Healthcare Affordability Act-Obamacare

Let me start by expressing my bias. I DO NOT want government controlled health care just like I don’t want government controlled 44oz soda regulations! I have biases. Noted.

The Supreme Court Ruled today 5/4 that the H.A.A. or Obamacare is NOT unconstitutional because it is a TAX on the American people. It is 2,700 pages of legislation reforming Health Care and giving the Federal Government oversight powers of doctors, hospitals an clinics. I HAVE NOT read all 2,700 pages but have received training on what this act means. In my opinion, here is what it means for 1) DOCTORS and 2) PATIENTS.

1) DOCTORS: Health care providers are not in a profession where they provide a service and are reimbursed accordingly. Unfortunately, they are paid whatever amount insurance companies deem worthy. Insurance companies can pay as much or as little as they want and providers have no choice but to accept it. Insurance companies use the Government’s “going rate” as the standard by which to reimburse, meaning Medicare/Medicaid (generally the lowest paying insurance for Drs.) is the “gold standard” insurance companies follow. Doctors’ reimbursement has dropped approximately 7.1%, while other professions have enjoyed a 6% increase in salary. Obamacare will provide more lower income individuals with low paying insurance coverage that will fill doctors’ schedules. This is an increase in volume with a decrease in pay. Sooner or later more people will turn to “free” (tax-payer sponsored) government health insurance, leaving insurance companies with lower numbers of enrollees (see how this effect’s consumers below). In order to continue being profitable, insurance companies will either have higher premiums or pay out less to health care providers, or both.

2) PATIENTS: as mentioned above, more lower income individuals will be given government provided health insurance paid for with Americans’ tax dollars. It is important to remember that as of right now no doctor has to take medicare/medicaid and many already refuse to take these patients. This can lead to lower quality services from doctors accepting these insurances. Less people will eventually pay for private insurance, leaving the insurance companies with lower numbers of enrollees. They will be forced to increase their premiums to continue their profit margins. Those with private insurance may end up paying more.

Another negative is this act forces small businesses to provide health insurance to employees. This means that small business owners have to now pay out of their own pockets to provide health care to their employees and employees have to take it.

A positive: more people are insured. You can stay on parents’ insurance plans longer. People with pre-existing conditions will have access to insurance (which defeats the purpose of “insurance”. Why didn’t you buy health insurance while healthy?).

I know that this is a minuscule portion of the 2,700 pages of codec that is Obamacare. It is OBVIOUSLY very complex (given that very few Congressional leaders nor the President himself have read it) and more information should be sought for a thorough description of all it’s parts elsewhere.

Nancy Pelosi said something along the lines of-we can’t tell you what’s in it until after you’ve passed it. …It sounds like a “corn dinner” to me…