Here's What the Government is Saying About Obamacare - and Here's What's Really Going On
HHS published this 4th anniversary "celebration" of the Affordable Care Act - aka "Obamacare" - over the weekend. (Remember the ACA was passed in 2010 - 4 years ago). According to HHS, millions of Americans have benefited from the law. Here are just four of the reasons we have to celebrate today.
But what's really going on - in a sense behind the scenes - is something that we may be seeing in the amazingly persistent strength of the stock market: a reviving American economy.
By "reviving" I don't mean an economy that's once and for all shaken off the doldrums that have dogged it since the Great Recession descended on us in 2007. But if you've followed the various announcements postponing various parts of Obamacare coming from the government over the past two years, you should realize that the real burdens that this Act places on American business and the American taxpayer, having been pushed into the future, may have lightened those burdens enough to allow companies to avoid the somewhat daunting expenses imposed by the Act, as well as provided a respite to the overall economy from a weight that some have predicted will dampen economic growth for the foreseeable future.
In short, with Obamacare's key provision having been delayed, the economy is plodding forward without the added burdens imposed by so-called "health care reform." Which means that the stock market - at least for the short-term - may be sensing this easing of burden and may be pricing the "good news" of that respite into its recent gyrations.
If so, stock economic news should brighten, and stock should continue showing strength - for now.
1. 5 million people covered: Since October 1, more than 5 million people have signed up for coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace.
2. Bending the cost curve: We’ve held down national spending growth in health care to the slowest rate in a half century.
3. Free preventive care: Today, most health plans have to cover recommended preventive services free of charge, benefiting 71 million Americans.
4. Strengthening Medicare: Today, the Medicare program is stronger than ever. Since enactment of the Affordable Care Act, 7.9 million seniors and people with disabilities have saved $9.9 billion on prescription drugs, or an average of $1,265 per beneficiary.
But what's really going on - in a sense behind the scenes - is something that we may be seeing in the amazingly persistent strength of the stock market: a reviving American economy.
By "reviving" I don't mean an economy that's once and for all shaken off the doldrums that have dogged it since the Great Recession descended on us in 2007. But if you've followed the various announcements postponing various parts of Obamacare coming from the government over the past two years, you should realize that the real burdens that this Act places on American business and the American taxpayer, having been pushed into the future, may have lightened those burdens enough to allow companies to avoid the somewhat daunting expenses imposed by the Act, as well as provided a respite to the overall economy from a weight that some have predicted will dampen economic growth for the foreseeable future.
In short, with Obamacare's key provision having been delayed, the economy is plodding forward without the added burdens imposed by so-called "health care reform." Which means that the stock market - at least for the short-term - may be sensing this easing of burden and may be pricing the "good news" of that respite into its recent gyrations.
If so, stock economic news should brighten, and stock should continue showing strength - for now.
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