Can ObamaCrapCare Become Any Crazier? Now You Get Free Smart Phones With Unlimited Talk When You Sign Up in Tennessee.

Socialist Two For One: Obamacare, Obamaphone

October 3, 2013 by Sam Rolley 

Tennessee’s healthcare co-op set up for Obamacare, the Community Health Alliance, is trying to sweeten the deal to get residents to sign up for government healthcare: enroll and get a free smartphone.

According to the Nashville Business Journal, the organization is providing the phones as a part of a program called the Community Health Connection.

From the report:

As part of its Community Health Connection Program, CHA is offering qualified individuals an LG Lucid 2 4G smart phone (or equivalent model), a phone plan and tech support, included as a cost of their health plan benefits. The phone plan includes unlimited talk, unlimited texting and 1.2GB of data.

The idea is to make it easier for providers and patients to stay connected, but it will also help CHA keep track of its member population, many of whom are expected to be new to the health insurance market.

In order to qualify for the smartphone, residents must jump through a few creepy hoops. After paying the first month’s premium, members of the healthcare exchange are required to select a primary care physician from CHA’s network within 90 days of their coverage start date. They must also submit a form pledging “to stay connected for better health” within 90 days.

“Members will have the phone number for their CHA representative pre-loaded in their phones and can quickly get answers to questions about their policies,” said CHA Chief Operating Officer Judy Slagle in a news release. “At the same time, we will be able to connect with our members by phone, by email or by text almost instantly with health tips and reminders.”

The phone comes preloaded with health apps, contact information for a CHA representatives, and phone numbers for primary care doctors and after-hours clinics.

The co-op received a Federal loan of more than $73 million.