December 12, 2013 Page 3 One Man’s Opinion Another Man’s Opinion By Gerry Chong Irony is a delicious thing, isn’t it? Let’s consider these bits of irony: Obamacare was intended to reduce the number of uninsured. Instead, the cancellation of existing policies could cause the number of uninsured to more than double. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (DNV), a vociferous advocate of Obamacare, has exempted himself and his senior staff from this onerous law. Want another one? The man who gave Obamacare his name has not signed up for that abomination. Here’s still another one: To function, Obamacare needs seven million signups by next April, 40 percent of whom must be young, requiring little medical care. Unfortunately only 28 percent of today’s enrollees are in that demographic. Fox News reports that since youngsters from 19-34 on average require medical care only six times over that 15-year span, they aren’t buying what they don’t need. Ironically, Obama undermined sales to youngsters even further by allowing those up to the age of 26 to stay with their parent’s health plans rather than buying their own coverage. Regardless of whether too few people enroll or whether too many with the wrong demographic enroll, Obamacare could crash with horrendous health and financial implications. Then there’s this: The public has until December 23 to sign up for insurance that will be effective on Jan. 1, 2014. But by that date, Obamacare will not be functional! You see, there are two parts to Obamacare, both of which need to be operational. First, there is the sign-up process that has been the subject of such ridicule and still fails 20 percent of the time. Second, however, is the administrative process among the various governmental departments and the way they interface with applicants for government subsidies and the insurance companies that pay caregivers. The computer programs that encompass this “back end” have not been written yet and are not scheduled to be completed until sometime next year. Applicants for government subsidies need only to make unsubstantiated income claims to receive subsidies. As for insurance companies, they need only “estimate” the amount the government should compensate them on a monthly basis, with accounts to be reconciled later. To prepare for any eventuality, President Obama is preparing a federal bailout of insurance companies that may suffer as a result of Obamacare. In the absence of any financial controls, this most dishonorable President is calling for an honor system requiring truth from applicants for subsidies and insurance companies alike. The point of fact is that financially the President doesn’t know where we are and doesn’t know where we’re going. Importantly, the financial chaos of Obamacare is the backdrop for budget negotiations scheduled for this coming January, and threatens to spread financial uncertainty far and wide. Finally, the most delicious irony of all is that the political party that advocates a godless, secular society will need an act of God to save their plan, rescue the ailing among us and preserve our economy. • End the Blame Game, Get Back to Work By Cristian Vasquez A recent statement by California Democratic Party Chairman John Burton blames the Republican Leadership for misleading the public with regards to the Affordable Care Act. Burton made the argument that California’s Republicans would have no problem disseminating inaccurate information about the changes to the nation’s health care system so long as it meant the new law failed. While I do agree that the Republican leadership has gone out of its way to trump the success of the Affordable Care Act, the Democratic Party needs to accept full responsibility for the negative reaction to the new law. From the chaotic problems at the beginning of the rollout to all unintended consequences that are yet to occur, the Democrats need to accept responsibility for the shortcomings of the ACA. At the core of Burton’s statements is the claim that the Republicans will develop and promote a fake website to direct potential consumers away from the real Covered California website, www.CoveredCA.com. The reality is that the Democratic Party is scrambling, less now than before, to fix the horrific glitches that made accessing the website an absolute nightmare from the very beginning. Rather than blame the opposition for the negative press or even reluctance from people to go to the website, the Democratic leadership needs to own up to its lack of preparation. The truth is that the Democratic Party had more than two years to plan for the rollout. It had more than enough time to avoid glitches or setbacks and the fact is that it didn’t do it. The infamous rollout was made available to potential consumers in such an inefficient manner that many of us who were excited about being able to afford health insurance were left with more questions than before the websites came up. The failure to properly manage this plan from the onset is an embarrassment and created its own negative backlash, without any help from the Republican opposition. In the month following the rollout, they have been able to fix issues that should have never been a problem given the fact that they had more than two years to get it right from the beginning. Having only had one job that provided legitimate health insurance, dental included, I have lots of homework to do before jumping into the market options created by the Affordable Care Act. Am I still excited about it? Of course. No longer will I have to go to the emergency room and pay $25 for an aspirin while an overworked doctor tells me I have a bug and should take lots of fluids and get plenty of rest. The potential of being able to go to a clinic without having to invest an entire week’s pay for one visit is encouraging. However, I am still frustrated that with a two-year head start the Democrats fumbled the rollout. Believe me, there is nothing that Michelle Bachman, Mitt Romney or Ted Cruz can say to sway me away from using the Affordable Care Act to my advantage. It was an inefficient website due to a failed rollout that kept me away. • 14-1024ps_sby-ie-14-006 ©2013 lacmta Go Metro for the Holidays Discover dozens of holiday discounts around town with Metro. Whether you’re shopping, dining or enjoying a show, your TAP card can help you save! And through December 20, you can also enter the “12 Days of Metro” Instagram contest for a chance to win exclusive prizes. See the list of discounts and contest rules at metro.net/holidays. New Metro Bus Schedules December 15 Metro’s annual bus service adjustments take e=ect soon. Minor changes to improve e;ciency and e=ectiveness are coming to routes 60, 120, 167, 577 and the Metro Silver Line. Find the new timetables aboard buses in December or at metro.net. Holiday Eve Free Fares Enjoy the holidays safely, with free service on all Metro buses and trains during Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. No fare will be charged from 9pm on Tuesday, December 24, until 2am Wednesday, December 25 and from 9pm on Tuesday, December 31, until 2am on Wednesday, January 1. See routes and timetables at metro.net. “Ramp Jam” Ends for Wilshire/I-405 Interchange All ramps are now open on the I-405 as the I-405 Sepulveda Pass Improvements Project nears completion. Overall, the interchange's eight improved freeway ramps add 75 percent additional capacity. For more information and construction schedules, go to metro.net/405. Get free credit for Metro ExpressLanes Help your friends and family get through tra;c faster using Metro ExpressLanes. Right now, receive $10 in toll credit for every new sign-up you refer. The lanes are toll-free for carpools, vanpools and motorcycles, and available for a toll to single drivers. All you need is a FasTrak® transponder. Open your account today at metroexpresslanes.net. metro.net @metrolosangeles facebook.com/losangelesmetro Only the gentle are ever really strong. ~ James Dean Shilpark paint 15617 Hawthorne Blvd Lawndale, CA 90260 (310) 676-6760 Recycle with PaintCare Leaking, unlabeled and empty containers are not accepted. Sites have limits; please call ahead to check hours and whether the site can accept your amount of paint. For other sites: www.paintcare.org or 855-724-6809. Do you know what to do with leftover cans of paint? With PaintCare, recycling unwanted paint is simple and convenient. Just bring it to your local drop-off site and we’ll take it from there.
Lawndale 12_12_13
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