Americans Deserve Straight Answers About Obamacare

By  //  October 29, 2013

RAISE THE VEIL OF POLITICAL BIAS AND GET TO THE 'GROUND TRUTH'

 ABOVE VIDEO: Podcast of Speak Out, Listen In, hosted by Jay Brewer and Jean Newell, with guests Dr. Jim Palermo and health insurance broker Dennis Watkins addressing  some of the burning questions involving the implementation of Obamacare.

Since it was signed into law by President Obama in March of 2010, Americans have been bombarded with the pros and cons of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA, ACA, aka Obamacare) related to its constitutionality and economic sustainability, including the recent skirmish in D.C. that resulted in a pseudo-government shutdown.

PEEL AWAY THE RHETORIC AND CUT TO THE ‘GROUND TRUTH’

Americans deserve straight answers of fundamental questions about Obamacare free of the biased political narratives and invectives emanating from Washington.
Americans deserve straight answers to fundamental questions about Obamacare free of the biased political narratives and invectives emanating from Washington.

With Obamacare limping into its implementation phase significantly ham-stringed by states (29) that have not yet expanded Medicaid as provided in the ACA, executive orders delaying crucial elements of the law, previous proponents who, after seeing what’s in the law have rebelled against it, and technology issues that have plagued the federally run exchanges, we need to obviate more political rhetoric and cut to the “ground truth.”

Americans deserve straight answers to some very fundamental questions about the ACA that will have a dramatic impact on their and their families’ economic and physical well being. With partisan dynamics inside the Beltway dominating the narrative, the onus is on those of us in the media to provide information and answers free of political bias and invective.

SpaceCoastDaily will be focused on providing the facts related to the ACA implementation and addressing the important questions and issues that have been and will be raised as the manifestations of the healthcare reform law evolve.

‘SPEAK OUT, LISTEN IN’ ADDRESSES OBAMACARE

Recently I had the pleasure of appearing on Jay Brewer’s and Jean Newell’s Community Empowerment Project radio program Speak Out, Listen In on AM 1300 WMEL and streaming at 1300wmel.com.

Jay Brewer and Jean Newell
Jay Brewer and Jean Newell

Along with Denny Watkins, who has been a health insurance broker for over 20 years and is an expert on the insurance side of the ACA, we discussed the goals of Obamacare, and addressed several key elements of the law related to buying insurance on the HIX.

The last 30 minutes of the hour broadcast allotted to addressing questions from our listeners just scratched the surface, so we are planning another round, perhaps in a live Town Hall format, sometime in the near future.

IMPERATIVE TO ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS

It is clear that there will be winners and losers as the impact of the ACA on America unfolds. We will concentrate on how that impact affects the fundamental goals of healthcare reform, and be asking compelling questions, the answers to which will determine the future economic and physical health of America.

Just a few of the questions that must be addressed are:

What are the fundamental goals of the “reform?” From what does the law “protect” patients? Are the provisions in Obamacare related to holding providers more accountable for higher quality, fewer errors, safer care all wrapped up in a more efficient model of reimbursement than the traditional volume-based fee-for-service model enough to create a sustained impact on the annual increase in healthcare costs?

Picture 4Will the ACA directly or indirectly affect an individual’s employment? Can we really keep our existing insurance and physicians if we’re satisfied with them? Will policy premiums and scope of service be comparable to what we’ve had in the past if we have to shop the state/federal exchanges? Who qualifies for subsidies? Is personal and health information safe in the HIX? And finally, what are the real unadulterated facts related to where the money to pay for the projected 17 million new Medicaid recipients and subsidies for Americans with incomes ranging from 100-400% of the federal poverty level purchasing insurance on the HIX  is coming from.

Please join with us here at SpaceCoastDaily.com in establishing a meaningful and informative dialogue on Obamacare through our website and our Facebook page. We will provide timely, accurate, unbiased reporting and look forward to your comments and questions.