And again, those already retired and living on social security are not being mentioned. Many of us have already been notified that our Plan D coverage will increase more than threefold in 2026. And we haven't even heard from Medicare or our Medigap providers!
A 60 year old couple might ordinarily retire at age 67-68 (age of full social security benefits) but not if insurance is that expensive unless they are high income earners and can afford to retire earlier 62-63.
As someone who needs to be on ACA for a couple more years (and understands it from a nuts-and-bolts perspective ), I like this nuts and bolts discussion from KFF about what’s going on with the numbers:
Another scenario for the 60+ years couple is that they have some savings to live on, and they use it to continue to qualify for the ACA credit, which is based on income (not savings), though the credit will still be reduced under the Republicans BB legislation. At least they won’t be pushed off the cliff to pay the total insurance cost. In our society, those with money always seem to fare better than those without, even in programs intended to reach those without.
Too bad John McCain isn't around to save the Affordable Care Act this time. The GOP did another end game around the Dems. The Medicaid cuts included in the OBBB were the first step in defunding the ACA because it reduces state governments ability to fund their health plans for their residents. Along with the tariff taxes and increased health insurance costs, Trump and the GOP are destroying the small business owners and employees who voted for him. We can only hope that their voters punish Trump and the GOP for their economic devastation in the upcoming elections.
I don't understand the logic: on one hand, there are mass deportations of undocumented migrants—even those awaiting legal appointments. On the other hand, there's this belief that these same people will somehow show up demanding free healthcare because Democrats insist on budget provisions. Can people not see through such a transparent contradiction?
You’re trying to associate the word “logic” with the GOP. That’s the basis of your misunderstanding. Their entire strategy revolves around using misinformation and outright lies to elicit strong *emotional* responses. They have very little use for logic. Unfortunately, it’s been a very successful strategy for them, especially for Trump.
"The true authors of this American calamity" are out in the open. They have been open about their intentions all along. They wrote and made public "Project 2025" long before the 2024 election and Trump made no bones to hide that he will come into office hell bent for revenge.
"WE the people" elected an Autocratic Fascist into the oval office and gave him FREE REIGN (by giving Republicans majorities in both houses) to destroy our democracy.
We have given them the Supreme Court and now we have to learn to live with it as our children will have to, for decades to come.
We have allowed the destruction of American Democracy to take place "in a day".
The rebuilding of that democracy WILL SURELY take years (possibly a decade or more).
We all must know and understand the consequences of this and fight those now out in the open, for American Democracy to return.
Excellent and clear essays all around. We need to know the things you tell us because it’s true what they say, or at least I think it’s true, that information is power, if only self-empowerment. Thank you. ps. That crap from the two jackasses at Quantico is really out of bounds. This is the attempt to militarize everything and suppress the masses.
What litigation are The Contrarians participating in against the administration’s blatant disregard of the Hatch Act with posts on every federal website blaming the democrats for the shutdown?
The American Medical Association says that average health care costs are about $15,000 per person per year. Everyone I know spends far less than that on health care. I've always budgeted for my health care, never going without coverage, even when I (just for myself) had $800 per month premiums in 2007. I was on the ACA before subsidies lowered the premiums, yet it was so cheap that when I turned 65 my $185 Medicare premium and $99/month HMO premiums were higher than my ACA premiums were. And one year when I paid less in ACA premiums than I was technically supposed to based on my final annual income, I wasn't even required to make up the difference. If people can afford smart phones, monthly phone plans, internet, plane flights (3 million per day per the F.A.A., which is nearly 1% of the U.S. population), recreation, and close to $1 trillion for holiday presents and other holiday expenses, then I assume that they should be able to spend more on health care premiums, instead of expecting others (taxpayers or medical facilities) to increasingly subsidize their medical expenses. Besides living frugally and thus saving money for future needs, I also bought long-term-care insurance at age 46 so that I can cover those expenses instead of expecting other to do that for me.
And again, those already retired and living on social security are not being mentioned. Many of us have already been notified that our Plan D coverage will increase more than threefold in 2026. And we haven't even heard from Medicare or our Medigap providers!
A 60 year old couple might ordinarily retire at age 67-68 (age of full social security benefits) but not if insurance is that expensive unless they are high income earners and can afford to retire earlier 62-63.
As someone who needs to be on ACA for a couple more years (and understands it from a nuts-and-bolts perspective ), I like this nuts and bolts discussion from KFF about what’s going on with the numbers:
https://www.kff.org/affordable-care-act/aca-marketplace-premium-payments-would-more-than-double-on-average-next-year-if-enhanced-premium-tax-credits-expire/
Another scenario for the 60+ years couple is that they have some savings to live on, and they use it to continue to qualify for the ACA credit, which is based on income (not savings), though the credit will still be reduced under the Republicans BB legislation. At least they won’t be pushed off the cliff to pay the total insurance cost. In our society, those with money always seem to fare better than those without, even in programs intended to reach those without.
Thanks for the link.
Too bad John McCain isn't around to save the Affordable Care Act this time. The GOP did another end game around the Dems. The Medicaid cuts included in the OBBB were the first step in defunding the ACA because it reduces state governments ability to fund their health plans for their residents. Along with the tariff taxes and increased health insurance costs, Trump and the GOP are destroying the small business owners and employees who voted for him. We can only hope that their voters punish Trump and the GOP for their economic devastation in the upcoming elections.
I don't understand the logic: on one hand, there are mass deportations of undocumented migrants—even those awaiting legal appointments. On the other hand, there's this belief that these same people will somehow show up demanding free healthcare because Democrats insist on budget provisions. Can people not see through such a transparent contradiction?
You’re trying to associate the word “logic” with the GOP. That’s the basis of your misunderstanding. Their entire strategy revolves around using misinformation and outright lies to elicit strong *emotional* responses. They have very little use for logic. Unfortunately, it’s been a very successful strategy for them, especially for Trump.
Ain't that the truth....
"The true authors of this American calamity" are out in the open. They have been open about their intentions all along. They wrote and made public "Project 2025" long before the 2024 election and Trump made no bones to hide that he will come into office hell bent for revenge.
"WE the people" elected an Autocratic Fascist into the oval office and gave him FREE REIGN (by giving Republicans majorities in both houses) to destroy our democracy.
We have given them the Supreme Court and now we have to learn to live with it as our children will have to, for decades to come.
We have allowed the destruction of American Democracy to take place "in a day".
The rebuilding of that democracy WILL SURELY take years (possibly a decade or more).
We all must know and understand the consequences of this and fight those now out in the open, for American Democracy to return.
Excellent and clear essays all around. We need to know the things you tell us because it’s true what they say, or at least I think it’s true, that information is power, if only self-empowerment. Thank you. ps. That crap from the two jackasses at Quantico is really out of bounds. This is the attempt to militarize everything and suppress the masses.
What litigation are The Contrarians participating in against the administration’s blatant disregard of the Hatch Act with posts on every federal website blaming the democrats for the shutdown?
The American Medical Association says that average health care costs are about $15,000 per person per year. Everyone I know spends far less than that on health care. I've always budgeted for my health care, never going without coverage, even when I (just for myself) had $800 per month premiums in 2007. I was on the ACA before subsidies lowered the premiums, yet it was so cheap that when I turned 65 my $185 Medicare premium and $99/month HMO premiums were higher than my ACA premiums were. And one year when I paid less in ACA premiums than I was technically supposed to based on my final annual income, I wasn't even required to make up the difference. If people can afford smart phones, monthly phone plans, internet, plane flights (3 million per day per the F.A.A., which is nearly 1% of the U.S. population), recreation, and close to $1 trillion for holiday presents and other holiday expenses, then I assume that they should be able to spend more on health care premiums, instead of expecting others (taxpayers or medical facilities) to increasingly subsidize their medical expenses. Besides living frugally and thus saving money for future needs, I also bought long-term-care insurance at age 46 so that I can cover those expenses instead of expecting other to do that for me.