What was it like before Obamacare?

[wehotex]

I’ve gotten better at selling ACA this season, but sometimes wonder what individual health would be like without it? Poor ppl love it (of course), but those with higher incomes or even middle class get sticker shock. I genuinely feel bad when I’m offering a $1,100/mo policy to a 63-year old man. Even worse, it includes worthless maternity coverage and children’s’ dental.
What was individual coverage like circa 2007?

What would it be like now if ACA was never introduced?

 

[Yagents]

I’ve gotten better at selling ACA this season, but sometimes wonder what individual health would be like without it? Poor ppl love it (of course), but those with higher incomes or even middle class get sticker shock. I genuinely feel bad when I’m offering a $1,100/mo policy to a 63-year old man. Even worse, it includes worthless maternity coverage and children’s’ dental.
What was individual coverage like circa 2007?

What would it be like now if ACA was never introduced?

Obamacare doubled or tripled my business.
Before ACA, I couldn't help the low income or the sick due to underwriting.
Now both categories can be insured.

Those with money got hit the hardest, but most stuck on the books because they have money to protect, understand insurance, or they played the ACA control their income game. Some went to Short term medical plans if healthy and wealthy and refused ACA full premiums.

Before ACA, you had to "sell" insurance, now I essentially "enroll". If they don't want coverage, just move on.

Before ACA, you needed the art of which carrier to use according to underwriting standards, then wait wait wait for approval. With ACA, it's one and done and approved. I remember Assurant being the most lenient, then ACA made them go bankrupt with PPO offering.

I have about a dozen grandfathered plans on the books, they are at ACA premium levels now, but come with a PPO vs HMO.....so they hold on for now. Dwindling every year.

Before ACA, I won tons of business educating people on HSA's vs copay plans saving them tons of money when the premium differences were quite large. Now with ACA, HSA plans are more expensive with lower OOP sometimes, and Biden's new 2025 regulations will all but eliminate them from ACA plans being offered in 2025. 2+ carriers already dropped them in 2024, it's a shame.

Remember, ACA is my best Medicare pipeline, that 63 yr old will love you when you give them OM with a supplement for a 1/3rd of the cost, lower OOP, and no more crappy networks.

 

[STIBROKER]

What was individual coverage like circa 2007?

WELL it was alot of driving......sitting at dirty ass tables with your arms sticking to the table....hitting jackpots when you find someone on a NASE plan.....asking a bunch of health questions ...having to document health prob. like twisted testicles.......talking people into keeping the policy with allergies riders....then I started faxing broc and applications trying to get them to fax it back with a voided check .....then Celtic came out with the 1st on line applications.....then Unicare followed .......which turned into emailing broch with rates with a link to your personal url to do applications...or do it for them over the phone..land line phone...cell phones were not cost effective yet...my first cell was a primco...and sending the unsustainable to The High Risk Health Pool for a one time $50 commission......

 

[Newby]

I still have my United Healthcare PPO pre-Obamacare plan. The rates have gone up every year a huge amount. I pay over $30,000 a year to cover me and my wife. I have two more years before I get on real Medicare, and a supplement.

 

[InsuranceGuy29]

From strictly an insurance standpoint, it was actually affordable for the vast majority of people. Unlike now where it's only affordable for maybe 40% of people. It's essentially just a siphoning of funds from the middle class, and crippling of the middle class, which is my biggest issue with it. In my opinion, that was the main goal of it.

It was authored by Ezekiel Emmanuel (Rahm Emmanuel's brother) who is a hardline Chicago Saul-Alinsky-disciple communist. One of Alinksy's tenants was always taking over the healthcare of the country, because if you control the healthcare, you control the people.

Now here's the thing, with that said, that's not to say it didn't do SOME good. It eliminated pre-existing conditions, which is obviously great. But that could've been done without completely overhauling the entire health industry in this country.

It's no fun and absolutely ridiculous when you have to go to a couple's house (who is maybe making a combined 75k per year....not a ton of money by today's standards), run their information, and tell them they are both going to pay a combined $30,000 per year in insurance premiums. And that's all for the "privilege" of a bare bones plan that covers basically nothing until they pay another $10,000 in deductibles (each), with high copays that then kick in.

My main issue is that the more money you make, and the more money you pay, the more the plans suck. That's just a joke and it needs to change.

From strictly a broker's perspective, it's much better. There's no guessing if someone will qualify and no headaches involved with going to peoples houses, walking in, seeing an oxygen machine, and getting immediately discouraged. Back then, you would have to ask a bazillion questions and hope they qualified.

 

[DonP]

From strictly an insurance standpoint, it was actually affordable for the vast majority of people. Unlike now where it's only affordable for maybe 40% of people. It's essentially just a siphoning of funds from the middle class, and crippling of the middle class, which is my biggest issue with it. In my opinion, that was the main goal of it.

It was authored by Ezekiel Emmanuel (Rahm Emmanuel's brother) who is a hardline Chicago Saul-Alinsky-disciple communist. One of Alinksy's tenants was always taking over the healthcare of the country, because if you control the healthcare, you control the people.

Now here's the thing, with that said, that's not to say it didn't do SOME good. It eliminated pre-existing conditions, which is obviously great. But that could've been done without completely overhauling the entire health industry in this country.

It's no fun and absolutely ridiculous when you have to go to a couple's house (who is maybe making a combined 75k per year....not a ton of money by today's standards), run their information, and tell them they are both going to pay a combined $30,000 per year in insurance premiums. And that's all for the "privilege" of a bare bones plan that covers basically nothing until they pay another $10,000 in deductibles (each), with high copays that then kick in.

My main issue is that the more money you make, and the more money you pay, the more the plans suck. That's just a joke and it needs to change.

From strictly a broker's perspective, it's much better. There's no guessing is someone will qualify and no headaches involved with going to peoples houses, walking in, seeing an oxygen machine, and getting immediately discouraged. Back then, you would have to ask a bazillion questions and hope they qualified.

I’d say a full 40-50% of people on aca don’t qualify for it . 80% of that 40-50% who don’t qualify are either unemployed with zero income or make under the minimum of $14,580 for 2024 . If Trump gets in you can guarantee the subsidy’s will be cut big overall . I got people bitching like hell when there family premium goes from $150 a month to $220 . When it goes to $500 or more which is still dirt cheap they’ll drop it . Most things are locked in until the end of 2025 . The agent in big jeopardy selling aca .When trump cuts the program up commissions will collapse or go away .The last yr we lost Bright and Friday . This yr I bet we lose more . United and Aetna have made little inroads since getting back in . Cigna had huge rate increases in many states after low balling to gain entry in mkts . Many countys still only have 2-3 players .

 

[wehotex]

I still have my United Healthcare PPO pre-Obamacare plan. The rates have gone up every year a huge amount. I pay over $30,000 a year to cover me and my wife. I have two more years before I get on real Medicare, and a supplement.

Isn’t there a way to incorporate yourself and then pay yourself a salary that would qualify you for a subsidy?

 

[rmhaire]

I still have my United Healthcare PPO pre-Obamacare plan. The rates have gone up every year a huge amount. I pay over $30,000 a year to cover me and my wife. I have two more years before I get on real Medicare, and a supplement.

Sure we can't interest you in an Advantage plan? In two more years we'll probably have free Uber rides to your local Victoria's Secret. Probably have a free card for that too.

 

[myinsurebiz]

I’ve gotten better at selling ACA this season, but sometimes wonder what individual health would be like without it? Poor ppl love it (of course), but those with higher incomes or even middle class get sticker shock. I genuinely feel bad when I’m offering a $1,100/mo policy to a 63-year old man. Even worse, it includes worthless maternity coverage and children’s’ dental.
What was individual coverage like circa 2007?

What would it be like now if ACA was never introduced?

Healthy people with high income loved Golden Rule, IHS, etc.

Poor and sick people just went in debt when they went to emergency room or suffered more health issues because they couldn't get covered.

ObamaCare is awesome except for those that are sick, make a lot of income and have high ass premiums.

 

[Newby]

Sure we can't interest you in an Advantage plan? In two more years we'll probably have free Uber rides to your local Victoria's Secret. Probably have a free card for that too.

Ha! Yeah I’m going with an Advantage plan … NOT!