The word is in!  On June 28, the Supreme Court upheld President Obama’s healthcare reform law, ruling that the individual mandate is constitutional as a tax rather than under the Commerce Clause.  Nearly all of the Affordable Care Act’s provisions survived the states’ challenge.

In his majority opinion, Chief Justice John Roberts said that the individual mandate requiring uninsured Americans to buy health coverage was constitutional because its penalty is a tax and within the taxing authority of Congress.  There is no limit on government’s ability to tax; that has been proven time and again over the years.

I remember Obama proclaiming on several occasions that the Affordable Care Act was not a tax.  He sold the package on the basis that it would reduce the deficit, you could keep you present plan if you liked it, insurance prices wouldn’t go up, taxes wouldn’t go up, and that hell would freeze over so he could go ice skating when he got there.

The states administer Medicaid so they can refuse to implement Obamacare, but they stand to lose significant federal funding if they do.  However, the Supreme Court ruling will allow states to refuse to implement the Medicaid expansion provisions.  Those expansions will eventually result in reimbursement cuts that will lower bottom-line payments to hospitals even as volume increases.

National HealthCare

We’ve joined the fetid swamps of a massive national health-care (sick-care?) program.  What’s so bad about that?  Other countries have socialized medicine.  Why not us?  It doesn’t work in other countries and it won’t work here – that’s why it’s a bad idea.

The consequences of our new national health-program will be rationing.  When we discover we can’t afford to do everything promised, prices and timelines will begin to be rationed.  Some things might become cheaper, but you’ll have to wait in line for service, often for months.

Some government agency will determine whether or not it is cost effective to use an expensive new drug or procedure that might cure you, but if in their cold-blooded opinion it costs too much, you may not be allowed to buy it at any price.  Bureaucrats, not doctors, will make life-and-death decisions.

Soon your family doctor will give up the health-care business because he won’t be able to cope with all the government red tape.  Hid patient load will increase and his income will decrease.   He will work harder for less money, so who could blame him for quitting.

The doctor shortage will only get worse when fewer and fewer students are willing to become doctors because it’s not worth the return on investment medical school requires.

Sick Care

Honestly, we’re not really talking about health-care; we’re talking about “sick care,” even in
America.  Our system isn’t designed to keep you healthy; even our current system only helps you if you get sick or injured.

It’s like laws against guns.  People buy guns to protect themselves because the police will only help you if a crime has already been committed.  Law enforcement will do little or nothing to help prevent the crime.  It’s the same thing with your doctor.

How many of you have ever gone to your doctor for a health check-up and find out you have a problem that could be treated in its early stages?  Some of us do but most don’t because the average health insurance program won’t pay for it.

Our new national health-care program will mimic Canada’s, where patients who need urgent treatment or surgery often have to wait for months – or they come to America, if they can’t afford it.

In Canada and many European countries, it is against the law to get around the national health-care system by paying a private practitioner.  You have no choice, unless you are rich enough to come to America – and American won’t be a choice for too much longer.

Medicare will continue to run out of money.  But for those currently in their “golden years,” it has made living to a ripe old age a pretty good value.  ObamaCare will undo that.  Seniors will undo that.  Seniors will receive “end-of-life” options, including refusing them care when state law allows it.

The Inescapable Truth

Americans need to see past the Washington lies.  The Affordable Care Act upheld by the Supreme Court will lead to bigger government, higher taxes, and health-care rationing.

If you think health-care is expensive now, you ain’t seen nothing yet!