Recent data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) shows that 12 million Obamacare enrollees in the individual market never went to the doctor, took a pill or used their policy. This number tripled during the Biden presidency. The Paragon institute released a report showing an astonishing increase of nearly 80% in the number of people on subsidized health plans who never used them for any health care. So if these people never go to the doctor, are they just really healthy?
So a subsidy a day keeps the doctor away? Um….no
This increase of people on fully subsidized health insurance plans who do not use them indicates “phantom patients” or patients that appear for a time on the rolls who are actually enrolled in another plan such as Medicaid or an employee sponsored plan. These plans are purchased through the insurance exchanges and sold by metal level (bronze, silver & gold) according to how they pay out vs. the cost of the policy. The number of phantom policies went from 3.5 million people to nearly twelve million in three years according to a report released by CMS and published by Paragon. A similar increase was not noted in the small group market, which means these policies are not covering the real people they are supposed to.
Importantly, these plans are sold through brokers and navigators who are paid to sign people up for them, even if they do not qualify. Although no medical care is delivered, the taxpayers are forking over billions to insurance companies and middlemen for these phantom patients who neither qualify for, nor use the Obamacare policies provided to them.
Only the tip of the iceberg
Last year, American Experiment detailed a similar problem in Medicaid. During the pandemic related Medicaid expansion between 2019 and 2022, 12.7 million people were added to Medicaid and did not realize they had Medicaid. This translated to 70% of the added Medicaid patients. Many had a private employer-supplied plan, or another Medicaid policy with a different address or name.
So 12 million “Phantom Obamacare” policies, together with 12 million “Phantom Medicaid” adds up to tens of billions in taxpayer dollars going to not provide health care.
When the critics charge that the eligibility checks will “kick people off health care” remember the 24 million policies you now pay for that go to no one.
