The latest insurance company to pull out of the Obamacare exchanges because of financial losses shines a light on the slippery foundation upon which it was set up. In the haste to be all things to all people in order to sell it, little thought was given to how it would actually work – the
The King vs. Burwell decision has answered the question of who stands to gain in the age of Obamacare. Justice Roberts in his opinion said it best “Congress passed the Affordable Care Act to improve health insurance markets, not to destroy them.” With this decision medical insurance companies, hospitals and other pieces of the corporate healthcare delivery system now have the scale clearly tipped in their favor at the expense of doctors the patients – the mission has been accomplished.
The announcement by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) to move 50% of its non-managed care spending into Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) and bundled payments coupled with the recent passage of Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (H.R.2) the repeal of the so called ‘doc fix’ will lead to the end of private healthcare, narrow the range of medical services offered by physicians, and increase the cost to patients and taxpayers. There are many truths about The Affordable Care Act that can no longer be denied: It is not affordable; it is not patient centered; it limits access to care; and it has not decreased medical costs. It will become obvious as the law continues to be implemented that It will lead to the end of the independent private physician. The days of the solo practitioner and small group practice are numbered.