Without Taxpayer Subsidies, Obamacare Is Really Expensive

by William Teach | February 27, 2014 8:24 am

In other news, water is wet

(Jacksonville Business Journal[1]) Unless your coverage is subsidized by taxpayers, health insurance on the individual market is much more expensive under health care reform.

That’s the takeaway from a new index[2] compiled by eHealth Inc.[3], which tracked how much people are paying for insurance through its private online health insurance exchange. Individuals who don’t buy coverage through the federal government’s HealthCare.gov[4] or state-run insurance exchanges aren’t eligible for premium subsidies available to many low- and middle-income Americans. (snip)

The average premium for an individual health plan selected through eHealth was $274 a month, as of Feb. 24. That’s 39 percent higher than the average premium before the ACA’s requirements went into effect.

The average family plan cost $663 per month, up 56 percent from a year ago.

Remember, that’s just the cost of premiums. This isn’t even taking into account the cost of the deductibles. But, hey, fortunately the “Affordable” Care Act is causing problems with restaurants and their menus

(Fox News[5]) Tucked deep in the Affordable Care Act is language requiring all restaurants with at least 20 locations to list nutritional information alongside each and every item on their menu.

That edict is now creating headaches for small business owners across the country, particularly pizza chains.

Take Domino’s. There are 34 million different pizza combinations available at the chain, when all crusts and cheeses and toppings are factored in.

Now imagine walking into a Domino’s and navigating a menu board with 34 million different options on it.

That won’t raise costs or anything.

Oh, hey, look, the LA Times[6] is pimping narrower networks

Most Americans would rather pay more for a health insurance plan that allows them to get treatment from a wide range of doctors and hospitals, a new survey[7] finds.

But in a finding that could prove important for President Obama’s health law, working-age consumers who don’t get health benefits through an employer favor health plans with narrower provider networks that cost less.

Less costs when Someone Else is pay a good chunk of the premium. But just wait till people attempt to use the insurance and realize how much they will pay up front. But, hey, Doge memes[8]!

#GetCovered[9]: http://t.co/CCIiQwqTtc[10], pic.twitter.com/aLgNi2Bq4l[11]

— HHS.gov (@HHSGov) February 26, 2014[12]

Remember, these are the same people who are in charge of your health insurance and health care.