Remember back in March 2010 when then House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was stumping for ObamaCare, and she assured us that “we have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it”? Well, it turns out years after its passage no one seems to have a clue about what is—or isn’t—in it.
The Galen Institute recently reported that by its tally, there have been 42 changes to the healthcare law so far…and counting. As Tyler Hartsfield and Grace-Marie Turner explain:
By our count at the Galen Institute, more than 42 significant changes already have been made to ObamaCare: at least 24 that President Obama has made unilaterally, 16 that Congress has passed and the president has signed, and 2 by the Supreme Court.
Obama’s single-handed administrative changes include:
Closing the high-risk pool: The administration decided to halt enrollment in transitional federal high-risk pools created by the law, blocking coverage for an estimated 40,000 new applicants, citing a lack of funds. The administration had money from a fund under Secretary Sebelius’s control to extend the pools, but instead used the money to pay for advertising for Obamacare enrollment and other purposes. (February 15, 2013)…
Congressional opt-out: The administration decided to offer employer contributions to members of Congress and their staffs when they purchase insurance on the exchanges created by the ACA, a subsidy the law doesn’t provide. (September 30, 2013)…
Exempting unions from reinsurance fee: The administration gave unions an exemption from the reinsurance fee (one of ObamaCare’s many new taxes). To make up for this exemption, non-exempt plans will have to pay a higher fee, which will likely be passed onto consumers in the form of higher premiums and deductibles. (December 2, 2013)
This growing list of “fixes” is symptomatic of problems of the federal government’s own making. Government does not know best when it comes to other people’s healthcare, fostering a diverse marketplace capable of meeting individuals’ unique needs and circumstances, or keeping medical care affordable.
A better approach would be allowing people to put aside tax-free savings for routine medical expensive and insurance purchases that work best for them. To help those who want but genuinely cannot afford necessary healthcare, encourage the expansion private, non-profit networks instead of government “marketplaces” to help those in need.
As the dozens of changes to ObamaCare show, when government promises healthcare (or virtually anything else, for that matter) for all, it usually results in no good service for anyone.