Health Reform’s Cost: $73 Billion and Counting

Bloomberg has analyzed the government's (taxpayers) cost and come up with some alarming numbers.

Seems the costs are enormous and way above what we were led to believe from officials and supporters.

Perhaps that money would have yielded better results if they just had found a way to insure the "un-insurable" and let it go at that.

I think the damage has outweighed the benefits, and more aggravation is yet to come.

Wait till the IRS starts clamping down on people who have subsidies that don't add up.

Nearly five years after passage, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and a companion electronic health records (EHR) program have run a startup tab of more than $73 billion, the Bloomberg Government analysis finds.

Part of that total is the cost of healthcare.gov, the flawed website and related enrollment system intended to expand U.S. health insurance coverage.

BGOV’s analysis shows that costs for both healthcare.gov and the broader reform effort are far greater than anything publicly discussed. They’re also substantially greater than what the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) initially estimated health reform would cost by this point, although not what the agency’s more recent piecemeal estimates suggest.

Health Reform’s Cost: $73 Billion and Counting

If the government touches anything, it becomes expensive. They have the Midas touch, somehow making the rich richer.

There is a friend of mine who is helping me cut fire wood on my property. He mentioned how expensive Obama care was after he signed up. He went through the whole thing and mentioned all the stuff I knew before it was enacted and came to the conclusion that it would be far cheaper to pay the IRS penalty. I got into a state run program and haven't had to pay for medical - yet. I did receive a notice there will be charges after a certain point, but being absolutely poor and unemployed has it benefits, as you can't squeeze blood from a stone.

Personally I'd like to start a business and form a corporation that will either avoid it or take the hit on my behalf. I have always claimed my income on my taxes, but under the table work is now more appealing than ever. The last pee-on job I had was seasonal and barely over minimum wage with zero benefits, not even unemployment, even though I contributed to the fund. The last year I worked there, I got a tiny raise that dropped my puny take home pay. Yeah, I got it back in my returns, but I'd like to see anyone make it the whole year on less than $8,000 a season like I have for 5 years in a row. I intend to keep my books "clean" and will have no problem with an audit. It's no wonder they are trying to eliminate cash and will confiscate it under the guise of the war on drugs.

a reply to: xuenchen

What did you think it was going to cost? More? Less?

I could say any number of things about this news, single-payer would've been better, I'd rather we spend $73 billion on healthcare costs than on tax cuts or 'defense' spending, etc. Beyond that though, I want to know what you thought it would cost.