Podcast Summary: The Rubin Report

Episode: “Exposing How the Obamacare Scam Enriches Insurance Companies”
Guest: Senator Marsha Blackburn
Host: Dave Rubin
Date: December 22, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of The Rubin Report features a candid conversation between host Dave Rubin and Senator Marsha Blackburn. The central theme is a critique of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), specifically how its structure and recent expansions allegedly serve to enrich insurance companies rather than benefit individuals. The discussion also touches on government overreach, generational views on freedom, legislative priorities, online safety for children, and Senator Blackburn’s political ambitions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. How Obamacare Benefits Insurance Companies

Main Points:

• Senator Blackburn argues that the increased costs of Obamacare stem from government mandates requiring coverage that many enrollees don't need.
  • "You have nuns that have to pay for maternity coverage, you have teetotalers that have to buy coverage for alcohol and drug treatment..." (00:00)
• She asserts the value of Obamacare insurance is low due to these mandates.
• Blackburn claims a significant number of policies are not used and that insurance companies benefit from government subsidies to ghost enrollees.

Memorable Exchange:

• Blackburn: “The total number of people that are enrolled in the Obamacare exchanges. You know what that number is? 24 million.” (00:57)
• Rubin (surprised): “I was going to say 100 million.” (01:00)
• Blackburn: “No, 24 million. Now out of that, 12 million have never even used the policy.” (01:02)

Key Claim:

• Brokers allegedly sign up people to take subsidy money, describing the process as “more or less ghosting by insurance companies” (01:05).
• Blackburn: “So it’s basically a giant slush fund.” (01:30)

2. Political Maneuvering & Legislative Deadlock

• Blackburn outlines current Congressional priorities, including the National Defense Authorization Act and passing appropriations bills to avoid a government shutdown. She accuses Democrats of intentionally stalling legislation for political gain leading into the midterm elections.

  • “That is exactly what they're trying. They want to just slow everything down and get nothing done.” (03:32)

• She claims that Obamacare was always a step toward “full government control of healthcare,” and current efforts to keep “pandemic plus up subsidies” are part of this trajectory.

  • "They always said that Obamacare was a stop on the way to full government control of health care, which is their goal." (03:36)

3. “Plus Up” Subsidies and Fraud Concerns

• COVID-era increases ("plus up") to Obamacare subsidies are discussed: Income caps were removed, so even high earners received subsidies; government pays 80-90% of some enrollees’ costs.
  • “During COVID...they also took off the income caps. So people that were making a half million dollars...would also get a subsidy…” (04:11)
• Blackburn alleges that 6.4 million people are fraudulently enrolled, and half of enrollees never use their coverage.
  • "We also know 6.4 million people are fraudulently enrolled." (06:30)

4. Conservative Health Care Alternatives

• Blackburn advocates for:

  • Cross-state health insurance purchases

  • Health savings accounts

  • Association health plans

  • Directing government funds to individuals rather than insurance companies, giving consumers more control

  • "Sending the money directly to the individual, not the insurance company." (07:00)

5. Freedom vs. Government Control: Young People’s Perspective

• Rubin raises concerns about a generational shift: Younger people now expect government involvement in day-to-day life, including healthcare.

  • "There’s just young people that...believe the government is just supposed to do this stuff." (07:34)

• Blackburn connects the “free” economy of digital products to society’s complacency regarding freedom and privacy.

  • “When you're online, you're the product. But they have grown up with that...not realizing it is their worth they are trading for that.” (07:49)
  • Warns of the danger: "The danger in government controlling healthcare...is a danger to your individual freedom and your choice and options." (08:27)

6. Messaging & Communicating Conservative Policies

• Discuss the need for better messaging to younger generations, emphasizing the tradeoff between "free" offerings and personal freedom.
  • Blackburn: “Society [needs] to wake up and realize when they are on that phone that they're the product and they're being trolled, they're being data mined…” (08:53)

7. Online Safety and AI Legislation

• Blackburn describes the Kids Online Safety Act, designed to protect minors from online harms:

  • Duty of care for platforms and AI/chatbots

  • Requiring algorithm transparency

  • Toolbox for parents and kids; mechanisms to report and remove bad actors

  • "The teeth in the bill are a duty of care that is placed on social media platforms and of course on these AI platforms and chatbots..." (11:04)

• Suggests strong parallels between virtual and real-world child protection laws.
• On AI legislation, Blackburn insists on protecting “kids, creators and innovators, conservatives and consumers” through light regulation that fosters innovation.
  • “When you have light touch regulation, everybody knows what the game is and what the rules are. And you’re going to see more innovation because of that, not less.” (13:48)

8. Blackburn’s Gubernatorial Run in Tennessee

• Rubin brings up Blackburn’s run for Governor of Tennessee.
  • Blackburn: "I'm going to, in the great state of Tennessee, I am going to win. I will be the next governor..." (14:02)
• Outlines her vision: Tennessee as a leader in innovation, education, healthcare, energy, and “individual freedom.”
  • “We are going to make certain that Tennessee becomes America’s conservative leader....number one in individual freedom.” (14:20)
• Lighthearted rivalry with Rubin, who mentions Florida’s conservative government.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Obamacare’s “Ghost Enrollment”

  • "What these brokers will do...they enroll somebody in the policy and take the government subsidy." —Marsha Blackburn (01:05)
  • “So it’s basically a giant slush fund.” —Dave Rubin (01:30)

• On Government Mandates

  • “You have nuns that have to pay for maternity coverage, you have teetotalers that have to buy coverage for alcohol and drug treatment…” —Marsha Blackburn (00:00)

• On Cultural Shifts and Freedom

  • "When you're online, you're the product." —Marsha Blackburn (07:49)
  • “The danger in government controlling healthcare...is a danger to your individual freedom and your choice and options.” —Marsha Blackburn (08:27)

• On Child Protection Laws vs. Digital Wild West

  • "If you sold alcohol to a minor, the sheriff would padlock your store...In the virtual space, there’s nothing.” —Marsha Blackburn (11:58, 12:38)

• On Gubernatorial Ambitions

  • "I will be the next governor for the state, state of Tennessee. I am so excited about the campaign and the race..." —Marsha Blackburn (14:02)

Important Timestamps

• 00:00: Criticism of Obamacare mandates and coverage requirements
• 01:00: Actual number of Obamacare enrollees revealed
• 01:30: Ghost enrollment and subsidies as a “slush fund”
• 03:32: Legislative gridlock heading into midterms
• 04:11: Explanation of "plus up" subsidies and income cap removal
• 06:28: Claims of fraudulent enrollment in Obamacare
• 07:40: Discussion of generational differences in attitudes toward government
• 08:53: Arguments for teaching society about digital tradeoffs
• 11:04: Key features of the Kids Online Safety Act explained
• 13:14: Concerns about tech giants shaping the AI future
• 14:00: Blackburn confirms run for Tennessee governor

Conclusion

In this episode, Senator Marsha Blackburn fiercely criticizes Obamacare for benefiting insurance companies and argues for reforms that put individuals in control of their health care. The conversation also explores cultural and generational challenges to conservative messaging, proposes legislative solutions for health care and online safety, and ends with Blackburn’s ambitious plans for Tennessee. The dialogue is characterized by frank critiques, emphasis on individual freedom, and a forward-looking conservative agenda.