The Sky Is Not Falling

As reported in numerous places over the past couple of days, it turns out the right-wing prognosticators were pretty much wrong about what Obamacare would do to the cost of health insurance coverage. You know, the ones who predicted that Obamacare would lead to an increase in the cost of health care instead of the lower costs promised by the administration.

Turns out they were wrong. http://www.bizjournals.com/sacramento/news/2013/05/23/covered-calif-health-plan-rates-lower.html

Obamacare, besides requiring every person to have health insurance, also required every state to establish a competitive marketplace for those individuals to purchase their coverage. Those marketplaces are referred to as health benefits exchanges. In California, it's called Covered California. Last week, they announced the plans and rates for California's exchange -- a place where small businesses and individuals can go to purchase health insurance.

On May 23, Covered California announced thirteen health plan providers who had been approved for participation in California's health exchange. http://www.healthexchange.ca.gov/Documents/COVERED%20CA%20-%20Health%20Plans%20PRESS%20RELEASE%20FIN... And, as the press release notes, the rates they will be charging range from 2% above to 29% below what small business employers are currently paying. In some cases, following preliminary applications and reviews, health plans asked to be able to lower their rates.

And, then there is this. In virtually every area of the state, participants in the exchange will be able to not only choose between three or four or five different health insurance providers, but each of those providers will offer a range of options. Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum plans -- with varying levels of costs. Imagine that -- choice and competition all at once.

Before Obama adopted the idea of the individual mandate and competition for coverage, it was a Republican idea. Suddenly, it wasn't a Republican idea any more and the Republican Party and its bloggers and supporters have been attacking Obamacare ever since Obama adopted it.

For the first time in decades, we may finally have a marketplace for health care coverage. Where competition and choice drive prices instead of monopolies. Certainly seems like something Republicans would be behind.

While mainstream media is reporting Covered California's results, the right wing media and blogosphere is remarkably silent. One wonders how many other predictions and myths about Obamacare pushed by the right will be proved wrong.

Does anybody remember death panels?