Posted on 10/03/2011 1:50:26 AM PDT by neverdem
Welcome to our world. Welcome to a world of government mandated health care, where nearly every citizen is covered for nearly everything — but at a cost. And yes it has been breaking the bank here, and now we’ve got plenty of company.
The Kaiser Family Foundation released its annual survey of employer-covered health care premiums earlier this week, which found those premiums increased an average of 9 percent in the past year, passing the $15,000 mark for a family policy. That’s compared to a 3 percent increase the previous year.
The cause? Well Kaiser estimates that at least one to two percentage points are directly attributable to the few aspects of Obamacare already put into place — things like expanding coverage to the children of policyholders until they reach the age of 26 and to mandated prevention programs such as mammograms.
Well, we hate to tell the good folks at Kaiser, but they ain’t seen nothin’ yet! Even before Romneycare forced nearly all of the state’s residents into either private plans or publicly subsidized ones, state lawmakers fond of micro-managing health insurance for decades had already passed a slew of coverage mandates that helped make Massachusetts among the most expensive places on the planet to purchase health insurance. Oh, and this state forbade exclusions based on pre-existing conditions in 1996 — a full decade before Romneycare.
The Kaiser study included both large and small employers, and about 60 percent of American workers get their health insurance through their employers.
Now there is a school of thought that health insurance companies, aware of the freight train of Obamacare coming down the pike, have hiked rates in anticipation of a stricter regulatory bureaucracy that looms — along with a host of new and more expensive coverage mandates.
Those of us in Massachusetts, long accustomed to double-digit rate increases, have only one thing to say to the rest of the nation: We could have told you so!
Romney isn’t a conservative, but he does speak a good game. Unfortunately many on FR...are treating every other candidate as worse or worse than they would Obama!? Which doesn’t make any sense!
They’re dividing and conquering their own hope of conservatism in America...at a critical time in our history. As I would like to call it SWITCH: Self-destructive Conservative, Internally Triggered, Witch Hunt.
We destroy our own and guess who picks up the pieces!? No one. This internal war has got to stop! A real rhino is John McCain. Just because a person disagrees with you 3/10 times doesn’t make him a rhino!!!!!
Stop making FR a place for demagogues!
This is to anyone that attacks a conservative just because he’s not exactly of your same opinion.
You are correct and he won’t. Through the debates he has only promised to give the states a waiver for ObamaCare and has never said he would support or work to repeal it.
A few things come to mind in that regard.
I know that most lay people are not aware that the current waivers bestowed unto the current friends of this administration will expire at the end of 2012. This gives some reprieve to them until the major hit of ObamaCare hits in 2013 and 2014. Upon which they will drop their coverages and force those employees onto ObamaCare.
So if Romney will not work to repeal the law, won’t his undefined waivers have the possibility to act accordingly? Even if waiveres are granted, will that be for state governmental agencies and not the private sector?
And, what would be worse is ObamaCare would still be the law of the land ready to be forced upon us at the whim of just another politician.
Slick packaging always has a high cost of disposal.
He speaks a Good game alright,The Government is the solution for every ill,thats Romney,its the way he thinks
Have to hold Obamacare in check till 2013.
What Congress should do is put a bill out there that will restrict Obamacare from hiring or setting up agencies until after the supremes rule.
Even if SCOTUS votes against this monstrosity, in the interim, taxes will be raised, thousands of government workers will be hired and the infrastructure put in place.
That will never go away.
He's a RINO
I understand what you are saying.
Still:
Romneycare is a pretty big “1 in 10” to just ignore...Almost as big as Perry’s in state tuition.
These are not petty issues to overlook, imho. Maybe Romney IS the best able to defeat zero, which IS the goal. But at this stage, we need to understand that when we choose him we will be disppointed in some MAJOR ways, maybe too many.
Some are already in place. My insurer informed me last October that my rates were going up 33% due to provisions going into effect in January 2011 and listed two examples. One that "children" up to age 26 will be covered and the other that henceforth there will be no life time limit on benefits payable, where previously my policy had a $5,000,000 life time limit. Now my question is, if and when this monstrosity called obamacare is stricken down in the S.C. or shot down by future legislation, will I get my money back? I'll not hold my breath waiting for that.
I'll agree with you on that, with one exception, Romney being the exception. He is 100% unacceptable. I prefer Herman Cain because in my opinion, he is the most conservative candidate in the current republican field, not without flaws mind you, just the best currently.
I have not run down any candidate (except Romney) to build up my personal favorite because I am prepared to vote for the "R" nominee no matter who it is, with the noted exception of Romney.
For those who are ready to tell me that not voting for Romney in the general, if he is the nominee, is the same as a vote for Obama, I don't give a rat's ass what anybody says, I will never vote for him, never.
“Romney is not the guy to get rid of Obamacare.”
No he’s not, he doesn’t have the desire to get rid of Obamacare.
I don’t deny that, but unfortunately we have pushed away everyone else and made him our nomination leader.
No, I’m saying we’ll get Romney because we denied Perry. Unfortunately we haven’t noticed how close he got in 08 and that he was a contender.
I’d far rather have Perry, but given the way he’s been eviscerate, I’m not sure he has a chance. And FR’s a part of that offense against anything 60% conservative or more. We attack our own here and we end up with people like McCain or Romney. We’re partial to blame for our zealots on board.
I’ll most likely vote Romney either way, because we can’t stay with Obama...anymore. But I think our actions mirror the public/media. We need to stop smearing our own.
I guess I lacked some clarity. I’m saying we have Romney as our chose (most likely), because we allowed the witch hunt on other conservatives; namely, Perry. The fantasy that continues...that we will end-up with a no-name, is just that. It’s what got us McCain in 08. I hope FR doesn’t end-up a road house for zealot losers. Where we only support the 1%ers and will attack anyone that has a record to win.
I understand why you wouldn’t vote Romney. I for one don’t think it’s an option, though. Obama has to go, even if the chose is lame.
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