Obamacare to become more expensive

Luckily, Obamacare has now been passed so we can see what is in it. But, the picture just keeps getting worse.

As we know, Chicago is virtually broke, and it’s long term pension obligations are enormous.  So, last summer, Mayor Rahm Emanuel appointed a four person commission to study the costs of continuing to provide health care benefits to retirees who are not yet Medicare eligible.  Given that many public employees can retire in their 50’s, these costs are high.

The four-member panel issued a report this month suggesting that dumping pre-Medicare retirees onto the state’s ObamaCare exchange in 2014 could be fab for retirees and city taxpayers. Nearly 60% of retirees and 94% of those who receive subsidies would pay less for their health care on the exchange…

Chicago and its pension funds in turn would shed $23 billion in liabilities, assuming supplemental benefits for Medicare recipients are also cancelled.

Wow, what a deal.

There is a “minor” drawback, however.

…[T]he cost to national taxpayers would be enormous, especially if other local and state governments joined the party. Federal subsidies for Chicago retirees would amount to $44 million in 2014 and increase as more workers retire in their early to mid-50s and health costs grow.

So, under Obamacare, not only will you have to pay more for your own health insurance, you also will have the privilege of bailing out the city of Chicago, and, no doubt, countless other cities and municipalities.

I’ll bet you feel better already.

 

 

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SoundOffSister

The Sound Off Sister was an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and special trial attorney for the Department of Justice, Criminal Division; a partner in the Florida law firm of Shutts & Bowen, and an adjunct professor at the University of Miami, School of Law. The Sound Off Sister offers frequent commentary concerning legislation making its way through Congress, including the health reform legislation passed in early 2010.

9 Comments

  1. Lynn on January 27, 2013 at 3:36 pm

    Unintended consequences.?



    • Dimsdale on January 28, 2013 at 10:18 am

      I wonder just how “unintended” it really is….



    • Lynn on January 28, 2013 at 9:08 pm

      I think you are reading my thoughts.



  2. just sayin on January 27, 2013 at 8:09 pm

    I just uttered a four-letter word.



  3. JBS on January 28, 2013 at 7:18 am

    Oh . . .



  4. Dimsdale on January 28, 2013 at 10:18 am

    Where do I sign up for the black market health care?



    • Lynn on January 28, 2013 at 5:57 pm

      Ha, I would think Ma would be the place since they have mini Obamacare Already.
      ?



    • Dimsdale on January 30, 2013 at 11:06 am

      It is a perfect match for our ?bama “mini me”, Deval Patrick!



  5. John Fembup on January 30, 2013 at 9:05 am

    “the privilege of bailing out the city of Chicago, and, no doubt, countless other cities and municipalities.”
    Well, that’s what insurance does – it spreads cost around.? It does not lower costs by even a nickel.
    Which illustrates, again, as if the point really needs more illustration, that the premise of ObamaCare doomed it from the start to fail.?
    That premise is that fooling around with “insurance” can somehow lessen the cost of medical care. It can’t; it won’t; and all federal taxpayers are now firmly on the hook for the result.



square-obama-doctor

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