◼ Many people assumed Barack Obama and company were telling them the truth about his law, and that Republicans were lying. The scales are finally falling from their eyes, but rather late in the game. - Guy Benson/TownHall
Many people assumed Barack Obama and company were telling them the truth about his law, and that Republicans were lying. The scales are finally falling from their eyes, but rather late in the game. The San Francisco Chronicle's Debra Saunders says she's seen evidence that at least half-a-million Californians will be booted off their current plans in the next year, and that conservative estimate could grow higher. (Remember that the so-called employer mandate has been pushed back until 2015, which may have simply delayed another round of coverage dumping). On Friday we linked to a CBS News report detailing why Obamacare's disproportionate influx of new Medicaid recipients is threatening to crash the entire law's financial model.
Reporter Sharyl Attkisson has also confirmed why Democrats' attempts to pin the blame on GOP 'obstructionism' is a fairly tale: ◼ The administration deliberately postponed key steps in the process to protect the president's re-election effort.
◼ Thousands of Californians are discovering what Obamacare will cost them — and many don't like what they see. - LA Times
Fullerton resident Jennifer Harris thought she had a great deal, paying $98 a month for an individual plan through Health Net Inc. She got a rude surprise this month when the company said it would cancel her policy at the end of this year. Her current plan does not conform with the new federal rules, which require more generous levels of coverage.
Now Harris, a self-employed lawyer, must shop for replacement insurance. The cheapest plan she has found will cost her $238 a month. She and her husband don't qualify for federal premium subsidies because they earn too much money, about $80,000 a year combined.
"It doesn't seem right to make the middle class pay so much more in order to give health insurance to everybody else," said Harris, who is three months pregnant. "This increase is simply not affordable."
..."All we've been hearing the last three years is if you like your policy you can keep it," said Deborah Cavallaro, a real estate agent in Westchester. "I'm infuriated because I was lied to."
Supporters of the healthcare law say Obama was referring to people who are insured through their employers or through government programs such as Medicare. Still, they acknowledge the confusion and anger from individual policyholders who are being forced to change.
Cavallaro received her cancellation notice from Anthem Blue Cross this month. The company said a comparable Bronze plan would cost her 65% more, or $484 a month. She doubts she'll qualify for much in premium subsidies, if any. Regardless, she resents losing the ability to pick and choose the benefits she wants to pay for.
"I just won't have health insurance because I can't pay this increase," she said.
Most Americans are required to have health coverage starting next year or pay a fine of $95 per adult or 1% of their income, whichever is greater. The fines increase over time.
