How to Protect Yourself From Obamacare

[nathanm]

Just to put the numbers in perspective, OTC collected a bit under $9 billion in taxes, licenses, and fees last fiscal year, not counting county/local sales/use tax and county hotel-motel taxes collected by OTC on their behalf. The amount we need to come up with for this Medicaid expansion, assuming that we see no savings whatsoever from improved health of the newly covered cohort is about 0.4% of the total state collections last year. Not 4%. Zero point four percent.

I would say we are the stupidest people in the country not taking this deal, but there are other states that have also rejected the expansion even when their own projections show that the expense will be entirely offset by savings elsewhere, so we are at least slightly less stupid than those folks, given that we don't have actual studies showing that we'll save money in the long run.

[Townsend]

Just to put the numbers in perspective, OTC collected a bit under $9 billion in taxes, licenses, and fees last fiscal year, not counting county/local sales/use tax and county hotel-motel taxes collected by OTC on their behalf. The amount we need to come up with for this Medicaid expansion, assuming that we see no savings whatsoever from improved health of the newly covered cohort is about 0.4% of the total state collections last year. Not 4%. Zero point four percent.

I would say we are the stupidest people in the country not taking this deal, but there are other states that have also rejected the expansion even when their own projections show that the expense will be entirely offset by savings elsewhere, so we are at least slightly less stupid than those folks, given that we don't have actual studies showing that we'll save money in the long run.

Well that just doesn't make sense.  Why, on Earth, would that be a wise decision?  There must be an intelligent reason she'd do this.  There just must be.

Anyone?

[Red Arrow]

Only about a third presently goes to health care or smoking cessation, despite the cigarette tax collections tripling in the last decade. I would expect that to be the other way around given the justifications for the increases. Instead, the original amount continues to be sent to the Building Bonds Sinking Fund as before, while half of the new collections go to the general fund and city/county governments, while a little under half of the increase goes to pay for the things that were claimed to be the reason for the increased taxes.

You can see the amounts of all the taxes OTC collected in FY2011-12 and how those receipts were apportioned in their annual report.

OK, now we all know where the money goes.  Which of those places would you divert money from?

[Teatownclown]

Governor Mary Fallin Rejects State-Run Insurance Exchange



http://www.newson6.com/story/20138032/fallin-rejects-state-run-insurance-exchange

So who's celebrating this decision?

She's just announced she's throwing her hat in the ring for 2016 Presidential Election.

Douchebaggers!

[nathanm]

OK, now we all know where the money goes.  Which of those places would you divert money from?

Initially, the general fund. I expect that, as in other states, we would eventually end up saving enough money that we wouldn't have to take away from anything in the long run. Do keep in mind that the first three years are free.

[Red Arrow]

Initially, the general fund. I expect that, as in other states, we would eventually end up saving enough money that we wouldn't have to take away from anything in the long run. Do keep in mind that the first three years are free.

Free?   

I see the smiley face but think you may actually believe it.

[nathanm]

Free?   

No charge to the state, paid for 100% by you and me and everybody else that pays federal taxes, which puts us at quite an advantage. We may be able to get up to $1.70 worth of federal benefits for every $1 of federal tax paid by Oklahomans. The point being that we may not have to tap the cigarette tax money at all.

[shadows]

Somewhere we have lost the general concept of a federal government being established by the founders in their effort to provide for the defense of the colonies and their general welfare.  In the meantime it has evolved to being the most expensive and corrupt being control by a small group of the wealth, instead of listening to the citizens needs when the gap is growing wider at each election.  The sitting president is on another traveling spree in Europe whereas the citizens need encouragement to the future to look forward to their future welfare, instead of inferring with those countries that have been is existence thousands of years longer than us.  It seems he is dead set on getting WWIII underway without considering we are venerable to rocket attack with a maximum of 30 minutes from launch.  Is this why the Mayan Nation calendar ends in December?

The Oklahoma governor’s actions on the health bill would indicate the enormous insurance industry and legal utility would be contributors in recent elections.     

[Hoss]

Somewhere we have lost the general concept of a federal government being established by the founders in their effort to provide for the defense of the colonies and their general welfare.  In the meantime it has evolved to being the most expensive and corrupt being control by a small group of the wealth, instead of listening to the citizens needs when the gap is growing wider at each election.  The sitting president is on another traveling spree in Europe whereas the citizens need encouragement to the future to look forward to their future welfare, instead of inferring with those countries that have been is existence thousands of years longer than us.  It seems he is dead set on getting WWIII underway without considering we are venerable to rocket attack with a maximum of 30 minutes from launch.  Is this why the Mayan Nation calendar ends in December?

The Oklahoma governor’s actions on the health bill would indicate the enormous insurance industry and legal utility would be contributors in recent elections.     

o......kay?

[Townsend]

Somewhere we have lost the general concept of a federal government being established by the founders in their effort to provide for the defense of the colonies and their general welfare.  In the meantime it has evolved to being the most expensive and corrupt being control by a small group of the wealth, instead of listening to the citizens needs when the gap is growing wider at each election.  The sitting president is on another traveling spree in Europe whereas the citizens need encouragement to the future to look forward to their future welfare, instead of inferring with those countries that have been is existence thousands of years longer than us.  It seems he is dead set on getting WWIII underway without considering we are venerable to rocket attack with a maximum of 30 minutes from launch.  Is this why the Mayan Nation calendar ends in December?

The Oklahoma governor’s actions on the health bill would indicate the enormous insurance industry and legal utility would be contributors in recent elections.     

It doesn't end in December.  It starts over.

[guido911]

"Such an expansion would be unaffordable, costing the state of Oklahoma up to $475 million between now and 2020"

$475 million divided by 7 years divided by 3,791,508 Oklahomans equals $17.90 per year per Oklahoman.

$1.50 a month per Oklahoman.

I already have coverage. Could it be better? Yep. But I am happy. Not really interested in paying anything more for insurance.

[RecycleMichael]

I already have coverage. Could it be better? Yep. But I am happy. Not really interested in paying anything more for insurance.

It is only about you.

[Townsend]

I already have coverage. Could it be better? Yep. But I am happy. Not really interested in paying anything more for insurance.

I read last night that Oklahomans pay an extra $1,000,000,000 a year to cover uninsured through premiums and more expensive hospital/medical bills.

You already pay more for insurance.

[Townsend]

The TW is calling Governor Fallin a dumbass.

Fallin says no to state health exchange

http://www.tulsaworld.com/opinion/article.aspx?subjectid=61&articleid=20121120_61_A13_CUTLIN815292

In one of the most disappointing announcements to come out of the governor's office in years, Gov. Mary Fallin on Monday said she will not "pursue the creation of a state-based exchange or participate in the Medicaid expansion" called for in the federal health-care reform act known as Obamacare.

In recent months, Fallin indicated she was closely conferring with the many involved stakeholders in her decision-making process. Her Monday announcement suggests she listened to only one side.

Fallin has informed U.S. Secretary of Health Kathleen Sebelius that Oklahoma will not pursue the health insurance exchange, noting that such an effort would be " 'state-run' in name only and would require Oklahoma resources, staff and tax dollars to implement."

She also announced her decision not to participate in Medicaid expansion, which advocates said would have led to as many as 200,000 uninsured Oklahomans receiving coverage. Fallin claims the expansion would cost the state up to $475 million between now and 2020, "with escalating annual expenses in subsequent years."

"It would also further Oklahoma's reliance on federal money that may or may not be available in the future given the dire fiscal problems facing the federal government," she continued, adding that "massive new costs associated with Medicaid expansion would require cuts to important government priorities such as education and public safety."

Never mind that there was compelling evidence to the contrary on all points Fallin made. Those relevant and persuasive claims, it seems, fell on deaf ears. So what is Oklahoma going to do? Two things, according to Fallin: Support Attorney General Scott Pruitt's ongoing legal challenge of Obamacare and continue "to pursue state-based solutions that improve health outcomes and contain costs for Oklahoma families."

And how have those efforts worked out so far? How effective are those state-based solutions Fallin and company are always touting? Just take a look at the levels of uninsured Oklahomans, the levels of serious health conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes, the levels of tobacco use, the levels of uncompensated care ... etc., etc.

It is disappointing in the extreme that Fallin fell in with the anti-Obama chorus that continues to repeat the usual mantras about health-care reform without giving any consideration whatsoever to other claims and analyses: that health reform could actually save the state money in offsets, that a healthier work force means a better economy, that our tax dollars now will go to help residents of other states, that our health-care facilities will continue to drown in uncompensated care costs, that taxpayers and rate-payers will continue to face escalating costs due to cost-shifting ... etc., etc.

We had hopes that Fallin truly was looking out for the well-being of all Oklahomans. Now those hopes are dashed. It's a dark day in Oklahoma.

Read more from this Tulsa World article at http://www.tulsaworld.com/opinion/article.aspx?subjectid=61&articleid=20121120_61_A13_CUTLIN815292

[Conan71]

She's just announced she's throwing her hat in the ring for 2016 Presidential Election.

Funny, I had that thought last night when I heard this on the news.  "WTH is she thinking?  Posturing for another shot at national office?"

I think it's bad juju throwing this back to the Feds, I think it would be far more manageable on the state level if we have to have it in the first place.