Obamacare has almost disappeared from the above the fold major daily newspaper headlines and updates are now mainly covered by Fox News, National Review, and the Wall Street Journal editorial pages. The various political campaigns have essentially dropped the issue. The Republicans are basically tongue tied on it, with nothing meaningful to say. Not that it is becoming more popular, to the contrary, but after 40 or so executive amendments and waivers for favored groups and a multi-billion dollar fix of the web site, it is steadily becoming more entrenched. The court case of Halbig v. Burwell, challenging the health care premium subsidies that are not authorized by exchanges not established by the states, works its way to the Supreme Court, which is not likely until 2016.
The Congressional Budget Office projects that by late 2016 36 million people will be covered by Obamacare insurance, 12 million under Medicaid expansion and 24 million on the new exchanges. Which Republican presidential candidate will recommend taking away the insurance of 36 million people?
My prediction: On January 20, 2017, the Obamacare plan will have achieved nothing it was designed to accomplish in terms of health care reform, availability, or cost, but whoever is inaugurated President on that day will be politically bound to defend a new entitlement program.
Jim, I do not often disagree with you but I will on Obamacare. Our next President will be “politically bound” only if he is not of the order of a tough Ronald Reagan who was in many respects politically bound not to make good long term decisions and just continue to maintain the status quo. After two more years of our current President it is my firmly held belief that unless we elect a tough hard-nosed very conservative President whose name could not be Jeb Bush or Chris Christie the America we know and love will be gone. He must be also be tough enough to shut down major departments such as the Departments of Education, Energy and EPA.