5 ms·
It was worse before Obamacare for certain people, and better for others. ACA insurance premiums (combined with large deductibles) are causing a lot of pain for
by nugget 10y ago
It was worse before Obamacare for certain people, and better for others. ACA insurance premiums (combined with large deductibles) are causing a lot of pain for (self-employed) middle class families I know, even before the next set of rate hikes hits in a couple months. It's also sad to see that the most ''successful'' ACA insurers are running networks so narrow that some patients have called them unusable (search for Molina Healthcare in California).
The ACA was flawed from the start. My takeaway from the whole fiasco is that even the smartest, most well-educated policy analysts and lawmakers can allow some combination of enthusiasm, politics, and momentum to blind themselves to the most basic predictive models of human behavior and incentives. When the law was published it was obvious to me how insurance companies would make money - you create the narrowest, cheapest network possible in order to cherry-pick the healthiest patients, leaving competitors dumb enough to have broader (more attractive) networks to soak up the most expensive cases (and lose money). This is exactly what happened and the so-called ''death spiral'' will start next year when (my prediction) 1+ million unsubsidized middle class families refuse to pay for the next round of rate hikes.
I'm 100% for free, universal health care for all Americans. I don't think we're that far away. The bemused Federal Reserve searches for helicopter drop scenarios - Federally-funded (or re-insured) universal health care is not a bad option. I'd much rather bleed out the treasury in order to build a great health care system than in the middle east or some other boondoggle.
- hash-set 10y agoYou're insane! It is not "free!" It can never be free. It is all who pays for it in their high-ass taxes! We're $20T in debt which isn't getting paid back. How far do you think the Fed can stretch this until it snaps? Bear in mind that if we have a collapse it will be a Mad Max type scenario--you'll wish we had just had a nuclear war. This is where we are and everyone just kind of nonchalantly goes along with their normalcy bias because they have never experienced any real hardship in their lives. It doesn't mean hardship isn't out there waiting for more stupid policy choices to seal the deal.
- nugget 10y agoI think we can hit $40 to $60 trillion in debt (in real terms) before the system starts to collapse. In other words, at least 20 years from now, maybe much more. I have no faith in either political party to exercise fiscal restraint or conservatism. I firmly believe the excessive deficit spending will continue until the breaking point. Given that belief, I'd like to spend the money (the newly issued debt, as you correctly point out) as wisely as possible.
- gwright 10y agoUnless interest rates start to trend up.
- nugget 10y agoI used to be concerned about that. Look at Japan. They are monetizing absolutely everything in sight and the currency barely moves. Apparently your 'cultural equity' in the face of global chaos counts for a lot more than anyone ever realized. Time will tell.
- WaylonKenning 10y agoHave you see the New Zealand Health Care System - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_in_New_Zealand https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_in_New_Zealand ?