patrick.net

Call it Crazy says

...."'The people in there told me that since I didn't have an insurance card, I would be billed for the whole cost of the x-ray,' Galvez said, her young daughter in tow. 'It's not fair – you know, I signed up last week like I was supposed to."

Galvez said she enrolled in a Carefirst Blue Cross bronze plan at a cost of about $450 per month through healthcare.gov, three days before Christmas.

'No one has sent me a bill,' she said.

Hmmm, She "signed up" for a bronze plan, and even if she had an insurance card, didn't realize that she would have a co-pay and deductible payments when treated?? Plus, did she send in the first month premium payment?? If not, she doesn't have insurance....

Three days before Christmas she signed up. That's 7 working days through today - probably not enough to generate a bill. Her insurance might be in force but she doesn't have a card at this time.

Sure - it has something to do with the provider she chose under the affordable care act. However, it would be the same thing if it were a private provider she chose on her own. There wasn't enough time to generate a bill. And if she hasn't paid, she still will be covered if she makes payment in a timely manner.

My point is that this is the exact same situation as if the act hadn't kicked in to make healthcare available. The hospital will bill the patient and if she isn't insured, she will be responsible for the cost out of pocket. If she is insured, it will be at a lower rate negotiated by her health insurer.

Speaking as a person with 25 years of experience in the system, this situation really isn't different than years past. But now everyone can blame Obama. If the woman was truly showing the signs of a cardiac event, she would have been admitted regardless of the insurance issue.

No, the act isn't ideal. However, this is a piss poor example of how the affordable healthcare act is succeeding or failing. Look at it this way: If your auto insurance check was received but not posted, the insurer might not be able to verify benefits if you're in a wreck. Once the check is posted, that's another story.

I'm sure that there will be much better examples of the failures of the private insurers under the healthcare act. This article isn't one of them.

Everyone, unless they're wealthy beyond belief or a lawmaker who has the opportunity to access the top tier plan, has co-payments and deductibles. If this woman didn't know that, the article doesn't mention it. It alludes to it but we can't know.

Every healthcare provider will charge a full amount unless they are presented with proof of insurance. This is a non-story. But haters will hate.

CaptainShuddup says

I dropped it March of last year, and never plan on purchasing anything like it ever again. It was the dumbest most pointless thing I've ever paid for in my life. I only had to buy it because the Clinic that said they would perform medical treatment at a set price, then reneged and told me I needed insurance.

Tpb's experience is typical of the healthcare industry. Does it suck? Hell ya? But the machine is powerful and until we have socialized medicine we're all fucked.

If I was experiencing chest pain to the point that I went to the ER, I would be treated. I doubt it was that serious for her, although it might have been later.

Again, this isn't a failure of the ACA. It's a failure of the system, which is two different things.

It's all Bush's fault. It will take at least a century of Democratic rule to reverse the damage of the Bush administration, before progress can even begin.

Call it Crazy says

11 Nasty Trends That Will Test America's Resilience

#12 - Two Girls, One Cup

Ceffer says

It's all Bush's fault. It will take at least a century of Democratic rule to reverse the damage of the Bush administration, before progress can even begin.

Agreed with the caveat that Obama does not count as a democrat for this purpose.

APOCALYPSEFUCKisShostikovitch says

This all looks great. Flipping houses and stocks can net you a bundle, which is what America is all about. Done.

You forgot the powerful input of bullion speculation. Add that to real estate, and you can join the 1 percent rent takers tout de suite.

Ceffer says

You forgot the powerful input of bullion speculation. Add that to real estate, and you can join the 1 percent rent takers tout de suite.

The key is to not listen to those foolish mathematicians who say it's impossible for everybody to be in the top 1%. Nothing is impossible!

elliemae says

Again, this isn't a failure of the ACA. It's a failure of the system, which is two different things.

Again this isn't the failure of the Affordable Healthcare Act...

See that statement sounds utterly ridiculous when you spell out ACA doesn't it?

Ellie we'll never get to Socialized medicine or anything remotely like it, as long as there are no shortage of people willing to support, based solely on the fact that they have to support it. Or otherwise they will realize that everything that believed in for the last five years and all of the energy they wasted on arguing with the TPB's of the world. Would be totally pointless.

Another reason we'll never have socialized medicine in this country is because of the thousands of definitions of what "Socialized medicine" even is.

I would say that right now there are an equal amount of Liberals and Conservatives that would call Obamacare "Socialized Medicine".

We need to first define "Socialized Medicine" in a civil discussion then work from there.

With out calling people names, who were more in tune to the facts about what Obamacare was going to be, more than the Obamacare supporters were.

I'm sure we all have the same goals. It's just many have replaced the objective of the goal with a single political figure that they must defend at all cost, while claiming it is the Healthcare he created that they are defending.

Had this been a scheme that the insurance companies cooked up on their own, and lobbied Congress to pass it. There would be blood in the streets. You know it, I know it, we all know it.

Long live the King!

Uncle Sam is a sucker. Every dollar he borrowed is worth ~$0.04.
It's been a while but still such pretty numbers on the debt clock.

Our creditors have been lending us money at negative real rates of interest.

Who's the sucker?

Unfunded Liabilities,Don't spoil it for me. I want to watch the whole movie to see how it ends.
Can't wait to find out who doesn't get a check & hear the final line: "What happened?"

Call it Crazy says

On the other end, for one decade and counting, the "top priority" for the US public was and continues to be "the economy", stupid.

Green Jobs anyone !

Yeah, whatever happened drinking, smoking, fucking, sports and driving a big ole wallowing, gas guzzling SUV?

The US is that bad at prioritization?

"I spent nearly all of my money on women, booze and fast cars, the rest I wasted!"

According to this you should just go ahead and move to Fresno:
http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/1/3/fresno-ranks-highlylivableforyoungpeople.html

Call it Crazy says

I am convinced that Californians enjoy having a sordid affair with real estate.

Certainly true. Many are not familiar with California so dont expect them to
pick up on Mountain Biking, Surfing, Hunting/Fishing or Camping. So they over spend any savings on upgrades to their 'live in investment".

Pretty sad life to live....

Robert Sproul says

According to this you should just go ahead and move to Fresno

So why did Santa Clara County become the hot bed of Tech boom ?

Cheap land ? so what happens when prices sky rocket ?

"we sound an alarm"... i know... it doesnt sound well for Bostonians and

Yorkers who moved here..

http://www.sfgate.com/business/ontherecord/article/ON-THE-RECORD-CARL-GUARDINO-2574540.php#ixzz1v6EFUJaI

"Hewlett-Packard and Dell are the top two computer-makers in the world. Corporate headquarters for HP are located in Palo Alto and Dell is in Round Rock, Texas. Obviously, they both have people and facilities around the globe.

In those two communities where their corporate headquarters are and where a lot of research and development takes place, the median resale price for a home in Palo Alto is about $1.6 million. In Round Rock, Texas, it's about $180,000, except the home and property are bigger.

We hear from HP all the time that a huge deterrent to the ability to recruit and retain people anywhere near Silicon Valley is the housing issue. We don't hear that from Dell, which is also a member company, about their operations in Round Rock.

It does continue to plague us and we will continue to sound the alarm."

from the Article...

Needless to say, you got what you voted for.. dismal 8 years, worst ever.

"A Wide Economic Growth Gap

The Obama recovery is the most feeble since the Great Depression. GDP growth is far below the average recovery since World War II, and even below the average growth of the past three recoveries.

In dollar terms, if Obama's recovery had been merely average, the economy would be $1.3 trillion — or 8% — bigger today than it is.

Put another way, every American alive today — workers, non-workers, children — is $4,100 less well off than he or she would have been if growth had only been normal. Consider it a tax we all pay for voting poorly in recent elections."

Call it Crazy says

It is fairly well accepted that mortgage rates will only move in one direction from this point forward. So why would anyone lock into an artificially low rate via an ARM that is set to adjust in a short time frame?

Why get a 30 year fixed if you plan on moving in 5 or 6 years. An ARM that is fixed for the first 5 years makes perfect sense.
Most developed countries like UK don't even have 30 year fixed mortgages. They are perfectly happy with ARM's.

thomaswong.1986 says

"Hewlett-Packard and Dell are the top two computer-makers in the world. Corporate headquarters for HP are located in Palo Alto and Dell is in Round Rock, Texas. Obviously, they both have people and facilities around the globe.

In those two communities where their corporate headquarters are and where a lot of research and development takes place, the median resale price for a home in Palo Alto is about $1.6 million. In Round Rock, Texas, it's about $180,000, except the home and property are bigger.

We hear from HP all the time that a huge deterrent to the ability to recruit and retain people anywhere near Silicon Valley is the housing issue. We don't hear that from Dell, which is also a member company, about their operations in Round Rock.

It does continue to plague us and we will continue to sound the alarm."

So why would Apple build this in Cupertino?
http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_24559188/apples-new-headquarters-gains-approval-cupertino-city-council

Strategist says

So why would Apple build this in Cupertino?

http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_24559188/apples-new-headquarters-gains-approval-cupertino-city-council

As everyone (Tech old timers) would say, when your building that audacious global world headquarters in SV, the end is surely near.

Seems to have been the trend for the past several decades, without exception.

My take ? EGO, the true legacy of Apple Computers and the One called Steven Jobs ! And yes, there are lots of former Apple employees what would agree with that.

APOCALYPSEFUCKisShostikovitch says

Hard to believe there is so little concern for tit-fucking Christina Hendricks.

Careful now, those things are a clear suffocation hazard.

thomaswong.1986 says

My take ? EGO, the true legacy of Apple Computers and the One called Steven Jobs ! And yes, there are lots of former Apple employees what would agree with that.

I'm sure he had a big ego, but you gotta admit Steve Jobs is probably the greatest entrepreneur that ever lived. I have faith in his decisions.

Is there a reason why 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012 are missing from that chart? Looks fishy.

Strategist says

I'm sure he had a big ego, but you gotta admit Steve Jobs is probably the greatest entrepreneur that ever lived. I have faith in his decisions.

na! no where near these guys... these guys made it all happen...

Jobs was a speck of dust...

Call it Crazy says

Election years...

2012?

Call it Crazy says

Strategist says

Why get a 30 year fixed if you plan on moving in 5 or 6 years. An ARM that is fixed for the first 5 years makes perfect sense.

You're STILL not paying attention... ARM's just recently ramped up, why??

If what your saying is correct, ARM's would pretty much stay the same YoY, as a portion of the population would get them for your reason.

But, ARM applications have tripled recently. Either a hell of a lot more people are looking to flip houses, or as the OP states, people can't a afford a conv. 30 year at today's rates and prices....

So, which is it??

I would imagine the spike in ARM's applications would occur every time interest rates jump. Buyers would have sticker shock and start raionalizing.......hey, I don't plan on living there for ever, why not save some money?
I'm sure there are some who fall in love with a home, and when interest go up to a level they can't really afford, they take ARM's because they are not willing to give up their love.
That and lots of other reasons.

thomaswong.1986 says

Mountain Biking, Surfing, Hunting/Fishing or Camping

Little games are for little boys; I've find out there are other joys

thomaswong.1986 says

na! no where near these guys... these guys made it all happen...

And don't let the horn-rims and square cuts fool you -- those old engineers from Ampex and HP were some of the hardest drinking, hardest riding and all round good sports around!

Call it Crazy says

Watch out..... When you "grow up", you die....

I just meant that, at my age, the only three things that keep me going past breakfast are pussy, good suds and gasoline.

tatupu70 says

2012?

Ring a bell what happened in 2012

"If you don't have any fresh ideas, then you use stale tactics to scare the voters," he proclaimed, "If you don't have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people should run from."

http://www.youtube.com/embed/fTynx1hnfig

JodyChunder says

And don't let the horn-rims and square cuts fool you -- those old engineers from Ampex and HP were some of the hardest drinking, hardest riding and all round good sports around!

this is true....

So you think LBJ was just the front man for the operation, or do you think he was the head?

Kennedy was taken out because he ordered the U.S. treasury to issue lawful currency, just 10 days before the assassination.

What's it matter? In NC, 90% of the population is already eligible for medicaid.

JodyChunder says

thomaswong.1986 says

Mountain Biking, Surfing, Hunting/Fishing or Camping

Little games are for little boys; I've find out there are other joys

You are obviously not a surfer...you do not choose to surf. The surf chooses you. :)

I personally NEED to live within 20min of a nice surf able beach and 2hrs to a place where I can ski. Close to mountains to mountain bike and dirt bike ride...horses...and...I do like city style infrastructure, shops and restaurants within walking distance or very short drive.

People spend too much time in the office. CA lifestyle takes place outside of that and thats what we love about it. (well..I do) - If you don't love that then get the hell outta my state lol ...there is a nice arctic storm coming to the east coast by Wednesday..enjoy!! :)

SubOink says

You are obviously not a surfer...you do not choose to surf. The surf chooses you. :)

I respect the surfer and the ski bum. I tore around the dunes on my bikes as a much much younger man.

Outside of bowling, these days, I'm more of a homebody. (Three ex wives will do it to you!) I drink beer, read old books and putter around with my wood lathe.

SubOink says

I personally NEED to live within 20min of a nice surf able beach and 2hrs to a place where I can ski. Close to mountains to mountain bike and dirt bike ride...horses...and...I do like city style infrastructure, shops and restaurants within walking distance or very short drive.

Charlie dont surf ! Charlie didn't get much USO. He was dug in too deep into Palo Alto or moving too fast in his Silicon Valley job. His idea of great R&R was cold rice and a little rat meat.

JodyChunder says

SubOink says

You are obviously not a surfer...you do not choose to surf. The surf chooses you. :)

I respect the surfer and the ski bum. I tore around the dunes on my bikes as a much much younger man.

Outside of bowling, these days, I'm more of a homebody. (Three ex wives will do it to you!) I drink beer, read old books and putter around with my wood lathe.

Bowling is fun but I really suck at it.

Damn! 3 Ex-wives...

I bought a 2008 corolla with 15k mi last year for 10g from a nice older Filipino lady. Hubby does most of the work. What do you think about that!

Yeah, that 08 corolla is an alright good buy, I'm seeing some of the older ones climb past 200k with no problems yet, the Yaris, looking to be another good long term buy, the newer Camry's .. ouch.

December is the slow season for car sales.

APOCALYPSEFUCKisShostikovitch says

I've known a few hard core smokers from the entertainment industry and the ones who persist in the habit into middle years often - at least more often than would be explained by a representational proportion of the census curve - develop a persistent crabbiness, much more so than enthusiasts of, say, pizza.

I don't know it's the chicken and the egg, was I crabby before or after? Perhaps I smoke so I can forget what I was crabby about. Then that just makes me even more crabby, because I hate it when I can't remember... and... eh... huh... What were we just talking about?