It's time to hand out the crying towels.
The anti-Obamacare coalition has moved from trying to scare us to death about the evils of the Affordable Care Act to wrenching our hearts with stories of oppression, tyranny and broken promises. A day after voters in Virginia rejected Mad Hatter, anti-Obamacare gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli -- which could lead to Virginia implementing Medicaid expansion if Democratic Gov-elect Terry McAuliffe has his way-- Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) took to the Senate floor Wednesday and shared her concern about the feedback she is getting from her constituents. Or should we say selective, very selective feedback to use (or better yet: fragments of stories with no context or detail) as political cannon fodder.
According to the press release sent out by Ayotte's office, "for more than 30 minutes, Ayotte read from emails and letters she has received from individuals across the state who are seeing their health insurance policies cancelled, having their work hours cut, and facing increased costs. Many of the stories describe personal hardships that she called 'heart wrenching.' "
"I want to share their concerns with the entire country, because I know this isn't just happening to people in New Hampshire. These are real people who are being affected by Obamacare," said Ayotte. "These are just some of the stories that I'm receiving from New Hampshire about hardships that Obamacare is causing for people who are working hard, who want to make ends meet, who want to keep the health plans they have now. It breaks my heart."
Ayotte's solution, such as it is, is to urge the Obama administration to do the impossible -- delay implementation of the law. This is no more realistic than Mad Hatter House members determined to destroy civilization as we know it unless President Obama either repeals or defunds his signature legislative achievement. Ah, but it's all about heartbreak and broken dreams, Ayotte insists.
Lyn in Greenland wrote: "The President was wrong. I can't keep my coverage if I like it and I can't keep my preferred hospital and his plans are the ones that are sub-par...it's bringing me to tears on a daily basis. Please help."
A single mother from Peterborough said: "If my 17-year old son does get sick this winter, I will be required to take a minimum of ½ day off to bring my son to Keene or Manchester to find a primary care physician who will accept the insurance through affordable care (not that I can even afford that route)."
Erik in Hancock said that he's seen a 46 percent premium hike. He wrote: "What has been done to our health care system? This is the 'Unaffordable Care Act.'"
Cheryl in Acworth wrote: "Not only do I have to pay twice the premium, but it will be post-tax - a double hit. If I was poor, I would be okay or if I worked for a large employer I would be okay but for those of us trying to make a good living and be responsible productive citizens, we end up carrying this...This is not the American Dream at all."
We don't know if these stories are true or are talking point plants. We certainly don't know if these folks have done the research they need or are simply and foolishly trusting as gospel information from their insurance companies. As we have seen in the early and amazingly lazy media coverage of the individual health insurance market (which represents five percent of the health insurance market), don't trust until doubly or triply verified. The law and its various coverage schemes are confusing and daunting. This is why many rational states such as Kentucky have set up helper programs to help folks navigate the system. See the
New Republic story by Jonathan Cohn about Dianne Barrette of Florida who was embraced by CBS and Fox as the poster girl of Obamacare malfeasance. CBS News was shameful in its stupidity (we expect it from Fox) and it didn't take long for a number of reporters to determine the story was far more complicated that first reported and that the 57-year-old had what amounted to a junk policy that didn't even provide for hospital coverage. Her premiums were cheap and they covered nothing which of course her insurance company loved. This is the rip-off system that Ayotte has brought out the crying towel for.
Funny how Ayotte didn't mention this type of story which is likely happening in her home state of New Hampshire.
"For at least a few days, she was the poster child for the Obamacare cancellation story," Cohn wrote. "But Barrette's situation defies quick and easy description. It's true that she can't keep her current policy and that most policies available to her for next year have higher premiums. But those plans also offer real coverage, and her current plan does not. Some people might resent government effectively prohibiting her current plan. Barrette doesn't appear to be one of them. Based on conversations we've had over the past few days, she wants more comprehensive insurance and, within reason, she's willing to pay more for it."
Meanwhile in the reality-based world, New Hampshire lawmakers are holding a special session vote next week to to accept Medicaid expansion. It will come to the votes from two of the few rational Republican senators left in the state. We can only hope they don't succumb to the screaming from the local branch of Americans for Prosperity of the Koch Brothers or the Mad Hatter yahoos who see derailing any portion of Obamacare as an Alamo-worthy fight to stop insurance coverage for an estimated 49,000 of their fellow citizens including many who work full-time and represent 15 percent of the uninsured in the state (a
study by the NH Fiscal Policy Institute paints the picture.)
It was instructive that despite all the catcalls and troubles with the health exchange web site, Obama was in Texas Wednesday to remind people that Mad Hatter Gov. Rick Perry and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) represent the irrational, obstructionist wing.
"Why wouldn't the state of Texas want to do the same thing?" Obama said at a fundraising event according to the Washington Post about why Texas has turned down billions in Medicaid expansion funding. "Well, it's because ideology has taken precedence over common sense and helping people." For those keeping track at home, Texas has the highest rate of uninsured in the country (25 percent or 6.3 million including 1.2 million according to the Texas Medical Association) and Perry is determined to do everything he can to keep that way. Obama's trip was the political equivalent of the middle finger to Perry and Cruz and Perry accused Obama of trying to "salvage his ill-conceived and unpopular program from a Titanic fate."
It's save to say that Ayotte's staff likely did nothing to assist the people she mentioned to help them find the best options via Obamacare. That would be collusion with the enemy and there's a limit to the heartbreak and sorrow felt by Ayotte and the anti-Obamacare army. The good news with each passing day is that they have been reduced to shouting insults at a train that's left the station.
Michael McCord is the former political editor and columnist for the Portsmouth (NH) Herald. He is the author of the recently-published and hilarious political satire The Execution Channel: A Political Fable. Rick Perry would be an enthusiastic citizen of the Real America in the book, in part because providing health insurance to workers is considered "coddling the help" and economically inefficient.