ACA Slows Growth in Health Costs

ACA Slows Growth in Health Costs
Maddow Blog | November 20, 2013

The ACA Summarized

A nice summary of what the Affordable Care Act is . . . and isn’t.

ObamaCare In Plain English: What It Means for You
AddictingInfo.org | March 23, 2013

As a Life-Long UT Fan, It’s Hard to Type “Go Kentucky”

“The open-enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act has gone better in some areas than others. The state that’s leading the way, oddly enough, is Kentucky. Gov. Steve Beshear (D) has committed himself to leading on this issue, and the follow-through has produced impressive results.”

For Uninsured, Clearing a Way to Enrollment
New York Times | November 4, 2013

Are the Good Facts Starting To Be Heard through the Loud Lies?

“Millions of people could qualify for federal subsidies that will pay the entire monthly cost of some health care plans being offered in the online marketplaces set up under President Obama’s health care law, a surprising figure that has not garnered much attention, in part because the zero-premium plans come with serious trade-offs.”

Under Health Care Act, Millions Eligible for Free Policies
The New York Times | November 3, 2013

HealthCare.gov’s New Marketing Campaign

Deborah Lielasus (Portsmouth, N.H.) and Daniel McNaughton (Orlando, FL) are the first two people who have agreed—quite happily—to share their images and stories on the HealthCare.gov web site. Both had positive experiences and want others to hear their stories as part of the Obama administration’s new marketing outreach.

Thanks to Lielasus and McNaughton for being the first to advertise their experiences with HealthCare.gov. As McNaughton said, “It might make it easier for people to relate to what’s going on with the exchange.”

New Faces of Health Overhaul: Still All Smiles
Yahoo | November 1, 2013

Charts Are Wonderful Things!

Nice summary in easy-to-understand terms with no false anecdotes like we’ve been hearing the last two weeks or so.

Winners and Losers from Obamacare
TPM LiveWire | October 31, 2013

Some Common-Sense Ideas on Moving Forward

This article discusses some of the current problems with the Affordable Care Act and how we might move forward. My top two priorities would be to (1) cover those individuals who were “missed” when many Republican governors refused to expand Medicaid in their states; and (2) fix the out-of-network charges that patients incur through no fault of their own (and often without knowledge of the situation until it’s too late).

Driving a New Bargain on Health Care
New York Times | October 19, 2013

A companion piece explains with problems with out-of-network charges in more detail.

Out of Network, Not By Choice, and Facing Huge Health Bills
New York Times | October 18, 2013

Just *Who* Do House Republicans Think They’re Hurting?

In another sign that House Republicans don’t understand the the Affordable Care Act or the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) decision to allow members of Congress to receive a benefit to which they’re entitled, House Republicans have crafted a bill to end the government shutdown but deny themselves $5,000-$11,000 in the process.

A little background: Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa) sponsored the original amendment requiring lawmakers and staffers to enter the health benefit exchanges, but he said he didn’t intend for them to lose the employer subsidy paid by the federal government. [What he was really trying to do was get the Democrats to vote against the ACA.] The government contributes $5,000 towards an individual’s health insurance coverage and $11,000 towards family coverage for a married employee. According to Grassley, he just wanted Congress and its staffers to “go through the same red tape” as Americans enrolled in the exchanges. Yeah, right!

The Grassley Amendment did a great disservice to Congressional staffers, who don’t get paid very well. So OPM stepped in and arranged to pay the employer contribution to members of Congress and their staffers. [Unlike any other group of people covered by an employer health plan, Congress excluded itself from its employer subsidies.]

In the House’s latest effort to end the shutdown, they’ve added language to deny themselves the employee subsidy while allowing their staffers to receive it. I say MORE POWER TO THEM. They don’t need the money, so let’s save the government some money . . . at the expense of these stubborn people who don’t understand the ACA nor do they want to understand it.

House Outlines Alternative to Senate Leaders’ Fiscal Deal
New York Times | October 15, 2013

What, Exactly, Is the Affordable Care Act Supposed To Do for Us?

There’s more to the Affordable Care Act than just the individual mandate and the uninsured.

Obamacare—The Rest of the the Story
New York Times Op-Ed | October 13, 2013

Way To Go, New York

More than 40,000 New Yorkers signed up for insurance under the state‘s health exchange in its first week, the state Health Department said today.

40,000 NYers Have Signed Up for Health Exchanges
Democrat & Chronicle | October 9, 2013

Twelve Charts That Explain A Lot

Why U.S. Health Care is Obscenely Expensive, in 12 Charts
The Huffington Post | October 3, 2013

Thank You, Mr. Matthews, for Doing Your Research

You’re welcome, Mr. Matthews, from all those who brought you the Affordable Care Act. And thank you for putting aside your skepticism to learn the facts.

I’m So Happy This Came Along
The Maddow Blog | October 3, 2013

Smoke Gets In Your Eyes

So, now, the House Republicans want to delay the individual mandate of the Affordable Care Act for one year in exchange for avoiding a government shutdown. What, exactly, do they think will be different in a year?

Will they find a “nice” way to strip health-insurance coverage from almost 24 million previously uninsured people (mostly children and young adults)? Will they develop a plan to replace the ACA since the situation prior to the legislation was simply unsustainable? Mind you, we have yet to see a plan--or even any ideas--for an alternative after three and a half years. How will they deal with the increasing budget deficits because of out-of-control healthcare costs and the extra $29 billion lost in taxes on medical devices over the coming years?

And where do they get the insane idea that they‘re representing the “will of the American people?” Poll after poll shows that Americans like the provisions of the ACA (under whatever name you want to use). And even more people want Congress to stop messing around with a government shutdown and a debt-ceiling crisis. The people spoke in the last election; one tiny fraction of neo-conservatives doesn‘t get to hold the government or the American citizens hostage while they have a temper tantrum because they lost the election.

Maybe they are under the delusion that they‘re somehow going to win such large majorities in Congress in the 2014 elections that they can override the president‘s veto of their defunding of the ACA. <shrug>

Whatever they‘re smoking, I don‘t want to inhale the second-hand smoke.

What an Ill-Informed Moron

Ted Cruz has a bad habit of only hearing the part of a story he wants to hear.

Student Cited by Ted Cruz Cruz As Proof of Obama's Failure Is Actually Grateful For Obamacare
The Huffington Post | September 27, 2013

All This Would Be Funny If It Wasn't So Crazy

Just maybe I had a little something to do with this blog post and the on-air segment on The Rachel Maddow Show later that night. Ya never know . . .

'All this would be funny if it wasn't so crazy'
The Maddow Blog | September 26, 2013

GOP Fears American Appreciation of Obamacare
The Rachel Maddow Show | September 26, 2013

Large Companies Innovate with Health-Benefit Programs

I love reading how large employers are taking charge of improving their employee health-benefit programs. Kudos to General Electric!

As Some Companies Turn to Health Exchanges, G.E. Seeks a New Path
The New York Times | September 26, 2013

Would Ya Stop it Already?

You’re not going to “defund” the ACA nor will a government shutdown affect the implementation of the health exchanges. Now can we please stop all the budget and debt-ceiling bluster and GET BACK TO WORK!

Government Shutdown Won't Stop Obamacare
Yahoo News | September 26, 2013

Barack and Bill, Together Again . . . for Healthcare

The last two Democratic presidents got together for a little healthcare discussion.

Obama, Clinton promote healthcare reform ahead of October 1 start
Reuters | September 24, 2013

It‘s About Time Someone Acknowledged It

What every intelligent political or ACA observer has realized for a long time: 

GOP Desperate to Defund ObamaCare Now Because They Know Its Popularity Is About to Skyrocket
Huffington Post | September 20, 2013

ACA Isn’t Actually Affecting Hiring As Much as Claimed

Despite “conventional wisdom,” the Affordable Care Act isn’t affecting job creation as much as some folks would like us to believe.

Employers Actually Plan to Hire More Full-Time Workers As Obamacare Rolls Out

ThinkProgress | September 11, 2013