Obamacare

Obamacare's website flopped, at least initially, although it is showing signs of health in the last month of 2013.  The GOP and the right, who mostly oppose the concept of the ACA (Affordable Care Act) or Obamacare, are salivating over the midterm elections next year.  While I would like to see the GOP majority in the House sustained and the Democratic majority in the Senate eliminated, I am concerned that the continued focus on Obamacare may result in the opposite result.

The GOP as a whole, although there are exceptions, has so far refused to recognize that the electorate does want some of the insurance reforms enacted in the ACA.  For example, acceptance of pre-existing conditions and keeping young people on their parents' policies are extremely popular.  What is not popular is the "A" in ACA, i.e. "affordable", and the individual mandate.  What the ACA did was institute a set of expensive and largely unaffordable policies for health care.

While those making less than 133% of the poverty level will now be placed in Medicaid, everyone else must pay some amount to secure insurance.  For those persons who were already covered, that personal budget decision had already been made.  Except for apparently higher rates, the majority of previously insured folks will only complain about the price.  To the extent that the ACA represents an overreach by one-party that was stuffed down the throats of voters in the dead of night, this will remain a strong issue into the mid-terms.
Those who make up to 400% of the poverty level, will get some subsidy to help with the insurance, a direct reward to what the Democrats believed to be their constituency.  It may be that many of the 400 percenters were already ready and willing to purchase insurance.  For them, the new insurance law will be popular and their votes will likely remain Democratic.  The fact remains, however, that many people in the subsidy class already were stretched thin.  Try making up a budget for a family making 300% of the poverty level and you will see that there was little money left for insurance.  Paying for insurance will require that something else be removed from their budget.  So, while people would like to have insurance, it is hardly affordable for many. There are Bronze and Silver plans, Gold and Platinum plans, but no catastrophic plan that would save one's house from creditors should they get ill.

In conclusion, there are aspects of the ACA that can be used to beat democrats up for re-election.  The GOP must be careful, however, to propose a solution that will actually benefit the voters.  More health care spending accounts won't get it.