• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, January 9, 2017

TV news networks stories keep telling me about impending repeal of Obamacare. Yet, in TV commercials, from some of those same networks, I get a different story.

For example, Covered California -- the health-insurance marketplace in California via the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare -- is pitching me to sign on. What does the consumer do to reconcile endless news reports that Obamacare will be repealed?

Do all consumers have the time to do the research and make a logical guess that it will be around, at least for the next several years?

Those looking to repeal the law -- Republicans -- blame previous congressional legislators for current, ever-higher health-care premiums. But few seem to remember where we were — back in 2009 and 2010 — when we witnessed 40% premium hikes without Obamacare.

Did those who opposed ObamaCare have a plan then? No. They wanted the marketplace to decide and, in large part, that happened.

Before Obamacare, virtually all developed countries in the world — Europe, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Argentina, Chile — had some state-run universal health care system. But not the U.S.

When the Affordable Care Act was constructed, it was a concession — modeled on a Republican-based system — one that Mitt Romney debuted as Governor of Massachusetts.  Democrats really wanted a single-payer plan -- more of what Medicare looks like for seniors.

Total TV content -- news and marketing -- doesn’t reconcile this. As we continue to see TV ads from health-care insurers pleading with us to buy all their products/services -- either for supplemental Medicare coverage or other health-insurance plans -- it gets more complicated.

Soon Obamacare will be repealed, according to many, with apparently no replacement to equal its coverage or reach. But actually ending this health-care system probably will come four years from now. Is that what health TV marketers should keep it mind?

And what comes next? I can guess: Health-care savings accounts. So, I’ll be sure and set aside $30 to $100 or so from time to time against my future heart-valve replacement surgery -- which on average costs  $200,000. (Gee, I wonder how long it will take to save up for that?)

Such messaging will be a good TV spot for a new health-care system -- either that or how to hire someone for medical bankruptcy.