Posted by Tina
The march toward universal healthcare got a power boost today when several large insurance carriers opted out of the government mandated insurance exchange under Obamcare:
(CNSNews.com) – Major health insurance companies–Blue Cross, Aetna, United, Humana–have decided not to participate in various states in the Obamacare health-insurance exchanges that will be the only place Americans will be able to buy a health insurance plan using the federal subsidies authorized under the Obamacare law.
Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (AKA Obamacare), every American must buy a health insurance plan that meets minimum government specifications. If a person does not get health insurance through their employer, and is not on Medicaid, they can buy insurance through their home state’s insurance exchange (which, depending on the state, will be run by either the state or federal government).
States will also operate exchanges where small businesses can buy health-insurance plans.Individuals and families making up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level will qualify for a federal subsidy to help them buy their government-mandated insurance–but only if they buy their insurance on the government-run exchange.
What an incredibly unfair mess! I heard some progressive mouthpiece this morning defending this piece of crap legislation by completely ignoring and dismissing all of the people for whom this bill will place great hardship. The brain dead freak was a brick wall covered in bumper stickers. She was completely unable to engage in a conversation.
Other news this morning about O’bummercare…the HHS has announced that the government sponsored co-ops, meant to provide an alternative choice to private sector insurance, may run out of money:
Most of the 24 health care co-ops created under Obamacare are in danger of running out of money before they even begin offering health insurance to consumers, according to the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services.
The 24 nonprofits, intended to create competition for private insurance companies, are funded by a $2 billion loan program authorized by Obamacare to cover their startup costs. The co-ops are expected to become self-sustaining and repay their loans with interest.
But 11 of the 16 co-ops the IG reviewed said they expect startup costs to exceed what they received from the Department of Health and Human Services via the loans, and none of those reviewed by the IG have enough private support to fund them once they’re up and running, even though private support was one of the criteria for preference during the loan award process.
According to this article this terrible news might be topped by investigations into fraud and abuse within some of these co-ops:
…extensive evidence of financial mismanagement, conflicts of interest, failure to file required tax returns, inadequate capitalization and evasion of public disclosure requirements such as the federal Freedom of Information Act.
A recent Examiner survey found, for example, that all but one of the 24 co-ops failed to file required tax returns, and several may invoke a highly questionable loophole allowing them to avoid doing so in the future.
Even more troubling, two of the co-op loans were awarded to organizations headed by individuals with questionable backgrounds, the Examiner has learned, including an insider trading conviction and a history of child sexual abuse.
Chicago politics to the MAX!
A new report by WMDT (News outlet serving Maryland and Delaware and Virginia) indicates that healthcare premiums could rise from 100% to 400% next year (video at link):
“The estimated increases would be tied to the cost of implementing the new regulations, taxes, fees, and mandates in the health care reform law,” the anchor says. “The average increase is expected to be about 100 percent and could be as high as 400 percent, according to a report released on Monday.”
“Who cares…Obamacare is wonderful!” So shout the idiot supporters of this expensive, complex, unfair, destroyer of the American health care industry.
And let us not forget, the President intervened, personally, so that Congressional staffers would not be subjected to those rising premiums and can keep their gold plated plan:
…President Obama just gave Congress its very own Obamacare waiver.
Obamacare includes a provision that should cost each member of Congress and each staffer $5,000 to $11,000 per year. Needless to say, the ruling class was not pleased.
Congress wasn’t about to try to exempt itself from this provision explicitly, though. If John Q. Congressman voted to give himself an Obamacare waiver that his constituents don’t get, he wouldn’t be John Q. Congressman much longer. What’s an aristocrat to do?
On July 30, I predicted that, even though he had no authority to do so, President Obama would waive that provision at taxpayers’ expense. On August 1, he ignobly obliged the aristocracy by decreeing we peasants give each member and staffer $5,000 or $11,000, depending on whether they want self-only or family coverage.
Read the entire article it’s an eye popper!
Time for the serfs to storm the castle!
“Time for the serfs to storm the castle!”
So, you’re totally cool with class warfare now, are you?
Chris, you’re a smart guy, nobody disputes that. So, I pose this question to you: Why not use that intelligence in a way that makes your point respectfully and with dignity, that stops just short of insulting the person with an opposing view? It doesn’t take that much more effort to be just a tad diplomatic.
California actually has a great exchange. Unfortunately it will do little to help people who are insured but paying a fortune. At my company the employee pays part of the insurance and it is like $100 a month. Affordable. But families are covered 100% by the employee and that costs $1,000 a month. Unaffordable. Because Obamacare is so lame, my family will not be able to purchase affordable insurance in the exchange. This is because my employer offers affordable coverage to me. Even though the family coverage is not considered affordable, my coverage is so we can’t buy on the exchange and have to continue to spend way too much money on crappy insurance with a high deductible and large co-pay for office visits.
We need health care reform in this country. Hard working people are spending way too much money so insurance companies can get rich. I am so angry at Republicans at this. They have offered nothing to replace this crappy Obamacare and have no solution to people who are spending their hard earned wages on insurance premiums.
And I am very angry that Congress is not being covered by Obamacare. If we have to suffer through getting health care they should suffer too. The reason they don’t care about getting anything better is they have great government health insurance. Every single taxpayer in America should be able to get the same insurance as our worthless congress gets for working 126 days this year. Yes, that is right, Congress gets 239 days off and makes $174,000 a year. And they get the best health insurance money can buy.
Howdy Post scripts, Not all o us agree wit u bout the smart reckon’n of ol’ Chris thar. were sure he knows what general direction cattywumpus is but one thing fer sure that boys’ got a lot of Liven’ and learn’n, for he dies and knows it all.
Chris boy y’all got more problems than a math book. We know yer not askin how we figure him, but that boy is getting too big for his britches and a easy three pickles shy of a quart.
Chris when our elected officials behave like royalty, in this nation designed to operate as a free republic, storming the castle is a responsible act and anything but class warfare as we know it. I do hope you were attempting to be humorous.
If not…it is worrisome that you prefer to be a serf as long as the royalty toss you a few crumbs.
How sad that even with a college education you have no sense of your heritage or the incredible gift of freedom.
Princess I don’t think you have to accept the insurance your employer provides, especially if your family can get a better deal elsewhere. It would be worth it to ask. Also, your employer should be giving or mailing you a flyer or letter soon that explains your options beginning in 2014.
Also, the Republicans do have plans for reform of the industry that would result in coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, actually drive the cost of coverage down by making it more competitive, enhancing health savings accounts etc.
They have offered legislation but lack the numbers to get it passed.
See also here, and here.
That’s where the people come in. When we stay home and refuse to vote because we don’t like the republican candidate, when we vote for an alternate candidate because the one we got doesn’t agree with us 100%, when we vote for a candidate whose party has never garnered more than a few percent of the vote we effectively vote for the Democrat.
Republicans and Democrats have let us down but they are, at least for now, the two parties with power to change the law. We gave Obama his second term in part because too many conservatives stayed home or voted for an alternate candidate.
We don’t hear much about the things Republicans plan and do. Most news outlets get the news from AP and they are more likely to favor Democrats. Not enough republicans are able to get good coverage even when they manage to get interviewed. The other side of the coin is that we hear a lot of negative coverage of republicans and their ideas.
This is why Jack and I do this blog. It’s a small contribution but we hope to bring you information you might not get otherwise.
Hope you are able to find insurance at a more reasonable rate.
The President made remarks about the implementation of his signature legislation on Friday. Mary Katharine Ham “unpacks” his remarks over at Hot Air in case anyone is interested in the remarkable level of nonsense he leveled at Americans as he headed out of town for a swanky Vacay on Martha’s Vineyard.