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Note from The Tennessee Conservative: Editorial statements in this column are the sole opinion of the author; they do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the staff of this publication.
Submitted by Ron Greiner –
Obamacare’s income-based subsidies create a nightmare situation where a single profitable harvest can increase a family’s annual out-of-pocket costs from $0 to an astonishing $30,720.
The yearly premium for a 61-year-old farming couple in Memphis earning $84,000 is $0 with the Blue Cross EPO in 2026, with a $10,600 deductible.
However, if this couple earns $85,000, they qualify for no subsidies and must repay the entire $30,720 income-based subsidy on 4/15/2027. The Trump/Blackburn Voucher (TBV) with age-based subsidies is better suited to Tennessee farmers and self-employed businesspeople.
The “unmitigated audacity” of the current system is that it penalizes success; earning just $1,000 over the “cliff” triggers a $30,720 penalty in lost subsidies, effectively treating a farmer’s hard-earned income as a liability. In contrast, the Trump/Blackburn Voucher (TBV) provides security by bypassing the Blue Cross monopoly and the unpredictable income-based subsidy, allowing farmers to retain their $30,720 savings to reinvest in their operations or their grandchildren’s future.
The 8/1/2017 Trump Executive Order has introduced a free-market option—an $6,892 annual Allstate plan for this 61-year-old couple that remains affordable whether the farmer has a “surprisingly profitable” year or suffers a total crop loss. This low premium, combined with Trumpcare’s 2017 age-based subsidy of $8,000 for this couple, results in free insurance for the Tennessee farming couple and also adds $1,108 to their HSA at the bank.
The Obamacare subsidy restrictions helped Blue Cross maintain its 42% market share in Tennessee in 2024. The uncertainty surrounding Blue Cross is further burdened on their Obamacare customers, as a staggering 21% of all in-network Obamacare claims are denied. With Obamacare, Blue Cross customers are essentially flipping a coin to see whether Blue Cross will pay for what their in-network doctor ordered. The coverage is so poor that there is no question whether Blue Cross will pay for out-of-network providers, because we know those charges are not covered.
The “unmitigated audacity” of the current system lies in its volatility. A farmer earning $85,000 pays the full price, while earning just $1,000 less triggers a $30,720 subsidy, reducing their annual cost to $0. This isn’t healthcare; it’s a “Binary Trap” designed to asset-deplete the successful.
The Blue Cross Monopoly: Bills a 61-year-old couple $2,560 per month for an EPO plan with a $10,600 deductible.
The Trump/Blackburn Voucher Alternative: Allstate’s Free Market plan costs just $6,892 a year, with a similar $10,000 deductible, saving the couple $30,720 annually.
The TBV Shift: Under the Trump/Blackburn Voucher (TBV), these “income cliffs” are replaced by Age-Based Credits, restoring the “Sanctity of the Home” and allowing the couple to keep their $23,828 in savings in an HSA. The politicians have left DC for Easter, and on Sunday, President Trump called for all federal subsidies to go directly to “We the People.” A Trumpcare Voucher.
The GOP leadership does a poor job of educating Republican candidates about Republican Health Care Reform. Essentially, the Republican candidates learn about Republican Reform from the corporate media like the rest of the voting public. The corporate media fights the Republican Reform by never mentioning it. This is why most Republican candidates in the 2026 Midterm Elections refuse to list Health Care on their Issue Pages. Just months ago, the government was shut down over Health Care, yet most GOP candidates still refuse to discuss it. We have known since the turn of the century that Social Security and Medicare will face serious issues in 2032, but politicians still refuse to address these urgent problems.
If the Trump/Blackburn Voucher offers an Option to Obamacare that saves a Tennessee farming couple $30,720 a year and puts over $1,000 into their own bank account, all tax-free. Why are your local politicians still defending the Blue Cross monopoly that treats your hard-earned success like a liability?
About the Author: Ron Greiner is a veteran insurance strategist and a leading expert on Guaranteed Renewable Individual Medical (IM) insurance. Ron enrolled America’s 1st Health Savings Account (HSA) in 1996 when they were called Medical Savings Accounts (MSA). Ron and Lee Benham, who enrolled the 1st Medicare Advantage MSA in 2007, authored the book Trump Care: America First Healthcare Reform. Ron insists the best tax cut is no taxes, and the HSA enjoys tax-free deposits, growth, and withdrawals. Amen. Ron is the founder of Save101.com, where they say, “It’s TIME for your HSA.” Toll Free: (844) 866-1776
One Response
Marsha HAS to do better than this If she wants to help us believe she is a REAL conservative. The BEST principle is to get the GOVERNMENT OUT of private health care, set a regulatory standard (health insurance companies should NOT be allowed to control multiple aspects of the industry insuring the MONOPOLIES! But, that’s a big LOBBY with big MONEY the politicians can’t resist!) and enforce those regulations, allowing responsible citizens the opportunity to SHOP their health policies just like we do for all the other insurance (auto, home, life, etc.). Allow qualified insurance companies to enter into ANY health market, anywhere in U.S. and allow the ‘market’ to react to the risks! The government (TAX PAYERS) may have to subsidize all the other government health care programs for those who fall through the cracks, but they already do that anyway! Marsha….be a REAL conservative and allow the market to provide health care services to those who qualify, not the health care lobbyist money!