Questions On Health Insurance

[CatherineM]

I'm starting to think coming to Canada wasn't such a horrible thing.

[Kateri89]

Having health insurance is an important part of being responsible and safe-guarding the life God has given you. If there is an option that doesn't include the nasty stuff you should take it, even if you have to pay more. But please don't turn down coverage that has this stuff if it's your only option! I have worked at a series of Fortune 500 companies and I have never had health insurance that didn't cover contraception, tubal ligation and abortion. I have never used that portion of the coverage obviously. But I did use the portion of the coverage that caught a pre-cancerous condition before it galloped into something REALLY bad.

 

You can call the health insurance company directly (like if your provider is going to be Aetna, you would call Aetna) and ask what is covered. My company has a "healthcare concierge line" that we can call but I don't know if that's a special number just for employees of our company since it's such a large workforce. You do have to know what the name of the plan is that's being offered, before you call.

 

This is a valid point and one I figured would come up but this provokes a thoughtful question.  While I recognize that my life/health is of inestimable value, can I justify purchasing a healthcare plan that jeopardizes the well-being of others (namely the unborn) simply to safeguard my own?  And of course this brings me back to one of my original questions which was if I opt out of insurance and pay the penalty, where does that money get allocated to?  Because if it goes right into the same funds as it would if I paid for an insurance plan, then I'm still paying for contraception/abortifacients/sterilization and not getting any healthcare in addition.

[CrossCuT]

 And of course this brings me back to one of my original questions which was if I opt out of insurance and pay the penalty, where does that money get allocated to?  Because if it goes right into the same funds as it would if I paid for an insurance plan, then I'm still paying for contraception/abortifacients/sterilization and not getting any healthcare in addition.

 

The purpose of the penalty is essentially to continue funding care for everyone even if you dont want to participate. So yeah, its going to the same place.

[Kateri89]

The purpose of the penalty is essentially to continue funding care for everyone even if you dont want to participate. So yeah, its going to the same place.

 

That's what I figured.  So that at least narrows it down to one final ethical dilemma: if I opt out of health insurance, they will get the money I pay in fines and use it for immoral practices but they at least won't be getting as much of my money as they would if I participated in the exchange which means less coverage of contraception/abortifacients/sterilization, right?

[CrossCuT]

Really just depends on your own personal circumstances and how much you would have to pay for insurance based on whatever plan you go for. 

 

[Isidore_of_Seville]

This is a valid point and one I figured would come up but this provokes a thoughtful question.  While I recognize that my life/health is of inestimable value, can I justify purchasing a healthcare plan that jeopardizes the well-being of others (namely the unborn) simply to safeguard my own?  And of course this brings me back to one of my original questions which was if I opt out of insurance and pay the penalty, where does that money get allocated to?  Because if it goes right into the same funds as it would if I paid for an insurance plan, then I'm still paying for contraception/abortifacients/sterilization and not getting any healthcare in addition.

 

DID YOU READ A SINGLE THING I SAID?!

 

It doesn't matter what you do, your money will inevitably end up indirectly funding contraceptive care. If you already had insurance, then you were already doing this. So literally NOTHING HAS CHANGED FOR YOU AT ALL.

 

That said, it is unfortunate that our money goes to things that we don't support. Like contraception (for some) and war (for most).

Edited October 23, 2013 by Isidore_of_Seville

[Isidore_of_Seville]

That's what I figured.  So that at least narrows it down to one final ethical dilemma: if I opt out of health insurance, they will get the money I pay in fines and use it for immoral practices but they at least won't be getting as much of my money as they would if I participated in the exchange which means less coverage of contraception/abortifacients/sterilization, right?

 

Nope. Your participation either way has absolutely no effect on how many people have access to, or use contraception.

 

So, just get the best insurance that your budget can afford.

Edited October 23, 2013 by Isidore_of_Seville

[KnightofChrist]

That's what I figured. So that at least narrows it down to one final ethical dilemma: if I opt out of health insurance, they will get the money I pay in fines and use it for immoral practices but they at least won't be getting as much of my money as they would if I participated in the exchange which means less coverage of contraception/abortifacients/sterilization, right?

I would add that willingly paying into the system is quite different than them forcing you to pay into the system. If they take the money from your withholdings that is different than willingly paying the tax "fine". Edited October 23, 2013 by KnightofChrist

[Isidore_of_Seville]

I would add that willingly paying into the system is quite different than them forcing you to pay into the system. If they take the money from your withholdings that is different than willingly paying the tax "fine".

 

No matter what you do you are knowledgeable of the outcome of your actions which makes it just as bad no matter what you do. It's in your best interest to get insurance so that you can keep yourself, your family, and everyone else, much safer and healthier.

 

Again, if you already had health insurance, the ACA isn't actually changing anything for you as far as this whole subject goes.

[Kateri89]

DID YOU READ A SINGLE THING I SAID?!

 

It doesn't matter what you do, your money will inevitably end up indirectly funding contraceptive care. If you already had insurance, then you were already doing this. So literally NOTHING HAS CHANGED FOR YOU AT ALL.

 

That said, it is unfortunate that our money goes to things that we don't support. Like contraception (for some) and war (for most).

 

Relax. I read what you said and understood it perfectly well.  All I was saying is that if I paid only the penalty which would be hundreds of dollars as opposed to the thousands I would spend for an insurance plan, the government would be getting less of my money which means that less contraception would be funded by me personally.  I'm well aware that our government is absolutely horrible and will spend my hard-earned money on such awful things without batting an eyelash.  It was simply a matter of 'how much'.

 

As far as the NOTHING HAS CHANGED FOR YOU AT ALL part of your statement, my consciousness of my actions has changed.  I appreciated your original, more politely typed post explaining that the insurance companies were still using my money to fund immoral practices because I was unaware of that since my particular coverage didn't include contraception.  Now that I'm aware, I'm disgusted to know that for the last 3 years, besides the taxes the government took out of my paycheck to put into the fat piggy bank of Planned Parenthood, my insurance company was also utilizing my money for the same thing.

 

Do you see what I'm saying?

[Kateri89]

I would add that willingly paying into the system is quite different than them forcing you to pay into the system. If they take the money from your withholdings that is different than willingly paying the tax "fine".

 

So are you implying that you think it would be better for me to opt out and refuse to pay the fines and let them take it from my withholding's? This way it's entirely on their conscience and not my own? I'm just trying to figure out where you're coming from.

[KnightofChrist]

No matter what you do you are knowledgeable of the outcome of your actions which makes it just as bad no matter what you do. It's in your best interest to get insurance so that you can keep yourself, your family, and everyone else, much safer and healthier.

Again, if you already had health insurance, the ACA isn't actually changing anything for you as far as this whole subject goes.

No, having the money taken from you is quite different than giving it.

[Isidore_of_Seville]

Relax. I read what you said and understood it perfectly well.  All I was saying is that if I paid only the penalty which would be hundreds of dollars as opposed to the thousands I would spend for an insurance plan, the government would be getting less of my money which means that less contraception would be funded by me personally.  I'm well aware that our government is absolutely horrible and will spend my hard-earned money on such awful things without batting an eyelash.  It was simply a matter of 'how much'.

 

As far as the NOTHING HAS CHANGED FOR YOU AT ALL part of your statement, my consciousness of my actions has changed.  I appreciated your original, more politely typed post explaining that the insurance companies were still using my money to fund immoral practices because I was unaware of that since my particular coverage didn't include contraception.  Now that I'm aware, I'm disgusted to know that for the last 3 years, besides the taxes the government took out of my paycheck to put into the fat piggy bank of Planned Parenthood, my insurance company was also utilizing my money for the same thing.

 

Do you see what I'm saying?

 

Yes I see what you are saying.

 

Here's the thing though, it doesn't matter how much money you give, it has no impact on the situation. You aren't doing anyone, not even yourself, any favors by trying to pay the fine simply because it's cheaper than insurance.

 

The only really way to deal with your dilemma is to not pay for insurance and not pay the fine either, which would be illegal, which would be sinful.

[Isidore_of_Seville]

No, having the money taken from you is quite different than giving it.

 

They don't take the money, they fine you. You still make the payment.

 

Unless you're willing to go to jail over it, I'd say you should suck it up and get healthcare.

Edited October 23, 2013 by Isidore_of_Seville

[morostheos]

You are correct with one exception. In terms of whether or not your money is indirectly paying for contraception, the ACA doesn't actually change 99% of that. The only thing it really changes (in some cases) is who is paying for it. I'll explain.

 

If you already have health insurance, which 85% of Americans do, your money (or your employers money), is already going towards paying for contraception whether you use it or not, and whether your employers offer it or not. Almost every health insurance provider in the country has at least one (usually several) coverage plan(s) that include contraceptive coverage; and now with the contraceptive mandate, the very few insurers that don't offer it will now have to (this is the 1% I was talking about). That means that no matter how you get your insurance, whether your employer pays for it or you pay for it, every single healthcare provider will be using any money they collect from anyone to cover contraception.

 

In summary...

 

Before ACA: 99% of people with insurance were helping to fund contraceptive coverage.

After ACA: 100%

 

At this point, I think it's best to heed the advice of Maggie, with one exception.

 

 

The one exception is that you shouldn't waste money paying more for a plan that doesn't offer contraceptive coverage, because your money is being used the same way no matter what you do, so always opt for the most cots effective choice that provides the coverage you need.

 

I don't think I explained my point clearly. To the insurance company, the cost of providing people with contraception is actually negative - it is a cost-saving measure, not an expense.

 

This may be confusing because individuals usually pay a co-pay or pay for the prescription, but in their calculations it is the same as the "cost" of cancer screenings. The company saves money if the people it insures do not get pregnant, so when people ask "Is my money paying for contraception?" any answer they get is basically made up based on what the powers that be think they want to hear.

 

Your money is going towards their profits that they are making when they prescribe contraception instead of prenatal care. There is no net cost for contraception which must be subsidized; instead, the insurance plans that do (did) not offer contraception were more expensive for the insurance companies.