Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Stories Causing Atlas to Shrug, November 12th Edition

Obamacare:

Less than half of businesses are reasonably sure they will be able to comply with Obamacare's employer mandate.

A new survey from Bankrate finds that 51% of those who used HealthCare.gov or Obamacare’s state exchanges during the law’s initial enrollment period don’t plan on using them again during the new enrollment season, citing technology and cost concerns.

Corporatism:

"Profits" at the giant Kaiser Permanente "nonprofit" health-care system jumped 41% through 2014's first three quarters to $3.1 billion, and soared 57% in Q3 to nearly $1 billion, in large part because of strong enrollment growth linked to taxpayer subsides for Obamacare premiums.

Transparency, Translucency: 

3rd Gruber Video Surfaces: Sen. John Kerry, D-Massachusetts, pushed forward a way to tax citizens health insurance plans by purportedly "taxing" the insurance companies though Gruber suggests everyone supporting the law knew the companies would just pass on the additional cost to taxpayers.

Companies subject to the Obamacare Cadillac Tax (see previous story) will pay an average of $2.1 million per year from 2018 to 2024-equal to $2,700 per employee. And if companies adjust workers' wages to offset reductions in health benefits due to the tax, employees will face an average of $1,050 in higher payroll and income taxes per year. We estimate that at least 1 in 3 California businesses will have to pay this tax.

"Nancy Pelosi knows exactly who didn't write the bill she never read." (David Burge.) Pelosi cited ObamaCare architect in push for law – now claims she hasn’t heard of him.

Californitopia 

California DMV Expands Office Hours To Accommodate Licenses For Undocumented Immigrants.