Staff Reports
The Biden administration is reveling in another supposed triumph of Obamacare, boasting that nearly 24 million Americans selected a health plan for 2025 through the wildly controversial program. This reflects a bounce back from the previous record of over 21 million in 2024. It seems the celebration is a tad premature, given the incoming truckload of changes that President-elect Donald Trump and Republican majorities might introduce to this Democratic darling.
Approximately 3.2 million fresh customers joined the ranks this year, but the majority were simply renewing their coverage. Did anyone really expect anything different? It’s the age-old story of government welfare programs: they lure you in with promises of affordable health care, and before you know it, you’re stuck on the hamster wheel of dependency. The administration loves to parrot about “record enrollments,” but these numbers are more akin to a magician’s trick than a seal of approval for a functioning health care system.
Biden administration achieves fourth record-breaking ACA enrollment ahead of exit https://t.co/5WmWmifqEr
— #TuckFrump (@realTuckFrumper) January 8, 2025
Neera Tanden, a high-ranking adviser in the Biden camp, is pushing the narrative that each year under this administration has seen a new record. If that’s the case, one has to wonder just what constitutes success in the world of government schemes. After all, Obamacare was touted as a transformative solution, and yet Americans are still grappling with skyrocketing premiums and coverage disputes.
Looking ahead, the key question remains whether the overly generous subsidies introduced by Biden will stay put amid a GOP resurgence. Trump’s team is gearing up for a substantial overhaul once they take control, aiming to pare down these subsidies that many see as a financial black hole. The irony here is rich: Democrats swung open the windows to let in the cash when Trump’s minions are preparing to right the ship—or at least attempt to.
Biden’s focus on the supposed health care “progress” often reads like a best-selling fairy tale. The claim that some individuals could see premiums jump by $1,500 if subsidies disappear is met with raised eyebrows. Are these threats meant to instill fear in the hearts of Republicans or just the latest ploy to drown out any serious conversation about reform? The Congressional Budget Office’s grim forecast of a $335 billion deficit over ten years if these subsidies persist doesn’t help the cause either.
Republicans, as they wrestle with the fallout of potential subsidy extensions, seem to have their hands tied. Some voices from the party express a reluctant willingness to keep the subsidy train rolling, but it’s a far cry from a unified stand. Meanwhile, Trump’s disdain for Obamacare is no secret—he’s dubbed it his white whale, itching to find a better solution without having to rehash the failed repeal-and-replace saga of 2017.
In contrast, the Biden administration continues to parade Obamacare as a crowning achievement next to Medicare and Social Security. The audacity is astonishing: a program marred with inefficiencies is now placed on the same pedestal as foundational social systems. The only legacy this administration will leave might be a health care system riddled with contradictions, inflated costs, and endless bureaucracy—an ironic testament to the adage that government solutions often become the problem in themselves.
