Is Obamacare Working? The Affordable Care Act Five Years Later

[@Alchemydude667]

You know, before the ACA, I couldn't have insurance because it's apparently a big deal to be missing internal organs and thus having a compromised immune system. Now, if I get sick, I can actually go to a doctor that I need to go to because, surprisingly, having a compromised immune system means I should probably see a doctor if I'm sick.

[@miguelcastaneda7236]

you also forgot politicians do not use it themselves

[@cahman8]

Miguel Castaneda not completely true. if government employees including politicians don't obtain their healthcare through the government market place then they have to pay for it out of their own pocket.

[@lowkeybeat]

Kinda funny that people who complain about paying about health costs with tax dollars habe health insurance funded by tax dollars

[@largol33t1]

I guarantee you the ENTIRE Obama crime family has a secret clause that gives them a $10 copay for everything across the board while the rest of us suffer under a $900 copay. Yes, Obummercare WILL increase your emergency room copay to $900.

[@PizzaManager101]

largol33t1 you can read it yourself if you wanna find that clause, laws are public domain

[@lilyho8363]

@@lowkeybeat lol right, that's an interesting fact

[@Boobashoob]

I pay 4 times as much for 1/4 of the care I used to get.

[@Boobashoob]

+poptart 523 Well, my healthcare was much less... The ACA came along and made it super fucking expensive. Now I'm not the smartest man on earth... But something tells me that Obamacare had something to do with my healthcare costs quadrupling.

[@Boobashoob]

+poptart 523 Oh. My. God. Are you trolling? Or incredibly dim? My healthcare was about $60 per month for 7 years. Since the ACA it has risen from $249 per month to $290. What kind of bullshit is the media feeding you?

[@Boobashoob]

+poptart 523 Never entirely blamed the ACA for rising healthcare costs. I think you're reaching for things that aren't there. Go back to worshipping the government. Don't worry, momma's always gonna take care of you.

[@Boobashoob]

+poptart 523 I work in the healthcare system. Have for 7 years. I 100% blame government for the rising cost in healthcare. I do this in confidence because I have seen thousands upon thousands of studies, laws, regulations and anecdotal accounts of the government being completely incompetent by hiring people who know nothing about healthcare (like you) to make laws about healthcare.

[@Boobashoob]

+poptart 523 Drug companies have been pandered to by beloved candidates such as Clinton and Bush. Given favoritism in the stock market, regulations that benefit them and destroy the competition. You're left with major corporations that are allowed to price gouge because the government specifically wrote laws that allowed them to do it.

[@SometimesCompitent]

Is it wrong to say I couldn't care less about the 'freedom' of massive companies when people are being fucked over financially or left with shitty care? We need a government run, single payer, universal healthcare in the U.S.

[@xavier.mauricio]

If it's wrong I'm happy to be wrong with you.

[@TheVlog]

Governments ought to be established to secure freedom and safety for the people, not the companies

[@Vazzalmighty]

It's a dangerous president to consider a company has freedoms at all.

[@fakjbf3129]

I think you should care any time a government restricts people's freedom, for whatever fine a reason. We need to make sure that the benefits massively outweigh the negatives, and should never approach the situation lightly. In this case I agree that we can't let something as important as healthcare be run as a for-profit. I think full government control is a bit much, but universal coverage for all citizens funded by taxes coupled with large-scale negotiations on drug prices would drastically improve outcomes and save money in the long run. But giving the government more power over our lives in any situation requires us to be mindful of all the pros and cons, and to listen to both sides with an objective ear. Or else we risk giving them too much and putting our lives in the hands of politicians, which isn't any better than putting it in the hands of businessmen.

[@Nivek0]

Agreed, this ACA bullcrap all it is is just a bandaid over an underlying cancer that wont go away unless the government agrees to what you jsut said and stop playing with the population like this.

[@rocknregalia]

Since this act I have acquired over $9000 in medical bills, with insurance, paid those off in less than 6 months, and went from paying $35/month for healthcare to $750/month for the same healthcare. Prior to the act I paid, at one job, $0/month and had an incredible PPO that covered pretty much everything. I also went from being able to get a well women exam yearly, to now it is every 3-5 years. My parents went from paying no penalty for not having insurance to paying a penalty because they cannot afford the exchanges, therefore they must pay the tax/fine. Thus, though the numbers cumulatively may look better, my personal experience has been higher cost overall for less care.

[@Reina-1-43]

Exactly. And with some plans having crazy deductibles like $10,000, people are STILL not able to afford it. Not many people at all can afford to pay $10,000+ in medical bills a year. Medical bills are still going to go unpaid - probably even more so now. People who worked hard for decades for their good insurance now have to pay more than ever before and most have to change doctors after being told that wouldn't happen. No one should be fined for not being able to afford something. Absolutely ridiculous.

[@stefansanders1854]

+Jayna Lascaibar You have to apply for Obama Care not by your job's insurance. Those will go up because it is not Obama Care, which is cheaper.

[@rocknregalia]

Craig S. Sanders My parents were quoted $800 on Obamacare through the state. Previously they could purchase through Blue Shield for around $540. It is not always cheaper. It would be ignorant to think it was one size fits all. And it should be cheaper for everyone, not cause those who work ridiculously hard (typically 60-70 hours per week) in life threatening jobs like my husband to have to pay more. Thus, it benefits some but not all. And a person with a masters degree should not need government subsidies or help. That is why I wen to school, so I could have my own crap together and leave the safety of my parents.

[@elora2525]

where do your parents pay the penalty? doing my taxes for this year,I get a penalty of $1500.00 if I answer yes if i have obama care and no penalty if i answer no

[@testtickles8755]

+Craig S. Sanders Obamacare is not a type of insurance plan lol - Obamacare (ACA) is a set of healthcare laws. No matter how or where you get your health insurance, it's all "Obamacare".

[@ikeikeforty]

My Dad had to sell his private practice to a large hospital company because of the heavy costs to doctors from this bill.

[@DavidWild65]

+Isaac Gordon That means he was making too much money. Free market baby.

[@siimkuriks4703]

+David Wild I'm sorry, but how the hell is government intervention free market?

[@Biggnuncio]

+Siim Kuriks Standard issue mentality of people in this country. Blame everything on the free market even if the guy just directly said it was new legislation that caused the problem, blame the free market because apparently government can cause no problems and doesn't influence the market.

[@Biggnuncio]

***** Even Ben Bernanke has admitted the role of the government in the 1929 stock market crash and the extent of the depression afterward. The Treaty of Versailles after WWI caused WWII, not our depression. The crash of 1929 itself would have been over and done with after about a year had the government not imposed such massive interventions on the economy. That depression, and likely the crash itself, was quite obviously the result of bad government policy. There were enormous works projects, huge tax increases, destructive tariffs, minimum wage law, destruction of crops and livestock by the government to keep prices high while people were starving. You name it, the government was there to screw it up.

[@Matney831]

+Isaac Gordon Our local drug store Sax had to sell out to walgreens also now drugs seem to cost more than prior

[@jbm0745]

Before the law took effect I was paying about $470/mth with $6,500 deductible for a healthy family of four with no medical issues at all. Once the law took effect, that plan got thrown out as being not compliant with the new law. So I lost that plan. 1st year on the exchange plan, the best deal I found was abt $780/month. I qualified for a subsidy that brought my out of pocket cost to abt $420/mth but my deductible was $12,000! If I would have kept the same deductible as my previous plan ($6,500) it would have cost abt $1,200/mth. This coming year of 2017 the plan I bought through the exchange is going up from $750/mth (with subsidy $450/mth out of pocket) to $1,130/mth ($760/mth out of pocket with subsidy) for the same $12,000 deductible. And this family of 4 is still healthy with no health issues. So as you can see Obamacare clearly isn't work for this middle class family. How can I pay a $750/mth premium for something I cannot use until I've paid out $12,000 for a claim? That makes no economic sense. Yet I must or I'll have to pay a penalty. Clearly, I was better off before Obamacare took effect. I paid a lower monthly premium, I was not a burden to the system as I needed no subsidy, my deductible was half of what it is now and my participation was voluntary.

[@EASYTIGER10]

I live in the UK. About £1300 of my combined annual tax and national insurance pays for the National Health Service. At current exchange rates that's about $1650/year or $138/month (less than the average American tax payer pays for Medicaid and Medicare - an involuntary tax most get little or no benefit from) For my $138/month, I can see my doctor as often as I need, get a huge range of high quality basic and higher level healthcare including emergency, elective and palliative care, all FREE AT POINT OF TREATMENT - no "deductibles". I can get low cost prescription medicine (free for the elderly and low income). And if I should want goldplated care beyond that provided by the NHS, I'm perfectly at liberty to buy a whole range of private healthcare options at competitive prices. You may have personally been better off before Obamacare, but you'd be MASSIVELY better off with a system like the UK National Health Service.

[@kcheznyc]

EASYTIGER10 you Brits provide all those illegal Muslims flowing into the UK with the same type of healthcare? Thank God for Brexit!

[@tylerdurden3722]

Big dog ... The problem is not really with Obamacare. There are three reasons why Obamacare never would have worked anyway. (or any other attempt at universal healthcare) 1. Obama is a dishonest man who knew it would not work but sold the idea to people anyway to get elected. It was originally called HillaryCare. When Hillary lost against Obama, she sold him Obamacare in exhange for access to her well oiled campaign machine. 2. Insurance, Pharmaceuticals etc ...these cost more than double in the US than in the UK. This is result of monopolies that formed for various reasons, countless middlemen, organisations like Medicaid are prohibited from negotiating prices, etc, etc 3. Both the US and the UK has between 5 to 6% unemployment. Unfortunately that's more disingenuousness by Obama and other politicians. The Labour Force Participation Index in the UK is about 80%....Whereas it's around 60% in the US. And this is the main reason why other developed countries have affordable universal healthcare while we don't. In the UK 80% of the Labour forces carries the burden for the other 20%. So that's a 25% burden. In the US 60% of the Labour Force is forced to carry the burden of the other 40% (who are non productive able bodied adults) for there to be universal healthcare. That's a 67% burden...on top of the fact that other health related costs are twice than the costs in other developed countries. Also, even people who "participate" in the labour force but earn too little puts even more of a burden on the system. Anyway, all this money is going somewhere...enriching someone. In my opinion, that is the true purpose of HillaryCare (aka Obamacare)

[@rabbitskinner]

Big Dog Brexit won't make any difference

[@brettaurich2362]

Before your policy had a clause that it would be "cancelled if you get sick", sure its cheaper, but it was garbage. Without the ACA the insurance companies simply dropped their sick patients to make money and it was legal!

[@Mr.zou123]

ACA had a major negative impact for the self employed.

[@jamesrobinson949]

I can't afford the AFFORDABLE CARE ACT. It's too expensive.

[@mcmxcix1237]

Don't worry AHCA is around the corner.

[@JeremysCrazyMind]

I really don't understand why Americans don't want universal healthcare. It would make medical costs far cheaper per person with only a small tax hike. Although because you now don't need to pay for insurance, the tax is basically negligible. There's basically no downside except that it's "socialism", which America hates. I'd call it basic human rights, but whatever.

[@JogInTheFog]

Actually a lot of Americans do want universal healthcare: www.gallup.com/poll/4708/healthcare-system.aspx

[@KeepCalmAndBeAwesome]

Hold on. Many of us WANT it, and many of us are in favor or socialism. The Right is a bitch though.

[@garysnail47]

***** I'd like to see something to back up your claim about Canada's 'shit' healthcare, because I'm guessing you've never used it.

[@JeremysCrazyMind]

***** But Obamacare isn't universal healthcare. At all.

[@KeepCalmAndBeAwesome]

Calm down. Obama is doing his best.

[@charlesvonhabsburg3107]

Obamacare cost my mom her job and her insurance and insurance prices went way up and coverage went down. It is a disaster.

[@alchemicpunk1509]

Straight up lie detected.

[@QDibieYT]

How?

[@markdutta4467]

@@Dan-zt7uj Asserting a claim requires evidence and reason. Charles Von Hasburg has not given a logical correlation from Obamacare to her mother's job.

[@itscork]

It's worked wonderful for me. I've worked at the same company for nearly 30 years with my healthcare provided at no cost to me. Since the implementation of Obamacare, my company has cancelled our insurance and opted to pay the fine. I now purchase my insurance on the secondary for $640 per month for my family. Oh well. Who needs to own a newer vehicle anyway?

[@russellkim8895]

@@jocelyncollins7898 Dude my family had to pay a butt ton in taxes, I'm not going to say how much but this bill almost put us in debt

[@vanthom9185]

@@jocelyncollins7898 We are in a socialist nation right now😂 its for the rich though

[@221B-n2x]

I'm Canadian, and one of the things I am most proud of my country for is universal health care. I would rather pay higher taxes for the rest of my life and never have to set foot in a hospital than to see a fellow Canadian be unable to pay for a life-saving procedure. How can you be proud to be American but be uncaring towards the health of Americans?

[@margaretsawyer1701]

My family can't afford healthcare because of the so called 'affordable care act', so I haven't had health care for several years now.

[@margaretsawyer1701]

+Livid Yes, but the fines are less then what we would have to pay for healthcare.

[@thomashynes4042]

There is an advantage to purchasing the lowest cost plan avail in the exchange however. lets say its a Bronze Plan at a cost of $75 per person, sure the deductible is $3000 and total out of pocket expense is $3000 but here is what people forget... Lets assume that you don't have any health insurance, you go to the doctor and the full charge for that visit is $200... out out insurance you pay 100% of the $200 I have the same plan as you, see above, I go to the doctor as well and the charge is $200...the insurance company has negotiated rates with the doctor so I may only pay $100 for that very same visit.

[@margaretsawyer1701]

Thomas Hynes Yes I know how healthcare is supposed to work, but it has become so expensive under Obamacare that my family can't afford it anymore, and it's just getting more expensive. So yes, having health insurance would be great, but we can not afford it anymore because of Obamacare.

[@BewareTheLilyOfTheValley]

+Baz Cottt That's how I was as well, which is why I can't hate the ACA as others. Granted, I don't make much money and that's pretty much the target audience of the Act. I had just started working at Walmart last year in October during enrollment time. Due to being new...and that less than half the employees are full time...I wasn't eligible for insurance and would never be eligible unless I switched positions (I was a cashier and no cashier is full-time there, both a blessing due to how long you're on your feet and a curse for how little it means you'll make). So, knowing winter was coming up and that I was likely to get winter colds and whatnot, I signed up for insurance at Healthcare(dot)gov and a low-level plan at $50 a month was perfect for me. I unfortunately lost it when I became unemployed from Walmart due to other health issues (iron deficiency that makes it hard to stand on my feet for a long time...I only just found that out while working there). I'd like to sign up again this upcoming year, so long as it's around the same price. The insurance at my new job is much more expensive and I wouldn't even have anyone on my plan other than myself. I wish I'd had it a couple of years ago when I got strep throat and had very little money for going to a clinic (I was between pay checks). I had to go to the emergency room...a cost I'm still trying to pay off.

[@gasuosjerky2661]

Margaret Sawyer but it sounds like u stopped having isurance years before the aca was created

[@deepspacedoggydog]

Hey there, here's a 2016 update. I've always had health insurance through my EMPLOYER. I went in for my Humira refill at Kaiser last month, only to find that the price has risen by over 200%. The federal negotiations with Kaiser reclassified my drug as a specialty. There is no comparable replacement. Thanks Obama!

[@PoliticalWeekly]

why is there no generic?

[@cookiecrumb1018]

That wasn't Obama's fault that was the Democrats who refused to keep the original plan due to them caring about money

[@PoopaChallupa]

Trump 2020 ACB 2020

[@pramodabandaru3566]

To be fair, insurers are overcompensating for these price caps by overcharging elsewhere due to this act, afaik.

[@bluewaters3100]

The real problem started when in the 1990's the insurance companies became "for profit" health plans. I had a great blue cross plan for a family of three. It was $76.00 a month...90/10 with $250.00 deductible. A year later it climbed to $500.00 a month. Then they dropped the plan and for the same amount I now had 80/20 with 500 deductible. That was 20 years ago. I am appalled at what families now pay for a really crappy plan. Our greedy corporations have ruined the middle class.

[@misatokatsuragi6145]

The affordable care act is NOT working five years later, it is bankrupting the middle class. And this stuff about pre existing conditions not being covered until obamacare is a flat out lie. 46 states had state laws requiring coverage of pre existing conditions as well as high risk pools that they no longer have thanks to Obamacare. I know I am one with a pre, and my insurance was affordable, and I got to keep my doctor and my insurance, NONE of which has been true with Obamacare. My coverage is no longer affordable, and I am not eligible for any assistance, I had to change doctors and I didn't get to keep the insurance I had, as was the case with millions of other people after Obama lied to us about this over 20 times and the ACA was passed, so this dude needs to get his facts straight.

[@Chrnan6710]

He has his facts perfectly straight, with sources for everything he said. What he does not have straight is what is not stated in the cited statistics, such as what you mentioned here.

[@GuitarZombie]

This law put me in debt. I hate debt. I do not even have a credit card.

[@Zeppelinlv2007]

+GuitarZombie Me too. It tried to solve the ~44 million uninsured coverage problem. So the working poor or preexisting condition uninsured got help (yay for them), but created a whole new monster. Insurance for now most of the working class to middle class, the ones that are still working and paying taxes, has skyrocketed. The "Affordable" part has disappeared. Not just me, but a handful of people I know are stuck. If they get insurance, they are in debt or unable to pay the bills. If they don't, they are penalized by the IRS (subtract tax refund) and no health coverage. Hope you don't get sick or get into an accident. Obamacare is atrocious.

[@Rocketninja200]

In 2003 I had just graduated from high school. I took a job working in construction. This was a time in which I had the least education and fewest skills of my entire adult life and yet my insurance for a month was the cost of one day's pay. My deductible was $500. At age 20 I injured my hand and needed a surgery. I chose my doctor, who was a well renowned orthopedic surgeon who graduated top of his class at John Hopkins. He operated on my badly maimed hand for 8 hours. It cost me $500 out of pocket and to this day I have no problems with my hand. He was a remarkable doctor. Now we can't choose our doctors and deductibles ranged 4,000 to 6,000. My monthly premiums were never higher than $125 until the ACA became law. If I had to go through that again today I'm not sure I would be able to get the same quality of care.

[@kated47]

+Rocketninja200 That's not due to Obamacare. That's due to the fact that no one price shops hospitals and medical services, so they're allowed to charge exorbitant fees for care. (Due to having virtually no market competition.) Now that insurance companies are switching to outcomes based models (like incentivizing good outcomes and success rates) hospital prices have started to drop. It used to be that hospitals and insurance companies would make bank if they could get a physician to do an expensive test on a patient, now they are being rewarded more for good outcomes. It is only going to continue to get better.

[@Rocketninja200]

Kate D How does an insurance company make money paying for medical tests? ... They don't and never have. To them its an expense. Businesses try to reduce expenses while maintaining their reputations. This idea that hospitals and insurance companies were in bed with each other is udder nonsense.

[@kated47]

+Rocketninja200 'Udder nonsense', is that something that afflicts female cows? ;) Seriously though, just google, "insurance companies and hospitals incentivizing outcomes" and you'll get a whole wealth of information. I know it seems bleak right now, but things are actually getting better.

[@joescott]

The first Vlogbrothers video I ever saw was the one where John compared the US healthcare system to a giant pig at the state fair. One of the best takedowns of our healthcare system I've ever seen. Been a fan ever since.

[@ericm1839]

except now people who DO work for big companies get to pay for healthcare twice, because what was once part of their negotiated wage is now also coming out of their paycheck

[@rnhtube]

Only if they make more than 250k a year

[@ericm1839]

Russell Harrison no, because it's still part of their taxes

[@ericm1839]

Thomas Hynes all im saying is that a portion of your taxes go to obamacare whether or not you have insurance, so if you DO have insurance that isnt obamacare, you're paying your "fair share" for obamacare while also paying for your own insurance.

[@thomashynes4042]

Fair Share is a liberal code for spreading the wealth around, having come back from a vacation in a country where the government controls wages, benefits etc...it is easy to see the effects of such practices.

[@PixelEchoCreations]

haha, sounds like you've been to Scandinavia

[@LevviTalk]

I've been living in the U.S. for 7 months, I love this country as I love my own country (Brazil). However, the thing that bothers most is the lack of a public health system... I truly can't understand why so many people are selfish and belive that someone must die if he/she doesn't have money to afford medical care. I mean, it doesn't matter if the person is devil or saint, if you care a little bit about society it is easy to understand that you can't change a person's situation if she/he is not alive! I am saying that because some people believe that drug addicts or criminals deserve not affording medical care for example. This is crazy. I am glad that Obama Care took some steps on that, I hope one day America crates a real universal medical care system

[@augmenautus]

"There are no death panels" Unless you have to get your healthcare from the VA.

[@DavidWild65]

+augmenautus rex Or HAP

[@llurendt2108]

+augmenautus rex The VA has worked great for me so far other than the no dental coverage thing.

[@Liutgard]

+augmenautus rex I've found with Medicaid (I'm on disability and Social Security is running my healthcare through it), they don't really have Death Panels. But. While they'll keep you alive, sometimes it is just barely. They won't necessarily allow physical therapy and such to better your condition, but they will throw pain pills at it- in controlled amounts, of course. Several problems I have could have been prevented or at least made better with appropriate care awhile back. But now they're worse, and now the costs for keeping me alive are bigger. Friggin' bean counters...

[@Liutgard]

+cupera1 Cite your sources. I've read the bill- in its entirety, and nothing in it includes what you've said.

[@christianmelz1512]

+cupera1 Idearly thats all true. However with a system using 17% of its GDP vs everyone else in Europe using 10% of it GDP while providing wider and better service it simply not true that the effects above will have the effect described. The system has been corrupted for so long that 7% of the GDP is lost! (not finically someone makes that money) Therefore Lobbying, Marketing (paying of doctors) to many descriptions and fully profit only run clinics are the causes of it. These are all factors to be addressed. The healthcare and drug industry is simply too profitable! thanks to a ongoing deregulation for the past 30years.

[@BigBookofSales]

It's important to look back on whether this law is working or not. And you have done a very fair analysis. However, here's a case for why this law is disastrous and will surely have to change by 2017, or there will be a citizen's revolt. 1. At 4:10 you say that premiums are rising slower than they have historically. Check it again during the 2016 open enrollment (8 months after you made this video). Premiums are going up again - as much as 35% higher. Many families are now paying more for their health insurance than for their rent or mortgage (hence the impending citizen's revolt). This is untenable. Anyone who says this program is working is obviously getting their insurance through an employer, or getting a full subsidy. People who have to pay the premiums out of their pocket would disagree that it's working. 2. You mention the key point - not only is the health insurance becoming unaffordable, it's terrible coverage - with deductibles going up higher and higher, copays increasing, and insurance companies denying more and more high dollar claims. Now their new trick is to make it harder to get through their phone system, so a smaller percentage of people will have the time and patience to fight for their claim. 3. 4:16 you say more insurance companies are participating. The months following this video saw some really bad news for that argument. In June 2015, Assurant Health pulled out completely of the health insurance business - they were losing billions. In October United Health Group announced that they lost $7B on Obamacare policies and that 2016 will be their last year participating in the Affordable Care Act. 4. Here is the real failure. At 6:20 you say the most important thing. The ACA was supposed to get sick people (and poor people) insured without disturbing the ecosystem for the rest of the population that already had insurance before the law. This is the real failure. While millions of pre-existing sick people now have insurance (mission accomplished) now millions of middle class families who make too much to receive subsidies - either cannot afford insurance any longer, or have seem their premiums double and in some cases triple. 5. This was supposed to be a job creator. The point was that you could leave your job to start new companies and create more jobs. Instead of relying on your employer for insurance, you could go on the exchange. If your employer is covering most or all of your health insurance premiums STAY ON THAT JOB. Paying for it yourself - especially if you have a spouse and children - is way too expensive. 6. The ACA is the worst possible solution. Leaving mega insurance companies to raise rates, increase deductibles, not pay large claims - after all they need to make a profit. The correct solution would have been Universal / Single Payer / Medicare for all. The other correct solution would have been to open up competition by allowing insurance companies to offer their products in all states. As it is now, filing state by state is cumbersome and extremely expensive for insurance companies - and state agencies are influenced by existing insurance companies to not allow more competitors. In the open competition model, the government would have to help people with pre-existing conditions - because left to their own devices, insurance companies would not cover them. Open up competition, or have the government pay for everyone. Either way has its problems - but the Affordable Care Act is a horrible middle ground solution that is killing the middle class with higher premiums every month (and less coverage). The anger over this law is widespread throughout the US. Liberals don't like it because it doesn't go far enough, and conservatives, of course, hate it.

[@Lithilic]

+BigBookofSales Exactly! Thanks for taking the time to post all that.

[@BigBookofSales]

Adding even further to the argument that this law is a complete failure: Blue Cross Blue Shield (headquartered in North Carolina) just announced on January 30, 2016 that they lost $400M in the state of North Carolina by offering an ACA plan in North Carolina. $400M loss in just one state. Even though they raised rates 32% - that is not even close to recouping their losses. Assurant Health, United Health Care, and now BCBS have lost BILLIONS - and it seems that the monthly premiums for the middle class just keep going up and up. Here's why the law has failed and insurance companies continue to lose money. North Carolina is one of many states that did not expand Medicaid. This means that poor people in NC can't get Medicaid, so they go on Obamacare. Of course, since they're poor - they get a full subsidy and pay nothing for their health insurance. They don't even have to worry about the deductible because their subsidy is so high that they get the Cadillac plans for nothing or next to nothing. Now, for the first time in their lives, millions of poor people have health insurance. So what's the first thing they do? Let me get my knee fixed. Let me get my diabetes tested. Let me get my cataract surgery. Let me get tested for cancer. Billions of dollars in large claims from people who aren't paying a penny for their insurance. As the insurance companies pay out these large claims - who suffers from the insurance companies losing money??? Everybody who works, has a job, and pays for their own insurance now sees their premiums going up, their deductibles and copays going up. Poor people are going to get their health insurance free again next year. On any measure, this law is a complete failure. When asked about Obamacare, Hillary Clinton tells us that it's working, it just needs to be tweaked around the edges. Mark my words (February 2016) - if she clings to this position, she will lose the election. People are beyond fed up with this law. And those people include traditional middle class Democrats who are paying over $1,000/month for garbage health insurance. (And next year that will be over $1,300) Good thing for Hillary there are no more rate increases before the election.

[@BigBookofSales]

+Lithilic You're very welcome. It's a great conversation. I would love to hear from anyone who can defend the Affordable Care Act.

[@BigBookofSales]

+Kozak Ivan I sell off-Obama Care health policies - I talk to families like yours every day. Politicians have no idea how upset average families are. I could probably save you $12,000/year and get you real coverage. Let me know.

[@wigsmey4462]

+Kozak Ivan maybe we should just get universal healthcare then.

[@johnryan3622]

Things are better than before? No. Not at all. Everyone I know at median US income is paying more than they were and getting less coverage. I love when people only look at adjusted and selected numbers, and ignore the experience of everyone around around them.

[@The757packerfan]

+John Ryan Exactly. My insurance costs didn't go up, but the amount of coverage got cut. It skews statistics to only talk about the price of an insurance plan, when that same plan has coverage cuts.

[@StephySon]

The main question is are you saying that in terms of Health Care that the vast majority of Americans are worse off now compared to before, because before it seemed worse. But then I was a child in those days so perhaps its not fair of me to say as I go off what my parents say and they said it was worse compared to now because now under the act my family is all covered.

[@deadtv8421]

Q: Is Obamacare Working? A: NO.

[@meyou3509]

deadtv once again...it is better than anything that has ever been implemented before. Also, its not a long term solution...obama cant just say poof you all get free healthcare 24/7 forever...he just made it easier for people with little money to pay for something they rightfully deserve at a price they can afford.

[@jimmyz909]

The last stat I saw was somewhere around 76% of us in the US are living paycheck to paycheck, with the average Insurance deductible being around 14,000 dollars. So what we have is unaffordable insurance premiums either covered by our employer deducted from our wages or subsidised by our government ( Obamacare) so approx. 76% of Americans have health insurance but can't afford health care. Fact.

[@booksforalltime5083]

As a Canadian, I feel blessed to have "universal" healthcare (it's far from universal). Although our model is definitely a step (or several) above Obamacare, it doesn't come close to that of many European countries. I haven't been to the dentist in 13 years, and although at the last eye exam I went to the said I had symptoms of glaucoma, I haven't gone back for further (expensive) testing. That said, I never worry about going to a clinic or the hospital, and when I had my appendix out last year it didn't cost a cent. I hope America can get to this level very soon.

[@wyldstealer]

😢😢

[@bluebeastsrt]

As an American I feel sorry for Canadians who are losing their rights under their tyrannical leader.

[@obamama4632]

What are you talking about? 😂 Canadian healthcare system is chaotic

[@RyanStorey1231]

He should probably acknowledge how many families who were insured previously have found their bills exponentially higher than before. The many families who were forced to change doctors even though they were promised that they wouldn't have to. The many people who had insurance previously via their employers, only for their companies to exploit loopholes and now those people cannot afford insurance nor the ACA. Despite all of that, I am grateful for the Affordable Care Act, because at least it's something and at least it's a start. I am grateful that as a young adult, I am able to be insured for the first time ever. And it has helped many of my friends and family who were previously unable to obtain insurance. But I can't deny the many people who were negatively affected by it. So I'm conflicted. I agree with the facts presented in this video, but I think ignores many of the detriments I mentioned before. Here's to hoping for major improvements, because we do need universal health care.

[@EdgarFriendly-op3rn]

+RyanX1231 No, no no. those of us in the VA have your magical "universal healthcare" good luck with that kiddo...I know your teachers probably love the idea, ask them how many currently live in the countries that do have it. Also, ask yourself if those types of systems are so super awesome, then why do people build rafts out of old antifreeze jugs and milk containers to float through shark infested waters to get here...its because America sucks right...

[@llurendt2108]

+Eric SilverNLead The VA has worked great for me so far... no dental, but other than that, I can't really complain.

[@EdgarFriendly-op3rn]

It has worked for some, other have paperwork backed up, medications screwed up, doctors that just leave, or dont care. Not to mention the middle 2000's when everything was a mental health issue, or alcoholism. Those were the best years...now it's pain meds. The dental part sucks, but they are trying it...I think. At least I had a dental sign up sheet somewhere. The worst part is the new thing where you can use any doctor and they would cover it. You have to live like 35 miles from any primary care clinic for it to kick in, i live 34.5, and it doesn't cover me. No shit, they use the phrase "as the crow flies" not road mileage. At any rate, where were you at? What branch? I was Petty Officer 3rd class USN, Iraq 2003.

[@Liutgard]

+RyanX1231 If your employer is exploiting loopholes, it is because they're greedy and they SUCK. Don't blame it on the ACA, blame it on the execs.

[@MrBracey100]

+RyanX1231 Very true, my insurance doubled with the advent of the ACA.

[@SarahsSnakeShop]

I work for (have have for 7 years) a small business, wayyyy less than 50 employees. And I'm not, nor have ever been, paid enough to afford reasonable health insurance. They aren't required to pay for my health insurance, nor are they required to pay me enough to afford it. So, when I was sent to the emergency room last year for a UTI that made it to my bladder (and could have killed me) I had to pay the almost $3,000 ON MY OWN on just barely above minimum wage. Lets just say I lost a lot of weight between last year and this year, because I literally had to not eat some days to pay off medical bills. SOMETHING should be done.

[@MrAdy0207]

yes but countries like France , the Uk and so on don't pay their doctors 350k $ / year

[@richig4232]

AMA, monopoly. Doctor glut they called it.

[@PuzzleMessage]

350k? O.o wow is it true?

[@nonyabiz5326]

If you are skilled at your job. Which is to "do no harm" people will line up and pay a lot of money so you don't kill them with bad medical care like a bad/lazy/etc doctor may do. That is how the free market works. Well it did until socialized medical insurance started forcing all doctors, good or bad, to accept 5 bucks to try and fix a gun shot victims.. "Breaking news 10-28-16": Obamacare premiums going up Question. Why give insurance companies a good profit, to pay doctors, when you could just pay doctors directly and skip the cost of insurance bureaucracy? If doctors weren't forced (via crony insurance legislation) to charge everyone the same, doctors could accept $5-10-15 bucks for annual checkups. And there would be a lot more people being seen than with obamacare.

[@Ccleanerable]

On average a French general practitioner earns 7,000 dollars a month after tax, while his American colleague earns 14,000 dollars, so yes, American doctors earn twice as much. In France the price of a doctor's visit is subject to negotiation between social security and the French Medical Association while in the US the American Medical Association can decide alone, this is nothing less than a cartel. However, a French doctor has no student debt to repay, or very little, so they do not need as much monies.

[@richig4232]

Ccleanerable It stil wouldn't matter with Scholarships, if you have many legitimate competeing associations making new lower cost medical schools that would lower the cost. It is obvoius less schools= more cost. It's artifical scarcity. With a 95% emplyment rate millions would study medicine just to secure a paycheck but the AMA bans them.

[@amandaa5844]

Love how you show your sources!! Makes it so much valid!! :) (in an academic sense... gee university is really getting to me) I would love to hear the political side of Obamacare, more specifically what are the reasons behind not supporting the policy. My general understanding is that a large section of the American population are conservative and prefer a small government, Obamacare goes against that in that it would be more involved in their affairs, and politicians from conservative background or in a conservative region would have to take the small government stance.

[@theman55867]

I just want to say thank you!!! I am doing a research paper on the ACA bill and I already had a pretty stable argument, but without your video and sources it would have been not nearly as well designed as it is now. Thank you very much!

[@paulschumacher4308]

As an insurance agent I can tell you that YES Obamacare makes the system a little better than it was. I can also agree with John when he says that the main problem is healthcare costs, which are allowed to be set at whatever level the companies feels like.

[@Irishtank1687]

My company was always great at providing awesome health insurance to its ~20,000 employees. But has had major hikes in their premiums over the last 3 years since the ACA started. They have seen close to a 300% increase in 3 years. Although I can agree that having mor insured individuals is good this program is just giving the insurance companies a blank check that the government is cashing. Without my job my insurance, which covers only basic preventative care for free, would cost me $600+ a month. How does anyone afford that? You can't force everyone to go get insurance without regulating the price gouging that has been going on.

[@alberoDiSpazio]

John Feeney *Blank Check* *Price Gouging* we should be asking ourselves what is causing healthcare to cost so much. Secondly, let's call ACA what it is ...a tax on the American people with credits going to people with rising premiums. There is somebody getting medical treatment because of you. God Bless You. And you doctors out there, yes you, pay your student loans.

[@keithsauve1222]

Just a Canadian here. Enjoying a video... Enjoying my health.

[@laststandforrighteousness9504]

next stop Canada

[@sammyjomaa6232]

The health called inhumane by the Canadian Supreme Court?

[@chineseboy3281]

Please go read the ruling on this case "chaoulli v quebec

[@keithsauve1222]

* sips maple syrup *

[@redarrowhead2]

Ok just keep your patients from jumping borders to US doctors which happens a lot.

[@redjetsen1002]

unaffordable health care act...I keep expecting the crash course music

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

It's just a bummer that we (the people) think government is the only way to solve the healthcare issue. People were covered at a much higher percentage when they pooled their money into fraternal societies. These societies were ultimately struck down by government (UK and US) and replaced with onerous laws that prevented us to provide for ourselves.

[@tlk2348]

hoshnasi Medicare works in other countries. I bet you drive on roads. Who do you think pays for them??? I'm sick and tired of my healthcare going to pay for rich CEOs who make millions. How about instead of paying trillions in wars we invest in our own people in healthcare and Education.

[@1337Jogi]

The thing is, a free market works wonders in alot of sectors but not with healthcare. A person will not negotiate the price of his health, not really. If it is necessary a sick person will spend every cent he has to get healthy again. You can walk away and not buy a new phone. You will not walk away if you or your child needs a medication. You would probably think about risking jail to save your close ones. That is inherently different to other markets. In almost every other market maybe apart from food people will have the option to not buy a product. The thing with food is, that it is relatively easy to provide for yourself or import so prices cannot rise very high. With healthcare the free market tries to squeeze the last penny out of the system, which is a normal thing for a market to do. There are only so many big companies involved and they have a silent agreement to try and make it as profitable as possible for them. The patient will have no other way and pay if he can. In universal healthcare systems the government tries to push down prices. They can and will negotiate since they can decide wether your companies will be the provider of a medic or service or if someone else will be the one. A state could even decide to negate your patent on a cerain medication in the name of the greater good if he thinks that you misuse your rights. I am not saying other systems are perfect but last time I needed and MRI it did cost me 0€ and I got one after like 6 days. It wasnt even urgent or I would have gotten it the next day. Know what? I don't even know how much of my money goes into the system but I don't really care because the feeling being safe is priceless.

[@boulevard14]

What is it with KZbinrs changing their seating position every 2 seconds??

[@_Oscartoons]

John, thank you for making this video!

[@sackclothandashes998]

...but what does Hank think about Obamacare? Since I'm pretty sure he was directly affected by it because of his ulcerative colitis.

[@TheVlog]

I believe he's posted on tumblr several times talking about how he supports it

[@mykadassano438]

And John has talked about how it helped Hank.

[@chrisbailey5713]

And he literally talked to Obama himself about it

[@sackclothandashes998]

Chris Bailey Oh, I never saw that. I had been meaning to watch that interview!

[@Meloncov]

SACKCLOTHANDASHES When he met with Obama, he thanked him for it, and had him sign a reciet for his medication.

[@knelle1114]

My friend just died a few years ago, probably from suicide. He had cancer and left is wife with $10,000 in medical bills. She did a go-fund-me which didn't help much and untimely she had to foreclose on her house file for bankruptcy and move in with her sister.

[@kimmer6]

Affordable Care? What horse shit. My Kaiser went from $360 a month with $20 co pay and $2000 deductible to $580 a month, $5000 deductible and the co pay is $60 minimum and sometimes they charge $100. Just this week I FINALLY went in to a dermatologist at Kaiser and she prescribed medication. For the tube of cream and a bottle of pills Kaiser tried to charge me $830.00 . I refused the payment, refused the pills and cream. What the hell is so AFFORDABLE with this ripoff? I have the Bronze plan which is the cheapest... so I pay $7000 a year if I never see a doctor. It has the highest deductible. If I want their lowest deductible on the Gold Plan it will cost me $11,000 a year. WHAT THE HELL IS SO AFFORDABLE ABOUT THAT? I pay out of my own pocket. I'm retired with limited income, not old enough at 62 to get Medicare.

[@Quercuspalustris50]

+kimmer6 Try Health Net next year then. My premium for Gold - No Deductible - was $290/mo.

[@kimmer6]

+Quercuspalustris50 Thank you. Kaiser just jacked me to $635 a month. I'm retired. How the hell am I supposed to pay for this ripoff?

[@curmudgeon1968]

+kimmer6 The ACA has a lot of propagandists like this that try to tout it as being anything but a complete pile of crap. They cook their numbers to show that the numbers of full time employees receiving healthcare has gone up, but ignore the fact that the increase in job numbers has been among part time employees who are exempt. They show that there has been an increase in number of insured by 4% in the 7 year time frame, but don't take into account what percentage the overall population has increased in the same time. And those thousands of dollar deductibles that everyone said going into this were coming, they just pretend like they don't exist. Their explanation is that the states are magically covering them. I have found personally that it is cheaper to pay for everything out of pocket, and pay the penalty than to buy the ACA plan.

[@coustoe]

+kimmer6 John is a avowed Socialist, His understanding of basic economics is right there with Hugo Chavez and Robert Mugabe.

[@markgoodair2978]

move to a civilised country like Britain.

[@wearblackclothes]

We don't need more tanks....just saying

[@TheDajamster]

I live in a town where one of the few remaining good places to work is the tank plant. So of course, in '12 we were deluged by repeat ads quoting Biden saying that very thing. And I agree with him.

[@dallascopp4798]

So what you are saying we don`t need to supply our armies with necessary equipment anymore? That seems counter intuitive since America has many enemies and with with tensions rising between the USA, Russia, North Korea, China, ISIS and others ,we need to be prepared for when the worst comes to worst. When another country directly attacks the USA, we will be looking at WW3. So, yes we need more tanks for strategic land battles if anything happens. And if something does happen, we might get drafted and I want a tank to protect me.

[@TheDajamster]

yippyyippy yoyo There are currently over 2,000 tanks sitting at a base in a Californa desert so they don't rust. We really do have enough tanks. On the other hand, actual soldiers have put in requests for personal armor and have been denied. Militay supply protocols need a strong dose of horse sense, instead of supplying accoding to various pork barrel programs. Since we're sending them into harms way, our soldiers should get what they need, not what some dipsh*t politicaian wants them to have.

[@dallascopp4798]

Correct me if I`m wrong here, but isn`t it standard military gear for soldiers to have body armor, guns, bullets, a tactical knife, ecc... when they are being deployed. I don`t why the soldiers had to request for something they have in the first place, unless it was damaged or lost on the battle field. Also yes there are those many tanks over in the base, approximately 9000 in storage in the US and an undisclosed amount being used in the battle field and/or also being stored. But during WW2 there was around 50000 tanks being used by the US for decisions based on what the generals and the president wanted for war. And also by your logic Obama should not be telling the military what to do since he is just a politician with power that has never been in the military.

[@scjones25]

yippyyippy yoyo Do we actually need more tanks, tho? I mean, America spends about as much on defense as the next 15 countries combined, most of whom are our allies. Russia, China, N. Korea, Iran, and ISIS put together wouldn't even amount to half of our military spending, and that's assuming all of our allies bizarrely decided to just sit out WW3. We make up over 40% of the world's total defense spending. We're literally prepared to single-handedly take on nearly half of the planet simultaneously. I don't know... I think we might have enough tanks.

[@angeline2809]

This is my fav channel rn tbh

[@sarahnewman6773]

"Have you ever met an actual British person?" I am an actual British person!

[@KajoFox]

Me, too! GO UKoGBaI!

[@JDesch]

I've been to Britain, and you guys smoke a lot.

[@bulman07]

Me too! pipnina you missed an N

[@KajoFox]

***** Yes, yes we do. Well I don't. But many around me do. But then we're allowed to start at 16 so.

[@KajoFox]

Andrew Bulman Dang, I did! Ok: GOGO! UKoGBaNI!

[@TheRobstargames]

*Lives in Britain* *Has NHS* *Laughs*

[@Finimabob]

That said the NHS is in jeopardy and, if the conservatives stay in power, will be significantly closer to the american system by the end of the next term.

[@nicklandkroon8182]

Lives in Australia. Has Medicare. Laughs.

[@whydidthetilda]

Abraham Lincoln It just needs more funding. Simple as that. And it's not as though the money's just going to be frittered away, the things that need the most funding imo (ie non-emergency stuff and mental health) are things that will cause a lot more people to be able to work regularly and thus pay more taxes.

[@samrodriguez4692]

Lives in America yells AMURICA... (Has shitty Medicare plans)

[@boobpoocacca2064]

Sam Rodriguez *Lives in America, Calls Britain England, Pisses people off*

[@GarthKlaus]

interesting to see an update, especially after the SCOTUS ruling, and just announced 25% average increases and providers dropping out.

[@meyou3509]

GarthKlaus he did say its not a long term solution...

[@johnisaacfelipe6357]

GarthKlaus yeah, highest rate increase was 72% increase.

[@FilipCordas]

Shushhh everything is fine!! Just keep your head in the sand and don't ask questions Obamacare is a success. It's not like John Green is a left wing propagandist using this channel to manipulate young kids that don't know much.

[@vaeledendehar6819]

Filip Cordas lol, you have definitely done your research and obviously understood the video...good job!

[@RadicalShiba1917]

"Left wing propagandist" can you please not associate liberalism with the left? We here on the left would appreciate it!

[@YaserRafaelSokary]

I'm just happy that i have the NHS.

[@RustyShackleford1066]

A single payer healthcare system would be better.

[@jaredgarbo3679]

NHS

[@euducationator]

yes, we shall play a game of "not me" in order to decide who that is. eh hem " *not me* "

[@JogInTheFog]

Even my Republican doctor agrees.

[@wizltheblondealien675]

My mom could have died because she was sexually harassed by her bosses so she refused to go to work so got fired and she got extremely sick and could not afford the medication. thankfully we're out of that situation because my mom has a good job again. but I could have been a child without any parents because their only parent died when he was 12! if you're wondering why my mother did not get anything out of being sexually harassed it's because her bosses refused to compensate her and refused to go to court. I know that this situation might be rare but it still happens and could have radically changed my life. I'm sure similar situations have happened though that really did change lives, and that is disturbing.

[@brandonfrancey5592]

Wizl The Blonde Alien I don't think you understand what the single payer system is.

[@robinbeers3485]

Thank you for doing this series of videos. Factual and without the screeching of axes being ground.

[@taylornovay9285]

Although, today, utterly irrelevant.

[@evingrost2749]

Wait until you see the premiums this year... Your head is going to explode.

[@Chocopacotaco1413]

+Evin Grost he also forgot to mention that before Obamacare, illegal immigrants were counted in the reporting of uninsured, inflating the numbers. After Obamacare in 2013, these individuals didn’t get insurance, but suddenly didn’t get counted any more in the most recent census. We have not changed like at all if you still count illegals so all those people who gained insurance might not actual have it

[@Quercuspalustris50]

+Evin Grost My premium for gold care was $290/mo.

[@evingrost2749]

Quercuspalustris50 Yep, and because all the Co-ops are going bankrupt, the prices are going to keep going up and up every year. They've run several other insurance companies out of business before they went under, so now there's no competition and fewer companies with fewer options for consumers. To say they didn't think this through is the understatement of the century.

[@evingrost2749]

***** Well, Obamacare ran several insurance companies out of business, or out of the health insurance side. That lowered competition. On top of that, the companies that stayed in the game lost a lot of money, so a lot of them are trying to recoup. Obamacare drove prices far higher than they ever would have gotten on their own, and this is only year 2. It will get worse and worse as time goes by.

[@pauld315nan1]

+poptart 523 obamcare is suppose to stop that. its called the affordable care act. when that sinks in. maybe you will get what he is getting at.

[@btbrotherton]

If you want to fix the affordability of our healthcare you have to introduce competition. Health Insurance companies should be forced to take on a percentage based system, where they cover a certain percentage of certain procedures - you still pay a small premium and those percentages can be as high as 99%. On top of this hospitals and doctots should be forced to make their prices public. This stops our current system where people don't care where they get care or what price gets charged to the insurance company, so doctors and hospitals can charge whatever they want. It allows capitalism to fix what the blind socialism that is our health insurance industry has created. We can go single payer for emergency care since the injured would have no choice where they go and would most likely just go to the nearest hospital.

[@Th3Sh1n1gam1]

Could you imagine if we had Competitive Law Enforcement such as municipal officers and high way police? Only the people who could pay for good service would be given good service.

[@danielblatzanich2714]

Anyone complaining about premiums should take a second and think about whether or not that's the government's fault or the fault of insurance companies who have a profit motive. Premiums charged by whom?

[@CO8848_2]

Famous last words. It is quite amusing to watch in October 2016 with hind sight.

[@thomashynes4042]

Yes, however there were groups of people warning everyone that this would happen, The Taxed Enough Already Party known as the TEA party. Rush Limbaugh Sean Hannity Bill O'Rielly Dr. Carson Mark Levin Michael Savage Mark Bertollini CEO of Aetna The list goes on and on and on --No one listened and thought they were all a bunch of right wing, wackos I guess they were right all along.

[@Romanticoutlaw]

Hey. You. Scroll back up. You don't want to be in a comments section about obamacare, no matter what side you're on.

[@Roll587]

I usually don't consider personal anecdotes data, but since so many people are talking about their personal experiences, I'll do the same. Since the ACA was passed, my costs have decreased for premiums and medications and my coverage is the same. I have a new HMO plan compared to my prior PPO, but that doesn't both me much since it's not like I travel very often. I'm very pleased with my experiences with the ACA. I also think John did a really nice job with this video. Perhaps my positive bias from my experiences makes me see it differently than those with a negative bias from their experiences. In either case, there is not part of american healthcare costs and insurance that is simple. I just want everyone covered, financially secure, and as healthy as possible.

[@libbycurry9524]

Thank you John, people are always complaining about America and the president. Even though there are still many people going without there is still change going on. Peoples always focus on the negatives but don't want to look at the whole picture. The positive, AND the negatives. I personally like Obama. It's not because I'm African American, it's because you can tell that he genuinely cares about the country and I don't expect him to fix all the mistakes that politicians did years ago.

[@RyanStorey1231]

I agree. Admittedly, politics is like a foreign language to me, and I try so hard and often fail to understand every complex aspect of it. But I do know that the majority of people in my town and family (I live in SC, if that tells you anything) have no idea what they're talking about. Some of the arguments against Obamacare, I can understand: If you're so poor that you can't afford even the ACA and the $90 fee or the $370 for not signing up, but I'm sure it's not as simple as that. But I know that it has helped and benefited many people, especially those who don't work for big corporations and companies. I think that most people are against "Obamacare" because it simply has "Obama" in the title, thus southern conservatives get the impression that their President has "too much power" and are "forcing things that we don't need", which we kind of do need. And most people don't know that the ACA is the same thing as "Obamacare". It's just that people have adapted "Obamacare" to colloquially refer to it. I'm getting off topic, but President Obama is not as bad of a president as people think. I'm not saying his administration is perfect, but as you said, you can at least tell that he genuinely cares about the United States and things have improved. Which is why it infuriated me when President Obama visited a SC college a few weeks ago. Most of the responses from people here were astonishingly rude, vile, and outright ignorant. "He's not welcome in my state!" Uh, no, dude... He's the President... He is welcome in any state. That's kind of his job... Sorry for the rant. I really appreciated your comment. :)

[@shivorath]

If he cares, give me someone who hates and loathes us. Oh wait, no that's what Obama does... Hates and loathes what makes America what it is.

[@RyanStorey1231]

shivore Why would he run for President if he hated America so much? Citation needed.

[@that1valentian769]

+Ryan1231 I agree with you. As all presidents who have ever lived can tell you, being prez is hard. Especially in a world that changes more in a day than in a decade back in the 19th century. Times are a-changing my fellow humans. I don't think he hates us, I think he is a passionate American who is proud of his heritage as both the traditionalist conservatives and the liberlistest democrats have this in common. They just want the best for their country, they just disagree on how to get there.

[@Lordofzeldafed]

***** he wanted the power. humans like power, and obama has proved that he is VERY human in that way.

[@KiaranScath]

Yes, this video is educational. It was made with the intention of passing on information about the ACA. So no, John does not have a punishment coming for him. Good video though.

[@empathyisonlyhuman7816]

Howdy hi hi, While I realize this comment is very late to the game. But whenever I come across something talking about the patient protection and affordable health care act AKA Obamacare. Especially when it's tone is positive I try to make sure to comment. In the speech given by President Obama to congress first introducing this as a bill my own health care situation was really pretty bad. Basically I couldn't work, couldn't seem to convince social security that I couldn't work, had no health care insurance of any kind save the emergency room variety. I was in a phrase basically waiting to die. I have multiple chronic conditions some of which can kill me very easily. But none of which are of a variety that modern medicine can do anything other than to treat the symptoms. So when when he came to the part where under this new proposed law that it would be illegal to deny someone health insurance due to preexisting conditions. I literally cried out loud, and quite loudly at that. And while I wouldn't understand this part until many years later. It was in that moment that something which I considered was something that only children had. President Obama became my hero. He paid a heavy political price for what they did to get it passed. I have no doubt in my mind whatsoever that I am alive today due to what he did on that day and the many months that followed. And so, even belatedly, I thank you John Green for doing this video. And thank you more especially to President Obama. Ciao, I hope your day and endeavors treat you well. And I am so very glad to hear that you brother is now in remission.

[@katynstellmach1006]

Why aren't you and your brother running for president/vicepresident??? I could trust the US in your hands.

[@sterling-9259]

WORLD LEADERS 2016

[@Gromitz101]

____ underscore The people that run for politics are not the best choice out there. The best for the job will not apply to government because they can work in the private sector for great pay and better treatment. Second, why would the Greens want to subject their family to politics and media that comes with Presidency? That is just cruel.

[@sterling-9259]

Gromitz101 Yes, thank you so much for your insight. Especially as we are being entirely serious in this thread, even though we are not. Of course the Greens will not run for president and I'm sure if they did we wouldn't elect them, but as far as these comments go, we are joking and your seriousness is banished. :)

[@GaviLazan]

So, does this count as educational?

[@exxinferis24]

***** I'm demanding a punishment right now!

[@untappedinkwell]

I dunno. I mean, I think so--there was a lot of information in there, but it seems borderline at best.

[@vlogbrothers]

I sure hope so. That's up to nerdfighteria to decide though. -John

[@GiuliaSocolof]

Tbh I kind of hope it isn't... I want to see another punishment. Sorry John

[@LisaMahler82]

I'm thinking yes. Research and sources to me says it's pretty solidly educational!

[@sarahalderman3126]

The ACA screwed up health insurance in the US majorly especially for those of us who had decent (reg working class hourly skilled labor) insurance with our employers! You say nothing changes for those people, you know the ones who didn’t switch to an aca plan! That couldn’t be further from the truth! We went from having good insurance with low deductibles ($250/person) low $20 copays for around $240/month. To a $1200-$2600/month premium with a $14,000 deductible! And you can’t even use an HSA with it!!!! What an absolute abomination!

[@Jammybrown11]

The American health system genuinely scares me. I couldn't imagine living somewhere knowing that it would take me years to pay off my medical bills, even if it was a simple procedure. Education and health-care should always be government controlled (with the exception of wealthy people paying a premium for better quality).

[@aliensinnoh1]

Are you saying abolish private schools? Also, if you mean federally mandated and controlled education, I'd just like to point out that that's how the Soviets brainwashed their population.

[@Jammybrown11]

William Stockhecker That's what I meant about that last bit saying with the exception of wealthy people paying a premium for better quality. But for everyone, there should be the option of free healthcare and education (including university), which are paid with taxes. Also the Soviet's didn't manage to brainwash a country via abolishing private schools. In fact, many soviets were very well educated.

[@akosbarati2239]

William Stockhecker In the parentheses he perfectly explained private education. As for your assessment on the Soviet system... have you heard that on Infowars? Take it from someone, who lived under Soviet-type socialism, and was educated there, it wasn't unbiased or democratic, but the Red Army and Gulags existed for a reason, so it's not like a) it was successful brainwashing or b) every public school is like the Soviet system, because that would be bullshit.

[@MsLouisez]

William Stockhecker Ah. you do know that the US already has a government / socialist education system. You have the option of a private school. Universal health can be the same deal. Universal for everyone that cannot pay, and private for those that wish too.

[@rjfaber1991]

William Stockhecker "government-controlled" and "government-run" are two different things... You could have privatised but thoroughly regulated health care and education systems, and still make a point for them being government-controlled.

[@chefmark1751]

Other countries seem really happy about how shitty our healthcare system is. Ease up guys, we're dyin' ovah here! A little compassion would be welcome

[@toniok.4726]

What about the FREE MARKET?

[@The_king567]

Good you deserve it

[@chefmark1751]

@@The_king567 sounds like you deserve worse.

[@guycunningham8210]

I pay about £90 a month for my British Healthcare in the UK, and I am covered for any healthcare that I need ever! I and my family have needed Healthcare here many many times, and I have always recieved the most amazing care ever! If I lost my job I would have to stop paying Health Insurance, but my Health Insurance cover would not change at all, Hospitals see you for what you need, not for how much money you have. I am British and me and literally everyone I know love our NHS and it is the best thing ever!

[@lechevaliermalfet1]

Juan Primos and yet the uk has more doctors per capita than the us.

[@wavy6617]

I live in Canada! *frolics through meadows*

[@alexandrucalinbaciu7796]

1. American Doctors are paid way too much. 2. American hospitals should use a tender system to buy supplies. The prices they buy supplies with are outrageous.

[@thomashynes4042]

the AVG cost to become a doctor in the USA is bare minimum $170,000... in a freemarket system why should the government limit the amount an individual makes? That is what the freemarket system does... If you make a Widget and charge $50 for it, and I make the same Widget for $15 whose company would survive in a free market?

[@alexandrucalinbaciu7796]

Thomas Hynes 1.never said someone should limit an individuals income. but, in my opinion, giving them a porsche/month is too much. 2.why don't we shake hands and both sell the Widget for 1000 dollars? the US hospitals will buy it. I will take 50% of the hospital and you take the other half.

[@peregrination3643]

I'd be scared to go on Medicaid. I have a poorly known medical condition, and I'd lose have my existing medical team that has come to know me and my condition and lose significant coverage on medications and, according to some states but I didn't find anything on mine (and it's not an immediate need to know, so whew) but I could and many others have lost the means to travel out of state for proper diagnostics and treatment. I did that four times before I got to the "maintenance" state I'm in. My heart goes out to people who don't have parents or spouses to support them.

[@dakattack8900]

I love John Green, but man, please do not say "a truly free market system where if you show up and you don't have insurance, you don't get treatment." There are thousands if not tens of thousands of institutions in the United States that offer radically cheaper if not free health services. Ron Paul himself was performing surgeries for $3/hour. Charitable organizations are fully a part of the free market system. In summary, a truly free market system is not going to increase the amount of people who die in the streets because they don't have insurance

[@d4rk0v3]

The law also forces people to get healthcare and adds on a hefty tax penalty that increases every year you don't have it. There are millions of Americans that can't afford even the cheapest plans on Obamacare that also can't get government subsidies to cover it. With the tax penalty increasing, they are being totally crushed. Oh, but how convenient of you to fail to mention that. How wonderful that you didn't talk about the people whose lives it's currently ruining.

[@d4rk0v3]

d4rk0v3 Don't even get me started at how much deductibles went up.

[@Letsgobobcats]

d4rk0v3 I do agree that the Affordable Care Act might have a few points that should be fixed, but repealing it completely is NOT the answer. Especially because by executing a full repeal, our deficit will INCREASE by over $350 Billion, while at the same time forcibly stripping over 15 Million Americans of health insurance. That sounds like a double whammy to me. One important change to make to the law is to expand the government subsidies to the people you mentioned -- the "millions of Americans that can't afford even the cheapest plans on Obamacare that also can't get government subsidies to cover it."

[@IDontLikeJamOrJelly]

d4rk0v3 Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe I read somewhere that if you cannot afford healthcare, even under obamacare, you don't have to pay the tax? Again, I don't have a source but I'm like 99% sure thats how it works.

[@cglenn2586]

+Krista Brenholt I believe, ideally, that is how it is supposed to work, but the reality is a little different. My family still has to pay the penalty and we can not afford healthcare, we simply do not have the extra money every month after rent, utilities, and other bills (student loans, groceries, etc). On paper, it looks like we make enough, but once cost of living is factored in, we cannot. Unfortunately, the cost of living adjustment, if it exists at all, is not adequate for a lot of us.

[@IDontLikeJamOrJelly]

cglenn2586 Ah, that makes sense. I suppose I didn't look into it critically enough. Thanks for the information, I may have to do some research and rethink my opinion a bit!

[@Westallka]

Most people who enrolled in Obamacare still. Don’t. Go. To. Doctors. Because you don’t have money to pay.

[@prestonwalker8383]

He forgot to mention the part where you have to pay more money for Obama care the more money you make. My father use to work Saturdays and made decent money each week. Now he dosent even bother because he just gets charged more money for working extra.

[@mongothedestroyer88]

Please do a follow up video. Premiums are going up dramatically and price controls are both a violation of the free market and have a massive negative impact on it. Venezuela had market controlled prices on food and now nobody can get any because it cost more to produce so everybody stopped. The reason health care is expensive is because those supplies and highly skilled professionals keep going up in price.

[@ChristiCantDance]

Thank you for making this video! I'm not very familiar with this issue, so I appreciate how you made the history and analysis very understandable.

[@allenmiller1627]

My job offers healthcare insurance but only cover preventative diseases and sickness. No ER coverage, no hospital coverage. basic just buying it not to get fined. oh by the way I'm a nurse I know how to prevent disease and illnesses

[@allenmiller1627]

*basically

[@sooneradmirer4382]

Canadian health care system = VA Health care

[@SandfordSmythe]

Isn't there a choice of private providers?

[@louisiananlord17]

People are too scared of enacting a medical "trade-off." People are too content with how things are to change anything. The point is that we can preserve the private market and make healthcare cheaper by having the two-tiered system. Look at the French and Australian systems and how well it is preserved. Single payer may work in some countries but what they don't tell you is about their waiting lists and about how slow some of it can be. But if someone is sick or dying or needs help. I will pitch in and show compassion and help them pay. Everyone can make a difference, we just have to keep an open mind and always be willing to help. John Green, thanks again!

[@SamBrev]

just from that opening statistic you can tell how stupid the american system is you spend more tax money per person on private healthcare than in countries with universal healthcare and yet everyone says universal healthcare would cost too much :/

[@rebeccaclark9131]

I honestly don't get a lot of america's seeming distaste for universal healthcare. I mean in the UK we have the NHS which while not perfect is certainly well loved and personally i know no one who wouldn't deeply defend our right to free healthcare, and god knows i'm sure its far more convenient than insurance.

[@HutchasaurusRex]

Same here in Canada.

[@largol33t1]

Rebecca, you don't live in the US so you can't compare the two. There's NO such thing as "free" health care. It comes out of someone's wallet.

[@feitan3743]

We want universal health care! We don't have it in US. Obamacare is not a universal health care, its just a law that forces people to buy health care. I wish healthcare here was affordable, universal, and government implemented

[@jeffmacguinness4453]

Thanks again John Green. Simple explanation for a complex problem.

[@johnchessant3012]

7:10 - "Nobody knew healthcare could be so complicated" -- our current president; February 27, 2017

[@discodench]

Such a good deal that if I don't play along with it a man with a gun comes to my home and puts me in a cage. You know, freedom.

[@Collettecurtis]

we need a 15 year update fr

[@Cheese0408]

Fr

[@Shalashaska315]

I love the acknowledgement that we didn't have a free market system while simultaneously poisoning the well against it. Green: We need to do something radical to fix it, like price controls, or single payer, or a true free market, where by the way you could get shot and bleed to death and no one will think anything of it. If you're going to poison the well, at least be honest and do it with all the options. Price controls lead directly to shortages, which leads to rationing. When you've got a case where the government is in charge of rationing, they're going to have to deny some procedures they deem unnecessary.

[@SonofSun100]

Shame the claims made here in the video in early 2015 have now are no longer correct. Premiums going up on average 20% in 2017 and insurance companies are pulling out not coming in. In my area we will only have one company to choose from for 2017.

[@thomashynes4042]

In some exchanges costs increases for insurance for 2017 are even higher 30-60%. But its not just those policies, those who receive their benefits from an employer based insurance have also increased as well

[@SonofSun100]

Final number for 2017 was 25% with AZ leading the pack with over 100%. Employer based insurance has tended to trend above general inflation for the last 30 years or more due to various underlying economic conditions surrounding our US based healthcare system.

[@dontignorewatchme5851]

what state do you live? it matters alot on states

[@SonofSun100]

Florida. My area saw a 34% increase and we can expect something similar in 2018. In 2014 my first silver policy under ACA was about $300. In 2017 same policy but with higher deductibles (much higher) and out of pocket will be $795.

[@dontignorewatchme5851]

Chris Freed you should watch Vox youtube channel "Obama care" also "trump and obamacare" ppl blame it all on parties and president but its much more

[@kmowll]

I applaud the succinct and on-target report. I'm a career health plan guy (now in the conference business) and never heard a better summary explanation in all the conferences I have attended. For those living in Massachusetts where health care reform revved up seven years before the ACA launched the health insurance exchanges, it is understood that there are at least three phases of health care reform. The ACA only set off the first phase: reform of the health insurance markets. The next two phases are the ones needed to bring down the cost of health care: changing the way providers are paid plus reforming the health care delivery system to work together as a system. Instead of paying piece rates like we pay plumbers and car mechanics, we need to pay doctors and hospitals around quality of patient experience, as well as access, efficiency and outcomes. The so called Triple Aim. Check out Dr. Don Berwick and Dr. Marc McClellan, former CMS administrators on this topic, and look at what Dr. Patrick Conway at the CMS Office of Innovation is doing now around experimentation and transformation projects now. The movement is known as Accountable Care. If you can put together another seven minute video blog about that, I will hire you to speak at one of our conferences. Seriously.

[@taraduffie7690]

I lost the health care plan and company that I like... that's what has changed for me.

[@TheConnorBennett]

oh boy i love watching videos about America's bad government. see you next week, john.

[@bliglum]

I love the way this guy talks!!

[@Jemini4228]

I'm British and, dispite its faults, I think the National Health Service is one of the best things about my country...

[@4exgold]

pretty much every non-American would agree that UHC is the best thing for lowering national healthcare costs overall and providing good healthcare for anyone who isnt super rich (i.e. 90%+ of the population). It must be horrendous to have it in the back of your mind that if you or a family member get ill or are in an accident or something, you could well be bankrupted. US always has to be the "exceptional nation" though, doesnt it?

[@RageCake1414]

Pre-ACA US healthcare was bloated, inefficient, and dated. The ACA was the first major legislation passed since the 1960s Medicare and Medicaid. While the ACA has major flaws and issues that need to be resolved, its a step in the right direction to modernize American Healthcare.

[@melaniebosley]

Is it just me, or are puff levels now getting higher, as well as wider?

[@DoctorNinjaGirl]

If anyone wants to learn more about healthcare in different countries, in particular the US, i would definitely recommend the documentary 'sicko' its really intresting!

[@808thampire]

*votes to repeal Obamacare for the 157th time*

[@PoopaChallupa]

Nov. 10th 👍

[@ZEEKUPP]

Yeah, it's working so well that my insurance I already had went way up! There are a couple of points people keep missing. 1. Why are health care costs so high that we need insurance in the first place? 2. Government mandated insurance is unconstitutional ( I don't care what the now liberal supreme court that legislates from the bench ruled.). Our constitution is based on INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM. We should not be FORCED to have insurance. It should be up to us. I've been an adult for several decades now. I'm tired of being told what to do!

[@Johnsinsxoxo]

I was 26 full time college student making 30k a year. The lowest rate I can get was 400/month with 6k out of pocket. I chose to be uninsured because it was most of my income

[@dl3g3nd45]

obamacare pisses me off!

[@1098234567]

What about now if I don't have health insurance I have to pay a fine to the irs?

[@thomashynes4042]

So if you do NOT have health insurance for 2016 then you pay the penalty, wait the tax, no wait the penalty...wait was it a tax? No the ACA says its a penalty. So how does the penalty work? You may go 60 days with out insurance ( 2months) and there is no penalty. Then it kicks in... the fee is $695 or 2.5% of your income - whichever is higher So Joe Smith ( in my state) who makes $17,000 a year would either choose to pay an avg monthly cost of health insurance of about $100 per month with a $400 subisdy or choose to pay $695 so lets work this out...he either pays $1,200 a year for insurance, with the potential of having to pay back some if not all the subsidy or $695 now... if I were making $285 a week x 4 = $1307 a month Lets see AVG apartment cost in my state for a 1 bedroom is about $600 in a bad neighborhood Electricity $70 Phone $45 Internet/Cable $60 Food per month (single person) $60 Transportation (given he has no car and uses the bus system) Bus Pass $65 for the month Total $900 a month leaving him with $400 left over every month I am sure there are other things like Credit Card Payments Loan payments (maybe) Clothing and other expenses... If I were Joe I would opt for the penalty its cheaper and would save him money.

[@Vonnels]

In some cases this is true, not in all. Also, paying the penalty is fine if you are healthy or know that you won't become seriously ill or have a serious accident (And if you can know that, I want in on that action!). But paying the penalty does not mean you don't have to pay for whatever treatment you receive. No insurance, and you get cancer, you can expect to go bankrupt.

[@thomashynes4042]

So here are the rules to the IRS FINES Any individual that goes with out health insurance for more than 60 days is subject to the penalty for 2016 of either $695 per individual/ $325.50 per child or 2.5% of total income which ever is greater to a maximum penalty of $2,085. For tax year 2017, the percentage stays the same at 2.5% however the $695 flat rate will be adjusted for inflation and will increase. If you do not have health insurance for 60 days but then get health insurance then you can avoid the penalty If you say get health insurance for Feb 1 and drop the insurance in November then you are subject to the penalty because the 60 days are not consecutive days for the year. There is a RULE with in the ACA that is now being enforced, the rule was always there, but for the last three years the IRS has let this rule slide by, and have not really enforced it. However there are cases for 2016 where the IRS is penalizing those individuals who work, and their job offers insurance, yet the person opted to take the Insurance via the exchange with tax subsidies. Here is the Rule Joe works for XYZ company that offers health insurance for him and his family. The lowest cost plan offered by the company which would be similar to a Bronze plan would cost Joe lets say $50 per pay period or $200 per month. The Lowest plan has say a deductible of $7000 and an Total Out of Pocket of $5000 Joe comes to the exchange looking for a better deal, find a policy that would be with TAX SUBSIDES, the APTC's and Cost Sharing Reduction CSR...the plan has a Deductible of $800 and a Total out of pocket expense of $1000 And the policy with subsides would cost him say $50 per month Joe sees that the Exchange plan is a MUCH BETTER DEAL - FALSE Lets say Joes income is $800 per week ... JOE is NOT, I REPEAT not eligible for TAX CREDITS because his employers insurance is deemed affordable. The rule is 0.0966 x Income = Affordability - the RULE does not take into consideration that it would cost him just $50 and the wife and two kids $100 per individual for a total cost of $350 per pay period for health insurance. The rule states that if it is affordable for HIM and HIM alone that is the plan that he should enroll in. It is true however that Joe could take the exchange policy, however he would NOT receive TAX SUBSIDIES for that policy, this would in turn make the plan on the exchange jump from $50 per month to the full cost of the plan of $800-$1500 per month. THE ACA does NOT CARE what the deductibles are, co-pays are or Total Out Of Pocket Expenses are ...its the cost of the insurance and the fact that policy meets the Minimum Value Standard ... Meaning a 60/40 plan. IF an individual LIES and says NO my employer does not offer insurance, the IRS will FIND OUT ... The IRS then sends a letter to Joe's employer informing him that his employee is receiving TAX CREDITS The IRS then informs the employer that a fine of $_____________ will be assesed if not corrected A Letter is sent to JOE to correct the situation, informing him that his subsidy will be taken away, and any and all subsidies will have to be paid back to the IRS

[@thomashynes4042]

Insurance is a RISK, how much RISK are you willing to take on 100%, 50%, 25% 10%. Each of those percentages comes with a cost. So lets say Joe is really unsure about getting insurance, and lets say that insurance he is looking at is a Bronze plan with a $7100 out of pocket and a $6500 Deductible. remember this though...even with those figures the Annual Exam, vaccines are covered at 100% regardless of meeting the deductible or not. So Joe gets a Bronze plan and pays $40 a month (and yes this price is out there depending on the individuals subsidy amount) lets say Tom gets no insurance and OPTS for the penalty. Lets say JOE and TOM have the same accident, a knife cut to the palm of the hand that requires stitches, and they both go to the Emergency Room because its a really bad wound. Lets say the ER, Doctor, Medicine, Services come out to be $2500 each remember JOE has Insurance TOM does not.... JOE does not pay the $2500 because the insurance company has negotiated rates with the providers, so the insurance company says wait a moment, you can only charge JOE $1000 TOM who has no insurance has to pay the $2500 because he does not have the negotiated rate , Now in all likely hood TOM would still get a discount of 10% if he pays in cash and upfront or put on to a payment plan. But he is left with a much bigger charge then JOE So even though the plan may have HUGE deductibles, it is still to JOE's Advantage that he had the insurance because he paid less than half of what TOM did putting money in his pocket. I am not agreeing or disagreeing if the ACA is FAIR or RIGHT...my argument is it still wold be cheaper in some cases to get insurance then to have to pay the penalty. Remember, a person making $30,000 is going to pay $750 not the 695 penalty, the question is do you in this case as JOE spend $480 a year for insurance to get cheaper costs or not...its all RISK...how much are you willing to RISK.

[@matthewrichardson828]

I'm a small business owner. My insurance premium TRIPLED (3x) since the ACA. No first world country has sustainable healthcare. None have managed to control costs. Norway and Switzerland (darling countries on the left) now pay more for healthcare than Americans. There's really only one good thing about the ACA. There used to be strict prohibitions against small businesses unionizing and negotiating insurance as a block. That's been removed. That's little reprieve in a country that refuses to allow me to buy insurance across state lines or pills from Canada. We needed Free Market healthcare reforms. Even before the ACA the US already had a predominantly single-payer system. More healthcare spending in the US was thru medicaid, medicare, and drug benefits than out of pocket. That inflates market prices. Even if a simple reform were made allowing people to buy catastrophic healthcare coverage (plans with a $25k deducible), healthcare prices would absolutely plummet. More doctors would work for themselves instead of mega hospitals, and constructive competition would reform the industry.

[@silverwindspirit]

If the amount of money that the U.S. spends on the military was actually spent on universal health care instead, wouldn't we have a better universal health care system then any of the European countries? Also, we already have a powerful military, how much more do we need to spend?

[@jacobcarter5923]

No, then it would be much worse, the only way to a better healthcare system is to keep the government out of it completely. Give taxes back to the people and let the free market fix it.

[@mrinalganash4725]

+Jacob Carter you gotta be joking health care in the hands of free market, sure

[@myusernameissoobnoxiouslyl1466]

Jacob Carter Lift state restrictions on healthcare competition. We've never done that.

[@jacobcarter5923]

+Mrinal Ganash your ignorance of how the free market is always better in every single way amuses me.

[@jacobcarter5923]

+My username is so obnoxiously long and there is absolutely nothing you can do about the matter nice username The free market is the right answer for everything, not only does it work better, but it's a civil rights issue. It's not healthcare, it's hospital insurance.