Forbes Fight
Avik Roy wrote an extremely misleading article on Obamacare in California.
It seems that Roy is the latest R-team player to be sacked.
Basically Roy compared Obamacare exchange rates (without subsidies) to the teaser rate from a web site which has received many extremely unamusing negative reviews for baiting and switching.
R. Unger totally demolishes Roy in an in house Forbes fight. Good thing that they can e-mail in stories as meeting at the Forbes building would be very awkward.
Ezra Klein brings the Klein courtesies which matter so much (plus a funny photo). Pity he’s such a good journalist as the man was born to be a diplomat.
Paul Krugman brings the shrill
All via Brad DeLong who admits he was beginning to wonder if Krugman is more than optimally shrill (don’t feel bad Brad, I’m sure Krugman has had the same doubts about you).
All of this slapping and spitting is amusing, but ignores real issues.
1. The Obama administration is incapable of publishing coherent regulations in a timely manner.
2. The provider community is scrambling to prepare for a future no one understands, wasting much time and many resources (reference Rusty’s theory of complexity thwarting implementation).
3. The clearest winners so far are IT vendors, consultants and health regulatory lawyers; the vendors really seem to be driving the administration.
Still putting odds of a meltdown at 50%.
Robert:
Maybe I am missing something; but, the premiums must be used to pay medical expenses in the realm of 80% for individual and 85% for group polices. If they charge away, they will end up rebating the premiums not used for medical care.