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As public support for ObamaCare slumps into a post-election decline, the Department of Health and Human Services is trying to convince people that they ought to like the law by noting that its already given free stuff to a whole bunch of people. An HHS news release this week brags that the Affordable Care Act extended free preventive care to 71 million Americans with private health insurance as well as 34 million Medicare Advantage beneficiariesfree benefits the agency says are giving Americans more value for their health dollars.
The problem is that the benefits in question are neither free nor likely to produce valuable savings. ObamaCares rules eliminated individual cost-sharing for a number of preventive services, but, as the administration admitted a few months after the law passed, at the cost of higher insurance premiums on average. Its like a gym that suddenly makes all the drinks and snacks at its café freebut raises the price of membership. Its not free. Youre just paying in a different way.
Its not cost-saving as public policy either, despite initial Democratic hopes that it would be. In fact, most evidence shows that it increases health spending. Thats because eliminating cost-sharing increases utilization of preventive services; when theres no immediate price to pay for using a service, people tend to use more of it. And as the Congressional Budget Office reported back in 2009, the evidence suggests that for most preventive services, expanded utilization leads to higher, not lower, medical spending overall." In general, the CBO noted, researchers have found that the added costs of widespread use of preventive services tend to exceed the savings from averted illness.
If only someone would have pointed this out 4 years ago.
As public support for ObamaCare slumps into a post-election decline, the Department of Health and Human Services is trying to convince people that they ought to like the law by noting that its already given free stuff to a whole bunch of people. An HHS news release this week brags that the Affordable Care Act extended free preventive care to 71 million Americans with private health insurance as well as 34 million Medicare Advantage beneficiariesfree benefits the agency says are giving Americans more value for their health dollars.
The problem is that the benefits in question are neither free nor likely to produce valuable savings. ObamaCares rules eliminated individual cost-sharing for a number of preventive services, but, as the administration admitted a few months after the law passed, at the cost of higher insurance premiums on average. Its like a gym that suddenly makes all the drinks and snacks at its café freebut raises the price of membership. Its not free. Youre just paying in a different way.
Its not cost-saving as public policy either, despite initial Democratic hopes that it would be. In fact, most evidence shows that it increases health spending. Thats because eliminating cost-sharing increases utilization of preventive services; when theres no immediate price to pay for using a service, people tend to use more of it. And as the Congressional Budget Office reported back in 2009, the evidence suggests that for most preventive services, expanded utilization leads to higher, not lower, medical spending overall." In general, the CBO noted, researchers have found that the added costs of widespread use of preventive services tend to exceed the savings from averted illness.
ObamaCare's Free Preventive Services Aren't Free - Hit & Run : Reason.com
If only someone would have pointed this out 4 years ago.
ObamaCare's Free Preventive Services Aren't Free - Hit & Run : Reason.comAs public support for ObamaCare slumps into a post-election decline, the Department of Health and Human Services is trying to convince people that they ought to like the law by noting that its already given free stuff to a whole bunch of people. An HHS news release this week brags that the Affordable Care Act extended free preventive care to 71 million Americans with private health insurance as well as 34 million Medicare Advantage beneficiariesfree benefits the agency says are giving Americans more value for their health dollars.
The problem is that the benefits in question are neither free nor likely to produce valuable savings. ObamaCares rules eliminated individual cost-sharing for a number of preventive services, but, as the administration admitted a few months after the law passed, at the cost of higher insurance premiums on average. Its like a gym that suddenly makes all the drinks and snacks at its café freebut raises the price of membership. Its not free. Youre just paying in a different way.
Its not cost-saving as public policy either, despite initial Democratic hopes that it would be. In fact, most evidence shows that it increases health spending. Thats because eliminating cost-sharing increases utilization of preventive services; when theres no immediate price to pay for using a service, people tend to use more of it. And as the Congressional Budget Office reported back in 2009, the evidence suggests that for most preventive services, expanded utilization leads to higher, not lower, medical spending overall." In general, the CBO noted, researchers have found that the added costs of widespread use of preventive services tend to exceed the savings from averted illness.
Prevention is way cheaper than the cure. The HMO's are the ones who are reaping the benefits. This is not at all surprising since Obamacare is nothing more than the Republican alternative in Hilarycare back in the 1990's that was subsequently enacted as Romneycare.
If only someone would have pointed this out 4 years ago.
ObamaCare's Free Preventive Services Aren't Free - Hit & Run : Reason.com
Prevention is way cheaper than the cure. The HMO's are the ones who are reaping the benefits. This is not at all surprising since Obamacare is nothing more than the Republican alternative in Hilarycare back in the 1990's that was subsequently enacted as Romneycare.
Not if more people use it than need it.
If only someone would have pointed this out 4 years ago.
ObamaCare's Free Preventive Services Aren't Free - Hit & Run : Reason.com
Prevention is way cheaper than the cure. The HMO's are the ones who are reaping the benefits. This is not at all surprising since Obamacare is nothing more than the Republican alternative in Hilarycare back in the 1990's that was subsequently enacted as Romneycare.
Not if more people use it than need it.
You dont go to war and then make your weapons. You dont get sick then start taking care of yourself.
It isn't that ACA is driving up prices, (they've been rising faster than inflation for 40 years) it's that ACA does nothing to prevent prices from raising.
It isn't that ACA is driving up prices, (they've been rising faster than inflation for 40 years) it's that ACA does nothing to prevent prices from raising.
Prevention is way cheaper than the cure. The HMO's are the ones who are reaping the benefits. This is not at all surprising since Obamacare is nothing more than the Republican alternative in Hilarycare back in the 1990's that was subsequently enacted as Romneycare.
Not if more people use it than need it.
Do you only change the oil in your car when it needs to be changed or when it is recommended that it be changed? Which is better for the health and longevity of your vehicle?
It isn't that ACA is driving up prices, (they've been rising faster than inflation for 40 years) it's that ACA does nothing to prevent prices from raising.
Prevention is way cheaper than the cure. The HMO's are the ones who are reaping the benefits. This is not at all surprising since Obamacare is nothing more than the Republican alternative in Hilarycare back in the 1990's that was subsequently enacted as Romneycare.
Not if more people use it than need it.
What?
It isn't that ACA is driving up prices, (they've been rising faster than inflation for 40 years) it's that ACA does nothing to prevent prices from raising.
It was meant to stagger costs..not keep them from going up.
Not if more people use it than need it.
Do you only change the oil in your car when it needs to be changed or when it is recommended that it be changed? Which is better for the health and longevity of your vehicle?
Talk to the CBO, that group that you loved when they said that Obamacare would cost less than $1 trillion, they are the ones that argue that it will raise the cost.
It isn't that ACA is driving up prices, (they've been rising faster than inflation for 40 years) it's that ACA does nothing to prevent prices from raising.
Keep telling yourself that.
If only someone would have pointed this out 4 years ago.
As public support for ObamaCare slumps into a post-election decline, the Department of Health and Human Services is trying to convince people that they ought to like the law by noting that its already given free stuff to a whole bunch of people. An HHS news release this week brags that the Affordable Care Act extended free preventive care to 71 million Americans with private health insurance as well as 34 million Medicare Advantage beneficiariesfree benefits the agency says are giving Americans more value for their health dollars.
The problem is that the benefits in question are neither free nor likely to produce valuable savings. ObamaCares rules eliminated individual cost-sharing for a number of preventive services, but, as the administration admitted a few months after the law passed, at the cost of higher insurance premiums on average. Its like a gym that suddenly makes all the drinks and snacks at its café freebut raises the price of membership. Its not free. Youre just paying in a different way.
Its not cost-saving as public policy either, despite initial Democratic hopes that it would be. In fact, most evidence shows that it increases health spending. Thats because eliminating cost-sharing increases utilization of preventive services; when theres no immediate price to pay for using a service, people tend to use more of it. And as the Congressional Budget Office reported back in 2009, the evidence suggests that for most preventive services, expanded utilization leads to higher, not lower, medical spending overall." In general, the CBO noted, researchers have found that the added costs of widespread use of preventive services tend to exceed the savings from averted illness.
ObamaCare's Free Preventive Services Aren't Free - Hit & Run : Reason.com
It isn't that ACA is driving up prices, (they've been rising faster than inflation for 40 years) it's that ACA does nothing to prevent prices from raising.
Health care price inflation in January 2013, at 1.5% year-over-year, was two tenths below Decembers reading and the lowest level since 1.3% measured in December 1997. The 12-month moving average at 2.0% in January 2013 is the lowest since 1.9% recorded in December 1998.
