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Title: They want Obamacare subsidies, no matter what
Source:
Yahoo!
URL Source: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/want- ... idies-no-matter-050100480.html
Published: Jan 28, 2015
Author: CNBC
Post Date: 2015-01-28 11:18:56 by Willie Green
Keywords: None
Views: 4409
Comments: 18
They break it? You need to fix it. A strong majority of Americans would want officials to restore often-significant financial aid given to Obamacare customers in much of the United States if the Supreme Court rules the assistance is illegal, a new survey shows. The Kaiser Family Foundation poll released Wednesday underscores the potential political peril Obamacare foes may face if the high court case goes in their favor, and subsidies for millions of insurance customers are ended by summer. The poll reflects the fact that even as the Affordable Care Act continues to be viewed negatively by more Americans than those who view it positively-46 percent to 40 percent-there is stronger reluctance among the public to see those who have been helped by the ACA lose its benefits. The survey found that 56 percent said they knew "nothing at all" about the high court challenge, which targets subsidies issued to most customers of HealthCare.gov. The federal health insurance marketplace serves 37 states, and so far this year has seen sign-ups by more than 6 million people who qualify for subsidies. Just 14 percent of respondents said they knew "some" or "a lot" about the case targeting the aid, which is available to Obamacare customers with low or moderate incomes. But 64 percent agreed that "Congress should pass a law" to restore the HealthCare.gov subsidies if the Supreme Court said the ACA as written does not allow them. While Democrats and self-described independents were the most supportive of that view, 40 percent of Republican respondents said Congress should pass a remedy. In states served by HealthCare.gov, 59 percent said they would want their state to create its own Obamacare exchange in the face of a high court decision ruling the federal exchange subsidies are illegal. And a slight majority of Republicans in those states, 51 percent, agreed that their state should take such action. The vast majority of people who buy Obamacare plans on government-run exchanges qualify for tax credits to help them pay their monthly insurance premiums. If those subsidies are not available, there is widespread agreement among insurance experts that enrollment in Obamacare plans would plummet because many people would find their retail prices unaffordable. In the pending court case, plaintiffs argue that the ACA allows the subsidies to be issued only to customers of one of the 14 insurance exchanges established by individual states and the District of Columbia. Plaintiffs say the aid is not an option for HealthCare.gov customers because the ACA only explicitly authorizes subsidies to customers of an exchange established by a "state." The Obama administration disputes that, and has said it is confident the subsidies will continue for HealthCare.gov customers. The Supreme Court is due to hear arguments March 4, and is likely to rule in June. Because Republican opponents of Obamacare are in control of Congress, it may prove difficult, at best, for the administration to get a law passed that would allow subsidies to be issued to federal exchange customers if the Supreme Court rules for the plaintiffs. And while some HealthCare.gov states may be inclined to set up their own exchanges in the face of such a decision, not all would do so. Other findings by the Kaiser poll point to persistent lack of awareness about elements of Obamacare among uninsured people, the group that the ACA is specifically designed to help. The survey found that only 17 percent of the uninsured know that Feb. 15 is the deadline to enroll in plans sold on Obamacare exchanges or to get health coverage to avoid a tax penalty for failing to have insurance. Sixty percent of the uninsured said they did not know the deadline, 11 percent gave a date "outside of the enrollment period and 13 percent say the deadline has passed or there is no deadline." Less than half of the uninsured-42 percent-know that subsidies are available to help people with low and moderate incomes, and a mere 22 percent said they know "at least something" about the Obamacare exchanges. The poll also found relatively weak support for a move by congressional Republicans tweak the ACA in order to reduce the burden on employers from the so-called "employer mandate." Starting this year, that mandate requires employers with 100 or more employees working at least 30 hours per week to offer them health insurance or face a potential fine. The House voted this month in favor of raising the mandate threshold to at least 40 hours per week. Just 26 percent of people in the poll supported that idea; 40 percent said they were opposed. But the poll also found that people's opinions on that question could be swayed after being given additional information. Just 13 percent still agreed with boosting the work-week threshold and 51 percent were opposed after being told such a move would increase the federal deficit and lead more employers to cut hours for some full-time workers to avoid the requirement to offer them insurance. But when respondents were told that subsidies for Obamacare-exchange plans would be available to low- and middle-income workers who did not work enough hours to qualify for work-based insurance, support for increasing the work-week limit rose to 41 percent, compared with just 22 percent who remained opposed to that idea.
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#1. To: Willie Green (#0)
-- 8 million Americans enrolled in a marketplace plan during open enrollment 2014 according to HHS, and 85 percent selected a plan with financial assistance. -- 7 million Americans enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP. -- 2.6 million young people under 26 were able to enroll on their parents plan. So, almost 18 million people are now getting coverage, but only 1.2 million (15% of 8 million) are actually paying for it. When those subsidies go away, the whole thing will come crashing down.
Just have the republican congress waive the mandate ... it would immediately be called --- obombawellfare !
If you ... don't use exclamation points --- you should't be typeing ! Commas - semicolons - question marks are for girlie boys !
In related news: A newly released Gallup Poll showed that 89.2% of Americans were in favor of Santa Claus bringing them freebies. As long as the Easter Bunny is paying for it.
Obamacare's major flaw is that it doesn't go far enough. The private sector is incapable of providing universal health care and controling costs. It is excessively expensive and only succeeds at driving jobs and other industries offshore and overseas.
"Some people march to a different drummer — and some people polka."
yeah - give them the ussr treatment ... we pretend we pay them --- they pretend they treat us ! party members - friends have private hospt - doctors ! comprehension level none for govt - liberal school - students about entry level hs - bible school - mid level private school - maybe
If you ... don't use exclamation points --- you should't be typeing ! Commas - semicolons - question marks are for girlie boys !
The private sector is incapable of providing universal health care and controling costs. It is excessively expensive and only succeeds at driving jobs and other industries offshore and overseas. You are correct. The fundamental problem is that the greatest expenses occur at the limits of life, where there is no possibility of recouping the costs, or with very sick individuals, who generally cannot work because they are sick. Health care at the extremes: for severe illnesses and at end of life, cost more than middle class people and below can ever pay for over their whole lifetimes. To provide universal coverage means transfer payments from the wealthy to everybody else. That's the way it is. Doing it through a bunch of private insurers just makes it more expensive, because the private insurers have to earn a profit as middlemen. Single payer government insurance is the cheapest way to do it. France has exactly the system we need: basically, take US Medicare, and give it to everybody. 80% is covered, 20% is co-pay. People pay up front to the doctor and are reimbursed by Social Security. (Therefore, doctors do not have big billing departments - people pay their bills and get reimbursed.) People who don't have the cash to pay for big expenses get the French equivalent of Medicaid, which pays for the services in advance and covers the gap. And that's it. Simple single payer system. It's about 40% cheaper than the US. Also, the French legal system is not a casino, so malpractice insurance is a quarter of the cost that it is in the US, or less. And medical school in France is paid by the government: you take competitive tests to get in, the slots are filled by merit, and you go for free: no student debt. Post-med school employment starts with internships to get hands-on, and this is at the public hospitals, then you choose to either stay public or go private, or go into research (public or private). So, doctors do not come into the profession with any debt, have only modest malpractice insurance costs (compared to America) and don't have to hire massive non-medical staffs because they don't deal with insurance companies. The quality of French health care (measured by key statistics such as 5-year survival rates of cancers, infant mortality and life expectancies) is as good as American health care. There is greater choice because there are no HMOs telling you whom you can see. And the overall costs are lower. It's all paid for out of taxes, as is the medical school education. When you add up the total cost of French taxes and subtract from it the benefits to the public of universal no-debt education, universal health insurance and universal pensions, and a better legal system, you discover that Americans spend more, net-net, on taxes PLUS educational expenses plus retirement savings costs plus health care costs, AND we have a freakish legal system that doesn't dispense justice, AND a much higher crime rate, AND we don't live as long. The French model for universal social welfare needs is less expensive and more sustainable than ours. We should adopt it. We won't, because Republican crony capitalists want all of that money going into the private middlemen's pockets, and the Democrats want THEIR cronies to get the money, and to keep people poor, insecure and dependent. It's the perfect storm. Now a bunch of Americans who don't know better will come screaming that I'm a socialist or a communist. And they'll live with much crappier conditions because they have been bamboozled by crony capitalists into being blind to their own interests and to the national interest.
Cradle to grave "free" stuff. The bane of pretty much every 20th century socialist society. Looks like - willing or not - we're going to go down that dead-end road, too. Or as the song says " . . . when will they ever learn. When will they ever learn"
Van Morrison? If so, my favorite song of his is 'Coney Island'.
Lol
No... it wasn't Morrison...
"Some people march to a different drummer — and some people polka."
You're a socialistic communist.
Oh well.
What could possibly go wrong there?
Why is democracy held in such high esteem when it’s the enemy of the minority and makes all rights relative to the dictates of the majority? (Ron Paul,2012)
LOVE the photo.
Why is democracy held in such high esteem when it’s the enemy of the minority and makes all rights relative to the dictates of the majority? (Ron Paul,2012)
Oh well. Don't worry. Nobody is perfect.
Why is democracy held in such high esteem when it’s the enemy of the minority and makes all rights relative to the dictates of the majority? (Ron Paul,2012)
Van Morrison? If so, my favorite song of his is 'Coney Island'. Although it creeps me out to even vaguely associate anything Obomber says or does with anything good,I think Van's "Into the Mystic" is as close as he can get to Van Morrison. Obomber seems to be pretty mystified to me,most of the time. BTW,this is one song from one of the greatest albums of all time.
Why is democracy held in such high esteem when it’s the enemy of the minority and makes all rights relative to the dictates of the majority? (Ron Paul,2012)
Always liked that one, might be my second fav VM song... Hes actually the last concert I ever went to see live, maybe six years ago in NYC.
#2. To: misterwhite (#1)
only 1.2 million (15% of 8 million) are actually paying for it.
#3. To: Willie Green (#0)
#4. To: misterwhite (#1)
#5. To: Willie Green (#4)
(Edited)
Obamacare's major flaw is that it doesn't go far enough.
#6. To: Willie Green (#4)
Obamacare's major flaw is that it doesn't go far enough.
#7. To: Willie Green (#0)
“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul
Americans who have no experience with, or knowledge of, tyranny believe that only terrorists will experience the unchecked power of the state. They will believe this until it happens to them, or their children, or their friends.
Paul Craig Roberts
#8. To: Willie Green (#0)
#9. To: Rufus T Firefly (#8)
#10. To: Deckard (#7)
#11. To: Dead Culture Watch, Rufus T Firefly, sneakypete (#9)
Van Morrison?
#12. To: Vicomte13 (#6)
Now a bunch of Americans who don't know better will come screaming that I'm a socialist or a communist.
#13. To: TooConservative (#12)
You're a socialistic communist.
#14. To: misterwhite, *Economic News* (#1)
So, almost 18 million people are now getting coverage, but only 1.2 million (15% of 8 million) are actually paying for it.
#15. To: Deckard (#7)
#16. To: Vicomte13 (#13)
You're a socialistic communist.
#17. To: Dead Culture Watch, Rufus T Firefly (#9)
#18. To: sneakypete (#17)
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