An Obamacare Update

It has been a while since we have taken a look at the status of Obamacare.  Here are a few items I found to be of interest.

 

1.  As John Goodman tells us, it has been pretty well established that under Obamacare "The federal government will regulate the kind of insurance we must have, tell us where we must get it and regulate how much we pay for it as well."  And, it will cost us a whole lot more than promised.  This report card Goodman provides is a very good status update.  http://townhall.com/columnists/johncgoodman/2013/03/30/report-card-on-obamacare-n1552872/page/full/  And, be aware that the 159 new agencies the law created will be the bureaucracies that will control more and more of the medical services we receive and what doctors can provide.  Anyone who thinks more federal government bureaucrasy is a good way to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our healthcare system needs to rethink that thought.

2.  All of us remember the promises made by the President and Congress about the glories Obamacare would bring.  Lets take a brief peek at the growing list of "broken" promises.  The links that follow provide details but here are a few to whet your appetite.  "Time and again President Obama told Americans that, 'If you like your health plan, you can keep it.' Yet the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that the number of workers who get health care plans from their employers will drop by millions." How about this one:  "President Obama guaranteed that ObamaCare would 'lower premiums by $2,500 per family per year,' but the reverse is occurring. In fact, health care premiums on average are going up for most Americans."  Another one:  "President Obama promised the law would not 'raise the deficit by a dime' thanks to $500 billion in new taxes and a bit of budget magic. When passed, the law raised taxes starting in 2013 but didn’t start the spending until 2014 underestimating the full budgetary impact. However, according to CBO estimates, the law is projected to cost at best $1.4 trillion as it is fully implemented over the next ten years."  And who do you think pays that cost?  http://townhall.com/columnists/timphillips/2013/03/22/broken-promises-of-obamacare-n1546464/page/full/  The second link puts a not so happy human face on the broken promises.  http://dailycaller.com/2013/04/01/the-human-face-of-obamacares-broken-promises/  Another example:  http://dailycaller.com/2013/04/02/obamacare-a-promise-betrayed

 

3.  Consider these remarks by Hal Scherz, MD.  "The 2700 pages of the ACA has spawned 20,000 pages of regulations -so far. The $980 Billion that the ACA was promised to cost has ballooned to $2.7 Trillion and climbing. The 'simple' process of signing up for subsidies in the Obamacare exchanges is now a 21 page form with a 61 page appendix, inquiring about every aspect of your life. Instead of insurance premiums decreasing by $2500 per family, they have soared and now on average have increased by $3065. According to Mark Bertolini, CEO of Aetna, these rates will go up 20-50% more in 2014. The ACA may create government jobs thanks to the 159 new agencies created by this massive law, but the private sector stands to lose as many as 800,000 jobs because of the mandate to provide insurance to employees."   http://townhall.com/columnists/halscherz/2013/04/06/unintended-consequences-n1559742/page/full/  Bear in mind that staffing and housing those 159 new agencies is a cost born by taxpayers.  That in addition to other increases in costs, additional taxes and higher taxpayer funded subsidies for those unable to pay for their coverage.  Expensive indeed.  For more on subsidies see the next item.

 

4.  Check out the projected increases in taxpayer subsidies here:  http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2013/04/surprise_obamacare_subsidies_will_cost_65_more_than_estimated_in_last_years_budget.html

 

5.  What about the promise that small businesses would benefit from Obamacare?  Well not so fast!  The next link notes that "Another day, another revelation that Obamacare will not deliver on its promises.  This time, it's small business getting the shaft. The bill promised that small business owners would be able to offer a range of plans to employees to choose from.  Nix that. Employees will only get a 'take it or leave it' plan to buy."  More here:
"http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2013/04/small_business_shafted_again_by_obamacare.html

 

These and other examples portend expensive, inefficient and inadequate health care outcomes for Americans.  More and more people are waking up to the realization that Obamacare is a really bad deal.  To stem the tide it is incumbant upon each of us to flood our elected representatives with phone calls, letters, and emails voicing our disapproval of this looming tragedy being forced upon us.

 

George Burns