COVID-19 & Healthcare

Conservative economics fraud re: ObamaCare

by

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Last month there was the economics debunking of the Reinhart-Rogoff thesis, which led to a back and forth argument between traditional economists (Keynesians) and conservative economists. In the end, Reinhart-Rogoff were proved wrong and Paul Krugman proved right. Of course, the conservative economists refused to concede they were wrong. For them it is a matter of faith, not science (which means they should not be taken seriously as economists).

This month, a new economics back and forth argument has developed between economists. Karoli reports Forbes Tells The Truth, Then Lies About Obamacare:

Last week, Forbes blogger Rick Ungar admitted he was wrong about Obamacare and insurance rates, following the news that California's rates were actually less than expected.

For quite some time, I have been predicting that
Obamacare would likely mean higher insurance rates in the individual
market for the “young immortals” and others under the age of 40. At the
same time, my expectation was that those who fall into the older age
ranges would benefit greatly as their premium charges would be lowered
thanks to the Affordable Care Act.

It is increasingly clear that I had it wrong.

That must have come as a shock to the Forbes community, so they quickly put Avik Roy, their corporate pharma shill, on the job. His post making the claim that rates double is incredibly disingenuous on a number of levels.

If you’re a 25 year old male non-smoker, buying insurance
for yourself, the cheapest plan on Obamacare’s exchanges is the
catastrophic plan, which costs an average of $184 a month. (By
“average,” I mean the median monthly premium across California’s 19
insurance rating regions.)

The next cheapest plan, the “bronze” comprehensive plan, costs $205 a
month. But in 2013, on eHealthInsurance.com (NASDAQ:EHTH), the median
cost of the five cheapest plans was only $92.

In other words, for the typical 25-year-old male non-smoking
Californian, Obamacare will drive premiums up by between 100 and 123
percent.

Under Obamacare, only people under the age of 30 can participate in
the slightly cheaper catastrophic plan. So if you’re 40, your cheapest
option is the bronze plan. In California, the median price of a bronze
plan for a 40-year-old male non-smoker will be $261.

Time is running out on the Arizona Legislature to pass a budget

by

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Salvador DaliThe Arizona legislature is still in session as it engages in a protracted battle over Governor Jan Brewer's Medicaid (AHCCCS) restoration/expansion plan and the state budget, the one constitutionally prescribed duty of the legislature, which is due by July 1. Arizona Constitution, Article 9, Section 4.

Today marks the end of the temporary one-cent sales tax approved by voters, resulting in a substantial loss of sales tax revenue. State’s 3-year-old temporary sales tax ends today:

The tax has raised $2.7 billion during its three-year run, with
two-thirds of it going to the K-12 system. The remaining third was split
between health care and public safety.

With the expiration of the temporary one-cent sales tax, the corporate welfare tax-giveaway plan laughingly labeled a "jobs bill" that passed in a special session back in 2011 will now begin to phase in over time beginning with FY 2014 (July 1), further reducing state revenues:

Senate Bill 1001 (2011) is
filled with tax breaks and incentives for businesses large and small.
The legislative budget office estimated its cost at $538 million by 2018, when all the tax cuts
are phased in.

Brewer's advisors acknowledged that there
is no guarantee the changes would yield enough new investment and jobs
to offset the anticipated revenue loss.

Several other business tax cut measures enacted since 2011 are also scheduled to be phased in over time beginning with FY 2014 (July 1).

On Wednesday’s Bill Buckmaster Show

by

by David Safier Bill Buckmaster and I had an interesting discussion on the second half of his Wednesday radio show. (You can listen to it here.) Bill was as concerned as I am about the inBloom project, which was our first topic. The Bill Gates Foundation has plowed $100 million into a data bank which … Read more

Frank Antenori and Ron Gould are desperate for media attention

by

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

When I opened the Arizona Daily Star this morning, I was treated to a Howard Fischer report on how former state legislators Frank Antenori and Ron Gould are planning a referendum drive should the Arizona legislature enact Governor Jan Brewer's Medicaid (AHCCCS) restoration plan. 2 want Medicaid issue up to voters:

Frank Antenori, who represented Tucson, said Tuesday he already has written commitments from 500 GOP precinct committeemen to gather signatures this summer to refer the issue to the ballot if the proposal by Gov. Jan Brewer is approved by the Legislature. He and Ron Gould of Lake Havasu City need just 86,405 valid signatures within 90 days of the end of the session — whenever that happens — to force the issue to a public vote.

* * *

House Speaker Andy Tobin said Tuesday he has given up on his own bid to make approval of Brewer's plan contingent on voter approval at a special election. Tobin said he cannot line up support in his chamber.

* * *

Antenori said, though, it should be no problem finding enough Arizonans to sign referendum petitions — especially if the measure is sold as a way to kill "Obamacare.''

Just getting the signatures would be a setback for Brewer. The Arizona Constitution says any measure referred to the ballot cannot take effect until voters get a chance to either ratify or reject what lawmakers have approved.

The earliest that could happen is the 2014 general election. Antenori said that delay works in his favor.