Opus 2013-333: Health Insurance and a Sick Economy

Working Americans are feeling the pain or see it coming.

As promised by everyone except our socialist elite leaders, health insurance costs are already beginning to take a dramatic rise.  As a teacher the cost to me is negotiated by the union and does not change until it is re-negotiated.  That process is going on now.  The bare minimum increase that is being proposed is about $300 dollars a month.  That is a best case scenario.  The district is pushing for a resolution that will cost me $1,000 more a month.  When all is said and done, factoring in all the new requirements of Obamacare and the continued subsidies to people who are not even coming close to paying for what they get, I think the $1,000 will be closer to reality.  I hope they can keep it that low.

Can I survive with that kind of increase?  Do I have any choice?  It will mean that I will need to find ways to cut $1,000 from my budget each month, after all, I am not the government.  I can’t just keep borrowing and spending regardless of income.  Let’s assume that I succeed.  Again, I have no choice.  I will survive but how will it effect the economy?

The $1,000 will disappear into the maw of the unknown.  It will also disappear from the local economy.  That means that there will be $1,000 less to be spent by local employers to give people jobs.  I would guess that will eliminate at least two part time jobs from my community.  That will mean a decrease in income tax and sales tax across the board.  Multiply that by the millions of people who are spending less and the immediate result of this increase will be a dramatic increase in unemployment and death to the economy. 

That of course will force more people to have their health insurance subsidized.  That will increase the cost of my insurance.  That will take more money out of the local economy. 

Do you see the pattern?

Enjoy the ride.  As Robert Heinlein said in his science fiction, TANSTAAFL, There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch.

homo unius libri