The Affordable Care Act is Coming Home to Roost

[B-Man]

Healthcare.gov: Worse Than Ever, But Don’t Be Distracted

 

 

FTA:

 

While the web site issues give rise to an entirely appropriate sense of schadenfreude, they are of relatively little importance. I assume that eventually, by brute force and the expenditure of billions of dollars, the administration will be able to create a web portal that more or less functions. But the real problems with Obamacare have little or nothing to do with the web site; they have everything to do with the substance of the law.

 

The first wave of revulsion occurred when it became evident that millions of Americans in the individual and small group markets were losing their health insurance, contrary to the Democrats’ oft-repeated promise that if you like your health insurance, you can keep it. The falsity of that promise has dealt a devastating and well-deserved blow to Barack Obama’s credibility, and the lie will haunt every Democratic Senator or Congressman who runs for reelection next year.

 

For the next year or more there will be a rolling fiasco as millions of Americans lose their coverage not only in the individual market, but in the employer-sponsored market that covers most people. The Obama administration predicted in 2010 that over half of all Americans who have employer-sponsored group plans will lose them during Obamacare’s first year; those tens of millions of people will be distinctly unhappy. That will be the second wave of disgust with Obamacare.

 

The third wave of revulsion will overlap with the second; it will come when people realize–again, in both the individual market and the employer-sponsored market–that Obamacare has made their health insurance coverage more expensive. President Obama’s promise that the average family will save $2,500 annually in insurance premiums is an absurdity. Anyone with any sense can see that Obamacare will be more expensive than what came before, not less expensive. The $2,500 promise will soon be as notorious as the “if you like your insurance, you can keep it” pledge. The only ones who save money will be those who are heavily subsidized by their neighbors. They will be ashamed to admit who they are.

 

This disaster will unfold inexorably.

 

 

 

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[IDBillzFan]

This is just embarrassing...

 

 

And this is purely true...

 

This disaster will unfold inexorably. It has nothing to do with the web site; rather, it is the intended consequence of the Democrats’ plan. All Republicans need to do is stay out of the way as Obamacare implodes and drives Democrats from office. When Democrats plead for help in “fixing” Obamacare on a bipartisan basis, Republicans must just say No.

[IDBillzFan]

What in the hell is going on?

 

IT Security Experts: Take heathcare.gov down immediately

 

“Just by looking at the website, we can see that there is just fundamental security principles that are not being followed,” he said.

 

Kennedy demonstrated how hackers are attempting to exploit the website’s vulnerabilities to access personal information and testified that he believes the website has either already been subject to cyber attacks or will be hacked soon.

 

“We can actually enable their web cam, monitor their web cam, listen to their microphone, steal passwords,” he explained. “Anything that they do on their computer we now have full access to.”

 

Three of the four witnesses agreed that the Obama administration should take the site offline in order to address the security flaws.

[Joe Miner]

http://www.mediaite....o-into-scandal/

 

 

 

.

 

Since he gets his information from the nightly news, what he meant was that he hadn't seen a segment on it yet on the channel 4 news at 6.

[Gary M]

All Republicans need to do is stay out of the way as Obamacare implodes and drives Democrats from office. When Democrats plead for help in “fixing” Obamacare on a bipartisan basis, Republicans must just say No.

 

But it is the Republicans fault.

 

http://nation.foxnews.com/2013/11/20/its-not-me-its-them-reeling-obama-shifts-blame-obamacare-mess-republicans

[Nanker]

The Republicans better be careful now. They can't be defined by the King any longer. They have the opportunity to offer a different vision to the American people - a workable alternative to this mess that will offer insurance coverage to virtually every American. The left will balk because the only alternative they have the slightest interest in is single payer. So far they haven't grabbed center stage and presented their plan to the public - in the new context of the abject failure of the PPACA and the disgrace the dishonest administration has brought upon itself. They can make Obama irrelevant just as Clinton was during the Contract With America.

[DC Tom]

This is just embarrassing...

 

 

I'm in the same situation right now. "But...but...but...we're being agile!"

 

No, we're the embodiment of chaos.

[TheMadCap]

The Republicans better be careful now. They can't be defined by the King any longer. They have the opportunity to offer a different vision to the American people - a workable alternative to this mess that will offer insurance coverage to virtually every American. The left will balk because the only alternative they have the slightest interest in is single payer. So far they haven't grabbed center stage and presented their plan to the public - in the new context of the abject failure of the PPACA and the disgrace the dishonest administration has brought upon itself. They can make Obama irrelevant just as Clinton was during the Contract With America.

 

They've had ample opportunity to do so many times, and have had no interest in doing so. Coming up with a feasible plan right now would be the smartest thing theyve done in many decades, but that being said, there is no way they do so. The GOP is a case study on how NOT to run a political party in 21 centruy America...

[B-Man]

The Republicans better be careful now. They can't be defined by the King any longer. They have the opportunity to offer a different vision to the American people - a workable alternative to this mess that will offer insurance coverage to virtually every American. The left will balk because the only alternative they have the slightest interest in is single payer. So far they haven't grabbed center stage and presented their plan to the public - in the new context of the abject failure of the PPACA and the disgrace the dishonest administration has brought upon itself. They can make Obama irrelevant just as Clinton was during the Contract With America.

 

 

While I agree the stupidity of the GOP can never be over-stressed, I disagree (slightly) with the last few posters.

 

The Republicans should NOT offer a "Obamacare Replacement" , people are awakening to the fact that there should not be Huge, over-reaching, grand Health Care plan.

 

What they should do (as they have tried very unsuccessfully in the past) is offer several, immediate, functionable plans to address Costs, and potability.

 

 

.

[B-Large]

They've had ample opportunity to do so many times, and have had no interest in doing so. Coming up with a feasible plan right now would be the smartest thing theyve done in many decades, but that being said, there is no way they do so. The GOP is a case study on how NOT to run a political party in 21 centruy America...

 

Its because at this point, all reforms are splitting hairs from one another if we believe that private insurance compaines are to play a key role in our system. Whether it be buying insurance from Ohio when you live in Florida, capping Med LP claims, individuals mandates, laws against recission.. they are all the same or prety darn close.

 

My propsed plan (I can't remeber if I posted this here, its been a while):

 

1. Every Amercians has a deductible they must meet for themselves and family. If you make 10K a year, its $100. If you make a million a year, maybe its 50K. But EVERYBODY has to write a check for their care, so they can see what the cost is, and providers will begin being transparent about their real costs, and complete for patients.

 

2. State or National Cat Pool- yes another tax, but a risk pool covering people once they make their deductible. At this point, what does a Private Insurance company really do anyway? Why can't a group of people who are experts in healthcare write up screening guidelines based on Evidence Based research? Treatment regimes based on EBR? If people want to pay for a test that is no considered standard of care, they can write a check.

 

Its really simple, drug makers, hospitals and provider remain private, everybody is covered and everybody is paying a fair share... seems resoanble to me.

[Koko78]

1. Every Amercians has a deductible they must meet for themselves and family. If you make 10K a year, its $100.

 

B, why do you hate poor people?

[Azalin]

The Republicans should NOT offer a "Obamacare Replacement" , people are awakening to the fact that there should not be Huge, over-reaching, grand Health Care plan..

while I agree with this in principle, I have absolutely no faith in the intellectual capacity of the electorate to realize this. tort reform and loosening the restrictions on interstate insurance sales have been issues for years now, and very few people are even aware of what those issues entail, or what effect their reform could have.

[DC Tom]

Has anyone really stopped to think about the magnitude of just this current cluster-!@#$? People losing insurance can't buy insurance because the only recourse to buy insurance for many of them doesn't work; the president unilaterally amends the law - which he can't do - to restore cancelled coverage - which the insurance companies can't do as both a practical and legal matter - to cover his own false promises; and the president threatens to veto any Congressional attempt to amend the law in the same way he just unilaterally amended it?

 

So we've got many millions of people to not just lack health insurance but lack access to any sort of health insurance market, as dictated by a law and a legislative process that has been stomped on and mangled so much that the states and insurers can't realistically comply with it.

 

I don't think this mess can be fixed before next August at the earliest, frankly. This is an Iraq War level tar-baby.

[Joe Miner]

Has anyone really stopped to think about the magnitude of just this current cluster-!@#$? People losing insurance can't buy insurance because the only recourse to buy insurance for many of them doesn't work; the president unilaterally amends the law - which he can't do - to restore cancelled coverage - which the insurance companies can't do as both a practical and legal matter - to cover his own false promises; and the president threatens to veto any Congressional attempt to amend the law in the same way he just unilaterally amended it?

 

So we've got many millions of people to not just lack health insurance but lack access to any sort of health insurance market, as dictated by a law and a legislative process that has been stomped on and mangled so much that the states and insurers can't realistically comply with it.

 

I don't think this mess can be fixed before next August at the earliest, frankly. This is an Iraq War level tar-baby.

 

Govt at its finest.

[Doc]

Has anyone really stopped to think about the magnitude of just this current cluster-!@#$? People losing insurance can't buy insurance because the only recourse to buy insurance for many of them doesn't work; the president unilaterally amends the law - which he can't do - to restore cancelled coverage - which the insurance companies can't do as both a practical and legal matter - to cover his own false promises; and the president threatens to veto any Congressional attempt to amend the law in the same way he just unilaterally amended it?

 

So we've got many millions of people to not just lack health insurance but lack access to any sort of health insurance market, as dictated by a law and a legislative process that has been stomped on and mangled so much that the states and insurers can't realistically comply with it.

 

I don't think this mess can be fixed before next August at the earliest, frankly. This is an Iraq War level tar-baby.

This has turned out far worse than even the most ardent Obamafail hater could have imagined. And as I said, the irony is that it will create a backlash against single payer, which was the libs' goal.

[boyst]

This has turned out far worse than even the most ardent Obamafail hater could have imagined. And as I said, the irony is that it will create a backlash against single payer, which was the libs' goal.

That's why it is going to backfire to all the ones polking the fire right now. Everyone will forget the Administrations failure and champion the underdogs cause when you have the quote of Stan Johnson (R-??) declaring how awful this has been...

[OCinBuffalo]

 

"There's nothing wrong with that LABillz, you just aren't familiar with the way they do it in "the Valley".

 

Don't you know that 292 Google, and Apple, and Oracle programmers have been assinged? They can fix the entire approach, and make code, as yet to be desgined, derived from as yet unstated requirments, magically appear! They are from California! They work for Google!

 

So your stupid Gantt Chart, which represents a "waterfall" approach, is useless, because we do RAD/XP. Got that? RAD has worked great for every Ruby on Rails project, ever, so why wouldn't it work here? It works great in "the Valley". Your stupid waterfall from the 80s isn't how we do things in 2013. You might as well be talking about not using ORMs!

 

Rather than using phases, we can iterate our way into doing anything...and not encounter serious structural and design flaws...because we didn't anticipate all the requirements....

 

...oh....wait...."

 

 

It's hilarious watching the arrogance of California IT...implode. I'm going to have a good laugh over the next year, because it's still not working.

 

Boston may benefit huge from all of this. "Why would you go with a company that's based in Fairy Valley, when you can work with some salty guys who get the job done right, without all the blather"?

 

You can just hear them saying it....

Edited November 21, 2013 by OCinBuffalo

[drinkTHEkoolaid]

What in the hell is going on?

 

IT Security Experts: Take heathcare.gov down immediately

 

This website is like an all you can hack buffet for hackers and identity theives.

 

Since you are now forced to have health insurance and enroll on this website if needed.... since its law, and you comply, and your identity is stolen and your back account drained, can the government be held liable?

[DC Tom]

This website is like an all you can hack buffet for hackers and identity theives.

 

Since you are now forced to have health insurance and enroll on this website if needed.... since its law, and you comply, and your identity is stolen and your back account drained, can the government be held liable?

 

Government by law is shielded from the repercussions of its stupidity.

 

And most theft of personally identifying information nowadays is done by the NSA, so the risk is actually quite low.

 

"There's nothing wrong with that LABillz, you just aren't familiar with the way they do it in "the Valley".

 

Don't you know that 292 Google, and Apple, and Oracle programmers have been assinged? They can fix the entire approach, and make code, as yet to be desgined, derived from as yet unstated requirments, magically appear! They are from California! They work for Google!

 

So your stupid Gantt Chart, which represents a "waterfall" approach, is useless, because we do RAD/XP. Got that? RAD has worked great for every Ruby on Rails project, ever, so why wouldn't it work here? It works great in "the Valley". Your stupid waterfall from the 80s isn't how we do things in 2013. You might as well be talking about not using ORMs!

 

Rather than using phases, we can iterate our way into doing anything...and not encounter serious structural and design flaws...because we didn't anticipate all the requirements....

 

...oh....wait...."

 

 

It's hilarious watching the arrogance of California IT...implode. I'm going to have a good laugh over the next year, because it's still not working.

 

Boston may benefit huge from all of this. "Why would you go with a company that's based in Fairy Valley, when you can work with some salty guys who get the job done right, without all the blather"?

 

You can just hear them saying it....

 

You want a good laugh? I just did some quick 508 testing on the site.

 

Not even close to being compliant.

[OCinBuffalo]

Has anyone really stopped to think about the magnitude of just this current cluster-!@#$? People losing insurance can't buy insurance because the only recourse to buy insurance for many of them doesn't work; the president unilaterally amends the law - which he can't do - to restore cancelled coverage - which the insurance companies can't do as both a practical and legal matter - to cover his own false promises; and the president threatens to veto any Congressional attempt to amend the law in the same way he just unilaterally amended it?

 

So we've got many millions of people to not just lack health insurance but lack access to any sort of health insurance market, as dictated by a law and a legislative process that has been stomped on and mangled so much that the states and insurers can't realistically comply with it.

 

I don't think this mess can be fixed before next August at the earliest, frankly. This is an Iraq War level tar-baby.

I assure you I have. I don't like what I've been thinking lately. Not one bit. I hope I am wrong.

 

Consider: The LOW estimate is that ~October, 50 million people on group plans...will be off group plans. That's the low estimate. (Didn't we get into this thing because of 30 million people? WTF?)

 

As many of you know, I'm no fan of government-run anything. Government is a necessary evil. It's the worst choice for problem solving, so it's the last choice. However, I am no anarchist(or Anti-Christ 4mer). If you throw 50 million people out into the street...while their medical treatment is ongoing?

 

That's a pescription for all-out rebellion. You're fooling yourself if you think that doesn't come with chaos and violence. I know, I know "why did they think they were entitled to anything, especially of they voted for this clown?". That's a different discussion.

 

What matters right now, today: what if 1 father loses his kid due to this? How about something more realistic #s-wise? With 50 million? How about 20k fathers lose their kid/wife? That's .0004%. What do we do with 20k fathers that want blood? We can't even manage to keep 1 kid from shooting up a school. What do we do about 20k, or, (assume half regain their senses) 10k guys looking to put a bullet in the people who did this? Still think some of them get weak on the day of? Ok, what about 5k guys? What about 2.5k guys? A what point do the excuses/mitigations run out...while we are still left with a very large number?

 

Shoot them? 2.5k guys, who just lost their wife/kid? 1000 guys, who decide to go postal? See? This is about large numbers. It always has been. That's why this is so unsettling.

 

The large #s here dictate: we may very well have an even bigger mess on our hands, than many of us are able to conceive of, when we fully realize the unintended consquences, and the response to those cosequences unfolds.

 

I'd like it if we tried to find a way to get ahead of that issue, or, if we realized right F'ing now that this is what's coming, and acted immediately to stop it.

 

There is no escaping the math here. Or the statistical probabilities inherent to 50 million people losing their health care plans, that they've earned, because they actually work. That anger can't be quantified. But, it sure as hell can be applied, on scale that is difficult to imagine.