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April 25, 2016


Title: Obamacare a Major Bust
Topic: Obamacare: What Next?
Discussed by Ed Haislmaier
with The Heritage Foundation (www.Heritage.org)

UnitedHealthcare recently revealed a nearly $1 BILLION LOSS dealing with Obamacare exchanges. But, wait a minute! Didn’t they love, love, love it? Didn’t they think it was the greatest thing EVER?

Ed Haislmaier is an expert in Health Care Policy and Markets at The Heritage Foundation. He is frequently asked to help lawmakers design and draft specific reforms to the health system. Ed has also developed innovative strategies for states to create consumer-centered health insurance markets by using their authority to regulate insurance.

Concerning UHC, Ed says, “Sometimes big corporations don’t understand what they’re getting into and sometimes the big ones get their heads handed to them by the smaller ones.” In 2014, UHC began Obamacare exchanges in only four states; they expanded to twenty-three states in 2015 and to thirty-four states in 2016. Now, they are suddenly pulling out of twenty-two states. “They didn’t really understand that [Obamacare] is a different market than what they were used to dealing with,” Ed states. Listen in as he explains the difference between the before and after of Obamacare with UHC and other insurance companies.

Will Obamacare crumble with a new President, especially if a Republican wins? Ed Haislmaier believes one of two outcomes are possible:
1) If a change in Party occurs in the Presidency, there will possibly be a change in the Party of Congress as well. Therefore, Obamacare will probably be repealed or implode altogether.

2) If no change is made to Congress, there might be some changes over a few years, with a gradual decline, but it might pick up again.

However, he does believe that either way, Obamacare will become a “cross between Medicaid and a high risk pool”. That is definitely not a positive outcome at all.

Ed Haislmaier also discusses how the Democrats have consistently fought against the small business owner and the family in regards to healthcare coverage. “They think of this as an income-redistribution program,” Ed boldly states. “They micro-managed the subsidies and based them on income and family size in a way that is almost impossible to predict was the real subsidy is.” Listen in as he explains this in further detail. He also explains the income threshold under Obamacare and why it absolutely does not make sense.



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June 5, 2015


Title: Big Price Hikes Coming for Obamacare
Topic: Obamacare
Discussed by Ed Haislmaier
with The Heritage Foundation (www.Heritage.org)

Part 1 of 2

Experts in the medical industry are predicting a gigantic rate increase across the board for Obamacare users. State governments still have the authority to tell insurance companies “no”, but will they really do that?

Ed Haislmaier is with the Center for Health Policy Studies with The Heritage Foundation. No one can predict with certainty what will happen in the future, but Mr. Haislmaier explains that all insurance companies increase their rates every year, not just health care companies. He says, “First, there is a lot of variation by state and by insurer….Secondly, things are worse than expected.”

Listen in as Ed explains the difference between the optimists and pessimists within the insurance industry. In the next segment, he discusses the “risk pool” and what that means for you – the consumer.



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Title: Part 2 of 2 - Big Price Hikes Coming for Obamacare
Topic: Obamacare
Discussed by Ed Haislmaier
with The Heritage Foundation (www.Heritage.org)

Ed Haislmaier is very knowledgeable on health policy. He has seen the numbers by other experts like himself, and he agrees with them: People will not be happy with the health insurance increases for the next calendar year. But what about the “risk pools”? Weren’t they supposed to make obtaining insurance easier? Ed says, “Nope.” He has three factors to back up his predictions. Listen in as he explains those factors in more detail.

There is good news and bad news regarding the much anticipated decision by the Supreme Court on Obamacare’s mandatory subsidies. Ed Haislmaier says, “The good news is that many people will be permitted to have a do-over and choose a cheaper plan {if the ruling is favorable}.” Unfortunately, Ed believes the rates will continue to rise and less people will enroll every year. “Eventually, Congress is going to need to revisit the entire thing,” he says.

FACT CHECK: Ed’s research has proven that the net change in private coverage for 2014 is only a few hundred thousand people, not millions like the government is claiming. In addition, 90% of the people added to Obamacare were enrolled in Medicaid or Medicare, so this helps nothing.

Click [here]  for more on the Obamacare rate increases and how it affects you and your family.



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