You may have heard that March 31st is the last day to apply for health insurance through the federal or state "marketplaces" and thereby avoid a $95 penalty on next year's tax return for being uninsured in 2014. My local fishwrap and other conservative media outlets are treating the date like it's the Mayan calendar -- the end of the world. The breathless front page headline in today's Douchepatch read, "Obamacare Signups Down To The Wire!"
The original projections for this first year of full implementation of the ACA were 7 million people signed up by March 31st. It looks like it might wind up around 6 million, and the righties can't wait to jump on any number less than 7 million as "proof" that Obamacare is therefore an abject failure. Do you hear me? Failure!! Benghazi!!!
Laughably ridiculous, but uninformed people are easily manipulated. Hence, Fox News, Columbus Dispatch, et al.
Five, six, seven million, whatever. It really doesn't matter much right now because this is only the start of a long-term program, not the finish. Gotta give it time. Get back with me in 5 or 10 years. But today, from an actuarial standpoint, more is obviously better, so a small army of volunteers is working tirelessly here in Columbus and across the country to answer questions and help people get signed up.
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| Dave Girves at CSCC |
(As you may know, Dave has written numerous letters to the editor, all of them excellent, none of them published. True to form, the paper didn't quote him in the article. But at least they ran his picture this time.)
The article also shared the "story" of one Steve Salmen, 57, of Columbus, who said he was frustrated and angry that the premium for his family's existing health insurance increased from $774 to $1673 per month. (Again true to form, the Dispatch offered no details as to coverage or carrier, no explanation for the premium hike. They expect us to simply take Mr. Salmen's word for it.) And Mr. Salmen is upset that accepting ACA marketplace coverage comparably priced to what he paid last year means he'll have to accept government assistance.
"In December, my policy was affordable, and in January it was no longer affordable," said Salmen, who also said he was planning on purchasing coverage through the ACA marketplace exchange.
"Now I have to take take government subsidies."
Oh, the shame! Mr. Salmen is a red, white and blue patriot, and a blithering idiot. He opposes government "subsidies" on principle, even if they might help him significantly. Here are a couple points for dullards like Mr. Salmen to consider:
Obamacare does not set minimum or maximum premium rates. Obamacare has nothing to do with rates (because Republicans refused to allow any such thing). Insurance premiums are set by insurance carriers and approved by state insurance departments. If you object to a rate increase, take it to those folks.
On his income tax return, if Mr. Salmen has ever followed Mitt Romney's advice and taken the allowable deduction for mortgage interest, or dependent children, or tuition expense, or medical expense, or sales tax, then he's taken a government "subsidy." If he's ever had an FHA home loan, or VA benefits, or used the GI Bill, he's taken a government "subsidy."
Government obviously does far more for Mr. Salmen than he realizes or cares to admit. If government benefits are really so hateful, then Mr. Salmen should shut the fuck up and just pay whatever his current insurance company tells him to pay. On the other hand, if he'd like to have the same coverage for $900 a month less, maybe he'd better sign his ass up on the Obamacare exchange.
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