Democrat Sen. Barbara Mikulski of Maryland addressed top Obamacare administrator Marilyn Tavenner on Tuesday and bewailed the defective healthcare enrollment process. The Senator stated that the mishandling has created a “crisis of confidence.” What’s more, the senator worries that young and healthy Americans may avoid signing up even if HealthCare.gov finally overcomes its current difficulties.
These worries are well founded, because experts agree that a lack of young people’s participation in the new healthcare law could result in a “death spiral” rendering insufficient funds to support the more costly medical needs of elderly members.
Moreover, Mikulski continued, “I think it’s very confusing about where you go to sign up,” she said.”People really don’t know. They really, really don’t know.”
Tavenner defended herself by telling the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee that the Obamacare website is recovering from earlier problems and that all will be repaired quickly. She rebutted Republican Sen. Lamar Alexander’s inquiry into President Obama’s inconsistent statements regarding millions of Americans’ loss of healthcare plans and premium increases.
The top Obamacare official tried to acquit the administration’s actions, spinning that many of the plans would have been eliminated even without the Affordable Care Act. However, Tavener conceded that the Obamacare health plans could be more costly: “Yes, maybe some of those plans are more expensive.”
Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) also weighed in, asking direct questions on why Healthcare.gov had so many flaws. Harkin appeared frustrated that proper testing of the website was remiss and that problems were not adequately anticipated.
The Senator also offered a partisan jibe, claiming Republicans “surrendered their right at indignation that it’s not working flawlessly” by not supporting Obamacare in any phase of its existence.