Since its beginning in 2000, the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce (SCSBCC) has been the state’s leading business advocate for making health insurance more affordable. During the 1990s, double digit increases in group health insurance premiums were recognized as unsustainable and had resulted in less than 40% of…
Is Obamacare turning the corner?
The Washington Post By Ezra Klein and Evan Soltas, November 26, 2013 Welcome to Wonkbook, Ezra Klein and Evan Soltas’s morning policy news primer. To subscribe by e-mail, click here. Send comments, criticism, or ideas to Wonkbook at Gmail dot com. To read more by Ezra and his team, go to Wonkblog.…
Senate filibuster, Boehner and pics
Here are some reflections on two significant events in Washington last week concerning Senate productivity and Obamacare. The Senate voted to return some degree of democracy to that chamber. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid allowed a simple majority of the Senate to approve allowing Presidential nominations (other than for the…
This chart is amazing news for our health cost problem
The Washington PostBy Sarah Kliff, Published: November 20 at 3:55 pm This just might be my favorite chart about health care costs as of late. And it’s one that contains billions of dollars’ worth of good news! The chart, from the Council of Economic Advisers, shows the Congressional Budget Office constantly revising downward…
Just be patient
With all the negative news surrounding the Health Insurance Marketplaces, it sure is nice to hear success stories. WBTV in Charlotte ran this story last Friday. This couple is going to save 3 to 4 thousand dollars a year and get better benefits through their successful use of Healthcare.gov. And…
Under Health Care Act, Millions Eligible for Free Policies
The New York TimesNovember 4, 2013 By REED ABELSON and KATIE THOMAS Millions of people could qualify for federal subsidies that will pay the entire monthly cost of some health care plans being offered in the online marketplaces set up under President Obama’s health care law, a surprising figure…
Debunking Obamacare horror stories
The stories of how individuals and small businesses are being harmed by Obamacare are being pushed by the ACA-haters and some gullible journalists are regurgitating the stories without checking them out. Watch this segment from last night’s MSNBC program The Last Word. Lawrence O’Donnell interviews Michael Hiltzik of the Los…
Good news from NFIB survey
Good news from our friends at the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) even if they don’t think it is good news. According to a non-random survey of 921 small business owners and operators released today by the NFIB, “64 percent reported that they pay more for insurance premiums per…
Good-news stories about Obamacare
As the Health Insurance Marketplace creeps toward being fully operational and the Obamacare-haters use the technical problems to continue their attacks, the good news is starting to get out. Over 330,000 Americans have checked to see if they are eligible for a federal subsidy to make their health insurance more affordable. …
Small Business Forum on Health Insurance
This Thursday the City of Columbia will be holding an open forum on the impact of the Affordable Care Act on small businesses. I will be moderating the panel presentations and discussions. Another forum will be held October 23rd. Registration is free: https://columbiaaffordablecareactforum.eventbrite.com This is a great opportunity to learn…