This is buying?

That’s one way to put it

“When you have a good product, people will buy it.”

T— Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra

he Associated Press — another outfit to be thankful for in these thankful holiday times — reported last week that the Biden administration is “seeing an uptick” in the number of new customers buying private health insurance for 2023. Through Obamacare.

The report said that nearly 3.4 million Americans have signed up for coverage through the Affordable Care Act, which is an increase of 17% compared to the year before. And officials in the administration were quick to point out exactly why. See the comment from the HHS secretary above.

Yes, it seems that the Affordable Care Act is extremely affordable. Darn near cheap.

From the AP: “The boost in enrollment is largely driven by generous subsidies — extended through 2025 in the Democrats’ $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief law — that keep monthly premium payments at $0 or just a few dollars monthly for most people who sign up.”

Now that’s affordable. But how many people are actually “buying” this good product is more questionable. How do you buy something that you are given for free?

What the government has done, essentially, is borrow $1.9 trillion from the next generation(s) and used part of that money to offer subsidized, sometimes wholly paidfor, free healthcare insurance for those who come in under certain financial thresholds.

There are several layers to this onion: • Health insurance is indeed important to people. Which is why so many ask about it when they apply to work in the private sector. Sometimes — many times — it seems a major motivation to get work. Which would seem to suggest that when the government hands out “free” health insurance (“free” in scare quotes because somebody will pay for it, through taxes if nothing else), then that must needs be a disincentive to find work.

• Combine this nigh-entitlement with all the other government programs that provide disincentives to work. It becomes a package that doesn’t bode well for the workforce. Or will, one day.

• The AP reports that the number of uninsured Americans has dropped to a historic low of 8% this year. Which might make you wonder: Why isn’t it lower? After all, the cost seems to be on the government’s tab. That is, all of us will pay for it, eventually.

• And the last layer: This Xavier Becerra has great PR folks. When you have a good product, people will buy it.

We wonder which staffer came up with that beauty? Whomever it was, they deserve a raise. Government spin has never sounded so slick.