Education, education, education of the public. Let me try to explain.
I went to the 7/11 like store up the block from me to buy some milk this morning.
The person working the place I went to high school with ages ago (in the 80s). He is a nice guy and we chit chat when he is working. He said he had to go back to the doctor for his knee. He blew it out playing basketball and wears a huge brace.
The conversation then got kind of strange. Maybe sad would be a better word.
I didn't want to be rude, but I asked if his employer provided him health care. He laughed at me. Of course not. I then asked if he had looked in the exchange market that will open soon for health care in Illinois.
He didn't know what this was so I tried to quickly explain what one part of the ACA or Obamacare did.
He got it in a few seconds cause we live within a few miles of a huge military base with a lot of Civil Servants that buy their health care this way. We all know somebody that works there. Each year there is an open enrollment and a list of health plans. You pick one. On the sheet there is your out-of-pocket expense and what the government pays as your employer.
He said he didn't think he could afford this if his employer didn't help out, which he would not.
I politely said I don't want to know what he made, but assume not like $75,000 working this job. For lower and even middle income folks there are government subsidies you can get.
He was confused or I actually thought I was making this up. The concept seemed to totally stun him.
I went on to say he could get government subsidies to help off-set the cost of his health care. Indexed to his salary. The less he makes the more the government would help him.
He was worried that would be a tax on this employer. I am like nope.
This guy isn't a liberal. I said look there might be some problems with this bill but it is designed to help people. Like yourself. Heck me. I work for myself and I can't wait until this exchange opens.
I didn't have my phone with me or I would have texted him places he could have gone to learn more. Said I'd come back and do that the next time I see him.
He was dumbfounded these options were there for him. Blown away.
Now I get it is hard to educate folks when many think the Earth is 5,000 years old and not like 5 billion. But this is a guy that works 55 hours a week with no health care. That there is help for him .... well he ought to know about it.