Jan. 1, 2014. Mark that date down. I know its 10 months away, but you better make sure you have your New Year’s Eve reservations now!
Be cool? Try Hendrick’s Tavern. Want a traditional evening? Go to The Garden City Hotel? How about a romantic dinner? Roslyn’s Trattoria Diane is definitely for you. Whatever you do, don’t put it off because many new people will be celebrating receiving their early New Year’s present.
When that famous ball comes down in Times Square, “The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act” (ObamaCare) will finally be fully implemented and 15 million new uninsured working poor will receive free healthcare, compliments of all working Americans and retirees.
It took our slow-reading congressmen three long years to figure out the massive 3,000 page document. How will it be paid? $750 billion dollars in new taxes and fees and $750 billion dollars immediately withdrawn from your present Medicare.
This is how it works: On Jan. 1 you must have health insurance. Everyone. No exceptions. If you don’t enter the name of your insurance provider on your annual federal income tax return, you will not be a happy camper. You will be hit with a hefty penalty tax, which may be as high as several thousand dollars, depending on your income.
This tax will be immediately subtracted from any refund you may be expecting or in a few months, you will getting a nasty bill from the IRS.
But wait a minute:
1- You “rich guys” out there who have your own private insurance may not be so happy either. Didn’t Debbie-Wasserman-Schultz say that nothing will change for you?
The problem she did not tell you about, is that your premiums have recently skyrocketed due to all the new Obamacare regulations. As U.S. Senator Gillibrand said, “you can afford it.” Oh, I forgot. It doesn’t effect her! You are also paying for her free, lifetime government healthcare. What a great present.
2- All of you who are on welfare. (Sorry, politically incorrect) for all of you who are on government subsidies. You are already covered by Medicaid. Unfortunately for you, under Obamacare, you also will have a slight problem. These same 15 million newly-insured workers (making less than $15,000) will be added to your program.
Wait a minute. How can the same number of Medicaid doctors treat 15 million more patients? That’s easy: 1- Fewer allowable services, 2- Longer waiting time, 3- Much less time with your M.D. and 4- More services will be provided by non-medical personnel. As U.S. Rep. Steve Israel said, “Don’t complain,it’s free.”
3- How about all you middle-class workers? U.S. Senator Schumer said that on Jan. 1, nothing will change for you as well.
Really? After all, your insurance is paid by your employer (union, municipality, company etc.). But hold on a minute. Since your employer must now pay for many more newly eligible workers, he will be frantically searching for a less expensive insurance policy. Remember, all companies with over 50 full-time workers, must provide each one of them with health insurance or pay a $2,000 dollar per worker fine (tax!).
What may happen?
a)You may now have a new, cheaper plan with a new doctor. Didn’t Joe Biden say you would keep your old doctor?
b) Your employer may decide to pay Obama’s penalty rather than providing you with insurance. Really? Didn’t Congressman Ackerman say no one would lose their insurance?
c) Since Obama’s mandatory healthcare covers all full-time employees, (over 30 hours per week) your work-hours may be reduced to make you a part-time worker with no mandatory employer-paid insurance at all. Didn’t Nancy Pelosi say it was good for all workers? It takes time to read 3,000 pages.
4- How about you retirees on Medicare? AARP told you ObamaCare will improve Medicare.
But what about that $750 billion dollars immediately withdrawn from the Medicare system needed to pay for the uninsured, Do you really think that reducing waste,fraud and duplication, will not cut medical services and would produce these savings? Yea right?
Why wasn’t this done right along? Also:
a) The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force will now determine what medical treatment you will receive. Didn’t Barney Frank say this was definitely not socialized medicine?
b) The Independent Payment Advisory Board determines all payments to your doctor and hospital and
c) because of Obamacare’s lower payments and massive new government regulations, there is a growing number of doctors refusing to accept any new Medicare patients.
I am sure the Obama family will wish you a happy new year but I suggest you prepay for that New Year’s Eve dinner now. You may be a little short of cash in January.
But, most important, I hope you have a healthy new year and don’t have to visit your doctor any time soon.
Dr. Stephen Morris
North Hills
