Obamacare was rolled out for public consumption just a few short days ago and if nothing else is true of the government takeover of health care —it is not ready for prime time. When Democrats (or at least the ones who want to be re-elected) start criticizing, and all the major media (except the alphabet network) jump on board —fiasco becomes a kind word.
The difficulty with rolling out Obamacare is merely the tip of the iceberg. If everything worked as hyped —it would still be a train wreck for the American people. Subsidized healthcare is the problem because it represents a socialistic goal embedded in unfairness. Obamacare was touted as bringing quality healthcare to the masses —in reality, it brings tax payer subsidized coverage to both the poor, and selectively, to the rich.
Joe Schmo who has middle income salary of $60,000.00, must pay for his health care coverage entirely out of his own pocket —and then through his tax dollars, he must subsidize coverage for Congress members whose starting salary is $174,000.00 – plus a gaggle of perks. In my zip code, Schmo would pay $5473.00 for a Silver Plan and $4,520.00 for a Bronze Plan —and then gets the honor of subsidizing Congresses’ plan with his taxes.
Obamacare was advertised as an elixir for people who have no health care coverage —after it is fully implemented the number of people without health care coverage will be about the same as before the program was devised. And at the core of Obamacare, young people who typically have no health care problems, must purchase insurance for the program to work. Given the fact that individuals cannot be denied health insurance based on pre-existing conditions, what young person with even minimal intelligence, would buy Obamacare? Why not merely wait until one has a major medical problem and then purchase insurance. How many people would purchase comprehensive automobile coverage if they could wait until they were involved in an accident to decide that they needed the coverage?
The unintended consequences of Obamacare are just beginning to surface: Florida Blue has cancelled 300,000 policies – Kaiser Permanent cancelled 160,000 policies in California – Blue Shield of California sent out 119,000 cancellation notice in September 2013 alone. Highmark of Pittsburg plans to cancel 20% of their policies and Independent Blue Cross of Philadelphia plans to cancel 45% of their policies. All in all, cancellations are projected to exceed 15 million policy holders. Typical of President Obama’s modus operandi —he blames the evil insurance companies for the cancellations. He neglects to mention that Obamacare regulations dictate the cancellations. Policies that are being cancelled far exceed enrollees in the program. Another indicator of the reality of Obamacare: in Oregon, 52,000 people did actually use the healthcare web site to enroll —100% for the Medicaid Program. Nationwide, Medicaid enrollment represent the vast majority of enrollees.
The Obamacare enrollment web site is a disaster —no one seems to argue with that assertion. What many people do not know is that Toni Townes-Whitley, Princeton University class of 1985, and chum of Michelle Robinson-Obama, is a senior vice-president at CGI Federal, which got the no-bid contract to build the $678 million Obamacare enrollment website at Healthcare.gov. Any cronyism here— nah, probably just a coincidence.
If Obamacare was rolled out without the slightest glitch it would be full of cronyism, exemptions for special interest, and taxpayer funding for the health care premiums for the elitist in Congress and other high income federal bureaucrats, and staffers. Any way that one wants to cut it —Obamacare is merely an expansion of socialism for those at the bottom and top of the food chain —and imposes a financial burden on those in the middle to pay the bill.
Attempting to fix the Healthcare.gov website while people are attempting to enroll in the program is kind of like trying to do a tune-up on an automobile while it is being driven down the highway. And if the taxpayers got soaked $678 million for something that doesn’t work —how much more will it cost to make it work?
Just days before the unveiling of the Healthcare.gov website, the President claimed, through his surrogates, that the “shiny new website was elegantly designed, simple to use and ready” Now he claims, through his surrogates, that he did not even know about the glitches in Obamacare until he read it in the newspaper —he is definitely the Sergeant Schultz of presidents —but only when it is self-serving.
President Obama touted Obamacare as needed for 30 million uninsured Americans —which he hyped as a big number. An estimated 16 million will lose their existing coverage because it does not meet government requirements —Obama surrogates tout this as a small percentage of the overall population. The President promised Americans that they could keep their current healthcare coverage if they so desired —they can’t. Expanded coverage is the issue. To make Obamacare understandable: it makes young men purchase maternity coverage —the equivalent of requiring snow tires in Miami.
Democrats who are running for re-election in 2014 may hide in storm sewers to avoid having their picture taken with the inventor of Obamacare. If people are caught in the void of health care cancellations and are unable to enroll in Obamacare there will be hell to pay and Democrats will get the bill. What an ugly baby this Obamacare —and it is only a few weeks old!
Have a good week. Bill Shuey is a freelance writer from Murphy, NC. He can be contacted at: washuey@brmemc.net.
