How We Pay for Obamacare: Healthcare Triage #6

After we posted our video on "How Obamacare works" tons of commenters asked how Obamacare is paid for. Often, the question was NSFW. But you ask, we answer.
In this episode, we will explain how much Obamacare costs, and what spending cuts and revenue increases (ie taxes) were passed to pay for it. You'll get to see why it really is "deficit reducing".
Make sure you subscribe above so you don't miss any upcoming episodes!
Read more on Aaron's blog: theincidentalec...
Here are two great sources for this data. The first is The Tax Foundation: taxfoundation.o.... The second is the CBO: www.cbo.gov/pub....
John Green -- Executive Producer
Stan Muller -- Director, Producer
Aaron Carroll -- Writer
Mark Olsen - Graphics
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[@ButzPunk]

Warning: this comments section contains gross misunderstandings of economics. Proceed with caution.

[@theriveroftruth]

"That would take an act of Congress and Congress hasn't been doing much lately." trueeeeee.

[@graphicgraphites]

Honestly, the cost of obamacare seems like a drop in the bucket in comparison to how much money the US government spends on military initiatives.

[@sion8]

And in my opinion it always will! I can't believe how hard we have made it NOT kill people, yet we still want it to be done for some reason. Now I'm not saying The States doesn't need a military but come on!!!

[@Imaweaverboy]

How much does the US spend, isn't it something crazy like $5 trillion?

[@andy150395]

Imaweaverboy actually its only about 2 trillion as far as I know the bigger issue is that so much of it is considered unnecessary because it is put into the wrong places. We put money into producing tanks and planes even the military has said we have too many of already and far less goes into veteran care or is taken out the military budget entirely to be re-appropriated for better uses. but we have been improving as we dropped a little over 100 billion from the military expenditures from last year so we might keep improving

[@sugarthekitty8689]

All of the various Health and Social Security functions way, way outweigh our defense and military spending (which is not to say that the military spending couldn't be less as well.) Basically, the government pays too much for everything, because contracting companies know that the government will pay more for it. I hope that this doesn't hold true for health care as well.

[@andy150395]

Sugar thekitty actually they are close to equal our issue isn't too much spending but inneffective spending I do agree we could be spending less but I think we need to look more at fixing spending rather than just cutting spending

[@neelavdutta1049]

This was quite an enlightening video, I support the ACA and I didn't even realize it actually decreased the deficit...

[@Timmie1995]

Why does this channel only have 46K subscribers? More people need to watch these videos. John and Hank, do something!

[@tetsubo57]

Frodo TheHobo Europeans live in civilization and don't need to worry about it.

[@BananaStab]

Frodo TheHobo I suppose it's somewhat true, but I'm from Portugal and I'm interested in what happens in the states, the truth is the USA is almost half a continent, so what happens to its economy effects the whole world.

[@healthcaretriage]

Word!

[@Timmie1995]

tetsubo57 ***** I'm Dutch, and I'm interested. As Banana says, the USA's economy affects the whole world.

[@ZoggFromBetelgeuse]

tetsubo57 ***** I'm from outer space and I'm interested, too.

[@claytonhanson6438]

I love what you guys do here. As a current RN student, the things you talk about on here are very poignant to my classes and the current atmosphere of health care. These videos provide very concise answers to the loads of misinformation that is out there on the ACA. I even hear about it from my teachers who are supposed to be politically unbiased in class. so I'm very happy that you make these videos!

[@acommenter]

And then we in the uk laugh because we have the NHS and healthcare costs are entirely spent on doctors and nurses rather than the bureaucratic overhead of determining whether we should treat someone or leave them to die!

[@marvelsuperhero]

and then the UK cries because of the conservatives' systematic attempts to reduce the NHS and push UK healthcare into the private sector.

[@Imaweaverboy]

marvelsuperhero 'Tis a shame, but it doesn't look like they'll be out of office for a while. Bloody Ed Milliband isn't exactly a promising future.

[@acommenter]

well i wasn't one of the morons who said no to AV 2/3rds the UK are though.

[@TheThing88]

I think there's a possibility they'll lose in the next election. Whether Milliband will do any better is up in the air, but at least he's pro-NHS. So that's something.

[@TheBType]

Hey, give us a break: when you have lemons you make lemonade. And when you have shit you make...a castle made out of shit....I guess.... Actually, I don't think there's really a metaphor that makes the situation out to be anything less then shitty and annoying, honestly.

[@FranticCashew]

They shouldn't count the fact that they cut aid and support for students as a win for Obamacare.

[@yellowmeerkat97]

That wasn't given as a win for the AFA, it was listed as savings. The point of the video was to show how Obamacare is paid for. Whether or not you agree with how it paid for is up to you. Thems just be the facts. Have a lovely day!

[@blkcc1]

I agree, who cares if we never give a person the chance to learn how to better themselves through education, as long as they have affordable health care! or until the doctors that went to college on loans retire and we no longer have doctors. Numerous doctors that go to school on the governments dime, owe the government time and repay the government by giving care to underprivileged and low income communities

[@FranticCashew]

yellowmeerkat97 blkcc1 Even from a morally neutral standpoint it just has nothing to do with Obamacare. If we say its ok for Congress to cut completely unrelated programs and then count it as "savings" for their legislation - we are giving them license to deceive us. I know that is "how Congress works", doesn't mean I get to be happy about it.

[@blkcc1]

KawaiiCari I wasn't really recommending we cut all aid related programs, I honestly believe Federal government needs to back out of the health care business and turn over the aid programs to the states. I would like to see the fed government reduce their role and empower the states to take care of their own people. Smaller government = less cost and less deficit

[@alecchvirko6578]

I love this show. This is information that every American should have. Thank you so much for all of the valuable info. Please keep up the good work.

[@teethpaste]

I don't really like this one video. This CBO estimate caused a large political controversy back in 2010 when it was released, but this video ignores all that. I think these numbers are highly suspect. (I have more details in my main comment) How We Pay for Obamacare: Healthcare Triage #6

[@healthcaretriage]

Jeremy Bost You can't just say that. Why are the suspect (outside of partisan purposes)? Where are the errors?

[@alecchvirko6578]

Jeremy Bost Thank you for chiming in. A conversation is always better when there are apposing views and everyone isn't just agreeing across the board. So please don't think I am dismissing your point, but the two articles you posted didn't really do anything to sway me. They both just seem to say, 'There is a lot that could go wrong with this budget.' Which... well yeah. It's a 10 year plan that aims to begin a complete rebuild of the health insurance industry in America and move around 1 trillion dollars. I think it kinda goes without saying that there are tons of things that could go wrong. However, neither article said that the numbers don't add up or that the plan wont work. If your only concern here is that this is a risky plan, I don't know what to tell you. Politics is a risky business.

[@alecchvirko6578]

And I'm sorry to call you out on this, but the last paragraph of your original comment is copy and pasted strait out of the W.P. article with no quotes around it, credit to the author, or any other type of citation. While you did add a link to the original article, it would be nice if you had given direct credit to the original author, cause at first glance, it looked like that paragraph was your personal writing.

[@teethpaste]

Healthcare Triage I have been keeping my sources in another comment, here: How We Pay for Obamacare: Healthcare Triage #6

[@bsabruzzo]

Funny. There are a number of fallacies and statistical games in this one. To be fair, we will skip the worst one: static analysis, as this guy did try to address it by mentioning the bit about predicting the future. Though we all know claiming my fist will always hit your face if I try to punch you is false. So on to Medicare advantage. It cost the government more than having the government pay. But patients paid lower fees and bills. So in one way it cost less. In another it cost more. Which is true? The question should be which is important. If it's about the patient, then maybe the government is not who should be paid, but the doctor. Maybe the government is overpaying? They tend to do that often. Let's examine this from a "The government made a budget" aspect. When and how well does the government ever come on or under budget? Forget the best laid plans of mice and men... the budgets of governments are often a tenth of what the actual cost is. Again, this feeds back into dynamic analysis rather than static. Now what about all the waivers of the fees and taxes? Now the government is collecting less than budgeted. The numbers changed.

[@teethpaste]

Thanks for this comment. I posted a few extra problems with the video at the link below. My main issue is that this video takes the old CBO estimate as something reliable, when it clearly is not. My comment (scroll down to the comments section) How We Pay for Obamacare: Healthcare Triage #6

[@luckyluke013]

Why don't we tax marijuana to get even more!! Surely that's like a few dozen billion right there.

[@Jsnhlbr5]

The problem is we'd have to actually legalize it at the federal level first, and that probably won't happen for a while.

[@ronanhart6398]

Yeah, congress would take forever to pass something that big.

[@OffspringMabinogi]

At first I was upset that they took away funding for Pell grants and other educational grants because I'm in college, but then I remembered I'm not entitled to that money. That money was granted to me by the government and if they feel that it's more important for the money to fund the ACA then I don't really have a problem with it. The government has done wonders for me up until now.

[@datalaforge]

I feel like I'm supposed to be outraged about the lies in this video but as far as I can tell it's all true.

[@datalaforge]

My wife want's me to clarify that I don't usually use sarcasm or irony but made a special exception for this comment.

[@Phlowerchyld]

datalaforge So which part are you being sarcastic about? That you should be outraged or that it's all true?

[@datalaforge]

Phlowerchyld Oh no, this is getting confusing. I'll just say what I really think from now on. I was making fun of all of my conservative friends who talk about the Obama like he was Chairman Mao. I love these videos because they present the truth about these issues in really clear ways.

[@Phlowerchyld]

datalaforge Lol! I've tried to be sarcastic on KZbin before and it doesn't work very well. Without voice tone and inflection it becomes very difficult to tell what people really mean. Funny comment nonetheless, perhaps you're better at it than I.

[@datalaforge]

Phlowerchyld I'm very bad at reading sarcasm and irony even in real life. I've only known this about myself for a few years now so I'm trying to learn but I don't think I'll ever be native.

[@Accultus]

Canadian fellas think this is awesome. Eventually the public will understand that magic feeling you get when being healthy didn't break the bank.

[@RizenLink]

Thank you so much for making this video! You explain how we pay for Obama care in an easily understandable way; that's difficult to do. I will be linking this video to discussions in the future. We need to lower the deficit and we need to get up to par with countries like Germany. There is a lot of irrational and hateful resistance and this is a great way to change it.

[@teethpaste]

***** You do know that defense spending is only around 25% of our total expenditures?

[@teethpaste]

***** That is an incredibly naive view of military expenditures. There are multiple reasons this spending is definitely not a complete waste. * No more world wars since the US became the world's "policeman." Everyone is too scared to pit their military versus ours in direct combat. There have been wars, just nothing on the same scale. (Over 60 million were killed in WWII.) * Military spending stimulates the economy. It isn't like this money goes into a furnace. It goes to businesses and people. * Provides good careers for people otherwise too poor to get the education or experience. * The military can do relief efforts on a bigger scale than basically anyone around. Our aircraft careers assist thousands of refugees around the globe. Sure, we may be spending too much on military, and there is likely a ton of bureaucratic waste and special deals in all that. But our military is awesome and I don't feel bad about spending so much on it.

[@yumri4]

Jeremy Bost yeah they are too scared but being able to nuke the world over 40 or so times still is kinda excessive and we have to still pay for all of those bombs to be stored and maintanced while we disassemble the rest of them. b/c we are the world's "policeman" what do you think haveing unnesssary wars does to the image of our nation? yes defense spending does stimulate the economy of other nations as we barely buy anything from our own nation anymore msot thing are made in china as we basicly contract almost the entire thing out to a private firm which then looks for the cheapest way to make it all while still meeting the requirements in that china is cheap as they have a artifcally deflated currentcy kept low by the goverment so it will be good business to go with them but as they are many things in our own military are made there and not here. IF we were making our own defense equipment in the USA then yeah defense spending would stimulate the ecnonomy but since the firms arent it isnt stimulating the USA's economy. the military basicly provides good careers but employeers are relantent to hire the military ppl as we are still in a conflict with afraganastain or however you spell it so they might be and probably will be called back in which the employeer has to keep the position for the miliatary person and not refill it with another person who is actually in the country. so it is not a good business decition to hire military ppl until the confilct is over with. we use the aircarf careers for that as they are no needed for what they are built for anymore and are just big expenive hulks of maned air on ocean machines if not doing anything now in all of that i am proud of the military just not proud of how it is being used is all.

[@karozans]

***** If you hate spending trillions of dollars on wars, then you must hate Obama to death because Obama is still doing exactly what Bush did. Obama is Bush #2. PS. Leftists in the US government got a rock hard boner at the thought of bombing Syria back to the Stone Age. PPS. Democrats have caused and started most of the wars in American history. PPPS. We spend 3 times more today on education than we did back in 1970 (adjusted for inflation) and test scores haven't increase one bit. We spend more than double per year, per student on education than Britain does and every year we get further and further behind. Spending more and more money on government monopolized education systems backed by teachers unions won't help education. Only privatization will.

[@karozans]

***** So do you dislike Obama (and other politicians) because they interfere in the lives of free people? Or do you dislike Obama (and other politicians) because they don't interfere in the lives of people enough? When I use the term "Leftist", It is a reference to anyone who wants to make the government bigger and more powerful in any fashion. "Leftist" does not necessarily mean Democrat or Liberal or Progressive. Another word that could be used in place of "Leftist" would be Statist.

[@micahxfuller]

I work for a medical device manufacturing company as an engineer. Could you do a video explains the positives and negatives of the medical device tax in particular? It's hotly debated, and even in the industry we're relatively uninformed. Love the show!

[@WeAreGRID]

okay, now do a video on why everyone seems to think obamacare is a bad thing, explaining what little logic you seem to indicate that argument has, and refuting it logically or proving it just downright untrue.

[@JakeWearsJeans94]

Fox news probably

[@teethpaste]

If you are honestly wondering why Republicans dislike Obamacare, read this: qr.ae/G53Ic It is by a professional healthcare public policy analyst. I'd also point out that this video is highly misleading, using some controversial numbers from a CBO estimate that is a bit suspect. The CBO isn't infallible, and it missed some important factors.

[@teethpaste]

isup.me says it works, it must be a problem on your end.

[@teethpaste]

***** That post mostly said why Republicans dislike Obamacare, it didn't go into detail defending them. I think I address some of this post in another of my replies to you. BTW, about the military thing, sure. Cut some spending. But I think the military is a pretty good stimulus, better than a lot of the ones that our government has passed. And it also serves its obvious purpose as well. Cutting funding will hurt the economy. Our military is powerful enough that it should still be adequate after any light budget cuts, but keep in mind some other countries rely on us to keep the peace.

[@healthcaretriage]

Um, I can't explain what "everyone" is thinking. I am happy to respond to individual arguments against the law...

[@EwolaKoala]

That last one about other "miscellaneous" reductions really upsets myself as well as thousands of other university students in this country.

[@RKH1502]

5:48 Uh... shouldn't there be an extra three zeros there?

[@suzannahnicholson2815]

Yeah, I there were a few times where he said trillion or billion when the screen showed billions and millions.

[@InorganicVegan]

People think that universal healthcare is a monopoly, and it's starting to frustrate me, so I'll set the record straight. (Reposted) "It is not a monopoly! That's like saying that public bathrooms are a monopoly on toilets. By this logic, public schools are a monopoly. We still have private schools, and we'll still have private insurance. They'll just have to compete with the more affordable and comprehensive public option. Thus, universal healthcare actually brings stiff competition. Monopoly: Your only option. Public option: An option everyone can use. Learn the difference!"

[@TomKilworth]

Agreed. BUPA is still a hugely profitable company in the UK, no matter what the state of the NHS is

[@simonpurist4499]

Exactly! And taking a child hostage for money isn't kidnapping, because the parents can always pay the ransom and get the kid back.

[@InorganicVegan]

Simon Purist What? That made no sense.

[@InorganicVegan]

Simon Purist That's not an actual argument. How is your analogy sensible?

[@simonpurist4499]

Diana Peña Didn't think you'd know.

[@jpheitman]

The problem, of course, is that Congress always, always, ALWAYS over-estimates the amount of money it's going to gain, and under-estimates the money it's going to spend. Obamacare will almost certainly increase the budget deficit, but not by very much compared to other big sources (like those, ah... little "escapades" in the Middle East).

[@Gigaheart]

Dr. Carol, please discuss more about subsidies, how to get them, what they are for, how they help, and what they do for me. I can't afford monthly payments on insurances or fees that go with not having them.

[@IceMetalPunk]

If you go to the exchange website, you'll see a section all about exemptions and subsidies. There are many qualifying criteria--if you fit any of them, you can apply for a subsidy (partial discount) or exemption (100% subsidy). In fact, here's that page directly: kff.org/interactive/subsidy-calculator/

[@EJBen007]

Corrections: $1 Trillion: $1 000 000 000 000 $938 Billion: $938 000 000 000

[@kweath0331]

When I hear from someone that the government doesn't care about profit what I hear is that they have no vested interest in pleasing their customers, because profit is what motivates most firms to provide quality products at the lowest possible cost, for both the firm and the consumer

[@tabula_rosa]

LOL WHAT COUNTRY ARE YOU LIVING IN

[@kweath0331]

U.S. I'd love to hear an argument if you disagree with me

[@tabula_rosa]

So if the free market drives down costs and drives up quality, why is it that the US has the most expensive healthcare in the world and has below-average (compared to first world countries) healthcare quality? And before you say it, if the problem is the (minimal) amount of control we already had and making the system even more laisazze-faire is the solution, why is it that countries with universal, 100% government controlled healthcare have both the cheapest and the highest quality healthcare? Simply put, free market economies only drive prices down if their prospective customers have the option to simply not participate. You can't negotiate with a billion-dollar corporation on the price of food or the price of healthcare, because you need to eat and need treatment for your diseases no matter what. If you can opt out of a sub-economy, the companies are forced to compete with eachother to entice you into it. If you have no choice, then the companies-- without fail-- make agreements to disempower the consumer and turn it into a situation where it's the consumer competing with the industry, and in that case, the consumer always loses.

[@kweath0331]

Deshara The problems in the U.S. health care system are not a result of market capitalism. The government has created standards for becoming a medical doctor or nurse or anyone else who wants to be licensed to practice medicine in some way that are higher than they should be. What I mean by that is that the schooling that is required is beyond the point of reason in my estimation. Additionally there are regulations, taxation, illegal to build a hospital without the government's permission, MD's have a monopoly on writing prescriptions, subsidies which moves the market closer to a monopoly and further from perfect competition etc. And with regards to universal healthcare I have to ask how you know they're the cheapest and highest quality if price has been taken out of it? What I've heard is that in those countries wait times go up and the quality of health care goes down. And with regards to the assertion that firms have no motivation to provide a quality product you are right but again that is a result of the current system. All the things I listed drive down competition and allow a few large firms to dominate the market. Market capitalism would allow for more firms because there would be fewer barriers to entry. And when you have many firms to compete with you are forced to increase the quality and decrease the cost of your good or service because people will choose another firm if you don't.

[@orionseal117]

What about a tax on beer? If each bottle and or can of beer sold in the USA could provide an aditional penny in revinue for healthcare that would add up quickly.

[@Citizen1117]

We already tax alcohol quite a bit. It would be difficult for someone to add new taxes when they have an army of lobbyists to fight.

[@AvielMenter]

Though predictions are unreliable at this time range, the CBO predicts even greater savings over the 2020 - 2029 decade.

[@Jon12317]

I know it's super tough to simplify all that information into a short video like this, but I must say, I felt some parts were oversimplified. Saying "another $___ saved from changes in _____," could mean anything - maybe those changes had negative consequences. But anyway, I really like & appreciate all these videos - I look forward to watching more! Thanks for making these :)

[@augustofretes]

He was strictly speaking about how it gets paid. Whether ending some tax credits or not was a good idea is open to discussion but was no the point of the video. Although considering what a mess (even with Obamacare) the American healthcare system is, it's hard to imagine it isn't an overall improvement.

[@branhoff]

one such savings he mentioned was the penalty paid by private insurance. It probably isn't fair to count that as a net gain. If corporations choose to take the penalty than they are also choosing to not insure people, which the government will likely subsidize. I doubt there will be much savings.

[@Jon12317]

Brandon Hoffman Sure, but I reckon that the predicted increase in gov't subsidies was included in the costs (during the first half of the video). I suppose we assume that for ourselves.

[@teethpaste]

I couldn't find a serious analysis of the video so I made one in another comment. Go to the link and scroll down to the comments section; mine should be first: How We Pay for Obamacare: Healthcare Triage #6

[@ablestmage]

>Projected cost of Obamacare: -938 billion >Projected revenue of Obamacare: +110 billion >Individual mandate & employer penalty: 69 billion Why is the individual mandate necessary at all, then? Why even bother penalizing employers, if Obamacare is going to be profitable without it?

[@agianone]

If there's no mandate anyone could just sign up when they get sick, destroying the whole system

[@ablestmage]

Anthony Gianone That is how the system should be in the first place. If it were actually Affordable, as in, Affordable Health Care Act, you wouldn't be needing to pay for your entire lifetime just for one of the random times you MIGHT need to visit the doctor. You go to the doctor when you get sick. Unless you're pregnant, then you go to the emergency room every time you fart.

[@TheRLKing]

ablestmage When you pay for insurance, that money gets put into a big pile with all the other people who pay for the insurance. When people need it, that money pays to reduce their out-of-pocket costs. If people choose to drop in and out of insurance whenever they want, then that pool of money the insurance uses to pay for people no longer exists. This would then cause insurance companies to go bankrupt because they can't do what they're supposed to do, let alone pay their employees or turn a profit. The mandate is there as an incentive to make sure insurance companies don't go bust from the new requirements Obamacare placed on them. However, the cost for the program is covered even without the mandate to ensure that the deficit doesn't take a hit if, by some stroke of magic, everyone in the country decides to get insurance.

[@RyanGatts]

ablestmage You aren't paying for yourself. Everyone pays for everyone. That's how insurance works -- flood, home, car, life, and health.

[@thatsedrich]

In class and heard about this from the professor. Really helped me understand what the Affordable Care Act is all about! Thank you!

[@Tahlorn]

Thank you for this great video. Even as a person supporting the AHC, I wasn't certain how it was gonig to be paid for other than "more taxes".

[@dksouthpawatx]

the text that pops up on the bottom right is really hard to read unless you're in fullscreen mode. Which can't happen when I'm watching this while at work :P

[@Mychannelhasnofocus]

So how does this affect people who want to become doctors who someday want to open their own private practices?

[@OwlishFun]

I'm not going to read the comments, it seems hazardous to my health, but I shall type out my appreciation of this video :D Another great addition to this awesome channel. Clear, interesting, and highly informative. Brilliant job!

[@davidng8732]

It's rather absurd to see an energy policy item in a healthcare bill (cellulosic biofuel credit). But then, in Canada, we get multiple-hundred page long budget omnibus bills that involves budget *and miscellaneous* items. So, the US is hardly alone in such quirks in politics.

[@Srewtheshadow]

There's a bill that entitles every citizen to a llama if I remember correctly.

[@unimportantaccount1]

As someone who worked in a lab researching biofuel production from cellulosic biomass, yes it is a real thing. It also has theoretically huge potential to reduce oil dependence and reduce net carbon emissions. However, getting those theoretical gains has proven very difficult because we don't have technology to efficiently convert biomass to liquid fuels. Interest in biofules has tanked dramatically since the fracking boom, so it isn't surprising that that the government has reduced funding for research, for better or worse. I don't know the specifics of what all has been cut, but hopefully some research is still being done because we may need that technology later.

[@BigKevSexyMan]

Can you do a video on what exactly IPAB is? I've been hearing it about it lately. It seems like it's being compared to that "death panel" bullshit. Is it a form of health care rationing? I would appreciate it if you told us everything you could about the topic. Good, bad, left, right, pros, cons etc.

[@joegaylord87]

It's a board to determine what the payments for Medicare (And by extension some private insurance) will be for specific treatments. It's goal is to check the spending increases that can happen because of the structure of the US system. It's not rationing, it's more akin to the actuaries at your current insurance company telling you whether a procedure is elective or not. Will there be people negatively affected, yes, in corner cases. However, it should be possible to reduce payments from Medicare for services without affecting essentials.(HT can probably explain better than me)

[@joegaylord87]

I live in Switzerland, and have never heard of "death panels", ***** . I can get friends from pretty much any country in the EU, plus most of the Middle East, Asia, and South America. I don't think they exist. If they do, they're certainly not in a developed country. We are in debt, yes... but I'd like to know your numbers on fees going up... not platitudes, numbers

[@danjhoyt]

Joe Gaylord Actually, what Liberal Smiter is referencing is something that kind of exists in some countries with Socialized medicine. Canada has something that he would call "death-panels". Recently, There was an instance in Canada where a man has been in a coma for years, is being kept alive through machines and is functionally brain dead. His doctors believe he will never come out therefore he should be allowed to die. His family is still holding out hope. Since his healthcare is socialized and paid for by the government, the government has a vested interest in resolving the situation, so the ultimate decision is left up to a committee that was appointed by the state for cases like these. I don't think the case has been resolved yet. This is the dreaded death-panel and there is no equivalent in the U.S., but some people believe that when the ACA was passed they were created. They are a myth. I don't know about Switzerland. Maybe you have something like that and you don't know. I'm sure it's not called a "death-panel" though. It probably has a real boring name and knowing you Swiss, is probably a polite group of people that run things very efficiently. Hold on I found this: www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2013/10/canada_has_death_panels_and_that_s_a_good_thing.html

[@johnbenton4488]

Dan Hoyt Please do not quote from 'information' on the Web. Most of it was submitted by activists, who lie for a living.

[@CarpenterLeo]

can you do a video on MSG?

[@Brandunfriendlyman]

I don't really have anything against the comment system, sure for you guys I can understand the problem not to be able to comment on old videos, but we get a new video from you so I see it as a plus :)

[@BigfootTJ]

i personally think the tanning tax should be HUGE. its a fact it has a higher chance of causing skin cancer, if you're going to give yourself cancer you get to pay more. same reason i think ALL tobacco products, alcohol, ect, should have massive taxes.

[@nfb7777]

I'm more of a mind that the taxes on these products should be moderate instead of "HUGE". Making them expensive just prompts those that want to use it to go to other methods for what they want, which in some cases, may be significantly worse for their health than using the original product.

[@BigfootTJ]

im not super rounded in tanning, is there another option besides tanning beds or the sun?

[@nfb7777]

Austin Allgire lol i wasn't referring to tanning. I was talking more about your later examples.

[@BigfootTJ]

oh right, well i have a personal vendetta against tobacco and alcohol so i see your point, but please understand where im coming from as well

[@nfb7777]

Austin Allgire oh yes of course. I dislike them as well. Although that's primarily because i consider them a massive waste of money and i have better or worse things to do than spend time and money smoking and getting drunk

[@sparksbet]

While I oppose the ACA, I do so for social and ideological reasons, not economic ones, and this video does a good job of explaining the costs and savings of Obamacare very concisely and clearly.

[@Innovativemagi]

But Mom!, I don't wanna give the government my allowance

[@timetuner]

Hold up. They cut into college loan funding? Who slipped that in there?

[@ArbitraryDoom]

I assume that it was decreased cost of living because of other health insurance subsidies. Figuring out who gets what money for which reason is probably the most confusing thing about social programs.

[@timetuner]

ArbitraryDoom That would make sense if things were already balanced as intended, but federal student aid programs aren't exactly in danger of bloating out of control.

[@GeneralNgo]

Throw those projected savings back into the education system. Public education is terrible and attending college is a MAJOR financial burden. I'll take an education reform before healthcare any day of the week

[@SashaUvarov95]

GeneralNgo until one day something happens and you are extremely ill and need, oh i dont know about 100k just to live

[@snakebitenproduction]

***** You make a good point there, and it is extremely important to have healthcare. However, college expenses are still absurd and getting a degree does not mean you will have a job when you get out, or at least a job that pays decently. I will say that I agree with you that healthcare should come before a public education reform, but a public education reform is still essential for the survival of this country.

[@gravityvertigo13579]

A few of these warrant further discussion I think. I've heard criticisms of the medical devices tax, and cuts to medicaid sound like they could be a bad thing.

[@healthcaretriage]

This video is about how we pay for Obamacare. It's entirely reasonable to say that you don't think the cuts are worth the benefits, but that's very different than saying the law isn't paid for - and that's what this episode was covering.

[@gravityvertigo13579]

Healthcare Triage Oh totally, I think the video is excellent and the visual representation at the bottom is a hoot. I just meant I'd like to see these topics included in future videos.

[@beesontheimpala]

Wow this video was really informative and easy to follow! :D

[@JohnStynes]

As a European I find this channel fascinating, even if it doesn't affect my country in any way. From an outsiders point of view, I've never understood why people were against it, so I just assumed it was because of the price tag of it... now, well, now I'm just confused.

[@emilyj6219]

Two key stakeholders within the U.S. health care system are the government and providers. I feel the U.S. government has the capacity to have the greatest impact on how health care is delivered. In collaboration with state representatives, the federal government creates policies and laws for health care, and determines the budget and resources that will be allocated towards not only providing care, but also monitoring and enforcing standards and policies. They are responsible for educating the public on what resources and programs are available and ensuring they are accessible to those in need. Providers have the most primary impact on how healthcare is delivered, whether they are a physician, nurse, pharmacist, or other health care provider (nurse practitioner, physician assistant, etc.). Providers supply the actual services to patients on a diagnostic/treatment, preventative, or ongoing basis. They are responsible for, at the very least, following or, at best, exceeding the standards set by our government. As such, they directly impact the overall quality of care. Providers also belong to associations, which finance lobbying groups to campaign for their interests, and in turn impact government policy, laws, and regulation for health care. Government and providers face numerous challenges in the delivery and management of health care. Some of the challenges include 1.) Improving the quality and access of care while contending with national and state level deficit and corruption in addition to special interest groups and alliances, 2.) Implementation of the affordable care act in order to allow adequate healthcare for all while contending with partisan resistance to new policies as well as technological issues (glitches in system, software implementation, educating public in use, website crashes), 3.) Addressing the increasing growth of health care costs while monitoring resources to curtail waste and misappropriation, 4.) Assessing, gathering, and maximizing resources, 5.) Focusing a shift to preventative care by education for, amongst others, policy makers and individuals/patients themselves, 6.) Educating health care administrators on our system, their job role, and their role in relation to other sectors of the delivery system in order to improve the health care system delivery overall. (Kovner & Knickman, 2011) (Shi & Singh, 2012) ( (Schmeer, 1999) Certain challenges in the delivery and management of health care are specific to each key stakeholder, but many overlap. Therein, I feel, lies an opportunity to create partnerships to better our system and create an environment conducive to the overall benefit of stakeholders. This, in and of itself, could also be considered a challenge. As it stands, it seems opposition comes from stakeholders who may feel their individual advantages or financial gains in the current system are more important than those of our society as a whole, and more important than a large segment of the population unable to afford care, receiving substandard care, or simply going without. I have heard the term “socialism” used in a negative connotation to describe this type of view, however, I feel access to a certain level of health care is such a basic need. We live in a first world country and it is my opinion it should be the right of every individual in the U.S. to both contribute and benefit from such a system. Although our structure of government is considered a democracy, in a literal definition it is really more of a republic. This is because there are simply too many people for every single citizen to vote on every single issue, hence the Electoral College, Congress, the House of Representatives, local government, etc. Thinking along this same line of reasoning, as I am studying Health Care Management, and working towards my degree, I have begun to compare various systems of health care in other first world countries, I feel it is at best an oversimplification and at worse a disservice to use “socialism” in a context to polarize views on the future of health care in America. (In some cases, I suspect, this may be calculated, and in others perhaps a lack of anything but a very rudimentary understanding of our health care system). Universal Healthcare will not turn the United States into North Korea. I predict an answer for future improvement will not be, so to speak, black or white, but rather be found in the gray area of common interests amongst stakeholders. References Kovner, A., & Knickman, J. (2011). Jonas & Kovner's health care delivery in the United States. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company. Schmeer, K. (1999). Guidelines for Conducting a Stakeholder Analysis. Partnerships for Health Reform. Bethesda, MD: Abt Associates Inc. Shi, L., & Singh, D. A. (2012). A Distinctive System of Health Care Delivery, Chapter 1. In L. Shi, & D. A. Singh, Delivering Health Care in America (p. 31). Burlington, MA: Jones and Bartlett Learning.

[@payastikotekar6531]

These vlogs are very informative :)

[@walterkeathley]

Is there a provision in the ACA to have preventative care? One of the reasons that Medicare cost so much is because of no preventive screenings are covered and when the problems are discovered it cost kore money to fix the health issues.

[@michaelnuckels2604]

Yes, Walter. The ACA requires all insurance plans to provide 100% coverage [at no deductible] to preventative care. This applies to annual wellness exams, cancer screenings (such as mammograms), dental cleaning, immunizations, HIV Screening, etc.; but does NOT apply to a routine physician's visit when you suspect you have a cold. www.healthcare.gov/what-are-my-preventive-care-benefits/

[@matsv201]

Ending the Cellulosic Biofuel tax break might not be so good deal. Sure saves a couple of $ in the short run, but it might be a a loss in the long run.... ... also, it have nothing to do with health care, so putting in and using it to finance the health care is just stupid. Its just a other way of saying "raise the taxes"

[@Octavius1922]

Another very informative video. Many thanks.

[@Octavius1922]

He didn't say anything about teachers or condoms...and there were some things that are income instead of just savings from elsewhere. You need to re-watch the video (no offense).

[@MollyBlueDawn]

But the important question is - how will this affect the way we report our fishing boat proceeds?

[@AlexBlate]

Suggestion for a future episode: what can be done to *reduce* the cost of health care in the first place? For example, does it make sense for insurance companies and hospitals to be for-profit businesses? Could reasonable changes to regulations reduce the time and cost of bringing new drugs to market (thereby, presumably, reducing the costs of the medications themselves)? How much of what we pay is to cover civil liabilities (e.g., malpractice insurance, class-action lawsuits, etc.)? How much of our costs are due to the overheads inherent in servicing insurance claims and the associated paperwork, administration, etc.? Said another way, if the price of quality medical services were lower -- closer to the actual costs to render services and pay the attendant medical professionals -- wouldn't health care be accessible to more people without the need for public assistance? Should the average person *need* insurance to cover routine medical care? Or, should health insurance be modeled more after other casualty insurance -- i.e., something you use in exceptional circumstances? And then, couldn't public assistance become what some think it should be -- a safety net for those in need? And, even if one argues that health care should be thought of as an entitlement, isn't it in the public interest to eliminate costs and overheads that aren't intrinsic in the treatment, care, and products received by patients? I'd be interested in your views on this as a healthcare provider and, more generally, an advocate for public health.

[@emilyj6219]

And incidentally, those who seemed to enjoy the pre-ACA condition of health care, and the whole free-market concept; news flash. There was no "free-market" when you compare that term in other sectors of industry with health care. Under free-market conditions, there is an inverse relationship between the quantity of medical services demanded and the price of medical services. That is, quantity demanded goes up when the prices go down and vice versa. On the other hand, there is a direct relationship between price and the quantity supplied by the providers of care. In other words, providers are willing to supply higher quantities at higher prices, and vice versa. In a free market, the quantity of medical care that patients are willing to purchase, the quantity of medical care that providers are willing to supply, and the price reach a state of equilibrium. The equilibrium is achieved without the interference of any non-market forces. It is important to keep in mind that these conditions exist only under free-market conditions, which are NOT and never HAVE BEEN characteristic of the health care market in the US. I guess you'd have to have the philosophy that every single other first world country has regarding health care for their tax paying citizens: that individual health and well being should be the first priority, and financial gain second.

[@RobWilliamsJr]

By breaking down the financial components of Obamacare, this video was quite helpful in understanding it from the $ perspective. Though the graphic at the bottom was very helpful, Healthcare Triage missed a great visual cue opportunity by presenting the script resulting in deficit or credit on the corresponding side of the graphic thus reinforcing the contribution of the monologue.

[@BlakeMcTavishe]

If a worker works 32 hours 1 week and then 28 the next 3 weeks, what does the company have to do as far as providing them with health insurance?

[@zcrawford81]

It's about the average time worked over the course of a year as far as I know. You work over an average of 29 hours, they have to provide you with insurance.

[@TheDogObedienceGirl]

It's anecdotal I know but the company I'm about to start work for has full time employees work 20-40 hours a week (usually around 32 hours) and so long as you do that you still qualify for their insurance. Every company is different though so take that with a grain of salt.

[@gigaman6]

Thank you for these informative videos. I'd love to see an updated version of this video acknowledging the lack of collections of the insurance penalty and other things that fell by the wayside. I'd also like to see a representation of how it is affecting the average American system today.

[@Abisolutelyfabulous]

Do you know why there was a push to reduce the student loan program? As a student, you could say I have made a personal investment.

[@chrissun88]

Ultimately what this episode shows is that the debate around Obamacare should be around taxes - should we levy half a [trillion] in taxes to cover the half a [trillion] short fall in the bill. One might argue either way. However, a debate around taxes and their benefits makes a lot more sense than an argument about imaginary deficits and their benefits (for both sides, pro and against).

[@dthunes]

As a side note, the cellulosic biofuel industry isn't a bad industry. Many companies are making ethanol or biodiesel from farm waste and other untapped "garbage" sources.

[@msbae]

All of this assumes that things will go according to plan. After working for the Federal Government for the last several years, I am VERY suspicious of ANY kind of Government plan. They screw up entirely too often.

[@keithmichael9965]

The title of the video is misleading. You didn't explain how we are going to pay for the AHA. You explained how the original bill SAID it was going to pay for itself. Going down the list of things to generate revenue, taxes and fees are notoriously unreliable. The CBO made a guess at the possible revenue. The data you presented is FOUR years old. Medicare is $2 Trillion in debt, and this law borrows money from it. We are $17 trillion in debt. I really want us to help people without insurance, but there has to be a better way. Also, it seemed you were against private insurance companies through your comments on Medicare Advantage. 'Obamacare' in a very simplified way is the same thing. Private insurance subsidized by a broke government.

[@wyopitz]

No advertising costs? The bill allocated over $700 million for advertising plus billions of dollars to the states to build their own exchanges. They won't even be able to tell where all of the money went.

[@healthcaretriage]

Yeah, that advertising stuff was about Medicare. You're conflating the ACA with Medicare Advantage, and those aren't the same thing.

[@RadioSanturce]

but... it doesn't reduce the deficit, those "savings" were stuff that needed to be cut down regardless of ACA. This is misleading just like saying that you can get one chocolate for $2 or get two chocolates for $3 and you save $1. well you didn't need that second chocolate, you didn't save $1, you really just spent 1 more dollar than you needed to. It's an oversimplification, but you get the point.

[@robertbrown2706]

Fair point, but the question is "how is it paid for" not "does the healthcare part of the law pay for itself". How it is paid for is contained in those other elements of the bill. You don't have to like how it is paid for, the only facts presented are those that prove the law as a whole did pay for those healthcare provisions.

[@gertking333]

I think it would be super cool if you did a video on physician assistants and their roles in healthcare. I'm very interested in what you think about them!

[@healthcaretriage]

Well, my wife is a nurse practitioner, so I may be a bit biased.

[@gertking333]

Healthcare Triage Ah, I see....

[@turdl38]

Silly question, but what's in the giant pill in the background? Looks like either candy of some sort or those weird coloured crafting cotton ball things.

[@healthcaretriage]

It's gumballs.

[@turdl38]

Healthcare Triage Ahh...cool. Thanks!

[@bedwards1951]

The Cadillac tax was delayed and increased the deficit.

[@johndawson7344]

So can we get a follow up video on how it would take an act of congress to stop the taxes? Good thing is we all know the CBO aims high and always has to revise downward, never do they adjust budget deficits upward...ever.

[@xxjman1217xx]

Question: I heard Obamacare will cause pay cuts to doctors, is this true? And how big are these pay cuts?

[@highlander723]

Notice they dont answer you.

[@willb5278]

highlander723 because the video was 3 months old when he asked. my advice would be to watch some more recent ones and if they don't address your question in those videos ask it in comments that are being read frequenlty (aka a vid no older than a week or maybe a month), a lot of people watch the videos on this channel and they can't address every question every person has 3 months after the video was posted

[@BobRadu]

I really love the Healthcare Triage videos, but when referencing some of the points in this video to a healthcare executive, he mentioned that these type of comparison are usually a little misleading because the numbers involved with taxes and savings started in 2010 (or so) whereas the costs have only just begun in 2013. Can you confirm your numbers are over the save timeframes? Meaning, cost over 10 years from now, savings over 10 years from now? Not cost/saving from before the law actually came into effect this year. Thanks

[@jb3947]

May I extend my deepest of gratitude for such a well produced video and a thoughtful reference to the source data -which is of course a necessity. However, as a resident of Australia, a country with healthcare outside of the US I am interested in how we pay for our health care and whether it becomes serves to produce a deficit to our economy. If anyone would be so kind as to point me in the direction of answer I would be most appreciative.

[@healthcaretriage]

We plan to do a series on other countries at some point!

[@terralynn9]

Wow. I'm going to assume a lot of people found this video by the title. A lot of them are clearly not Nerdfighters, because they've totally forgotten to be awesome. (To those of you keeping the conversation civil, thank you! DFTBA!)

[@zachgoldstein9063]

So I know that under Obamacare people can stay on their parent's plans until they are 26, but what was the age before Obamacare?

[@InorganicVegan]

Cutting college?! No! I don't want to live in a country of even stupider people! D:

[@danashley2071]

College doesn't fix stupid...

[@InorganicVegan]

Dan Ashley It helps...

[@BenjaminAlexander]

Dan Ashley I listened to this video, and am none the wiser. But I am better informed ;-)

[@elliottmcollins]

"stupider" I'd prefer you not call total strangers stupid, but at least meet a minimum standard of grammar and spelling before you do.

[@InorganicVegan]

Elliott Collins Look up some stats about the USA, and then tell me that this country isn't filled with stupidity. Also, "stupider" is a word. dictionary.reference.com/browse/stupider I'll accept an apology. :P

[@nolanthiessen895]

Yay! More Healthcare Triage!

[@jmw1500]

You mentioned a few cases were taxes were raised and student loans and grants are reduced. That is not efficiency.

[@Thegeeksquadofone]

I always hear radically different reports from all sides and it's making me indifferent. It feels like no one wants to tell the truth. -_-

[@IceMetalPunk]

If anyone tells the truth, it's definitely not the media (on either side), that's for sure.

[@febthirteen5380]

Thank you for this video, I now understand.......well I understand a little more

[@benou3751]

Liking and sharing this video! :P Keep up the fantastic work

[@DBihn]

Could you do one on the pros and cons on the insurance companies paying for birth control? As a woman I feel that it's nice that the government pays but I can understand why some people are against it.

[@tabula_rosa]

Pros: makes this country's population healthier and happier and reduces the crime rate. Cons: Catholics don't get to control people's lives as much

[@ZoSoxSwAnSoNgx]

All this works assuming that people, young people especially, are willing to go out and pay for new health insurance which costs more than their current plan and covers conditions they do not need coverage for.

[@tabula_rosa]

well if they don't they're gonna get fined for it, which will be paying into the system anyway..

[@Rohanivey]

Why was "Other misc items like education reform, community living assistance, and public health programs" included? It was mentioned it had to do with the pell grant and the like. What do education expenses have to do with medical overhaul? (Serious, geniune question)

[@xxxLeromexxx]

I agree, I want him to make a video explaining that, I'm unable to afford college without the pell grant and I don't want to work at mcdonalds for the rest of my life.

[@zcrawford81]

I think those might have been tossed in with the bill. I'm not entirely sure but that's all I can come up with. Nice username, btw.

[@davidjones3049]

Healthcare infringes my rights.

[@hawkteflon]

Wait, then why are we paying more if the money is there?

[@sunal135]

If it was not for the recent extension that allows me to keep my current health plan I would of gone from insured to uninsured because of the affordable care act.

[@sunal135]

Michael Boggs The exchange has yet to offer me an insurance plan; and from looking at the options unless the government plans to subsidize my current plans equivalent by 55%, it costs more.

[@Citizen1117]

sunal135 It is unfortunate, but if your program is getting cut, it likely didn't cover you very well. That's a big part of these new tiers if I understand it right, so that everyone has fair and effective insurance.

[@sunal135]

Sudonym Rodriguez You do Have a point; I am happy with my current coverage but I will always welcome more. Unfortunately from what little information I have been able to revive from the exchange all I see is an increase in my premium. Perhaps over the course of a year the Affordable care act can be ran more confidently. As someone who as grown up as a military dependent I doubt it though.

[@endeverafter2]

it amazes me, the reach the green brothers have, even this dude has DFTBA

[@LeeNobody]

To what degree have the projections of costs and savings held true. As you stated the CBO made these predictions before the law was passed. Is there evidence that these projections were accurate. Perhaps if we were to breakdown the number for projected savings to this point and actual savings to this point. Also aren't the savings that are projected virtually eliminate by inflation to the projected break even point?

[@LZKS]

Isn't it funny how commenters from outside US are commenting to this vid like we're some third-world country?

[@bunney6919]

i'm from the uk and look on in horror over how U.S. helth is run its so costly and you get no better service for all that money spent. Here we pay a tax called national insurance from our wages and we get free at the point of use helth care when we need it thought the NHS :D

[@LZKS]

bunney I know. It's very sad here. Just the other day, I had to go to ophthalmologist to check out my eye strain. I ended up paying a whopping $50 for specialist copay just to have the doc tell me I'm ok. Mind you, my health insurance is one of the best provided with more than 50% paid for from the company I work in. I still pay ~$260/mo for it.

[@UrtleTheTurtleX]

Yes, this is how WE pay for OTHER peoples healthcare that they take full advantage of. Taxes, taxes, taxes, fees, and taxes. That's not even mentioning the drastically increasing price of company health insurance for people who work for a living.

[@DrKosmos]

Is that your stance in schools? "I don't want to pay for other kids, I have enough to worry about!" That case your tax will down further. Isn't that good? Your argument can even be "well you pay for the education as you need it, or get a private educator." but tell me how many people can afford private schools? But making a strawman out of your argument isn't helpful now. People have honestly fought against taxes for schools. The argument for them can be applied here, "if your life has ever been approved by someone's work, and that someone has gone to public school, you owe public school credibility." Look at Germany, the most economically responsible nation in Europe. Their Healthcare system has survived 2 world wars and still works wonderfully while keeping the people healthy. It is also good to keep your work force healthy. They are more productive.

[@unepommeverte17]

my dad keeps saying that everyone's costs are going to go up in a year or two and i don't understand why. help? also if there were X amount of people without insurance, why didn't they just do insurance for those people (like medicaid or a different obamacare) instead of screwing up stuff that was already in place (aka people with private insurance or something)

[@underyourbreath331]

I've heard that argument before too and I really don't understand where it comes from. The assertion is largely unsubstantiated. But for many people who are young and healthy, a huge illness or injury is such an amorphous idea that they either choose to go without insurance or they get coverage that is the bare minimum (basically paying for absolute shit coverage). Those people will have do away with their facade plans and get coverage that actually protects them. As for your second comment, that's pretty much exactly what the ACA is. Most everyone who has insurance doesn't have to do anything. The ACA does not affect plans already in place. There is no change to my plan, my family's plan, my friends' plans, etc. The only people who are affected are my friends who chose not to have health insurance, my friends who work for small businesses, and my friend who has a preexisting condition.

[@SammiScoop_1]

I agree with most of the stuff in the video but what about the fact most younger people my age are just going to pay $97 fee instead of buying insurance and just buy insurance when its needed. Also what about the fact that since the website is not work right that healthier people are not buying the insurance and the only the sick people are. Doesn't this cause a lot of worry and concern for the government and insurance companies that it might cost more than previously thought.

[@Citizen1117]

Webpage is working as of the beginning of the month, something like 90% up time v 40% when it launched. I think a whole heap of ppl with pay the $97, my own sister included. I think the year after will have a whole lot more ppl sign up, with many paying the larger penalty, and so on as the years pass. Eventually only the very stubborn will continue to not get insurance, even upon getting sick.

[@snakebitenproduction]

Could we get the links to the sources? Perhaps in the video description?

[@jdftba4164]

But how does obamacare actually pay for healthcare services? If it's so cheap, how can it give hospitals enough money for their services? My mom is a nurse and manager at her hospital and they are losing tons of money because it costs more money to give care than health care pays them. Obamacare may lose my mom her job. It seems like the only people not being taken into account in health case reform are people who work in health care.

[@modsandendsGG-3883]

For the TLDW crowd, we will pay for Obamacare with higher taxes, low pay for doctors, and fewer services. It doesn't matter if we can pay for it if the methods result in conditions that are worse than our current ones. If you are relatively poor you might not care or notice. If you are quite rich you might not notice. But middle income Americans (like myself) neither qualify for medicare or the exchanges, and I've seen my private insurance increase in cost by over 20% with no added benefits. What a nightmare.

[@nonchalantd]

I don't like the fact that Obamacare does very little to control or reduce the cost of healthcare, but I hope that it inspired people to believe that fundamental change in policy in something as complicated as healthcare is possible, so that we can take more steps that hopefully leave our system resembling something like a single payer system.

[@MrMtaylor7210]

So in summation it's going to be paid for by an increase in taxes and a decrease in benefits.

[@tabula_rosa]

and by cutting inefficiencies put in place by republicans letting corporations rob people and paying them taxes to compensate for the costs of that robbery. Don't forget about that part

[@g40oz]

Ok Dr. Aaron Carroll, Mr Smarty Pants. The Macy's Parade is not boring!!!! Can you prove that the Macy's Parade is boring? Where is the"Randomize Controlled Trial" proving that?

[@g40oz]

I was joking...

[@OrthodoxAtheist]

I thought they had already repealed the additional tax on medical equipment? Will have to look into that.

[@healthcaretriage]

Nope. There was word they'd try during the shutdown, but it didn't happen.

[@AlElliottPlus]

Interesting. The most I've ever understood how Obamacare is supposed to work.

[@JosephCoates]

Lets see if it will actually be funded or if the money will go elsewhere like Medicare.

[@amandavapes6369]

HAHAHA, "Thanks, Obama" :) Great vid, thanks.