OBAMA/TRUMPCARE MEGATHREAD

[Texsox]

Bottom line the party that allows SS to crash is destroyed. If both do, they will all be out, It is the one sacred program that all Americans want. There is no Dems and Reps when it's time to deposit those checks.

[StrangeSox]

And in 2033 I'll be 47. Probably not quite to retirement age I'd imagine.

 

It declines to 72% by 2087, so you'll probably be around 75% when you retired assuming no changes in the law.

 

page 11: http://www.ssa.gov/oact/tr/2013/tr2013.pdf

 

For a bit of perspective on these long-range estimates, including the hysteria to cut Medicare and Social Security because it'll be insolvent a few decades from now, consider that 2013 would still fall under pre-WWII 75 year projections.

[Reddy]

So then you don't have to worry about it for a long time.

that's exactly my point.

[Y2HH]

that's exactly my point.

 

So then stop worrying about it.

[NorthSideSox72]

that's exactly my point.

Really?

 

Anyway, saying social security will be gone when you retire is only slightly less silly than suggesting we shouldn't use solar power because the sun could go supernova. Both are highly unlikely in your lifetime, and in both cases, if it happened, that means a lot of other things have gone horribly awry and none of it will matter.

 

[Reddy]

Really?

 

Anyway, saying social security will be gone when you retire is only slightly less silly than suggesting we shouldn't use solar power because the sun could go supernova. Both are highly unlikely in your lifetime, and in both cases, if it happened, that means a lot of other things have gone horribly awry and none of it will matter.

i don't think those two things are on anywhere near the same level.

 

but hey, the whole point of this wasn't social security, but whether I'm a terrible blight on society for accepting an health insurance subsidy that the government is offering me. clearly I have not argued my case well enough.

[Y2HH]

i don't think those two things are on anywhere near the same level.

 

but hey, the whole point of this wasn't social security, but whether I'm a terrible blight on society for accepting an health insurance subsidy that the government is offering me. clearly I have not argued my case well enough.

 

You are a terrible blight on society, not because you took a health insurance subsidy, but because I said so.

[StrangeSox]

It is worth pointing out that 77% of what is required in 2033 would actually be a larger amount of benefits than paid out today due to the fact that OASDI increases at a rate greater than that of inflation under the thought that if the country is becoming more prosperous it should be reflected in how we treat the elderly.

 

Well that gets back to the whole "chained CPI" argument. The argument against that is two-fold: one, we should be increasing these benefits anyway, but two, the cost-of-living for retirees doesn't track the general COL increase because healthcare costs are rising faster than anything else and represent a significant expense to the older retiree segment of the population.

[Balta1701]

Well that gets back to the whole "chained CPI" argument. The argument against that is two-fold: one, we should be increasing these benefits anyway, but two, the cost-of-living for retirees doesn't track the general COL increase because healthcare costs are rising faster than anything else and represent a significant expense to the older retiree segment of the population.

What that really tells me is that deciding whether or not it needs a "fix" can wait a decade+ until we actually know whether or not US Health Care costs have stabilized and we know whether or not we're going to have a permanent, untouchable upper class.

[StrangeSox]

was just able to successfully navigate through healthcare.gov to the point of picking a plan without any issues and within about 10 minutes total.

[Reddy]

was just able to successfully navigate through healthcare.gov to the point of picking a plan without any issues and within about 10 minutes total.

BUT IT DOESN'T WERK!

[Y2HH]

BUT IT DOESN'T WERK!

 

There is nothing wrong with calling out a failed roll-out of something so important, when they had so much time and money to make it work properly from the get go.

[southsider2k5]

was just able to successfully navigate through healthcare.gov to the point of picking a plan without any issues and within about 10 minutes total.

 

This is the part where StrangeSox comes in and handwaves away any anecdotal evidence.

[StrangeSox]

Nah,I checked it out after seeing something,I think by Ezra Klein, that it looks like it really will be functional by the end of the month.

 

Should have been functional the first week, but hopefully others who actually need to use it have as much success.

[StrangeSox]

BUT IT DOESN'T WERK!

It didn't, because it was pretty garbage for about seven weeks

[Reddy]

There is nothing wrong with calling out a failed roll-out of something so important, when they had so much time and money to make it work properly from the get go.

oh i completely agree that it was pathetically introduced. the thing was delayed a year for god's sake and they still couldn't iron it out?

 

but my point is that it's working now. go try it. see how it works. if you dont like the plans it gives you, continue to b****. otherwise shhh.

[Y2HH]

oh i completely agree that it was pathetically introduced. the thing was delayed a year for god's sake and they still couldn't iron it out?

 

but my point is that it's working now. go try it. see how it works. if you dont like the plans it gives you, continue to b****. otherwise shhh.

 

You must forget that I'm part of the ruling class that wouldn't want the plans it offers.

[Balta1701]

oh i completely agree that it was pathetically introduced. the thing was delayed a year for god's sake and they still couldn't iron it out?

Wait, huh? How was this "Delayed for a year"?

[mr_genius]

This is the part where StrangeSox comes in and handwaves away any anecdotal evidence.

 

All while using anecdotal evidence to prove his point. Because his anecdotes are superior. .

Edited November 27, 2013 by mr_genius

[Balta1701]

Nah,I checked it out after seeing something,I think by Ezra Klein, that it looks like it really will be functional by the end of the month.

 

Should have been functional the first week, but hopefully others who actually need to use it have as much success.

Apparently now is actually a really bad time to be saying this, FWIW, because from people's experience with Medicare open enrollment there's a "Cyber Monday" for that as well - the first Monday after Thanksgiving regularly hammers those sites and is by far their biggest enrollment day of the year, so the PPACA website might have some real trouble handling the rush on Monday even if they're up to being able to process 100k users at a time like they say they are.

[StrangeSox]

Weird. I wonder what causes that timing.

[StrangeSox]

Anyway here's the original Klein piece that prompted me to go check the website out. I did try back on day 1 and it was, predictably, a disaster.

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkbl...ing-the-corner/

[StrangeSox]

California republicans set up a fake Obamacare website with misleading and outright false information. They've used taxpayer funds to send out mailers directing people to this intentionally misleading website as if it were the actual California exchange website. Because freedom, or something.

 

http://wonkette.com/535557/hero-california...-obamacare-site

[StrangeSox]

The fact the website is largely working pretty well now is a pretty good argument that the problem wasn't 'government' or the concept itself, but that it should have been started 3-6 months earlier and then the roll-out would have essentially been fine.

[Balta1701]

The fact the website is largely working pretty well now is a pretty good argument that the problem wasn't 'government' or the concept itself, but that it should have been started 3-6 months earlier and then the roll-out would have essentially been fine.

Now that the filibuster is gone for nominees it's time for the head of HHS to fall on her sword. Metaphorically speaking, of course.