Unintended Consequences Of ObamaCare

Regarding "Will health insurance go the way of pensions?" (Thursday Front Page), it strikes me that President Obama's health care overhaul may end up doing some good after all.  There's no doubt that the mere threat of the implementation of ObamaCare is what is causing health care premiums to skyrocket.  A business owner friend stated that his insurance company announced a premium increase of 40% in 2013 alone, mostly because of the requirement to cover everybody for pre-existing conditions.

The other aspect driving the process is the amazing complexity of ObamaCare.  Another friend who administers her company's insurance plan went to a seminar with her boss that attempted to explain ObamaCare paperwork; she said that at the end of the session, not only was everybody who attended confused, but the trainer was as well.

Both of these things have proven to be the straw that broke the camel's back for employers, who, as the article states, "look for ways to avoid the aggravation and financial uncertainty of managing and funding health care plans in-house", primarily through the use of "defined contribution health plans."  In other words, employers will pay employees a certain sum and say "you're on your own".   In other words, vouchers.

This was the last outcome the authors of ObamaCare had in mind.  Nancy Pelosi infamously said "We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it."  Apparently, what is "in it" are the seeds that dismantle our government-run private health care system, and there's not a thing they can do to stop it.

 

Pete Smith

Cypress