OH FUCK NO.
Moronic Republican David Schweikert Proposes Obamacare On Steroids, Forced ‘Auto-enrollment’ No Consumer Choice
Think Obamacare was an expensive failure and disaster already? Well some Republicans wish to make it far WORSE!
New legislation before Congress, H.R. 3467, should alarm anyone who cares about protecting Americans’ health and autonomy.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. David Schweikert (R-Ariz.) and introduced in May, would automatically enroll new Medicare beneficiaries into the lowest-premium Medicare Advantage plan available in their ZIP code unless they actively opt out. Even more troubling, it would lock them into that plan for three full years, limiting their ability to switch back to traditional Medicare or select a new plan except under narrowly defined hardship circumstances.
At first glance, “auto-enrollment” sounds efficient, with fewer decisions to make at a confusing time. But when you dig deeper, this proposal removes freedom rather than simplifying a decision. Many would find themselves stuck in private insurance plans they never chose, possibly unable to access trusted doctors, specialists or hospitals outside their network.
While Medicare Advantage plans can provide valuable perks such as dental, hearing and fitness benefits, they often impose narrow provider networks, prior-authorization hurdles and higher out-of-pocket costs when care is needed most. If an older adult doesn’t realize they’ve been automatically enrolled or assumes they can switch later, they could discover the hard way that their longtime cardiologist, oncologist or local hospital isn’t covered.
This bill doesn’t simplify Medicare, it substitutes an algorithm’s decision for an informed human choice.
Currently, Medicare beneficiaries can review or change coverage annually during open enrollment. That flexibility is essential: people’s health and finances change. But H.R. 34Post too long. Click here to view the full text.
