I have to agree with Steve. The costs of medical procedures and prescription drugs has got to be curtailed. Repealing Obama Care without fit and like options for COLA paid by Social Security is NOT keeping up with the cost of goods. Anyone questioning this should just go to the grocery store. Or, even the big box vendors and try to get the things you need on a very limited income. I dare Donald Trump and members of the House and Senate to go shopping on what the average disabled or senior citizen person gets in income and other sources such as Food Stamps! Wear our shoes for several miles before you base your opinions of us on what you DON'T know.
6
I apologize the typos. I meant to say "the people who voted for Trump" and "we will NOT be affected".
1
I am so glad that they voted to repeal the ACA. Finally, the people who voted from Trump will get what they deserve, no health insurance. Personally, we will be affected but the less fortunate in this country who voted against their interest will be affected. A true compassionate society is one where everyone looks out for each other. That is what the ACA is. Maybe next time they will think long and hard before casting their vote.
4
Insurance doesn't matter if costs continue to inflate at current rates.
Since Congress refuses to grapple with the sources of that inflation problem the only fix that works fiscally is repeal the ACA (and Medicare, Medicaid and other entitlements) without replacement; using the savings to retire federal debt, assuming enormous economic growth automatically follows.
That means many millions of low and moderate-income people will soon find themselves trying to pay for services with increasingly worthless vouchers, given inflation -- or with nothing at all but their own cash money. Many will be forced to go without health insurance as premiums and deductibles truly become unaffordable. Over time, health care will become a privilege of the wealthy like so much else in our society; in keeping with the Republican world view.
Since Congress refuses to grapple with the sources of that inflation problem the only fix that works fiscally is repeal the ACA (and Medicare, Medicaid and other entitlements) without replacement; using the savings to retire federal debt, assuming enormous economic growth automatically follows.
That means many millions of low and moderate-income people will soon find themselves trying to pay for services with increasingly worthless vouchers, given inflation -- or with nothing at all but their own cash money. Many will be forced to go without health insurance as premiums and deductibles truly become unaffordable. Over time, health care will become a privilege of the wealthy like so much else in our society; in keeping with the Republican world view.
Trump is going to have to ride in the car with President Obama to the Capitol on Inauguration Day. How can he possibly look the President in the face? Only a narcissistic egomaniac could pull that off.
1
I am working in an Oncologist office and we are serving a lot of Obamacare patients. We can tell there are a lot more cancer patients can afford chemotherapy in these days due to the premium subsidy and also the waive of pre-existing condition. Although they complaint the narrow network but that is still good for them since they can still receive treatment. Trump's administration will create a huge chaos for healthcare industry and will lead to a lot of patients loss insurance and loss treatments. They are talking about the tax credit which will not help at all since these poor patients do not even have enough income to file taxes!!!! Why can't they do improvement on the Obamacare instead of doing so much dramatic changes... God help these patients!
6
The Republicans are not stealing healthcare from millions of Americans, they are stealing health from millions of Americans, and they risk stealing life from millions of Americans. And to think that they call themselves "pro life."
10
I wrote my Georgia Senators and my House representative urging them to them to keep the pre-existing condition clause that is currently in the ACA. Excluding people from insurance that have pre-existing conditions defeats the purpose and definition of insurance which is to "spread the risk" among the general population. Anyone can be unlucky enough to have an accident or contract a disorder or disease through no fault of their own. Excluding them from insurance or raising their insurance rates not only penalizes that person but also their family members who struggle to keep them safe.
My daughter is a type 1 diabetic (20 years and counting), a biology teacher, a wife and a mother. She and her baby are healthy because she has had good health care. If type 1 diabetics don't receive proper care, a very difficult and expensive burden is placed on the healthcare system via emergency room visits, dialysis, blindness, heart conditions, disability claims and payments, and an increased the number of Medicaid recipients. These concerns are pertinent for many people with chronic diseases that are not covered with reasonable insurance rates.
Keeping the pre-existing clause intact and ensuring coverage for people with pre-existing conditions at the same rates as individuals without pre-existing conditions needs to be in any healthcare law that replaces the ACA. No one should be penalized because they were "unlucky" enough to have a chronic illness.
My daughter is a type 1 diabetic (20 years and counting), a biology teacher, a wife and a mother. She and her baby are healthy because she has had good health care. If type 1 diabetics don't receive proper care, a very difficult and expensive burden is placed on the healthcare system via emergency room visits, dialysis, blindness, heart conditions, disability claims and payments, and an increased the number of Medicaid recipients. These concerns are pertinent for many people with chronic diseases that are not covered with reasonable insurance rates.
Keeping the pre-existing clause intact and ensuring coverage for people with pre-existing conditions at the same rates as individuals without pre-existing conditions needs to be in any healthcare law that replaces the ACA. No one should be penalized because they were "unlucky" enough to have a chronic illness.
7
What all of the great naysayers have yet to address is this - 35 states had coverage for anyone with an illness before ACA terminated that coverage.
example: Maryland had a private program that accepted all with pre-existing illnesses, subsidized the lower incomes, and was on a Blue Cross platform. It was called the Maryland Health Insurance Plan, MHIP.
ALL Maryland plan rates rates and deductibles were 1/4 of what they are now.
What they did not include was the "free" as in pre-paid preventative checks and the "free" as in prepaid birth control.
Why is that program so unacceptable to most of the left?
example: Maryland had a private program that accepted all with pre-existing illnesses, subsidized the lower incomes, and was on a Blue Cross platform. It was called the Maryland Health Insurance Plan, MHIP.
ALL Maryland plan rates rates and deductibles were 1/4 of what they are now.
What they did not include was the "free" as in pre-paid preventative checks and the "free" as in prepaid birth control.
Why is that program so unacceptable to most of the left?
I wonder how many members of Congress are going to lose their own health insurance because of their misguided attempt to eliminate the ACA. Some of them are sufficiently wealthy that health insurance is not an issue. Some of them get their health insurance through their spouse's employer. But what about the rest of them? Don't any of them have pre-existing conditions? Don't any of them have 25 year old offspring on their policies?
5
Healthy, 33 year old white upper middle class male with 1 healthy child. For my child and myself in 2016, I paid over $6000 in premiums, a $1300 deductible, and have had $277.18 in claims actually paid by the most comprehensive employer-sponsored insurance plan my company offers. My son's ADHD medication and a red bullseyed tick bite on his shoulder filled the deductible and the remaining $277.18 paid by insurance. And here I am, working way too many hours to be around enough to be what I consider a decent father, just enough to provide a middle class standard of living for my family, and still I'm FORCED by law to essentially subsidize the obscenely high healthcare costs borne mostly by the obese and geriatric populations in this country. 2 groups of people that have done absolutely nothing for me my entire life but get in my way and disgrace my visual environment with what human beings were never intended to look like. This is what the ACA has done for me. Thanks for at least putting my money to good use LOL
2
I'm a dead woman walking if my insurance carrier can give me the boot for my preexisting, which is just ONE of the awful things the Senate has repealed. What will happen to the preemie baby of the young couple who lives next door to me? My cousin and aunt, who have had kidney transplants and need anti-rejection meds? The young woman I grew up across the street from who has MS? Just a sample of examples in my little corner of the universe.
From DT's rhetoric at his press conference, and the actions taken by the Republican Senate, it's clear that Republicans are OK to let people die in order for them to prove the ACA is a failure.
I hope we don't forget that it wasn't failing until they messed with it.
From DT's rhetoric at his press conference, and the actions taken by the Republican Senate, it's clear that Republicans are OK to let people die in order for them to prove the ACA is a failure.
I hope we don't forget that it wasn't failing until they messed with it.
8
The Republicans have been selling the lie of being "pro-life" since Reagan! They are devoid of compassion, their politics speak louder than their "pious" words! Denying Americans healthcare, taking down the ACÁ without a clear plan to replace it is tantamount to killing and threatening the lives and health of millions of Americans who rely on the ACA as their only source of healthcare!
The GOP is not pro-life they are pro-greed. I would love to listen to Paul Ryan or any of them explain to a woman fighting breast cancer why "it's the right thing to do " to take deny her healthcare! And let's not forget that just a day ago, the GOP. Opted to repeal the protection Pres. Obama gave those of us with preexisting conditions! So, if you have Type 2Diabetes as many Americans do, or your child suffers from asthma....the GOP says "good luck"!!! Deplorable, each and everyone of them!
The GOP is not pro-life they are pro-greed. I would love to listen to Paul Ryan or any of them explain to a woman fighting breast cancer why "it's the right thing to do " to take deny her healthcare! And let's not forget that just a day ago, the GOP. Opted to repeal the protection Pres. Obama gave those of us with preexisting conditions! So, if you have Type 2Diabetes as many Americans do, or your child suffers from asthma....the GOP says "good luck"!!! Deplorable, each and everyone of them!
8
If, as progressive proponents of universal health care and defenders of the ACA proclaim that health care is a right, then what is needed is a Constitutional amendment to guarantee that right. That way it will be the Government's obligation to create and protect this right for all citizens, whether through subsidized insurance or single payer plans. While it will be a severe uphill battle to get such an amendment ratified, its success would guarantee that any and all individuals, regardless of their health problems, would be guaranteed treatment. Sanders, Schumer, Warren, et al., are you listening?
2
The Republican Congress: The real "death panel."
8
I saw an interesting set of tweets earlier this week:
Trumpster 1: I'm so glad 2017 has arrived and we are getting rid of Obamacare.
Trumpster 2: That's kind of cruel of you. The ACA is the only insurance I can get.
Trumpster 1: I'm talking about getting rid of Obamacare, not the ACA. I have my insurance through the ACA, too.
Trumpster 2: Obamacare and the ACA are the same thing.
Trumpster 1: I've just gotten over 300 tweets from deluded 'lubrul" idiots trying to tell me that Obamacare IS the ACA. I just block them.
It just goes to show that we can't cure STUPID.
Trumpster 1: I'm so glad 2017 has arrived and we are getting rid of Obamacare.
Trumpster 2: That's kind of cruel of you. The ACA is the only insurance I can get.
Trumpster 1: I'm talking about getting rid of Obamacare, not the ACA. I have my insurance through the ACA, too.
Trumpster 2: Obamacare and the ACA are the same thing.
Trumpster 1: I've just gotten over 300 tweets from deluded 'lubrul" idiots trying to tell me that Obamacare IS the ACA. I just block them.
It just goes to show that we can't cure STUPID.
8
What kind of monsters ARE those Republicans? Paraphrasing the immortal words of Joseph Welch to Joe McCarthy, "Have they no sense of decency? At long last, have they left no sense of decency?"
8
Mitch McConnell represents all that is wrong with modern day politics.
He doesn't care if America progresses as a nation - his only concern is his narrow minded, self serving (pandering to the rich), agenda.
The one big thing that's been missing in modern day democracy, is a method to hold politicians accountable. Example: If you run on claims that you're going to repeal and replace a major piece of legislation, and you can't execute it in a 6 - 12 month window, you're out. That's it. If you promise to balance a budget in the next 4 years and don't? See ya. In the private sector, if I make a mistake that impacts my organization, I get fired. In politics, you can do whatever you want for 4 years, and then lie about whose to blame for it in the 4th, to get yourself re-elected.
I get the ambiguity that exists around creating metrics on which to measure politicians, but we've got to be able to come up with something.
Only when the threat looms that one might lose their job (and EVERYONE has this threat looming over them in normal jobs), will politicians put their egos aside, and collaboratively work towards advancing the people's interests.
It's remarkable that McConnell has been paid $1M+ in tax payer funded salary and benefits over the last 8 years, for whining, stonewalling, and accomplishing nothing, just so he could, in the 9th year, rip apart something most American's want. It's so backwards this system.
He doesn't care if America progresses as a nation - his only concern is his narrow minded, self serving (pandering to the rich), agenda.
The one big thing that's been missing in modern day democracy, is a method to hold politicians accountable. Example: If you run on claims that you're going to repeal and replace a major piece of legislation, and you can't execute it in a 6 - 12 month window, you're out. That's it. If you promise to balance a budget in the next 4 years and don't? See ya. In the private sector, if I make a mistake that impacts my organization, I get fired. In politics, you can do whatever you want for 4 years, and then lie about whose to blame for it in the 4th, to get yourself re-elected.
I get the ambiguity that exists around creating metrics on which to measure politicians, but we've got to be able to come up with something.
Only when the threat looms that one might lose their job (and EVERYONE has this threat looming over them in normal jobs), will politicians put their egos aside, and collaboratively work towards advancing the people's interests.
It's remarkable that McConnell has been paid $1M+ in tax payer funded salary and benefits over the last 8 years, for whining, stonewalling, and accomplishing nothing, just so he could, in the 9th year, rip apart something most American's want. It's so backwards this system.
5
And so it begins...
To the folks who voted for Trump or didn't vote at all and now will lose their health care... I hope you are happy. You were conned. Good luck getting through the next four years.
To the folks who voted for Trump or didn't vote at all and now will lose their health care... I hope you are happy. You were conned. Good luck getting through the next four years.
10
Yeah most people will be happy to lose something they are forced to buy that costs half their annual salary before the insurance pays a penny
1
No, you're right. They won't be unhappy until they show up at the emergency room and get a bill that will bankrupt their families.
1
So we are left with the original problem that existed before 'Obozo' care that neither party dared to remedy: Medical Monopolies and collusion between big "pharama" and big government.
Universal coverage would not be needed if costs were brought in line with reality. Medical insurance would just be major medical if the system were affordable.
You should have known it was a scam when you heard the Orwellian name "The Affordable Healthcare Act".
Universal coverage would not be needed if costs were brought in line with reality. Medical insurance would just be major medical if the system were affordable.
You should have known it was a scam when you heard the Orwellian name "The Affordable Healthcare Act".
1
Roger Wicker is absolutely right. The American people need to learn that elections have consequences. So let the goobers in the southeast who voted against their own best interests lose their health insurance.
5
I'm trying to find a word here or in today's paper (Jan 13) about the Congressional Dems like Cory Booker and Maria Cantwell voting AGAINST the Sanders amendment that would allow US citizens to buy lower priced prescription drugs from Canada. Even some Republicans supported it. Even Ted Cruz supported it. Booker and Cantwell said "nay".
5
They're bought and paid for by big pharma
1
Hey Jack, what are you talking about? Stop reading fake news!
2
Whats the rush with these republicans? They are like rabid dogs. Oh yeah. Top order of business in America today. Dismantling healthcare for all those taxpaying American citizens who don't have any other coverage to fall back on, except of course if you are a politician in Washington. There they have the taxpayer funded gold plated Cadillac plan. What a bunch of mean spirited people. Have they no shame?
5
"Have they no shame?" None.
1
Well, folks, have we reached the point yet where we realize that it's up to us to fix this? And I'm not just talking about the ACA issue. We have been ill served by politicians on both sides of the aisle for many years and this is what it has led to--a climate of fear and despair where we have no idea what will happen from one moment to the next. We've all forgotten the civics lesson that in our country, all power comes from the people--US. And we are the ones that get to DIRECT what our elected officials do. All we need to do is come together, gather strength and support from each other and dictate our future to those who work for us. We have exercised our power so rarely that Members of Congress have assumed that power for themselves, reasoning our attention span is short and our interest shallow so we'll turn to other matters quickly. Not this time. We have the technology and basic skills to exchange ideas and reach consensus. All of us have common issues--term limits for Congressmen and separate health and retirement programs are just two. Easy to see why Congress has ignored these issues. But no longer. We the people are waking up. First order of business--a show of strength. On January 21 there will be citizen marches in every state and major city in this country. Basic information can be found on the Women's March on Washington web site--including links to local marches. It's time for Americans to come together and claim the power that is ours.
7
Trump voters are so well off not to affect by ACA wiped out?
2
God help you Americans. America needs a clone of the NHS of Great Britain. It is useless to be among the richest countries of the world when your people are dying a slow death. Patient meets the doctor-doctor cures patient-patient returns to family. How simpler can it get?
3
“This is our opportunity to keep our campaign promise,” said Senator Roger Wicker, Republican of Mississippi. “This is our opportunity to help the president-elect and the vice president-elect keep their campaign promises and show to the American people that elections have consequences.”
Elections do have consequences! The only good thing to come out of this one is that you have awoken the sleeping majority. We see you, we see the PEOTUS (though we are still looking for verification that you have hearts) and we will reckon with you.
Elections do have consequences! The only good thing to come out of this one is that you have awoken the sleeping majority. We see you, we see the PEOTUS (though we are still looking for verification that you have hearts) and we will reckon with you.
One can only marvel at the masochism of the minority of American voters who, with James Comey and Vladmir Putin's help, installed Trump in the White House. These are the very people who will be harmed the most by every policy that the illegitimate Trump administration and the Republican-controlled congress intend to foist on the American people. Perhaps in no case is this more true than in the Republicans' fanatical zeal to deny affordable healthcare to American citizens by any means, fair or foul. And just as one can only marvel at the masochism of Americans who vote Republican, one can also only marvel at the sadism of the Republican congresspeople who seem to take an obscene pleasure in harming Americans as much and in as many ways as they can. The only question is whether these submissive and slavish Republican voters will ever tire of being screwed by the very people they insist on sending to Washington.
6
Replace the ACA with the same plan that is available to all members of Congress. That's certainly an idea that the entire country can agree to!
4
The sad thing is, many, many people who benefited from the ACA voted for Trump. And the sad things is, when they lose their ACA health insurance, they will still be stupid enough to think that somehow, it's Obama's fault.
6
Why would anyone want to pour a concrete foundation before drawing up the house plans?
Isn't this what Republicans are doing with marching steadfast to repeal without a replacement plan for Obamacare?
Houses built without a plan collapse on themselves. Every time.
Hide and watch what happens to TrumpCare.
Isn't this what Republicans are doing with marching steadfast to repeal without a replacement plan for Obamacare?
Houses built without a plan collapse on themselves. Every time.
Hide and watch what happens to TrumpCare.
I'm not worried. I told my daughter that if the republicans go and mess it up there is a way around it. I told her that every time she needs a prescription or is just sick then just go to the ER. They can't refuse treatment. So when she racks up a bill for $7000 because she needs a simple prescription then so be it. When the bill comes to the house then just toss it in the trash and don't think twice about it. After all it is the Trump way. He likes racking up bills, filing for bankruptcy, and getting over on his taxes. If she really don't like that idea then I told her to quit her job and she will get food stamps and free healthcare and plenty of time to hang on the beach!
3
McConnell and Ryan have excellent health care plans yet they are adamantly against the American people sharing the wealth of their health care.
Why is that? Why do they and the Republican lemmings they lead hate we the people so? Who in heaven's name voted for these miscreants? They know their actions will cause pain and suffering for millions.
Trump said when he's president no one is going to die on the streets because they lack health care. Really?
Mitt Romney said something similar. Mittens claimed the US already had universal health care because if someone has no insurance they can simply go to the ER. Yes, he did indeed say that. Again, I ask, who in their right mind voted for them? Please come forward and claim your trophy for stupidity.
In 1974, when Nixon was about to be impeached, friends of mine in Massachusetts, the only state that did not vote for Nixon's landslide, had a bumper sticker on their car. It said, "Don't blame me, I voted McGovern".
I have just purchased a similar sticker: "Don't blame me, I voted for Hillary".
Do not be surprised to see a proliferation of them after January 20th.
DD
Manhattan
Why is that? Why do they and the Republican lemmings they lead hate we the people so? Who in heaven's name voted for these miscreants? They know their actions will cause pain and suffering for millions.
Trump said when he's president no one is going to die on the streets because they lack health care. Really?
Mitt Romney said something similar. Mittens claimed the US already had universal health care because if someone has no insurance they can simply go to the ER. Yes, he did indeed say that. Again, I ask, who in their right mind voted for them? Please come forward and claim your trophy for stupidity.
In 1974, when Nixon was about to be impeached, friends of mine in Massachusetts, the only state that did not vote for Nixon's landslide, had a bumper sticker on their car. It said, "Don't blame me, I voted McGovern".
I have just purchased a similar sticker: "Don't blame me, I voted for Hillary".
Do not be surprised to see a proliferation of them after January 20th.
DD
Manhattan
3
I can not understand why the Republicans do not have a comprehensive plan to modify or replace the ACA. Golly, they have had seven years to create one. Oh, they were so involved with their holy mantra, of delay, block, repeal any and all legislature emanating from the White House they forgot.
2
There are not enough adjectives to express the putrid feeling I have toward McConnell and Ryan.
5
But there are quite a few nouns that express the feeling I have towards McConnell and Ryan, among them crypto-Satanists, monsters, antichrists, etc., and I'm just scratching the surface.
1
How many years have the opponents of Obamacare had to suggest, let alone have, a plan about health care? Still don't have one. Why not? Because it's not about health care. They truly don't care about your health or your care.
2
Sending my bill for insurance to my ever helpful senator Mitch McConnell. He can pay it himself.
5
This heartless move by the Senate Republicans to repeal Obamacare is precisely what all you folks out there who either voted for Republicans, or didn't vote anyone at all, are 100% responsible for. I blame all of you for this slow-moving and totally avoidable train wreck -- which will result in pain, suffering and even death of your fellow cutizens (and possibly even yourselves and your family members) every bit as much as I blame the trolls you elected.
5
Human life depends on food, clothing, shelter, and healthcare to survive.
For the sake and survival of today’s and tomorrow’s world family, we must transition our way of thinking from “Why should I help pay?” to “How can I help repair a healthcare system so it is accessible and of solid quality for all?”
Neither the healthcare providers or settings need to change, only the “way” in which we contribute: from premiums to tax dollars.
Public Healthcare Benefits for Patient & Provider:
•Broadly accessible “wellness care today” alleviates long-term healthcare needs tomorrow •Riddance of Unequal Premiums: Women Cost More to Insure Than Men •Freedom to Career Change Without Worries of Health Benefit Changes •Riddance of Commercial Insurance “Pre-Authorization” Process •Health Administration Time Saver: One Preset Universal Claims Code.
Public Healthcare $ Resources:
•Evolve healthcare from a for profit to non-profit system
•Revise bankruptcy laws from: “okay never to pay” to “here’s a free loan to pay” •Collect flat rate “co-payments”: “pay a bit more for using the system a bit more” ...Step-By-Step: •Develop universal non-profit Community Healthcare Plan outlining all covered/non-covered benefits •Place year-end earnings into non-profit healthcare system, rather than CEO pockets. •Instigate community “Brainstorm Sessions” to form tactics during building/renovation phases of healthcare system •Set-Up Team of Community/Medical/Govt. Overseers. Amen.
For the sake and survival of today’s and tomorrow’s world family, we must transition our way of thinking from “Why should I help pay?” to “How can I help repair a healthcare system so it is accessible and of solid quality for all?”
Neither the healthcare providers or settings need to change, only the “way” in which we contribute: from premiums to tax dollars.
Public Healthcare Benefits for Patient & Provider:
•Broadly accessible “wellness care today” alleviates long-term healthcare needs tomorrow •Riddance of Unequal Premiums: Women Cost More to Insure Than Men •Freedom to Career Change Without Worries of Health Benefit Changes •Riddance of Commercial Insurance “Pre-Authorization” Process •Health Administration Time Saver: One Preset Universal Claims Code.
Public Healthcare $ Resources:
•Evolve healthcare from a for profit to non-profit system
•Revise bankruptcy laws from: “okay never to pay” to “here’s a free loan to pay” •Collect flat rate “co-payments”: “pay a bit more for using the system a bit more” ...Step-By-Step: •Develop universal non-profit Community Healthcare Plan outlining all covered/non-covered benefits •Place year-end earnings into non-profit healthcare system, rather than CEO pockets. •Instigate community “Brainstorm Sessions” to form tactics during building/renovation phases of healthcare system •Set-Up Team of Community/Medical/Govt. Overseers. Amen.
So the House voted almost daily for years to repeal the ACA, now the Senate is ready to pounce. They've had years to come up with an alternative yet apparently have been unable or unwilling to do so. tRump promises to announce his plan to "repeal and replace" almost simultaneously once his pick for H&HS's is confirmed, though he has yet to produce a serious plan on anything. And Senator Enzi is rambling on about bridges as though he's confused about whether he's discussing healthcare or infrastructure. It's going to be a long 4 years.
1
The repealing of the ACA is not a quest to replace it with something better; it is an effort to dismantle his signature accomplishment. Eight years ago , Senator McConnell told Republican legislatures of both houses to deny President Obama any legislature success. Eight years of republican obstructionism has now given way to dismantle the Obama care. McConnell's home state has benefited from it and now they will leave millions unprotected. For eight years they have tried and failed to repeal the ACA and in those eight years a republican alternative was never revealed. In 2017 the republicans may achieve an end to their eight year journey, the repeal and denial of insurance to every American. Once dismantled, what is the alternative? But to the republicans they will state it is what the people wanted, ending insurance and replacing it with nothing at the present moment.
2
# 1 cause of bankruptcy in USA: Health care costs. The #3 reason of USA's mortality and morbidity is health care. ( too many aggressive treatments, drugs, unnecessary etc, as these bring $ to the industry. Obamacare diminished these.
Of all developed nations, the USA was the last to have universal health care ( OBAMACARE) due to vested interest groups who don't want to lose the $ it brings. In nations where it is nationalized, unnecessary procedures or Rx that are not justified, so mortality, medical expenses and law suits are less. The USA spent $1.6 Trillion in health care, while it spent $0.9 Trillion in national security in 2013. Trump and the Repubs. oppose anything that will take $ out of their pockets. They plan same with public education. They want to privatize it so only people with $ will go to private schools and get good ed, while the poor will have worse education than ever for the government will de-fund education..
http://lifewatchgroup.org/35c/index.html
http://www.pbs.org/.../health-costs-how-the-us-compares.../
http://www.cnbc.com/id/100840148
www.lifewatchgroup.org
Of all developed nations, the USA was the last to have universal health care ( OBAMACARE) due to vested interest groups who don't want to lose the $ it brings. In nations where it is nationalized, unnecessary procedures or Rx that are not justified, so mortality, medical expenses and law suits are less. The USA spent $1.6 Trillion in health care, while it spent $0.9 Trillion in national security in 2013. Trump and the Repubs. oppose anything that will take $ out of their pockets. They plan same with public education. They want to privatize it so only people with $ will go to private schools and get good ed, while the poor will have worse education than ever for the government will de-fund education..
http://lifewatchgroup.org/35c/index.html
http://www.pbs.org/.../health-costs-how-the-us-compares.../
http://www.cnbc.com/id/100840148
www.lifewatchgroup.org
3
I am ashamed to be represented by Susan Collins. I am outraged at the disconnect between her words and her actions. Maine deserves better than this. Senator Collins has just thrown us under the bus, yet again - first supporting Jeff Sessions and now voting to defund the ACA. I look forward to her next public appearance here in Portland - she definitely has some explaining to do!
2
See, with Trumpcare, it'll be so grand because you'll be going to a better place - the big clinic in the sky. Enjoy the ride!
2
Do not forget, this is going to affect Medicare recipients. It is breathtaking the amount of small-minded hatred and flat out mean spiritedness fostered by the GOPTP
2
Concrete example of the Republicans doing what they do best: serve their wealthy overlords, at the expense of the rest of the 99% of us. Good job ignorant, moronic Trump voters, you, as always, will reap what you sow.
5
And the Congress should show at least the same courage by terminating their own health plan as a condition of passage.
7
I'm employed full time and have employer provided health insurance. I consider myself lucky, because I know there are so many hard working people that don't have what I have. I firmly believe that health insurance should not be linked to employment, and I would vote for darn near anyone who campaigned on such a notion. The AHA is not perfect by a long shot, and let's be honest, hurt more folks that the current administration was willing to admit, by turning this over to the private market resulting in insurance companies jacking up rates, increasing out-of-pocket expenses, etc. That being said, the AHA offered or extended coverage to those that had not been able to get coverage previously or get coverage they could afford. I feel for those people; they should have what I have. That being said, it is hard to drum up sympathy for those that elected and re-elected those Republican legislators who campaigned that they would repeal the AHA. The same legislators that tell you the AHA is bad that not only have health insurance, but a gold plated plan. The are the people who told voters that they don't deserve that they (elected officials) have. They told you would they would do and now they are going to do it. While many will suffer if the AHA is dismantled, it seems as if people only understand the impact of their votes (or the failure to vote) if they or their families are directly harmed. This just may do it.
4
I'd give anything to wipe that smirk off McConnell's face. Peaceably, of course. Nothing that would require healthcare.
8
Shame they can't produce a replacement with the same speed.
3
You need a plan before you start anything.
1
I love half of the people in this country and hate the other the two being devided by party lines.
3
Actions have consequences. The fat cats in charge of insurance companies are going to be very upset about this attempt to roll back their gravy train. I predict a huge increase in Big Pharma PACs pouring money into the campaign coffers of Democrats in 2018.
3
The ACA is a disaster, as is any Republican plan, without a few things:
1. Grand social change in a vacuum is expensive and useless. We have an enormous number of people who can't find work or won't find work, therefore not contributing. We have large numbers of people working off the books and not contributing. We have huge numbers who are grossly irresponsible and have too many kids, do drugs, ride motorcycles, smoke, overeat and do other self-destructive things. We cannot pay for healthcare until everyone contributes and takes individual responsibility.
2. No country provides what Americans want. You cannot have "everything." Just too expensive. I see loads of patients who demand MRIs regardless of how unnecessary they are. I see 90 year olds dying in ICUs, people with terminal cancer getting very expensive and useless drugs (extending life another week is not worth bankrupting society). Death panels? Call it what you like, but if you want someone else to pay, they have to have a say in what they are paying for. You cannot sock the bill entirely upon the "rich" as some say.
3. Single payor, fee-for-service... it doesn't matter. until #1 and #2 are changed, health care will cost a fortune.
1. Grand social change in a vacuum is expensive and useless. We have an enormous number of people who can't find work or won't find work, therefore not contributing. We have large numbers of people working off the books and not contributing. We have huge numbers who are grossly irresponsible and have too many kids, do drugs, ride motorcycles, smoke, overeat and do other self-destructive things. We cannot pay for healthcare until everyone contributes and takes individual responsibility.
2. No country provides what Americans want. You cannot have "everything." Just too expensive. I see loads of patients who demand MRIs regardless of how unnecessary they are. I see 90 year olds dying in ICUs, people with terminal cancer getting very expensive and useless drugs (extending life another week is not worth bankrupting society). Death panels? Call it what you like, but if you want someone else to pay, they have to have a say in what they are paying for. You cannot sock the bill entirely upon the "rich" as some say.
3. Single payor, fee-for-service... it doesn't matter. until #1 and #2 are changed, health care will cost a fortune.
7
Can anyone explain how the republicans can be allowed to get away with not having an alternative health care plan? We have heard repeal and replace since ACA was passed. What have they been doing for all of these years? When I plan to replace something, I know what and how to make it happen. They are acting as though this is an emergency or unplanned catastrophe that requires crisis management.
13
This is simply the legislative lynching of the Obama Presidency. Put the black man back in his place. The GOP has been frothing at the mouth to do this since the ACA passed in 2010. Now they get their wish.
Much like a lynching, there will be smiles, high-fives, and satisfaction for a day or week perhaps, but the country's soul will suffer. We are collectively worse off for the action, but racism is racism, and it can't help it self. The story of the grand ole USA continues to write itself.
Much like a lynching, there will be smiles, high-fives, and satisfaction for a day or week perhaps, but the country's soul will suffer. We are collectively worse off for the action, but racism is racism, and it can't help it self. The story of the grand ole USA continues to write itself.
22
I am self-employed, 52, and have an expensive to treat, disfiguring, disabling autoimmune disease. Repealing the ACA will kill me. I can't afford the ~$10,000 it takes each month to give me a reasonable quality of life. Without access to treatment, my life will literally not be worth living.
If you voted for Trump or any of the republicans in congress, you will have blood on your hands. Tens of thousands of people - at least - will die if this lifesaving legislation is repealed. I don't know how you sleep at night.
If you voted for Trump or any of the republicans in congress, you will have blood on your hands. Tens of thousands of people - at least - will die if this lifesaving legislation is repealed. I don't know how you sleep at night.
33
Hi Jaye,
Please pray and keep going. Being a doctor, I can empathise with you.
Raj.
Please pray and keep going. Being a doctor, I can empathise with you.
Raj.
3
The Repubs have a major dilemma. Too many people, especially those who don't pay their "fair share" of taxes, have come to expect the freebies under ObamaCare. How can the Repubs throw those people out onto the street?
4
I have been waiting for years now to go home to the United States. My husband-to-be has a pre-existing condition where he could wind up in the hospital paralysed, at any given moment, and then have to go through months of treatment and in-patient rehab. He has re-learned how to walk once already, through his own grit, with his physios telling him he would probably never walk again. We could never afford to be part of a "high-risk pool" or any of the other window-dressing the GOP will try to wave around as it guts the ACA. The health care system has to be our first consideration for any plan we make about where to live.
Without Obamacare, my fiancé simply cannot go to the US. I will have to give up any hope of going home to my family. If you truly want to represent the country, Republicans, where is your concern for people like us?
Without Obamacare, my fiancé simply cannot go to the US. I will have to give up any hope of going home to my family. If you truly want to represent the country, Republicans, where is your concern for people like us?
7
Republicans in the past have had no problem with the role of government in health care. Just look at the prescription drug benefit for Medicare passed during the Bush administration. While the benefit was helpful for the elderly, it didn't allow the government to bargain on drug prices and wasted billions of dollars. Even Republican claiming to be fiscal conservatives voted for it.
Now, they are tearing down the ACA and it will be interesting to see how many of their voters will fight back at the ballot box over losing their health care. I suspect the Republican base would like health care and a government that works for them while the Republican elites just want to tear the whole thing down. This wouldn't happen if we didn't allow rich idiots like the Koch brothers to control which candidates could run for office by controlling the money. We need publicly funded elections.
Now, they are tearing down the ACA and it will be interesting to see how many of their voters will fight back at the ballot box over losing their health care. I suspect the Republican base would like health care and a government that works for them while the Republican elites just want to tear the whole thing down. This wouldn't happen if we didn't allow rich idiots like the Koch brothers to control which candidates could run for office by controlling the money. We need publicly funded elections.
4
The Republicans have fewer members in both Congress and the Senate since the last election--something that almost never happens when a presidential candidate is elected for his first term. The president-elect lost the popular vote by almost 3 million, and won the electoral college because about 100k votes were strategically positioned to swing the electoral college in a couple of states. Most polls are showing that his popularity ratings are way below 50%, even before he has taken office. (Buyer's remorse, apparently) What mandate are we talking about here?
5
It is painful that Republicans just do not care about facts.
The Affordable Care Act brought the uninsured rate to a record low.
Medicaid expanded in all but 19 states, helping millions of people.
Repeal is cruel and needless, and well-regarded analysts calculate that repeal will add $353 billion dollars to the federal deficit.
And 20 million or more people will completely lose their coverage.
The impact on real peoples' lives is simply devastating.
The only person dancing in the streets with glee is Paul Ryan, the spoiled congressman from Wisconsin who has been living on the government dole for 20 or more years.
The Affordable Care Act brought the uninsured rate to a record low.
Medicaid expanded in all but 19 states, helping millions of people.
Repeal is cruel and needless, and well-regarded analysts calculate that repeal will add $353 billion dollars to the federal deficit.
And 20 million or more people will completely lose their coverage.
The impact on real peoples' lives is simply devastating.
The only person dancing in the streets with glee is Paul Ryan, the spoiled congressman from Wisconsin who has been living on the government dole for 20 or more years.
10
If the Republicans will repeal President Obama's health care law, it would not be a great loss. The law was written by and for big insurance companies to insure government handouts to corporations who make profits from rationing healthcare and changing more.
The law also strengthen the grip of few insurance companies on the market and eliminated any competition. The famous 'Public Option' promised by candidate Obama evaporated before even negotiation started by a timid president (it only had the support of most Americans).
President Obama also blocked any initiative to negotiate drug prices, securing billions of dollars to a cartel of pharmaceutical companies.
We will not see thousands go out to the streets to defend the failing 'Obamacare', The promise to repeal was one of Mr. Trump major point on the campaign, one that helped him and other Republicans, win,
To their credit, Republicans don't play around, or try to appease everyone, unlike President Obama they don't seemed to be scared of everything and are up in arms to fulfill their campaign promises.
What will they come up with instead is another (frighting) story. We can be sure that just like Mr. Obama they will take care of corporate America first.
The law also strengthen the grip of few insurance companies on the market and eliminated any competition. The famous 'Public Option' promised by candidate Obama evaporated before even negotiation started by a timid president (it only had the support of most Americans).
President Obama also blocked any initiative to negotiate drug prices, securing billions of dollars to a cartel of pharmaceutical companies.
We will not see thousands go out to the streets to defend the failing 'Obamacare', The promise to repeal was one of Mr. Trump major point on the campaign, one that helped him and other Republicans, win,
To their credit, Republicans don't play around, or try to appease everyone, unlike President Obama they don't seemed to be scared of everything and are up in arms to fulfill their campaign promises.
What will they come up with instead is another (frighting) story. We can be sure that just like Mr. Obama they will take care of corporate America first.
here's a possible solution:
make the healthcare coverage that is available to all federal workers (aka FEP) - the coverage where the identification number starts with the letter R - and offer it to those who will be without insurance due to our 'representatives' taking away our health care.
FEP coverage is subsidized by the federal government. the federal government can subsidize this coverage. the id numbers can start with another letter (e.g. X,Y,Z) to differentiate it from federal workers.
and, there is already a complete infrastructure to handle this - the Operations Center, which works with existing health insurance companies to validate membership/enrollment, etc.
maybe this is what should have been put in place instead of ACA; it would have been cheaper.
make the healthcare coverage that is available to all federal workers (aka FEP) - the coverage where the identification number starts with the letter R - and offer it to those who will be without insurance due to our 'representatives' taking away our health care.
FEP coverage is subsidized by the federal government. the federal government can subsidize this coverage. the id numbers can start with another letter (e.g. X,Y,Z) to differentiate it from federal workers.
and, there is already a complete infrastructure to handle this - the Operations Center, which works with existing health insurance companies to validate membership/enrollment, etc.
maybe this is what should have been put in place instead of ACA; it would have been cheaper.
I cannot begin to try to imagine having a child or loved one that requires frequent medical attention and expensive medicines and facing the possibility of no subsidies for insurance premiums or worse, being uninsurable.
To repeal is absurd - what will happen during a ten-hour operation? Half of it is covered and half is not? Or during a birth? The insurance companies will not continue to provide coverage one-hour after repeal without adjusting their premiums accordingly and they will have no idea how many people will let their policy lapse. Policies will have to be re-written that same hour? Not likely. Insurance companies will suspend coverage immediately until they are able to assess the new laws. I doubt the hospitals are going to empty all their beds the day of repeal.
Once the penalty is removed people will cancel and go without because the premiums and deductibles are too high. Insurance doesn't work unless there are some winneres and some losers.
My premiums are $1,770.98 (yes, eighteen hundred) per month (yes, month) with a $3,500 out of pocket max and a $2,750 deductible. A Blue Cross Blue Shield HMO that half of my doctors won't accept. Last year my premiums were $1,406.32/month. I have an individual policy because group coverage is not available at work. I would gladly pay my premium to "Medicare for all" instead of the insurance companies.
To repeal is absurd - what will happen during a ten-hour operation? Half of it is covered and half is not? Or during a birth? The insurance companies will not continue to provide coverage one-hour after repeal without adjusting their premiums accordingly and they will have no idea how many people will let their policy lapse. Policies will have to be re-written that same hour? Not likely. Insurance companies will suspend coverage immediately until they are able to assess the new laws. I doubt the hospitals are going to empty all their beds the day of repeal.
Once the penalty is removed people will cancel and go without because the premiums and deductibles are too high. Insurance doesn't work unless there are some winneres and some losers.
My premiums are $1,770.98 (yes, eighteen hundred) per month (yes, month) with a $3,500 out of pocket max and a $2,750 deductible. A Blue Cross Blue Shield HMO that half of my doctors won't accept. Last year my premiums were $1,406.32/month. I have an individual policy because group coverage is not available at work. I would gladly pay my premium to "Medicare for all" instead of the insurance companies.
7
So, life does not matter to the republicans? Why would they take away health insurance that covers over 20 million Americans? So, they basically pulled off life support from Sick Americans in maintenance dose of prescriptions, dialysis, medical supplies etal.
What brand of evil men are these with no heart and absolutely no compassion? This is not the party of Lincoln, bet he will be rolling with utmost disgust in his grave. We, the grassroots needs to take the fight against GOP in our hands as congressional democrats are in great disadvantage.
We need to storm Washington. We need to sit in the Capitol hill blocking them from coming out the building until they reverse the nonsense. Our life, our future and our destiny is in our hands. We shouldn't allow the self serving, selfish partisan congress motivated by corporate interest to ruin our lives and loved ones.
Stand Up America Against one Party Control of three arms of government.
What brand of evil men are these with no heart and absolutely no compassion? This is not the party of Lincoln, bet he will be rolling with utmost disgust in his grave. We, the grassroots needs to take the fight against GOP in our hands as congressional democrats are in great disadvantage.
We need to storm Washington. We need to sit in the Capitol hill blocking them from coming out the building until they reverse the nonsense. Our life, our future and our destiny is in our hands. We shouldn't allow the self serving, selfish partisan congress motivated by corporate interest to ruin our lives and loved ones.
Stand Up America Against one Party Control of three arms of government.
6
You have to look on the bright side of this.
Sure health care will get worse for the poor and people will catch diseases and die earlier. It may even affect the rich, since bacteria/virus/parasites are only trying to survive and multiply in a happy environment.
Others will forgo vaccines and support the rest of us using Darwinian methodology.
As a retired Public Health Laboratory Microbiologist, this will only insure more work for the laboratory to keep things interesting.
Let me tell you, there is nothing worse than looking at negative results all day, TrumpAss will insure that we have more fun at work.
Note: there may be a bit of sarcasm here, for those of you who are missing the sarcasgene.
Remember, the dark cloud of bad health care is a silver lining for those on the bench, diagnosing diseases.
Sure health care will get worse for the poor and people will catch diseases and die earlier. It may even affect the rich, since bacteria/virus/parasites are only trying to survive and multiply in a happy environment.
Others will forgo vaccines and support the rest of us using Darwinian methodology.
As a retired Public Health Laboratory Microbiologist, this will only insure more work for the laboratory to keep things interesting.
Let me tell you, there is nothing worse than looking at negative results all day, TrumpAss will insure that we have more fun at work.
Note: there may be a bit of sarcasm here, for those of you who are missing the sarcasgene.
Remember, the dark cloud of bad health care is a silver lining for those on the bench, diagnosing diseases.
1
I'm really disappointed there is no talk from the GOP about building workhouses for American citizens.
I'm sure they can find a private company willing to do it for them, with tax payer funding, of course.
Republicans want to take away healthcare from millions.
Republicans want to delay Social Security benefits
Republicans want to dismantle Medicare & Medicaid.
Republicans want to eliminate housing aid.
Republicans want to cut back food stamps.
Republicans want to eliminate public education.
Republicans don't think American workers deserve a Minimum wage, or should even be paid for overtime hours they work.
Republicans want to force every woman to bring every pregnancy to full term, yet deny any aid once the child is born.
We need a new rule - every member of Congress must live by the same standards they force upon other Americans.
Let's start by gutting their healthcare.
seems fair.
I'm sure they can find a private company willing to do it for them, with tax payer funding, of course.
Republicans want to take away healthcare from millions.
Republicans want to delay Social Security benefits
Republicans want to dismantle Medicare & Medicaid.
Republicans want to eliminate housing aid.
Republicans want to cut back food stamps.
Republicans want to eliminate public education.
Republicans don't think American workers deserve a Minimum wage, or should even be paid for overtime hours they work.
Republicans want to force every woman to bring every pregnancy to full term, yet deny any aid once the child is born.
We need a new rule - every member of Congress must live by the same standards they force upon other Americans.
Let's start by gutting their healthcare.
seems fair.
10
I don't think the Republicans have any intention of replacing Obamacare with their own healthcare plan. I think they want to repeal Obamacare, period. They care nothing about depriving millions of people of their healthcare. They'll come after Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid next while giving the wealthy massive tax cuts. The trumpsters will soon feel the disastrous effects of trump world.
5
Absolutely everyone who opposes the GOP's decision to repeal the ACA must call their Members of Congress and tell them so. It is not enough to worry. We must let our government representatives hear from us directly and not hope they read the NYT comments section. If all 1600 commentators here called their elected representatives, that would begin to have an impact. Those who support leaving Americans without health insurance can call too. It (still) is a free country.
3
It is clear that the complaints about co pay and deductible cost are related to employer plans that put greater cost sharing on employees. The basic facts are that most ACA insurers have deductibles of $1000 or less annually. Yes there are a very few that choose up to $6000 but these elective choices simply cannot be driving these comments. Employers are burdening their employees and hiding behind Obamacare.
4
Ah, the traditional republican distraction of abortion right. The life of a partially formed fetus is sacred and untouchable. But depriving affordable medical care to twenty-million+ Americans is disingenous noble, patriotic, responsible and worth being the number one priority for Congress. The eight years I've watched Republicans fighting to stop and undermine any and all attemps of President Obama to help Americans and solve national problems. Americans will die, lives will be ruined and precious time better used to solve real issues for the country will be wasted. The Republicans politicians are destroying the ACA because insurance companies, medical service providers and medical-related product suppliers want to make more money. Donald Trump is the lowest-point yet in American Politics. Destroying ACA is the lowest-point yet for Republicans. Whatever "Replacement" plan they come up with, there is no doubt it will be inferior, less afforable and less available to millions who need it the most. A new plan will waste billions of taxpayer dollars and service provider dollars dismantling, creating and using the new system. We are increasingly a degenerate, selfish and heartless people under the heel of the 1%. The pie for most Americans will continue to shrink, Republicans will cut taxes for the wealthy and raise them for the less fortunate, and foolish Americans will continue to blame "liberals" for the pain they themselves are responsible.
6
Countries with universal care such as Canada, The UK, and France and our own NY State and NY City have tobacco taxes in the $5 to $7 or more per pack range. NYC has a total tax of $6.85 city-state-federal tax. That tax money goes towards healthcare. Our Federal tax is about $1. There are 13 billion packs smoked each year in the US. Raising the tax $5 per pack would yield $30 to $35 billion and would help to pay for the higher healthcare costs for smokers.
Raising the cost of tobacco has more than half the effect of helping smokers to quit.
Congress should:
1. Stop taking tobacco money and raise the tobacco tax.
2. Remove the harmfully mandated 1:3 ratio of youth to elderly premiums when medical costs are more like 1:6. Elites in Congress don't seem to fully understand that youth have college loans to pay for and houses to save for.
I have spoken with a number of people under 30 and they agree with (1) and (2).
Raising the cost of tobacco has more than half the effect of helping smokers to quit.
Congress should:
1. Stop taking tobacco money and raise the tobacco tax.
2. Remove the harmfully mandated 1:3 ratio of youth to elderly premiums when medical costs are more like 1:6. Elites in Congress don't seem to fully understand that youth have college loans to pay for and houses to save for.
I have spoken with a number of people under 30 and they agree with (1) and (2).
2
Since this administration is set to destroy not just ACA but also all current federal duties to citizenry like providing and protecting clean air and water, maintaining infrastructure (and probably education and social security) - and saying it's all about the states to provide for their own, we need to empower the localities to do just that. Proposal: localities choose a hospital and/or doctor group to whom to pay a monthly service fee, we cut out the insurance companies. They seem to be the problem here and locals can have a bigger impact on keeping costs down b/c they won't have to deal with bureaucrats from either government OR insurance. Let's fund an experiment & put doctor groups/hospitals/research facilities together with a smart business plan where doctors and hospitals get paid and patients get treated, minus insurance companies and their shareholders. We can learn from plenty of models throughout the civilized world as every other respectable country has already succeeded in this.
4
The Republican party is shameful - and sadly most of their supporters are either grossly uninformed or willfully ignorant.
The majority of people who want to see the ACA torn down fall into the following categories:
1. People who are on Medicare. The story about Iowans in todays NY Times quotes a retired farmer saying that Obama Care is nothing but socialized medicine and needs to be destroyed.
2. People who are (for the majority of their adult lives) covered by group insurance through their employers. The cost is more reasonable and to my knowledge you can't be turned down for a pre existing condition on a group policy.
3. People who live in states controlled by Republican's who have refused to expand medicaid as called for by provisions in the Affordable Act - whose incomes would make them eligible for ACA under Medicaid. They don't understand it's their State government that is denying them access to insurance coverage - not the ACA.
4. People who have insurance through the ACA - but think Obama Care is something different.
5. People who have never had to apply for or pay for individual health insurance. These people have no understanding that having even an insignificant - long ago resolved health issue is cause for being turned down for health insurance by most insurers.
People who have never paid for individual health insurance also have no idea of how grossly expensive it is - yet complain about the less expensive coverage offered under the ACA.
The majority of people who want to see the ACA torn down fall into the following categories:
1. People who are on Medicare. The story about Iowans in todays NY Times quotes a retired farmer saying that Obama Care is nothing but socialized medicine and needs to be destroyed.
2. People who are (for the majority of their adult lives) covered by group insurance through their employers. The cost is more reasonable and to my knowledge you can't be turned down for a pre existing condition on a group policy.
3. People who live in states controlled by Republican's who have refused to expand medicaid as called for by provisions in the Affordable Act - whose incomes would make them eligible for ACA under Medicaid. They don't understand it's their State government that is denying them access to insurance coverage - not the ACA.
4. People who have insurance through the ACA - but think Obama Care is something different.
5. People who have never had to apply for or pay for individual health insurance. These people have no understanding that having even an insignificant - long ago resolved health issue is cause for being turned down for health insurance by most insurers.
People who have never paid for individual health insurance also have no idea of how grossly expensive it is - yet complain about the less expensive coverage offered under the ACA.
13
Send a reporter and photographer to eastern Kentucky and have a chat with the out-of-work coal miners you'll find there. Ask them about Kentucky's highly effective health insurance exchange, which helped thousands of people obtain basic health insurance -- many for the first times in their lives. And how the ACA even helped cover miners dying from black lung disease. Ask them if they are looking forward to not having health insurance, thanks to the folks in Congress who allegedly are supposed to represent their interests.
It is this disconnect that is eating away at the heart of representative government. These days, Members are beholden to banks, coal companies, real estate lawyers, trucking companies -- you name it; everyone but the people who voted them into office.
The fact that so many Kentuckians and millions of other Americans saw off the limb on which they are perched demonstrates beyond any doubt that a single payer health care plan is the only solution that will protect everyone, including those who can no longer rely on their elected leaders.
It is this disconnect that is eating away at the heart of representative government. These days, Members are beholden to banks, coal companies, real estate lawyers, trucking companies -- you name it; everyone but the people who voted them into office.
The fact that so many Kentuckians and millions of other Americans saw off the limb on which they are perched demonstrates beyond any doubt that a single payer health care plan is the only solution that will protect everyone, including those who can no longer rely on their elected leaders.
8
Yet these rural dwellers voted for Trump and the Republicans... Lack of education doesn't explain lack of common sense. Then what does?
4
According to the former long time House Speaker Sam Rayburn"
"Any jack[donkey] can kick a barn down, but it takes a good carpenter to build one."
"Any jack[donkey] can kick a barn down, but it takes a good carpenter to build one."
21
The mind of Mitch McConnell is a frightening thing to contemplate. He's 74 years old, has served in the U.S. Senate for 32 years. No matter what, he'll die a wealthy man. By voting to repeal the ACA, did he see an opportunity to further enrich himself somehow?
I don't think so, and the truth is actually more disturbing. He voted to repeal the ACA because he's a true believer in the effectiveness of a totally commodified health care and insurance system that treats these absolute necessities in life as little more than products on a store shelf akin to ice cream and flat screen TVs.
I almost wish it were the case that McConnell opposed the ACA because he stood to gain financially from its demise. That would be something tangible that one could put a finger on. But no, McConnell is motivated by far more abstract and darker impulses.
This worldview that sees health insurance as a "product" is frankly more dangerous to ordinary people than any potentially radicalized Islamic youth, as far as I'm concerned.
I don't think so, and the truth is actually more disturbing. He voted to repeal the ACA because he's a true believer in the effectiveness of a totally commodified health care and insurance system that treats these absolute necessities in life as little more than products on a store shelf akin to ice cream and flat screen TVs.
I almost wish it were the case that McConnell opposed the ACA because he stood to gain financially from its demise. That would be something tangible that one could put a finger on. But no, McConnell is motivated by far more abstract and darker impulses.
This worldview that sees health insurance as a "product" is frankly more dangerous to ordinary people than any potentially radicalized Islamic youth, as far as I'm concerned.
38
Mitch McConnell will have blood and death on his hands.
The ACA has meant that a young relative was able to get insurance after years if unemployment due to serious illness. What will be her recourse if McConnell etal succeed?
The ACA has meant that a young relative was able to get insurance after years if unemployment due to serious illness. What will be her recourse if McConnell etal succeed?
1
Food and housing are more important than health care, and both are only guaranteed at a very basic level. Why should subsidized health care cover everything?
Inescapable conclusion: Republicans don't care about the health and/or suffering of 20 million-plus Americans from whom they are ripping health care. Trump and his fellow Republicans will fill out the details of the "replace" part of their plan just as soon as he presents the thousands of Muslims he saw celebrating the 9/11 attacks.
35
The ACA is a great rebalancing of a terrible system, but the system is still terrible: much more expensive than comparable systems in comparable economies. and with much more uneven results. A look at our Philadelphia skyline tells you where the money is going.
The constituency of the Donald Trumps and Mitch McConnells of the world is dwindling. In 10-20 years today's millennials will be in the driver's seats and dinosaurs like McConnell will feel as remote as the Civil War. Hang in there, and don't lose sleep over Clinton's loss.
The constituency of the Donald Trumps and Mitch McConnells of the world is dwindling. In 10-20 years today's millennials will be in the driver's seats and dinosaurs like McConnell will feel as remote as the Civil War. Hang in there, and don't lose sleep over Clinton's loss.
16
The next Democratic wave (2020) will bring in single payer. The Millennials will rule the country. This is a temporary aberration, an outlier on the standard deviation charts.
And before that happy day comes how many lives will be shortened?
Obamacare has been an unmitigated disaster, and if it wasn't for the various, behind-the-scenes, unconstitutional, financial proppings up of the law, it would have collapsed almost as it left the gate. It was done in haste by salivating Democrats who want an ever bigger nanny state, and it must be undone quickly before it bankrupts the nation and destroys what was the world's best health care system.
6
Well, William, I agree with you that using private insurance for universal health care, with no cost containment, was a disaster. The ACA was the brain child of the GOP, Heritage Foundation, Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney and John McCain. Buy insurance or pay a penalty.
Mr. Obama, in 2008, promised universal health care and health care reform, but, the Democrats, which were as connected to private insurance, as the GOP, gave us the ACA. Joe Lieberman, who was in the pocket of Connecticut insurers, refused to allow a public option, fro his vote fro the ACA; as the most glaring.
What America ended up with, was a band aid to deal with health care. It did not stop out of control costs, rising premiums, and the like; it continues like it did before. Now, we have less insurers than we did before the ACA.
The GOP, for its parts, wants the markets to decide. Guess what? They have and we have seen the results, since the 1940s.
Hence, I support Medicare fro All, as opposed to gutting it to private vouchers. We need cost containment, fee schedules,etc. We need to control gouging fro drug companies and providers.
Our politics turned health care to 1/6 of the US economy; if that does not send out alarms; nothing will.
Frankly, unless there is a concerted effort to control costs; no health care system will be cost effective or work.
Mr. Obama, in 2008, promised universal health care and health care reform, but, the Democrats, which were as connected to private insurance, as the GOP, gave us the ACA. Joe Lieberman, who was in the pocket of Connecticut insurers, refused to allow a public option, fro his vote fro the ACA; as the most glaring.
What America ended up with, was a band aid to deal with health care. It did not stop out of control costs, rising premiums, and the like; it continues like it did before. Now, we have less insurers than we did before the ACA.
The GOP, for its parts, wants the markets to decide. Guess what? They have and we have seen the results, since the 1940s.
Hence, I support Medicare fro All, as opposed to gutting it to private vouchers. We need cost containment, fee schedules,etc. We need to control gouging fro drug companies and providers.
Our politics turned health care to 1/6 of the US economy; if that does not send out alarms; nothing will.
Frankly, unless there is a concerted effort to control costs; no health care system will be cost effective or work.
33
Actually, we don't have the best health care in the world. We have it for the rich, but not for those who are low income. Our health care costs are higher than those in most other countries, yet we have higher rates of negative outcomes like pregnancy loss. Costs would decrease if everyone were in a single payer plan, because everyone could then get early diagnosis and treatment of conditions that otherwise would end up being very expensive to try to treat in late stages. The underlying problem here is the idea that health care should be entirely a profit making business.
2
Red state takers, willfully and sneeringly reliant on the revenue-producing blue states, howling about the nanny state.
Hilarious.
Meanwhile, you conveniently forget Obama tried to work with the Republicanns and they refused. Obama has consistently maintained that the ACA needs work, an assertion that again fell on deaf ears. You also ignore that most of the nation wants profit out of health care. Besides, if what was our system was so great, why are we so unhealthy, and why was the system so costly? That isn't great. It's stupid.
The fact is, Republicans cannot grant the black president a shred of credit. He is their number one dog whistle, and Republicans would rather see people, including children and babies, go without health inruance and health care than to try to build on the ACA, or to keep their 6-year-long promise to replace.
Even Nixon was more gracious.
Hilarious.
Meanwhile, you conveniently forget Obama tried to work with the Republicanns and they refused. Obama has consistently maintained that the ACA needs work, an assertion that again fell on deaf ears. You also ignore that most of the nation wants profit out of health care. Besides, if what was our system was so great, why are we so unhealthy, and why was the system so costly? That isn't great. It's stupid.
The fact is, Republicans cannot grant the black president a shred of credit. He is their number one dog whistle, and Republicans would rather see people, including children and babies, go without health inruance and health care than to try to build on the ACA, or to keep their 6-year-long promise to replace.
Even Nixon was more gracious.
7
What positive contribution to the benefit of Americans have the Republicans made through legislation in the last 16 years? Zero!!
32
Since Nixon the GOP has increasingly abandoned any thought of serving the common good. Nixon showed that you didn't need to actually do anything helpful to get people to vote for you. If you played on hot button issues, social tensions, and class resentments, people would vote for you against their own interests. The mantra was "they" are taking things away from you, they are using your taxes for someone else's benefit. But the someone else was not a welfare mother, but a corporate executive. The GOP's goal for decades has been to manipulate the average person and help the rich get richer.
1
As I remember, Trump said he had a plan, but would not disclose it until he was elected, the Republicans certainly said that. They've done a classic "bait and switch." Congratulations voters.
31
The insurance companies are thrilled. Wealthy investors are thrilled because they won't have to pay 2.5% of tax on profits from investments to support Obamacare anymore. Elections DO have consequences. Over 5.5 million Trump voters will lose their health insurance. I'm sure they knew that because Trump promised. This is just Exhibit A. More to follow. Trump wants to spread the happiness to all of the 2% -- his crowd.
24
Republicans obviously care nothing for their constituents. This has been their MO for years. They truly SUCK.
34
I completely agree. They care not one whit for the people they represent.
1
Repeal healthcare benefits for all senators and congressman now. Eliminate retirement benefits for congress and the senate now. When they, who work for us, treat their fellow Americans with dignity and respect we can give them what we get.
25
It will be hard for me to feel bad for anyone who voted for a Republican. You reap what you sew. My heart does go out to all of the people living in those states that did not vote for these charlatans and will suffer the consequences.
28
TrumpDeath the funeral home subsidy.
15
As a recently retired anesthesiologist, who immigrated to Canada over 40 years ago from the UK, my husband, also a physician, and I never considered moving to the USA, because we could never have worked in a country, where citizens could die or be bankrupted from inadequate health care coverage.
As you are aware, US Health costs are much higher and health outcomes worse than most other first world nations with national health care systems.
I have never been able to understand the mentality, the cruelty, of denying health care to an individual, to a child, especially when all the evidence shows health care outcomes are less expensive and better for the individual and the country, with universal access to health care.
http://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/press-releases/2015/oct/us-...
Sadly, you now have an administration which, in so many ways, is cruel, with a sanctimonious viciousness that beggars the mind in 2017.
From outside your borders, the World is watching in horror at the implosion of the USA. This will not end well, for you or for the rest of the planet - the repeal of the ACA is just the beginning.
As you are aware, US Health costs are much higher and health outcomes worse than most other first world nations with national health care systems.
I have never been able to understand the mentality, the cruelty, of denying health care to an individual, to a child, especially when all the evidence shows health care outcomes are less expensive and better for the individual and the country, with universal access to health care.
http://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/press-releases/2015/oct/us-...
Sadly, you now have an administration which, in so many ways, is cruel, with a sanctimonious viciousness that beggars the mind in 2017.
From outside your borders, the World is watching in horror at the implosion of the USA. This will not end well, for you or for the rest of the planet - the repeal of the ACA is just the beginning.
68
If the Rebpulicans were smart, they would repeal the ACA, rename it Trumpdontcare, and put it back. And if the Democrats were smart, they would make a major stink about what exactly happened. But neither one of these things are likely.
7
You wanna bet?
UNLESS the CONservatives are planning on SinglePayer, their Repeal/Replace/Update/Repeal/Replace,...will look like ObamaCare by at least 95%.
They're (at most) Trading in a 2009 Ford F150 SuperCab for a 2010 Ford F150 SuperCrew:):)
Oh and Calling it a Toyota Tundra:):)
UNLESS the CONservatives are planning on SinglePayer, their Repeal/Replace/Update/Repeal/Replace,...will look like ObamaCare by at least 95%.
They're (at most) Trading in a 2009 Ford F150 SuperCab for a 2010 Ford F150 SuperCrew:):)
Oh and Calling it a Toyota Tundra:):)
12
So Trump supporters would rather go back to being denied coverage for pre-existing conditions if it means being able to exact revenge for President Obama “daring” to help the uninsured.
That really is a special kind of stupid.
That really is a special kind of stupid.
34
The article never said that and neither have Republicans. How about we stop making up "Facts" and refrain from the demagoguery and hatred? That might actually help in facilitating a true conversation.
5
David, you are going to be paying higher premiums for less care either at your own expense or at your employers. We all are.
Perhaps let's start with you Mr. White: "In its lengthy series of votes, the Senate rejected amendments proposed by Democrats that were intended to...ensure continued access to coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, among other causes."
I do not see how the Republicans can feel proud of this. They have voted to take health care away from people. This is just one more reason to hate all Republicans. I hope that party gets burned badly in the next election and disappears from the face of the earth.
22
As usual a simple minded liberal filled with the same hate you claim to fear and dispose! Grow up! Dust yourself off and move on with your life!
4
Wealthy people don't really need the ACA except for the provision keeping those under 26 and pre-existing conditions which the Republicans can't strip without 60 votes. And wealthy people will benefit from the removal of the 3.8% investment tax that helps pay for it. The people who will be truly hurt are a lot of the Trump voters which is quite ironic and true marketing genius. I have superb insurance in a grandfathered policy issued by BCBS of Maryland that has a huge (sorry) network and travels everywhere. The policy exist because a Maryland insurance commissioner (Sorenson) reufused to allow BCBS to privatize. Thank God for Blue States.
19
Republicans will cause thousands if not millions of Americans to become sicker and die by repealing ACA. The republicans just stick to their immoral idealogy and do no research. These same republicans have taxpayer supported healthcare for them and their families while they take healthcare away from America ! There are too many Americans with pre-existing conditions with serious medical issues and across state lines insurance will be deficient in providing reputable and effective insurance. You can see the scam insurance policies too easily poliferating on the near horizon with the republican plan of across state lines. The myth of all those competive across state lines insurance companies that will drive premiums down is such bait and switch scam. They will deliver crap policies that won't cover the medical needs and people will pay premiums that will rise just like before ACA. People in Massachusetts like their Romney care but the republican propagandists have lied so much about ACA that people will now, once again, be back to policies that will scam them with poor coverage. Republicans are repealing the ACA, mainly, so they can give the rich tax cuts, that's the only people they care about ... bottom line.
16
Where are the people in Kentucky who will lose their insurance. McConnell should hear from his own constituents and put his feet to the fire. Are they all that dumb in that state.
19
Having lived in a few developed countries, and now in the US for well over a decade, I am still at a loss to explain how difficult it is to use solutions like single-payer healthcare here that is a no-brainer elsewhere and for billions of people.
Take the simple example of the justification we are given for preventing the federal government from negotiating drug prices: that pharmaceutical co's would not be able to recover drug R&D costs (which can be very high) and would therefore be disincentivized from doing more of it. The only problem with that argument is that in Europe, Canada, Japan, Korea, and Australia the very same drugs are negotiated by respective national health care systems. How is it possible for the same pharma to somehow swallow that "bitter pill" of negotiating with these other national health care systems but threaten to take their toys and go home if they have to do this here in the USA?
What is different here?
Take the simple example of the justification we are given for preventing the federal government from negotiating drug prices: that pharmaceutical co's would not be able to recover drug R&D costs (which can be very high) and would therefore be disincentivized from doing more of it. The only problem with that argument is that in Europe, Canada, Japan, Korea, and Australia the very same drugs are negotiated by respective national health care systems. How is it possible for the same pharma to somehow swallow that "bitter pill" of negotiating with these other national health care systems but threaten to take their toys and go home if they have to do this here in the USA?
What is different here?
22
The US picks up the tab that allows pharma profit while charging less in other countries. In other words, it wouldn't be cheaper in Europe if it weren't for high prices here. Your welcome.
The Big Pharmas only take their toys to Ireland where the corporate income tax rate is 2%. Where our country loses out on taxes is on all foreign dividends our citizens receive which end up being taxed by Ireland (in my example). Additionally, we (us taxpayers) fund a lot of the R&D expense through research done at universities and the NIH through grants. Then Big Pharma takes that research and goes from there.
ACA has its share of flaws, but it is utterly bizarre that Americans are actually moving toward the completely absence of some kind of national healthcare. I cannot think of a single developed country that does not have some kind of national healthcare. It is truly bizarre that United States is actively working toward becoming a third world country, and calls that Making America Great Again.
29
Obama's Black. That's why this is being repealed.
#MakeAmericaSickAgain
#MakeAmericaSickAgain
30
Please don't take the effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act quietly. Take action.
Instead of sitting quietly and doing nothing call. write, and e-mail your Congressional Representatives. I've read others have posted that "it will make no difference""...and...they may be right. At least by taking the time to voice your objections...They or their staff will be inconvenienced by being forced to devote some time to you.
Stand up and be counted. Join in the protest marches. I'm old, a bit rickety, and can't afford a trip to Washington for the national march...but...I will be marching in Charlotte, NC on that day.
Instead of sitting quietly and doing nothing call. write, and e-mail your Congressional Representatives. I've read others have posted that "it will make no difference""...and...they may be right. At least by taking the time to voice your objections...They or their staff will be inconvenienced by being forced to devote some time to you.
Stand up and be counted. Join in the protest marches. I'm old, a bit rickety, and can't afford a trip to Washington for the national march...but...I will be marching in Charlotte, NC on that day.
19
Republicans ACA replacement plan: Vouchers for subsidized burial
18
This is about SO MUCH MORE than the previously uninsured losing coverage. Never messaged properly, this law stopped some of the most egregious consumer abuses in history. INSURED Americans are about to again experience pre-existing conditions, coverage caps, cancellations and wide-spread personal bankruptcies (previously, more than 50% of these were due to medical expenses - many were insured - inadequately). It's a shame. America, please stop claiming to be exceptional - please.
22
Carter Page!!
1
Repeal healthcare enjoyed by members of the Congress, at the same time they repeal the ACA. Let them choose from the same plans they are offering the American people. They do, after all, work FOR the people, not against them.
11
We need to flip the house back to Democrat control in 2018, to stop them from hurting the 22+ million people who needs ACA/Obamacare
13
Why, so the Dems can bankrupt the other 290,000,000 of us?
Only when, if, the 22+ million vote in their own best interest, not someone else's...
What I'd really like to see is a federal law that would prohibit states from receiving more federal money than the states pay in taxes.
Exceptions would be natural catastrophes such as earthquakes (NOT a by-product of fracking...), tornadoes, hurricanes...
Exceptions would be natural catastrophes such as earthquakes (NOT a by-product of fracking...), tornadoes, hurricanes...
TRUMPCARE will go down in history as a disaster.
7
As far as representing the interests of their state, let alone the nation, Mitchy AND Randy Paul have been pretty much useless...I don't know how we in KY wound up w/both of 'em...Talk about people voting against themselves...As for me, I favor a single payer plan...plus, free enterprise or not, I imagine insurance companies can do/have done quite well selling life, home, automobile, and other policies...let 'em get out of the sickness 'care' business...(oh...that lil' ol' socialist - me...) Take Care!
9
Anyone searching for the Republicans' secret replacement plan for the ACA can find it right on the bookshelf next to the president-elect's secret plan to defeat ISIS.
15
A 3 million vote loss does not a mandate make.
11
I am really worried that this and other steps by the Republicans will lead to serious civil conflict. Authoritarians, mostly Republican, will respond with institutional violence to the inevitable protests, some of which will turn violent themselves. The outcome may well be asymmetric civil war. All the ingredients are there.
13
So, if there's "civil conflict", it's the response that causes it to turn violent not the agitators who provoked it? We are a capitalist country that operates as a nation of laws. If the economy or political structure don't go your way, suck it up but don't riot in the streets.
Without dwelling on the merits and demerits of ACA, and there's plenty of both, Obama and the Democrats pushed this legislation hastily and in the process assured themselves of a long term minority position in Congress. If they were ready for this sacrifice why did they not go all the way and implement a single payer system? The political backlash could not have been any worse. We'd have had 6 years of that and it likely would have been a whole lot more successful. Let's see if the GOP has the courage to implement that!
1
Repealing the ACA/Obamacare will increase the budget deficit and government debt.
Currently taxes on wealthier individuals to cover the ACA, are higher than the cost of the ACA. The ACA is a net contributor to budget repair. The Republicans are more concerned about giving the 0.1% more money they don't need, than looking after people who do need the ACA to stay alive.
Currently taxes on wealthier individuals to cover the ACA, are higher than the cost of the ACA. The ACA is a net contributor to budget repair. The Republicans are more concerned about giving the 0.1% more money they don't need, than looking after people who do need the ACA to stay alive.
9
“Daddy said a Republican was somebody who couldn’t enjoy eating unless he knew somebody else was hungry,”
― Mary Karr, The Liars' Club
Hence the look on McConnell's face. He and the rest of his ilk will not rest until the poor and lower middle class are suffering. They are not public servants. They are self serving power grabbers with no regard for the needs of the poor and disadvantaged.
― Mary Karr, The Liars' Club
Hence the look on McConnell's face. He and the rest of his ilk will not rest until the poor and lower middle class are suffering. They are not public servants. They are self serving power grabbers with no regard for the needs of the poor and disadvantaged.
16
Funny how in 2009 the Democrats were helpless when it came time to put the ACA together with a public option for fear of a filibuster, but in 2017, the Republicans easily get around it. No, not funny. Tragic. Just goes to show that when they go low, if we go high, we'll get derailed.
5
How many of these self same people voted Trump or not at all
5
What I cannot understand is how much the State of Kentucky loves the Affordable Care Act. And yet they continue to send a useless windbag to the Senate who appears to have no other function in life but to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
Duh, I forgot. It's Obama Care. That's the reason to repeal. Who cares about the people of Kentucky.
Duh, I forgot. It's Obama Care. That's the reason to repeal. Who cares about the people of Kentucky.
10
Great...now we will have many millions more without health care. How Christian. How caring. How un-American. How anyone can ratonalize kicking millions off of access to basic healthcare is hard to understand. Do some Americans deserve to see a doctor, and not others? Do the poor and working class not deserve to see a doctor? No-the emergency room is not a doctor's room. Evil and ignorance stalk the land.
14
The home addresses of each of the Republicans who voted for this needs to be put online.
8
why?
3
"Republicans ... tried to assuage concerns about the future of coverage for millions of Americans.
“'This is our opportunity to keep our campaign promise,' said Senator Roger Wicker, Republican of Mississippi. 'This is our opportunity to ... show to the American people that elections have consequences'.”
They sure do! And losing their health insurance is just one of the consequences of empowering these weasels and their rodent king.
“'This is our opportunity to keep our campaign promise,' said Senator Roger Wicker, Republican of Mississippi. 'This is our opportunity to ... show to the American people that elections have consequences'.”
They sure do! And losing their health insurance is just one of the consequences of empowering these weasels and their rodent king.
8
Fine, let the poor and lower middle-class voters reap the wind of their voting.
10
President Obama has continued to say, if Republicans have a better way to deliver health benefits to as many people as the ACA at a lower cost, he will personally go out and champion that plan.
But the real point is, Republicans have a different opinion about whether government should be there to help people receive health care. Their attitude is, if people are too poor to afford health care on their own, well, tough luck.
Republicans are heartless in this regard. They would much prefer to see those already at the top of the economic ladder reap even more benefits and returns on their income. To hell with everyone else. They have NO INTENTION of trying to present an alternative to the ACA. They simply want to repeal it. And why? Because it is part of their ongoing efforts to destroy any legacy from the Obama administration. They hate Obama so much, and they resent his personal popularity. And they are filled with rage that he wouldn't kiss their rings.
This group of people would rather damage / harm the country than cede political or policy ground to President Obama. In that sense, they are all traitors to the country.
But the real point is, Republicans have a different opinion about whether government should be there to help people receive health care. Their attitude is, if people are too poor to afford health care on their own, well, tough luck.
Republicans are heartless in this regard. They would much prefer to see those already at the top of the economic ladder reap even more benefits and returns on their income. To hell with everyone else. They have NO INTENTION of trying to present an alternative to the ACA. They simply want to repeal it. And why? Because it is part of their ongoing efforts to destroy any legacy from the Obama administration. They hate Obama so much, and they resent his personal popularity. And they are filled with rage that he wouldn't kiss their rings.
This group of people would rather damage / harm the country than cede political or policy ground to President Obama. In that sense, they are all traitors to the country.
13
Heartless and stupid. A healthy population is good for the economy. If people are too sick or injured to be productive, they can't pump money into the economy and pay taxes.
After years of doing nothing but hampering the very working of the government, they decide to act in their best interest (and those of their lobbyists) against the welfare of the people of the US. What a disgraceful act!
10
I know the Republicans in Congress have hurt feelings having had the ACA crammed down their throats, but wow, such vindictiveness. They have started the ball rolling to deprive more than 20 million Americans of health care. In the dead of night.
8
Why does the GOP want to punish America? Why do Trump supporters want to see their friends and families and neighbors suffer and die unnecessarily? Are we really going to let these awful people bring our country to its knees?
18
Yes. I read a terrific post yesterday, a very sarcastic comment to the effect that thanks to all those who did not vote or voted third party in a very tight election, Trump was elected.
Elections do have consequences. The next time you think that somebody like Trump surely "was kidding about the ACA and I hate Clinton, so why not vote for against her", remember 2026.
And tell yourself, if I want a say in Washington, I need to get off my duff and vote after researching and believing the candidates, taking them at their word, and voting in MY best interest.
Elections do have consequences. The next time you think that somebody like Trump surely "was kidding about the ACA and I hate Clinton, so why not vote for against her", remember 2026.
And tell yourself, if I want a say in Washington, I need to get off my duff and vote after researching and believing the candidates, taking them at their word, and voting in MY best interest.
11
And this is how they spend their time. They should all be impeached.
10
I cordially suggest that we should not look upon this as an attempt to dismantle "a law that ACTUALLY WORKED," nor one that could ever work. Its repeal might pave the way to introducing what is in my opinion the ONLY system that can work: "the United States National Health Service."
The medical industry and medical insurance lobbyists got everything that they bought-and-paid for in this law, but the fundamental premise of the whole thing remains flawed.
"You CANNOT provide Health Care for PROFIT."
Furthermore: "You CANNOT provide Health Care that is paid-for 'only by insurance' that is SOLD for PROFIT."
We should see it plainly. Blue Cross of Tennessee (yes, the ones who built the palace in Chattanooga) just cut coverage to 66% of Tennesseeans. Meanwhile, "unprofitable" hospitals in the area are being quietly or not-so-quietly closed. Why? Because you can't provide health care if you are "looking at the corporate bottom line."
If someone walks into a doctor's office, s/he should be treated. If someone walks into a hospital, ditto. This is not a for-profit venture: this is an "inalienable human right." The right to Life.
Government must do what Government exists to do: to do things that are not "profitable." To pay bills that can't be paid. To ensure that things get done which are needed by the People. To ensure that, if you are a human being in the United States, you can and will receive medical care.
The medical industry and medical insurance lobbyists got everything that they bought-and-paid for in this law, but the fundamental premise of the whole thing remains flawed.
"You CANNOT provide Health Care for PROFIT."
Furthermore: "You CANNOT provide Health Care that is paid-for 'only by insurance' that is SOLD for PROFIT."
We should see it plainly. Blue Cross of Tennessee (yes, the ones who built the palace in Chattanooga) just cut coverage to 66% of Tennesseeans. Meanwhile, "unprofitable" hospitals in the area are being quietly or not-so-quietly closed. Why? Because you can't provide health care if you are "looking at the corporate bottom line."
If someone walks into a doctor's office, s/he should be treated. If someone walks into a hospital, ditto. This is not a for-profit venture: this is an "inalienable human right." The right to Life.
Government must do what Government exists to do: to do things that are not "profitable." To pay bills that can't be paid. To ensure that things get done which are needed by the People. To ensure that, if you are a human being in the United States, you can and will receive medical care.
7
You break it, you bought it.... When it tanks the economy, they get to face the American People.
7
Mitch McConnell is simply the most abhorrent people ever to grace this earth. He has no ethical or moral core. It shall be a good day when he is gone from public office. Shame on Kentucky for continually sending this buffoon to Washington. How he rose to the highest ranks of his party is sickening.
13
I don't presume to know the answers but the majority of comments here and the general tone of this article seem to insinuate that the ACA has been all sunshine and roses which for much of America could not be further from the truth.
My premiums have doubled in the last 4 years and my deductible has increased by 50%. All of this with no major expenses except 1 urgent care visit for pneumonia for a 6 year old and minor visits otherwise. I make a decent living and can take care of my family earning in the upper 5 figures. But ACA is slowly strangling our expenses. This last year Aetna earned $11.5k from me before having to pay for 1 cent of expenses except for preventative which totaled wellness visits and vaccines under $1500. So I pre-paid $10k in healthcare that got me nothing. January 1st rolls around and now I get the privilege of doing it all over again.
This is not sustainable but the healthcare we had previously was. The requirements of the ACA as far as what plans must cover are also absurd. It was much better when people could choose what to pay for. We are past child bearing age and have taken steps to ensure no further pregnancies can ensue. Yet we are REQUIRED to pay for insurance that covers maturnity care, birth control, neo-natal care etc.
Insurance should cover the basics. That is what the model is supposed to do. No other insurance market works the way healthcare does covering every little thing. We have to get back to basics. Make Insurance Boring Again!
My premiums have doubled in the last 4 years and my deductible has increased by 50%. All of this with no major expenses except 1 urgent care visit for pneumonia for a 6 year old and minor visits otherwise. I make a decent living and can take care of my family earning in the upper 5 figures. But ACA is slowly strangling our expenses. This last year Aetna earned $11.5k from me before having to pay for 1 cent of expenses except for preventative which totaled wellness visits and vaccines under $1500. So I pre-paid $10k in healthcare that got me nothing. January 1st rolls around and now I get the privilege of doing it all over again.
This is not sustainable but the healthcare we had previously was. The requirements of the ACA as far as what plans must cover are also absurd. It was much better when people could choose what to pay for. We are past child bearing age and have taken steps to ensure no further pregnancies can ensue. Yet we are REQUIRED to pay for insurance that covers maturnity care, birth control, neo-natal care etc.
Insurance should cover the basics. That is what the model is supposed to do. No other insurance market works the way healthcare does covering every little thing. We have to get back to basics. Make Insurance Boring Again!
4
Ryan, the solution is single payer, as in Canada. I lived there for 5 years; it works and I know.
10:1 The Republicans will replace the ACA with nothing.
11
Republicans have had years to figure out a replacement and they still don't have anything viable to bring to the table. Repealing Obamacare without a replacement will leave many Americans without any kind of healthcare. Since a lot of Trump's voters were rural inhabitants or individuals who belonged to lower-middle class or lower, it seems like these individuals will be the hardest hit by the repeal of the ACA. Given that so many Americans do not even understand that Obamacare is the same as the Affordable Care Act, stating that "this is our opportunity to keep our campaign promise" seems a little ludicrous given that a lot of their voters might not even be aware of what they were voting for.
9
Barack Hussein Obama finally getting a taste to bring him down from his ivory tower of pride.
He claimed when he took executive actions bypassing congress that he had "a pen and a phone."
Well, guess what, Trump also has "a pen and a phone" to erase all of the executive actions Obama did.
That means he has no legacy.
Sic Transit Gloria Mundi.
2
Which Executive Actions is Trump going to reverse that has you so happy?
10
So the same folks that voted for Trump are about to lose Federal government subsidies that pay for their healthcare? Only to be replaced by lower tax credits that don't match the subsidies? Groceries are going to be tough to afford in Mitch's home state of Kentucky!
2018 is shaping up to be a great year for Democrats!
2018 is shaping up to be a great year for Democrats!
9
Reading the remarks from Republican lawmakers, it's clear that they have no clue what they are going to do. The ACA has the minimum critical mass necessary for it to work. Removing any part of it will destroy the entire edifice, and I'm sure some of them realize this. I think many of them would like to kick the can down the road indefinitely.
6
The Republicans probably figure that, with luck, the people most affected by precipitous action now will be dead by 2018.
7
I am reminded of one of the best TV commercials ever. I loved that irate older woman standing at the burger counter yelling, "Where is the beef!"
And she was not asking a question, she was making a statement.
And she was not asking a question, she was making a statement.
4
Repealing the ACA is cruel, and mean, when what is needed is improvement on a good idea. The way health insurance works is having a large diverse pool which spreads the risk. Single payer would have done this - as it has in other countries. Some have argued it is easier for a smaller country to provide its citizens with health care, when in fact the opposite is true, in my opinion. A large country should have an easier time of providing health care because more can pay into the system.
Technology has vastly increased the cost of insurance. An MRI costs upwards of $2000 or more and so on with other tests. Repeating testing done by one doctor when you go to another doctor also increases costs. What we need is health care reform aimed at reducing waste. We also need to pay our doctors well. We are entrusting our very lives to them.
Somehow other countries have found a way to give its citizens the decency of health care without going bankrupt. We should be doing the same, and were. Now for many, their lives or roofs over their heads could be hanging in the balance. The whole withdrawal of the ACA is just indecent like our new President-elect. The Republicans have absolutely no shame whatsoever. They are focused on tax cuts as usual, and cronyism.
The Republicans would choose and have chosen war and death over life and health. They are ruthless, and devoid of empathy when it comes to the sick, poor, and old. We are in for a rough time.
Technology has vastly increased the cost of insurance. An MRI costs upwards of $2000 or more and so on with other tests. Repeating testing done by one doctor when you go to another doctor also increases costs. What we need is health care reform aimed at reducing waste. We also need to pay our doctors well. We are entrusting our very lives to them.
Somehow other countries have found a way to give its citizens the decency of health care without going bankrupt. We should be doing the same, and were. Now for many, their lives or roofs over their heads could be hanging in the balance. The whole withdrawal of the ACA is just indecent like our new President-elect. The Republicans have absolutely no shame whatsoever. They are focused on tax cuts as usual, and cronyism.
The Republicans would choose and have chosen war and death over life and health. They are ruthless, and devoid of empathy when it comes to the sick, poor, and old. We are in for a rough time.
6
Republicans have no mandate to do anything when Clinton won the popular vote by 3 million votes. Do your jobs and do the people's bidding!
8
He has all the mandate he needs -- the White House, the Senate, the House, and soon the Supreme Court.
Republicans have STILL not laid out their "replacement" for the ACA. They have had YEARS and YEARS to do research on, and thorough consideration of, a replacement. But all they have done is convince people that the ACA is "bad", destroys jobs, etc - all wrong in my experience and opinion.
I run a small business, and in 2013, the year before the ACA came online, my insurance company notified me that, after years of annual double-digit increases, my bill was going up 27% for 2014.
Thank goodness for the ACA! Over the 3 years that I've had it (2014, 15, 16), I have saved more than $13,000 in premiums, compared to that quoted cost from my insurance company for 2014. And that comparison assumes no further increases in my original policy premiums (in 2015 and 2016) - which is NOT likely, so I probably saved even more.
And that was for BETTER coverage and the SAME deductible: my daughter in her twenties stayed on my policy; I faced no discrimination for pre-existing conditions; I did not fear being kicked off my policy if I got very ill; free preventative care.
Yes, my premiums went up about 9% in each year for 2015 and 2016; and for 2017, they went up a lot - about 18%. But even so the premium for 2017 is STILL LESS than what my original policy required for 2014.
Now who knows what will happen. I'm so tired of people bad-mouthing and lying about the ACA. Truth is, it ain't perfect - but it works, and it's WAY better than what we had before the ACA. Period!
I run a small business, and in 2013, the year before the ACA came online, my insurance company notified me that, after years of annual double-digit increases, my bill was going up 27% for 2014.
Thank goodness for the ACA! Over the 3 years that I've had it (2014, 15, 16), I have saved more than $13,000 in premiums, compared to that quoted cost from my insurance company for 2014. And that comparison assumes no further increases in my original policy premiums (in 2015 and 2016) - which is NOT likely, so I probably saved even more.
And that was for BETTER coverage and the SAME deductible: my daughter in her twenties stayed on my policy; I faced no discrimination for pre-existing conditions; I did not fear being kicked off my policy if I got very ill; free preventative care.
Yes, my premiums went up about 9% in each year for 2015 and 2016; and for 2017, they went up a lot - about 18%. But even so the premium for 2017 is STILL LESS than what my original policy required for 2014.
Now who knows what will happen. I'm so tired of people bad-mouthing and lying about the ACA. Truth is, it ain't perfect - but it works, and it's WAY better than what we had before the ACA. Period!
12
What blows my mind is that just over 70% of the total cost of the ACA is paid by these six liberal states: CA, NY, MA, CT, IL, NJ.
Of the largest 50 cities, I can roughly tell you that 85% of the total cost of the ACA is paid by them.
Simple math tells you that the biggest winners to the ACA repeal is not where Republicans do well, but liberals who foot the bill. - No matter how you slice it, liberals are substantially paying for the ACA.
One of the few wins rural Americans have seen in the last 20 years was indeed ACA.
Of the largest 50 cities, I can roughly tell you that 85% of the total cost of the ACA is paid by them.
Simple math tells you that the biggest winners to the ACA repeal is not where Republicans do well, but liberals who foot the bill. - No matter how you slice it, liberals are substantially paying for the ACA.
One of the few wins rural Americans have seen in the last 20 years was indeed ACA.
6
Mitch and crew are the true basket of deplorables. They are despicable!
7
Senator McConnell (and many others): the epitome of hypocrisy.
8
...show to the American people that elections have consequences.”
Ain't that the truth! And unless there is a change in congress they will be long lasting consequences.
Ain't that the truth! And unless there is a change in congress they will be long lasting consequences.
2
Folks. Let them end it and just make sure THEY get the blowback. Short term pain for long term gain. Yes, I know millions will suffer, but we've worried about them and then observed too many of them voting for the people who do NOT give a hoot about them. Time for some lessons here.
6
This is economic terrorism, pure and simple and a betrayal of every promise.
4
How is it a betrayal of any promise? The Republicans ran on repealing Obamacare.
This unpopular law cost the Democrats the Senate, the House, and now the White House. Before Obamacare, 85% of Americans were happy with their coverage.
Couldn't the remaining 15% have been helped without upending everyone else?
This unpopular law cost the Democrats the Senate, the House, and now the White House. Before Obamacare, 85% of Americans were happy with their coverage.
Couldn't the remaining 15% have been helped without upending everyone else?
I'm a democrat and as far as I'm concerned, they can't repeal the ACA fast enough. Give the people who voted for Trump what they wanted. All the dems need to say is: Look, Trump won; so we're going to give you people what you wanted. Unfortunately, some innocent people will get hurt, but that's what needs to be done. There's an old saying, "You have to lose to gain," and "you reap what you sow." Just let it happen and when they see what they've lost, maybe and I say maybe they'll wake up and smell the coffee. But who knows, maybe they won't get mad, maybe they'll just call it FAKE NEWS and continue to whine about all the people on welfare, food stamps, and how awful big government and taxes are; as they put their granny and grandpa into the nursing home compliments of medicaid.
3
Bravo Rand Paul. I vote in Florida, and I plan to donate $10,000 to defeat Marco Rubio the next time he runs for any office if he continues his support of the repeal of the Affordable Care Act.
9
What a bunch of arrogant fools!
7
If I could speak to the vacuous and ignorant junior senator from my state, Mr. Gardner, I would have a hard time avoiding profanity. These Republicans disgrace our nation with their utter contempt for the sick and the dying. Not one of them has the slightest compassion for those suffering the misfortune of ill health, disease, and pain.
Cory Gardner, you have now proven beyond any doubt that you are an utterly despicable human being with no redeeming qualities at all. You and your Republican colleagues are evil. Evil.
Cory Gardner, you have now proven beyond any doubt that you are an utterly despicable human being with no redeeming qualities at all. You and your Republican colleagues are evil. Evil.
9
"Gut," seen in the front-page link and here in the body copy, is a charged verb that belongs on the Opinion page. There is no pretense of objectivity in its use.
3
The heartless and reckless repeal is the vengence of the Republicans against President Obama. Now, it is obvious that progressives and democrats should push for a single payer system.
5
How are they going to do that without the votes in Congress? Reading the comments in this thread is like orbiting nana land.
Trump said he is not going to allow people die in the streets. Not that I am willing to take his word but I think even someone as brash as Trump knows how inhumane it will be to leave the most vulnerable in our society defenseless. The thing republicans will eventually end up doing is presenting a law not too different from the ACA after shifting a few commas and spaces in the current document. Eventually, the ultimate solution will be a single payer system. Democrats have learned their lesson from the early days of Obama: you can't reach compromise with republicans no matter how far backwards you bend. America will get to a single payer by the next election when the political pendulum swings left again.
3
I have been thinking that too. I really hope you're right.
2
These men need to be infected with vicious diseases and live without their Cadillac Congressional medical care. So they can experience what they want to do to 20 million Americans.
The Republican party is full of nothing but deplorable thugs.
The Republican party is full of nothing but deplorable thugs.
3
It wasn't that long ago that some of the New York Times readers were commenting about how unhappy they were with Obamacare. The costs of the premiums had skyrocketed and the quality of healthcare was less than stellar. Also some healthcare carriers had left the program making choices less than satisfying.
It appears that now that the Republicans hold the presidency and both houses of congress they are being severely criticized for wanting to reform healthcare insurance for the 20 million Americans who are carried under Obamacare. The high cost and poor quality was one of the reasons the Republicans were elected into office. They promised they would come up with a better plan and I take them at their word. It may take a little time but they do not want to repeat the mistakes that the Obama administration made. They want to be absolutely sure it is the best possible plan for those who need it.
It appears that now that the Republicans hold the presidency and both houses of congress they are being severely criticized for wanting to reform healthcare insurance for the 20 million Americans who are carried under Obamacare. The high cost and poor quality was one of the reasons the Republicans were elected into office. They promised they would come up with a better plan and I take them at their word. It may take a little time but they do not want to repeat the mistakes that the Obama administration made. They want to be absolutely sure it is the best possible plan for those who need it.
2
A bill, introduced in the House, H.R.307 - To ensure that Members of Congress and Congressional staff receive health care from the Department of Veterans Affairs instead of under the Federal Health Benefits Program or health care exchanges on January 5, 2017, ensures that those responsible for repealing the ACA continue to have access to medical care after the repeal is effective.
Sad hypocrisy coming from Congress-we have ours so too bad about you.
Additionally, how will the VHA be reimbursed under this proposed bill should it become law, and will veterans be subjected to longer waiting periods in favor of our legislatures and their staff members having a higher priority. After all, rank does have its privileges.
Sad hypocrisy coming from Congress-we have ours so too bad about you.
Additionally, how will the VHA be reimbursed under this proposed bill should it become law, and will veterans be subjected to longer waiting periods in favor of our legislatures and their staff members having a higher priority. After all, rank does have its privileges.
The Democratic Party continues to be tone deaf to the pain coming from millions of economically disenfranchised workers. Until our leaders stand up against this travesty, we are left with an autocratic ruling Republican class whose greed supersedes the pressing problems of our country. America is rotting from within. The historical lesson is that, if we don't change quickly and start addressing the plight of the poor and middle class, we are destined to descend into anarchy as a nation.
"Debate is not allowed", on an issue like this, eh? Well, as a resident of Oregon, I am proud of Senator Wyden's comment, here. And then, there's Mitch McConnell, striding in like the cat that just ate the canary.
Along with Mitch's fat paycheck, the old geezer also has top-drawer Government provided Health Insurance. And now, from his cozy seat, he has the ability to cut off affordable Health Insurance for many, many Americans. That is flat out wrong.
In a Country as wealthy as ours, all Americans deserve a strong, basic health care plan, cut from the same Provider's cloth as our Senator's Health Care plan.
As the rich get richer, and the rest of us are scrambling for crumbs, the Senate's action today shows how out of balance our Nation has become.
Along with Mitch's fat paycheck, the old geezer also has top-drawer Government provided Health Insurance. And now, from his cozy seat, he has the ability to cut off affordable Health Insurance for many, many Americans. That is flat out wrong.
In a Country as wealthy as ours, all Americans deserve a strong, basic health care plan, cut from the same Provider's cloth as our Senator's Health Care plan.
As the rich get richer, and the rest of us are scrambling for crumbs, the Senate's action today shows how out of balance our Nation has become.
5
I am aghast when people say that the ACA was so unaffordable it should be thrown out. Here is my story and my experience. I started working in the 90's after college for a small company that did not provide me or other women in the company healthcare or staff positions even though we all worked full time as our male counterparts. Other companies offered such high deductibles it was a joke, so I had no insurance until I was 30. Now in my 40's, as I make a living in California (silicon valley), I've been through many layoffs, rehires, and layoffs again, and during that time, pre-ACA paid $1300 a MONTH for Cobra for my spouse and I while he was dependent upon me and my cobra insurance after a medical crisis. Now I am working as an independent contractor and pay $150 a month through Covered California. Somehow you all keep telling me this is not affordable? After I experienced paying $1300 a month for Cobra? When does favoritism for the corporations stop and when exactly does it begin to favor the struggling class? Or shall we just go back to debtors prisons? Is that the plan?
6
Only reasonable way out of the monstrous mess made by Pelosi and fellows: Single-payer--no insurance companies involved.
Seems Pelosi and Obama either enjoyed the company, as it were, of the insurance companies or feared loss of campaign contributions from same because they had the votes to make it single-payer and didn't--Obama's real legacy.
Seems Pelosi and Obama either enjoyed the company, as it were, of the insurance companies or feared loss of campaign contributions from same because they had the votes to make it single-payer and didn't--Obama's real legacy.
1
1 AM. The Witching Hour. Appropriate for these Satanic fiends to do their dirty work.
Expect more of these middle-of-the-night legislative assassin jobs because if the votes were being taken during business hours when the public could access the building there would be protests the likes of which haven't been seen since the 60s. Republicans are getting very good at stage management.
Expect more of these middle-of-the-night legislative assassin jobs because if the votes were being taken during business hours when the public could access the building there would be protests the likes of which haven't been seen since the 60s. Republicans are getting very good at stage management.
4
I think that cutting through the noise we should have a nationwide referendum. Tell us what a single payer program would cost, in detail and without spin. Let us decide if whatever that amount of money amounts to is worth it to have true universal health care so that all citizens are covered fully understanding the real monetary cost. Tell us who will pay what at the various income levels and how it would be integrated into current health plans, if at all. Tell the citizens the truth in full and upfront. Let them decide.
2
Why is this buried beneath a bunch of other news? When the Democrats wanted to pass health care reform, there were hundreds of town halls; tons of press coverage for months; and incredibly high scrutiny over the plan. Now, when the Republicans are going to essentially destroy the various consumer protections for health care, there's no public debate; little media oversight; and second rate coverage!
6
The Congressional Death Panel is taking it's first steps to inflict a cruel fate on those Americans who are about to lose their health insurance.
Never mind that "In 2009 Harvard Medical School and Cambridge Health Alliance did a study published in the American Journal of Public Health. This study concluded that: 40 percent increased risk of death among the uninsured. (equating to 44,789 excess deaths annually)" - obamacarefacts.com
Look at it this way: All congress has to do is leave the ACA in place and they'll save 45,000 American lives every year!
Instead, because of their blind obsession to repeal and "someday replace" the ACA, more Americans will die annually than:
- Americans killed by all foreign terrorists of any kind, ever.
- Americans who died in the American Revolutionary War.
- Americans who are killed due to gun violence.
- Americans who were killed in all our wars since Viet Nam.
Shame on this congress. Shame on Trump.
Never mind that "In 2009 Harvard Medical School and Cambridge Health Alliance did a study published in the American Journal of Public Health. This study concluded that: 40 percent increased risk of death among the uninsured. (equating to 44,789 excess deaths annually)" - obamacarefacts.com
Look at it this way: All congress has to do is leave the ACA in place and they'll save 45,000 American lives every year!
Instead, because of their blind obsession to repeal and "someday replace" the ACA, more Americans will die annually than:
- Americans killed by all foreign terrorists of any kind, ever.
- Americans who died in the American Revolutionary War.
- Americans who are killed due to gun violence.
- Americans who were killed in all our wars since Viet Nam.
Shame on this congress. Shame on Trump.
7
Repealing is all about ego and thin skinned legislators. It's the mindset of not wanting anyone to have an opportunity or benefit that perhaps they aren't getting. Another four years of taxpayer money spent on salaries and a generous benefits package for elected officials to grandstand their petty egos. I think a revolution for taxpayers is in order. Our president is proud of not paying any taxes. He equates not paying taxes with being the smartest guy in the room. Why should we?
3
If the democrats' initial intention was to make health insurance single-payer, then why didn't they have the spine to make it that way from the beginning?
Why did they design a program that cost tens of billions with waste and purposeful intentions of making it self-destruct built in? Remember Gruber's "it was necessary to rely on the stupidity of the American voter" comment?
Since the ACA had to be passed to know what was in it and most of those congresspeople who passed it lost their elections as a result, the Left has precious little room to whine about the ACA being gutted and replaced.
No one but brainwashed snowflakes (Gruber's brown-shirted and shiny boot-shod pets) believe that the ACA replacement will be inferior to the monstrosity that it currently is, despite the MSMs' attempt to convince us that astronomically high deductibles and 100% + premium hikes are a good thing.
Why did they design a program that cost tens of billions with waste and purposeful intentions of making it self-destruct built in? Remember Gruber's "it was necessary to rely on the stupidity of the American voter" comment?
Since the ACA had to be passed to know what was in it and most of those congresspeople who passed it lost their elections as a result, the Left has precious little room to whine about the ACA being gutted and replaced.
No one but brainwashed snowflakes (Gruber's brown-shirted and shiny boot-shod pets) believe that the ACA replacement will be inferior to the monstrosity that it currently is, despite the MSMs' attempt to convince us that astronomically high deductibles and 100% + premium hikes are a good thing.
4
And what is the replacement, Ivy?
1
If the Republicans are intent on repealing the ACA and they delay the implementation of the repeal, an inescapable interpretation will be that a major purpose of the delay will be to make sure people don't feel the pain until after the midterm elections. If this happens, the media must not let them get away with it.
2
I'm hoping for a miracle. Of course, the Republicans had to take this first step and they have to repeal the ACA. That was a campaign promise everyone knows about.
I love Brian Beutler's reference to the fact that having the White House and both branches of Congress in Republican hands made it possible for "the dog to catch the car". What will they do with the prize they didn't didn't expect to capture?
1) Keep delaying the date when they'll actually vote to repeal. Maybe Price won't be confirmed, or that process will drag on for a very long time.
2) Trump will knock those Congressmen around and be sure they make changes that will "make America great again" and help those struggling low-income or no-income voters who put their faith in the man. No one who currently is insured will lose coverage, and there will be a bipartisan effort to strengthen a program that has some problems but basically works.
3) Senate Republicans will need just about every Republican to vote yes, but the various factions won't be able to agree on a plan everyone will sign off on. Chaos may ensue.
A smart Republican party that wants to hold on to power will heed the poll that showed a vast majority of Americans don't want repeal, at least until there is a replacement that makes life better, not worse, for the bottom 95%. Then, we may see huge deficits. But of course, trickle down economics will solve that problem...
I love Brian Beutler's reference to the fact that having the White House and both branches of Congress in Republican hands made it possible for "the dog to catch the car". What will they do with the prize they didn't didn't expect to capture?
1) Keep delaying the date when they'll actually vote to repeal. Maybe Price won't be confirmed, or that process will drag on for a very long time.
2) Trump will knock those Congressmen around and be sure they make changes that will "make America great again" and help those struggling low-income or no-income voters who put their faith in the man. No one who currently is insured will lose coverage, and there will be a bipartisan effort to strengthen a program that has some problems but basically works.
3) Senate Republicans will need just about every Republican to vote yes, but the various factions won't be able to agree on a plan everyone will sign off on. Chaos may ensue.
A smart Republican party that wants to hold on to power will heed the poll that showed a vast majority of Americans don't want repeal, at least until there is a replacement that makes life better, not worse, for the bottom 95%. Then, we may see huge deficits. But of course, trickle down economics will solve that problem...
A CNN report, explaining the difference between the Democratic and Republican views of healthcare, states: "They want to give consumers more choice. They say Americans should be able to pick the benefits they want -- why should a 55-year-old couple pay for maternity benefits?
This increased flexibility will likely mean lower premiums, though it could also mean higher deductibles. But that's okay with Republicans, who tout the concept of consumer-directed health care. The more people have to pay out of pocket, the wiser spending choices they'll make, the thinking goes. If people have to shell out $75 for a blood test, they'll think twice about whether they really need it or they will shop around to see if they can get it cheaper elsewhere."
They'll think twice about whether they really need it? Or shop around? Many, many people of all ages must undergo regular blood tests, such as those who have auto-immune diseases and are taking medications to control them. They must be tested regularly to ensure that the medications are working and not causing harm, and that the disease is not progressing. For those individuals, paying a $75 or higher copay per blood draw when there might be monthly or quarterly draws would be a hardship. For elderly couples on fixed incomes, in which both might need regular blood draws to monitor high cholesterol, rheumatoid arthritis, type 2 diabetes and so on such numerous high copays could devastate them economically and emotionally. What on earth?!
This increased flexibility will likely mean lower premiums, though it could also mean higher deductibles. But that's okay with Republicans, who tout the concept of consumer-directed health care. The more people have to pay out of pocket, the wiser spending choices they'll make, the thinking goes. If people have to shell out $75 for a blood test, they'll think twice about whether they really need it or they will shop around to see if they can get it cheaper elsewhere."
They'll think twice about whether they really need it? Or shop around? Many, many people of all ages must undergo regular blood tests, such as those who have auto-immune diseases and are taking medications to control them. They must be tested regularly to ensure that the medications are working and not causing harm, and that the disease is not progressing. For those individuals, paying a $75 or higher copay per blood draw when there might be monthly or quarterly draws would be a hardship. For elderly couples on fixed incomes, in which both might need regular blood draws to monitor high cholesterol, rheumatoid arthritis, type 2 diabetes and so on such numerous high copays could devastate them economically and emotionally. What on earth?!
6
"Consumer choice" has always been a euphemism for "not going to the doctor because you can't afford to".
(I'm an ostensibly middle-class professional at a large company, with employer-sponsored health insurance, and I'm currently avoiding medically-necessary care because of my high deductible. And many folks I know are in the same boat).
(I'm an ostensibly middle-class professional at a large company, with employer-sponsored health insurance, and I'm currently avoiding medically-necessary care because of my high deductible. And many folks I know are in the same boat).
5
Republicans have been repealing the ACA for 6 years.
Trump* said he had a replacement plan during his campaign.
Hard to believe the American people voted for such liars and slackers.
Prediction:
The Trumpublicans will come up with a replacement bill that looks similar to the ACA but will allow for cross-state competition race to the bottom insurance policies that give the illusion of coverage.
Or a different bill that just gives the appearance of protection.
And, since they have prevented the CBO from providing budget analysis, they can film-flam the American people.
PS. How many pages will this film-flam bill involve?
Trump* said he had a replacement plan during his campaign.
Hard to believe the American people voted for such liars and slackers.
Prediction:
The Trumpublicans will come up with a replacement bill that looks similar to the ACA but will allow for cross-state competition race to the bottom insurance policies that give the illusion of coverage.
Or a different bill that just gives the appearance of protection.
And, since they have prevented the CBO from providing budget analysis, they can film-flam the American people.
PS. How many pages will this film-flam bill involve?
11
Talk about a bunch of cowards. They are trying to set it up so they can once again "blame" democrats when it blows up in their faces. The Con Don has the playbook and has told them because he's the biggest bully-liar on the planet.
WE and the media must not let them get away with it. You break it You own it! You will also own the non-violent revolution that will see you run out of politics, tarred and feathered, on a rail to Syria.
WE and the media must not let them get away with it. You break it You own it! You will also own the non-violent revolution that will see you run out of politics, tarred and feathered, on a rail to Syria.
11
Just to be really cute, now that the repeal of Obamacare has passed the Senate via "budget reconciliation", the House should "deem and pass" it in their chamber.
Use the same/same procedural tricks and gimmicks the Democrats used to pass it, in order to avoid debate in both chambers.
Use the same/same procedural tricks and gimmicks the Democrats used to pass it, in order to avoid debate in both chambers.
3
Actually, it got a very thorough debate everywhere, including in both chambers. But, when Kennedy died, so did the vote to pass it without reconciliation and the dems (decently) didn't want to vote before the newly elected GOP candidate (Brown) was seated.
2
That's funny ... the democrats were SOOO bipartisan. Not.
I just remembered another funny thing the Republicans can do!
Refuse to allow the democrats to propose a plan, keep them all locked up in committee, and then loudly lament "where's the Democrat plan?" as if they don't have one at all.
And then have President Trump go to a meeting with them, pretending he's interested hearing what they have to say, and when make the "talk to the hand" gesture just like Obama did.
Refuse to allow the democrats to propose a plan, keep them all locked up in committee, and then loudly lament "where's the Democrat plan?" as if they don't have one at all.
And then have President Trump go to a meeting with them, pretending he's interested hearing what they have to say, and when make the "talk to the hand" gesture just like Obama did.
I find it interesting and admirable that the Democrats are still trying to help people who overwhelming voted against them. The CAPs in the quote below are mine.
"In its lengthy series of votes, the Senate rejected amendments proposed by Democrats that were intended to allow imports of prescription drugs from Canada, protect RURAL HOSPITALS and ensure continued access to coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, among other causes."
"In its lengthy series of votes, the Senate rejected amendments proposed by Democrats that were intended to allow imports of prescription drugs from Canada, protect RURAL HOSPITALS and ensure continued access to coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, among other causes."
23
"The Senate rejected amendments proposed by Democrats that were intended to allow imports of prescription drugs from Canada, protect rural hospitals and ensure continued access to coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, among other causes.
This is cruel, heartless and soulless while not replacing the ACA How many of their constituents are the beneficiaries of the ACA?
This is cruel, heartless and soulless while not replacing the ACA How many of their constituents are the beneficiaries of the ACA?
13
I am writing here, but I know I writing in vain, preaching only to the choir. What does the Republican Senate care about what we say here in NYT? We may have freedom of speech, but what is the point of this speech if it's equivalent to wind in the air?
4
The GOP abhors the notion of wealth being redistributed to pay health care for the poor [a Christian model??].
It's a shame they don't feel the same way about my tax monies being redistributed from my state of NY to their GOP controlled failed economy welfare states.
It's a shame they don't feel the same way about my tax monies being redistributed from my state of NY to their GOP controlled failed economy welfare states.
23
In January of 2009, the nation and the world were envigorated by the ascent of Barack Obama. Despite the dark mood owing to the Iraq war, the financial crisis, and the sheer negative energy of Dick Cheney and George Bush, people felt a sense of hope that Obama was going to do positive things.
In January 2016, with Trump being forced on the voters by 304 electors, and the beginning of a new Congress dominated by Republicans, people are feeling an increasing sense of hopelessness. Our votes have proven to be worthless. Trump's lies and make-believe of the campaign are giving way to realities like the impossibility of getting Mexico to pay for a wall and the serious limitations of getting corporate CEOs to stop using the cheapest labor they can find in the world, even dragging his supporters into the despair of shattered expectations. And the Republicans' explicit agenda for the first 100 days, consisting entirely of plans to dismantle, undo, destroy, negate, and cancel laws and executive orders that directly benefit people, especially the Affordable Care Act, cast a pall of fear and uncertainty on everyone.
We are now governed by the Party of NO, and under the control of an illegitimate and unwanted egomaniac who has disrespect for the law and hostility for the facts. What could possibly go right?
In January 2016, with Trump being forced on the voters by 304 electors, and the beginning of a new Congress dominated by Republicans, people are feeling an increasing sense of hopelessness. Our votes have proven to be worthless. Trump's lies and make-believe of the campaign are giving way to realities like the impossibility of getting Mexico to pay for a wall and the serious limitations of getting corporate CEOs to stop using the cheapest labor they can find in the world, even dragging his supporters into the despair of shattered expectations. And the Republicans' explicit agenda for the first 100 days, consisting entirely of plans to dismantle, undo, destroy, negate, and cancel laws and executive orders that directly benefit people, especially the Affordable Care Act, cast a pall of fear and uncertainty on everyone.
We are now governed by the Party of NO, and under the control of an illegitimate and unwanted egomaniac who has disrespect for the law and hostility for the facts. What could possibly go right?
9
and threats from Russia
Are you worried about an exploding national debt under the republicans and Trump?
Read this out of the Las Vegas Sun:
"GOP concerns about deficits, debt disappear in Trump era"
https://lasvegassun.com/news/2017/jan/11/gop-concerns-about-deficits-deb...
By Andrew Taylor, Associated Press
Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2017 | 2 a.m.
"WASHINGTON — For decades, congressional Republicans have pushed to slash the budget and reduce the size of the federal government, especially during the eight years Democratic President Barack Obama was in office.
Now that Republican President-elect Donald Trump is poised to take charge, deficits and debt just don't seem to matter to the GOP.
The first significant piece of legislation under unified Republican rule is a budget measure that, as a prerequisite for a speedy repeal of the Affordable Care Act, endorses deficits adding almost $10 trillion to the debt over the coming decade."
$10 Trillion in additional national debt, over ten years, to kill off the ACA, and kick 20 Million people and children out of their health care plan. And the republicans and Trump do not have a replacement plan; they have not even begun, in the 6 years preceding when they were taking over 50 votes to try and repeal the ACA, did not even think of a replacement plan.
Read this out of the Las Vegas Sun:
"GOP concerns about deficits, debt disappear in Trump era"
https://lasvegassun.com/news/2017/jan/11/gop-concerns-about-deficits-deb...
By Andrew Taylor, Associated Press
Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2017 | 2 a.m.
"WASHINGTON — For decades, congressional Republicans have pushed to slash the budget and reduce the size of the federal government, especially during the eight years Democratic President Barack Obama was in office.
Now that Republican President-elect Donald Trump is poised to take charge, deficits and debt just don't seem to matter to the GOP.
The first significant piece of legislation under unified Republican rule is a budget measure that, as a prerequisite for a speedy repeal of the Affordable Care Act, endorses deficits adding almost $10 trillion to the debt over the coming decade."
$10 Trillion in additional national debt, over ten years, to kill off the ACA, and kick 20 Million people and children out of their health care plan. And the republicans and Trump do not have a replacement plan; they have not even begun, in the 6 years preceding when they were taking over 50 votes to try and repeal the ACA, did not even think of a replacement plan.
18
“You know, Paul, Reagan proves that deficits don’t matter. We won the mid-term elections. This is our due.” Vice-president Dick Cheney to Secretary of the Treasury Paul O’Neill
“Republicans care deeply about deficits, unless they’re caused by tax cuts. Then they don’t give a damn.” Norm Ornstein, American Enterprise Institute
Elections have consequences...
“Republicans care deeply about deficits, unless they’re caused by tax cuts. Then they don’t give a damn.” Norm Ornstein, American Enterprise Institute
Elections have consequences...
1
I really don't have a clue how any sane person can conclude that anyone in the whole psychopathological Republican Party should be trusted with anything.
This mob of hypocritical narcissistic fools is US public mental health menace number one.
This mob of hypocritical narcissistic fools is US public mental health menace number one.
2
And so the rule of the plutocrats begins...
5
If you're a psychopath, US public policy paves your way to happiness.
8
Here is why the GOP has no problem with repealing and not really replacing the ACA - they believe the people affected are not politically powerful, and therefore cannot damage their political control. The GOP demonstrates over and over that they really do not care about the average citizen. They have brainwashed many to believe that any government program is a "handout" and impinges somehow on their "liberty". The only thing that will get their attention is if the health care industry starts throwing a fit, because they are big money contributors to the swamp. The rich and powerful only listen with other rich and powerful individuals and businesses react. I just had my annual appointment with my GP. I made a passing remark that I was glad I had other insurance not dependent on the ACA. He made one comment - single payer please. I did note that Mr. Trump insists the ACA will replaced essentially immediately. I find it amazing that the GOP apparently feels they can come up with a viable and financially workable alternative in a couple of weeks. I can't wait to see the details.
9
Jealousy, is an understated emotion in politics. Basically, many Americans are jealous of poor Americans who receive government/tax payer help, "Why should my hard earned money be redistributed to those lazy bums?"
This is how one who makes $15/hour after ten years on the job would oppose minimum wage hike, "I get paid 15 after ten years, so why should someone fresh from high school know-nothing gets paid 12 or 10?"
"I only get 200 subsidy and have a deductible of six thousand. My neighbor who does not work, pays no premium and no deductible. That is not fair!"
While we are oblivious to the fact that billionaires and multi-billion corporations get millions and billions of tax breaks.
We surely deserve to sleep in the bed we made, at least those ACA-subsidy-recipients who voted for Trump do.
This is how one who makes $15/hour after ten years on the job would oppose minimum wage hike, "I get paid 15 after ten years, so why should someone fresh from high school know-nothing gets paid 12 or 10?"
"I only get 200 subsidy and have a deductible of six thousand. My neighbor who does not work, pays no premium and no deductible. That is not fair!"
While we are oblivious to the fact that billionaires and multi-billion corporations get millions and billions of tax breaks.
We surely deserve to sleep in the bed we made, at least those ACA-subsidy-recipients who voted for Trump do.
11
In my experience (living in the Rust Belt), many people of the people who complain about other people getting "free stuff" are themselves benefiting from programs like Social Security Disability, Medicare, Medicaid, etc. Many of them haven't worked in years. But it's okay, because "they're not like THOSE people".
The cognitive dissonance is amazing.
The cognitive dissonance is amazing.
6
When they rub Aladdin's Lamp and the genie asks them what they want, they say "Burn down my neighbor's house!".
2
Social Security and Medicare are not free stuff. We pay dearly for it all our working lives.
Medicaid, public housing, welfare, etc. are programs that people don't pay into.
Medicaid, public housing, welfare, etc. are programs that people don't pay into.
I am alive because of the ACA. This is terrifying.
19
What part of your statement is Terrifying?
Glad you are alive because of the ACA. You should write McConnell. PB
3
I think the Republicans need to find the capital to build the wall.
Taking $billions from healthcare to offset wall costs.
Very Republican!
Taking $billions from healthcare to offset wall costs.
Very Republican!
4
The biggest problem with Obamacare are the high deductibles, especially for the Silver and Bronze plans. But guess what, for the past 10+ years, the biggest problem with private employer-provided healthcare plans are...high deductibles. With 25-35% deductibles for the first $5,000-$8,000 of care in most private plans, a majority of Americans have to think twice about going to the doctor. It increasingly seems that the main purpose of healthcare in America is to make obscene profits and the 1% richer. One small case in point...the CEO of my town's (100,000 people) "non-profit" hospital corporation makes a reported $2.7 million salary. They keep buying-up the primary care practices and reportedly pay those doctors $160,000. What a farce/crime.
10
to be fair, those doctors have to go to college, do well enough to get into medical school, incur a lot of debts, work as residents for years before they can earn $160,000.
1
My point is that the doctors are vastly UNderpaid for what they do compared to what the CEO does and gets. Is any CEO of a hospital corporation in a relatively small community with only one hospital worth 17 times as much as a doctor. No way.
The 'repeal and replace' has nothing to do with logical and reasoned healthcare policy. "Let's Make America Great Again" is a Farce.
9
All of you people that voted GOP and are covered by the ACA are getting what you wanted. You should have been more careful for what you asked for. It's just a shame we all are being punished.
18
Saw someone post on Facebook a rant about how terrible Obamacare was, the worst thing since Noah's flood, horrible Democrats should be shot for enacting that - everything in that vein. Then he proceeded to crow about how he had ACA, it's so great, not like that Obamacare crap.
LOL.
LOL.
4
The media bears some responsibility for helping the Republicans brand the ACA. Public perception might have been different if media outlets ignored the disparaging term "Obamacare" and referred to the law by its proper name. I've never understood why the media played into Republican hands and allowed that term to stand.
14
Well I guess I won't have health insurance much longer and I have a cancer with no cure. When they remove the pre-existing clause I will be dropped from my individual (non ACA exchange) health insurance. I guess that is one way to kill off the sick and poor. Prevent us from getting health care.
14
you have a voice. Vote in a Democrat House in 2018 and stop this nonsense
1
they should all have to live within the same system as the rest of us. Doubt they would repeal the ACA if their health depended upon it.
10
Elections have consequences.
Sometimes you get what you vote for.
If you don't vote, you will always get what someone else voted for.
Voters only in WA, OR, CA, CO, NM, MN, IL, MD, DE, NJ, NY, and the Northeast have legitimate complaints...
Sometimes you get what you vote for.
If you don't vote, you will always get what someone else voted for.
Voters only in WA, OR, CA, CO, NM, MN, IL, MD, DE, NJ, NY, and the Northeast have legitimate complaints...
14
Someone once said that the right to complain is sacred and protected by the Constitution. In totalitarian governments, there is massive repression of this right.
Question; if the ACA is repealed does that mean folks will automatically lose their health insurance or does that mean the government will no longer subsidize their premiums? I love that more Americans can now get health coverage but from talking with friends and family it seems that the new coverage is being paid for by them with the premium hikes they witnessed. The family of 4 who had coverage and saw their premiums jump in some cases by 60-80% will have a different opinion on the "affordable" part of the ACA
2
First, President-elect Donald J. Trump has yet to be sworn in. Second, people are protected in most civilized countries. Could it be that the Republican Party is again insisting that only the rich can be looked after. They do not want to pay taxes. That is gross inequality. It is a well-known fact that Republicans do not want to pay taxes. A few generation ago, they had slave. If all citizens pay their fair share of taxes, the pie is divided up. I sense the continuing repercussions of slavery. Finally, if these people will not decriminalize abortions, is it because they care for human life? Not at all. I sense hypocrisy. Moreover, they are throwing stones in the direction of the President Obama by hurting the people. I sense profound vindictiveness and arrogance. I should add that curbing the cost of medical care, including medication, has not been viewed as an option. Thank you.
5
Corrections: 1) A few generations ago, they had slaves.
2) in the direction of President Obama...
I know the gentleman who designed Canada's social programmes. We were neighbours and friends for twenty-two years. He is now an elderly gentleman who has suffered a stroke. But he may still be able to provide advice. In Canada, health care is paid for through taxation. This gentleman was deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State under Trudeau père.
2) in the direction of President Obama...
I know the gentleman who designed Canada's social programmes. We were neighbours and friends for twenty-two years. He is now an elderly gentleman who has suffered a stroke. But he may still be able to provide advice. In Canada, health care is paid for through taxation. This gentleman was deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State under Trudeau père.
2
Elsewhere in today's paper is an article reporting on Ohio residents who are unmoved by the questions of impropriety surrounding Trump. The three most significant highlights to me were: first, they really hadn't spent much time surveying the ongoing reportage of Trump and his cabinet, second that because the cabinet choices are billionaires, that means they must be smart. Finally they didn't want their hard-earned money being distributed to people who are less worthy. These attitudes exemplify the way in which the republican agenda has taken possession of (and I do not mean this in a derogatory way) the hive mind of middle America. I know that there are some folks who have fallen between the cracks of the ACA – between having an employer sponsored health plan and being unable to afford a private plan, but these represent a small minority of the beneficiaries of the plan, although they are regularly used by advocates for repeal. I could not help but wonder how many "unworthy" recipients of government largesse actually inhabit these rural communities, or if they are a meme implanted by constant repetition and reinforced by targeted media. Remember the bumper sticker that said "If you're so smart, why aint you rich?" How do we counter the notion that smart and rich don't always go together. Some people get rich by obsessively chasing money, without any caring or conscience about who may suffer as the result of their predations. Some rich guys are smart. others just vicious.
9
I believe the article references Iowa.
1
How much $ do we send to farmers who already make well over the mean household income? Who's calling who less worthy? Yes It was Iowa.
This is the same Tea Party mindset Arlie Russell Hochschild documents in Louisiana in "Strangers in the Own Land": admiration and trust for big business even as it destroys their lands and community; resentment toward government and "undeserving" (non-white, poor, addicted, disabled) recipients of govt benefits.
1
Republican hubris. Republican arrogance. Republican greed. Republican cowardice. Show us the alternative. Show us why and how its better. Real data.
7
Since Trump is an egomaniac, I suggest the Congress make a few improvements in the law and call it, the New Affordable Care Act (NACA) or Trumpcare!
9
I remember back where Democrats were warned that if they refuse to work with congressional Republicans and pass the bill, as it was written, with absolutely no Republican support that they could expect it to reversed when the Republicans once again gain majorities in the House and Senate. The Democrats chose not to work with Republicans and pass the bill anyway, with 0 votes by Republicans in the House or the Senate. What is happening now is nothing more than the Democrats own doing and pretty much the exact same thing that the Democrats did to the Republicans.
3
Oh please. Obama and other Democrats reached out to Republicans time and time again. In return, the GOP dedicated itself to obstructionism for the full eight years of his presidency.
What substantive bills did Republicans in Congress submit over the past several years to help Americans with jobs, healthcare, education, etc? Their ONLY ideas were (a) repealing the ACA and (b) de-funding Planned Parenthood. They wasted YEARS in these stupid and pointless efforts.
Obstructing Obama at every turn was due to sheer personal animus, and-- let's face it-- not a little racism. (Even though the ACA was *the GOP's plan* to begin with-- right out of the Heritage Foundation).
What substantive bills did Republicans in Congress submit over the past several years to help Americans with jobs, healthcare, education, etc? Their ONLY ideas were (a) repealing the ACA and (b) de-funding Planned Parenthood. They wasted YEARS in these stupid and pointless efforts.
Obstructing Obama at every turn was due to sheer personal animus, and-- let's face it-- not a little racism. (Even though the ACA was *the GOP's plan* to begin with-- right out of the Heritage Foundation).
20
But why does that give Republicans the license to kill off the one thing that works well for the middle class and working class?
2
"and show to the American people that elections have consequences" What a j@cka$$. I don't think they care about a "replacement", or the "20 million Americans". All they care about is revenge on Obama, killing off his accomplishment. If poor people die well, per Republican logic, it's their fault for being poor. They just need to pray harder, and that's their "health care". Republicans lawmakers don't care how "entrenched" it is. It won't personally hurt them, and that's what really matters. And their "mandate" of 26% of the potential voting population is preposterous.
16
What an accomplishment. Cramming a horrible bill through with ZERO bipartisan support and selling it to Americans with blatant lies. The only lives impacted by the ACA were the aborted babies.
2
1) Why are you concerned with abortions? 2) If the woman had carried the sack of cells to term, would you be willing to take care of it?
1
@DecliningSociety-
"The only lives impacted by the ACA were the aborted babies."
What on earth--?? The ACA has absolutely nothing to do with abortion. (Except for the fact that it made birth control more affordable for millions of women, which reduces the need for abortions).
This is just delusional.
"The only lives impacted by the ACA were the aborted babies."
What on earth--?? The ACA has absolutely nothing to do with abortion. (Except for the fact that it made birth control more affordable for millions of women, which reduces the need for abortions).
This is just delusional.
4
“This is our opportunity to keep our campaign promise,” said Senator Roger Wicker, Republican of Mississippi. “This is our opportunity to help the president-elect and the vice president-elect keep their campaign promises and show to the American people that elections have consequences.”
Yes, the consequences are that 20 million people will promptly be kicked off the insurance rolls, unable to afford private insurance. Pre-existing conditions will be excluded from coverage. The lifetime cap returns. Adult children are kicked off their parents' insurance. Women are discriminated against because of their gender again and are forced to pay higher premiums. And people die.
Repeal without a simultaneous replacement equals a death sentence for many Americans.
Yes, the consequences are that 20 million people will promptly be kicked off the insurance rolls, unable to afford private insurance. Pre-existing conditions will be excluded from coverage. The lifetime cap returns. Adult children are kicked off their parents' insurance. Women are discriminated against because of their gender again and are forced to pay higher premiums. And people die.
Repeal without a simultaneous replacement equals a death sentence for many Americans.
11
The far right doesn't care about any of that, coraspartan, except as far as it is bad optics.
1
We have an incredibly complex interlocking healthcare system with many moving parts. Defunding all or parts of the ACA or repealing all of it without any logical system to take its place will send our overall system into chaos and upheaval, not to mention the impact on individual Americans. I wonder how many hospitals, especially in rural areas, will go out of business?
8
Once the whole system is in upheaval, it will be their chance to quash Medicare/Medicaid, too. "See, we told you they were bad!"
It will be incumbent on organizations like move-on to organize mass demonstrations in DC. It seems to me given the way the Rs operate, the only effective option will be to organize large groups of persons who will literally stand in the way of members of congress to prevent them from dismantling ACA and their whole host of other terrible ideas (on ALL other issues). Mitch McConnell and other Rs have shown they have absolutely no integrity, no moral compass, and do not actually care for the people in this country at all, rather only for themselves.
5
I wonder what those Kentuckians who voted for Trump will say when their current health insurance is yanked from under them due to their own Senator's extreme behavior. Let's hope the next mid-term election sees the disappearance of Mitch "wattle neck" McConnell.
14
I used to care about those less fortunate then myself, but I am done now. Time to let Republican supporters reap what they have sown
When they find out there will be no individual heath insurance market for anyone (the insurance companies are not stupid - it's not profitable for them to sell insurance in that market with only the good things in ACA, without a mandate and government subsidies,) they better have a huge chunk of change saved away for the inevitable health care expenses they will encounter.
Oh well, we tried to warn them.
When they find out there will be no individual heath insurance market for anyone (the insurance companies are not stupid - it's not profitable for them to sell insurance in that market with only the good things in ACA, without a mandate and government subsidies,) they better have a huge chunk of change saved away for the inevitable health care expenses they will encounter.
Oh well, we tried to warn them.
9
one more nail, in the coffin for the mid terms- Trump is at 37%. after he guts health care it will go down further; we have not heard the last of the Russian connection; what about the unknown debacles coming along; maybe the House will go Dem in 2018 and then vote to impeach.
7
I wish We had the power to end the health care and pension benefits for every single person in Congress, the White House, and the Courts who dismantle the Affordable Care Act.
13
Republicans show unity and discipline. Once again, in lockstep, they prepare to lead us to our doom.
Democrats begin their resistance by criticizing each other in an attempt to figure out who is sufficiently pure to lead the battle. Part of the debate will involve prominent left-leaning intellectuals disparaging President Obama. Some Democrats will be heard saying, "Obamacare was no good anyway, it should have been a single-payer system."
...And that is how I expect to lose my heath insurance.
Democrats begin their resistance by criticizing each other in an attempt to figure out who is sufficiently pure to lead the battle. Part of the debate will involve prominent left-leaning intellectuals disparaging President Obama. Some Democrats will be heard saying, "Obamacare was no good anyway, it should have been a single-payer system."
...And that is how I expect to lose my heath insurance.
6
Cookie,
Exactly my sentiment. It is sad how progressives here and around the world have been left incapacitated by this right wing populist movement when ,Trickle-Down policies enacted by interest groups aligned with the 1%ers are primarily responsible for the narrow concentration of wealth.
We never supported the 'Occupy WallStreet' movement while the Teaparty was lent every available megaphone to spread their phony concern of budget deficit.
If people are not on the streets or on the phones to show advocate for their cause ,we are in for a long ride.
Exactly my sentiment. It is sad how progressives here and around the world have been left incapacitated by this right wing populist movement when ,Trickle-Down policies enacted by interest groups aligned with the 1%ers are primarily responsible for the narrow concentration of wealth.
We never supported the 'Occupy WallStreet' movement while the Teaparty was lent every available megaphone to spread their phony concern of budget deficit.
If people are not on the streets or on the phones to show advocate for their cause ,we are in for a long ride.
1
Unless the ACAbecomes a bipartisan act, health care will become 1) more expensive, 2) cover fewer people.
The Republicans have no concept of "all Americans." It's gone from "the 47%" to the 89%. The only Americans Republicans think of are the rich and ultra-rich.
The Republicans have no concept of "all Americans." It's gone from "the 47%" to the 89%. The only Americans Republicans think of are the rich and ultra-rich.
12
The ACA expanded medicaid. Americans do not like free programs for the poor. All government benefits must go to people who work and also vote. Sorry, but that's the political reality.
6
And what do you think of corporate welfare? More for those who gots.
4
FYI, *plenty* of people on Medicaid do work (sometimes multiple jobs), but their employers don't offer health insurance or pay their employees significantly over the poverty rate.
Plenty of Trump voters receive government benefits like Social Security disability, Medicare, farm subsidies, etc., so I don't know how they reconcile that.
Plenty of Trump voters receive government benefits like Social Security disability, Medicare, farm subsidies, etc., so I don't know how they reconcile that.
9
Any news article that mentions the repeal of the Affordable Care Act without significant discussion of the replacement plans is an example of sloppy, irresponsible journalism: Republicans in Congress say they plan to drastically reform the American health care system in the next month or so...what do they have in mind?
Some of those quoted at the bottom of this article (as well as most of the commentors) seem to believe, as I do, that the Republicans have no realistic plan or intention to implement a replacement for the ACA. If that's true it should always be mentioned in the same breath when quoting someone who claims they have plan for a quick replacement. Otherwise the journalist is complicit in spreading a lie. If it's not true, and the Republicans do in fact have something in the works, then surely the nature of such a plan is as big a part of the story as the repeal itself. That is, it's a part of the story if the purpose of the story is to keep peopled informed on important issues and not just report on horse race and political gamesmanship.
Some of those quoted at the bottom of this article (as well as most of the commentors) seem to believe, as I do, that the Republicans have no realistic plan or intention to implement a replacement for the ACA. If that's true it should always be mentioned in the same breath when quoting someone who claims they have plan for a quick replacement. Otherwise the journalist is complicit in spreading a lie. If it's not true, and the Republicans do in fact have something in the works, then surely the nature of such a plan is as big a part of the story as the repeal itself. That is, it's a part of the story if the purpose of the story is to keep peopled informed on important issues and not just report on horse race and political gamesmanship.
7
Now is the time for any Republicans in the Senate who also have a backbone to stop this runaway train. It is the height of folly to discard one program that impacts so many with . . . nothing. Nor is it ethical or moral.
Most GOP Senators are sheep in sheep's clothing, but there are a handful who, if they joined with the Democrats, could inject some common sense into legislative action.
If they don't, and the ACA is repealed with no replacement in site, the Republicans will confront an ugly mob in the 2018 mid-terms, all of them chanting, with increasing fervor, "Single Payer NOW."
Most GOP Senators are sheep in sheep's clothing, but there are a handful who, if they joined with the Democrats, could inject some common sense into legislative action.
If they don't, and the ACA is repealed with no replacement in site, the Republicans will confront an ugly mob in the 2018 mid-terms, all of them chanting, with increasing fervor, "Single Payer NOW."
10
They are all spineless cowards concerned only about their own worthless careers. No one will step forward.
That ugly mob may be in DC long before 2018.
I am so tired of hearing Republicans talk about how the ACA isn't working. Really? How is it then that almost 20 million people are using it? Is it perfect? Of course not. It needs to be fixed, not eliminated. Let's please not forget that Republicans in Congress voted about 60 times in the last 6+ years to repeal. Not once have they offered an alternative. Not once. All of a sudden we're supposed to believe that they have a better plan? Sure...and there is a bridge in Brooklyn for sale too. I know people who voted for the republican candidate in this election solely because of his anti-abortion stance during the campaign. So, they really care about human life when it's inside the mother's body, but clearly not a moment after. This is proof. Sheesh.
14
"In its lengthy series of votes, the Senate rejected amendments proposed by Democrats that were intended to allow imports of prescription drugs from Canada, protect rural hospitals and ensure continued access to coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, among other causes."
So here's the Republican Repeal-and-Replace plan -- repeal affordable care act and replace with chaos and suffering.
Sounds about right for the GOP.
So here's the Republican Repeal-and-Replace plan -- repeal affordable care act and replace with chaos and suffering.
Sounds about right for the GOP.
21
Obamacare is and always was the largest tax on the working class in the modern era - to pay for the largest welfare program of the modern era. All of this in the context of record lack of job participation/unemployment, and sold with lies, err careless inaccuracy. It was simply a giant step toward socialism. Good riddance to Obamacare and the Divider in Chief.
3
How much did the "Working Class"'s taxes increase?
5
Are you serious or just horribly misinformed? The US is at a stellar point in its unemployment, contrary to your sloppy assertion, which ignores the context in which Obama entered the presidency. Second, I wonder if you understand how health insurance and/or socialism work. I would guess that you have a knee-jerk reaction to phrases you do not understand and voted to undermine policies that actually benefit you.
12
Untold trillions in future liabilities. Many families saw out of pocket costs go up by 5 - 10 thousand dollars per year. And remember in upholding the law the USSC said this was a tax.
Without the ACA my wife does not have health insurance. Without health insurance she does not get chemotherapy. Without chemotherapy she is dead. I hope Republicans are proud of themselves for voting to kill my wife while they use my tax dollars to pay for their taxpayer financed, employer-mandated health insurance.
35
I wonder if the Republicans are so keen on the Second Amendment right about now.
3
Im sure all the complaining liberals will run out and donate to Catholic Charities and the Red Cross, to provide health care to the poor -- NOT.
4
Yes, it's the Trumpsters who donate big to charities providing medical care to the poor.
And really, since they're poor, those folks should be at the mercy of charities for any kind of medical care. If they weren't so stupid and lazy as to not have full-time work with traditional benefits, then they get what they deserve.
And really, since they're poor, those folks should be at the mercy of charities for any kind of medical care. If they weren't so stupid and lazy as to not have full-time work with traditional benefits, then they get what they deserve.
3
Please-- Catholic health systems rake in *billions* of taxpayer dollars every year. They could fund plenty of free care at their facilities, if they actually practiced what they preach.
In any case, relying higgeldy-piggeldy on charity is not an adequate substitute for having a functional healthcare system. (Like every other developed country in the world has).
In any case, relying higgeldy-piggeldy on charity is not an adequate substitute for having a functional healthcare system. (Like every other developed country in the world has).
4
I happily pay my taxes because that is the price we pay for living a civilized society, and in my opinion, part of living in a civilized society is providing affordable health insurance/care for all.
I will be giving to charity, but my choice is to give to Planned Parenthood and other organizations, like the ACLU, under attack by Republicans.
I will be giving to charity, but my choice is to give to Planned Parenthood and other organizations, like the ACLU, under attack by Republicans.
9
There's a reason the ACA is 2300 pages long & additional paperwork is closer to 20,000. Dealing with health care in this country is a Gordian Knot of stupefyingly complicated balancing acts. Does it need overhauling? Lord, yes. People like Joe Lieberman and Ben Nelson ensured that the end product was a crazy quilt of special interest compromises and that the law was still run by the insurance industry. Now the Republicans - after 6 years of time to construct their alternative are going to just whip up a "terrific" plan to keep the popular components of the ACA while simultaneously gutting the components that pay for them? In a couple of weeks? I'm sure the Liar in Chief will tweet that it's a done deal - but even his propaganda machine will be hard pressed to sweep skyrocketing premiums, people losing coverage, an exploding debt and God knows what degree of chaos under the rug. America - may you live in interesting times.
8
I Love my new President!
1
How nice for you.
2
You better hope no one in your family ever gets sick. I found out that I had kidney cancer four years ago. It was nice to think I can never be denied insurance, but now I have to wonder
3
It's about American Exceptionalism.
How can we be exceptional if U.S. citizens have healthcare like the rest of the developed world?
How can we be exceptional if we provide our citizens with healthcare as a right. Not a commodity?
U.S.A. U.S.A.
How can we be exceptional if U.S. citizens have healthcare like the rest of the developed world?
How can we be exceptional if we provide our citizens with healthcare as a right. Not a commodity?
U.S.A. U.S.A.
5
Well, technically, we can have "exceptionally" high costs and poor outcomes...
It does speak to our hubris that we can't learn from any other developed countries, even though they all spend far less on healthcare (and have considerably better health outcomes) than we do.
It does speak to our hubris that we can't learn from any other developed countries, even though they all spend far less on healthcare (and have considerably better health outcomes) than we do.
Yes. well, technically we can. And do. But isn't that a small price to pay for being exceptional?
And talk about a slippery slope. Learning lessons from other developed countries? Can you imagine the impact it would have if the U.S.A. learned lessons on gun control? And Americans woke up one morning unable to protect themselves? Defenseless? At the mercy of their fellow citizens? I shudder to think.
And talk about a slippery slope. Learning lessons from other developed countries? Can you imagine the impact it would have if the U.S.A. learned lessons on gun control? And Americans woke up one morning unable to protect themselves? Defenseless? At the mercy of their fellow citizens? I shudder to think.
The GOP has had SIX YEARS (of trying to repeal the ACA) to come up with a replacement plan. The fact that they haven't even bothered in all that time and are now scrambling to come up with something coherent in a few weeks doesn't bode well at all.
5
This is truly a historic moment, the Republican elected officials are taking a high dangerous risk, the millions of participants in Obamacare will have the opportunity to express their opinion on the repeal at election time, and this might just be the Waterloo of the Republican legislatures for some time.
Let us just for a moment imagine that the Democrats and the Republicans are united and totally dedicated to working together for the people. Can anyone imagine what that would mean, not only to the people, but to our great country. A united Congress would mean an increase in jobs, in improving our infrastructure, in offering all citizens some form of healthcare, in lowering the cost of education, in expanding our skills in innovations, in leading the world in climate change controls, in changing to alternative energy, in reducing the disparity in incomes or wealth, in more tolerance, etc etc - yes, it is a dream, but it could be real.
Our country has changed tremendously, we have difficulties speaking to each other, working together, and listening to each other. We can only hope that someone will appear to lead us and who represents all the people. We are the richest nation in the world, yet we have a high degree of poverty and homelessness. How can anyone explain this, it is insane. Let us hope that we all wake up fast and start to regain our senses and love for our country.
Let us just for a moment imagine that the Democrats and the Republicans are united and totally dedicated to working together for the people. Can anyone imagine what that would mean, not only to the people, but to our great country. A united Congress would mean an increase in jobs, in improving our infrastructure, in offering all citizens some form of healthcare, in lowering the cost of education, in expanding our skills in innovations, in leading the world in climate change controls, in changing to alternative energy, in reducing the disparity in incomes or wealth, in more tolerance, etc etc - yes, it is a dream, but it could be real.
Our country has changed tremendously, we have difficulties speaking to each other, working together, and listening to each other. We can only hope that someone will appear to lead us and who represents all the people. We are the richest nation in the world, yet we have a high degree of poverty and homelessness. How can anyone explain this, it is insane. Let us hope that we all wake up fast and start to regain our senses and love for our country.
4
Watching these smug Republican politicians gleefully take away health insurance is nightmare. I can't imagine the countless American lives they are going to ruin--and they look so positively happy about it. This truly a dark day in American history. I can in no way pay for health insurance on my salary. And if I don't have health insurance, I risk putting my family in a very dangerous financial situation if something happens to me. I, and 30 million other Americans. Voice of the people seems to have been drowned by the voices of rich and privileged.
6
The sad thing is that a ton of people who lose healthcare, see their hospitals close, etc, will still vote Republican in the next election. In some parts of the country the Republicans are locked in, no matter what. As Trump famously said, they could shoot someone dead on the street and still win over Dems.
13
And when all those working class white voters lose access to the pain management, oxycodone and xanax, we will hear a different tune about TrumpCare. Nothing makes a person nasty like an opioid or benzo withdrawal.
6
So Obamacare was providing easy access to opioids and benzos? That's the downside for the New Haven swells? Sounds like you have some experience.
5
Dear Declining Society,
Obviously you've never been married to a man dying of intractable cancer in the throes of agony. Not everybody takes pills to party, as you seem to assume.
Obviously you've never been married to a man dying of intractable cancer in the throes of agony. Not everybody takes pills to party, as you seem to assume.
15
Andrew was referring to working class whites - for some reason - not end stage cancer patients. My father died of cancer before the ACA and was able to buy generic opioids near the end for pennies per pill.
2
Why isn't this at the top of the page?????????????
10
"One by one, Democrats rose to voice their objections. "Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington said that Republicans were “stealing health care from Americans.”
What is it with Democrats? Whenever they lose at the ballot box these antics that violate House and Senate rules always follow. Someone should inform them of what their dear leader said back in 2009. "Elections have consequences, and at the end of the day, I won" were the words of Barrack Obama. Now the tides have turned. Nominating bad candidates, running poor campaigns, and having the wrong positions on the issues results in defeat. Deal with it and learn for 2018.
As far as Senator Cantwell's assertion is concerned that Republicans are stealing health care from Americans, she is completely wrong. You can't steal something from someone that isn't theirs in the first place. Unless they are paying for it 100 percent it's not. Obamacare was sold on lies by the president and his party. The only way it survives is through stealing from Peter in order to pay Paul. The former is coerced by the government to pay higher premiums, subsidies, and penalties so the latter can afford health insurance. Even with all that costs are skyrocketing and insurers leaving the marketplace. It's time for this law to be repealed. If Democrats truly love it so much they are free to pass legislation that is the same or similar to the ACA in their own states. The rest of us want nothing to do with it.
What is it with Democrats? Whenever they lose at the ballot box these antics that violate House and Senate rules always follow. Someone should inform them of what their dear leader said back in 2009. "Elections have consequences, and at the end of the day, I won" were the words of Barrack Obama. Now the tides have turned. Nominating bad candidates, running poor campaigns, and having the wrong positions on the issues results in defeat. Deal with it and learn for 2018.
As far as Senator Cantwell's assertion is concerned that Republicans are stealing health care from Americans, she is completely wrong. You can't steal something from someone that isn't theirs in the first place. Unless they are paying for it 100 percent it's not. Obamacare was sold on lies by the president and his party. The only way it survives is through stealing from Peter in order to pay Paul. The former is coerced by the government to pay higher premiums, subsidies, and penalties so the latter can afford health insurance. Even with all that costs are skyrocketing and insurers leaving the marketplace. It's time for this law to be repealed. If Democrats truly love it so much they are free to pass legislation that is the same or similar to the ACA in their own states. The rest of us want nothing to do with it.
7
LOL, as if Republicans haven't done similar things in the past. As much as you don't like it, it is still way more ethical than denying even a look at Obama's pick for the Supreme Court for almost a year, or vowing from day one of Obama's election in 2008 to obstruct everything he attempts. Just a couple of the outrageous actions of the RNC over the years. Of course, when they do such things, they are "fighting for their principles" and "displaying backbone". give me a beak.
Your argument about stealing something from someone invalid if they don't pay for it 100 percent implies that you don't agree with Medicare and Medicaid, or you'd be okay with getting rid of it, since millions of people on it didn't personally pay for what they get out of it 100%.
Evidently, you don't understand that once you live in a society with any kind of central government - at all levels, local, state, federal, in the case of the USA - we are ALWAYS robbing Peter to pay Paul one way or another.
Let me check: is Wisconsin one of those states that benefits from the disproportionate amounts states like New York pay into the system...?
Your argument about stealing something from someone invalid if they don't pay for it 100 percent implies that you don't agree with Medicare and Medicaid, or you'd be okay with getting rid of it, since millions of people on it didn't personally pay for what they get out of it 100%.
Evidently, you don't understand that once you live in a society with any kind of central government - at all levels, local, state, federal, in the case of the USA - we are ALWAYS robbing Peter to pay Paul one way or another.
Let me check: is Wisconsin one of those states that benefits from the disproportionate amounts states like New York pay into the system...?
2
"The rest of us want nothing to do with it."
Well, the "rest of you" may get a very unpleasant surprise if you have any changed circumstances in your lives (e.g., a job loss, a disability or serious medical condition, a new baby with serious health problems, etc.)
I really don't want to hear any complaining from supporters of ACA repeal when (e.g.) they or their children can't get insurance coverage because of pre-existing conditions, when they can't continue their cancer treatment because they lost their job, when they file for bankruptcy over unpaid hospital bills, etc.
Well, the "rest of you" may get a very unpleasant surprise if you have any changed circumstances in your lives (e.g., a job loss, a disability or serious medical condition, a new baby with serious health problems, etc.)
I really don't want to hear any complaining from supporters of ACA repeal when (e.g.) they or their children can't get insurance coverage because of pre-existing conditions, when they can't continue their cancer treatment because they lost their job, when they file for bankruptcy over unpaid hospital bills, etc.
1
I think that anyone whose family is hurt by the Republicans in Congress should feel free to hurt the families of the Republicans in Congress. If lives of family members are going to be lost because of the Republicans' destruction of affordable health insurance, then family members of these same Republicans should at the very least be ruined. What's good for the victims of Republican greed is good for the families of Republican legislators. Am I advocating doing harm to innocent members of Republican families? No more than Republicans are doing harm to innocent members of millions of American families. Am I advocating violence? No. There are other ways to harm people. In business. Through boycotts. With demonstrations that hurt commerce. They can be confronted in public. They can be shunned in church gatherings. And they can be dragged into Federal courts by President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder's new National Democratic Redistricting Committee to end the Republicans' theft of voting districts. This is American's new war. Wars take time. I'm gratified by the certainty that this one has now begun.
8
I'm sorry, but how is FORMER PRESIDENT Obama going to do anything? As of one week from now, he is a private citizen with no power or anything else. (The title of "President" is just a courtesy from then on out.) Holder is not attorney general either -- the AG is Loretta Lynch.
2
Their new National Democraic Redistricting Committee (there's a website up and running) will be the focal point for raising money to fund legal action in Federal courts against gerrymandering by Republican state houses. Just as the GOP used conservative courts to upend some of Obama's executive orders, so can the NDRC use the same tactics to confront the GOP and Trump in more liberal courts and restore a more balanced political landscape.
4
I couldn't agree more with Wicker of Mississippi, "elections have consequences", and I'm actually sad to hear myself say that the people who voted to put Trump and the Republicans into office have to pay those consequences.
They will lose their coverage, they will get sicker and they will die prematurely. it's like climate change, facts are facts.
You can deny reality all you want, but reality doesn't care, it just is.
They will lose their coverage, they will get sicker and they will die prematurely. it's like climate change, facts are facts.
You can deny reality all you want, but reality doesn't care, it just is.
14
I am adding a link as my comment to this story. If major news outlets would explain the financial reasons why ACA is so quick to the republican chopping block, americans would be better informed and make wiser political choices.
http://www.cbpp.org/research/federal-tax/aca-repeal-would-lavish-medicar...
Report on THIS
http://www.cbpp.org/research/federal-tax/aca-repeal-would-lavish-medicar...
Report on THIS
2
"As Republicans pursue repealing the law, Democrats contend that Republicans are trying to rip insurance away from millions of Americans with no idea of what to do next."
It's much worse than that. They don't CARE what happens next.
It's much worse than that. They don't CARE what happens next.
4
An old adage applies here: "Follow The Money". The Republicans will repeal and delay - they'll never "replace". Why? Because the only thing they really care about is bigger tax cuts for their obscenely wealthy benefactors. They very much have a "Let Them Eat Cake" attitude toward non-billionaires. Maybe they should take a look at how that attitude and behavior worked out for Marie Antoinette.
4
An odd choice of words by Senator Roger Wicker, Republican of Missisdippi: "This is our opportunity to help the president-elect and the vice president-elect keep their campaign promises and show the American people that elections have consequences." Consequences, indeed! People are literally afraid for their lives and livelihoods if they mess this up by going in without a plan--voters have a right to know now what the new healthcare plan will be.
3
Voters shouldn't have voted for them...
Here is the replacement plan. Do nothing. Let the free market solve the problem. Let people buy insurance. Then, if they need healthcare, they're covered. Simple Right?.
And guided by the invisible hand, it will be great coverage. Comprehensive and affordable to all citizens. Because the Insurance companies will have a motive for providing the best there is for the American people. Competition to make a profit off of the peoples health.
It's so oblivious. I wonder why this approach has never been tried before?
And guided by the invisible hand, it will be great coverage. Comprehensive and affordable to all citizens. Because the Insurance companies will have a motive for providing the best there is for the American people. Competition to make a profit off of the peoples health.
It's so oblivious. I wonder why this approach has never been tried before?
[[Senate Takes Major Step Toward Repealing Health Care Law]]
Good. Hurry up and do it already.
Elections have consequences. Things will either get better or things will get much, much worse. I'll be curious to see how the people who voted for Trump and those who stayed home rather than vote for Clinton cope under the new "system." That is keeping in mind that Clinton was a horrible, horrible candidate and that she, the DNC and entire democrat establishment bear a great deal of responsibility for the situation we are in right now. And yes that includes Saint Obama, who stood on stage and put on his working class "black" voice and told us she was the "most qualified candidate ever."
So, good luck to all of you swing state voters, rural folks, low income folks.
Good luck.
You're gonna need it.
Good. Hurry up and do it already.
Elections have consequences. Things will either get better or things will get much, much worse. I'll be curious to see how the people who voted for Trump and those who stayed home rather than vote for Clinton cope under the new "system." That is keeping in mind that Clinton was a horrible, horrible candidate and that she, the DNC and entire democrat establishment bear a great deal of responsibility for the situation we are in right now. And yes that includes Saint Obama, who stood on stage and put on his working class "black" voice and told us she was the "most qualified candidate ever."
So, good luck to all of you swing state voters, rural folks, low income folks.
Good luck.
You're gonna need it.
2
As it turns out elections DO NOT have consequences; HRC got many more votes. Should say the DISTRIBUTION of votes has consequences.
1
Okay, so now they have enough rope to hang themselves with!
6
This is the beginning of the end for the so called legacy of Mr. Obama. The health care law is incredibly flawed and needs to be junked. But the Repulbicans need to have a really good replacement on board. It is like trading one junker car for another junker car.
5
There is no replacement even being proposed at this point, so it is more like trading in your car for nothing, having to walk everywhere. Barefoot. In the snow.
10
Actually, it's more like trading in a reasonably functional car simply because you don't like the model name...
2
So much for that nice little bump in the stock market following Election Day.
The ACA is one of the few functions of the federal government that tangibly connects to every family on a month to month basis, notably through their health insurance premium. As of last month, we all had certainty as to what that household cost would be through all of 2017.
There's no good news in dismantling the ACA. For the wealthy and healthy, they're not ever going to get a letter from their health insurance carrier telling them their monthly premium is going to be lowered.
Simultaneously, millions of stories will begin to surface of authentic victims to this political maneuver - people who have lost their coverage, or due to health or age characteristics, premiums skyrocketing beyond their ability to pay. It will create vast uncertainty both in the health care sector of the economy as well as a multitude of household wallets. With hesitation and unpredictability, consumer optimism withdraws, as does spending.
The markets began signaling that today. Watch as the Senate's dismantling action takes place over the next 3-4 weeks, and the market begins to reflect the impending uncertainty. The next recession is triggered when 9% of the country sees their monthly insurance invoice replaced with a cancellation notice or a rate increase they cannot pay. Not sometime in the future, but here in 2017.
The ACA is one of the few functions of the federal government that tangibly connects to every family on a month to month basis, notably through their health insurance premium. As of last month, we all had certainty as to what that household cost would be through all of 2017.
There's no good news in dismantling the ACA. For the wealthy and healthy, they're not ever going to get a letter from their health insurance carrier telling them their monthly premium is going to be lowered.
Simultaneously, millions of stories will begin to surface of authentic victims to this political maneuver - people who have lost their coverage, or due to health or age characteristics, premiums skyrocketing beyond their ability to pay. It will create vast uncertainty both in the health care sector of the economy as well as a multitude of household wallets. With hesitation and unpredictability, consumer optimism withdraws, as does spending.
The markets began signaling that today. Watch as the Senate's dismantling action takes place over the next 3-4 weeks, and the market begins to reflect the impending uncertainty. The next recession is triggered when 9% of the country sees their monthly insurance invoice replaced with a cancellation notice or a rate increase they cannot pay. Not sometime in the future, but here in 2017.
8
I am a self-employed small business owner who is able to buy health insurance through the ACA/Obamacare at affordable rates. Without this ability to buy health insurance, I may have to close my business and find an employer who will pay for my health insurance. What sense does this make?
What really drives me crazy about this whole thing is that the ACA/Obamacare was originally created by Mitt Romney in Massachusetts based on a Heritage Foundation (Republican) plan. This plan was very successful in MA. It was used as the basis for the national ACA/Obamacare plan because it was proven to be successful at the state level *and* because it should have had bipartisan support (since it came from a Republican think tank to begin with!!).
This is not about health care - this is about partisan politics - stripping Obama's achievements and screwing the people out of healthcare in the process. They should be fixing what is wrong with the ACA instead of just repealing it and kicking millions off of health insurance.
What really drives me crazy about this whole thing is that the ACA/Obamacare was originally created by Mitt Romney in Massachusetts based on a Heritage Foundation (Republican) plan. This plan was very successful in MA. It was used as the basis for the national ACA/Obamacare plan because it was proven to be successful at the state level *and* because it should have had bipartisan support (since it came from a Republican think tank to begin with!!).
This is not about health care - this is about partisan politics - stripping Obama's achievements and screwing the people out of healthcare in the process. They should be fixing what is wrong with the ACA instead of just repealing it and kicking millions off of health insurance.
14
Republicans don't have a plan...never had a plan.... All they wanted was something to rile up the public and get them to act like a swarm of angry flies around Obama's head. Now, they have to deliver something rotten to the angry flies.
4
"The presiding officer, Senator Cory Gardner, Republican of Colorado, repeatedly banged his gavel and said the Democrats were out of order because “debate is not allowed during a vote.”
Whaddya think this is, a democracy?
Whaddya think this is, a democracy?
3
This is why so many of us are so intolerant towards the GOP's stated concern for the unborn.
Look what they are doing to poor mothers. Mothers that work 2 part jobs just to feed their children.
Total hypocrisy.
Look what they are doing to poor mothers. Mothers that work 2 part jobs just to feed their children.
Total hypocrisy.
8
The ACA is working quite well in states that accepted the medicaid expansion. My rate in CA went up only $17 this year (3%), which is consistent with what it's been the last several years! CA wants it to work and it's working here. It's the states that haven't wanted to law to work for political reasons, that have higher increases and these predominantly tend to be - you guessed it - red states that voted for Trump. Not only that, there are people in Kentucky, for example, who love Kentucky Kynect, its version of the ACA, but who don't realize it's Obamacare, which they think they hate, even though the programs are one and the same. So we're here due to voter ignorance and a cold blooded GOP leaders keeping much needed health care from millions of poorer Americans. Now the GOP will try to come up with a replacement only to find there isn't one that will work better. Good Luck. But my heart goes out to all Americans who truly need this law (and that likely includes a majority of Americans, if not now then one day). If the heartless GOP destroys this law without a viable replacement, they will indeed go down as the most heartless, cold blooded, despicable group of lawmakers in the History of the US. If there is a hell, they will indeed burn in it. Suitable words that aren't offensive do not exist to express the loathing I have for people who would take HC away from millions.
5
This morning I have called Tom Price's Ga office, David Purdue Ga Office and Johnny Isacson's Ga Office. I got through on the first try, that means not enough people are calling. I made clear I am a Georgia voter. I also made clear that I had helped several of my friends who are Republican small business owners who live in upper middle class to wealthy Republican areas of their districts obtain Obamacare coverage. They asked me what the business names and who they were are gave them to them. One is a General Contractor who does multimillion dollar business. Another owned the local Hair Salon in a upscale community for 15 years at the current location. Then I told that my next door neighbors also are small business owners covered by the ACA.
I also, made it clear to Isackson's office that I was in the same circle of people with his children, my children's nanny and friends knew the same people from their Private school. I gave the details.
At Prices, I made it clear I read the entire 200 page cut and place plan and it was that. That the average people even in his wealthy district could not or would not set aside money into Health savings account. I pointed out that my Mother -in law had even brought her children to the Pediatrician Dr. Price shared office space with. Then brought one to visit him. I pointed out that I used the orthopedic group across from his old office. I told them you know even the folks in this district can't afford HSA's
I also, made it clear to Isackson's office that I was in the same circle of people with his children, my children's nanny and friends knew the same people from their Private school. I gave the details.
At Prices, I made it clear I read the entire 200 page cut and place plan and it was that. That the average people even in his wealthy district could not or would not set aside money into Health savings account. I pointed out that my Mother -in law had even brought her children to the Pediatrician Dr. Price shared office space with. Then brought one to visit him. I pointed out that I used the orthopedic group across from his old office. I told them you know even the folks in this district can't afford HSA's
5
The ACA is being put to sleep prior to its collapsing and dying on its own. I say "good riddance".
Yes 20 million folks got healthcare...at the expense of 150,000,000 folks that saw there insurance coverage shrink and costs skyrocket. For example, prior to ACA I had a PPO plan with a $20 deductible for which I paid $800/month for my family of five. My out of pocket medical expenses were around $10,000/year but I took my kids to the doctor and was covered in case of catastrophe. Post ACA, my premium went to $1,200/month and I have a cute little $6,000 deductible FOR EACH MEMBER OF MY FAMILY! If my family was in a car accident on the way to Grandma's house I could be out of pocket $44,400 before I receive ANY insurance coverage.
Now do you see why the 150,000,000 are in favor of killing the ACA? Making life miserable and financially untenable for the many to help the few is not a winning political formula. Finally the makers stood up to the takers.
Yes 20 million folks got healthcare...at the expense of 150,000,000 folks that saw there insurance coverage shrink and costs skyrocket. For example, prior to ACA I had a PPO plan with a $20 deductible for which I paid $800/month for my family of five. My out of pocket medical expenses were around $10,000/year but I took my kids to the doctor and was covered in case of catastrophe. Post ACA, my premium went to $1,200/month and I have a cute little $6,000 deductible FOR EACH MEMBER OF MY FAMILY! If my family was in a car accident on the way to Grandma's house I could be out of pocket $44,400 before I receive ANY insurance coverage.
Now do you see why the 150,000,000 are in favor of killing the ACA? Making life miserable and financially untenable for the many to help the few is not a winning political formula. Finally the makers stood up to the takers.
6
Insurance companies raised rates for years before the ACA was enacted, simply because they could and there was nothing to stop them. My premiums went up astronomically in the mid-2000s, before the ACA was enacted.
You'd probably be paying *even more* now, if there was no ACA and your insurance company had been left to its own profit-hungry devices.
At least now, the ACA requires them to justify rate increases and caps them at a certain %.
You'd probably be paying *even more* now, if there was no ACA and your insurance company had been left to its own profit-hungry devices.
At least now, the ACA requires them to justify rate increases and caps them at a certain %.
1
Your deductible may be $6000/person, but it's capped at about twice that, no matter what your family size is.
So where is the Republican hard evidence that the ACA is a disaster and is unraveling? Every statistic, every piece of information we have about the system indicates that this is a blatant lie
The sole evidence they ever cite is anecdotal evidence about rising premiums--but these rising premiums are exclusively for wealthy self-employed people who are not receiving subsidies--a teeny tiny fraction of the millions who have received health care under the ACA. Their fantasy stories about having better insurance at half the price before the ACA are just flat-out lies. They may have had junk policies or they are making political statements rather than statements of fact.
Granted, people in states that refused to extend Medicaid are also affected because Republicans in red states don't think low wage workers deserve health care. Let 'em die.
In short, the complaints about the ACA, the idea that it is a "disaster," are utterly phony. The Republicans don't even have a plan to help the wealthy consumers of individual insurance. They don't have a plan at all.
Repealing the ACA for the sake of bloodying President Obama's nose--the seeming prime motivation for this--is the crassest, most sociopathic action taken by Congress within living memory. It is akin to the WWII interment camps in its reach and cruelty.
Today's NY Times has a story saying that Trump supporters in Iowa are unconcerned about their President-elect. Well, what more has to happen before they become concerned?
The sole evidence they ever cite is anecdotal evidence about rising premiums--but these rising premiums are exclusively for wealthy self-employed people who are not receiving subsidies--a teeny tiny fraction of the millions who have received health care under the ACA. Their fantasy stories about having better insurance at half the price before the ACA are just flat-out lies. They may have had junk policies or they are making political statements rather than statements of fact.
Granted, people in states that refused to extend Medicaid are also affected because Republicans in red states don't think low wage workers deserve health care. Let 'em die.
In short, the complaints about the ACA, the idea that it is a "disaster," are utterly phony. The Republicans don't even have a plan to help the wealthy consumers of individual insurance. They don't have a plan at all.
Repealing the ACA for the sake of bloodying President Obama's nose--the seeming prime motivation for this--is the crassest, most sociopathic action taken by Congress within living memory. It is akin to the WWII interment camps in its reach and cruelty.
Today's NY Times has a story saying that Trump supporters in Iowa are unconcerned about their President-elect. Well, what more has to happen before they become concerned?
9
The rising premiums and deductibles are not exclusively for "wealthy self-employed people". According the Dept of HHS the average 2016 premium increase was 25%, a figure some argue is understated. Some people saw much much higher increases than that.
http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/2016/11/01/Here-s-How-Much-Obamacare-Premi...
The problem with the ACA is that it mispriced insurance assets for political reasons. The creators hoped that it would all work out because young healthy people would be forced to purchase insurance. But young healthy people respond to incentives just as surely as everyone else. If you can't be denied coverage b/c of pre-existing conditions and can stay on parents' coverage until 26 you have much less of a reason to purchase insurance.
Forcing men to pay for women specific items in order to subsidize women or arbitrarily limiting the premium ratio difference between young and old in order to subsidize the old just made the policies that much less attractive to consumers.
This is why Obamacare is slowly falling apart under its own weight. Insurance companies are losing money and leaving the exchanges. Consumers may have coverage but can't afford to use it because of the deductibles.
In short, the complaints are not phony. They are real and were predicted by anyone with an embryonic understanding of economics.
http://www.thefiscaltimes.com/2016/11/01/Here-s-How-Much-Obamacare-Premi...
The problem with the ACA is that it mispriced insurance assets for political reasons. The creators hoped that it would all work out because young healthy people would be forced to purchase insurance. But young healthy people respond to incentives just as surely as everyone else. If you can't be denied coverage b/c of pre-existing conditions and can stay on parents' coverage until 26 you have much less of a reason to purchase insurance.
Forcing men to pay for women specific items in order to subsidize women or arbitrarily limiting the premium ratio difference between young and old in order to subsidize the old just made the policies that much less attractive to consumers.
This is why Obamacare is slowly falling apart under its own weight. Insurance companies are losing money and leaving the exchanges. Consumers may have coverage but can't afford to use it because of the deductibles.
In short, the complaints are not phony. They are real and were predicted by anyone with an embryonic understanding of economics.
1
How much is also due to many states not participating? This really is a question.
And Democrats wonder why they lost the House and Senate in 2010? If Obamacare was so popular, it should have ensured Democratic majorities in Congress.
If the GOP had any real guts, they'd demonstrate it by eliminating the health care plan for Congress. They are acting like a bunch of cowards who understand no matter what they do, their own health plans are safe and sound.
5
It's clear that the current GOP in power is an extremist bunch who are determined to inflict pain and suffering upon fellow Americans. Due to the perks of their office, they receive the finest medical care and insurance yet wish to destroy healthcare for the rest of the country including their own constituents. Is it in reaction to their hatred of the African American's success as a two term President or is it due to the ignorance of those who elected Trump? If this threat to our health and welfare isn't enough to make Americans sit up and take notice, then we have no reason not to expect that we will lose our democracy, our health to be replaced by a Russian style oligarchy. They seem to have made a calculation that it's okay to kill off or injure millions of people to achieve their goal of a permanent empire with total control of all instruments and agencies of power. Damn the Constitution, if it doesn't suit their ends. And damn us if we don't resist them before it's too late.
4
Turdface McConnel sure looks pleased with himself while olaying pocketpool
4
For those eligible for subsidies, or the newly Medicaid eligible, Obamacare was a godsend. That's 20 million people. Many were sick and untreated, and suddenly got care that was virtually free.
I know many of these people and I feel for them.
For those who were just above the income line, it has been a disaster. They paid such huge premiums and deductibles they couldn't afford to use their benefits at all.
This latter group is vocal and powerful. They are often middle aged and middle class can't afford to go without insurance. They are the more successful self-employed, not ultra rich, but caught in the middle. They are the Obamacare losers, who have howled loudly.
The problem is that American healthcare is too expensive, period. Think epi-pen. Think hospital aspirin. Whether you pay for it yourself or the government pays it doesn't matter. Because there isn't enough money in the world for the government to pay for such expensive care for everyone, they had to decide who to save, and who to let drown.
I can't believe the Republicans can do anything different.
I know many of these people and I feel for them.
For those who were just above the income line, it has been a disaster. They paid such huge premiums and deductibles they couldn't afford to use their benefits at all.
This latter group is vocal and powerful. They are often middle aged and middle class can't afford to go without insurance. They are the more successful self-employed, not ultra rich, but caught in the middle. They are the Obamacare losers, who have howled loudly.
The problem is that American healthcare is too expensive, period. Think epi-pen. Think hospital aspirin. Whether you pay for it yourself or the government pays it doesn't matter. Because there isn't enough money in the world for the government to pay for such expensive care for everyone, they had to decide who to save, and who to let drown.
I can't believe the Republicans can do anything different.
1
On behlaf of the master of bankruptcy, Donald Trump, Republicans are bankrupting the physical and mental health of millions of the poorest people in the country. Instead of making the Affordable Care Act more affordable by striking a deal with health insurance companies, Mr. Trump and Mr. McConnell are pushing through a manic agenda that will leave over 20 million without health care and lead to the annual death of thousands each year. Heartless and irresponsible.
Democrats and health care systems should sue against the budget measure in federal court or in the supreme court because it intentionally aims to interfere with existing law that serves millions of citizens in the country!
Democrats and health care systems should sue against the budget measure in federal court or in the supreme court because it intentionally aims to interfere with existing law that serves millions of citizens in the country!
4
Repeal Congressional lifetime-health-care AND lifetime-pension-care for Republican members immediately. These men-among-men individulalists don't want or need to spend a lifetime on the dole from the un-American socialist welfare-state. They are not sissies or wimps who need hand-outs.
5
Mitch McConnell has a black soul. As do all his cohorts in the House and Senate hellbent on shifting millions of taxpaying US citizens off a health plan.
11
Never forget, never forgive. The Repubs have done this with not a shred of plan to replace or repair. They simply do not care what happens to tens of millions that will lose their coverage. The pathetic irony is that the majority of those that will be hurt the most are the very people that voted for Trump and his party.
2018 is our only hope. Make them pay the price. And meanwhile, speak with your wallets and march in the streets.
2018 is our only hope. Make them pay the price. And meanwhile, speak with your wallets and march in the streets.
36
These actions are cruel, unethical,discriminatory, racist and just the tip of the iceberg of the damage yet to come to civil society. Mr. Trump is well-known as a vengeful man. It's easy to find information on what he did to the person who said he had small hands years ago. He was so thin-skinned at being lightly teased at the White House Correspondent's dinner a few years ago that the entire house has to be brought down by him to appease him.
8
Disgusting. They should all lose their coverage too.
9
Senator Enzi seemed quite enthused and kept referring to bridges. Might I suggest Chris Christie as the person to craft a new health care bill. At least he has experience in bridges.
4
There is one thing we can do and it is time to do it! We need to sue people like McConnell for not doing his job. He literally obstructed everything he possibly could during Obama's tenure. I would like to sue Mitch, any attorney's up for the challenge? Please respond here!
5
Of course, I don't believe we are allowed to sue them.
If, and, more likely when, people start dying, as a direct result of Republican Senators gutting the Affordable Care Act without a sensible, timely replacement, they have deaths on their hands. We must hold these senators accountable. California Democratic Sen. Harris is doing a great job, representing our interests. And what a job she has. Republican senators voted against everything T promised retaining in the Affordable Care Act. Heartless, selfish senators voted against millions of Americans having accessible health care, they voted against "healthy" hospitals for all -- for poor people use emergency rooms that paying customers also use, which means longer wait times for real emergencies. They even voted against funding rural hospitals. I thought the "rural" vote is what helped T get elected. Yet these Republican senators want a tax break for the millionaires and billionaires. What's wrong with the people, who voted for this painful circus that will hurt so many? America was great. T is gutting our world. Talk about government interfering. Call your senators and tell them how you feel if you care. We are living amongst heartless people, more than I could imagine.
4
Repealing the Affordable Care Act is a move of political racism against our first Black President. This is only one step of many laws the right-wing Republicans will erase to try to negate the fact that we ever had a Black president.
I expect Dodd-Frank to fall as well as the Consumer Protection Bureau and many other laws that protect people and our environment.
I'm ashamed of my elected leaders who couldn't care less about the people who elected them as they begin enacting vengeful repeal of needed laws.
I expect Dodd-Frank to fall as well as the Consumer Protection Bureau and many other laws that protect people and our environment.
I'm ashamed of my elected leaders who couldn't care less about the people who elected them as they begin enacting vengeful repeal of needed laws.
6
Enough with the racism nonsense. Thank goodness liberals won't be able to fall back on this during the next four years.
Every person I know that voted for Obama in 2008, voted for Trump this time. Did they suddenly become racist?
Every person I know that voted for Obama in 2008, voted for Trump this time. Did they suddenly become racist?
I propose that the federal healthcare plan (paid for by us taxpayers) that the members of the House and Senate enjoy be eliminated. That way they can go out into the individual marketplace and share the experience of millions of other Americans -- trying to find affordable healthcare. Maybe then they would understand why we need the ACA.
5
Republicans are evil.
If the ACA is repealed, people will die.
To play games with people's health and their lives is evil, that's all there is to it.
If the ACA is repealed, people will die.
To play games with people's health and their lives is evil, that's all there is to it.
5
As President Obama repeatedly said, "elections have consequences". This is a democracy, and the elections have shown the pubkins winning all over the country.
Give them a chance to either: (a) make it better as they claim, or (b) self-destruct. In either case, by the next elections we'll all win.
Give them a chance to either: (a) make it better as they claim, or (b) self-destruct. In either case, by the next elections we'll all win.
3
In the meantime, those who desperately need access to health care won't have it. Not everyone has the ability to wait, unfortunately.
Do the poor voters in Kentucky realize what is coming their way? Why do you keep voting McConnell in?
11
It took decades for ANYBODY to get ANYTHING in place beyond plain old Medicare/Medicaid. Thanks Obama. Of course, anything done without full bipartisan participation, and probably even with it, would need to be tweaked. Instead of helping by tweaking it, the RNC spent 6 years trying to repeal with no alternate option.
Evidently, the ACA is not a complete disaster as the Republicans keep saying, otherwise it would harm nothing to repeal it as quickly as possible to stop mortal hemorrhaging. In fact, evidently it's pretty good on balance, if it's so hard to replace it that the Republicans couldn't come up with a replacement plan in six years.
Now, not only is the shaping of policy politicized (as usual), but now politics is leading to an unholy rush to do something even before anyone agrees what to do. The Republican Party will try to game this any way they can that will allow them to avoid blame if their efforts crash and burn, but anything short of COMPLETELY repealing the ACA and replacing it with something better in short order will NOT be a fulfillment of Trump's campaign promise. Any negative effects of shutting down parts of the ACA so that, on balance, things are worse than they were for the Americans who use it or want to use it, will NOT be Obama's and the DNC's fault, despite RNC attempts to play it off that way.
Republicans, this is your chance to do the right thing instead of the partisan thing. Rise out of the swamp.
Evidently, the ACA is not a complete disaster as the Republicans keep saying, otherwise it would harm nothing to repeal it as quickly as possible to stop mortal hemorrhaging. In fact, evidently it's pretty good on balance, if it's so hard to replace it that the Republicans couldn't come up with a replacement plan in six years.
Now, not only is the shaping of policy politicized (as usual), but now politics is leading to an unholy rush to do something even before anyone agrees what to do. The Republican Party will try to game this any way they can that will allow them to avoid blame if their efforts crash and burn, but anything short of COMPLETELY repealing the ACA and replacing it with something better in short order will NOT be a fulfillment of Trump's campaign promise. Any negative effects of shutting down parts of the ACA so that, on balance, things are worse than they were for the Americans who use it or want to use it, will NOT be Obama's and the DNC's fault, despite RNC attempts to play it off that way.
Republicans, this is your chance to do the right thing instead of the partisan thing. Rise out of the swamp.
9
It is so easy for them to repeal while they sit there with heavily subsidized healthcare plans (better insurance than our veterans receive). They have shown that they don't care about the little guy and that in their deep, dark hearts they wish we would shut up and die.
10
Several years ago, CA ran one of the most controversial and successful ad campaigns against the tobacco industry. The had an ad with the words "the world's biggest drug dealers" and under it, the pictures of tobacco executives. We need to run a similar ad again, only with the US's #1 killers/ disablers and the pics of Congress members who vote against the ACA and other health legislation that tries to help people.
9
The ACA is a near mirrored image of a Bi-partisan, during a GOP governor (Romneycare to you), driven by the Heritage Society, field tested, very successful health program. The designer of Romney care even assisted in the design of the ACA. What problems exist are there because of the 151 changes to the ACA, to include eliminating the single payer option the GOP made to the program. Then the GOP defunded the logistical development of the program while it was being implemented.
Taxes have not been raised for ordinary, non-wealthy Americans to pay for the Affordable Care Act.
Only two Affordable Care Act taxes apply to individuals.
Households with earned income above $200,000 if single or $250,000 if married filing jointly pay an extra 0.9 percent Medicare tax on all earnings over that threshold.
Wealthy investors. There’s also an extra 3.8 percent Medicare tax on "net investment income" such as interest, dividends, and capital gains. But the tax only applies to households with a modified adjusted gross income of more than $200,000 if single and $250,000 if married filing jointly and it is only applied to total investment income or the amount that investment income exceeds those income thresholds, whichever is smaller.
Taxes have not been raised for ordinary, non-wealthy Americans to pay for the Affordable Care Act.
Only two Affordable Care Act taxes apply to individuals.
Households with earned income above $200,000 if single or $250,000 if married filing jointly pay an extra 0.9 percent Medicare tax on all earnings over that threshold.
Wealthy investors. There’s also an extra 3.8 percent Medicare tax on "net investment income" such as interest, dividends, and capital gains. But the tax only applies to households with a modified adjusted gross income of more than $200,000 if single and $250,000 if married filing jointly and it is only applied to total investment income or the amount that investment income exceeds those income thresholds, whichever is smaller.
11
Fake News at its best. You are failing to mention that the great majority of miuddle class families had their premiums skyrocket and their coverage reduced. This literally means that many middle class families had to deny their own families goods and sercvices to pay for medical insurance for the takers.
"No more" said the electorate in November.
"No more" said the electorate in November.
2
No...this is actual fact...something you can't accept, or want to neutralize or discredit by using the propaganda words of the day, doesn't make it fake. Your perspective...delusional at best. Your "sky rocket" statement is "fake" news...
3
Why are New York Times reporters using such passive voice? True, all at this newspaper will continue to have health care. Where is the empathy for those 22 million or more who will deprived of health because of Republican senators who could have stopped this potentially deathly decision today. As for these mostly millionaire Republican senator who most state they are Christians, without intentionally being hyperbolic, I pose the question. "What would Jesus do?"
4
Just how many jobs could be lost in a Trump-inspired trade war? Moody’s Analytics studied that problem for the Washington Post. It concluded that Trump is right: big tariffs on China and Mexico would push both countries into a recession. But because we live in a global economy, we’d be dragged into a recession as well. “Up to 4 million American workers would lose their jobs,” the Post notes, while “another 3 million jobs would not be created that otherwise would have been, had the country not fallen into a trade-induced downturn.” Seven million jobs. Gone... Trump thinks it’s perfectly acceptable to start an economic war with China, for example, while not considering whether this might effect other policy goals we have with Beijing, such as halting its military expansion in the South China Sea, curbing cyber attacks, or getting its cooperation against Iran (Beijing is one of the so-called P5+1 countries that signed last summer’s nuclear deal with Tehran.) These kinds of giant problems don’t exist in isolation. Like pieces of a puzzle [MarketWatch]
6
This has nothing to do with money. The Republicans haven't cared about the individual citizen for decades especially not the folks who would have access to medical insurance through the ACA.
The Republicans have wanted this program killed since it's inception. May the blood of those Americans who may be hurt, maimed or die due to repealing, replacing or cancelling the ACA be forever on the hands of the Republicans involved in this fiasco. Shame on you.
The Republicans have wanted this program killed since it's inception. May the blood of those Americans who may be hurt, maimed or die due to repealing, replacing or cancelling the ACA be forever on the hands of the Republicans involved in this fiasco. Shame on you.
11
To bad more people in the formerly great state of PA didn't understand this before they pulled the finger for Traitor Trump.
6
It has everything to do with money. Repeal of the ACA gives BIG tax cuts to the wealthy.
5
It's important to express our concerns, fears, and outrage about the repeal of the ACA here and in other papers but this is just the beginning of a brutal assault on our basic rights as Americans. Trump told us yesterday at his press conference, "I won"so there will be no accountability on his part going forward. On January 21,2017 there are marches all over the country to peacefully protest the Trump agenda, get out there and march, make your voice heard.
7
I don't know about anyone else, but if I have to go through 4 years of Trump and his incessant lying about absolutely everything, I'm going to need some mental health care.
25
If the GOP does not come up with a plan that requires all to participate or face a stiff penalty, insurance plans will bail out. If there is no protection from adverse selection and little downside for (now) healthy people opting to sit on the sidelines, medical loss ratios for insurers will skyrocket. Insurers have obligations to their shareholders and to their other paying customers. Besides that, they want to make a profit.
A single payer system would eliminate need for profit and redundant marketing, administrative and executive costs; but almost nobody in office has the fortitude or insight needed to pursue this path.
Is the GOP going to throw out the baby with the bathwater? Or are they going to be true leaders and do some difficult work? Based on past performance, I think we know the likely answer.
A single payer system would eliminate need for profit and redundant marketing, administrative and executive costs; but almost nobody in office has the fortitude or insight needed to pursue this path.
Is the GOP going to throw out the baby with the bathwater? Or are they going to be true leaders and do some difficult work? Based on past performance, I think we know the likely answer.
10
Well, I sort of like what Trump said yesterday. Republicans should do nothing...the law is fast imploding. Let healthcare collapse...then we will know for sure the law was bad and the democrats are totally to blame.
Premiums in Pennsylvania skyrocketed...let that happen another year or two and see what happens.
Leave the ACA just as it is. Don't touch it. Then we will know...it works or it is an utter failure. I'm pretty healthy so I have no problem if it implodes. For those that aren't...better start voting republican.
Premiums in Pennsylvania skyrocketed...let that happen another year or two and see what happens.
Leave the ACA just as it is. Don't touch it. Then we will know...it works or it is an utter failure. I'm pretty healthy so I have no problem if it implodes. For those that aren't...better start voting republican.
3
"I'm pretty healthy..." Famous last words. That's what my husband used to say climbing up and down utility poles as a lineman for the power company. Fourteen months later at age 58 he was dead of cancer.
2
The facts don't support Tom's assertions. The appear to be fake facts. How "Republican."
Factoring in tax credits, a family of four in Pennsylvania with $50,000 in annual income will pay an average of $282 a month for a benchmark policy known as the second-lowest-cost silver plan. It would cost $675 without the credits. A 27-year-old in Pennsylvania making $25,000 a year will pay on average $145 per month for the same policy, or $187 before the tax credit.
The federal government is running Pennsylvania's marketplace because Gov. Tom Corbett declined to host a state-run exchange. As noted in AP:
" defeat by first-time candidate Tom Wolf saddled Corbett with the distinction of being the first Pennsylvania governor denied re-election in the 40 years that the state's chief executive has been allowed to seek a second consecutive term.
And amid historic Republican gains in state legislatures across the country — including in Pennsylvania — Corbett was the only sitting GOP governor to lose his seat to a Democratic challenger in the Nov. 4 election.-
So "Tom" it would appear, that while many in PA were suckered by Trump, not knowing him as well as we New Yorkers who overwhelmingly rejected him and now try to get through each day not vomiting when we listen to his moronic blatant lies, they did know that Corbett was a fool and responsible for the portion of health care insurance costs that went up by his belligerence and lack of cooperation.
Factoring in tax credits, a family of four in Pennsylvania with $50,000 in annual income will pay an average of $282 a month for a benchmark policy known as the second-lowest-cost silver plan. It would cost $675 without the credits. A 27-year-old in Pennsylvania making $25,000 a year will pay on average $145 per month for the same policy, or $187 before the tax credit.
The federal government is running Pennsylvania's marketplace because Gov. Tom Corbett declined to host a state-run exchange. As noted in AP:
" defeat by first-time candidate Tom Wolf saddled Corbett with the distinction of being the first Pennsylvania governor denied re-election in the 40 years that the state's chief executive has been allowed to seek a second consecutive term.
And amid historic Republican gains in state legislatures across the country — including in Pennsylvania — Corbett was the only sitting GOP governor to lose his seat to a Democratic challenger in the Nov. 4 election.-
So "Tom" it would appear, that while many in PA were suckered by Trump, not knowing him as well as we New Yorkers who overwhelmingly rejected him and now try to get through each day not vomiting when we listen to his moronic blatant lies, they did know that Corbett was a fool and responsible for the portion of health care insurance costs that went up by his belligerence and lack of cooperation.
4
The Republicans aren't stupid. They will only do what they believe furthers their personal interests as Senators and Congressmen. If they believe that they can get away with repealing the ACA and still get reelected, nothing will stop them. Absent pressure from their constituencies, they will hew to their ideological position which is that the Federal Government shouldn't be in the healthcare business. They will repeal ACA, Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security if they can get away with it. It is up to the American public to send the message that will give them pause, although after reading Hillbilly Elegy I have come to believe that large swaths of America's white, working class population would love to see the rest of us lose our healthcare and retirement just to get even with us for the pain of their poverty.
11
I am in the profession of health policy. Nothing proposed by Republicans - high risk pools, selling across state lines, age-rated tax credits - will reduce the cost of insurance or healthcare for consumers. I keep hearing criticism from Trump and others that deductibles are too high - well guess what, all of their plans - relying on Health Savings Accounts - will inevitably include even higher deductibles. So under Trumpcare the consumer will have to pay more out of pocket while the cost of actual care continues to rise. There is no free market in healthcare so the idea that any of this will improve the quality and cost of insurance products is about as sound as hoping Comcast is going to lower your cable bill some day. If the Republicans weren't blinded by their political bloodlust they would know the smart political move would be to reform Obamacare and then claim its success as their own. Instead, they will replace a comprehensive - if flawed - system with a patchwork of policies that will fail to address the cost of care. Pelosi famously said we have to pass it before you can know what's in it, well, the Republicans are about the return the favor by essentially saying we have to repeal it before you can know what's in it. Good luck explaining that for the next four years.
15
TrumpCare is the wrong name for whatever will follow - chaos, reduced care, or no care.
What follows needs to be called RepublicanCare, the ownership of what follows is theirs.
What follows needs to be called RepublicanCare, the ownership of what follows is theirs.
This is the first comment thread I've been on in many weeks, that is absent of gloating trump supporters, cheering how refreshing he is and telling us all to get over it.
8
An essential starting point in understanding Obamacare is that it was not about health care. It was about creating a new middle class entitlement so pervasive no citizen could escape political control of an important part of his life. And then using that political control to terrorize the populace every election. The sick joke of "hope and change" is that the last thing Obama wants any citizen to be is hopeful: dependent and scared is more like it.
3
Business as usual for the Senate Republicans: ignore the wishes of the average citizen in favor of their own. It's a head-scratcher that so many average citizens keep voting for these Abominable Egotists.
1
The GOP has no mandate to do anything; Hillary won the popular vote. Nothing wrong with improving the ACA BUT given that the GOP was impendent on reasonable health care this entire century, their rush to kill the poor is beyond disgusting. A simple "fix" if the GOP is not lying about "we want good health care for all" [ha, ha]: Whatever health coverage is available to members of Congress is provided to everyone in the U.S. with cost being the same, i.e, free.
2
Welcome to hell, America.
3
Hey, hey GOP!
How many kids did you kill today?
How many kids did you kill today?
7
There was a film some time ago with the title "Children of a Lessor God".
Clearly the democrats of "social justice" without justice created by Barack Hussein Obama and his lackeys that sought to diminish the United States Republic and all her citizens in the eyes of the world qualify and now are exposed as the venal reprobates they are.
Clearly the democrats of "social justice" without justice created by Barack Hussein Obama and his lackeys that sought to diminish the United States Republic and all her citizens in the eyes of the world qualify and now are exposed as the venal reprobates they are.
History will show these men destroyed the democracy of America.
At a Republican retreat, at the Library of Congress, right before Obama’s 2009 inauguration, Mitch McConnell said:
“there are enough of us to block the Democratic agenda-as long as they all marched in lockstep.”
“As long as Republicans refused to follow his (President Obama’s) lead, Americans would see partisan food fights and conclude that Obama had failed to produce change.”
January 20, 2009 Republican Leaders in Congress literally plotted to sabotage and undermine U.S. Economy during President Obama's Inauguration. In Robert Draper's book, "Do Not Ask What Good We Do: Inside the U.S. House of Representatives" Draper wrote that during a four hour, "invitation only" meeting with GOP Hate-Propaganda Minister, Frank Luntz, the below listed Senior GOP Law Writers literally plotted to sabotage, undermine and destroy America's Economy.
The Guest List:
Rep. Paul Ryan(R-WI)
Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA)
Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA),
Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX),
Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX),
Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI)
Rep. Dan Lungren (R-CA),
Sen. Jim DeMint (SC-R),
Sen. Jon Kyl (AZ-R),
Sen. Tom Coburn (OK-R),
Sen. John Ensign (NV-R) and
Sen. Bob Corker (TN-R).
Non-lawmakers present Newt Gingrich
During the four hour meeting:
The senior GOP members plotted to bring Congress to a standstill regardless how much it would hurt the American Economy by pledging to obstruct and block President Obama on all legislation.
At a Republican retreat, at the Library of Congress, right before Obama’s 2009 inauguration, Mitch McConnell said:
“there are enough of us to block the Democratic agenda-as long as they all marched in lockstep.”
“As long as Republicans refused to follow his (President Obama’s) lead, Americans would see partisan food fights and conclude that Obama had failed to produce change.”
January 20, 2009 Republican Leaders in Congress literally plotted to sabotage and undermine U.S. Economy during President Obama's Inauguration. In Robert Draper's book, "Do Not Ask What Good We Do: Inside the U.S. House of Representatives" Draper wrote that during a four hour, "invitation only" meeting with GOP Hate-Propaganda Minister, Frank Luntz, the below listed Senior GOP Law Writers literally plotted to sabotage, undermine and destroy America's Economy.
The Guest List:
Rep. Paul Ryan(R-WI)
Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA)
Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA),
Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX),
Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX),
Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI)
Rep. Dan Lungren (R-CA),
Sen. Jim DeMint (SC-R),
Sen. Jon Kyl (AZ-R),
Sen. Tom Coburn (OK-R),
Sen. John Ensign (NV-R) and
Sen. Bob Corker (TN-R).
Non-lawmakers present Newt Gingrich
During the four hour meeting:
The senior GOP members plotted to bring Congress to a standstill regardless how much it would hurt the American Economy by pledging to obstruct and block President Obama on all legislation.
15
Shakespeare: "The first thing we do, Let's kill all the lawyers."
McConnell: "The first thing we do, Let's kill all the Democrats."
Why else take the procedural step of "setting the stage for a special kind of legislation called a reconciliation bill," except to immunize ANY ACA repeal legislation from the threat of filibuster?
Government of the People, by the People, for the People? Not while McConnell has anything to say about it. Emboldened by 8 years of openly-treasonous efforts to derail the twice-elected President of the United States, the Republicans now have something in the White House which, while not really a Republican, at least isn't a Democrat. Cry havoc and let loose the dogs of war!
Folks, you ain't seen nothin' yet.
McConnell: "The first thing we do, Let's kill all the Democrats."
Why else take the procedural step of "setting the stage for a special kind of legislation called a reconciliation bill," except to immunize ANY ACA repeal legislation from the threat of filibuster?
Government of the People, by the People, for the People? Not while McConnell has anything to say about it. Emboldened by 8 years of openly-treasonous efforts to derail the twice-elected President of the United States, the Republicans now have something in the White House which, while not really a Republican, at least isn't a Democrat. Cry havoc and let loose the dogs of war!
Folks, you ain't seen nothin' yet.
2
When will Americans wake up to George Washington's warning that we should avoid political parties? For they tend to do just what they're doing now relevant to repealing the ACA- create political factions to undermine the government! The government actually being "We the people."
"The politicians were put there to give us the illusion of choice. We have no choice. We have owners."- (para) George Carlin
"The politicians were put there to give us the illusion of choice. We have no choice. We have owners."- (para) George Carlin
No surprise here,As I remember the creator of Obamacare,Mr Gruber said
something like this: "We trust in the stupidity of the American people to
pass this bill"or Nancy Pelosi:"We need to pass this bill to find out what's in it"
I see a lot of Gruberites commenting on this artcle
something like this: "We trust in the stupidity of the American people to
pass this bill"or Nancy Pelosi:"We need to pass this bill to find out what's in it"
I see a lot of Gruberites commenting on this artcle
1
Long ago, on an online discussion site, a guy I "knew" said why do the rich continually push for lower taxes and more favorable legal structures for becoming ever richer, because "a man can only wear one pair of shoes". Someone else shot back "it's simply about making it so others have no shoes at all." I've often thought of this as a kind of bon mot, haha, but seeing the frenzy of repealing health care access to children and to people with pre-existing conditions last night, by people with absolute access to health care though excellent insurance, I think, those guys just *do* *not* want other people to have shoes.
7
Wrong. They have no objection to other people having shoes; they just don't want to have to buy shoes for everyone.
1
Go ahead and, rightly so,blame it on the Republicans. But every American citizen who was paying attention during the election knew exactly what they would do with a Republican Congress and Trump as a president. So to the 45% of the electorate who didn't vote, those moral high ground Bernie Bros who just couldn't vote for Hillary and threw away those dotes for Stein and Johnson, for all the Hillary supporters who did not contribute to the campaign or volunteer, this mess is on you too, and all the bigger disasters that are coming down the road at 100mph. If you are in one of these three groups I just mentioned and are now commenting here, retract your comment, go to your room for a four year time out out and keep your opinions to yourselves.
2
Senator Enzi (R) speaks of "new bridges to healthcare." Where were these new bridges when the ACA was being discussed? For that matter, where are they now? The Republicans will "blow up" the Obamacare bridge, and a lot of people will die.
1
The irony. Repealing a plan they call horrendous that was based on ideas they and their party have been championing for decades, that will decrease or remove coverage for the very people who voted them into power. They've only ever had one idea, they will not repeal that single idea. How can we expect them to come up with anything substantial....
1
This photo of Mitch McConnell looking like "the cat that ate the canary" is instantaneously off putting. Especially considering the fact that he shamefully led the 8 year opposition to anything and everything Obama; especially Obamacare. And something to keep in mind, Mr. McConnell, is that cat's don't just "eat canaries" and feel self satisfied as a result, so to speak, they also throw up disgusting hairballs.
6
Who are these people that they do not care about so many of their constituents? I'd love to see Congress' healthcare repealed. And then (some day, maybe, somehow) replaced by.....something?? so very wonderful it has taken them 7 years to figure it out.
I hope all those people who voted for Trump and are covered through the ACA are happy watching their healthcare circling the drain.
I hope all those people who voted for Trump and are covered through the ACA are happy watching their healthcare circling the drain.
3
oh Mitch!
I can't wait to see the parade and red carpet for you from all the citizens of Kentucky and the neighboring red states when they file medical bankruptcy in your honor!
What joy you must feel to finally be rid of your Obamacare burden, while keeping your own Blue Cross Blue Shield Federal benefits plan! you know- this one
fepblue.org
I can't wait to see the parade and red carpet for you from all the citizens of Kentucky and the neighboring red states when they file medical bankruptcy in your honor!
What joy you must feel to finally be rid of your Obamacare burden, while keeping your own Blue Cross Blue Shield Federal benefits plan! you know- this one
fepblue.org
11
Ironically, the one person who may be able to stop Republicans from gutting Obamacare without a replacement is Donald Trump. He said yesterday that the replacement would come simultaneously or nearly simultaneously with repeal. Congressmen only need to be popular in their own district and Senators in their own state, but Trump needs the whole country. Congressional Republicans may be assuming that Trump will just go along with anything they pass because he ran as a Republican. But Trump is no regular Republican and he is obviously not a team player. If a piece of legislation, even repeal of Obamacare, makes him look bad, he will veto it. Mr. Trump can't be counted on for much, but you can rely on him doing what is best for Trump.
9
I would like to ask any Republican working to repeal ACA and ask them one question...Have you ever lost a loved one because they could not afford to see a doctor? My husband died at 41 because we did not sign up for ACA when we should of. We could of figured out his heart condition before it was to late. Let's fix what we have and make it work for everyone. That should be their goal, but blowing it up sounds like a giant disaster in the making. Fix it not destroy it.
6
So many comments saying there are no alternatives provided by the Republicans.
Their memory is flawed.
Alternatives were sent from the House to the Senate where they were blocked from being presented to the Senate.
You can't say something did not or does not exist when existed but was suppressed by an opposing party.
Their memory is flawed.
Alternatives were sent from the House to the Senate where they were blocked from being presented to the Senate.
You can't say something did not or does not exist when existed but was suppressed by an opposing party.
1
Look at the ridiculous hodge podge of tax deferred savings vehicles in the U.S. The GOP health plans will be the same: incoherent patch work that doesn't ultimately achieve the goal of improving access or affordability. After a generation of Americans struggling with the nonsense on the retirement side, why would anyone think that it will remotely work any better on the Healthcare side?
1
Prior to Obama's Affordable Care Act, our insurance was $647 per month for a married couple with a $10 deductable. Following the implemenation of ObamaCare we now pay $1,476 per month, have a $10,000 deductable because we were forced into a HSA in order to maintain equal/comparable coverage. And, obviously with an HSA we make the $6,750 contribution. It's tax deductable but it's still money we could use elsewhere.
I cheer the repeal. I'm absolutely positive that they'll come up with something better. It won't be a lot better, but it will be an improvement. Besides, I think we can all agree that Trump's ego is too large to let something so vital fail.
I cheer the repeal. I'm absolutely positive that they'll come up with something better. It won't be a lot better, but it will be an improvement. Besides, I think we can all agree that Trump's ego is too large to let something so vital fail.
1
Great. Then WHERE IS THE ALTERNATIVE PLAN?
2
Cato you may have a valid complaint, but first the facts. What is your gross monthly salary for you and your spouse?
2
If the republicans repeal Obama Care and people lose their health insurance, a list of republican senators office addresses should be published. Anyone getting sick without healthcare insurance due to the republican repeal should report to their senators office and demand to see a doctor.
3
...but first perhaps a joint report rom the EPA and the NRA......Is lead poisoning contageous?
It's going to happen. There's nothing anyone is willing to do to stop it. Venting here and on social media does nothing to ameliorate the fact that, Trump aside, people voted for people who made no secret of the fact they were committed to repeal. We are all about to get what those voters asked for. As for rebellion, or the road to Single payer? Not with our apathetic citizens and self-serving Congress. Happy Thursday!
How do you yank cancer patients, children included, off their chemotherapy treatments, Republicans?
What does that conversation look like?
On that note, if you are unwilling to have that conversation in person with those patients, why is that?
If trashing and destroying those chemo treatments is so noble and good and true, why hide behind the legislation and let it do your talking for you? Why not explain things to those patients in person?
What does that conversation look like?
On that note, if you are unwilling to have that conversation in person with those patients, why is that?
If trashing and destroying those chemo treatments is so noble and good and true, why hide behind the legislation and let it do your talking for you? Why not explain things to those patients in person?
6
I guess Republicans are not "pro-life" - at least lives after birth.
“The Obamacare bridge is collapsing" - no kidding, as the Republicans malevolently demolish the supports while millions of American Citizens are still standing on the bridge to health care.
Can we not take away all health care from these callously cruel people too? Perhaps we can continue with Obamacare for those who want it and deny health coverage to those who do not want it - see how that experiment goes.
“The Obamacare bridge is collapsing" - no kidding, as the Republicans malevolently demolish the supports while millions of American Citizens are still standing on the bridge to health care.
Can we not take away all health care from these callously cruel people too? Perhaps we can continue with Obamacare for those who want it and deny health coverage to those who do not want it - see how that experiment goes.
3
We influence the world; the world influences us.
Sad, that we are unable to hold our own in a world where comparatively large population(s), have made a commitment to practical kinds of equity.
The defense oriented conservative guard has chosen self service as a weapon and it is friendly fire.
Sad, that we are unable to hold our own in a world where comparatively large population(s), have made a commitment to practical kinds of equity.
The defense oriented conservative guard has chosen self service as a weapon and it is friendly fire.
How can anyone back a government program that threatens you with a large tax fine if you don't buy into their insurance. If the mafia was offering this protection to you it would be called coersion. Take away the MANDATE (Coercion) and the ACA will fail a miserably death. They say they have 20 to 30 million people insured. There are approxamatly 324,700,000 people living in the US. For the cost of this program, it alredy is a dismal failure.
How is this terrible terrible "coercion" any different than the mandatory car insurance you have to have to legally drive? Somehow that hasn't resulted in the end of freedom.
11
I'm fine with people who don't want to pay into the individual mandate. Just have tattooed on your chest that if we find you in our ERs, clinics, or hospitals and you can't afford your care, we can kick you out without any appeal on your part. Any other response is free loading. Who do you think picks up the bill when uninsured folks show up or when they cannot afford to pay the whole bill?
3
Are you given a subsidy when you buy it. That's the difference! Your car insurance is entirely on you. My tax dollars do not subsidize your car insurance. Thankfully!!!
1
Can't they enact a similar HeathCare Plan as that great leader Putin has for his country?
Or did I spoil their surprise?
Or did I spoil their surprise?
2
These small, nasty people, beneficiaries of a free taxpayer funded premium healthcare plan for life, are salivating as they move to deny millions of Americans basic healthcare. How do these entitled lawmakers living large on a socialist healthcare plan consider themselves conservatives while they proudly pull affordable care away from people willing to pay for it?
1
Politicians doing what they promised to do. How refreshing.
1
Swamp things, all of them.
2
Republicans have no shame.
1
I am thinking of my sister-in-law, who, in the days before Obamacare, simultaneously lost her job and her sickness insurance (in America, calling this thing "health" insurance is nearly always a misnomer) when her small-business employer returned from lunch one day, said he was really tired and wanted to spend more time on his boat and RV, and announced to the assembled employees that the business would close the following week. She lived in great fear that she would get sick, or need any kind of procedure, while she was reorienting herself toward a different line of work. Then Obamacare came along and she was able to buy a policy while becoming self-employed.
I believe that the stated Republican concerns about money, and the (usually) unstated Republican hatred for All Things Obama, are only part of the motivation here.
One of the great effects of Obamacare, for those who got it, was that it helped make it possible for people to walk away from jobs they didn't like, or to go through a period of involuntary unemployment, withOUT living in fear of bankruptcy if they had a medical problem.
People who live in constant fear of being uninsured don't make waves, don't walk away, don't question their working conditions.
I am convinced that the Republican attack on this program is based, at least in substantial part, on WANTing to make sure that America has a docile and vulnerable workforce. It is thus also a part of the longer Republican attacks on unions and living wages.
I believe that the stated Republican concerns about money, and the (usually) unstated Republican hatred for All Things Obama, are only part of the motivation here.
One of the great effects of Obamacare, for those who got it, was that it helped make it possible for people to walk away from jobs they didn't like, or to go through a period of involuntary unemployment, withOUT living in fear of bankruptcy if they had a medical problem.
People who live in constant fear of being uninsured don't make waves, don't walk away, don't question their working conditions.
I am convinced that the Republican attack on this program is based, at least in substantial part, on WANTing to make sure that America has a docile and vulnerable workforce. It is thus also a part of the longer Republican attacks on unions and living wages.
57
Gee, it seems Republicans rather like being turned down due to pre-existing conditions, dislike free preventive care and justifiable reasons for premium increases, and want to return to subsidizing other people's emergency room visits.
Too, the ACA provides mental health care, and makes it legal for children receiving Medicaid benefits to concurrently receive hospice care (prior to the ACA, parents had to choose one or the other). I know, I know, making sure dying children receive the best possible care is just so horrible.
And hey, nothing like watching a 23-year-old graduate with a business degree struggle to find non-gig, steady work that also has medical benefits. That's just plain fun.
Oh, well. Newmonia, freedumb, and emailz.
Too, the ACA provides mental health care, and makes it legal for children receiving Medicaid benefits to concurrently receive hospice care (prior to the ACA, parents had to choose one or the other). I know, I know, making sure dying children receive the best possible care is just so horrible.
And hey, nothing like watching a 23-year-old graduate with a business degree struggle to find non-gig, steady work that also has medical benefits. That's just plain fun.
Oh, well. Newmonia, freedumb, and emailz.
12
Here's my suggestion. when ACA ends, and finally hits all those who voted for DER Gropenfuhrer Herr Twittermeister, the media should NOT cover their whining. They shot themselves in the foot, let them live with it. I don't want to hear that all of a sudden they don't have affordable healthcare or anthing else. Like the recovering alcoholic, they need to hit bottom before they finally realize that the if anybody cares about them, it would be the democrats. History shows use that the GOP has always backed business, and business has always backed the GOP. It is all about money (or me) whichever slogan fits.;
9
Is there a way to find a roll-call vote on this? 2018 is less than two years away, and we need to hold the Republicans accountable for the chaos they are creating. It will affect my family disastrously, but I almost hope ACA goes down so that the American voters will finally see how they have been sold down the river by the Republicans in Congress. When it hits us all in the pocketbook, their traitorous agenda will become clear.
6
“This is our opportunity to help the president-elect and the vice president-elect keep their campaign promises and show to the American people that elections have consequences.”
So... elections have consequences. Apparently negative and unwanted ones at that. Despite a 3+ million popular vote gap, along with swaths of Trump supporters who also favor many parts of the ACA, (along with those duped into believing "obamacare" and the ACA are not the same thing) Republicans would still favor a repeal or gutting with absolutely no structure or consensus on a replacement other than: "Hey like, uhhh, we'll come up with something once we get rid of this one".
It sounds like we need to show Washington what "election consequences" look like come 2018.
So... elections have consequences. Apparently negative and unwanted ones at that. Despite a 3+ million popular vote gap, along with swaths of Trump supporters who also favor many parts of the ACA, (along with those duped into believing "obamacare" and the ACA are not the same thing) Republicans would still favor a repeal or gutting with absolutely no structure or consensus on a replacement other than: "Hey like, uhhh, we'll come up with something once we get rid of this one".
It sounds like we need to show Washington what "election consequences" look like come 2018.
11
The Republicans lost five seats in the House, two in the Senate, and lost the popular vote by 3 million. That's not a mandate. That's a slaughter. It's only because of the Electoral College they have the Executive branch.
14
And gerrymandering...
8
To think, the only reason for this "illness"- is the Nickname on the plan. Don't these Congressional-Numb skulls realize "Obama" has great health insurance and none of the repeal will ever impact him personally? What kind of malice of heart rips access to health insurance from millions of their own constituents?
The mental illness of hatred of "Obama Pigmentation" is a condition reserved solely for those on the highest order of evolution.
The mental illness of hatred of "Obama Pigmentation" is a condition reserved solely for those on the highest order of evolution.
10
I don't understand how our Republican Congress will move mountains for the unborn yet turn their backs on the living millions upon millions whose only chance toward health and well-being was through the ACA. For what...so that the CEO's of insurance companies can get richer thereby lobbying for their reelection, to get back at a progressive President Obama whom they were determined to take down from day one? I do not know how this group and a seemingly soulless president-elect can look at their reflections when they retire each night and awake in the morning. I for one walk out of the room when any one of them spew their venom on TV daily.
11
Just put "It's No Longer Called" in front of the current one.
7
Now I can't wait for the letter from Social Security telling me my monthly payments will terminate at X date, followed by a big grant of $10,000 to live on til I die. Thanks, Mitch, Paul, and all the mean-spirited Republicans for being such good con artists and liars. You've just ended democracy in America. (I am sure both of them will consider this a compliment, so far gone is their illness.)
11
"Republican leaders say they will work closely with Mr. Trump developing legislation to repeal and replace the health care law, but it is unclear exactly how his team will participate in that effort."
You-mean-to-tell-me; no time during 60 votes-to-repeal, not ONE Republican ever scribbled an idea on a napkin? What kinda Joint are they running in DC?
You-mean-to-tell-me; no time during 60 votes-to-repeal, not ONE Republican ever scribbled an idea on a napkin? What kinda Joint are they running in DC?
11
Everyone that is writing their stories here must immediately call their Congress critters (or better yet show up at their office), to complain and protest in person. particularly if you live in a red state
9
They may just call security, like Paul Ryan did when Planned Parenthood supporters showed up at his office with a huge petition.
1
Ah jeez -get it together Republicans! The reason the ACA even came into being was because Republicans never had the courage to wade into the deep end to deal with the issue of health care, even in the face of staggering costs and rising uninsured. It was more fun just to stand on the sidelines and complain without ever having to actually address the issue head-on. And now that they have to come up with something concrete ...Republicans cannot even find consensus among themselves, let alone produce a viable alternative to offer America. This has chaos written all over it.
25
Their only viable plan *was* the ACA (which was the product of a right-wing think tank). They distanced themselves from their own idea, solely because of their personal animus against Obama.
2
This is purely based on florid racism in both houses—a repeal of vengeance and defiance—having no root in service to the people. Republicans were humiliated beyond recognition when Obama won a second term, and they will never forgive him: this is their big moment to retaliate. Wow. The Old Testament says "Vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord". But no, let these buffoons bring down the economy with their vendetta against a great President with childish destructive actions.
5
We need a march on Washington against the repeal and delay of ACA. This is the to get Republicans to heed the popular vote. Mid term elections is their panic button. A march on Washington will press that button.
8
McConnell -- the ugly face of one of the ugliest Americans. He's a twisted human being with that smirk on his face as he assists in pulling the rug out from under millions of Americans who depend on the ACA for health insurance. Dispicable and deplorable.
12
He looks like he stole a stick of butter and is hiding it in his mouth.
So you're unhappy. Does it really matter what some senators face looks like? Grow up.
Dear Margo,
In the Middle East there is an ancient axiom; "Ugly inside, ugly outside." Sure fits the occasion here, doesn't it?
In the Middle East there is an ancient axiom; "Ugly inside, ugly outside." Sure fits the occasion here, doesn't it?
Senator Wicker may have stated it more succinctly and more (inadvertently) appropriately than any other - "elections have consequences". For the Republican party, the consequence may land when they find themselves answering why they have rushed, poorly contrived, and ill-conceived bandages to repair their waterboarding of the ACA. Your consequence if you rely on a rural hospital? Sorry, no hospital. Your consequence if you gained coverage under ACA? Sorry, no more coverage. Your consequence if you have a pre-existing condition? Sorry, you're not insurable.
1
Obamacare exchanged opened in 2014. Is it so difficult to imagine doing back to the old days of 2013, when there were no Obamacare exchanges (and essentially, no Obamacare)? Would it really be a crisis of cosmic proportions?
1
If you had a pre-existing medical condition (as I do), you wouldn't need to ask that question. Of if you had a child or other loved one who has one. Yes, it will be catastrophic for MANY people.
Before the ACA, people with pre-existing conditions often couldn't get health insurance or ran up against lifetime coverage caps (i.e., the maximum that insurance would pay). Many got very sick because they couldn't afford care, and many died. That will happen again.
You (the taxpayer) will also be paying FAR more to cover emergency room (ER) visits for people who lose their current insurance, because your local hospitals won't be reimbursed by insurers for that care. People go to the ER when they don't have insurance or a primary care doctor, and hospitals are going to lose millions of dollars treating them. Again, this is what happened before the ACA.
Before the ACA, people with pre-existing conditions often couldn't get health insurance or ran up against lifetime coverage caps (i.e., the maximum that insurance would pay). Many got very sick because they couldn't afford care, and many died. That will happen again.
You (the taxpayer) will also be paying FAR more to cover emergency room (ER) visits for people who lose their current insurance, because your local hospitals won't be reimbursed by insurers for that care. People go to the ER when they don't have insurance or a primary care doctor, and hospitals are going to lose millions of dollars treating them. Again, this is what happened before the ACA.
2
May the Republicans reap what they sow.
4
Clinton got three million more votes than Trump and the Republicans lost seats in the House (which they control because of gerrymandering) and the Senate. They have NO MANDATE. If people lose their health insurance and are unable to receive life saving treatments (i.i. chemotherapy, dialysis) and die because of it, that is tantamount to murder. I am unable to come up with a euphemism.
10
Whining, wailing and gnashing teeth keep us locked in a non-productive spin, heading further downward in a self-fulfilling prophecy of powerlessness: Exactly where these so- called representatives want their voting citizen constituents.
POSITIVE ACTION is the way up, out and forward. That action is anything that focuses our American voices, choices and abilities toward a) representing and protecting our individual interests, and b) exorising the illusion that differentiated individual interests are wrong or mutually exclusive.
I'll demonstrate by sharing a few self- evident truths:
...Despite our willingness to criticize, we NEVER expected perfection from a first-time benefit program of almost incomprehensible size and complexity.
We KNOW:
...Repealing or otherwise gutting the HCRA is the slowest, longest, most painful and expensive path to improvement
...Our divisive Congress blocked all attempts to tune, correct and improve the initial effort
...Blocking improvements was accomplished by elected representatives who refused to participate in the processes that comprise their jobs.
We must not accept the unacceptable. We must demand progress, not harm or promises of future perfection
POSITIVE ACTION is the way up, out and forward. That action is anything that focuses our American voices, choices and abilities toward a) representing and protecting our individual interests, and b) exorising the illusion that differentiated individual interests are wrong or mutually exclusive.
I'll demonstrate by sharing a few self- evident truths:
...Despite our willingness to criticize, we NEVER expected perfection from a first-time benefit program of almost incomprehensible size and complexity.
We KNOW:
...Repealing or otherwise gutting the HCRA is the slowest, longest, most painful and expensive path to improvement
...Our divisive Congress blocked all attempts to tune, correct and improve the initial effort
...Blocking improvements was accomplished by elected representatives who refused to participate in the processes that comprise their jobs.
We must not accept the unacceptable. We must demand progress, not harm or promises of future perfection
3
Those cheering the removal of the ACA are the ones likely to be hurt most by that removal. Nothing like sacrificing yourself and your kids on the altar of shareholders, I suppose.
I used to be sympathetic to those likely to suffer, and behaved accordingly via my voting patterns, but no more.
Let the Obama haters have the pain they demand. There is no longer any reason for the rest of us to stand in their way.
I used to be sympathetic to those likely to suffer, and behaved accordingly via my voting patterns, but no more.
Let the Obama haters have the pain they demand. There is no longer any reason for the rest of us to stand in their way.
10
Fellow Democrats: thanks for raising your voice and sharing your outrage. Let's make Trump and the Republicans accountable for this unnecessary partisan attack on the 20 million plus Americans benefiting from Obamacare.
Let's also learn a lesson from what's happening right now. Ignore the meaningless exhortation by Republicans to "come together for the sake of the country" and support Trump.
In fact, the next time a Republican offers you a hand, slap them hard in the face. It's what they deserve. For, they did that to Obama. Obama reached out in good faith to the Republicans hoping for bipartisanship. Instead, they tricked him into believing that they were acting in good faith. They moved him away from Universal Healthcare to a "market based system". Then they didn't support it. Not a single Republican did. Then they kept making budgetary actions to make it less affordable and create outrage in their base.
None of this mess would have happened if President Obama hadn't reached across the aisle, but had stuck to Universal Healthcare.
I don't blame him. He was doing the right and honorable thing. But, let's learn a lesson. Let's not assume the other side is acting out of good faith... and, let's slap them hard. Do it for the President who deserved much better for believing Healthcare should be for everyone.
Let's also learn a lesson from what's happening right now. Ignore the meaningless exhortation by Republicans to "come together for the sake of the country" and support Trump.
In fact, the next time a Republican offers you a hand, slap them hard in the face. It's what they deserve. For, they did that to Obama. Obama reached out in good faith to the Republicans hoping for bipartisanship. Instead, they tricked him into believing that they were acting in good faith. They moved him away from Universal Healthcare to a "market based system". Then they didn't support it. Not a single Republican did. Then they kept making budgetary actions to make it less affordable and create outrage in their base.
None of this mess would have happened if President Obama hadn't reached across the aisle, but had stuck to Universal Healthcare.
I don't blame him. He was doing the right and honorable thing. But, let's learn a lesson. Let's not assume the other side is acting out of good faith... and, let's slap them hard. Do it for the President who deserved much better for believing Healthcare should be for everyone.
14
The Republican party wants to turn Americans into Corporate Slaves. Take away their health. Keep wages low. And what you have is a work force desperate. And desperate people will do the unthinkable... humiliate themselves for what little is offered. Slavery.
10
FDR and all the New Deal Democrats had it exactly right where the forces of Organized Money are concerned.
1
What health care plan has Donald Trump been providing for his thousands of employees for the past 30 or so years?
8
Considering that he routinely stiffs people on their wages, I doubt he's that concerned with providing benefits...
So they're cancelling health insurance and vaccines- at least they're moving in the direction they want to take the country- the middle ages.
11
Elections have consequences and we're going to see them come to fruition very soon. I suspect Hillary will start to look a lot better in the coming months.
8
In 60 silly votes previously to repeal Obamacare, not once was a replacement plan of any sort, let alone a better one, included in the legislation. Same now. Republicans should just say once and for all: "Poor people don't deserve health care and rich people shouldn't gave to pay for it." At least, despite the despicable brand of Christianity they think justifies such inhumanity, they would be speaking truthfully. There is no replacement and there will be no replacement -- because Republicans' job is to protect the money and the power of people who steal as much of it as they can from everybody else.
5
Rich people do pay for their own health insurance. It's called personal responsibility. Why should they also have to pay for yours?
Because everybody has inalienable rights, among them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
And because social responsibility is a critical component of personal responsibility.
When ACA was first being aired - I remember two comments from ordinary folk in some midwest town forum: 1. They didn't want more people covered because it would perhaps lead to them not getting an appointment as fast. 2. Why should they have to pay more on their premium for someone else's health problems? When trying to put in place a plan that helps the most people, you can't be swayed by the pettiness of some people. But, as long as it is a for-profit system, that is what will guide the makers.
16
This is not , or ever has been , something with a " replace " component . It is strictly a means to destroy the ACA on ideological grounds . The Right wing has a Social Darwinist bent in general , and universal health care heads the list of targets . The Republicans will repeal the law , and as the days and months go by , the concept of any replacement will fade from the public consciousness . Replacement is a hollow promise from the very start .
2
If it was about enhancing the ACA, that would be one thing and both sides could agree to changes, but it's about diminishing President Obama through repealing it. Just another white mans angry revenge tactic against their own best interest.
5
This is the first step toward Medicare-for-all.
The Republicans just planted the seeds of a revolution. They are the only ones not foolish enough to see that.
The Republicans just planted the seeds of a revolution. They are the only ones not foolish enough to see that.
4
It's called, quite simply, overreaching.
I was taught as a kid that you don't through out dirty water till you have enough clean water to finish your journey. Where is the r[lacement?
2
Remember the "death panels" canard, well, this is what these will really look like for many people deprived of care.
4
They just want to dynamite the bridge.
1
I am a Democrat, but even given that, I am not looking for a repeat of history. The focus of any administration should be the economy and jobs first, then politics second. Repealing the ACA without a replacement is an unfocused political grabbing stupid moment for this nation. The positive move would be to announce an intention of replacing the ACA with a bipartisan plan while passing legislation to improve future job formation and immediate job creation via infra-structure initiatives. Trump should veto the repeal and delay, demand a replacement plan and refocus congress on jobs.
And the amazing thing is that the largest number of people who will suffer because of the Republicans desire to make Trump's and Pense's campaign promises come true are those who voted for these criminals in the first place. I'll bet that McConnell races off to see the doctor anytime he has a cold or an ingrown toenail. Shame those who voted for him won't be able to see a doctor for actual life-saving care.
3
Don't worry Americans we will take care of you!
People can fly to Dubai - Gulf Consortium Countries, and have their most expensive health issues taken care. As America's Baby Boomers get older, ever increasing numbers can create this new foreign business that benefits ordinary Americans.
I think what Putin should do is open a low fare airline that moves patient to Russia for affordable care. Go Putin .. GIVE IT TO Trump.
People can fly to Dubai - Gulf Consortium Countries, and have their most expensive health issues taken care. As America's Baby Boomers get older, ever increasing numbers can create this new foreign business that benefits ordinary Americans.
I think what Putin should do is open a low fare airline that moves patient to Russia for affordable care. Go Putin .. GIVE IT TO Trump.
There is a concern that Obamacare will get replaced by Trumpdoncare.
9
Don't pussyfoot around, Senator McConnell. Kill it now. And hold the victory celebration at FedEx Field. Your Trump would.
1
Many Trump voters will lose access to health care. Some of the apathetic people who couldn't be bothered showing up to vote may also lose access. What a shame.
If it weren't that others--Clinton voters, innocent children, and those who couldn't get to the polls because of work and/or republican-sponsored "voter ID" requirements--are lumped in with everyone else and may also lose their health insurance, I would just be delighted about this. Actions have consequences, and the ridiculous fools who voted for Trump need to learn this--the hard way, I guess.
As one other commenter has already pointed out, perhaps people will wake up, and in the next administration we might finally see a single payer system. As a Brit who grew up in such a system, the truly marvelous NHS, Britain's national treasure, I never failed to be stunned by the pathetic mess of the health care "system" in this country.
If it weren't that others--Clinton voters, innocent children, and those who couldn't get to the polls because of work and/or republican-sponsored "voter ID" requirements--are lumped in with everyone else and may also lose their health insurance, I would just be delighted about this. Actions have consequences, and the ridiculous fools who voted for Trump need to learn this--the hard way, I guess.
As one other commenter has already pointed out, perhaps people will wake up, and in the next administration we might finally see a single payer system. As a Brit who grew up in such a system, the truly marvelous NHS, Britain's national treasure, I never failed to be stunned by the pathetic mess of the health care "system" in this country.
5
If the Republicans were so concerned about the Affordable Care Act why did they offer nothing, over the past six years, to build upon and improve the Act. Well, it's because they put politics over the wellbeing of their fellow Americans which is sad, very sad. And now they are recklessly repealing the Act as a political action that will have a far reaching impact on all Americans not just those who participate in the exchanges because all Americans benefit from the protections and safeguards of the Act.
24
They don't want to offer solutions. They just want to complain and line the pockets of their industry friends. They have nothing to offer but criticism.
2
'“Don’t put chaos in place of affordable care,” (Schumer) said.' - False premise. Obamacare is already in chaos.
3
Dead wrong.
6
Tell that to my sister, owner/operator of a dairy farm in western WA since '76 - her insurance costs have doubled, along with her deductible.
Unfortunate, but it might prevent her from losing everything due to a medical emergency. Healthcare is not cheap, and selling across state lines and other 'free market' solutions pushed by the GOP won't save people money.
oh, look... McConnell can actually smile!
5
I'd say "leer," or "gloat."
6
This mindless act by Republicans is no surprise. Since the ACA's passage without a single Republican vote (due to their vindictive decision day one of Obama's presidency to obstruct him every step of the way or in other words to behave like jerks for no understandable reason) they've been trying to repeal Obamacare. And they have made more that 60 unsuccessful attempts wasting their time and tax payer money in that absurd futile pursuit that had/has nothing to do with the welfare of our country or our people.
Now, they can finally feel the "thrill" of victory which is their main unimaginable goal until, that is, the consequences of that irresponsible act comes back to bite them where it hurts due to the toxic impact on thousands.
As President Obama keeps saying, he would be the first on board if they came up with a better plan. And the fact that they are putting the cart before the horse speaks to their consuming need (as if they are demon possessed) to stick it to our decent present president who's shoes they aren't worthy to shine.
Now, they can finally feel the "thrill" of victory which is their main unimaginable goal until, that is, the consequences of that irresponsible act comes back to bite them where it hurts due to the toxic impact on thousands.
As President Obama keeps saying, he would be the first on board if they came up with a better plan. And the fact that they are putting the cart before the horse speaks to their consuming need (as if they are demon possessed) to stick it to our decent present president who's shoes they aren't worthy to shine.
12
This just came to my mind: "Sen. Sanders wants to dismantle Obamacare..." Chelsea Clinton, Jan. 12 2016. Well, it's happening now though for a different reason!
Oh, and yesterday Cory Booker & several other Democrats joined GOP in voting down Sanders amendment on importing cheaper drugs. http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm...
Oh, and yesterday Cory Booker & several other Democrats joined GOP in voting down Sanders amendment on importing cheaper drugs. http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm...
1
The GOP are so excited and eager and proud about stripping away health insurance from the masses. They simply can't wait! Finally, they are getting the chance to do what they have wanted to do for years. They are like toddlers who are unable to delay gratification even for a minute.
People will die because toddler-equivalents are running our government. YAY!
People will die because toddler-equivalents are running our government. YAY!
9
There is no "Republican plan".
There is no Trump "plan".
Health Savings Accounts are only for people with savings. (Duh.)
"High-risk pools" do nothing for day-to-day medical needs, emergencies, preventive care expenses, etc.
Abolishing the "mandate" increases the deficit and guarantees an increase in E.R. visits by people who can't or won't pay.
There is no Trump "plan".
Health Savings Accounts are only for people with savings. (Duh.)
"High-risk pools" do nothing for day-to-day medical needs, emergencies, preventive care expenses, etc.
Abolishing the "mandate" increases the deficit and guarantees an increase in E.R. visits by people who can't or won't pay.
12
guarantees an increase in E.R. visits by people who can't or won't pay.
yes, and eventually, because people can not be turned away, the state and federal governments pick up the tab ---_courtesy of the TAX PAYER. so who really wins here?
yes, and eventually, because people can not be turned away, the state and federal governments pick up the tab ---_courtesy of the TAX PAYER. so who really wins here?
Privatize the gains, socialize the losses...
1
The irony is that a repeal not only guarantees the death and suffering of many citizens. It also means money stops flowing to health care providers of all kinds as well as to the insurance companies. It isn't as if people take ACA money and sit on it like the wealthy do with offshore schemes to defraud our government. They are spending it into the economy.
8
A public outcry might be the only thing that can save Obamacare now. The only way to do it, is for the DNC to run ads in the right wing states with senators voting to end the ACA.
I've seen that Obamacare is hated in KY, but they love their KYnect which is ACA insurance. The problem is even people who are on the ACA don't know it because it runs under so many names. I've read people talking about how great it is to get rid of ObamaCare because the ACA is so much better.
Most people don't even understand what the ACA did to eliminate lifetime limits and yearly caps which helped all people with insurance regardless of if it was an ACA plan. I read about one woman who hated Obamacare because her son is now off her plan at age 26. She had no understanding that previously he would have been off it much sooner. The American people need to be informed about what they are on the verge of losing. Clinton's camp should have run these ads, but didn't. The ad campaign should be " Obamacare, what you're about to lose". Many of the backers of eliminating the ACA believe that only people on ACA plans got any benefit which is not true. The democrats never did a good job of explaining how the ACA was helping people with regular health insurance. Now, it the last chance to save the ACA.
I've seen that Obamacare is hated in KY, but they love their KYnect which is ACA insurance. The problem is even people who are on the ACA don't know it because it runs under so many names. I've read people talking about how great it is to get rid of ObamaCare because the ACA is so much better.
Most people don't even understand what the ACA did to eliminate lifetime limits and yearly caps which helped all people with insurance regardless of if it was an ACA plan. I read about one woman who hated Obamacare because her son is now off her plan at age 26. She had no understanding that previously he would have been off it much sooner. The American people need to be informed about what they are on the verge of losing. Clinton's camp should have run these ads, but didn't. The ad campaign should be " Obamacare, what you're about to lose". Many of the backers of eliminating the ACA believe that only people on ACA plans got any benefit which is not true. The democrats never did a good job of explaining how the ACA was helping people with regular health insurance. Now, it the last chance to save the ACA.
17
"though premiums have risen sharply in many states"
The NY Times should stop simply repeating this Republican talking point. Health insurance premiums and health care expenditures have been growing more slowly under Obamacare than in previous years. According to the linked article:
"The RNC’s “fact check” goes on to list more figures from the KFF survey, including the accurate statistic that the average premium for single coverage through employers has gone up 28 percent “under Obama” That’s right again, but much lower than the growth of individual premiums during Bush’s first six years. That increase was 72 percent."
It is incumbent on the Times to provide this sort of important context during the coming debate over repealing and replacing Obamacare.
http://www.factcheck.org/2015/02/slower-premium-growth-under-obama/
The NY Times should stop simply repeating this Republican talking point. Health insurance premiums and health care expenditures have been growing more slowly under Obamacare than in previous years. According to the linked article:
"The RNC’s “fact check” goes on to list more figures from the KFF survey, including the accurate statistic that the average premium for single coverage through employers has gone up 28 percent “under Obama” That’s right again, but much lower than the growth of individual premiums during Bush’s first six years. That increase was 72 percent."
It is incumbent on the Times to provide this sort of important context during the coming debate over repealing and replacing Obamacare.
http://www.factcheck.org/2015/02/slower-premium-growth-under-obama/
12
Tanks are rolling into Poland (just the latest in a series of frightening global events) and our biggest concern is taking healthcare away from our fellow Americans? Well done GOP Senators, such patriots. Where are our priorities and what are we so angrily doing to ourselves?
6
So much for the existence of a coterie of "moderate" Republicans who could have opposed this, only Rand Paul voted in opposition (which this article might well have noted).
And why do Times articles discussing such votes not link to the house or senate web sites where votes are tallied?
And why do Times articles discussing such votes not link to the house or senate web sites where votes are tallied?
3
Why are the Republicans not proposing to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our healthcare system by creating a healthcare market that is as free as possible with price and quality visibility for consumers that enables consumers to make informed choices and ask good questions of vendors? The same applies to insurance companies that frequently deceive consumers about their coverage and act more as a healthcare payment system that lets them rake in money for every medical transaction rather than a true insurance company that covers major expenses. A homeowners insurance policy doesn't cover minor damage or normal maintenance expenses and healthcare insurance should provide similar benefits. There is no free market in healthcare; if there was, costs would go down and quality would improve, but then the suppliers would have to improve their efficiency and effectiveness instead of just passing along costs to consumers.
1
I wish the press would ask Mitch McConnell, on camera, how he and his wife get health insurance. They get European-like coverage for life because of the government jobs they have.
6
I'd like to know how much McConnell and his congressional cronies all receive from the health insurance lobby.
How about an article on that, NYT?
How about an article on that, NYT?
2
GOP......you own this! Repeal at your own risk!
5
Everything in nature has an end .... either Donald Trump is a Doomsday Machine or is it the beginning of the implosion of America. It is distressing to see that these Senators can do this with straight faces as though they are going to do America good. Maybe racism has adapted to changing times. I am at loss.
i feel so fortunate (at the moment) that I an on Medicare and Social Security.If I were not, under the Trump non-plan, I could not afford any medical insurance. I pity all those who voted for Il Duce Trump who will lose their health care and all the other government benifits tht they cannot survive without.
1
Mitch McConnell - no action you take in the late hours will be obscured in the harsh light of day. Cowards feel secure acting in darkness but we will not allow your actions to be spared scrutiny or accountability for the consequences they will impose of the least of your fellow citizens. You have disregarded your responsibility to act in the best interest of every man, woman and child in this country.
High costs of drugs, doctors and hospitals in the USA are the problem, not who handles the paperwork and billing. The debate over "Obamacare" vs. Medicaid vs. private insurance misses the point. Put out the administration and billing of health care to competitive bids every few years and let the free market and competition decide who can handle our medical billing at the lowest cost. Federal benefits for health care or any other programs should be the same for all US citizens; it might be simpler and more fair to cover all US citizens under Medicare or Medicaid and allow bidding to do the paperwork.
3
What "mandate" is Mr. Trump talking about when he says he has one to
repeal the ACA? He is President because of the quirks of the Electoral
College. If anyone got a mandate, it was Secretary Clinton who out polled
Mr. Trump by approximately 2 million votes. The Republicans might
take pause to think about that.
repeal the ACA? He is President because of the quirks of the Electoral
College. If anyone got a mandate, it was Secretary Clinton who out polled
Mr. Trump by approximately 2 million votes. The Republicans might
take pause to think about that.
3
Again the GOP has decided to repeal the ACA with absolutely nothing to replace it with. If this goes through, millions of people will lose their insurance. This petty vindictiveness and partisanship has got to stop. What they should be doing is fixing the law to include mandating that insurance companies stop raising rates and deductibles. The idea that the more who buy something, the cheaper that it gets is not a new concept, but unfortunately the insurance companies have found a way around it. Polls show that most Americans are happy with the ACA, they just want it fixed. Stop the madness and listen to your constituents!
13
How predictable, more Republican dirty tricks. One would think that after the last thirty plus years of this Americans would have gotten a clue. America is the land of the stupid, ill informed and under educated.
2
We will NOT forget this. Ryan and McConnell do NOT have a mandate from the majority of Americans who voted in this past election. They are counting on us to forget, just as we forgot the devastating economic losses in 2008 that many citizens will never recover from. We have two years to prepare to defeat those reps who support the repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Now is the time for strong new Congressional candidates to emerge, prepare, and run for election The next election is November 6, 2018. As a cancer survivor, I will never forget the faces of those patients in chemo rooms and radiation treatment waiting rooms whose cancer was diagnosed too late due to no health insurance. Remember also that in 2020, senators like Mitch McConnell are up for re-election. In June, his disapproval rating was 49%, the highest in the Senate. Time to dig in, be willing to run for Congress and the Senate, and get to work to defeat those who voted to abolish the Affordable Care Act.
2
As to the question of Paying.
Take the total, of all Health related expenditures in the U.S. today divided by the total gross domestic product gives a percentage which if applied to all income categories will spread the cost to all, each
according to their abilities!
Those who register for Welfare should be covered, those who register as unemployed should be covered, those who are indigent must be registered, and if no address is available one must be assigned to them, and covered by contributions from the City,
County, State, and the Federal Government accordingly and Unified all under one entity!
No Individual must be allowed to fall through the cracks!
All contributions collected by the Internal Revenue Services a
Percentage of their Gross income and distributed to the Private Health Insurance Companies according to the direction and wishes of the Individual! Polices must be transferable with no days lost. No
Individual can be turned down.
Take the total, of all Health related expenditures in the U.S. today divided by the total gross domestic product gives a percentage which if applied to all income categories will spread the cost to all, each
according to their abilities!
Those who register for Welfare should be covered, those who register as unemployed should be covered, those who are indigent must be registered, and if no address is available one must be assigned to them, and covered by contributions from the City,
County, State, and the Federal Government accordingly and Unified all under one entity!
No Individual must be allowed to fall through the cracks!
All contributions collected by the Internal Revenue Services a
Percentage of their Gross income and distributed to the Private Health Insurance Companies according to the direction and wishes of the Individual! Polices must be transferable with no days lost. No
Individual can be turned down.
I'll say the same thing that I always say to these stories: Whatever health care plan Congress and Trump wants to inflict on the rest of us, they can inflict on themselves too. That's the only way we're going to get a decent health care system in this country, if the fat cats suffer along with everyone else.
1
This should have been in place all along!
1
The reason the Republicans are having such a hard time coming up with a plan is because, Obamacares was their plan, it was based on their recommendation when Hillary tried a more aggressive approach in the nineties. It was the basis for Romney's Massachusetts's plan. So he stole their lunch and they have nothing new to offer.
Savings plans won't work for most Americans who are already under funding their retirement. Eliminating state barriers just makes states like California, which has excellent insurance laws and a dedicated Insurance Commissioner, Dave Jones, more vulnerable to insurance companies located out of state. We do not need to return to the days of insurance companies running and hiding as soon as you find a need for them.
The ACA can be improved, competitive drug prices should be encouraged, increased requirements for a school nurse in every school above a certain size should be established and funded. Lower the age for Medicare. Do it gradually over time, charge an additional fee for those under 65, but make it available as an alternative. It will remove some of the risk from the private insurance pool by taking older patients who represent greater risks out of their calculus.
Savings plans won't work for most Americans who are already under funding their retirement. Eliminating state barriers just makes states like California, which has excellent insurance laws and a dedicated Insurance Commissioner, Dave Jones, more vulnerable to insurance companies located out of state. We do not need to return to the days of insurance companies running and hiding as soon as you find a need for them.
The ACA can be improved, competitive drug prices should be encouraged, increased requirements for a school nurse in every school above a certain size should be established and funded. Lower the age for Medicare. Do it gradually over time, charge an additional fee for those under 65, but make it available as an alternative. It will remove some of the risk from the private insurance pool by taking older patients who represent greater risks out of their calculus.
3
Butch in Germany
Comprehensive Health Care?
Will your plan cover the poor unfortunate, destitute individuals who are forced to live on the streets of our Nation? Squabbling over penalties or fines of any type is not getting serious with the problem of compensating those who want to work in the health care industry serving the needs of the ill!
From those according to there Abilities
To those according to there Needs!
Health Care For All !
All Citizens those Born, those Nationalized, and those who have Legal permission to reside and live in the United States must be included and be treated with the respect they deserve!
Comprehensive Health Care?
Will your plan cover the poor unfortunate, destitute individuals who are forced to live on the streets of our Nation? Squabbling over penalties or fines of any type is not getting serious with the problem of compensating those who want to work in the health care industry serving the needs of the ill!
From those according to there Abilities
To those according to there Needs!
Health Care For All !
All Citizens those Born, those Nationalized, and those who have Legal permission to reside and live in the United States must be included and be treated with the respect they deserve!
Invade Iraq without any real plan about what to do after Saddam's ouster, repeal the ACA 14 years later without any real plan about what to do once 20 million plus people are added to the ranks of the uninsured.
What do these incompetent, irresponsible fools in the nominal party of Lincoln have in store for us next? I'll tell you what--American citizens kowtowing before Chinese Communist Party apparatchiks who are watching the implosion of the United States with unrestrained glee.
Oh, you think having a privatized health insurance system will make America stronger rather than weaker? Just watch and see what happens to this country and its people as health insurance gets treated like a commodity.
What do these incompetent, irresponsible fools in the nominal party of Lincoln have in store for us next? I'll tell you what--American citizens kowtowing before Chinese Communist Party apparatchiks who are watching the implosion of the United States with unrestrained glee.
Oh, you think having a privatized health insurance system will make America stronger rather than weaker? Just watch and see what happens to this country and its people as health insurance gets treated like a commodity.
27
It turns out they had a plan for Iraq: create plenty of chaos, so that they could reapply "lose" pallets full of $100 bills, change, Iraqi law so that global oil corporations get Iraq's oil, and let new terrorist organizations like All Queda in Iraq which begat ISIS, so they can use a few hundred murders to justify hiring Americans civil liberties and put us at constant war with a rag tag army of graduates from extreme religious schools financed by our important allies, the Saudis. The plan worked perfectly.
3
They are not incompetent fools. They are very good at what they do, which is steal our tax dollars and give them to billionaires. The Democrats are also very good at what they do, which is to provide political cover to the Republicans by managing to take the blame for the resulting disasters.
1
"This is our opportunity to keep our campaign promise,” said Senator Roger Wicker, Republican of Mississippi."
Yep. The Republicans are keeping their promise to once again rob and rape poor and middle class Americans.
Seems to me that Republicans are acting a lot like a robber or a rapist when it comes to their efforts to repeal the ACA. Hurry up get it done quickly so nobody figures out what you are really doing. Do not consider the future consequences of the action. Run away and hide after committing the crime. And then if you get caught, deny any personal responsibility and blame it on somebody else!
Yep. The Republicans are keeping their promise to once again rob and rape poor and middle class Americans.
Seems to me that Republicans are acting a lot like a robber or a rapist when it comes to their efforts to repeal the ACA. Hurry up get it done quickly so nobody figures out what you are really doing. Do not consider the future consequences of the action. Run away and hide after committing the crime. And then if you get caught, deny any personal responsibility and blame it on somebody else!
18
I still do not understand why the GOP still does not have a plan to replace the ACA. They've had several years to do it, yet even now many of their members say they do not have a plan to replace the ACA after its repeal. And trump seems to tie in his revelation of his plan with his nominations. I'm wondering if anyone at all can enlighten me about any of this.
9
New York Times Editors and The Public Editor you must assign some staff member to reading all comments at all such articles to do the following.<<.
1) Identify every comment that notes that the USA is the only so-called advanced country that does not have some form of Universal Health Care - record percentage of total no of such comments.
2) Identify every comment in which a specific country is named and note if the commenter lives in the US or one of the other countries such as Germany, Canada, and so forth. Compile this list.
Once you do this you will see that you are missing something that I will call international perspective. You could provide a public service by putting this information into a series that can be used to educate Americans who do not know what they are being deprived of.
Only-NeverInSweden.blogspot.com
Dual citizen US SE
1) Identify every comment that notes that the USA is the only so-called advanced country that does not have some form of Universal Health Care - record percentage of total no of such comments.
2) Identify every comment in which a specific country is named and note if the commenter lives in the US or one of the other countries such as Germany, Canada, and so forth. Compile this list.
Once you do this you will see that you are missing something that I will call international perspective. You could provide a public service by putting this information into a series that can be used to educate Americans who do not know what they are being deprived of.
Only-NeverInSweden.blogspot.com
Dual citizen US SE
7
It won't work, for the most part. Most of those who don't know already believe that the USA is so unique, we don't need to follow anyone's lead. Some are secretly okay with the possibility that they might be able to afford health care while others can't, because they can feel superior - a crass sort of elitism. (Those lazy takers!)
I read much hand wringing and words to the effect of
"republicans don't care"
This is wrong. The republicans are running scared.
Furthermore, this year's health contracts will remain valid through 2017. I would guess it wouldn't be legal to terminate them.
Probably the health care mess will remain _basically_ unchanged for a while, maybe several years.
"republicans don't care"
This is wrong. The republicans are running scared.
Furthermore, this year's health contracts will remain valid through 2017. I would guess it wouldn't be legal to terminate them.
Probably the health care mess will remain _basically_ unchanged for a while, maybe several years.
4
With all the greatness our country stands for, for several decades we did not have an appropriate health care plan for the people. Finally, came the Affordable Care Act - ACA (Obamacare). It is understandable, the provisions of the ACA was not complete. There were several areas that required improvement. Health care for the people is as good as looking at the national security of the country. Unfortunately, partisan politics have failed to see the importance of the issue. Just like how they have neglected pressing subjects such as immigration and education, people's health care has not been important for the politicians. Today, Instead of addressing healthcare as national importance, the political leaders are so very obsessed in destroying the ACA. Over twenty million have enrolled into the ACA healthcare plan. There is very little discussion if there are new plans to replace the ACA. President - Elect Trump and his team, together with other political leaders are bent on the repeal of the ACA. They place their decision on the election mandate, and not explaining to the people if there is a better replacement plan, and how that would benefit the people. This is all very disturbing and is causing much distress to many.
4
This has little to do with the ACAs flaws or virtues, and it has everything to do with erasing Obama`s legacy.
The US will now go back to being the only country in the industrial world with third-world health care standards.
American voters, especially poorer whites with no education and poorer health, chose this path of irrationality, they will now bear the consequences.
The US will now go back to being the only country in the industrial world with third-world health care standards.
American voters, especially poorer whites with no education and poorer health, chose this path of irrationality, they will now bear the consequences.
8
I don't share the hand wringing about Obamacare.
Elections should have consequences. This was a measure well known to everybody.
Trump electors voted for this. You won.
Those who stayed at home: This is what happens when you say that you don't care by staying home, regardless of why you do it.
Hillary voters that need the protection afforded by the ACA; you are the only ones I sympathize with. Hopefully next time we will have a better candidate.
Elections should have consequences. This was a measure well known to everybody.
Trump electors voted for this. You won.
Those who stayed at home: This is what happens when you say that you don't care by staying home, regardless of why you do it.
Hillary voters that need the protection afforded by the ACA; you are the only ones I sympathize with. Hopefully next time we will have a better candidate.
2
So one that would've gotten 4million more votes than the one that beat them?
"Hopefully next time we will have a better candidate."
"Hopefully next time we will have a better candidate."
Senator Roger Wicker, Republican of Mississippi. “This is our opportunity to help the president-elect and the vice president-elect keep their campaign promises and show to the American people that elections have consequences.”
Wow! This is what passes for "representation" of the American people inside the beltway. Thanks big daddy for showing what side your bread is buttered on!
Wow! This is what passes for "representation" of the American people inside the beltway. Thanks big daddy for showing what side your bread is buttered on!
9
On a personal level, this does not affect me at this time. My employer is providing me with insurance. However, the idea and the nerve that the Senate have to repeal a working law without a backup plan in place is very un-American. Don't drop the oars before moving from one canoe to the other.
12
Be careful. There is evidence that something like the ACA is required to allow your employer to be able to keep providing your insurance without cutting back on policy provisions. If the Republicans snip and chop and remove what does that, you could be screwed, too.
Why is this article below the scroll on the online version, while "yesterday's news" about the unverified goldenshowers incident is still above the scroll? This is big news and is verified, and is about senate behavior as well as the PE.
5
Well it looks as if we are moving from Obamacare to the new "TrumpLessCare". Which simply means fewer people will have less medical care and coverage and the ones who do have healthcare coverage will pay more for less.
yes Donald - you change it - you own it. An you folks in MI, IA,KY, TN, IN, OH and PA who voted for Trump - when you coverage goes away - or your coverage is reduced and you are paying more - look in the mirror - you will have no one to blame but yourself.
yes Donald - you change it - you own it. An you folks in MI, IA,KY, TN, IN, OH and PA who voted for Trump - when you coverage goes away - or your coverage is reduced and you are paying more - look in the mirror - you will have no one to blame but yourself.
15
Please do NOT repeal the Health Care law or defund it until a new plan is developed and vetted! This is irresponsible and may cost the country more in unintended consequences that even the staunchest Republican would want to see.
Why not just take what IS working about it and improve on the rest?
Why not just take what IS working about it and improve on the rest?
3
The current ACA was never vetted as you will recall Nancy Pelosi stating unequivocally "We must pass the Bill to see what's in the Bill"...and they did.
1
I hope you never have to depend on it for your life...
3
"Let them die..." Careful what you wish for...
1
I thought the promise was not to repeal until they had something else. Sigh... President Trump, members of the Senate, who will be paying for my daughter's high-cost medicine that is for her life-threatening disease? And she is also currently undergoing tests for a tumor. Is there not one Republican who has compassion? Tell me what I am to do to help her? I don't have that kind of money. And who knows what the other 11.3Million who signed up for ObamaCare need. Have some compassion. Please.
37
This attitude by the right wing is historically consistent, given its vigorous opposition to Social Security and Medicare during the debates leading to enactment of those landmark programs. Apparently the idea of the less privileged getting some assistance from the federal government, i.e., the taxpayers, is anathema to these more privileged. Fortunately not all of their proposals work. Think of the proposal by George the Lesser to privatize Social Security just before the Wall Street wunderkinds brought the economy to the brink of destruction with their convoluted and spurious new financial 'opportunities' such as credit default swaps.
4
It's high time these low life republicans and democrats be removed from the teat of the US taxpayer. Pronto. Time for them to earn their bloated salaries and start paying into the system. No more publically funded fat pensions that they don't need since when they retire they do so as mega millionaires; no more free healthcare at our expense; pay for your own meals and transportation, you know, like the rest of us do. Time for them to face reality. They are a despicable group of individuals.
10
I will say that the Obama adminstration did a terrible job of getting the word out about the pro's of the AFA - his signature achievement! Most people don't even know that AFA brought down the number of people insured significantly.
http://www.npr.org/2017/01/12/509314717/we-asked-people-what-they-know-a...
Meanwhile the Republicans were beating up the Democrats daily over "Obamacare" Hopefully the next Democratic president will not be so reticent about getting out there and defending his programs.
http://www.npr.org/2017/01/12/509314717/we-asked-people-what-they-know-a...
Meanwhile the Republicans were beating up the Democrats daily over "Obamacare" Hopefully the next Democratic president will not be so reticent about getting out there and defending his programs.
3
Congratulations to the republicans, as the finally achieved what they have been working on for 6 years. No that they are the authors of 'Make America Sick Again', I hope they don't deny that they are responsible for what happens in the future and leave the uninsured as orphans.
2
Why is it that doctors aren't personally getting the bad rap for the failings of our medical system the way we teachers personally have for such a long time because of the failures of our educational systems? Talk about your class divides.
8
The Republicans have had six years to come up with a plan. By now, it should be polished to perfection, but they instead spent those years only by taking vote after symbolic vote to repeal the ACA. They had ample time and opportunity to have this all worked out. Instead they are at the bare beginnings of the process and don't know quite what to do.
6
As with everything the Republican leadership does, there is surely a political calculation to this. My guess is that the calculation boils down to something along these lines:
1. By gutting the ACA, we'll get more support from those who are ineligible for subsidies, have high-deductible policies and/or are facing steep premium hikes.
2. The number of additional voters we'll get in #1 will exceed the number of voters we'll lose who do not fit into any of those three categories, esp. since most of them are poor and/or minorities, both of which are less likely to vote for us, or to vote as a general matter anyway.
Is this calculation correct? The outcome of at least the next two federal election cycles (in 2018 and 2020) will likely ride on it.
1. By gutting the ACA, we'll get more support from those who are ineligible for subsidies, have high-deductible policies and/or are facing steep premium hikes.
2. The number of additional voters we'll get in #1 will exceed the number of voters we'll lose who do not fit into any of those three categories, esp. since most of them are poor and/or minorities, both of which are less likely to vote for us, or to vote as a general matter anyway.
Is this calculation correct? The outcome of at least the next two federal election cycles (in 2018 and 2020) will likely ride on it.
Here's an idea. At time that the ACA is repealed, the gold-plated insurance for all those who voted for it also gets repealed and does not get reinstated until all those who want coverage get coverage. As is said, "what's good for the goose is good for the gander." What do you think?
3
Just rename it TrumpCare and call it a day. That's what this is mostly about: denying President Obama credit for his greatest achievement. If they could airbrush him completely from the history of the past eight years, they would.
10
Shh, it's what they're gonna do.
"though premiums have risen sharply in many states and some insurers have fled the law’s health exchanges". It is time the NYT stops this useless generalizing, misleading people to believe that the ACA is not working. Premiums increased for only a small fraction of beneficiaries (Krugman) and other insurers have entered the market. It is this careless statement and others like it that fuels this debate. This is "truthiness" at its most blatant.
6
Just for your info. Insurance for a legislator(Best Plan) for a family is $1643 per mo.The Gov pays $1095 of it per month. They make $174,000 per year=7% of income. I am on Soc Sec. Between my wife and my premium deduction from Soc Sec and supplemental insurance is 27% of income
3
Republicans are now in the position like the dog that finally caught up to the car it chased, i.e. What now ?
Further, many Trump voters are likely in need of a health care plan. They will shocked when it is replaced with something unaffordable.
Chasing cars is just not as much fun as it used to be…….
Further, many Trump voters are likely in need of a health care plan. They will shocked when it is replaced with something unaffordable.
Chasing cars is just not as much fun as it used to be…….
4
This is why you don't vote for Republicans people! No ethics, no compassion, no scruples, no love for citizens and nation! Only a love for money, Big Pharma and Big Insurance! Disgust does not even come close! And watch out seniors--don't think they aren't itching to do away with your Medicare or Social Security. Vultures, one and all. Vote for one at your own risk!
12
Too broad a brush. Republicans have ethics, compassion, scruples, and love...but only if you are like them. (Still a little broad, but evidently not by much.)
“This is our opportunity to keep our campaign promise,”
In other words, it doesn't make any difference what happens to the state of health care in the US, just as long as they find a talking point for the 2018 election. Yes, that is all the GOP is interested in, it seems, these days, showing the Dems and all Americans who is in control. They don't seem to realize that this is why a story about the Trump team colluding with Pres. Putin actually sounds plausible. If you are only interested in gaining and maintaining power, at any cost, then you might even collude with a frequently hostile, anti-democratic foreign leader to do so. If the GOP had a different image, if Mr. Trump had a different image, the allegations in the unsubstantiated report would simply be laughed at like the allegations of a three-headed baby in Peru (nothing against Peru - just the first country that came to mind). As for the mandate, never forget: two fewer Republicans in the Senate; six fewer in the House; Clinton - 65,844,907; Trump - 62,979,453. More electors voted for Mr. Trump, but there is hardly a mandate for his policies.
In other words, it doesn't make any difference what happens to the state of health care in the US, just as long as they find a talking point for the 2018 election. Yes, that is all the GOP is interested in, it seems, these days, showing the Dems and all Americans who is in control. They don't seem to realize that this is why a story about the Trump team colluding with Pres. Putin actually sounds plausible. If you are only interested in gaining and maintaining power, at any cost, then you might even collude with a frequently hostile, anti-democratic foreign leader to do so. If the GOP had a different image, if Mr. Trump had a different image, the allegations in the unsubstantiated report would simply be laughed at like the allegations of a three-headed baby in Peru (nothing against Peru - just the first country that came to mind). As for the mandate, never forget: two fewer Republicans in the Senate; six fewer in the House; Clinton - 65,844,907; Trump - 62,979,453. More electors voted for Mr. Trump, but there is hardly a mandate for his policies.
10
The more votes that are vaporized to empower these presumptuous twits, the more they believe God loves them.
2
So the Republicans want to hurt a large number of Americans, because they can't get over a snit about Obamacare. I am ashamed of them. I'll be ashamed of the entire nation if we don't improve Obamacare instead of scrapping it for who-knows-what.
15
A family of four with a good income but limited savings paying $1,400/month premiums for a Bronze Plan and $6,500 deductibles capped at $25,000 to $30,000 annually, does not have health insurance.
And this is why Obamacare is a disaster.
And this is why Obamacare is a disaster.
3
If the ACA is a disaster it is because republicans perverted any ways and means to create an affordable health care in the United States since Ted Kennedy first proposed single payer.
Medicare for all, including the senate and congress.
You think you've seen disaster? Republicans are going to gut this thing with no plan forward. That will result in these's devils' chaos.
Medicare for all, including the senate and congress.
You think you've seen disaster? Republicans are going to gut this thing with no plan forward. That will result in these's devils' chaos.
6
That does stink (not my preferred word choice). But the ACA did not cause that. The decades-long skyrocketing cost of medical care delivery and the need to accommodate the interests of shareholders in the for-profit insurance market did. You are beating the wrong horse.
4
What does the cost become after subsidy? I know in California, a family earning 70k with two adults and two children could get the silver plan for a lot less and qualify for a subsidy to make it even cheaper.
Go Republicans go!! Create the biggest mess in political history. Step one in the process of proving to the American people that change of any kind is not the answer. Positive change is the answer. Are you watching Bernie? Are you smiling?
4
I hope the Republicans are ready to personally meet the thousands of people who will, because the loss of health insurance, go bankrupt, die, or both. Ryan, McConnell redefine what it means to be a coward.
17
It's January 12. I imagine many people have 2017 plans that went into service on January 1. It seems like a bad idea all around to just dismantle these plans immediately. Unfair for insurers and customers, even medical providers.
Even if you think ACA needs to be overhauled, surely ONE more year of the program is better then a giant disruption for everyone (except political egos).
I realize the ACA plans are not a good deal, but it's going to be an even worse deal when you can't find a plan.
Even if you think ACA needs to be overhauled, surely ONE more year of the program is better then a giant disruption for everyone (except political egos).
I realize the ACA plans are not a good deal, but it's going to be an even worse deal when you can't find a plan.
3
But Trump promised and promised he'll lead the charge to repeal the ACA and replace it with "something great".
And from his interview on 60 Minutes:
"There's many different ways, by the way. Everybody's got to be covered. This is an un-Republican thing for me to say because a lot of times they say, 'No, no, the lower 25 percent that can't afford private'… I am going to take care of everybody. I don't care if it costs me votes or not. Everybody's going to be taken care of much better than they're taken care of now."
It's all on the new President's shoulders, full accountability for his promises to voters.
And from his interview on 60 Minutes:
"There's many different ways, by the way. Everybody's got to be covered. This is an un-Republican thing for me to say because a lot of times they say, 'No, no, the lower 25 percent that can't afford private'… I am going to take care of everybody. I don't care if it costs me votes or not. Everybody's going to be taken care of much better than they're taken care of now."
It's all on the new President's shoulders, full accountability for his promises to voters.
26
These presumptuous people are above accountability to any vaporized voter.
2
Yep, based on those words, Donald Trump ought to veto this legislation.
We'll see. . .
We'll see. . .
1
In this great country, it is sad and disheartening to witness the dysfunction and malicious behavior which exists in our government. It is transparent that individuals holding these government positions and have sworn to serve have their own agendas. They don’t give a hoot about the people they swore to serve nor the catastrophic ramifications of their actions. They do what is best for themselves and their self-serving constituents. They are putting their own self-interest before the interest of the country. Repealing the ACA by the by Republicans is irreprehensible and unconscionable and what makes it even worse is that the Republicans have no replacement. Republicans are so hell bent on repealing the ACA that they have lost sight of the millions of people which will be affected by it. You can bet they won’t be affected because they have the best health care in the world….so why should they care about us.
Ironically, Republicans come up with excuses as to why the ACA should be repealed but nothing substantive. What are the real reasons for repealing the ACA? Listening to Trump, he says it is catastrophic….why? They blame the rising costs of health care on the ACA and yet health care costs were escalating prior to the implementation of ACA and were for years. Even though health care costs in this country are increasing, the increases were less when the ACA was place. What is happening in congress is a formula for disaster.
Ironically, Republicans come up with excuses as to why the ACA should be repealed but nothing substantive. What are the real reasons for repealing the ACA? Listening to Trump, he says it is catastrophic….why? They blame the rising costs of health care on the ACA and yet health care costs were escalating prior to the implementation of ACA and were for years. Even though health care costs in this country are increasing, the increases were less when the ACA was place. What is happening in congress is a formula for disaster.
4
Ironically, Kentucky citizens will be among the first to feel the sting of a repeal of Obamacare. McConnell's hypocrisy seems to have no bounds. His state is addicted to federal welfare dollars taking out far more from the federal government than it contributes.
8
The election didn't give them a mandate, 3 millions more people voted for Clinton .
3
That number is irrelevant when discussing Senators.
2
The Republicans one an only goal is to repeal the taxes (3.8% on income, effects only top 2%) which fund insurance subsidies for lower income Americans. Once that is done, the ACA is dead. Although they may fund it on debt for a while, which also serves the purpose of subsequently saying Social Security and Medicare must be privatized because the deficit etc. The GOP leadership and most members could care less about 'chaos' in the health care system or millions thrown of doctors offices into the street.
4
"Republicans say the 2016 elections gave them a mandate to roll back the health care law." How was the election a mandate? Why doesn't the author point out that most Americans voted for someone else? Or call it a lie, which it is.
9
I'm a self-employed cancer patient who buys insurance through the ACA. My bills are paid, as is my mortgage. But, by any pre-ACA standards, I am uninsurable, even though I've been paying for my own health insurance for many years.
There are no words for what this means for me. No insurance means no treatment. It means choosing between paying the bills and paying out of pocket for my medications. Or: between paying for my kid's education, for my (also self-employed) spouse's retirement--since without treatment I won't exactly make it to retirement age.
How are these people allowed to violate the social contract in this way?
There are no words for what this means for me. No insurance means no treatment. It means choosing between paying the bills and paying out of pocket for my medications. Or: between paying for my kid's education, for my (also self-employed) spouse's retirement--since without treatment I won't exactly make it to retirement age.
How are these people allowed to violate the social contract in this way?
26
Again and again I have heard patients and colleagues blame Obamacare for their miseries. While there certainly are problems with this legislation, the blame is totally misplaced. Insurance companies who are now limited to 20% above cost can once again raise rates to 30-40% or more than cost. College and young adults can not longer be on their parents policies, those with preexisting medical problems will now be excluded from getting insurance, seniors won't see the closing of the donut hole. There will be more profiteering? on the backs of the suffering. Big pharma can continue to raise prices on essential medications. More and more patients arrive in ER's in worse condition and cost shifting will occur again. System wide problems will not be addressed. More people will die or be permantly disabled. More doctors will suffer burnout.This is a catastrophe in the making.We are supposedly a civilized country. That is clearly not the case.true.
21
I have purchased health insurance privately for 18 years, well before the ACA. I always bought a "gold plated" policy (which cost the same as my current ACA Silver plan). With my "gold plater", I was covered 100%. Anywhere in the world and anywhere in the USA. Period.
Well, I could not get that policy "grandfathered" as I underwent medical underwriting to qualify. My elected officials were useless when i requested their assistance.
My post-ACA health insurance plan, assuming the ACA is repealed...i will conduct my health care affairs as Mr. Trump does his business affairs- claim the job wasn't done right, refuse to pay then sue all the providers. If everyone takes this approach, we will have to have to add thousands unemployed health insurance bureaucrats to the long list of folks expecting that Donald will bring back their high paying jobs.
Affordable health care at last!
Well, I could not get that policy "grandfathered" as I underwent medical underwriting to qualify. My elected officials were useless when i requested their assistance.
My post-ACA health insurance plan, assuming the ACA is repealed...i will conduct my health care affairs as Mr. Trump does his business affairs- claim the job wasn't done right, refuse to pay then sue all the providers. If everyone takes this approach, we will have to have to add thousands unemployed health insurance bureaucrats to the long list of folks expecting that Donald will bring back their high paying jobs.
Affordable health care at last!
Welcome to the 19th century.
The Republicans are quick to take credit for scraping helath care for tens of millions of Americans.
Do they similarly intend to take responsibility for the economic fallout of higher costs, less access, and the loss of millions of consumers to the health care industry?
Will they be there at the switch when thousands on life support and helpless to do anything find themselves kicked to the curb -- if they live long enough to see their beds rolled to the curb?
Then there is the possibility of a future epidemic or even bioterrorism. Then millions without healthcare, serving as uncared for hosts to spread the contagion far and wide, will probably be a wake up call that healthcare is a collective good, even in the midst of the other benefits and excesses of capitalism.
Then there are kids, whose only fault is not having been born to someone in the 1% wealthy enough to never worry about such matters.
You're sick puppies, Republicans, hope someone cares enough to get you to the vet...
The Republicans are quick to take credit for scraping helath care for tens of millions of Americans.
Do they similarly intend to take responsibility for the economic fallout of higher costs, less access, and the loss of millions of consumers to the health care industry?
Will they be there at the switch when thousands on life support and helpless to do anything find themselves kicked to the curb -- if they live long enough to see their beds rolled to the curb?
Then there is the possibility of a future epidemic or even bioterrorism. Then millions without healthcare, serving as uncared for hosts to spread the contagion far and wide, will probably be a wake up call that healthcare is a collective good, even in the midst of the other benefits and excesses of capitalism.
Then there are kids, whose only fault is not having been born to someone in the 1% wealthy enough to never worry about such matters.
You're sick puppies, Republicans, hope someone cares enough to get you to the vet...
4
Congratulations to those of you who have steadfastly opposed the ACA from its inception You have just cut off your nose to spite your face.
3
If Republicans can replace it with something better then kudos to them.
If they can't, they've wasted everyone's time complaining about it for years.
Get to work now Republicans.
If they can't, they've wasted everyone's time complaining about it for years.
Get to work now Republicans.
1
As a small business owner, ACA made great health plans available to my kids, wife and myself. This year we got crushed with premium increases, but are mustering trough it. If we would not have ACA, we would not be covered because of my wife felt dizzy once 15 years ago and because my son had a skin rash 14 years ago. Republicans truly do not want provide any entitlement or regulation whatsoever regardless of the cost to millions of people. Clinton and Obama actually curb government debt while republicans are exploding it.
35
I am for single payer today, tomorrow and forever.
I am against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act aka Obamacare aka Romneycare aka conservative Republican Heritage Foundation care today, tomorrow and forever.
Affordable quality health care is a universal humble humane empathetic human right.
I am against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act aka Obamacare aka Romneycare aka conservative Republican Heritage Foundation care today, tomorrow and forever.
Affordable quality health care is a universal humble humane empathetic human right.
7
The repubs have no integrity, decency or belief that all Americans should have affordable health insurance that delivers necessary care when needed.
No doubt they'll put forth a dystopian plan that on the surface may sound great to the uneducated but that in practice utterly fails most average people.
Every knowledgeable health care expert who truly knows the subject has emphasized that absent a universal system like in Canada, any second best but viable system has to have the basic elements of the ACA. So if the repubs gut it, whatever they replace it with that isn't largely the same will fail.
But of course the party of greed, hubris and corporate welfare will refuse to do that. They would have to admit that the Romney plan from MA, which the ACA was based on, was right. So, no health care for the masses until we elect a president and representatives that actually care.
Those in power now should be stoned to death, at least metaphorically through unrelenting criticism by the media and public. Trump voters are going to learn that snake oil has limited medicinal value. Sadly, we all know they don't care. Spiting Obama takes priority over everything.
No doubt they'll put forth a dystopian plan that on the surface may sound great to the uneducated but that in practice utterly fails most average people.
Every knowledgeable health care expert who truly knows the subject has emphasized that absent a universal system like in Canada, any second best but viable system has to have the basic elements of the ACA. So if the repubs gut it, whatever they replace it with that isn't largely the same will fail.
But of course the party of greed, hubris and corporate welfare will refuse to do that. They would have to admit that the Romney plan from MA, which the ACA was based on, was right. So, no health care for the masses until we elect a president and representatives that actually care.
Those in power now should be stoned to death, at least metaphorically through unrelenting criticism by the media and public. Trump voters are going to learn that snake oil has limited medicinal value. Sadly, we all know they don't care. Spiting Obama takes priority over everything.
3
Take note: As usual, Susan Collins talks a good game and then votes exactly the same as every other Republican.
9
Thank you for singling out Senator Collins, who tries to make a show of being a moderate. The good news is that she's up for re-election in 2018.
3
The Republican's in Congress are the "DEATH PANELS" they so eloquently conjured up back in 2009..
3
As an outsider, watching this slow motion train wreck (nuclear melt-down?) is frankly demoralizing, and I despair for all Americans, especially those well-meaning people who were taken in by Trump's mix of nonsense, outright mendacity, ignorance and mean-spiritedness - their disillusionment will be all the more painful for them when they realize that he is not the saviour he held himself out as...
But the real brickbats must be reserved for people like McConnell and his ilk, as morally and ethically bankrupt a group of politicians as I have ever seen...the nonsense they spout about Obamacare is breathtaking in its depravity...I truly believe that they are prepared to essentially sell 20 million Americans down the river just because they now can...they don't care a fig for the people who will fall victim to lack of affordable and dependable health care services...
I do not see any ways that this can end well for America, and the collateral damage to the rest of the world could be grievous...
But the real brickbats must be reserved for people like McConnell and his ilk, as morally and ethically bankrupt a group of politicians as I have ever seen...the nonsense they spout about Obamacare is breathtaking in its depravity...I truly believe that they are prepared to essentially sell 20 million Americans down the river just because they now can...they don't care a fig for the people who will fall victim to lack of affordable and dependable health care services...
I do not see any ways that this can end well for America, and the collateral damage to the rest of the world could be grievous...
54
Thank you for the external validation. Millions and millions of decent people here in the US get what recalcitrant haters these monsters are.
There could be no clearer message about who the Republicans represent. Well, maybe one more - when they vote enormous tax cuts for the wealthy, get rid of the inheritance tax and set the stage to end Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
The Democrats need to change their "highly unusual" protest to become the entirely typical Democratic response to Republican actions that will destroy our economy due to massive federal deficits and deny the benefits of healthcare and financial security to tens of millions of Americans. The Democrats need to stand up and vocally protest every single time such a vote comes forward. They need to make it clear that these actions are the GOP's vision of America. And after the GOP vision becomes reality, we can see if the voters give them a true mandate. What they got in the 2016 was a distinct minority of the popular vote for their presidential candidate, considering all the candidates, and not even a plurality when only Trump and Hilary are considered. If American voters are stupid enough to vote that way again when no amount of lies and deception can hide the ugly caricature of America that the GOP has created, then we can hear that "the voters have spoken". Until then, let's make it clear what we have - tyranny of the minority by ideological zealots.
The Democrats need to change their "highly unusual" protest to become the entirely typical Democratic response to Republican actions that will destroy our economy due to massive federal deficits and deny the benefits of healthcare and financial security to tens of millions of Americans. The Democrats need to stand up and vocally protest every single time such a vote comes forward. They need to make it clear that these actions are the GOP's vision of America. And after the GOP vision becomes reality, we can see if the voters give them a true mandate. What they got in the 2016 was a distinct minority of the popular vote for their presidential candidate, considering all the candidates, and not even a plurality when only Trump and Hilary are considered. If American voters are stupid enough to vote that way again when no amount of lies and deception can hide the ugly caricature of America that the GOP has created, then we can hear that "the voters have spoken". Until then, let's make it clear what we have - tyranny of the minority by ideological zealots.
3
Republican representatives in Congress are blowing repeal of Obamacare by the American people and lying when saying they have a replacement plan and will implement it soon.
If they had a replacement plan that worked they would publish it. They don't so they haven't.
All they have outlined is some sporadic policies. They will not allow the "replacement" plan to cover Americans who will lose their coverage when Republicans repeal Obamacare. They will not protect the rest of us who gained important insurance protections from Obamacare.
The disjointed ideas included in Paul Ryan's "A Better Way" are not a workable plan for health coverage
Tort Reform: The malpractice settlements Tom Price says are a huge problem (only $83 billion out of $40 trillion over the past 25 years) are not even a rounding error for the operational costs of our health system
Selling across state lines: is already done by all major insurers. It really means registering a plan in S. Dakota where consumers have little protection
Block granting Medicaid: means reducing and diverting Medicaid funds to other pork barrel purposes
HSA Accounts: are only meaningful to people in higher tax brackets
Tax credits: will not subsidize premiums for 40% of Americans in lower tax brackets
"Protecting" Medicare: means cutting eligibility and providing a voucher that will not pay for current benefit levels
Ryan's plan also cuts billions in tax dollars that support health coverage but no new taxes, just more debt
If they had a replacement plan that worked they would publish it. They don't so they haven't.
All they have outlined is some sporadic policies. They will not allow the "replacement" plan to cover Americans who will lose their coverage when Republicans repeal Obamacare. They will not protect the rest of us who gained important insurance protections from Obamacare.
The disjointed ideas included in Paul Ryan's "A Better Way" are not a workable plan for health coverage
Tort Reform: The malpractice settlements Tom Price says are a huge problem (only $83 billion out of $40 trillion over the past 25 years) are not even a rounding error for the operational costs of our health system
Selling across state lines: is already done by all major insurers. It really means registering a plan in S. Dakota where consumers have little protection
Block granting Medicaid: means reducing and diverting Medicaid funds to other pork barrel purposes
HSA Accounts: are only meaningful to people in higher tax brackets
Tax credits: will not subsidize premiums for 40% of Americans in lower tax brackets
"Protecting" Medicare: means cutting eligibility and providing a voucher that will not pay for current benefit levels
Ryan's plan also cuts billions in tax dollars that support health coverage but no new taxes, just more debt
1
What a stunning act of political cynicism and hypocrisy. They are willing to remove newly received healthcare for millions of people who have no influence with them. This simply isn't my father's Republican Party.
I hope all of McConnell's fellow Kentuckians are watching this guy closely.
I hope all of McConnell's fellow Kentuckians are watching this guy closely.
1
How is this not the lead headline for the day?
My insurance broker wouldn't let us switch to ACA insurance because he felt it was unstable, but I have deep concern about what will become of the 20 million vulnerable Americans who depend on the ACA for health care. This wasn't the platform that Trump ran on, but it's the first horror show the GOP is ramming through the Budget Office, while the press has their hair on fire about hotels in Moscow.
Why are they in such a hurry? What can the press do to unearth the true costs of repealing the ACA? Please act now, for I'm afraid that many of my fellow Missourians voted for the GOP without understanding how quickly that party would devastate the well-being of their children, their families and their neighbors.
My insurance broker wouldn't let us switch to ACA insurance because he felt it was unstable, but I have deep concern about what will become of the 20 million vulnerable Americans who depend on the ACA for health care. This wasn't the platform that Trump ran on, but it's the first horror show the GOP is ramming through the Budget Office, while the press has their hair on fire about hotels in Moscow.
Why are they in such a hurry? What can the press do to unearth the true costs of repealing the ACA? Please act now, for I'm afraid that many of my fellow Missourians voted for the GOP without understanding how quickly that party would devastate the well-being of their children, their families and their neighbors.
1
So you thought the ACA was bad, too expensive and worst of all the federal government telling you how to live your life. Well guess what, it is about to get more expensive and the insurance companies will once again decide for you what, if any, medical care you will receive. Taken to it's logical conclusion only those with medical insurance or cash, or credit card, on hand will receive adequate medical care. The rest will stumble into their local emergency room or go to a urgent care chop shop and to be patched up and sent packing. Emergency rooms may have two entrances, one for paying customers and one for everyone else.
2
Reality check why repeal the afforable health care act ,make medicare for every one . Congress more intrested in wall street profits then american way of life . Why we have the profit for healthcare we have its next great revolution health care for profit. Last great revolution was industrail that created living wage jobs. 72 million people on government assitance 17 million on disabiltyan who knows how many are on welfare an on drugs
1
All semblance of our country is disappearing by the day under these contemptible hypocrites and their embarrassment-elect. God help us all.
3
The blame rests solely at the feet of voters.
PLEASE contact your representatives and express your opinion about what they are doing. It takes one minute.
1
They had the last 8 years to come up with an alternate plan. Wastrels.
18
Republicans seem to be interested in committing political suicide. I just don't get where being seen as the party who cracks down on Planned Parenthood and stripping health care from the self-employed and working class and the poor, while Putin tap dances through the back door of our government, wins you points.
Amazingly, most of these hypocrites will be in church on Sunday pretending to believe in God and country and caring about the unborn rather than those who are actually here and suffering. Truly evil people...
2
For sure because they believe God helps those who help themselves, it's in the Bible right? wait...
The idiotic Republicans should be given their wish. Wholly unimpaired. Repeal the ACA with no responsible plan in place. Watch millions of jobs being lost, and hospitals put in financial danger. Millions and millions of people deprived of coverage. Premiums for healthy people might decline a bit over time, but coverage for anyone "at risk" health-wise will skyrocket in cost if even available at all. Employers will not be able to hire categories of people who might be ill, in high-risk groups, older, overweight, or smokers, etc., given the insurance considerations.
While we're at it, let's make sure that ER's aren't forced to pick up the slack regarding sick, uninsured people (ultimately, at a cost to taxpayers - yes, that's what will happen). Let's have thousands suffering and dying in our public places and their homes, to remind us of the GOP's propagandistic, fact-free approach to scaring the electorate about complicated programs like the ACA, using such tactics to get candidates elected. Let's allow the health crisis to unfold clearly for all to see.
Perhaps then, finally, we can get the progress toward a single payer system that we thought Obamacare would eventually provide. And, perhaps, the Republican party will finally be understood for what it is: a cynical machine to make any misrepresentation, to use fear-mongering, and to do any and all damage to our country, in order to get their candidates in office.
While we're at it, let's make sure that ER's aren't forced to pick up the slack regarding sick, uninsured people (ultimately, at a cost to taxpayers - yes, that's what will happen). Let's have thousands suffering and dying in our public places and their homes, to remind us of the GOP's propagandistic, fact-free approach to scaring the electorate about complicated programs like the ACA, using such tactics to get candidates elected. Let's allow the health crisis to unfold clearly for all to see.
Perhaps then, finally, we can get the progress toward a single payer system that we thought Obamacare would eventually provide. And, perhaps, the Republican party will finally be understood for what it is: a cynical machine to make any misrepresentation, to use fear-mongering, and to do any and all damage to our country, in order to get their candidates in office.
1
Like any impotent bully, the GOP destroys instead of creates. Kisses up to the strong instead of protecting the weak.
Congressional Republicans with the slim exception of a tiny handful loathed Trump yet now sidle next to him to wipeout one of the brighter moments in recent decades.
The ACA was flawed but fixable. Did they offer any help during all these past years? No.
Did they work effectively on a replacement that would improve on the ACA these last years? No.
What an impotent party.
Congressional Republicans with the slim exception of a tiny handful loathed Trump yet now sidle next to him to wipeout one of the brighter moments in recent decades.
The ACA was flawed but fixable. Did they offer any help during all these past years? No.
Did they work effectively on a replacement that would improve on the ACA these last years? No.
What an impotent party.
4
The self satisfied smirk on McConnell's evil face over depriving health care to the American people is just disgusting. Not only will over 20 million Americans lose their health care but the rest of us will once again suffer higher rates and denial of medical care by no longer regulated insurance companies. Back to the days of greed over what's best for our country and its citizens.
2
Mitch McConnell and his GOP Senate confederates want to ensure over 29 million Americans lose health insurance. What patriots.
1
This is nothing more than a callous act of political revenge on a massive scale. Statistics show conclusively that the Affordable Care Act has helped millions of people access healthcare that would have been denied before. Personally, I know of several people who quite literally would be dead without the Affordable Care Act, as coverage would have been denied or they would have been ineligible due to the inability to remain under their parent's coverage.
The GOP chooses willingly to ignore the facts, and push lies on their constituents. Tying the ACA to their base's baseless hatred for President Obama, and the myth that they are paying for the healthcare of "welfare-queens" was politically savvy and even more diabolical. There is no excuse for such obtuse denial of aid for the struggling American people. I have been a Republican my whole life. I do not expect that I will ever vote for another Republican in my lifetime now.
I plan to call my Senator today. If you live in a state with even ONE Republican representative in the Senate, you should too. It appears that sometimes our representatives need reminding that despite being elected by a 1% majority of the vote in certain state elections, that does not mean they are permitted to only care about that 51% of the population. YOU do not kneel to them. They work FOR you.
The GOP chooses willingly to ignore the facts, and push lies on their constituents. Tying the ACA to their base's baseless hatred for President Obama, and the myth that they are paying for the healthcare of "welfare-queens" was politically savvy and even more diabolical. There is no excuse for such obtuse denial of aid for the struggling American people. I have been a Republican my whole life. I do not expect that I will ever vote for another Republican in my lifetime now.
I plan to call my Senator today. If you live in a state with even ONE Republican representative in the Senate, you should too. It appears that sometimes our representatives need reminding that despite being elected by a 1% majority of the vote in certain state elections, that does not mean they are permitted to only care about that 51% of the population. YOU do not kneel to them. They work FOR you.
1
The Republicans would appreciate it if all people who can't afford medical care to just start dying off now from the stress they are causing.
2
So maybe we should hold Congress accountable for every life we lose when people who are uninsured start to die without care. Maybe we need some accountability to go along with their rash behavior. Maybe we tally the deaths and hand out prison sentences ( or if the state allows it maybe death sentences). Maybe the state governments can act on this. Accountability is key here. Who gets the blame for the thousands who will likely die without medical care?
For the last 8 years the GOP has championed Repeal and Replace however they've never outlined a clear, concise and well thought "replacement.
What they have articulated is a patchwork of tired old solutions that have all proven to be failures in the past. Everything from association plans (enormous failure), high risk pools at the state level, purchasing across state lines (does noting to address the core issues) to Health Savings Accounts.
There is no cohesive plan or strategy which is going to become very apparent very soon, so watch carefully as the number of uninsured grows along with costs and I want everyone to remember who owns the results.
What they have articulated is a patchwork of tired old solutions that have all proven to be failures in the past. Everything from association plans (enormous failure), high risk pools at the state level, purchasing across state lines (does noting to address the core issues) to Health Savings Accounts.
There is no cohesive plan or strategy which is going to become very apparent very soon, so watch carefully as the number of uninsured grows along with costs and I want everyone to remember who owns the results.
4
States now have an opportunity to pick up the baton. The affluent "blue" states could well afford to pay the subsidies for their own population and keep the system going. Most of them are net contributors to the federal budget.
Plus the Republicans say that a large percentage of Americans are unhappy with the ACA but they include in that number those people who felt that the ACA didn't go far enough.
4
Trump epitomizes the worship of force and the practice of cruel intolerance, an ugly spirit now emerging and taking hold in the US. It is the antithesis of securing a national minimum of civilised life ... open to all alike, of both sexes and all classes, by which we mean sufficient nourishment and training when young, a living wage when able-bodied, treatment when sick, and modest but secure livelihood when disabled or aged.
1
Let us not forget that women are in the cross hairs of these right wing nihilist hypocrites, misogynists, and elitist thugs. We can expect that contraception coverage will be immediately eliminated; abortion will be outlawed; and access to affordable reproductive health services, cancer screenings, STD testing and treatment, etc. will be eviscerated. Women who rely upon stellar providers such as Planned Parenthood will be left to fend for themselves, and those with unplanned, unwanted pregnancies may well once again die in back alleys. Elections do, indeed, have consequences: and poor women will suffer the very worst of those. The GOTP has every intention of reducing the nation to a plutocracy, with wealthy white, conservative, patriarchal males at the head of the line, and everyone else scrabbling for crumbs. It is barbaric, contemptible, and immoral - and every single voter who supported these people deserves what they get. Unfortunately, the majority of us who did not support the GOTP will be forced to endure similar fates. 1/12/17, 8:34 AM
4
Yep. The Missisippi senator said it best: “This is our opportunity to keep our campaign promise,” said Senator Roger Wicker, Republican of Mississippi. “This is our opportunity to help the president-elect and the vice president-elect keep their campaign promises and show to the American people that elections have consequences.” Everyone who voted for the huckster will get to see exactly what a Republican America looks like. They finally have a chance to show their "heart" and itd pining for the good old days when the robber barons could do what they wanted when they wanted. Most of all this is a vindictive act against a president who had the audacity to run for president while being Black. While it will hurt a lot of people, sometimes it is best to give the "people" what they wanted: they do not want to share the so-called shrinking pie with anyone else. And who else to take money from? Those who do not vote because they are either too pure to vote for a president who does not represent ALL their interest, and the poor who believe that "those people" will do what they want. Well, those people" are doing what they want because many Americans fail to understand that the powerful can never have enough of anything, and they do not care if your mother dies because she can't afford health care. They really do not.
1
Kind of fascinating that there does not appear to be a single Trump supporter commenting on this.
If the Republicans referred to losing the popular vote by 3 million as a mandate, what do they call the level of support in our country for not having Trump in the White House?
If the Republicans referred to losing the popular vote by 3 million as a mandate, what do they call the level of support in our country for not having Trump in the White House?
2
I want these Senators to defund their own government-sponsored health benefits (and their pensions). What is good for their constituents is good for them, too.
4
does anyone know if Congressional benefits are public tecord? seems like they should be. i bet that's a chunk of change that could be cut if they're looking to trim the budget!
2
How is it possible that this story doesn't reveal the Republican senator who didn't vote and why they didn't? Not newsworthy?
2
Let them. The American people are reaping what they sow.
1
Why the heck didn't Barack Obama and the Democrats figure that out with the Infrastructure bills...if you had employed 4 million middle aged white males with construction jobs...Democrats would still be in office. Sheesh.
3
I have long thought the same thing. But the repugnant ones would have blocked such a bill like they blocked most other constructive proposals for the past eight years.
1
Because the GOP convinced them to do tax cuts instead of infrastructure.
dm92...George W. Bush had a Republican Congress in 2001 when the tax cuts were passed. Democrats didn't get "convinced"...they just figured they lost the election with Gore, created plenty of ill-will taking it to court, and they surrendered because they were worried about appearing like partisan hacks. Well, the GOP didn't have any compunction filibustering over 300 bills. It's time the Democrats started fighting back instead of trying to be the nice guy all the time. Bipartisanship is dead...and Trump and the GOP killed it.
So sad the Republicans think they are invincible. Do they really believe American voters won't respond to this? Do they think they cannot be voted out because of this? They've never had a replacement plan, and it's ridiculous to imagine as trump says, they'll come up with a replacement soon. Be sure to call your congressman. I did.
1
Our elected officials in Washington want to do away with healthcare for millions of people while they sit on their thrones with some of the best plans ever conceived. What is wrong with this picture? And we taxpayers are funding them and their insurance because they opted themselves out of Obamacare. Time for an amendment so that we Americans have a say in what is funded for this entitled crew who are so out of touch with the rest of the country, it is mind boggling. Vote them ALL out!!!!
19
The new Trump motto: Make America Sick Again.
6
Mr. Putin, if you are listening, please tell your friend Donald the best idea the world has ever seen for providing health care. Tell him that he's the only one who can fix broken Obamacare, and everyone will love him for it. All he has to do is send out one little tweet.
My very smart plan to replace ACA covers everyone while costing less!
Single payer! Easy! Beautiful! Get it done!
My very smart plan to replace ACA covers everyone while costing less!
Single payer! Easy! Beautiful! Get it done!
3
What will people do when there is no bridge of any sort?
I recognize the importance of covering the undoing of the health care law, but I am worried that this article sheds no light on what else was voted on during the vote-a-rama. It seems like the perfect cover of night for passing lots of other legislation. The use of the news cycle has already been used as cover by the Republicans (who last week changed the rules so that Federal land can be transferred to the states without doing a cost-benefit analysis) while the rest of us were focused on the gutting of the independent ethics committee. If the writers (who I'm sure are tired) could cover what else happened last night, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
3
Mitch McConnell is a villain. And Paul Ryan a ghoul.
What a disgrace their making of our country.
What a disgrace their making of our country.
6
The Republicans are best at destroying any sense of humanity or decency in government. They represent a chaotic pseudo-conservative cabal whose only purpose is to enshrine wealth as tyrannical transcendent power.
1
Think of all the money they could save by providing free medically assisted suicide.
3
It is a terrible thing to witness so much animosity (by Republican MoC and by some fellow Americans) toward legislation that was crafted to help and most importantly save people's lives. While not the perfect system, it is a step in the right direction and has done many good things (two of my family members could have been denied coverage before the ACA came into place due to serious pre-existing health conditions).
When are we going to learn that healthcare shouldn't be run as a for profit business, but should be available to all as a basic human right?
When are we going to learn that healthcare shouldn't be run as a for profit business, but should be available to all as a basic human right?
2
For almost eight yrs.. the Republicans had a great deal, stupenous. They could relentlessly attack Obamacare and then mention "replacement" without ever having to specify what that meant. One side: an evil, hated program that is saving thousands of American lives every yr. The other side: a vague promise to replace it with...nothing.
Hey, it worked.
Even some people who now get health insurance and life saving treatment through the law also think it should be repealed because they have been propagandized so persistently. All in all, this law probably gathered millions of votes for Republicans, a majority (with gerrymandering) in the House and helped make Trump president elect.
Now what?
There can be no replacement for the ACA that meets even half of the same goals because the real Republican objection to it would raise its ugly head: TAXES. Even if they try to under-reach, do less, they are still stuck with 1. govt. intervention and 2. applying taxes to make it all work.
The honest Republican answer all along would have been to say, "Look, America, you can't have health insurance unless you make or steal enough money to pay for it. You are on your own." Wouldn't that honesty at least be refreshing?
Obama and the Democrats failed in their mission, too, by not putting a more comprehensive plan in place that could not be repealed. Oh, well. Next time.
Hey, it worked.
Even some people who now get health insurance and life saving treatment through the law also think it should be repealed because they have been propagandized so persistently. All in all, this law probably gathered millions of votes for Republicans, a majority (with gerrymandering) in the House and helped make Trump president elect.
Now what?
There can be no replacement for the ACA that meets even half of the same goals because the real Republican objection to it would raise its ugly head: TAXES. Even if they try to under-reach, do less, they are still stuck with 1. govt. intervention and 2. applying taxes to make it all work.
The honest Republican answer all along would have been to say, "Look, America, you can't have health insurance unless you make or steal enough money to pay for it. You are on your own." Wouldn't that honesty at least be refreshing?
Obama and the Democrats failed in their mission, too, by not putting a more comprehensive plan in place that could not be repealed. Oh, well. Next time.
3
I'm confused. Thought Trump said he wanted to repeal and replace either the same day or within hours. That said, he already messaged that it's the Democrat's responsibility. I fully expect that the Dems will be thrown under the bus for this. They are in Pre-K versus Trump and the GOP with respect to propaganda, fear mongering and blaming. That's why I wrote to Schumer urging him to draft a Medicare For All bill. Be proactive rather than think you will EVER beat the GOP at the blame game. Already heard Pelosi on Van Susteran and she just doesn't have it anymore.
1
As Trump said (and the GOP apparently agrees), " I don't need you voters anymore...."
Watching those smug smiling well-tended faces of the GOP as they solemnly proceed in making health care worse and chaotic for all of us--all in the name of receiving a mandate from the voters. Funny, when health care is called something other than Obamacare--people want it.
Watching those smug smiling well-tended faces of the GOP as they solemnly proceed in making health care worse and chaotic for all of us--all in the name of receiving a mandate from the voters. Funny, when health care is called something other than Obamacare--people want it.
1
I'm in awe of American ignorance.
9
The Republicans have had years to come up with alternatives or ideas for adjusting those aspects of the law that could be improved. There have never been any concrete options suggested. Why on earth would that new and improved plan require secrecy? "We have a plan, but we won't let you know yet?!" Not to mention the underhanded recent move by the GOP to forbid the Congressional Budget Office from reporting and tracking ANY costs related to the repeal of the ACA. Yes, this will jeopardize healthcare for millions, but it will also destroy our economy and explode the deficit. Our healthcare industry is one of the largest sectors of our economy. Largely due to the ACA, providers have transformed the way they are approaching the delivery of medicine and tracking outcomes to identify the best practices that have the greatest impact on positive patient outcomes. Repealing is the thread that will throw, healthcare providers, technology companies, consulting companies, financial institutions, regional and state governments, and of course the millions who will be faced with no coverage, into a rapid economic spiral downward. A total repeal is reckless governing. Not offering a true alternative is lunacy.
36
Do you remember how these pathetic hypocrites bawled about allegedly having to pass Obamacare to read the bill? How can anyone respect such people?
Great points, Hilary.
This rush to vote down the ACA seems irresponsible without clearly defining the details and cost of its replacement. While this position is consistent with the long-standing Republican agenda, it fails to consider the entire country's wishes. Once again, we seem to be losing an opportunity to bridge divides as we all return to our respective "bubbles". Not a good sign for all of our futures under the new administration.
This rush to vote down the ACA seems irresponsible without clearly defining the details and cost of its replacement. While this position is consistent with the long-standing Republican agenda, it fails to consider the entire country's wishes. Once again, we seem to be losing an opportunity to bridge divides as we all return to our respective "bubbles". Not a good sign for all of our futures under the new administration.
1
Skulking around like thieves in the middle of the night is the clearest evidence these senators are doing great harm to their constituents.
10
I agree that this is both a repudiation of the current Administration (McConnell in particular can't abide having any reminders of its accomplishments) and a regrettable continuation of Republicans' magical thinking about the power of the marketplace. To them, delivering healthcare, especially to vulnerable populations, is no different than delivering any other good or service. The primary difference is that consumers, even those in good health and employer based insurance, do not have all the requisite knowledge and power needed to negotiate for the best outcome. Add to that the mythological power of unabashed cross state commerce, e.g. insurance only means no one actually retains responsibility for equity, quality, affordability.
4
Aetna announced last year it would exit 11 of the 15 states where it offers coverage..Humana said it will cut participation on the exchanges...United Health announced it would remain on three or fewer exchanges...Cigna and Anthem Blue Cross have both been losing money on the individual plans it sells on the exchanges. The Affordable Care Act needs to be amended....not repealed...amended. I resent those individuals who make statements the Act is fixing healthcare...at what cost! The insurers are trying to explain the Act is not sustainable in its current form; overtime there will be no doctors participating in a Plan with such low reimbursements. Medicaid spending is currently in the $500-$600 billion range - numbers foreign to most Americans. There needs be some amendments and discipline around the Act to prevent it, and the Country from going bankrupt trying to fund it.
1
The bee in my bonnet with respect to the ACA is that only the victims are criminalized and penalized for not participating in Obamacare. Why are doctors and health insurance companies also not penalized for not participating? After the ACA was enacted, every time I called for a doctors appointment the phone was answered with WE DONT TAKE OBAMACARE - even though I had health insurance through my employer. It is grossly unfair to punish the plebeians and not the patricians who are the controlling factors. Without their participation, we are left with wolves hiking up premiums and deductibles because there are little or no plans from which to choose. So either every party has to be in or every party can elect to be out without circumstance.
4
Sounds like single-payer to me...
CONSEQUENCE not CIRCUMSTANCE. Doink on autocorrect.
Some may be missing the possibility of an alternative like the Swiss have, a sort of dual plan with base-line coverage for everyone, supplemented by privately paid additions. The block grant concept would give some flexibility and experimentation to the base-line coverage, with states competing. Not sure why there's so much angst about this. Obamacare never worked well to begin with. It won't be hard to beat that baseline. This is low-hanging legislative fruit for the new administration, don't kid yourselves.
3
They undo it, they own it. It's as simple as that.
2
Republicans are being hoisted on their own petard. The truth is unless young people buy in there's no way to make health care affordable - and ideological Republicans - (who is not ideological now?) will never do that.
Don't forget that for all the recent AFA premium increases, that premium increases in the first years of the plan were historically very low and we had skyrocketing health care costs prior to the AFA.
I'm sure the Republicans could come up with a superior plan but the likelihood of them doing that is just about nil given their public hysteria on the matter. We'll be back to regular double digit increases in health care in no time with poor coverage and many uncovered.
It's such a shame that the Republicans ethos has been not to cooperate with the Democrats on anything. We would be so much better off if they hadn't taken that stance.
Don't forget that for all the recent AFA premium increases, that premium increases in the first years of the plan were historically very low and we had skyrocketing health care costs prior to the AFA.
I'm sure the Republicans could come up with a superior plan but the likelihood of them doing that is just about nil given their public hysteria on the matter. We'll be back to regular double digit increases in health care in no time with poor coverage and many uncovered.
It's such a shame that the Republicans ethos has been not to cooperate with the Democrats on anything. We would be so much better off if they hadn't taken that stance.
3
The only way to stop these GOP Ghouls is to VOTE THEM OUT IN 2018
9
“This is our opportunity to keep our campaign promise,” said Senator Roger Wicker, Republican of Mississippi. “This is our opportunity to help the president-elect and the vice president-elect keep their campaign promises and show to the American people that elections have consequences.”
Apparently among the many consequences of this election is Americans will die.
Why aren't Republicans talking about their replacement plans? Why are the still a secret? The won the election so why won't they detail the replacement they keep talking about. Is it because they are lying and have no plans to replace the ACA?
Could the Times please print an investigative piece that explains what our government is going to do to us.
Apparently among the many consequences of this election is Americans will die.
Why aren't Republicans talking about their replacement plans? Why are the still a secret? The won the election so why won't they detail the replacement they keep talking about. Is it because they are lying and have no plans to replace the ACA?
Could the Times please print an investigative piece that explains what our government is going to do to us.
3
@Benjamin Greco - It's difficult for the Times to investigate something that doesn't exist. There's no discussion by the Republicans because they have no plan, as proven by several years of their attempting to repeal the ACA with no mention ever of an outline, let alone details, of a replacement plan.
Ideological gangster fanatics.
6
Just think about IT! This election has just resuscitated a lot of liberal organizations that were dying on the vine for lack of any real agenda, since President-for-eight-more-days Obama literally singlehandedly pushed their agendas and accomplished a Jubilant Democracy that has not been seen since Pericles led Athens. Disenfranchising 20 million people puts Trump right up there along with Joe Stalin. My in box is stuffed with hysterical please for MONEY, MONEY, MONEY. Hooey. Those bloodless liberals that never raised their voice when the best qualitied presidential candidate in history since Thomas Jefferson was being pilloried for messing up her emails...with out any example. There is no shame greater being led to a mindless slaughter by people that you trusted. It MIGHT be better for the gutless self seeking liberal apparatus to crash and burn. Nothing short of coordinated legitimate resistance from the ground in Appalachia up will help save 20 million people from losing the only hope they ever had of staying healthy. Saint Bernard has lapsed into silence. Your golden old boy has pooped out. WHERE WAS BERINE'S VOICE DURING THIIS SENATE DEBATE?
3
The republicans have fallen in the aura of darkness to start repealing the Obama care in revenge and hate instead of improving on it. What a waste of time ,effort and wealth while there are so many things to do in the country for equality,race relations,jobs,education,defense,internal security,needed promptness internally to get anything done, and facing the external foreign challenges around the world.I ask the senators to read some spiritual book and also to look over past history before starting the senate and congress sessions and making decisions.They do not have to go along the party line as we are one nation.
3
You know what? Let them. Let the GOP repeal the Affordable Care Act and replace it with non-affordable care. And then watch them get trounced in the mid-terms.
29
Republicans have had 8 years to develop their replacement for the ACA and have done nothing. Those believing their replacement will be more affordable are delusional.
I predict the replacement will will be a patchwork system that focuses on higher profits for insurers with little regard to actual coverage. So yes it will be cheaper as it won't cover necessary basic medical treatment. but on paper it will look good.
Repeal and replace ...not close
Its reline and restuff ...their pockets with campaign money from the insurance industry
I predict the replacement will will be a patchwork system that focuses on higher profits for insurers with little regard to actual coverage. So yes it will be cheaper as it won't cover necessary basic medical treatment. but on paper it will look good.
Repeal and replace ...not close
Its reline and restuff ...their pockets with campaign money from the insurance industry
6
Thank you, Republican Senators and Congressmen! For years I have suffered by having affordable insurance, being able to see a doctor, and take care of my family's health like a responsible adult under Obamacare. Oh, the tragedy!
As the economy improved under Obama's steady leadership (despite Republican efforts to shut down the government, ruin America's credit rating, and undermine what was working about Obamacare), I have seen my life become appreciably better. Now, finally, I will be free of that!
Soon, as Trump's childhood issues ruin the economy and get the U.S. into wars with China and anyone else that tweets something bad about him, I can die happy while living on the street from a treatable disease without a job or insurance so Exxon-Mobil can get a tax cut.
Whew! What a relief! I'm proud to be an American.
As the economy improved under Obama's steady leadership (despite Republican efforts to shut down the government, ruin America's credit rating, and undermine what was working about Obamacare), I have seen my life become appreciably better. Now, finally, I will be free of that!
Soon, as Trump's childhood issues ruin the economy and get the U.S. into wars with China and anyone else that tweets something bad about him, I can die happy while living on the street from a treatable disease without a job or insurance so Exxon-Mobil can get a tax cut.
Whew! What a relief! I'm proud to be an American.
20
No profiles in courage here.
8
Republicans should do nothing and let Obamacare blow up by itself. They are the cavalry not the bad guys the media makes them out to be.
But your premise is wrong. The Affordable Care Act is working and will work better as time goes by. It could be improved, but the Republicans would never do that. They are only interested in rank partisanship and power, the national interest be damned.
1
Dear Senator Enzi - Given your party's failure to to fund infrastructure projects in this country the chances of you "building a bridge" are slim to none.
6
In the richest nation the Earth has ever known, we can't simply offer everyone affordable healthcare and education?
The restructured Democratic Platform must establish and repeat daily that these are human rights.
On the other hand, if the GOP rips coverage away from millions of Americans and creates chaos in the healthcare "market place", it will be a political gift to the opposition. Wouldn't it be sensible for GOP legislators to take a few months and craft a new version of affordable healthcare before destroying the current one out of spite? Oh, oh - I forgot. They already did that. It's called Obamacare which is based on a Republican plan from years past (and Romneycare in MA - which worked very well!). Ooops.
The restructured Democratic Platform must establish and repeat daily that these are human rights.
On the other hand, if the GOP rips coverage away from millions of Americans and creates chaos in the healthcare "market place", it will be a political gift to the opposition. Wouldn't it be sensible for GOP legislators to take a few months and craft a new version of affordable healthcare before destroying the current one out of spite? Oh, oh - I forgot. They already did that. It's called Obamacare which is based on a Republican plan from years past (and Romneycare in MA - which worked very well!). Ooops.
2
Last week I posted a personal story that one reader suggested I repeat, in my mind because we do not understand how foreign HC systems do a better job at a much lower cost.
"We are expats living in France, fortunate to be under this country's universal health care as my wife was recently diagnosed with cancer.
With our GP we CHOSE both medical center and specialists, in this case professor's service in Nice two hours away.
Within days, often hours, all the tests, biopsies and appropriate specialists were mobilized, within a week protocols defined for treatment, henceforth once a week we return to the university hospital in Nice, one of France's four leading poles of excellence for this illness.
Both w/long term illnesses, the French social security boosted our coverage for theses illnesses from an average of 80% to 100%.
Like most French we do have private "complementary" insurance the 80/100% delta plus a choice of comfort items. Both retired and getting on our monthly upscale insurance policy runs us about $230 a month for both (no use here).
Unwilling to worry the family we held off telling of our predicament but when I informed my Fl based son his second cry of despair was "do you have enough money...".
An equal shock for him to hear that we were fully covered, under one of the world's #1 health care system (tied w/ Japan), a system that provides quality TO ALL at an average of 40% less that the US (positioned #14 or #17 depending on the comparative studies).
"We are expats living in France, fortunate to be under this country's universal health care as my wife was recently diagnosed with cancer.
With our GP we CHOSE both medical center and specialists, in this case professor's service in Nice two hours away.
Within days, often hours, all the tests, biopsies and appropriate specialists were mobilized, within a week protocols defined for treatment, henceforth once a week we return to the university hospital in Nice, one of France's four leading poles of excellence for this illness.
Both w/long term illnesses, the French social security boosted our coverage for theses illnesses from an average of 80% to 100%.
Like most French we do have private "complementary" insurance the 80/100% delta plus a choice of comfort items. Both retired and getting on our monthly upscale insurance policy runs us about $230 a month for both (no use here).
Unwilling to worry the family we held off telling of our predicament but when I informed my Fl based son his second cry of despair was "do you have enough money...".
An equal shock for him to hear that we were fully covered, under one of the world's #1 health care system (tied w/ Japan), a system that provides quality TO ALL at an average of 40% less that the US (positioned #14 or #17 depending on the comparative studies).
16
Healthcare Insurance Reform
We need a clear table of the effects of each element of the proposed changes. Who will be helped? Who will be harmed? How so? By how much?
We need a clear table of the effects of each element of the proposed changes. Who will be helped? Who will be harmed? How so? By how much?
1
I'm curious to see what happens when the first person who had their health care taken away dies.
You think their family will say, "but it's good for America"?
The reality is the GOP are putting large bulls eyes on themselves.
They might start rethinking their pro-gun stance when the realize they've become the target.
You think their family will say, "but it's good for America"?
The reality is the GOP are putting large bulls eyes on themselves.
They might start rethinking their pro-gun stance when the realize they've become the target.
10
If there is a problem with health costs and insurance, blame it on the guy who is black with the Muslim name. Never mind the $1,000 per pill cost, not to mention almost everything in health care is a giant boondoggle for those in the health care supply chain. The insurance companies have an oligopoly, a monopoly in some instances, and ridding themselves of Obamacare will give them license to increase what is already a system that bullies and abuses many of our citizens.
3
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) enrolled Senators and Representatives in the gold-level SHOP federal Program, no income limit. Will the GOP repeal the ACA mandated subsidies for the 3% uninsured, income limited?
3
The Republican Party OWNS this action and is responsible for any deaths that result from it.
Trump lost the popular vote by 3,000,000. That's a "mandate?"
Call your representatives: use "trump-talk" language. They'll get the message.
Call your representatives: use "trump-talk" language. They'll get the message.
3
Thanks again millenials, for staying home or voting third party on Election Day. You deserve what you're about to get from this bunch.
2
I totally agree. One of the few upsides of this nightmare will be watching the smug smirks wiped off a few million faces.