ALLEN MASHBURN: Obamacare was doomed 15 years ago and it's doomed now—it's time to get rid of it

America's health insurance system is collapsing under the weight of a law forced through by Democrats alone 15 years ago. With enhanced subsidies expiring, millions face skyrocketing premiums in 2026—proving once again that Obamacare was doomed from the start.

Democrats rammed the Affordable Care Act through Congress in 2010 under President Barack Obama with zero Republican votes, famously declaring it had to pass before we could find out what was in it. This fulfilled a longtime dream of figures like Hillary Clinton for government-controlled socialized medicine that would crush private markets. No Republicans supported it, yet today it's everyone's problem—and Republicans are left holding the bag to fix the mess Democrats created.

I was in the insurance business when President Obama signed Obamacare into law. Almost immediately, chaos ensued. The individual mandate forced everyone to buy coverage, and our phones rang off the hook with appointment requests. I routinely worked from 6 a.m. to midnight to keep up. We processed advance premium tax credits worth $10,000 to $15,000 annually per family—some walked away with $0 monthly premiums, others as low as $135 for a family of five. My colleagues and I felt uneasy handing out hundreds of thousands in taxpayer-funded credits to insurers on behalf of enrollees. We knew it was unsustainable, yet Democrats cheered it on, and even many Republicans eventually praised its "success."

The tipping point came in 2017 when Senator John McCain dramatically thumbs-downed repeal efforts, preserving the madness. Today, the industry is irreparably damaged. Insurers have profited immensely—major companies like UnitedHealth and Cigna saw stock prices soar 1,200% and 800% respectively since 2010, raking in over $371 billion in profits while receiving massive subsidies, otherwise known as taxpayer cash. Yet markets are unstable, with insurers exiting states and leaving consumers with fewer choices.

Fraud has exploded: Government watchdogs estimate that up to $27 billion in fraudulent, improper payments is made annually, including fake enrollments and subsidies for deceased individuals. Meanwhile, Big Pharma and health insurers funnel millions in campaign donations to members of Congress, influencing both parties.

The reality is stark. The concept of insurance is to pool risk across individuals, but Obamacare mandated coverage for all without underwriting. This created a single, giant, high-risk pool with no separation. Reverting to pre-2010 markets is impossible—rates would be unaffordable. Health insurance was already strained before Obamacare, but the Democrats' law murdered the private industry. Exacerbating this, Americans' unhealthy lifestyles—fueled by processed foods laden with additives other countries ban—have driven costs through the roof.

We've already seen influxes of foreign providers with questionable training equivalence, a recipe for disaster that will frame America to look like a third-world country in terms of care quality and access. American healthcare has been the gold standard, the envy of the world.

President Trump tried alternatives, like direct subsidies to individuals, but that didn't fix the core issues—it just shifted federal involvement. No easy answers exist. In late 2025, House Republicans passed a narrow health package with reforms to Pharmacy Benefit Manager regulations and expanded association plans. But they refused to extend enhanced subsidies, blocking bipartisan efforts amid infighting.

The problem arises from the government acting like a corporation lording over citizens. In 2010, Democrats and the uniparty conned Americans with promises of affordable universal coverage—a cynical ploy for reelections. Their boasts of "coverage and affordability for all" are a sham, sustained only by endless taxpayer money and mounting national debt.

I wish I could offer encouragement and a congressional fix that would work. But I can't—because it won't. Ahead lies rationing: government dictating treatments, medications, and surgeries based on cost. Doctor shortages will worsen as fewer Americans graduate from medical school only to face capped earnings despite having massive school debt. Universal healthcare means shortages and declining quality.

Democrats and the uniparty have wreaked irreparable damage, yet many Republicans play nice. Unless they back President Trump's bold moves—like nuking the filibuster—to save us, we'll be a cautionary tale in history books. Students will study what could have saved the United States, unaware it only required courage and common sense—qualities D.C. elites abandoned decades ago.

If there's hope, it's President Trump, the ultimate dealmaker. This mess—health care—will be his biggest challenge, one he didn't create. He can fix it or, like Congress, throw money at it and pretend otherwise.

One lesson stands clear: Government ruins everything it touches. Impose term limits, replace Congress entirely, and stop handing over our lives to federal programs. We, the people, may never recover from this debacle.

Follow Allen on X @Mashburn4NC.