The Democrats’ ObamaCare Quagmire

Their solution to the law’s disastrous effects is simply more of the same

By Chris Jacobs. Jacobs is founder and CEO of Juniper Research Group, a policy consulting firm. Excerpts:

"To “make health care simpler for families,” the lawmakers would “make sure people can get the insurance they are eligible for through a one-stop shop,” and “simplify and standardize plans and benefits.” ObamaCare already created government-run exchanges to shop for coverage—years after private companies had created comparison-shopping tools online. The law also standardized benefits, imposing new coverage requirements that more than doubled individual insurance premiums in ObamaCare’s first four years. Why are Democrats suggesting policies they enacted in 2010?"

"Democratic lawmakers appear to want to regulate ObamaCare off-ramps like short-term limited-duration plans and catastrophic insurance out of existence."

"Democrats want to enact stronger so-called consumer protections that eliminate any exit from the ObamaCare morass."

"insurers have bought up pharmaceutical benefit managers and other healthcare entities to shift revenue from insurance products—where ObamaCare’s medical loss ratio caps their profits—to business areas where profits remain uncapped."

"In 2008, Barack Obama pledged that his healthcare plan would lower premiums by $2,500 a year for the typical family. But Sen. Peter Welch, who signed the Wyden letter, conceded last fall that “we did fail to bring down the cost of healthcare.”"