Krauthammer’s Take: It’s All Downhill for Obamacare

[Revmitchell]

When it comes to Obamacare, things are headed downhill from here, Charles Krauthammer said Thursday night.

“As long as the exchanges are down, all you’re getting are stories of people losing insurance and practically no one gaining insurance,” Krauthammer said on Special Report. “This is a program that is doing the exact opposite of what it was intended.”

Even if the exchanges are fixed, he said, the incentive structure will keep the young out of Obamacare, setting up a death spiral.

[video]

http://nationalreview.com/corner/362800/krauthammers-take-its-all-downhill-obamacare-nro-staff

 

[thisnumbersdisconnected]

O'Reilly was even more direct in his "Talking Point" segment at the beginning of last night's show.

http://www.billoreilly.com/show?action=viewTVShow&showID=3513#1​

"America has entered another dimension. Yesterday President Obama continued his campaign of misleading statements, saying this: 'If you had one of these substandard plans before the Affordable Care Act became law and you liked that plan, you were able to keep it.' But that's not true, you can't keep it.

According to the Washington Post, the President's comment rated 'four Pinocchios,' which is deception at the highest level. So why does the President continue to do this? For the USA to become a progressive nation, the federal government must control key aspects of American life, health care and the economy being the top two. Thus, the end justifies the means.

Obamacare will cause many Americans, perhaps most, major inconvenience and higher health care expense. And even though President Obama's propaganda has been exposed, he doesn't seem to care. Instead of being chastened, he's emboldened. Why? Because the President believes his vision for America, including health care for all, is more noble than any truthful statement. So he justifies his actions even if deceit is involved.

Instead of leveling with the folks that national health care will require deep sacrifice from many, he continues to sugar it up. Barack Obama knows that the Democratic Party and progressive Americans don't really care how he gets there, they just want more government control. If the President has to deceive to do that, so be it.

I have studied the man and my analysis of him has been accurate and fair. I have never demonized the President, insulted him, or tried to marginalize him. He is a committed left-wing man who believes the USA would be a far better place if only we would all listen to him. And he'll say pretty much anything to make his progressive vision come true."

 

[Don]

Well ... here's the problem: Insurance companies already identified their rates for 2014. As they're now saying, to delay the individual mandate--or worse, cancel the ACA--they'll all have to re-figure the rates and submit to the regulatory agencies; for which they're predicting a 15-20% increase in rates for 2014.

In other words, the insurance industry is now making a case to "save Obamacare" by telling us it will be more expensive to not implement this train wreck.

SHORT SUMMARY: No matter what happens at this point, the American taxpayer loses and insurance rates increase.

 

[thisnumbersdisconnected]

In other words, the insurance industry is now making a case to "save Obamacare" by telling us it will be more expensive to not implement this train wreck.

A fifteen- to twenty-percent increase in rates beats a doubling of rates, which many people face. And insurance that costs 15-20 percent more than it did last year is still better than not being able to buy or afford insurance at all. The insurance industry refiguring rates is a bargain compared to the ACA, if that's all it is going to cost to do so.

Here's an example. Family of four, husband and wife both non-smokers, wife of child-bearing years, children healthy with normal pediatric expenses. Cost of full coverage, $30 co-pay, 15% co-pay on medications: $487. Doubling that is obviously $974. A 67% increase, which is the average increase, is nearly $814. A 20% increase? $584. Which would you rather pay? Well, of course, the original $487. But your medical coverage was probably going to go up 10-12% next year anyway, regardless of the ACA.

 

[Aaron]

A fifteen- to twenty-percent increase in rates beats a doubling of rates, which many people face.

And the increase would be only temporary.

 

[Don]

And the increase would be only temporary.

Not sure if you meant that to be sarcastic...but I'm not optimistic that any increase implemented by the insurance industry will be "temporary."

 

[thisnumbersdisconnected]

Not sure if you meant that to be sarcastic...but I'm not optimistic that any increase implemented by the insurance industry will be "temporary."

Regardless, as I said, their increases wouldn't be as painful in the free market system as this ridiculous and misbegotten legislation known as the ACA is going to make them.

 

[Don]

Regardless, as I said, their increases wouldn't be as painful in the free market system as this ridiculous and misbegotten legislation known as the ACA is going to make them.

AGREED. And to put my final statement another way: the only "winners" in this whole mess are the insurance industry and those who profit from it.

 

[Aaron]

Not sure if you meant that to be sarcastic...but I'm not optimistic that any increase implemented by the insurance industry will be "temporary."

Insurance rates go up and down. Their profit margins are legislated. Lawyers are the winners.

 

[Bob Alkire]

Insurance rates go up and down. Their profit margins are legislated. Lawyers are the winners.

I believe you are correct on the lawyers.
The left has done a good job of selling us on profit being bad or less it is their own pay. My insurance cost has not gone up but not as fast as our hospital and much of our medical cost.