by Grace-Marie Turner The cascade of delays, missed deadlines and workforce distortions accelerated in the countdown to the launch of the health exchanges. But they overshadowed the real issue: What will the experience be for the average consumer trying to get coverage? Despite the happy talk from President Obama about enrollment being as easy as online shopping, consumers are in for some … [Read more...] about ObamaCare Not Ready for Prime Time
ObamaCare is a Gigantic Shell Game
by Grace-Marie Turner Obamacare is a gigantic shell game. Americans were promised that the Affordable Care Act would lower health costs by $2,500 a year for the average family, provide coverage for tens of millions more Americans, and do all of this while reducing the federal budget deficit. It would be accomplished through 2,800 pages of legislation, tens of thousands of pages of regulatory … [Read more...] about ObamaCare is a Gigantic Shell Game
Avik Roy: Double Down: Obamacare Will Increase Avg. Individual-Market Insurance Premiums By 99% For Men, 62% For Women
For months now, we’ve been waiting to hear how much Obamacare will drive up the cost of health insurance for people who purchase coverage on their own. Last night, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services finally began to provide some data on how Americans will fare on Obamacare’s federally-sponsored insurance exchanges. HHS’ press release is full of happy talk about how premiums will be … [Read more...] about Avik Roy: Double Down: Obamacare Will Increase Avg. Individual-Market Insurance Premiums By 99% For Men, 62% For Women
Julie Appleby: Some Say Obamacare’s ‘Affordable’ Coverage Isn’t Affordable For Them
Michelle La Voie wants health insurance, but as a single mom making $38,000 a year and supporting two teenagers, she's not sure she can afford it -- even with a subsidy through the federal health law known as Obamacare. When enrollment in new online insurance markets begins next month, La Voie will likely qualify for a subsidy to buy private insurance, but would still have to pay $191 a month, … [Read more...] about Julie Appleby: Some Say Obamacare’s ‘Affordable’ Coverage Isn’t Affordable For Them
Avik Roy: Not Affordable Care Act: Opposing view
In most states, premiums will increase. Imagine that Congress passed a law requiring all cars sold in America to use hybrid engines. If you're concerned about our consumption of fossil fuels, such a law might sound great. However, as anyone who has shopped for a car knows, hybrid cars are much more expensive than conventional ones. OUR VIEW: Affordable care in 7 days ObamaCare is doing … [Read more...] about Avik Roy: Not Affordable Care Act: Opposing view
Obamacare Workers Offering Help Also Threaten Identity Theft
by Grace-Marie Turner A blockbuster report by the House Oversight Committee staff shows the threats Americans will face when an army of ObamaCare workers begins to fan the country to enroll people in the new health insurance exchanges. The detailed report by the Republican staff of Rep. Darrell Issa’s Committee on Oversight and Government Reform also exposes new layers of lawlessness in … [Read more...] about Obamacare Workers Offering Help Also Threaten Identity Theft
Making Progress on LTC
By Grace-Marie Turner The long-term care program – the CLASS Act – contained in ObamaCare was repealed earlier this year after Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said she was unable to find a way to make the program financially solvent. But when Congress repealed the program, it created a commission charged with developing recommendations for a new plan. On Thursday, … [Read more...] about Making Progress on LTC
James Capretta: More Good News as the Medicare Drug Benefit Approaches Ten Years
As the political back and forth over Obamacare intensified this summer, it largely went overlooked that the Medicare prescription drug benefit continues to outperform expectations. In July, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that the average premium for the drug benefit in 2014 would be just $31. That’s remarkable given that the average premium had held steady at $30 in … [Read more...] about James Capretta: More Good News as the Medicare Drug Benefit Approaches Ten Years