Everything the government touches turns to crap and healthcare is certainly no exception. From Grace-Marie Turner at realclearhealth.com:
Step by step, for nearly 70 years, liberals have been marching the United States toward government-controlled health care, and the Schumer-Manchin bill is another giant stride.
COVID provided the opening for Congress to enhance and expand Obamacare subsidies for two years, and the bill before the House would extend them for three more years. So much for a temporary program.
The Joint Committee on Taxation estimates that, among subsidized Obamacare marketplace enrollees, taxpayers pay 82% of premiums. That generates substantial reliance on government for health insurance.
With taxpayers footing the bill, there are few incentives for insurance companies to moderate costs. Premiums for insurance in the individual market increased by 143% over six years to 2019, and deductibles also have skyrocketed. The average annual premium plus deductible for a family of four with an ACA plan was about $25,000 in 2021. And that is for coverage with extremely narrow physician networks and often limited access to the best hospitals.
STRAIGHT LINE LOGIC 