Under a Rock

It has been 5 years since Obamacare was signed into law and (almost) fully operational for nearly a year and a half, but it seems some people still don't understand it.

Forget that it was supposed to be as easy as going online and buying an airplane ticket. The final product just never lived up to the promise.

But speaking of buying an airline ticket, consider the plight of retired airline flight attendant Mike Highsmith.

"I wasn't very happy," said Mike Highsmith, 61, a retired US Airways flight attendant who learned after having his taxes done that he has to pay back every cent of the $6,624 in federal subsidies that helped pay the lion's share of his HealthCare.gov-purchased plan.

"This shocked me ... I didn't know this was coming."

Highsmith was one many Obamacare financial-aid recipients in 2014 who didn't know their plans were being subsidized. - CNBC

Yes, you read that right.

He didn't know his health insurance was being subsidized by the rest of us who pay taxes and the full premium.

"I was paying $89 per month and they [the federal government] were paying $736," said Highsmith, who only learned about the subsidy and its value when he received a 1095-A form from the IRS this year. He said he wasn't told about the subsidy when he applied for insurance over the HealthCare.gov telephone assistance line.

He really thought he could get a plan at age 61 for $89 per month? Was he disappointed when he didn't get a free Obamaphone with his insurance?

Isn't it comforting to know there are buyers and sellers of Obamacare that really don't understand what this is all about.

I know I can sleep better at night knowing this.