The latest
Obamacare enrollment numbers from the administration confirm again that it will be people living in Republican-led states that will suffer the most if the Supreme Court strikes down subsidies to people buying insurance on the federal exchange. Specifically, millions of residents of
Florida, North Carolina, and Texas could lose their subsidies, and their insurance, if the court rules against the government and the states would lose millions.
In Florida, about 1.6 million people who picked a plan on the federal site were eligible for financial assistance, according to the new report. In Texas, more than one million were eligible; in North Carolina, more than 550,000; and in Pennsylvania, more than 430,000.
Here's what it looks like, from the
Commonwealth Fund.
Click on the map to enlarge it.
Of course, the ramifications aren't limited just to those receiving subsidies to purchase individual insurance. Losing those customers, as they surely would when premiums become far too expensive without the subsidies, would mean insurers would have to hike premiums on everyone buying in the individual market.
"Holy shit, that's chaos," said Robert Laszewski, a health policy consultant in D.C. "What's ironic here is not only will the Republicans be screwing up the insurance for poor people on the Obamacare exchange, they'll be screwing up health insurance for rich people in Texas who happen to be in the individual market."
Now, rich Texans having to pay a lot more for insurance might just be enough to shake Gov. Greg Abbott or legislative leaders in the state into doing something. So far, they've been mum, refusing to even comment on legislation introduced by Democrats in the legislature authorizing the state to set up its own exchange. For their parts, North Carolina's Gov.
Pat McCrory and Florida's Gov.
Rick Scott are passing the buck to President Obama, demanding he work with Congress to do . . . something.
It's quite possible that either or both John Robert and Anthony Kennedy get all this, that they understand just how devastating their ruling could be for the country. It's also quite possible that, even if they do get it, ideology will win and they'll vote for the plaintiffs. If that happens, all this buck passing by red state leaders just isn't going to cut it.