Not so affordable!

I'm happy that the Affordable Health Care Plan was declared constitutional by the Supreme Court--we can't return to 50,000,000 Americans without health care.  But I want to point out, clearly, that the term "affordable" is a misnomer. Even if the plan is implemented as it now stands, some 20,000,000 Americans will still be without health care since there is no provision for those Americans with incomes so low they can't pay the lower rates.  In addition, Medicare Advantage Plans, as well as Medicare proper, have been, and will be, downgraded in drastic ways to pay for the changes. I recently went to a dermatologist covered under my Advantage Plan, where she used liquid nitrogen on a number of pre-cancerous spots on my face, the standard treatment for this condition for the past 50 years or so. Subsequently, I received a denial of benefits from my insurer (United Health) showing that I, as the patient, owe my doctor $1,050.  When I called about the denial I was informed that my doctor had to obtain prior permission for freezing the spots. Apparently, this is one of the new rules implemented to save money on Medicare Advantage Plans.

We spend double the amount per capita on health care in the United States than France, which has the highest rated health care in the world. We are listed as 37 in the world for the quality of our health care, yet so many Americans still insist we have the best health care in the world.  We don't by a long shot. What we have is more machines to deliver more radiation per body inch.  And I won't get started on that!

My point:  we need a single payer Medicare type plan for all Americans, not Obamacare. I realize that Obamacare is a perjorative term applied by Republicans, but it's deserved.  Hillary Clinton, when she ran against Obama, wanted to implement a single payer system, or at the least a system with a public option. Obama, as usual in his cowardice to challenge Republicans on anything, gave us a vastly inferior plan, and what we now have satisfies no one.  Yet I heaved a sign of relief when it passed muster with the Supreme Court.

What a sad country we live in, and it gets sadder by the day.  Sigh!