Obamacare Endures the Death of a Thousand Facts

American Spectator ^ | 11/23/2015 | David Catron

[rootin tootin]

Until the 19th century, the Chinese practiced a method of torture called lingchi. Better known as “death by a thousand cuts” it involved slicing small pieces of flesh from a victim’s body, one by one, so that death was both protracted and utterly excruciating. This is what the realities of economics are doing to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The authors of health care “reform” believed they could ignore the dismal science. The laws of economics have rewarded this hubris by ruthlessly inflicting fact after agonizing fact on Obamacare. And, like all lingchi victims, it will eventually succumb.

Moreover, this is becoming obvious to all but the most obtuse of the law’s apologists. In fact, it has been conceded by strongholds of Obamacare supporters like the Washington Post, the New York Times, and even the Huffington Post. The latter publication, for example, carried a column late last week titled, “Why Obamacare Will Fail.” And, as surprising as it was to find such an article in this notorious purveyor of White House propaganda, it was even more so to discover that its author, Dan Karr, doesn’t blame some dark Republican plot: “The Affordable Care Act (ACA) will fail for business reasons.”

[Arm_Bears]

Regrettably, reality for most people is what they see/hear in the alphabet media and, as long as this information is not reported, the masses will remain blissfully ignorant.

Alternately, they will blame Republicans.

[sphinx]

The current Obama/DNC position is that the ACA is fine, and the problem is evil insurance companies, evil hospitals, evil doctors, and stupid patients, all misled and enabled by evil Republicans.

[Diogenesis]

The GOP, who invented ObamaCARE/RomneyCARE and imposed
it first, have protected it, even as they also imposed
ObamaTRADE.

Why? Because THEY are EXEMPT, like their corrupt families
and staff. EXEMPT. EXEMPT. Like all Moslems.

[grundle]

Here are 334 reasons why Democrats and unions that support Obamacare want exemptions for themselves:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/3306543/posts

[Liz]

Obamacare flackers will blame its epic fail on Republicans.
Scoff---just follow the paper trail.

As far back as 2008, at the presidential debate in Nashville, Democrat candidate Obama advanced his signature plan that was ultimately enacted (by an historic straight Democrat party-line vote) into the "Affordable Care Act:"

QUOTING OBAMA: "No. 1, let me just repeat, if youve got a health care plan that you like, you can keep it. All Im going to do is help you to lower the premiums on it. You’ll still have choice of doctor.”

Repeated over and over by every loyal Democrat---- conning Americans into believing they'd be saving $2500.00 on healthcare costs.

========================================================

DEMOCRATS WEIGH IN: LOCK-STEPPING
PARTY LOYALTY NOT SEEN SINCE 1940's ERA EUROPE.

SEN. HARRY REID (D-Nev.): “In fact, one of our core principles is that if you like the health care you have, you can keep it.” (Sen. Reid, Congressional Record, S.8642, 8/3/09)

SEN. RICHARD DURBIN: “We believe — and we stand by this — if you like your current health insurance plan, you will be able to keep it, plain and simple, straightforward.” (Sen. Durbin, Congressional Record, S.6401, 6/10/09)

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): “If you like your insurance, you keep it.” (U.S. Senate, Finance Committee, Bill Mark-Up, 9/29/09)

SEN. PATTY MURRAY (D-Wash.): “Again, if you like what you have, you will be able to keep it. Let me say this again: If you like what you have, when our legislation is passed and signed by the President, you will be able to keep it.” (Sen. Murray, Congressional Record, S.6400, 6/10/09)

SEN. MAX BAUCUS (D-Mont.): “That is why one of the central promises of health care reform has been and is: If you like what you have, you can keep it. That is critically important. If a person has a plan, and he or she likes it, he or she can keep it.” (Sen. Baucus, Congressional Record, S.7676, 9/29/10)

SEN. TOM HARKIN (D-Iowa): “One of the things we put in the health care bill when we designed it was the protection for consumers to keep the plan they have if they like it; thus, the term ‘grandfathered plans.’ If you have a plan you like — existing policies — you can keep them. … we said, if you like a plan, you get to keep it, and you can grandfather it in.” (Sen. Harkin, Congressional Record, S.7675-6, 9/29/10)

THEN-REP. TAMMY BALDWIN (D-Wis.): “Under the bill, if you like the insurance you have now, you may keep it and it will improve.” (Rep. Baldwin, Press Release, 3/18/10)

SEN. MARK BEGICH (D-Alaska): “If you got a doctor now, you got a medical professional you want, you get to keep that. If you have an insurance program or a health care policy you want of ideas, make sure you keep it. That you can keep who you want.” (Sen. Begich, Townhall Event, 7/27/09)

SEN. MICHAEL BENNET (D-Colo.): “We should begin with a basic principle: if you have coverage and you like it, you can keep it. If you have your doctor, and you like him or her, you should be able to keep them as well. We will not take that choice away from you.” (Sen. Bennet, Press Release, 6/11/09)

SEN. BARBARA BOXER (D-Calif.): “So we Democrats want people to be able to keep the health care they have. And the answer to that is choice of plans. And in the exchange, we’re going to have lots of different plans, and people will be able to keep the health care coverage they need and they want.” (Sen. Boxer, Press Release, 2/8/11)

SEN. SHERROD BROWN (D-Ohio): “Our Democrat bill says if you have health insurance and you like it, you can keep it…”(Sen. Brown, Congressional Record, S.12612, 12/7/09)

SEN. BEN CARDIN (D-Md.): “For the people of Maryland, this bill will provide a rational way in which they can maintain their existing coverage…” (Sen. Cardin, Congressional Record, S.13798, 12/23/09)

SEN. BOB CASEY (D-Pa.): “I also believe this Democrat legislation and the bill we are going to send to President Obama this fall will also have secure choices. If you like what you have, you like the plan you have, you can keep it. It is not going to change.” (Sen. Casey, Congressional Record, S.8070, 7/24/09)

SEN. KAY HAGAN (D-N.C.): ‘People who have insurance they’re happy with can keep it’ “We need to support the private insurance industry so that people who have insurance they’re happy with can keep it while also providing a backstop option for people without access to affordable coverage.” (“Republicans Vent As Other Compromise Plans Get Aired,” National Journal’s Congress Daily, 6/18/09)

SEN. MARY LANDRIEU (D-La.): “If you like the insurance that you have, you’ll be able to keep it.” (MSNBC’s Hardball, 12/16/09)

SEN. PAT LEAHY (D-Vt.): “[I]f you like the insurance you now have, keep the insurance you have.” (CNN’s “Newsroom,” 10/22/09)

SEN. BOB MENENDEZ (D-N.J.): “If you like what you have, you get to keep it” “Menendez is a member of the Senate Finance Committee, which is expected to release a bill later this week. He stressed that consumers who are satisfied with their plans won’t have to change. ‘If you like what you have, you get to keep it,’ he said.” (“Health Care Plan Would Help N.J., Menendez Says,” The Record, 6/19/09)

SEN. JEFF MERKLEY (D-Oreg.): “[E]nsuring that those who like their insurance get to keep it” “The HELP Committee bill sets forward a historic Democrat plan that will, for the first time in American history, give every American access to affordable health coverage, reduce costs, and increase choice, while ensuring that those who like their insurance get to keep it.” (Sen. Merkley, Press Release, 7/15/09)

SEN. BARBARA MIKULSKI (D-Md.): “It means that if you like the insurance you have now, you can keep it.” (Sen. Mikulski, Press Release, 12/24/09)

SEN. JAY ROCKEFELLER (D-W.Va.): “I want people to know, the President’s promise that if you like the coverage you have today you can keep it is a pledge we intend to keep.” (U.S. Senate, Finance Committee, Hearing, 9/23/09)

SEN. JACK REED (D-R.I.): “If you like the insurance you have, you can choose to keep it.” (Sen. Reed, Town Hall Event, 6/25/09)

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-Vt.): “‘If you have coverage you like, you can keep it,’ says Sen. Sanders.” (“Sick And Wrong,” Rolling Stone, 4/5/10)

SEN. JEANNE SHAHEEN (D-N.H.): ‘if you have health coverage that you like, you get to keep it’ “My understanding … is that … if you have health coverage that you like you can keep it. As I said, you may have missed my remarks at the beginning of the call, but one of the things I that I said as a requirement that I have for supporting a Democrat bill is that if you have health coverage that you like you should be able to keep that. …under every scenario that I’ve seen, if you have health coverage that you like, you get to keep it.” (Sen. Shaheen, “Health Care Questions From Across New Hampshire,” Accessed 11/13/13)

SEN. DEBBIE STABENOW (D-Mich.): “As someone who has a large number of large employers in my state, one of the things I appreciate about the Democrat chairman’s remark is — is the grandfathering provisions, the fact that the people in my state, 60 percent of whom have insurance, are going to be able to keep it. And Mr. Chairman, I appreciate that. That’s a strong commitment. It’s clear in the bill … I appreciate the strong commitment on your part and the president to make sure that if you have your insurance you can keep it. That’s the bottom line for me.” (U.S. Senate, Finance Committee, Bill Mark-Up, 9/24/09)

SEN. JON TESTER (D-Mont.): “‘If you like your coverage, you’ll be able to keep it,’ Tester said, adding that if Medicare changes, it will only become stronger”. (“Tester In Baker To Discuss Health Care,” The Fallon County Times, 11/20/09)

SEN. TOM UDALL (D-N.Mex.): “Some worried reform would alter their current coverage. It won’t. If you like your current plan, you can keep it.” (“What I Learned: About Health Care Reform This Summer, By Your Lawmakers In Congress,” Albuquerque Journal, 9/8/09)

SEN. SHELDON WHITEHOUSE (D-R.I.): “..it honors President Obama’s programs and the promise of all of the Presidential candidates that if you like the plan you have, you get to keep it. You are not forced out of anything.” (Sen. Whitehouse, Congressional Record, S.8668, 8/3/09)

Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) the 60th vote on Obamacare: "people who are happy with their current plan, wouldn't need to change it."
FRANKEN YOUTUBE SOUND BITE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCZmAYYNz8Ihttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCZmAYYNz8I

[Nervous Tick]

>> if youve got a health care plan that you like, you can keep it. All Im going to do is help you to lower the premiums on it.

Thanks, Barry! I liked my health care plan, you grudgingly allowed me to keep it, and just like you promised, in only two years my premiums have been lowered from $575/mo all the way down to $1125/mo. :-(

How did you do it, you magnificent halfrican bastard?

[IncPen]

"If you like your plan, you keep it"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCUpJDzyRnY

Again, and again, and again.

A lie for all time. They ruined the best health care that ever was or will be.

[NonValueAdded]

This is news??? It was INTENDED to fail! The only newsworthy thing is if it fails too quickly, while the private insurance industry is still able to recover. Øbamacare was crafted to kill off the health insurance industry, leaving Single-payer as the only option left.

[Neidermeyer]

The insurers that allowed this to pass thinking they’d have us tied to them forever must be destroyed... There are plenty of smaller companies that can take the slack.

[HChampagne]

All of this is according to plan. In fact maybe ahead of schedule.

[IronJack]

As a side note, this was common practice among the Lakotah (Sioux) Indians during their vision-seeking rituals as well. But it was done voluntarily!

[randita]

For Democrats, single payer has always been the end game, but I don’t think they intended to get there through the abysmal failure of Obamacare. I think they envisioned that people would love Obamacare SO much that they’d clamor for more and more government control over the health care system. They envisioned that Obamacare would run like a well oiled machine and everything would be unicorns and skittles.

Instead, it has been a disaster of huge proportions. People are jaded and want no more of this.

I don’t see any scenario in the near future where single payer would be supported by the public and/or or passed in Congress.

Instead, I see a slow unraveling. Insurers can’t shoulder the massive losses they’re incurring by being part of the exchanges, so they will pull out. Risk corridor payments will only be made through 2016 and even so, they are pennies on the dollar of the losses insurers are incurring.

When the vehicle for obtaining insurance which is heavily subsidized by taxpayers doesn’t exist, Obamacare doesn’t exist. Medicaid will still be in place, but people who make too much to qualify for Medicaid will not have a means to obtain subsidized insurance though exchanges.

[AlaskaErik]

Not mentioned is the exponential increase in doctors so fed up with the system that they’ve opted to retire early. So now there are even fewer doctors to treat ever more patients.

[Pollster1]

I worry that we’ll elect another big government liberal, and President Jeb/Rubio/Christie/Hillary will rescue Obamacare. I am hoping and praying for President Cruz, because I have more confidence in his trustworthiness than any other candidate’s.

[LMAO]

You said...
“Regrettably, reality for most people is what they see/hear in the alphabet media and, as long as this information is not reported, the masses will remain blissfully ignorant.

Alternately, they will blame Republicans.”

Who? People are now painfully aware the disaster and broken promises that is ObamaCare. And they know who to blame. Kind of hard to blame a law that is a total and complete disaster on the GOP when it has the president’ name before Care.

[LMAO]

You said...
“For Democrats, single payer has always been the end game, but I don�€™t think they intended to get there through the abysmal failure of Obamacare. I think they envisioned that people would love Obamacare SO much that they�€™d clamor for more and more government control over the health care system. They envisioned that Obamacare would run like a well oiled machine and everything would be unicorns and skittles.

Instead, it has been a disaster of huge proportions. People are jaded and want no more of this.

I don�€™t see any scenario in the near future where single payer would be supported by the public and/or or passed in Congress.”

Bingo!!! Even when Limbaugh used to espouse this theory, I would just shake my head. It's going to be tough to convince the electorate that more government intervention in healthcare will fix it all

[randita]

With the exception of people on Medicaid or Medicare, almost everyone has been impacted negatively by Obamacare. Canceled policies, escalating premiums, outrageous deductibles, limits on doctor choice, more OOP costs, decline in work hours, discontinuation of employer based coverage are all the norm rather than the exception.

In my case, my policy was canceled two years in a row and a new policy with greatly increased premiums coupled with greatly reduced benefits still cost more than the previous one.

At least I haven’t had to switch doctors - yet.