Thursday, March 26, 2015

Governmental Success: 96% of Obamacare Enrollees Received the Wrong Subsidy Amount

Yes, you read that headline correct.  Sadly, every media headline I've seen on this topic completely misses the point by claiming some thing like, "Half of ObamaCare subsidy recipients will owe on their taxes."  That is not the full story.  In fact, it's only half of the story.

This is from Sarah Ferris at the Hill:
Half of all households that received ObamaCare tax credits last year will likely owe money to the federal government, a new study found. 
Nearly all families that received tax credits will either owe money or receive extra money because their tax filings had changed after they calculated their ObamaCare subsidies, according to a new report by the Kaiser Family Foundation. 
Only 4 percent of households received the correct subsidy, according to the report, which uses data from the national Survey of Income and Program Participation. 
Of those who will have to repay, the average amount owed is $794, the study found. Out of the 45 percent of people receiving money back, the average refund is $773....
The emphasis is mine.

So, in an effort to make healthcare more affordable and cover more people, our elected officials and federal bureaucrats have devised a system whereby citizens get the wrong tax subsidy 96% of the time.

Obamacare. Where a 96% error rate is the best wen can do.
 
Hat tip: Dr. Ryan Kennedy.