Scared of the new health law? It seems like a lot of people are these days. In fact, I just read an article in the Weekly Standard that all but predicted the end of civilization as we know it on January 1:
It’s going to pick the pockets of the young, ration care for the elderly, tax employers, slash wages and benefits of employees, assault religious liberty, subsidize elective abortions with taxpayer money, and bust the budget.
Wow! Where on earth do people get this stuff? Don't they look at the rest of the developed world? How about Massachusetts? (Pssst! It works.)
On the other hand, Aaron Carroll of CNN has a piece that clarifies the law quite well. In a nutshell (my emphasis):
Most Americans already get health insurance from their jobs, Medicaid, Medicare or the Department of Veterans Affairs. The vast majority of those people will continue to do so.
But starting in 2014, people without health insurance will get insured in one of two ways. If they are very poor -- making less than 133% of the poverty line -- then they will get Medicaid through the expansion of the program. That is, if their state has opted to participate in the program. If their state has not, then they may continue to be uninsured.
The rest of the people without health insurance will go to the exchanges to get it. There, they can choose from plans with different levels of co-payments and deductibles, according to how much they want to spend. If they make less than 400% of the poverty line, they will get a tax credit or subsidy to help with the cost.
No one can be denied health insurance anymore, and no one can be charged more for being sick. All the plans are from private insurance, and they're going to compete for your business.
Everybody take a deep breath, will ya?
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