Obamacare: The Deception (op Ed)

[Yagents]

I don't know where I picked this up, maybe here on the forum, but This is a must read (all 10 pages). Just when you thought we were getting a handle on this law, this article throws a lot of that into doubt. Now, I don't know how true a lot of these things are, but it states enough true things that we all know about, to justify the other things might be true also.

Advice will be paramount, and a risky proposition for agents. My head is spinning

After reading it, people should:
1. Keep their GF plan to avoid the headaches, even if it costs more
2. Drop insurance, and pay the penalty, or claim a hardship
3. Not ask for any advanced subsidies, and get a refund instead (yes, I said refund)

Ex: Someone who loses their job, could be put on medicaid against their wishes, AND have part of their subsidy clawed back. (nothing like salt in the wound)

Ex: You're at 200% FPL and your spouse gets a new high paying job, and now you're above 400% FPL, the entire subsidy could be clawed back. (congrats on the new job !)

http://www.opednews.com/articles/1/Obamacare-A-Deception-by-Paul-Craig-Roberts-130205-213.html

 

[Ann H]

I read it. All 10 pages.

He brings up many good points, and some of them I would like clarified in a factual, non-slanted way. I felt like YAgents did in his post above, that I was not sure how much was true. I found too many errors in logic, judgment and facts to trust everything he said. But he brought up such good points, that it's important to have them clarified and remembered in our bank of knowledge about the law.

I was so disappointed in his slanted, editorial style of writing. He had the opportunity to write a completely factual, impartial article that people like you and I could trust fully. He has the credentials! He (Paul Craig Roberts) was the former Assistant Secretary of US Treasury which means he knows the law and its economic impact. He is also Associate Editor of the Wall Street Journal which means he knows Journalism, how to write, and the difference between a factual unbiased article and editorial type opinion columns. I sure wish he had left the editorial style on the cutting room floor. Now I'm left with some important points, but not enough facts about them.

 

[AllenChicago]

I finally read most of the "Deception" op Ed this evening. Some intriguing thoughts from Mr. Roberts, but his anti-insurance company stance tarnished his credibility with this reader. He (willfully or out of ignorance) continually bashes health insurers' as making obscene profits and greedily scheming to rake in even more through the exchanges via "Enroll America".

I suppose Paul Roberts never heard of the Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) that went into effect in 2011? He must have been in a cave hibernating when his idols Obama and Sebelius were romping around the USA last Fall bragging about the Millions and Millions of Dollars that health insurers were forced return to the consumer, thanks to the MLR provision of the Affordable Care Act.

Regardless of his past positions and achievements, Paul Roberts in my mind is no different than Wendell Potter... the burned-out former AETNA executive who now makes his living peddling anti-insurance company books at wendellpotter.com and on liberal media outlets.
-ac