Cornhuskers Say No to Obamapool

Obamacare is coming apart at the seams. The much talked about national risk pool (Obamapool) for uninsurables is falling flat on its' face before it even get's going.

Simply put, if you have a "qualified" pre-existing medical condition AND have been uninsured for 6 months or longer, you may be able to purchase health insurance via the Obamapool.

So what is a qualified pre-existing condition?

We don't know. Until the HHS Sebelius sails and decides to tell us what is on her secret list of approved medical conditions no one knows how a qualified condition is defined.

We also don't know the benefit structure for the Obamapool but we are promised "lower rates".

Keep in mind the Obamapool is supposed to roll out in less than 90 days and so far there are no states that we are aware of, or no carriers, who have agreed to underwrite this mess.

Nebraska is the latest state to bail on Obamapool.

Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning has joined 19 other state attorneys general challenging federal health care reform, a fact Heineman pointed out in a letter to state lawmakers notifying them of his decision to turn down the federal program.

"As you know, most Nebraskans are opposed to this legislation because it will raise taxes, cut Medicare and premiums will continue to increase," Heineman said in the letter to lawmakers. "I share their concern."

Georgia was one of the first to opt out of Obamapool and we fully expect most, if not all, will do likewise.

Nebraska already has a risk pool with 4,820 participants, but "with so much financial uncertainty, the state of Nebraska cannot afford to subsidize a second high-risk insurance program,"

You see, Nebraska and other states are not like the federal government when it comes to funding entitlement programs. Washington can write checks even though they don't have any money in the bank. But state and local governments are like businesses as well as you and me. If we don't have the money in the bank we can't pay for it.

The next 3 months should be interesting as Washington tries to force Obamapool on the states only to discover no one wants to play. In effect, the states are peeing in the Obamapool and no one wants to get in.

I can't blame them one bit.