Before Obamacare why didn’t people buy health insurance?

I hope we can agree that before Obamacare, the primary reason for not having health insurance was it’s cost. Many people could not afford the premiums, period. Others chose to spend what would have been premium dollars on something more enjoyable (and perhaps deemed a “necessity”).

I also hope we can agree that the various benefit coverage mandates within the ACA and the new taxes on employers and insurers have all contributed to create higher premiums.

You can read various reports about what is happening to premiums now, but the bottom line is that costs and hence premiums are still increasing at several times general inflation, at least four times on average.

To solve the problem of health insurance affordability, logic would say that the primary focus should be on costs that drive those premiums, thereby truly making premiums affordable although still a less than pleasurable way to spend ones money.

Into this mix we have many in the Administration and its proponents readily using the old standby “affordable.” They say with certainty of conviction that considering the federal tax subsidies, health insurance is now affordable. Even a recent New York Times editorial took this tone referencing a Health and Human Services press release about many people paying on average $69 a month for health insurance.

There must be a gene in the liberal/progressive DNA that enhances naivety and impedes logical thinking. I just bought a Starbucks coffee and I paid nothing. The liberal would say it was free. The conservative or even moderate would ask how is that possible. It’s possible because someone gave me a $5.00 gift card. The coffee was free to me but someone else’s money paid for it … and the coffee still remains expensive.

Health insurance is still expensive, at least for employers, taxpayers and all those Americans paying all or substantially all of the premium … and who concurrently are helping subsidize those who get the $69 a month good deal.