Of course, we know hat House Pubs wanted to force his hand by passing legislation legalizing such a delay. This brings us to a strange juncture indeed:
Leaving aside for a moment whether it is legal for an administration simply to decree that a law won't be enforced until next year, such action keeps ObamaCare in the news. Earlier this month the House passed legislation that would make it legal to delay the employer mandate. The House passed another bill to delay the individual mandate by a year, with the logic that individuals and families deserve the same break busineses are getting. Both bills will languish in the Senate, but they have led to the rather odd situation of the president actually vowing to veto legislation that would put his extralegal action on solid footing.
He'd rather do it under current circumstances. What a guy.
Your link indiates tht "States like Indiana (projected premium increase of 76%), Ohio (88%) and others confirm what many already knew—we cannot keep our current plan if it does not meet what the administration considers "acceptable," and moving to one that meets the ObamaCare requirements can be quite expensive."
ReplyDeleteAn article that ran in the Columbus Republic on p. A6 today says:
"The state did not release the data on how it came up with this estimate, but The Washington Post reported this was likely the result of "squishing" together all the plans that would be available to Indiana residents, from the cheapest "bronze" plan to the most expensive "gold" option and coming up with one number.
Indiana Democrats quickly fired back.
"I think Hoosiers should be very leery of this report. These numbers simply don't tell the whole story on how the implementation of the Affordable Care Act will affect Hoosiers," said Sen. Jean Breaux, D-Indianapolis, in a statement. "The report leaves out any information on tax credits available to Hoosiers to put toward the cost of coverage, along with an inflated and flawed assumption on the average cost as a whole."
Get ready for more blurring of the lines as the long, drawn-out, political clash stretches through its fourth year. And not just from Republican opponents.
As the opening of the insurance exchanges draws near, Obama and his health care team have taken to the stump with their own tales of insurance rates dropping. If Indiana is the Republican horror story, New York has become the Democratic fairy tale, with estimates from New York Democrats that insurance rates will drop by 53 percent. That has caused Republicans to cry foul.
This wouldn't be the first time price tags and numbers have been cherry-picked in the ongoing health care battle. The state's actuary, Milliman, has produced regular reports with detailed estimates of how much expanding Medicaid would cost. There are breakdowns, tables, broad descriptions of the variables used and a range of expected costs to the state, from $2 billion and $2.6 billion over seven years.
The number Indiana's Republicans landed on is the most dire estimate from the report. Count on more spinning prices and numbers as the battle moves to the airwaves.
So Hoosiers have to take the cheapo plan for the numbers to work out?
ReplyDeleteAlso, let's call "tax credits" what they are: subsidies.
I dunno, after 3 plus years I just dunno, but I can tell you this: it is a very personal issue for my spouse and I this upcoming year so I promise to blog honestly and forthrightly.
ReplyDeleteJust remember to let your thinking be guided by immutable principles. What looks like short-term advantage may not be in your long-term interest nor that of the country.
ReplyDeleteThe Supreme Court has already ruled that this law is constitutional, as we well know, so I am not concerned about the breach of your so called immutable principles. I will be eligible for Medicare (constitutionality of OASI has been tested and found sound, thus so with Medicare) in 1.5 years and you bet I'm taking it, aren't you? Still pulling for universal coverage for my children and grandchildren as the children and grandchildren in 50 other countries around the world are the grateful beneficiaries of.
ReplyDeleteOh, so the Supreme Court never makes bad decisions?
ReplyDeleteThere is no money for universal care for your children. Plus, that would be consigning them to socialist tyranny.
Well, they may have to join the military. Talk about socialist tyranny! But at least then they would get universal coverage, lol.
ReplyDeleteI would think you would take your hat off when you pass the SCOTUS building, it was established in the Constitution, but perhaps you might want to try honing it down to 6 again.
ReplyDelete"The Supreme Court of the United States is the only court specifically established by the Constitution of the United States, implemented in 1789; under the Judiciary Act of 1789, the Court was to be composed of six members—though the number of justices has been nine for almost all of its history, this number is set by Congress, not the Constitution. The court convened for the first time on February 2, 1790." (from Wiki)
America has the greatest military right now in the world and has no real competition, would you not agree? We can make our universal health plan the greatest in the world too.
ReplyDeleteHow citizens care for their health should be no concern of the government.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, explain once again why you champion the idea of universal health care.
ReplyDeleteSimply and succinctly put, as Einstein put it, "God does not play dice with the universe." Nor should we with health care.
ReplyDeleteLook no further than the great state of Massachussetts for a glowing success story> Apparently it's constitutional too!
ReplyDelete"The Commonwealth’s health reform law has been a extraordinarily successful in meeting its intent. The percent of uninsured has dropped from about ten percent in 2006 to about 2.6 percent in 2008. An estimated 420,000 persons have obtained quality, affordable coverage because of the 2006 law. The 1996-97 waiver led to an expansion in coverage for about 350,000 lower income individuals in the state, especially children. Senator Kennedy used the 1996-97 Massachusetts formulation as his initial model in devising what became the federal CHIP program in July 1997."
Read more at http://tedkennedy.org/service/item/massachusetts_health_care/
Quite admittedly though, the execution of Obamacare is sadly and SERIOUSLY lacking. On a more hopeful note, 7000 applicants for 200 jobs calls the lie to those who call the unemployed a bunch of sheep sucking off the unemployment benefits tit.
ReplyDeleteThe Contra Costa Times reports the call center, which is set to be opened Oct. 1, attracted about 7,000 applicants for 200 jobs after the county won the right to operate it earlier this year. Many workers and local politicians say they believed that the majority of the positions at the center would be full-time with benefits.
However, about half the workers were actually offered part-time positions with no benefits. Some say they only learned the positions were part-time after completing an orientation earlier this month
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/07/29/workers-at-obamacare-call-center-angry-after-being-offered-jobs-without-health/#ixzz2aYAIpUDU
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/02/09/danger-ahead-massachusetts-health-costs-are-rising-fast/
ReplyDeletehttp://www.masslive.com/politics/index.ssf/2013/01/massachusetts_is_working_to_ad.html
Is the bloggie privy to any groundswell to repeal
ReplyDeleteRomneycare which has been in effect for 7 years now?
Health care costs have been rising fast EVERYWHERE for more years than I can recall to count. According to a 2011 Milliman Medical Index, the total cost of health care for a typical family of four covered by a preferred provider plan was $19,393; an increase of $1,319, or 7.3 percent over the cost for 2010. This amount was double what the same family would have needed less than a decade ago, in 2002, when the cost was $9,235. Of the total 2011 amount, the average employee paid an all time high of 39.7 percent, or $8008. That is certainly not small change at a time when the economy has stagnated and unemployment is high.
Unless something is done to curtail it, the inexorable climb in health care costs will continue. Ultimately, these rising costs will have an increasingly devastating effect on ordinary Americans. Unable to financially bear the larger premiums, co-pays and deductibles, many individuals will put off obtaining needed medical care, endangering their health. That many citizens do put off dealing with health issues because of financial concerns is very sad commentary on the state of the health care industry in the world’s wealthiest nation.
Read more at http://blogcritics.org/why-do-health-care-costs-continue/
They will rise as long as mitigating parties, either government or insurance companies, do most of the paying for health care. It distorts the market. No one has a clear picture - in some cases, no one can even venture a wild-ass guess - regarding the true worth of a given service or product. THe consumer is not directly paying for what he is obtaining.
ReplyDeleteCut taxes way back so people are keeping enough of their own money to budget for healthcare expenses up to the catastrophic kind, at which level there is indeed a place for insurance companies.
Go for it! I'm taking my medicare and buying a good supplement. Can you blame me?
ReplyDelete