This Week’s Health Policy News Roundup Curated by Jane M. Orient, M.D.
“If you like your weak economy, you can keep your weak economy,” promises Casey Mulligan, professor of economics at the University of Chicago. He analyzes the effect of ObamaCare on productivity and concludes that employment will be three percent less over the long term because of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and that national income will be two percent less. “If you look at the productivity costs alone—forgetting the fact that there will be a number of people not working anymore—they come to $6,000 per person who gets health insurance because of the law.” http://imprimis.hillsdale.edu/current?hsCtaTracking=91f6f006-b1e0-48e4-92c9-ee54f541ec40%7Ca1273ad3-9cbf-4db5-b513-672aecee09f2
ObamaCare shows graphically that coverage is not the same as care. According to a Gallup Poll (http://www.gallup.com/poll/179774/cost-barrier-americans-medical-care.aspx), more Americans are delaying medical care because of increased costs. After Obamacare’s redistribution of wealth, the middle class is actually delaying medical care due to high costs at a higher rate than the poorest section of the country, which is highly subsidized by taxpayers.
“The growing problem could have serious consequences for the middle-class. Twice as many people (22 percent) have delayed treatment for serious illnesses than for smaller problems (11 percent).” http://dailycaller.com/2014/11/28/gallup-peak-number-of-americans-delaying-medical-care-over-costs/
Piecemeal repeal of the medical device tax, employer mandate, and individual mandate, as Republicans may attempt, would have bad consequences, argues The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/23/opinion/sunday/the-piecemeal-assault-on-health-care.html?_r=0
But that’s because these are needed to try to compensate for the destructive effects of the rest of the bill, such as the billions in premium subsidies and the huge cost shift to young, healthy enrollees necessitated by guaranteed issue and community rating. That’s an argument for full repeal, says the Washington Examiner. http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/new-york-times-makes-the-case-for-fully-repealing-obamacare/article/2556623
Lack of portability of health insurance on changing jobs, a problem before ObamaCare, is worse after, explains John Goodman. Employers are threatened with huge fines for using Health Reimbursement Arrangements, through which employers use tax-free dollars to pay employees’ medical bills, and even for using taxed dollars to buy individually owned policies. http://www.forbes.com/sites/johngoodman/2014/11/26/why-cant-you-have-health-insurance-that-travels-from-job-to-job-answer-obamacare/
ObamaCare was sold using a carefully designed three-legged stool of deception, crafted to achieve the greatest deception of all: that Obamacare “would support and sustain the employer-based system, not erode it,” writes Chris Conover. http://www.forbes.com/sites/theapothecary/2014/11/24/obamacares-three-legged-stool-of-deception-regarding-employer-health-plans/ Now that the truth is out, can we have a debate about that system and the tax policy that supports it?
If we go by enrollment figures, ObamaCare can be judged a failure—depending on how you define “success.” Only 20% of Exchange-eligible individuals enrolled, but this is too high a bar. Using the modest goal set by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), 84% was achieved—a “C+,” according to Chris Conover. http://www.forbes.com/sites/theapothecary/2014/11/26/latest-official-figures-show-the-obamacare-exchanges-failed-by-more-than-we-thought/
It certainly wasn’t a success for the Democrats in the election—even Sen. Chuck Schumer admitted it was bad politics. http://www.forbes.com/sites/johngoodman/2014/11/28/why-the-democrats-lost-the-election-obamacare/ It did not help the uninsured—it was designed by the core special interest constituencies, John Goodman notes.
And will that not be the key barrier to repeal?
Michael Cannon’s Grubergate Mini-series: http://www.cato.org/blog/grubergate-mini-series
Social Media:
Because Why Not? Obama's Treasury Ponzi scheme Issues $1T in New Debt in 8 Weeks—To Pay Old Debt http://t.co/A4sv4MF85m
— Andrew Malcolm (@AHMalcolm) December 1, 2014
The real lesson from 'Grubergate':
The bigger the law, the more room for political manipulation.
http://t.co/6z3jC0NDb4 via @usatoday
— Grüss Gott (@clasicaliberal) December 1, 2014
Well done > RT @NOMOCNOW: Congratulations @MedSocietyVA for passing resolutions against MOC! http://t.co/LNp0rvzPm3 @AAPSonline @IP4PI
— Westby Fisher, MD (@doctorwes) December 1, 2014
