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| New ObamaCare delay to help Democrats in midterm elections |
| 2014-03-04 |
| The Obama administration is set to announce another major delay in implementing the Affordable Care Act, easing election pressure on Democrats. As early as this week, according to two sources, the White House will announce a new directive allowing insurers to continue offering health plans that do not meet ObamaCare's minimum coverage requirements. Prolonging the "keep your plan" fix will avoid another wave of health policy cancellations otherwise expected this fall. The cancellations would have created a firestorm for Democratic candidates in the last, crucial weeks before Election Day. The White House is intent on protecting its allies in the Senate, where Democrats face a battle to keep control of the chamber. "I don't see how they could have a bunch of these announcements going out in September," one consultant in the health insurance industry said. "Not when they're trying to defend the Senate and keep their losses at a minimum in the House. This is not something to have out there right before the election." |
| Posted by:Beavis |
| #7 I read that about 1/3 of the people who had healthcare have been screwed as the result of Obamacare. These people are not going to be too happy come election time in 2014 and 2016. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2014-03-04 16:08 |
| #6 Original ObamaCare law allowed insurers to extend/renew pre_ACA underwritten policies for one more year (2014, and then all plans would have to cancel, and then offer new ACA-compliant plans. Not being able to "keep your plan" was feature, not a bug, because it forced those insureds to buy plans off the exchanges. In states that run exchanges, they did not even allow the one-year renewal. Your plan was canceled at the end of 2013 and you had no choice. If this latest fiat become "law," (law is a fungible terms these days... ) here's what happens. Insurers will have to submit their 2015 rates in one month. In many cases they've already released the underwriters who priced pre-ACA plans. And so insurers will most likely not be able to submit 2015 rates with any confidence of accuracy. Insurers will either have to pull out of the market or look forward to a bailout. The end game was based on Obama's calculation that those who purchased private insurance are Republicans, and the uninsured are Dems. To quote a Venezualean freedom fighter, "Do I smell sulfur?" |
| Posted by: regular joe 2014-03-04 15:47 |
| #5 I expect the Media will spin this as the 'Democrats' saving people's healthcare from the *evil* Republicans who crafted the Affordable Care Act to just 'steal' your healthcare. (Never mind that the ADA was crafted and passed by the democrats...) |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2014-03-04 15:35 |
| #4 Specifically targeting the moron vote -- as it turns out a key Democrat demographic. |
| Posted by: Crusomp Gliter7661 2014-03-04 12:24 |
| #3 Maybe. Or maybe this axe hangs over our heads election to election. |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2014-03-04 12:10 |
| #2 What do folks think the Champ will do if the Dems somehow prevail in the upcoming election? All of these postponements will be curtailed overnight. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2014-03-04 11:15 |
| #1 Wont work, It's a stinking log, designed to take money from Americans and give it to people who don't care and only say "GIMME" (Obama) and we know it. Democrats are fucked and THEY know it. Hence, the delay. Thank Obama. |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2014-03-04 11:06 |