Huckleberry Finn has always been one of my favorite books, but the last part of the book seems like it doesn’t really fit with the first part of the story. Tom Sawyer enters the story and he has this elaborate and complicated plan to free Jim. The whole thing is unnecessary because Jim is already free. That’s the way the new Obamacare program is turning out to be. It’s full of devious and complicated ways to charge me more for the same service. The whole thing is ending up costing me more money than if the healthcare system was government operated. It would probably be better to just have Medicare for all rather than forcing the private insurance companies to provide care for everyone.

My Medicare supplement insurance is raising the rates and all the private payers are jacking up premiums to be able to cover the sick and others who they are now mandated to cover. The doctors and other providers are continuing to demand high salaries, so the premiums can only go up to cover all this. Not only are the private insurance premiums going up, but the healthcare legislation is filled with subtle tax increases. You will have to pay a 3.5% tax on the sale of your home to help pay for the healthcare program. The medical expense account that allows a person to reduce their taxable income by $5,000 and use this money for medical expenses has been reduced to $2,500. The threshold for medical deductions has been increased to $10,000. For me, the amount of withholding for Medicare from Social Security has been increased and the cost of living increase for Social Security has not been increased this year. This list of subtle and devious tax increases goes on and on and the whole thing sounds like it was designed by Tom Sawyer.

It would be better to go to a complete government program like a big VA. Instead of doctors most of the care could be provided by physician’s assistants since they are cheaper and are taking over the practice anyway. It has become almost impossible to see a doctor and the primary contact with a provider is currently with a nurse or physician’s assistant. The death rate may increase, especially among the elderly, but as Scrooge says, this will serve to reduce the surplus population.

As I sit on the porch I’m rereading the last part of Huckleberry Finn so I can get a better understanding of the devious and complicated ways being used to finance the Obamacare program. I believe all of our congressman should read Huckleberry Finn so that can become even more skilled at devious ways to rob us and make life more miserable.