuance which means no one can be rejected, so insurers price coverage as though everyone is very ill. Its just untenable to think our current sitch can continue.

I'm in one of the high risk pools set up by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and I'm pretty effing terrified. I don't even know what will happen with my coverage if the law is struck down, the insurance company contracted for the high risk pool in Illinois hasn't sent any information out at all about the possibility. I mean, if it's struck down does my coverage just stop immediately? I have no idea. So stressful. By the time I wake up the ruling should be public, so I guess I'll find out then.

It looks like the mandate is upheld.

The whole thing upheld, it seems.

This is pretty much what SCOTUSblog is saying.

I feel like I can breathe now.

So ..... does this mean that actual healthcare is possible in the US now?

Well, it is still going to be a mess, but I think it will be a better mess.

It's unclear. The burden of buying healthcare is on the individual in most cases. This will be hard on the lower middle class unless insurance rates get dramatically lower. And it's hard to know how costs will change with more people being insured and more people paying for insurance.

A lot of the previsions don't start for a few years yet. So come back in ten years and ask us how it's working.

I'm glad the whole thing wasn't struck down, but I can understand how some of my friends without insurance are concerned that they won't be able to afford it if they're forced to buy. I need to go back and really look at how this affects everyone. I think everyone does need at least catastrophic health insurance, but I'd like to see actual affordable healthcare for everyone, which is what I'm hoping this will mean.

I'd gladly pay more taxes or pay more into the insurance pool while I can. Who knows when I'll be back on the other side of the employment fence and once again faced with either no insurance or high COBRA premiums. I'd hope at that point I could actually afford insurance without going into debt again.

I think overall, this is a step in the right direction. We'll just have to see how it actually plays out.

It means that Republican healthcare is possible now, to the chagrin of Republicans everywhere (you try to figure it out).

It's so ironic. You would think Republicans would be all for "personal responsibility" ... the individual mandate was their idea. They didn't want single payer. Such hypocrites.

The only way to make healthcare more affordable is to broaden the pool of insured.

I can understand the concern about the individual mandate, but I believe there is assistance based on income.

They announced the ruling while I was on my way to work this morning, and I have to admit it made my day.

It's soooo far from perfect, and I would have infinitely preferred a single-payer system, and I would have done a million things differently if it had been my law... but I am so glad to see at least a tiny step in the right direction that I can overlook all that for at least a few hours.

There's assistance based on income, but it may not be adequate assistance.

I'm actually really happy that the mandate was upheld, but there are very valid reasons for being less than thrilled.

No where even close to something fair and right for people...but its a start at least

Does anyone have any reliable info on this? Does the government even have a plan for this yet?

People below 133% of the federal poverty level will be eligible for Medicaid (although this is called into question somewhat by today's ruling), while people up to 400% of poverty level will be eligible for sliding scale tax credits. Effectively, there's a cap on how much of your income you pay for health insurance, and the tax credits will pay for everything beyond that.

The Kaiser Family Foundation has a calculator here.

Can we start calling it Robertscare now?

Also, any word on the Tea Partiers? I imagine they're (even more) out of their minds.

The exchanges are state run, so it's up to your state to implement the program even though the law sets basic standards for what has to be covered. California has been moving fast on implementation, I hear. Don't know about Oregon.

The ruling upheld the Medicaid expansion, but made it more difficult to enforce as the feds won't be able to withhold funding for non-compliance. Basically, very poor people in red states are hosed.

Ugh, my mom just sent out an email rant to everyone in her address book about this. She has bad knees and is in need of surgery. However, her doctor wants to wait until she's 65 since the procedure only lasts 10-15 years. She's ranting that Obama (except she's one of those delightfully witty people who uses an "s" instead of a "b" in his name) will make her wait until she's 75 for the surgery.

This is the crepe that I can handle - the people who spout off without having a clue on what the act means for us. Yes, there's a lot of unknowns on what this is going to change, but it doesn't mean you should start ranting and raving that the sky's going to fall.

(if anyone has a good retort for my mother, other than my classic of "You're crazy", I would love to hear it.)

Yeah, there's a good post about that here-

http://feeds.wonkette.com/click.phdo?i= ... 42b2d622d4

If I keep my income at $0.00 for the year I won't have to worry about it, I suppose.

That's a great solution!

/sarcasm.