Another Day, Another Individual Mandate Delay

Delay is preferable to error.

Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), Letter to George Washington

Yesterday the Obama administration issued another change,  its 21^st, in its health care law.    This change gives a “catastrophic exemption “ to those whose plans have been cancelled for failure to meet federal standards and who cannot afford a government plan. People will now be able to keep their “bare bones” plans.   This is in response to public outrage over plan cancellations for 6 million Americans and higher premiums and deductibles for replacement plans.

Some are calling this latest federal action a “Hail Mary”pass  to save ObamaCare and its unpopular individual mandate.   

This “catastrophic exemption” raises a fundamental question; Is ObamaCare an unworkable failure, a rolling disaster,  a cataclysmic catastrophe,  and merely the latest in a string of strategic mistakes?

These mistakes include:  going whole hog on reform rather than approaching it incrementally,  arrogantly stiff-arming the GOP rather than asking for their input into the specifics of the law,  and changing the law 21 times through “executive orders” through improvisational delays rather than consulting with Congress.

ObamaCare may not yet be a catastrophe,  but it’s getting there when its various provisions,  heretofore abstract theories become concrete realities.    The American people do not like what they see, and they are responding by not signing up for health exchanges and by expressing their disappointment in countless polls.   

 The issues in question  are mainly three: one distrust because of broken  government promises, two, uncertainty about future costs and access to health plans and doctors; and three, concern about government incompetence in rolling out healthcare.gov.

Why not  back off, Mr. President, and admit you made some mistakes in your path to reform?   

Why not delay ObamaCare for a year?   

Why not consider the obvious options – retaining coverage for pre-existing illnesses and young adults under their parents’ plans, modifying the individual mandate to fit the needs of the young and others,  expanding Medicaid under the individual state’s direction,  selling plans across state lines,  tax credits for all, health savings accounts for all,  and national tort reform?

Tweet:   ObamaCare is in trouble,  as shown by government changing it 21 times,  e.g.  “catastrophic exemptions” for those who can’t afford it.