A Quick ObamaCare Update
Well, it’s been over a month since the Plainly Pathetic and Absurd Collection of Asininity Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act – commonly known as “ObamaCare” – individual mandate has been in effect. And as predicted, the previously FUBAR situation is getting . . . no better.
Remember all those thousands of applications with issues that we heard about a month or two ago, that were going to HHS to be fixed later? Well, add to those 22,000 where people have appealed, claiming HHS erred. HHS can’t figure out what to do with them.
I wonder how the folks who thought they’d signed up for health insurance – but really didn’t because of an admin or site error – feel about ObamaCare now? Or who’s going to pay for their healthcare if they end up needing care before things get sorted out?
It also seems like that may be only the tip of the iceberg regarding issues with the HHS ObamaCare web site/system. Turns out a firm from Belarus appears to have helped with the website. That firm has ties to the Belarus government. There’s apparently some thought that the site may contain malware that could put applicants’ personal information at risk.
Of course, the current Administration is still engaging in more misleading propaganda “turd polishing” damage control blatant “spin” regarding this “wonderful new healthcare law”. Now, they’re reportedly ghost-writing Twitter comments for NFL players who want to praise the fiasco.
And remember how the CBO originally said that ObamaCare wouldn’t have a major effect on working hours? Well, now they’re kinda reversing themselves. In 2011, CBO estimated that ObamaCare would cost the equivalent of 800,000 full time jobs in terms of lost work hours by 2019. CBO now says that ObamaCare will eliminate the equivalent of 2.3 million full time jobs in terms of lost work hours – or nearly 3x as many as previously estimated.
Looks like maybe the CBO is finally getting tired of polishing. (smile)
Sheesh. We need to repeal this abomination posthaste, and replace it with something that actually has a prayer of working. Hell – this time, maybe we’ll even get a chance to read any proposed new law before Congress votes. You know, so that we can “see what’s in it”.
Or maybe we should just repeal it and go back to what we had before. Period.
Category: Health Care debate
What we had before worked just fine.
The whole purpose of this law was to fail and thus act as the excuse for enacting a national single-payer system, completely controlled by the government. The leftists are playing the long game here, with the goal of being able to bring ALL facets of healthcare under the control of the federal government. It brings tens of thousands of new union jobs that will be directing dues money into union campaign chests. It brings in a new way for the unions and leftists to skim money off the top. It also, as we have seen with the IRS and BATFE, becomes a way to punish those who fail to toe the line the government demands them to.
Speak out against the government? Oh my, it seems your doctor will be unavailable for awhile. Your needed surgeries or treatments are denied. Medicines are denied. Etc. Etc. Etc.
Scrap it in it’s entirety and go back to what we had. EXCEPT, if you REALLY want to improve the entire healthcare industry, then FIRST: Reform torte law to help manage malpractice lawsuits better and stop the outrageous awards and ambulance chasing. SECOND: Let citizens purchase health insurance across state borders, as they can do with all other forms of insurance. That supports competition, and everybody wins when that happens.
I’ll admit, I’ve only recently began to really pay attention to the ACA since it now involves people I actually know. My ex-wife (waitress who makes around $13,000 a year and claims our daughter as a dependent for tax breaks) applied at the healthcare.gov website. Guess what they told her? Since Indiana did not continue Medicare or Medicaid (or some wording like that), she did not qualify for financial assistance for health care…and this is with a child as a dependent. Her options are to pay about $600/month for health care…with a total income of about $1,100/month before taxes. How the fuck is that affordable? However, playing around with their income vs. premium payment calculator, if she made I think it was $15,500, then she would qualify for financial assistance and would have to pay around $40 per month with premiums increasing at a fairly steady ratio with income. What sense does that make?
Oh, and by the way, her hours were cut from full-time to part-time by her employer…presumably because of the ACA but I’m not 100% on that and it is unlikely we’ll ever get a clear answer on that one
Jabatam: you can bet long odds that hours cutback was due to ObamaCare. Employers who have more than a certain number of employees (50, I think) are now generally required to provide healthcare coverage to full-time employes or pay a fine. They’re not required to offer health care for those working part time (defined as either <32 or <28 hours per week, can't remember which it is and don't feel like looking it up at present).
Not only are you going to see lost workhours as noted by the CBO (or more), you'll also see a large number of formerly-full-time jobs being replaced by part-time jobs. Businesses exist to make money, not to act as employment agencies. And they'll cut costs that way in cases where it makes sense for them to do so.
@1 AW1 Tim – That is how I see it, also.
@1 AW! Tim- I am SO damn glad there are well spoken people on this site! That means I can keep the cursing to a minimum.
Repeal the stupid shit!
Dumbasses…
So there we were. The wife and I sitting in the waiting room to see her doc. A small family was nearby. The grandmother goes over the the BB and looks at an ACA poster. She comes back and asks grandson, what is Obamacare? I listen to him as he lowers his voice and with sadness on his face says, “next year grandma my company insurance is going away because they say it does not cover enough. The Obamacare insurance I will have to get is going to cost four times more and it will not cover as much as my insurance now.” I didn’t say anything. I felt really bad for the guy and his family. Just a regular Joe, working stiff trying to take care of his family. The first time I had heard this as a first person account of the effect of Obamacare on someone. Though it is a story I have read countless times elsewhere. It is truly sad.
To remember Obama stuttering to answer O’Reilly about, “if you like your insurance, you can keep it, a bad decision on your part”. (paraphrasing) I was once again sickened. He is the lowest of the low who have ever sat in the Oval Office. He has done more to disrupt and ruin America and push us towards socialism than anyone before. I despise the sound of his voice and the look of his mug.
God, please bless and keep America. Amen.
@1 AW1 Tim thank you and well said.
Let alone that the “tax” (fine) is going to more economical to some businesses than paying for “affordable” healthcare.
What’s worse is liberals throwing the “but it is getting better!” rubbish out there at everyone as if it will.
I can’t validate this beyond two major cities, but one side effect of ACA is an increase in the number of 911 calls. My civilian job is a Paramedic for a major city. In 2013 we were warned by the state that we should expect a 10% increase due to the expansion of Medicaid and the higher number of insured people. last year our metro area did just over 100,000 calls for 750,000 residents. An average of 270 a day. Winter time we normally see 250 average per day. Since January 2nd, we have averaged 300 calls a day. And this is our slow time. The number of people calling who are on “Passport”, “Hummana”, and “WellCare” is higher. Now some of these are people we use to see who were “self-pay” (uninsured). Of course at least now we get paid something rather than having to eat the cost like we use to. The state told us that they expect Medicaid patients to call 911 as it is “more convent” for them then making appointments. (you know, because this will save money by keeping them out of the Emergency Room by getting treatment early in Doc offices) The Hospitals have embraced this new ACA coverage by having people help anyone who lists ‘uninsured” apply for Medicaid or insurance. Mainly so they can get some payment for the care they give. We are making more runs, on more “sick” people. There has been a nation wide growth in calling 911 about 3% a year for the last several years. But this is a jump if the trend hold. We could break 110,000 calls if we don’t see an increase in the summer. (the unofficial guess is we could get to 120k) People with Medicaid use Emergency Medical care far more than commercial insured or uninsured. Mostly because it is “free”. Ask a paramedic the number of times they have been told “I called because I could not afford a taxi to the hospital.” (or like last night in the ice storm/freezing rain mess “I did not use the medication they said… Read more »
Look at WSJ and Wash Post reports. Essentially no one who earns any money signed up. It is all new Medicaid enrolles and those EF out of their previous plans. People are being turned away port and starboard, forward and aft.
The ACA has failed. 2014 when the tide shifts … The entire program needs to be UNFUNDED!
Any questions?
@ 9 … It is all about the free stuff. Obama phones, Obama car, Obama babies, Obama electonic benfits cards, Obama aprtments, Obama sit at home and watch TV work prrogram …. It will never end with this guy!
Obama would outlaw breathing air in the suburbs if it meants those in the city would have more than they needed!
Oh shit … Delete this post!
I vote against deleting the Master chiefs post @12- it does ring of truth…
You knew we were in for a goat ride when Obama exempted the congress by administrative action. Hemp line and gravity is the only cure for this mess. Apply where and when required.
I was listening on NPR a person stated that all the jobs that were going to be lost were from people ether retiring or part time jobs that people were only working due to being able to have a cheaper health care plan. Also he kept saying that the extra money from these lower premiums will help stimulate the economy.
@15 Sporkmaster – Sounds like the typical Obama cheerleader.
Repeat the same lie, enough times, and some folks begin to believe it as truth. These are the ones who should NEVER have children.
A newer one to go with that spork is that people can work “less hours” and spend more time with their family or not working because obamacare will cover people who “only” work to get health insurance.
I can’t believe the things that get spewed and the people just don’t do crap about it.