Obamacare failing as expected....as predicted

[JustRalph]

http://www.investors.com/politics/ed...said-it-would/

"problems? Not ObamaCare backers. They were endlessly promising that the law would create vibrant, highly competitive markets that would lower the cost of insurance.

Critics, however, were spot on. They said that, despite the individual mandate, ObamaCare wouldn't attract enough young and healthy people to keep premiums down."

[zico20]

Originally Posted by JustRalph

http://www.investors.com/politics/ed...said-it-would/

"problems? Not ObamaCare backers. They were endlessly promising that the law would create vibrant, highly competitive markets that would lower the cost of insurance.

Critics, however, were spot on. They said that, despite the individual mandate, ObamaCare wouldn't attract enough young and healthy people to keep premiums down."

The Democrats solution to all of this will be to increase subsidies and have it financed by the rich in higher taxes. Eventually, the subsidies will be affordable and everyone will opt in. That is how the Democrats will approach it.

[chadk66]

they want it to fail so they can have single payer. it's always been the plan

[Clocker]

The Dems, lead by moonbats like Barney Frank, wanted single payer but knew that they could not get it in any time soon. The plan when they were writing the bill was to have a public option, a new program like Medicare where people could buy health insurance from the government. They figured that eventually the public option would be the migration path to single payer.

They couldn't get the votes for the public option at the time. Look for that to be the next 'solution' to the failing ObamaCare exchanges. When and if they get that, and that fails, single payer is the next 'solution'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iR_iKRKewQ

[HalvOnHorseracing]

There have to be people here on Medicare. I can tell you in the circles I run in people seem to really like Medicare, and are spending ridiculously small amounts on premiums and co-pays. Is there anyone here who is on Medicare and thinks it is a really bad deal? I'm honestly asking.

[Clocker]

Originally Posted by HalvOnHorseracing

There have to be people here on Medicare. I can tell you in the circles I run in people seem to really like Medicare, and are spending ridiculously small amounts on premiums and co-pays.

True. Medicare is great for those that have it. And even now it is not self-sustaining. Medicare is spending more on benefits than it takes in through FICA taxes every month, and the deficit is getting worse and worse as the boomers retire. Funding Medicare in the future will require huge changes in benefits, premiums and tax subsidies. The public option, as envisioned by proponents, would be Medicare on steroids. And single payer would turn the health care world upside down.

[rastajenk]

Who coined the phrase "single payer?" A shill or a loonie?

[HalvOnHorseracing]

Originally Posted by rastajenk

Who coined the phrase "single payer?" A shill or a loonie?

That would be the person who was trying to convey the fact that all reimbursements for services are paid through a single entity.

[chadk66]

If medicare in itself was so great insurance companies wouldn't be selling medicare supplements

[Saratoga_Mike]

Originally Posted by Clocker

True. Medicare is great for those that have it. And even now it is not self-sustaining. Medicare is spending more on benefits than it takes in through FICA taxes every month, and the deficit is getting worse and worse as the boomers retire. Funding Medicare in the future will require huge changes in benefits, premiums and tax subsidies. The public option, as envisioned by proponents, would be Medicare on steroids. And single payer would turn the health care world upside down.

Besides the obvious cost issues you have articulated so well, there's a subsidization issue. In general, managed care/private pay subsidizes care for Medicaid and to a lessor extent Medicare patients. That subsidy/premium drives innovation and excellence, but it also creates a mirage (i.e., we can have excellent care under a single-payor system).

Other healthcare systems around the world also benefit (i.e., free-rider effect) from our system. For example, in general, RX drugs are much cheaper in Canada than in the US. Why is that? Because there's no "free trade" of RX drugs between Canada and the US. Why? The drug lobby owns the GOP. Drug companies claim we can't run a safe re-importation program b/c of safety issues. Given the Canadian drug-disti channel is arguably safer than ours, I think that argument is laughable.

Remove the trade barriers. Drug pricing in other highly developed countries will increase, and our drug prices will decline.

[Capper Al]

Originally Posted by JustRalph

http://www.investors.com/politics/ed...said-it-would/

"problems? Not ObamaCare backers. They were endlessly promising that the law would create vibrant, highly competitive markets that would lower the cost of insurance.

Critics, however, were spot on. They said that, despite the individual mandate, ObamaCare wouldn't attract enough young and healthy people to keep premiums down."

First as Clocker has pointed out Obamacare's premiums increased in line with the rest of the industrial world while covering more people and digitalizing the nation's healthcare industry. Second the US's healthcare has in the past increased more than the rest of the worlds.

Thanks Clocker!

Third holding politicians accountable for painting a rosier picture than reality is done by both sides of the fence. Get over it. The public is on to the games of the right. Best you can do is like most of the republicans in office:

Play Dead!!!

[Clocker]

Originally Posted by Capper Al

First as Clocker has pointed out Obamacare's premiums increased in line with the rest of the industrial world while covering more people and digitalizing the nation's healthcare industry. Second the US's healthcare has in the past increased more than the rest of the worlds.

Thanks Clocker!

I did not say that. Not even close. Try to pay attention if you are going to attribute things to other people.

I said that the cost of health care, not health insurance, in the US has increased in line with the rest of the world. That in spite of Obama's promise that ObamaCare would cut costs.

Obamacare premiums are increasing at a faster rate than other health insurance premiums, and at a faster rate than health care costs, again the opposite of what you just said.

[Capper Al]

Originally Posted by Clocker

I did not say that. Not even close. Try to pay attention if you are going to attribute things to other people.

I said that the cost of health care, not health insurance, in the US has increased in line with the rest of the world. That in spite of Obama's promise that ObamaCare would cut costs.

Obamacare premiums are increasing at a faster rate than other health insurance premiums, and at a faster rate than health care costs, again the opposite of what you just said.

Not so. You let the cat out of the bag. Health care is cover by health insurance and should somewhat correlate to health insurance. Yes Obamacare rates are being adjusted. This is the first round. We all need to learn from it. Thanks again Clocker for your info!

[Clocker]

Originally Posted by Capper Al

Not so. You let the cat out of the bag. Health care is cover by health insurance and should somewhat correlate to health insurance. Yes Obamacare rates are being adjusted. This is the first round. We all need to learn from it. Thanks again Clocker for your info!

No, you have it exactly backwards. Health insurance should correlate to health care costs. ObamaCare does not, which is why it is a mess.

This is not the first round. ObamaCare premiums have been going up regularly for years.

[Clocker]

Originally Posted by Saratoga_Mike

Other healthcare systems around the world also benefit (i.e., free-rider effect) from our system. For example, in general, RX drugs are much cheaper in Canada than in the US. Why is that? Because there's no "free trade" of RX drugs between Canada and the US. Why? The drug lobby owns the GOP. Drug companies claim we can't run a safe re-importation program b/c of safety issues. Given the Canadian drug-disti channel is arguably safer than ours, I think that argument is laughable.

To make things worse, Medicare is forbidden by US law to negotiate prices with the drug companies. But Medicaid and the VA are allowed to do so. So Medicare patients pay more for drugs unless they have supplemental insurance and their insurer negotiates directly for lower prices.