“The economic news this week may have people wondering whether they have gone through the Looking Glass into Wonderland. The Bureau of Economic Analysis issued its advance estimate of first-quarter growth in 2014, which barely made it into the black with an annualized GDP growth rate of 0.1 percent. Even that terrible result – the worst quarter since 2012, and tied for second-worst since the start of the technical recovery in June 2009 – would have been worse without an explosion of health-care spending as Obamacare enters its first year of implementation.”
Details“Around two-thirds of people who had picked insurance plans through HealthCare.gov paid their first month’s premium by April 15, according to a report released Wednesday by Republican lawmakers using data from insurers.”
Details“With the unveiling of the Affordable Care Act’s website, the public experienced a painful reminder of the consequences of the government’s new authority over health care. While millions signed up for insurance, millions of others abruptly lost their existing coverage and access to their doctors because that coverage didn’t fit new ObamaCare definitions.”
Details“I must have missed the fine print.
That thought repeatedly ran through my head last October as I read the letter from my insurance company. It informed that my family’s health plan will be canceled effective December 2014—and Obamacare is to blame.”
“So which bill should Rs take up first? I would suggest they start with one or more bills to expands Health Savings Accounts. That’s safe ground for them. HSAs are popular, and threatened by Obamacare’s rules. Exempt them from Obamacare. Make them more generous. Expand access to them in the workplace and Medicare.”
Details“With Obamacare’s first enrollment period finally in the books, two new surveys out this morning offer new insight into why the still-uninsured decided to remain on the sidelines this year. Hint: It has a lot to do with cost.”
Details“The House approved bipartisan legislation Tuesday to exempt U.S. health plans sold to expatriate workers from having to comply with requirements under the Affordable Care Act.”
Details“Recent polling conducted by McLaughlin & Associates for the 2017 Project asked Americans, “If you could undo one thing that President Obama has done as president, what would it be?” The choices that the poll provided were “overregulation of the economy,” “high deficit spending,” “tax increases,” “the economic stimulus package,” and “Obamacare.” And the winner, by a wide margin, was Obamacare.”
Details“An Oregon state board unanimously agreed to a plan Friday to use the federal government’s technology to run the state’s health insurance exchange.”
Details“The Obamacare website may work for people buying insurance, but beneath the surface, HealthCare.gov is still missing massive, critical pieces — and the deadline for finishing them keeps slipping.”
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