(Newswire.net — November 15, 2013) — “I said we would do everything we can to fix this problem and today I’m offering an idea that would help do it. Already people who pre-date the Affordable Care Act can keep those plans if they haven’t changed, that was already in the law. That’s what’s called a grandfather clause that was included in the law,” Obama said.
“Today we’re going to extend that principle both people whose plans have changed since the law took effect so state insurance commissioners still have the power to decide what plans can and can’t be sold in their states but the bottom line is insurers can extend current plans that would otherwise be cancelled into 2014 and Americans whose plans have been cancelled can choose to re-enroll in the same kind of plan.
We’re also requiring insurers to extend current plans to inform their customers about two things.
One, that protections, what protections these renewed plans don’t include.
Number two, that the [Obamacare] marketplace offers new options with better coverage and tax credits that might help you bring down the costs. So, if you received one of these letters,
I encourage you to take a look at the marketplace, even if the website isn’t working as smoothly as it should be for everybody yet. The plan comparison tool that lets you browse costs for new plans near you is working just fine. Now this fix won’t solve every problem for every person but it’s going to help a lot of people. Doing more will require work with Congress.”
This fix is only for one year and expires in 2015, just in time for the 2014 midterm elections.
In short, President Obama will allow insurers to offer old plans (which are impossible to get back) so long as they push propaganda about the government run exchanges. Also, President Obama seems to think that because the government can force people buy health insurance, it can force insurance companies to sell it, which isn’t the case.
Meanwhile, most Americans are less concerned about who’s enrolled in the President’s plan than the future of their own. For every new ObamaCare enrollee, 47 more Americans have lost their insurance. Those five million unhappy customers probably weighed heavily into the new Fox poll, which found that distrust of the administration is reaching new heights. Half of voters now believe President Obama “knowingly lied” about his promise that Americans could keep their plans, and at the very least 55% think the White House “tried to deceive” people about the possibility of being dropped from their insurance plan.
President Obama admitted the administration “fumbled the rollout” but that many didn’t notice a number of things under Obamacare that are “working really well,” because those things aren’t controversial enough, citing prescription drug benefits and young adults staying on parental health insurance plans until they’re 26-years-old.
As for the evil insurance carriers, they were less than pleased.
Karen Ignagni, President and CEO of America’s Health Insurance Plan’s (AHIP), released the statement (displayed image) on the heels of the president’s speech.
House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said Thursday he was “highly skeptical” of President’s proposal.
Me too!