It's Only Money

Colorados insurance exchange which is supposed to help the ignorant masses find insurance under Obamacare is scheduled to get started in October, but already is short of funding just to open it's doors. The original $61M the feds gave us (it's not our money!) is fast disappearing and another small donation from the Feds of some $125M is required.

Good thing this is Fed money and not our money, right?

Operating costs for the exchange have not been mentioned, but it's supposed to be funded by a modest $1.80/month fee from anyone who uses it. There are two possibilities here.

1. Users will be limited to the approximately 350,000 uninsured residents who aren’t eligible for Medicaid. So 350K x $1.80 x 12 = $7,560,000.

2. Generously, every person in the state will need this so 5M x $1.80 x 12 = $108M.

This to fund a boondoggle that costs $186M just to get the lights turned on and the door open. Either way I feel safe in thinking that there will be a pressing need for BIG infusions of money here, and this is just to get people signed up for insurance that may or may not actually pay for your health care. The feds are promising additional funds in the form of grants of decreasing amounts if needed, but  at some point the states are on their own.

"If you think health care is expensive now, wait until it's free!" - P.J. O'Rourke