Relevant and even prescient commentary on news, politics and the economy.

Humana takes next step towards CEO’s “Medicare Advantage for All” gamble

I agree with Charles Gaba. Medicare Advantage is not much better than Commercial Healthcare Insurance. To wit, it is Commercial Healthcare Insurance gussied up to look like FFS Medicare. The extra benefits given to enrollees in Medicare Advantage comes from FFS Medicare expenditures. Furthermore, the companies providing healthcare to those on Medicare bid low and […]

January Update: COVID Death Rates by Partisan Lean & Vaccination Rate

Charles Gaba is doing another update on Covid death rates taking into consideration Partisanship and vaccination rate. At the bottom I include his last update if you wanted to compare commentary. “January Update: COVID Death Rates by Partisan Lean & Vaccination Rate (including BIVALENT BOOSTER data),” ACA Signups, Charles Gaba (sigh) Last month I posted what […]

December Update: COVID Death Rates by Partisan Lean & Vaccination Rate

ACA Signups blog and healthcare author, Charles Gaba does a rewrite of an earlier commentary at his site. If you missed it, Angry Bear blog featured “33 Months of COVID In One Image” also. Recently, this writeup’s stats was used by Prof. Paul Krugman in his recent NYT article, “Will 2024 Be a Vaccine Election?” […]

33 Months Of COVID In One Image: One More Look At The Red/Blue Death Rate Divide

“33 Months of COVID in one image: One more look at the Red/Blue Death Rate Divide,” ACA Signups, Charles Gaba. Charles lives in Michigan, one county over from where I lived. While my County head Democrat was touting me for a great knowledge on healthcare to Slotkin, I was pushing Charles. He knew more about […]

What? Biden Strengthens Medicare with Policies Simplifying Enrollment and Expanding Access?

How can that be? Something the Biden administration did made access to Medicare easier by providing quicker access to Medicare. The Medicare improvements incorporate no delay in coverage, better access (SEPS), and eliminates late enrollment penalties for Part B under certain conditions. According to CNN news and other news outlets, Biden has taken credit for […]

How Much Does The ARP/IRA Lower Health Insurance Premiums Now?

In 2020, after Democrats had retaken control of the House of Representatives, the third version of the larger bill managed to actually pass the House under the more reasonable title of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act. Of course, it didn’t even get a vote in the Senate. In early 2021, a temporary version of this bill by […]

Does The IRA Lower YOUR Health Insurance Premiums?

Let’s answer the question. I am going to break this up into several segments as it takes into consideration multiples of people, income, etc. I think it will be easier to absorb. A well-known expert in MIchigan has put together the answers. This is Part 1 – Single Individuals “How much does the #IRA lower […]

Higher Covid Death Rates in Trump States

I was reading the usual MedPage Today articles. One commenter discusses the State of Florida under Governor DeSantis having a high Covid Death Rate. Fourteen of 15 states favored Trump in the election and have the highest Covid Death Rates. The article: “Florida’s Surgeon General Sends a Dangerous Message” | MedPage Today, Thresia B. Gambon, […]

Why Republican Short Term Healthcare Plans “Suck”

Having talked about the proposed state High Risk Pools and why they are bad; Charles Gaba at ACASignups.net turns his attention to the proposed Short Term Plans and why they are also bad. Keep in mind the proposed Short Term Plans are not the same as the ACA Catastrophic plans. Most of the protection found […]

Medical Risk Pools, ACA/Medicaid Waviers, Hypocrite State Senator, CMC Director, CSRs, and Tom Price

Charles Gaba: Why Risk Pools are Bad Charles Gaba at ACA Signups.net has an excellent explanation on how Risk Pools work and how they harm those amongst us who depend upon a community rating system to balance out cost. Michigan Medicaid Wavier Strikes at the Poor The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reported on […]