Bad News and Good News, Enrollment edition

As we've noted previously, the Marketplace seems to have a problem keeping out the riff-raff:

"[F]ederal watchdog office did set up 10 phony insurance coverage accounts with no pushback from those overseeing the applications."

That was a year ago, and we're happy to report that there's been a 50% improvement in those numbers:

"Investigators got coverage approval for 15 out of 15 fake people this year"

Okay, I suppose that depends on one's definition of "improvement."

The GAO was apparently unable to make premium payments for three of these "people," which I suppose is reason for celebration, although where those funds would have come from (and where they did originate for the 80% of those who successfully ponied up) remains a mystery.

On the gripping hand, I am pleased to report that none of these "insureds" racked up more than $10,000 in medical expenses.

That we're aware of.

Hit the Reset Button

Six years after the passage of Obamacare. Two years into the full Obamacare version. What happened?

Where to begin?

Became law without a single Republican vote. Barely survived Supreme Court challenge by a 5 - 4 decision. Several health insurance carriers dropped out of the market before the official January, 2014 rollout. Failed $600 million website that still isn't secure and is semi-functional. Health insurance carrier losses in the millions and most of the few remaining carriers are considering dropping out of Obamacare for 2017. Every health insurance co-op created by Obamacare has either failed or is failing.

By almost every measure, Obamacare is a complete failure.

So what does Mr. Lame Duck do?

Obama dropped by a meeting with Secretary of Health and Human Services Sylvia Burwell and 13 health insurance CEOs, including the CEOs of Humana and Cigna, to emphasize the need to work together on the ACA's public marketplaces. 

In addition to the meeting, Obama sent a letter to the CEO of every health insurance company participating in the exchanges asking for help improving them. - Business Insider

The horses are out of the barn. Time to hit the reset button.

"And since the remaining uninsured are disproportionately younger and healthier, signing them up improves the risk pool and consequently the affordability of coverage for all enrollees.

After 6 years of telling carriers how they got everything wrong he now wants their help to fix his mess.

Open enrollment for the 2017 year starts in 6 weeks. This gives "Hail Mary" an entirely new meaning.

#ObamacareFail

Garden State Breaking: Another one bites the dust

Oops:

"The [New Jersey] state Department of Banking and Insurance moved Monday to take over Health Republic — known as a consumer-operated and –oriented, or COOP, plan — because of its “hazardous financial condition.”

As with Ohio's own InHealth, and most of the other Co-Ops, the numbers just didn't add up. and the carrier has been forced to fold.

Just in time for Open Enrollment v4.0.

And the timing couldn't be better (for certain values of "better"): when this happens, policyholders are generally eligible for a Special Open Enrollment. Which means they'll be looking for new plans over the coming weeks, and then new new ones a few weeks later. Oh, and looking at three - yes three - deductibles to be met in a year's time.

Yippee!

If You Like Your Plan: Part #4,287

One of the most pernicious claims made by President Obama (and his surrogates) has been the promise that "if you like your current insurance, you can keep it." No rational person ever actually bought that, but it made a great sound-bite (or 3,000). As we all know, with each passing year we're been offered fewer and fewer choices, and very few people have been able to actually keep their plans.

Folks in the Tar Heel State have even fewer choices coming up in November:

"Most in N.C. will have one Obamacare option in 2017"

And to no one's real surprise, that carrier is ... Blue Cross/Blue Shield. Yes, that Blue Cross:

"The N.C. Department of Insurance announced Monday it will broaden its investigation into Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, citing “disagreements” with the insurer."

Looks like that particular endeavor is about to hit the trash bin of history.

[Hat Tip: FoIB Jeff M]

Off Topic: Gamer edition

FoIB (and gaming entrepreneur) Fat Dragon Games has just fired up their latest KickStarter, and it's a doozy:

"The DRAGONLOCK™ terrain system for 3D printers allows you to create modular interlocking buildings of your own design."

Pairing the incredible opportunities of newly-affordable 3d printers (I've been assured that really good ones can be had for less than $400) with over 20 years of terrain design experience means tremendous value, and some really good fun.

Click here to get in on the ground floor.

We DESERVE Free Healthcare

I suppose it is a function of age, but I tire of the people that whine about how they DESERVE this or DESERVE that. They utter the word with such passion that the casual listener may actually believe these people have worked hard or contributed something of value, therefore they are ENTITLED to something in exchange.

Unfortunately, many of those who say they DESERVE "free" healthcare, or are ENTITLED to "free" healthcare have done nothing to EARN "free" healthcare.

And so it goes with the residents of Great Britain who have been told for years they are ENTITLED to free and unfettered access to health care.

Now, just like the venerable London Bridge, the National Health Service is falling down, falling down, falling down.

Years of underfunding have left the service facing such “impossible” demands that without urgent extra investment in November’s autumn statement it will have to cut staff, bring in charges or introduce “draconian rationing” of treatment - The Guardian

But what about the promise of free health care?

Sorry Virginia, there is no Santa Claus.

“The government must be honest with the public about what the NHS can deliver with the funding it has been given. It is simply not realistic to expect hard-pressed staff to deliver new commitments like seven-day services while also meeting waiting-time targets and reducing financial deficits.”

Honesty in government. What a novel idea.

If only we had that here in the states there might not be so many people that wanted a health care system like everyone else.

You Can't Do That

When I was a kid and someone told me I couldn't do this or that, I was more determined than ever to prove them wrong.

Apparently some Democrats never learned that lesson.

Except for those living under a rock, everyone should know that Obamacare is collapsing and carriers are dropping out of the market on a weekly basis. Unlike the federal government (that has no idea what a balance sheet is), private industry continues to operate until they can no longer stand to lose money.

Health insurance carriers have been taking it in the shorts since Obamacare became law and lately most of them have had enough and are leaving the market in droves.

Enter the extreme left wing of the Democrat party, wagging their fingers, and saying "You can't do that".

Senators Sanders, Warren, Markey, Brown and Nelson are demanding an explanation for Aetna's planned withdrawal from several Obamacare markets.

“We are particularly troubled that Aetna’s decision to leave the ACA exchanges appears to have been motivated by the Justice Department’s decision to challenge Aetna’s proposed $37 billion merger with Humana — a deal that the Justice Department and many experts predicted would harm competition in the health insurance market and negatively impact the cost and quality of health care. Aetna could not have been surprised at the concerns raised by regulators about this merger.” - Benefits Pro

For those who need a translation ..........

Aetna was willing to play in the Obamacare pool earlier in the year when they thought they would broaden their base and have access to Humana policyholders. In May of this year Aetna (and other carriers) were still assessing the cost of Obamacare and thought the markets would be robust with other carriers sharing the weight of Obamacare losses.

Since then, the red ink has grown more red and some carriers have said enough is enough and are going home.

But idiots in DC that have never had a job in the real world and have no idea how commerce and risk management really work are demanding Aetna to justify a perfectly logical business decision.

Somewhere a village is missing their idiot.

You can find them in DC.