According to the latest figures available, a Medicare enrollee spends approximately $12,300 per year on health care, a Medicaid enrollee spends $8,800 per year, and an ACA (Obamacare) enrollee spends $5,700. So, the more people the federal government can sign up for an ACA plan, the cheaper the overall cost of health care.
Despite the fact that a “bare bones” ACA bronze plan is basically free (due to generous federal subsidies), 26 million people remain uninsured in this country. When the uninsured get sick, they have to rely on indigent care from hospitals, free and charitable health care clinics (think Turning Points in Manatee County), pro bono assistance from individual physicians (We Care Manatee), and their own pocketbooks. Official statistics show that no matter how much incentive is offered, the remaining group of uninsured is unlikely to enroll in any kind of health care program. Thus, the three groups mentioned above will continue to support the 26 million uninsured for the foreseeable future.
Total federal spending for the ACA came to $138 billion last year. When $138 billion is set in the context of total federal expenditures last year of $6.7 trillion, $138 billion seems a very small price to pay to keep the current ACA base of 24.3 million citizens enrolled in a legitimate health care program. This would argue that the President and Congress should extend the current subsidies.
To maintain a viable “last option” for the uninsured, individual states like Florida should continue to financially support and increase funding for hospital indigent care and free and charitable clinics. Last year, Florida’s Low Income Pool (LIP) reimbursement for hospital charity care totalled $2.1 billion. Separately from the LIP program, Florida allocated $12.5 million for free and charitable clinics like Turning Points. In the context of a $12.4 billion surplus last year, Florida could easily double its allocation for the “free and charitable” clinics that admirably operate at “ground zero” to relieve basic human suffering.
Mike Meehan, CFA, MBA
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kmskepton
Here’s another bit of info for perspective … my same plan with Florida Blue went from $1,000/month to $1,500/mo for this coming year. I am 58. This is beyond absurd.
Wednesday, December 3, 2025 Report this
rayfusco68
Every other industrialized nation has universal healthcare, we pay twice as much per capita and rank last or near the bottom every year in quality compared to these nations. The number one cause of personal bankruptcy in the US is medical debt, no one goes bankrupt because of medical debt in the countries with universal healthcare. The uncompensated care that is provided by hospitals and doctors causes an increase in the cost of insurance to make up for the losses. We pay outrageous prices for our medications Brand name Wellbutrin can be purchased in other countries for approximately $150 for a 3 month supply in the US the cost is nearly $9,000, this is not a type-o. Bausch recently increased the price for this important mental health medication. There are a significant number of patients that the generic product does not work for and they will suffer. Our health care system is a for profit not a for care system the corporations care more about their wealth than your health.
Wednesday, December 3, 2025 Report this