First of all, knowledgeable activists believe that the ACA will benefit millions and its success will clear the road to Single Payer, the final destination. If Obamacare fails, many of us understand that it will set back all healthcare reform back. Then again the insurance companies are so greedy and the current system so dysfunctional, so expensive (increasingly) and unjust that it may self destruct if the ACA fails. Obviously the success of the Vermont Single Payer implementation is huge and we really look forward to it's quick implementation.
The ACA implementation is not trivial. Here in California, one of the leading ACA states, $1 billion has been budgeted, between federal and foundation contributions, to enroll about 5.5 million people. Covered California is enlisting all sorts of organizations to become certified enrollers. And the plan is to pay $58 per enrollee. This alone comes out to be about $300 million. Covered California is running a pretty tight organization and I wish them the best.
Once the exchanges are rolling by October 1st and once enrollees become enrolled by January 1st the ACA will gain momentum in California. I will look forward to all the anecdotal account diaries of the positive impact of Obamacare on people everywhere.
So, paradoxically, one way you can help Single Payer is to get involved in the implementation of the ACA.
More below the orange croissant.