Obamacare Promises Broken

For the last few weeks, we have been inundated by the continual problems associated with Healthcare.gov. However, there are more numerous problems being masked by this issue alone. As implementation has begun, we are now learning more about "what is in it"...the law itself, of course. And, what we are learning is not good; not only have we been mislead, but many supporters continue to deny the facts regarding this massive overhaul. The mass media is generally content to not review the promises made and now broken. There is a whole series of broken promises at this point, with the worst yet to come. Yet, with only the slightest amount of research and scrutiny, each promise can be shown to be false and misleading.

"First, if you are among the hundreds of millions of Americans who already have health insurance through your job, or Medicare, or Medicaid, or the VA, nothing in this plan will require you or your employer to change the coverage or the doctor you have. (Applause.) Let me repeat this: Nothing in our plan requires you to change what you have." (President Obama, September 9, 2009 - Joint Session of Congress)

While the Healthcare Law does not require people to change their plans, it most certainly ended many plans previously offered by the insurance industry.  Numerous plans and participants have been eliminated and dropped by insurance companies due to the new law.  And, this is just looking at the direct plans dropped by insurance companies.   How many plans had to be modified in order to conform?  It is hard to even gather that type of information.  I know that my own employer had to greatly modify the plan it offered to me and my co-workers.

"And one more misunderstanding I want to clear up -- under our plan, no federal dollars will be used to fund abortions, and federal conscience laws will remain in place." (President Obama, September 9, 2009 - Joint Session of Congress)

Via Planned Parenthood and many other avenues, Federal funds are funding abortion.  This disgusting twisting of rhetoric does not change the facts.

"Now, add it all up, and the plan I'm proposing will cost around $900 billion over 10 years -- less than we have spent on the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and less than the tax cuts for the wealthiest few Americans that Congress passed at the beginning of the previous administration. (Applause.) Now, most of these costs will be paid for with money already being spent -- but spent badly -- in the existing health care system. The plan will not add to our deficit. The middle class will realize greater security, not higher taxes. And if we are able to slow the growth of health care costs by just one-tenth of 1 percent each year -- one-tenth of 1 percent -- it will actually reduce the deficit by $4 trillion over the long term." (President Obama, September 9, 2009 - Joint Session of Congress)

"And here's what you need to know. First, I will not sign a plan that adds one dime to our deficits -- either now or in the future. (Applause.) I will not sign it if it adds one dime to the deficit, now or in the future, period. And to prove that I'm serious, there will be a provision in this plan that requires us to come forward with more spending cuts if the savings we promised don't materialize." (President Obama, September 9, 2009 - Joint Session of Congress)

The CBO completely undermines this promise.  The estimates have continued to grow since the day the law was passed.  The more we find out, the more this legislation will add to our deficit.  In reality, we still do not know the full impact and will not until we are years into it.  Most likely, we will find that the deficit will sky rocket under this law and its' unintended consequences.  Current estimates have grown from $900 Billion to $2.5 Trillion over 10 years; all of which is being added to our deficit. So, where are the cuts Mr. President?

"More than four decades ago, this nation stood up for the principle that after a lifetime of hard work, our seniors should not be left to struggle with a pile of medical bills in their later years. That's how Medicare was born. And it remains a sacred trust that must be passed down from one generation to the next. (Applause.) And that is why not a dollar of the Medicare trust fund will be used to pay for this plan." (President Obama, September 9, 2009 - Joint Session of Congress)

Again, another broken promise.  As we look through the new law, we are finding massive cuts to Medicare, especially Medicare Advantage.  Over the next 10 years, the cuts amount to hundreds of billions of dollars.  Yet, he promised not $1 would be cut.

"Now, add it all up, and the plan I'm proposing will cost around $900 billion over 10 years -- less than we have spent on the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and less than the tax cuts for the wealthiest few Americans that Congress passed at the beginning of the previous administration. (Applause.) Now, most of these costs will be paid for with money already being spent -- but spent badly -- in the existing health care system. The plan will not add to our deficit. The middle class will realize greater security, not higher taxes. And if we are able to slow the growth of health care costs by just one-tenth of 1 percent each year -- one-tenth of 1 percent -- it will actually reduce the deficit by $4 trillion over the long term." (President Obama, September 9, 2009 - Joint Session of Congress)

 In 2008, Obama promised to cut premiums by $2500 for a family of four.

The American people would have been happy to see cuts in premiums of any sort.  The continual growth of costs for health insurance have begun to bleed the middle class dry.  Yet, we are getting the opposite of what was promised; rates are, in fact, increasing substantially for most Americans.  This is so easily undermined that it is almost laughable.  Let's think about this; the law promises no rate increases to those who have pre-existing conditions which means this cost is spread amongst all other insured necessarily causing rates to increase.  Covering pre-existing conditions is expensive; these are the most unhealthy among us and are frequent visitors to the ER and hospital.  Simple math will point out that this was unreasonable to expect and we are all seeing this as rates are rolled out.  Even non-ACA exchanges are being affected as this cost is spread amongst corporate plans as well.

In 2009, Obama promised not to raise taxes on the middle class.

The Supreme Court ruled that the penalty is, in fact, a tax.  This tax will hit the middle class in the largest tax increase in our nation's history.  To make matters worse, this tax will decimate the middle class due to its size and scope.

This is but a few of the broken promises of the administration related to ACA.  Are there more? Absolutely.  One could write a book on all the broken promises and failures of this law.  And, one does not have to look very hard to find the evidence that this pattern of deceit continues today; not just regarding the ACA but many other policies as well.  This is just the largest of them and continues to steal the lime light.