‘Free’ is more expensive than out of pocket.

Dr. J. apologizes for using the same trope in back to back posts, but it really fits today’s post.

Kirsten Powers, the pro-life Democrat political commentator was on Megan Kelly’s show this last night, and again on Fox and Friends this morning discussing that her health insurance plan was canceled and her new plan is more expensive for next year.

The details are here on Twitchy.

Dr. J. won’t get into that, but will get into a little basic math.

Ms. Powers has a $2500 deductible and is paying out of pocket $300 a month, or $140 more than prior.

What’s new for Ms. Powers this year? Free contraception, free well person checkup, and a free well gynecology check up with a pap-smear.

$140 x 12 = $1680

If you assume her out of pocket PCP and her Gyn visits cost $200 each, and her Pap Smear, let’s say, is $80. Let’s also assume she’s taking OCP’s, at $30 a month, that’s another $360.

That leaves her with $840 that she personally is paying the insurance company above and beyond the cost of the new ‘free stuff’ Kathy Sebelius, Sandra Fluke and President Obama says she’s entitled to as a New American™. If she is in an employer based plan, rather than an individual plan, her employer is also probably paying more for her plan than previously, or at the very least paint the same amount.

This overage ($840+) is money that is probably going to defray the additional costs of newcomers to the insurance pool our dear friend Kristin is now swimming in.

Now why do newcomers cost more?

• First of all, those ‘free’ visits are not free, and nothing is free. 
• Newcomers cost more because their initial visits take more time and are thus more expensive. 
• Newcomers have previously unheard complaints which require additional diagnostic testing. 
• Newcomers will utilize more insurance dollars, requiring that Ms. Powers and her fellow ants have to share the love with the grasshoppers. 

Indeed, Obamacare is keying on the fact that there will be a lot of uninsured ants who will remain ants despite all of the ‘free’ nicities added to their insurance plans.

So, while this is not what many of the more temperate, and even intemperate Democrats expected, it’s what Dr. J. and your Gormogons knew was coming all along.

Dr. J.