Yesterday, in what seemed like a gesture of understanding and compassion, President Obama once again unilaterally made unconstitutional changes to the Affordable Care Act. Pressured by his Democrat colleagues, in the face of mounting disapproval due to insurance policies being cancelled by the millions because of Obamacare, the President declared that insurance companies and state insurance boards can continue policies that do not meet the minimum Obamacare standards for another year. He didn't mandate they do it but simply allowed them to.
Supporters of the President will say he did it because he cares about the people. But let's take a good look at that.
Before and during the government shut down, foreseeing problems with the implementation of Obamacare, Republicans asked repeatedly for the President to allow the delay of that implementation. Not only did Obama refuse to entertain the idea but he refused to consider it while saying publicly he was open for any negotiations with the Republicans.
When the implementation of the sign-up phase began on October 1st, people who have individual plans began to receive cancellation letters from their insurance companies who cited Obamacare for the cancellations. Since Obamacare has minimum standard guidelines (which include things many people don't need) the companies either had to change those plans (and raise the premiums) or cancel them and refer the policy holders to the Obamacare exchanges. In the three years since Obamacare was signed into law the insurance companies had prepared to be part of the exchanges so they would be ready for the October 1st deadline.
What President Obama did yesterday was initiate the blame switch from himself and the Affordable Care Act to the insurance companies and/or the state insurance boards. He put the responsibility for continuing individual plans in their court knowing full well that the insurance companies either cannot or will not do all of the work necessary to reinstate those policies for a year by the deadline of December 15th or January 1st. When people find themselves uninsured by the end of the sign-up phase the President will now place the blame on the insurance companies for not doing what he said they could do. It's a very clever move on his part but easy to see through if you look with open eyes.
How do I know this is what the President has in mind? He stated exactly that yesterday when he said "The Affordable Care Act is not going to be the reason people's policies are cancelled." That's the simple and straightforward precursor to "I told the insurance companies they could continue those individual policies but they refused to do it. That's not my fault."
Dr. Ezekiel Emmanuel, Rahm Emmanuel's brother and one of the architects of Obamacare, is already saying the insurance companies are the demons here and they will deny people individual plans because there is no money in it for them anymore. The main stream media will be once again supporting the President now that he has announced this delay. They can now get back to demonizing the insurance companies and Republicans again.
Insurance companies took all the necessary steps to be ready for the implementation of the sign-up phase of Obamacare. Having the President change the rules at the last minute puts the insurance companies in a bind, making them out to be the bad guys. Policies that have already been cancelled will probably not be reinstated because the deadline is too soon. It's by design. Very clever design.
One other thing, as was pointed out by a friend of mine this morning - with all the uproar about Obamacare and people losing policies and the failed web site no one in Washington seems to be talking about the budget - at least not openly. The deadline for that is coming rapidly and if nothing is done in the meantime we're looking at another possible government shut down. Are you ready for that?
No comments:
Post a Comment