ObamaCare Continues to Fall Apart

Every week brings a new setback in the implementation of the Incredibly Shrinking ObamaCare law.   I guess that's what happens when arrogant bureaucrats, who think they are smarter than everyone else, hastily slap together a lengthy, poorly conceived,  unpopular law without reading it,  pass it in the middle of the night, with zero members of the political opposition supporting it -- all to give their 'black' President a single political "victory."  That victory was won at a time when nothing was being done to help the millions of unemployed suffering in the immediate aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis.  At least Bush was smart enough to lower taxes in the face of the dot.com recession. That worked.

Last week, conveniently announced during the latest burst of international chaos, the HHS suddenly found the pretext to grant exemptions for 4.5 million persons from their wonderful law in five territories: American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, Northern Mariana Islands, and Virgin Islands.   The territories had originally lobbied to be included in ObamaCare coverage.  Then the scope of disaster became real.  Prices skyrocketed and insurers bolted.   In short, it was a total disaster in those territories.

And of course it's essentially illegal for the Obama Administration to ignore enforcement of his own law.  The law is the law!  That it doesn't work is not relevant.  To change the law, the law must be modified by the legislature -- which the President unconstitutionally ignores.  Obama is one fucked-up dude.  One day Obama might find his ass impeached and out of office.  That day might come with a big victory by the Repubs in the Senate.

Then, yesterday the nation's 2nd highest court, the Fourth Circuit Court of DC said that: "the ACA unambiguously restricts...subsidy to insurance purchased on Exchanges 'established by the State.'"  That means that the Federal government had no legal right to grant taxpayer subsidies to the 36 states that refused to create a healthcare exchange.  It's a ruling that affects millions of people who think they are getting substantial subsidies.  And 90% of Obamacare enrollees are receiving subsidies.

The law remains as unpopular as ever as it's 2nd rate coverage "options" at astronomic prices turns out to be a hardship for everyone in the nation.  I can't even count the number of exemptions granted by fiat "fiddling" by this administration. Every exemption is an admission that the law doesn't work.  If the law was so good, why is everyone trying to squirm away from it?  If it's so good, why did 36 states not want the healthcare exchanges?  If it's so good, why were employers nationwide given an exemption from providing insurance to their employers?  

Even the individual mandate was sneakily struck down on a late Friday afternoon in March 2014 in an internet posting by the HHS stating that if an uninsured claims a "hardship" in obtaining insurance coverage, he or she is exempt from individual mandate.  No documentation required.  From Fox,

individuals can now qualify for a "hardship exemption" -- meaning they would not have to pay a penalty for not buying insurance -- if they "experienced another hardship in obtaining  health insurance." 

The document does not define what "another hardship" means, and suggests the administration might not be a stickler when it comes to proof either. It says anyone seeking this exemption should "submit documentation if possible."

So, basically all of the mandates (employers and individual) are gone.  The whole law is officially in a state of disaster now since it depends on all people to be covered by a policy since all pre-existing conditions must also be covered by insurers.   Now, we're back to square one where all individuals could avoid buying (and paying for) insurance coverage until they they are sick.  When they need coverage, they can take advantage of the mandated coverage of pre-existing conditions.  Obviously, this can't stand.  It's the entire heart of the law.  Expect fraud galore.  Expect insurance companies, who made the mistake of getting bed with this administration, to get screwed.  But they'll jack up rates ever higher thanks mostly to the Obama administration.

Remember that ObamaCare is the President's only "victory," -- a Pyrrhic victory.  This is no way to run a nation -- unless it's Nigger Nation.