Walker Administration Claims Free Market Health Care is Working, Needs to Expand.

You gotta hand it to Republicans; they aren’t shy about looking idiotic with their cutesy inane names for departments.

Like the Office of Free Market Health Care (OFMHC). Heck, I’ve been in the free market most of my adult life, and have paid a hefty price for it. And the bizarre theory that turning all health care, Medicare and Medicaid, into something the free market can provide at a cheaper price, is mind-numbingly stupid.

Today, Gov. Walker’s cynically named office twisted a report into an unrecognizable critique of the federal health care reform act on Wisconsin residents, employers and private insurance markets. In response, Sen. John Erpenbach made a few corrections overlooked by the partisan “office.”

Key benefits (were) glossed over:  340,000 Wisconsin residents will get insurance who didn’t have it before. Out-of-pocket health care expenses decrease for everyone who buys an individual insurance plan. Many Wisconsinites will receive better quality health coverage that can’t be taken away.

The “better quality” part will raise the cost slightly, but you won’t have any of those costly gaps. Republican want you to buy cheap “junk policies” with costly loopholes. That's how they say you'll save money. But if you like what we have now; high prices, huge deductibles, smaller paychecks, getting dropped due to preexisting conditions and double digit premium increases, you’ll love the reasons we should avoid reform;

Approximately 40% of consumers in the non-group market will be forced to purchase richer health insurance packages than they need...

Not richer, but more comprehensive coverage to safe guard your wallet from those costly loopholes.

The (Affordable Care Act) calls for a “hidden tax” on Wisconsin families. Beginning in 2014, working class families will subsidize the purchase of health insurance for families making as much as 400% of the federal poverty level or $89,400 per year for a family of four. 

Wow, I guess those making under $90,000 a year aren’t working class families!!! Only the rich work hard for the money, don’t cha know. How bad would it be for the government to help working class families below $90,000 pay for health care on a progressive scale. Republicans already hate that the working poor don’t paying federal taxes, so this important reform is spun as robbing the “working” rich, again.

The federal government attempts to create a one-size-fits-all approach that ignores Wisconsin’s current competitive health insurance market,” said Insurance Commissioner Ted Nickel.
 

This from a top heavy, authoritarian one size fits all Walker administration, on sick leave, local taxes, and soon commercial building codes.

Health Services Secretary Dennis G. Smith. (said) “We have one of the lowest uninsured rates and one of the most robust insurance marketplaces in the nation, all achieved without federal mandates.

Smith purposely doesn’t tell you that the reason we have “one of the lowest uninsured rates” is because the Democrats expanded the states Badgercare (Medicaid) program dramatically, to kids and “working class families.” Walker cut off Badgercare for childless adults.

One final note; if the following private free market bull below is true, and we have all these private insurers competing with each other , why are premiums so unaffordable and why did so many families have no other choice but to go on Badgercare? So much for the “critical free market component” to manage costs.

Wisconsin currently has 33 health insurers actively participating in the individual market and 25 insurers in the small group market. “The competitive nature of the WI health insurance market is a critical component for keeping health insurance costs manageable.

And it’s still not true and hasn't worked out that way.