Remember when health care and websites used to be boring? Not anymore! The glitchy federal health exchange site, Healthcare.gov, has been at the top of the news for a couple weeks. But there's more to this story than just some programming glitches.
While I'll take it over the crazy health insurance wilderness we've been living in, Obamacare has had serious problems from the start. Thanks to a political process that first batted down the idea of just expanding Medicare, then freaked out at the prospect of a "public option" in the mix, we're now left with what could be cobbled together between government-ish and the almighty private sector.
These underlying problems are becoming more apparent when people get past the programming glitches and find out what the Affordable Care Act means to them. Apparently, "affordable" means your current plan may be discontinued and the available new plans are more expensive. But wait! Your increased premiums will be heavily discounted thanks to government subsidies, so it may be cheaper after all. Sigh, I wish I was an insurance company. Either way, from here on out, any problem people have with health care will be blamed on Obama. (Never mind the old days of huge premium increases, canceling policies and denying coverage for preexisting conditions.)
You can find out more by digging into the stories behind this animation. Share this with your friends and enemies, and happy health care!
Mr. Dan: Dogboy!
Dogboy: Yes, Mr. Dan? What is it-- [interrupted]
Mr. Dan: Bwah-HAH! I told you so!
Dogboy: Told me so what?
Mr. Dan: I told you Obamacare would be a disaster, Dogboy!
Dogboy: Well, Healthcare.gov is messed up, but they're fixing it! Soon, citizens everywhere will-- [interrupted]
Mr. Dan: --will be suffering under iron-fisted government tyranny!
Dogboy: You mean the tyranny of a federal, um, website?
Mr. Dan: A government website run by the feds is tyranny!
Dogboy: But, conservatives refused to build health exchange sites run by the states!
Mr. Dan: Because we believe in states' rights!
Dogboy: You mean like the right of states to let the federal government run things?
Mr. Dan: Clearly, the government can't run something so complicated.
Dogboy: A single-payer plan is much simpler . . .
Mr. Dan: Bite your tongue, Dogboy!
Dogboy: Is that covered, Mr. Dan?
Mr. Dan: I don't know, but I do know that government should stay outta' the health care business!
Dogboy: But people like Medicare, and the government runs that!
Mr. Dan: Hah! Private insurance is much more efficient.
Dogboy: Efficient at rate hikes and canceling policies . . .
Mr. Dan: But there are rate hikes under Obamacare, Dogboy!
Dogboy: . . . which are subsidized and go to the insurance companies, right?
Mr. Dan: As well they should. Private insurance provides a service, the least the government can do is pay for it!
Dogboy: . . . because single payer is bad. So, they raise rates and the government subsidizes increased premiums, which go to insurance companies because the private sector is more efficient, right?
Mr. Dan: Bbbbrrrr, yes, but that sounds like an Obamacare handout! Wha-- [objects start to fall]
Dogboy: And you blocked state websites so the federal one had to be bigger . . .
Mr. Dan: Wha-- yes, but. What th'?!
Dogboy: And, and you wanted to keep government out, which meant fat subsidies for corporations who were in . . .
Mr. Dan: Yes, but-- nnno, but . . .
Dobboy: [shock, sucks in] Mr. Dan! I think you're . . . you're . . .
[WHAM! Contraption falls]
Dogboy: Socialist?
Mr. Dan: Grrrrrr, nnno, Dogb--
Dogboy: Fortunately, pre-existing conditions are covered, Mr. Dan. Mr Dan? You should get that checked out . . .
Mr. Dan: Gggroan…
Dogboy: Just log on to Healthcare.gov! Mr. Dan?