The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) is usually very careful not to endorse public or political health policy. However, a recent paper released by KFF regarding one of their surveys leaves little room for the reader to believe anything other than HCR is all good and somehow the public just does not understand.
The KFF states that ACA “is expected to expand coverage to 32 million of the uninsured”, expected by who the reader should ask? The wildest estimates I have seen are 22 million or half the uninsured. The most conservative have been only several million. Remember that the high-risks pools were to have some 375,000 individuals enrolled by the end of 2010, however actual enrollment had not reach 12,000. (read more)
ACA has serious problems, impediments for the uninsured to become insured, and it’s not just public perception:
- Consider that health care and premiums have doubled in about 10 years. Quick math: a 30% subsidy will put you back where you were three years ago. It was expensive then too. And it will be too expensive in 2014 for too many Americans even with subsidies.
- The individual mandate has very little teeth, IRS has almost no authority to go after noncomplying individuals. The Constitution argument is meaningless unless severability become the turning point.
- The Big One: how will people get enrolled in these subsidized options? The concept of “if you build it they will come” is a bit naïve. There are serious demographic concerns in this population and their access to go online, enroll, and pay.
- Health care reform appears to be alienating the community’s insurance broker so she will not helping with this education and enrollment process.
- Finally, any reference to the KFF study should be that the general attitude among people is that ACA just will not help them. No hope for real affordability.
KFF should demonstrate better respect for the real flaws of ACA and not spin it as if the public just does not understand. People have a sixth sense, KFF would be wise to respect it.