TPM Reader JH has a personal story about Obamacare and distortions in the labor market. This didn’t come up explicitly in our stories today in the derptastically reported CBO report. But in addition to modestly strengthening the bargaining power of workers it is a big deal if more middle aged workers, who are near retirement, can retire without fear of losing health care coverage since that opens up slots for younger workers.
The CBO report suggesting that hours will be reduced now that people have another option for health insurance is certainly true in my situation. When my husband and I were raising our family I had to work in order to provide the family with health insurance as my husbands job did not provide insurance. I would have preferred to be a stay at home mother, but I did not have that option.
Before my children were grown I developed cancer and all thought of giving up employer health insurance was out the door. I have always taken it for granted that I would not be able to retire until I was eligible for Medicare, but now with ACA I am seriously considering early retirement. ACA has been liberating for me. If I continue to work now it will be because I enjoy the work, not just to get health insurance.
I know other women that are working just for insurance so I know that my situation is not unusual. I just wanted to share one example of a person that is considering dropping out of the workforce now that I have an affordable option for health care.
