Health care law faces legal, fiscal pressure
From USA Today –
More than half of Americans say President Obama’s health care law is unconstitutional as it heads to the Supreme Court this month, a new poll shows.
At the same time, Congress’ official scorekeeper says the law could cost a bit more and leave more people uninsured than forecast.
The combined dose of bad news comes as both sides in the health care debate are raising the level of rhetoric before the historic court argument, which will consume six hours over three days March 26-28.
A new poll by the non-partisan Kaiser Family Foundation found 51% of those surveyed say the court should rule that the law’s individual mandate is unconstitutional. That’s the linchpin of the law — the requirement that most Americans buy insurance or pay a penalty.
Twenty-eight percent say the court should uphold the mandate, while 21% said they didn’t know enough to make a judgment.
The poll found the public evenly split on the law, with 41% favoring it and 40% opposed. Those percentages have shifted only slightly in the two years since the law was signed.
If the court doesn’t throw out the law, 47% of those polled say, Congress should keep it or expand it, while 41% say it should be repealed.
The Congressional Budget Office has altered its official estimates of the law’s impact, both demographically and fiscally.
A new CBO report found that the law would increase the number of Americans with health insurance by 30 million to 33 million and would leave up to 27 million uninsured. The result — 93% insured — is below the previous estimate of 95%.
The report found the new insurance coverage provided under the law would cost about $1.1 trillion over 10 years, about $50 billion more than estimated. That includes $1.5 trillion in new insurance coverage or assistance and $400 billion in higher taxes and penalties to help pay the cost.
The budget agency still expects the entire law to save money because of other taxes, Medicare savings and changes in the way health care is delivered.
“The report found the new insurance coverage provided under the law would cost about $1.1 trillion over 10 years, about $50 billion more than estimated.”
What???
As reported by Don McCanne M.D, at the PNHP blog 03/13/12…
“CBO and JCT now estimate that the insurance coverage provisions of the ACA will have a net cost of just under $1.1 trillion over the 2012–2021 period — about $50 billion less than the agencies’ March 2011 estimate for that 10-year period.”
http://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/cbofiles/attachments/03-13-Coverage%20Estimates.pdf
That said $50 billion less…right?
“So the projected federal spending on the Affordable Care Act over the next decade will be $50 billion less than previous projections. Directing attention to that flimsy fact hides the real news in this report. Instead of 23 million individuals being left uninsured, as the CBO previously predicted, it is now estimated that 26 to 27 million will have no insurance at all.”
http://pnhp.org/blog/2012/03/13/cbo-update-on-coverage-under-aca/
$50 billion LESS. I thought so.
You people are reading the wrong press.
Try this news.
HHS hands exchange control to insurers
http://pnhp.org/blog/2012/03/12/hhs-hands-exchange-control-to-insurers/
Consumers are locked out by Obama AGAIN.
“The report found the new insurance coverage provided under the law would cost about $1.1 trillion over 10 years, about $50 billion more than estimated.”
What???
As reported by Don McCanne M.D, at the PNHP blog 03/13/12…”CBO update on coverage under the ACA”…
“CBO and JCT now estimate that the insurance coverage provisions of the ACA will have a net cost of just under $1.1 trillion over the 2012–2021 period — about $50 billion less than the agencies’ March 2011 estimate for that 10-year period.”
[quoting the CBO/JCT report]
That said $50 billion less…right?
“So the projected federal spending on the Affordable Care Act over the next decade will be $50 billion less than previous projections. Directing attention to that flimsy fact hides the real news in this report. Instead of 23 million individuals being left uninsured, as the CBO previously predicted, it is now estimated that 26 to 27 million will have no insurance at all.”
$50 billion LESS.
Lost in the misinformation being spread by unreliable sources, like USA Today, about the readjusted CBO/JCT report on the ACA, is the story of Obama’s DHHS giving control of the governing boards of states’ insurance exchanges to the commercial health insurance industry.
See “HHS hands exchange control to insurers!” on the PNHP blog 03/12/12.
AND how 20 million currently covered by employer sponsored health insurance will be forced into those exchanges, or onto Medicaid or CHIP.
See Kaiser Health News…”CBO: Employer-Based Health Insurance Could Decline Under Health Law” 03/16/2012. (KHN is pretty good at fact-checking. Something HeathCare-NOW! might need to work on.)
I tried to insert links to the articles quoted but the comment sat in moderation for almost 72 hours so I’ll try this approach.
Unfortunately the media only gives a fraction of a percent of the coverage about the Affordable Care Act as it does of the latest celebrities getting in trouble. When it is covered, they find the need to counter the facts with spokespersons paid to distort the truth in the name of balanced reporting and their allies.
Is it any wonder so many Americans are confused and misinformed?
He outta DO as THE PEOPLE want…NOT as Ye ole government & him please!!! Ya’ll w/Me,on that one??? What the hell’s go’in on??? Think about it!!!
Till then…take care,
Eddy Rogers