Why 2014?

[Penguin31]

The thing I don't understand most of all about this health bill is why they're waiting *four years* before the lion's share of the changes enacted take place. A few of the changes start immediately, but by-and-large the actual changes to the system won't occur for four years.

Why? I realize it'll take *some* degree of time to handle all the shifts is bureaucracy, and to talk the insurance companies off the ledge, etc. - but not four years. Why wait? Why not 1/1/11 or even 7/1/10 as a start date?

[Teaser]

1. accounting

needs to fit under the budget umbrella. phasing it in helps with that.

[robinblue]

5. but they can fund billions for war IMMEDIATELY.

[Earth_First]

10. +1 n/t

[Teaser]

12. a systemic flaw

it's easier to justify war to a public cause it's so damn easy to scare them.

[Oregone]

2. Election timing

[laughingliberal]

14. That would be my first guess with a healthy dose of they have to build the coffers first

to make the numbers come out right.

[BrklynLiberal]

3. Excellent question....

There will be lots of folks who will suffer due to lack of health care before this kicks in.

[FrenchieCat]

4. The cost.

easy as that.

It can be tweaked.....
but if it wasn't noticed,
cost played a big role
in getting this past.

[dixiegrrrrl]

6. Plenty of time to change parties, change laws by then.

But most importantly, we PAY now....huge increase in money from us.

[Skinner]

7. I think it's mostly an accounting gimmick.

Congress makes budgetary projections for pieces of legislation over a ten-year period. If you start the revenue-enhancers now, but wait four years for the expenditures, then your legislation will appear less expensive. Think about it:

10 years of revenues - 6 years of expenditures = SURPLUS!

(FWIW, I'm a supporter of the legislation. But this is the kind of inane crap that Congress needs to do to get stuff passed. This way, "fiscal conservatives" can go home and say they were being responsible.)

[Political Heretic]

21. Lobbyists lobbied for the delay. Claiming they need "time to prepare"

In reality, they get four more years to lobby congress - expect a push to delay implementation in 2014, followed by a push to nullify the measure completely if there is ever a republican congress. Or the public isn't paying attention.

[treestar]

8. There is a huge bureaucracy in place

The Titanic.

It needs a big swathe to turn around in.

Of all complaints, this type fall into "immature."

[Junkdrawer]

9. Keeps the real reformers at bay...

"We want Medicare for all"

"Patience, the current rounds of reforms haven't kick in yet."

[laughingliberal]

16. Without a doubt this will be the new chant

"It hasn't even been implemented yet! Why don't you wait and see what really happens?"

It will replace, "There's no final bill yet! Why are you whining about something that doesn't exist, yet?"

[DesertFlower]

11. like the pre-existing condition? how

many people will die before that kicks in?

[kentuck]

13. Simple.

The Repubs left us with an economy on the verge of collapse. They left us up to our eyeballs in debt. They left us with a situation where we were losing over 700,000 jobs per month!

We were not left with a balanced budget, as we left them. So we have to get the economy straightened out, as well as bring the spending and the wars under control.

It's a numbers game. They could not get it past CBO with the present spending and debt that we inherited.

[soryang]

15. Effective dates are an insurance defense against claims

The bill was written by corporate attorneys for health insurers. They are experts in denying claims. Effective dates are a claimants nightmare. They are typically used in litigation to deny claims.

[lib2DaBone]

17. By 2014 anything can happen.....Another party may be in charge...

.. and the can .. will be kicked down the road...

Corporations always win..

[Political Heretic]

18. Deal made with insurance - four years to lobby congress to delay implementation or nullify it.

:shrug:

[robinblue]

19. umm. guess nothing surprizes me at this point.

[Statistical]

20. Simple follow the $$$$$$$$.

a) The revenue portion of bill starts immediately but the expense portion is delayed by 4 years. 6 years of expense & 10 years of revenue is how they made it budget neuatral. An accounting slight of hand. If something costs $100 per year and raises $70 in a year in revenue which is -$30 deficit. how can you make it budget neutral? Simple, delay the expense portion 4 years. 10*$70 - 6*$100 = +$100 = SURPLUS!!!! WOOHOO!!!

b) something happens in 2010/2012 in which elected officials may be held accountable. Can't have that happen. They can still campaign in 2010/2012 on the "promise" (hope/change) of HCR before the cold hard reality bites everyone in the ass in 2014.

[Penguin31]

22. Thanks for the replies...

So a combination of accounting gimmicks with a little corporatism thrown in for giggles. Figures. Wish it would take effect sooner, but it is what it is. Oh well. Thanks for the replies.