Here’s a question for everyone. We have a ruling, but know that it will be appealed.
How will insurance companies operating on the Federal exchanges have to react? They can’t just assume that the ruling will be overturned, right?
Which means their fiduciary duty will be to adjust their 2015 rates to reflect the assumption that the subsidies won’t be there/will be revoked. Possibly with the subsidies needing to be repaid.
If so, this Fall’s election just got a whole lot more interesting.
It'll infuriate people who pay some or all of their own premiums.
I would think those people tend to be conservative, so hopefully it'll help us.
But OTOH, if they're democrat to begin with, this might mobilize them to vote in an off-year election which they ordinarily wouldn't do, thus hurting Repubs.
The Medicaid people are unaffected, since they don't pay anyway.
If the case gets fast-tracked to the Supreme Court, hopefully we'll know the final ruling before the election.
The insurance companies are in a fix because subsidy/no subsidy affects the number and type of people who will buy the insurance, and thus the risk pool, and thus the premium. No subsidy means fewer healthy people buying.
“...How will insurance companies operating on the Federal exchanges have to react? They can’t just assume that the ruling will be overturned, right?...”
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Good question tanknetter. I’m sure that the participating insurance company executives are experiencing “...And what rough beast, its hour come round at last, Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?” thoughts, dread and uncertainty.
If I was such an insurance executive, I’d certainly be wondering if it wasn’t time to “get the hell out of Dodge”.
“Which means their fiduciary duty will be to adjust their 2015 rates to reflect the assumption that the subsidies won’t be there/will be revoked. Possibly with the subsidies needing to be repaid.
If so, this Fall’s election just got a whole lot more interesting.”
Hadn’t thought of that aspect.
Someone posted here that the ruling also said employers were not mandated to offer coverage in states without a state exchange.
Those 2 issues will make November fun to watch, since I gather the full court won’t be hearing the case before then.
an executive order will be issued redefining fiduciary duty to exclude obamacare subsidy considerations.
obviously.
silly question :-(