Obamacare: What it Means to Us
Ready or not, here it comes. Unless you are an expert in the insurance industry, it is nearly impossible to understand the full impact of Obamacare on our country. I moved here from Massachusetts nearly 29 years ago. We owe the Bay State a debt of gratitude for showing the nation a glimpse of how a mini-Obamacare model works. To break it down, Obamacare is simply a long list of mandates and bureaucratic regulations dictating what providers must offer if they want to stay in business.
When I was in the legislature, the vast majority, including those who called themselves conservative, supported Obamacare type insurance mandates. Insurance mandates are actually very politically popular, especially among the special interest groups that stand to benefit. The only part that is not popular is the escalated premiums. When searching my legislative history of voting against Obamacare types of mandates, it’s easy to find my name because I am always on a short list of legislators who voted “No”. Legislation shouldn’t be a matter of who’s the most “warm and fuzzy” or the bigness of one’s heart. The force of government is very strong and should only be implemented for the purposes of punishing the guilty and protecting the innocent, not interfering with the way free markets work.
Some people really like french fries. However, if you take your friends and family to McDonald’s for dinner and require everyone to buy french fries whether they want them or will eat them, the total bill will always be higher. Additionally, if you require everyone in the entire restaurant to buy french fries, the average ticket sales will be higher and the folks who take out the trash will find a lot of french fries in the dumpster. The program will be very popular among those who enjoy french fries, but what about those who don’t? Who should have to pay for the french fries? If McDonald’s is expected to give away the french fries for free, the business will be unhappy. If the consumers are expected to purchase them, the consumers will be unhappy. Those who like Obamacare are the people who are expecting the government to pay for the french fries with that magic money that grows on trees.
A constituent called me asking me why her employer is asking her to sign up for next year’s insurance, but her company has no idea of what to expect for the monthly premium. When it passed congress, they entitled it the “Affordable Care and Patient Protection Act”. Perhaps a more accurate title would be “The Unaffordable Lack-of-Care and Patient Victimization Act.”
Tonight we will talk about Obamacare on our podcast. If you have any questions or comments, please share them here:
Home Front Pod-cast on Obamacare
Home Front is a weekly pod-cast by Cynthia Davis. As a writer, speaker and former legislator, Cynthia discusses limiting government, fiscal responsibility and fair taxation. Cynthia is a mother of seven and a wife of one for over three decades who brings her personal experience to the conversation.
Join us for this week’s Pod-Cast, where we interview Vincent Blair, one of our St. Louis area health insurance providers. He will answer the questions about Obamacare and share some little known secrets. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/missourigrassrootsradio/2013/10/09/home-front-obamacare
www.cynthiadavis.net/category/home-front-podcast
Home Front is also part of the Missouri Grassroots Radio lineup of pod-casts and can be heard live most Tuesday evenings at 8:00pm Central Time, at www.blogtalkradio.com/missourigrassrootsradio
A Little Bit of Humor
Mother – I need to speak to the doctor, it’s an emergency, my infant has a temperature of 101.
Doctor to Secretary – Find out how she’s taking the temperature.
Secretary – How are you taking it?
Mother – Oh, I’m holding up OK
