How Similar is RomneyCare to ObamaCare?
Some features of the current Massachusetts law would be prohibited by the ACA. Massachusetts permits insurers to offer discounts to, for example, someone who works in a low-risk industry or participates in a wellness program. The federal law, on the other hand, requires premiums to be based on a single set of factors: family composition, the ages of covered members, tobacco usage, and geographical location. According to state officials, this will cause premiums to rollercoaster, resulting in “extreme premium increases” for many, and a decline for others.
A Pioneer Institute analysis found that 60 percent of small businesses in Massachusetts will experience a rate hike — for some the increase will be over 98 percent — due to this one regulatory change. These same employers are already bracing for the law’s 18 new taxes.
Source: National Review.
AS bad as it is, RomneyCare is better than ObamaCare.
There is no point in comparing legislation that is equally bad.
How is it better?
I would say that it is apples and oranges, so to compare them is a bit unreasonable.
Definitely^
It’s not difficult to figure out why Romney failed to win the presidential election.
Yea, Romneycare certainly was a stain on his legislative record for conservatives.
Yes, it definitely was, it is hard to say that you will strike down ObamaCare when you implemented a version of it in your own state…
A Pioneer Institute analysis found that 60 percent of small businesses in Massachusetts will experience a rate hike — for some the increase will be over 98 percent — due to this one regulatory change. These same employers are already bracing for the law’s 18 new taxes.
But to be honest, Obamacare is a lot worse than romneycare…especially because of the tax hikes.
“Some features of the current Massachusetts law would be prohibited by the ACA. Massachusetts permits insurers to offer discounts to, for example, someone who works in a low-risk industry or participates in a wellness program. The federal law, on the other hand, requires premiums to be based on a single set of factors: family composition, the ages of covered members, tobacco usage, and geographical location.”
I think that RomneyCare is designed to fit a state model, whereas ObamaCare is designed to fit a national model, so the two aren’t even comparable.
If I understand the wellness programs correctly, they DO allow for discounts of 20-50%. The question is if insurers will provide those discounts?
Don Levit