Obama’s Covid Holiday Gift — ‘Preexisting Conditions’!
By: Robert Pacilio
Tags: Coronavirus, Covid 19, Insurance, Politics, Elections

Obama’s Covid Holiday Gift — ‘Preexisting Conditions’!

Photo by amirreza jambi on Unsplash

It is impossible to comprehend the magnitude of the ACA as the COVID-19 rages. However, one thing is not quite immerging in the never-ending media surge of deaths, infections, and vaccines — namely the costs of hospitalizations from Covid and the more insipid aftermath…insurance coverage.

Covid-19 is going to create havoc financially to households and insurance companies (not that I have much sympathy for insurance companies). Clearly, the medical establishment will have bills going out to the fortunate who survived as well as the families of those infected who have tragically passed away.

No one can quantify the economic impact to either party. Anyone who is guessing is doing just that — guessing. What I know for sure is this — people have lost jobs and that will not end soon and the evictions are coming even if the Senate’s obstructionist-in-chief, Mitch McConnell finally releases funds for the Americans desperately in need. (Talk about waiting until the last minute — tomorrow, December 18th is the deadline.)

So here is the only realistic ‘good news’ in this latest edition of “The Doomsday Diary” is the simple fact that the ACA has withstood the Republican attack (thanks to the thumbs-down of the independent-minded John McCain). Had it been repealed, then people who had Covid, with or without symptoms, would be the victim of a purge by insurance companies who just see them as a long-term financial burden. How so, you ask? Isn’t the vaccine a ‘cure’?

Well, no. It is not a cure, nor do we know just how effective it will be. How long is its impact? How long until the overall population can feel somewhat safe? And more importantly, what of the people who have become what news media calls ‘long haulers’?

Recently, two such long haulers were featured on CBS news programs. One was a marathon runner and the other a nurse. Both were in there 30’s and in excellent shape. Neither of them has recovered significantly. Running? Not a chance. Getting out of bed — yes, but the energy drain on their body’s causes a near collapse. These are not isolated examples. As of this writing, numbers of patients who have recovered and are out of the hospital or not requiring hospitalization are not available, but there is no doubt that the effect of Covid has created havoc in the bodies of its victims. It can be repertory or muscular. And it is not limited to just those bodily functions. The physiological effects are still daunting.

America is far from out of harm’s way.

Obamacare at least gives the patients some legal muscle to at least remain insured. Just imagine if the Republicans had gotten their way! They never offered any substantial, concrete alternative to the ACA — though they claimed for over seven years that they had ‘something in the works’. Not true. Not even an ‘alternative fact’. All they were concerned with was protecting insurance companies and Big Pharma — both major contributors to their coffers.

So thank you President Obama and Vice President Biden and Nancy Pelosi and John McCain for making sure the ACA stays gift wrapped under the American holiday tree. Now if we could just convince everyone to wear masks and believe in science. Is that asking too much?