Bad idea after bad idea. The good ol GOP Conflict of interest emoluments clause violations and obstruction of justice all brought to you by the GOP, and still racist!
2
If the Republicans want to see a jump in acceptance of the ACA all they have to do is take out one word "Obama" and they can stop playing games and work with Democrats to improve the act in place now, and stop catering to the hate merchants to get elected.
1
"As Senate Republicans struggled for agreement on the contents of their repeal bill, President Trump exerted pressure. “I am sitting in the Oval Office with a pen in hand, waiting for our senators to give it to me,” he said in an interview with Pat Robertson, the founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network."
Two questions:
1. Is the guy so dumb he doesn't realize that the bill, if passed by the Senate, will have to go back to the House for reconciliation?
2. What the H--- does Pat Robertson have to do with health care for Americans, and why does he have any part in this discussion?
Two questions:
1. Is the guy so dumb he doesn't realize that the bill, if passed by the Senate, will have to go back to the House for reconciliation?
2. What the H--- does Pat Robertson have to do with health care for Americans, and why does he have any part in this discussion?
Odds are currently over 3:1 against. That actually means the bill stands a good chance of passing. Only 15 percent of Senate Republicans have shown any sign of rejecting the BCRA. Oddly enough, this is almost exactly the inverse of the bill's national approval rating. All the same, McConnell is really only one point behind on the odds. We'll have to see how the parliamentarian decision changes things but right now our unrepresentative government favors McConnell.
If this thing is going to fail, my money is on Collins, Heller, and Rand. Cruz and Lee are sellouts to the bone. Complete frauds. Johnson is a weak tag along. He's only there to balance the negotiating scale. I think Rand is out no matter what happens. That leaves the moderates. Heller is out of the job no matter what happens. He's better off voting "No"; shifting independent might save his career. Collins' attitude is worrisome. I suspect she'll cave given enough money. I don't hold much hope for Capito either if Collins falters.
Cassidy is a question mark. I can't tell if he's serious or not. In the backward logic of our national politics, a "No" vote from Cassidy could actually lunch his stardom to Presidential levels. If he kills this abomination, there's a good chance his name will be on the shortlist after the Trump administration implodes. Strong opposition from Cassidy seems principled rather than calculated. Only Rand shares this category and the nation isn't going there.
I guess we'll find out.
If this thing is going to fail, my money is on Collins, Heller, and Rand. Cruz and Lee are sellouts to the bone. Complete frauds. Johnson is a weak tag along. He's only there to balance the negotiating scale. I think Rand is out no matter what happens. That leaves the moderates. Heller is out of the job no matter what happens. He's better off voting "No"; shifting independent might save his career. Collins' attitude is worrisome. I suspect she'll cave given enough money. I don't hold much hope for Capito either if Collins falters.
Cassidy is a question mark. I can't tell if he's serious or not. In the backward logic of our national politics, a "No" vote from Cassidy could actually lunch his stardom to Presidential levels. If he kills this abomination, there's a good chance his name will be on the shortlist after the Trump administration implodes. Strong opposition from Cassidy seems principled rather than calculated. Only Rand shares this category and the nation isn't going there.
I guess we'll find out.
Good grief. The GOP is determined to charge up that hill. Why will they not admit that the ACA was the GOP plan. It is a far mix of conservative, moderate, and liberal policies. Sure it can use adjustments. Most comprehensive laws historically do, but to do a complete overhaul well I don't see that. However, if the GOP does not repeal it will be a clear loss that may have the adverse effect of entrenching them even more in this extreme right wing ideology. I personally think the law will pass. I just don't see their agenda going through with out it. Here is hoping wiser minds prevail (are there any wise minds in this current GOP?)......smh
1
Japan's explicit price controls are roughly emulated in other countries via the use monopsonistic systems. Monopsony, meaning "single buyer" is the flip side of monopoly. A monopolist sets prices above free market equilibrium. A monopsonist sets prices below free market equilibrium. It does not matter if there is an actual single payer or many buyers (or payers) whose prices are set by the government or by insurance companies in collusion with each other. More competition among sellers generally leads to lower prices. However, more competition among buyers leads to higher prices. In the health insurance industry the beneficial effects of more insurance companies competing for patients are far outweighed by the adverse effects of insurance companies competing for doctors and hospitals in their HMO plans. This was completely misunderstood during the recent debate on health care reform. With health care, more competition among insurance companies on balance results in higher prices.
Focusing attention on the insurance companies, which are simply intermediaries between the doctors and the patients, was a tragic error. It would like trying to solve a problem of high energy prices by focusing on gasoline stations. Only if the government sets prices can health care prices be controlled. Controlling prices does not automatically result in longer waiting times. Japan generally has shorter waiting times to see doctors than does the USA...."
http://seekingalpha.com/article/1647632
Focusing attention on the insurance companies, which are simply intermediaries between the doctors and the patients, was a tragic error. It would like trying to solve a problem of high energy prices by focusing on gasoline stations. Only if the government sets prices can health care prices be controlled. Controlling prices does not automatically result in longer waiting times. Japan generally has shorter waiting times to see doctors than does the USA...."
http://seekingalpha.com/article/1647632
Face it Chuck Obamacare is going the way of the Dodo. No longer will hard-working taxpayers have to subsidize able-bodied freeloaders with free healthcare aka Medicaid. And no longer will Medicaid be limited by how much money can be yanked from the wallets of the American taxpayer. Instead each State will decide on how to spend their Block Grant. And if NY still wants to give Medicaid recipients benefits above and beyond common sense NY taxpayers can vote with their feet and just move.
1
Umm, when the air has cleared (if it ever does). People will be asking, so what is the solution?
Obamacare had holes - yes.
Ryancare does also.
Obamacare had holes - yes.
Ryancare does also.
I'm not buying Ron Paul's Harvest Right product until his son rips Obamacare out of the future.
Since so many can see through these shenanigans, would it not have been easier for them to just retitle the ACA as is and call it their own.
4
Most Americans want unlimited benefits and no taxes for themselves, along with no benefits and unlimited taxation for everyone else. The Republicans are just giving the people what they want.
3
This message is directed at all the senior citizens, like me, out there that assume your SS and Medicare is safe. If these republicans can pass a bill that will bring harm to millions of people, give tax breaks to the rich, and now even enrich insurance companies and the for profit healthcare chains, then our Social Security and Medicare is not safe. The puppeteers that pull the strings of Republicans will next attack the biggest "entitlement". Do you think for one minute the Koch Bros and the other obviously mean spirited 1%ers care one iota about their $1000 a month SS check or the cost of healthcare. For them it is a zero sum game. Take and take and take and leave nothing for the rest.
9
Hilariously, the Republicans are likely to end up recreating the Affordable Care Act in substance, except they're not going to pay for it by requiring everyone to purchase some kind of basic plan. So it will be the usual fiscal mess the Dems will end up having to clean up. Boy, that will sure put that uppity President Obama in his place!
5
The Republicans have been at this 8 years. The excuse they've made -- that they didn't build an alternative because they didn't expect to win last November -- is grade-school level shirking. They banged a gavel 60+ times on repeal without working out an alternative? Then they cobble together a tax cut bill and toy with how it would affect health care in this country. They're not even trying to do anything for the country. Just cut taxes on their campaign donors. Disgusting.
6
If the Republicans want to vote on this bill they should be required to take the Hippocratic Oath beforehand or is the concept of "First do no harm," completely foreign to them?
3
Can't these morons see the deadly, no-win path they're on? They are hung up over one word, "repeal", rather than focusing on a bill that will help all Americans who need affordable coverage.
The easiest, and best path, is a version of Medicare - either for all, or for people 55 and older. Medicare works, people have to pay in if they want expanded coverage so it is not an open-ended entitlement, and it eliminates almost all the intractable issues with the current plan.
Pride does goeth before a fall. A little common sense would be very well received by all Americans.
Either that, or just build a plan that Rand Paul rejects completely. That would probably be a pretty good plan.
In the meantime, stupid, stupid, stupid reigns in D.C.
The easiest, and best path, is a version of Medicare - either for all, or for people 55 and older. Medicare works, people have to pay in if they want expanded coverage so it is not an open-ended entitlement, and it eliminates almost all the intractable issues with the current plan.
Pride does goeth before a fall. A little common sense would be very well received by all Americans.
Either that, or just build a plan that Rand Paul rejects completely. That would probably be a pretty good plan.
In the meantime, stupid, stupid, stupid reigns in D.C.
8
Shut down the insurance companies. If they don't exist, they don't get subsidies. Give Americans Medicare for all. It is, as Trump said, simple. He was right about that, but ignorant about how to go about it.
6
Calling it a Health Bill is misleading. It is really a tax cut for rich kill Medicaid, a safety net program that provide much more than health insurance, Bill.
3
Stop reading these comments & call your Senators to tell them either 1) Keep up the fight! I don't want access to healthcare available to the most vulnerable among us, either! Or, 2) Fight Harder. Now. With the power of the purse you have the responsibility to put our Healthcare first then, and only then, equitably allocate the dollars.
2
If their phone are even being answered! I called my own NY Senaors ffices to ask them Which Senators are possible.Swing Votes- they claim not to know. Absurd. I also called or tried to call.Collins of Maine, Portman of Ohio, Ranx Paul (whose ffice has NEVER answerwd jn MONTUS of calls) Murkowski of Alaska, and Roumds of South Dakota both Sens from Alaska, Sen Heller whose officse not onky answered but were informed and personabke and Capito from West Virginia whose office found out that I was not a WV resident and hung up on me
Twice.
Called a.few others before life interfered.
This is absurd. They had SEVEN YEARS and did- nothing. And now WE wi suffer for it.
#RESIST
Twice.
Called a.few others before life interfered.
This is absurd. They had SEVEN YEARS and did- nothing. And now WE wi suffer for it.
#RESIST
1
At best, 17% of the country approves of this bill. I can't believe Republicans are working so feverishly, strong arming, arm twisting, brow beating, threatening, and bribing their ranks to push this through! Amazing! It's like watching big fat rats actually swimming TOWARD a sinking ship.... Go for it boys! See you in November!
9
The Republicans would rather see the entire Middle Class die of curable diseases than have to admit that some things are worth paying taxes for. This is a giant monument to pure ideology with a fig leaf of lies.
4
When you listen to Cruz's plan, you realize he just doesn't understand the basic concept of insurance ... spreading the risk/burden across a wide group of people, for a safety net in case you are one of the people who needs healthcare.
7
Lets face it - Donald ran on "Repeal / Replace". Nobody really cared. They just didn't want Hillary. Since then, many have become more educated on all things 'healthcare' and want a system that covers everyone. Nothing Republicans do will be popular. Because of their marketing plan to regain the Whitehouse and follow through on their promise, they have awakened a sleepy electorate that now understands just what healthcare means to them and their families. So now both the Republicans and electorate are going to be miserable. We all reap what we sow.
3
I’m just curious – what do Senate Republicans propose to do with people once citizens’ bare-bones policies have maxed out? I mean, where are they physically going to put them? If hospitalized, will they be escorted from the hospital? If attempting to enter through the emergency room, will they be refused treatment?
Insurance is a game of risk. Typically, the younger you are, the better your odds; but what about those with the bad roll of the dice? What are the provisions for such persons?
Obviously Sen. Cruz has never had lunch with girlfriends. A lot of pregnancies, even those within marriages, are unplanned. How will this be handled when one has purchased the low premium maternity-exclusion policy? I imagine Sen. Cruz believes the new insurance regulations will encourage women to keep that nickel between their knees. I hope he has equally draconian punishment planned for the fellows, also.
I really think this is the end. And I was so hopeful. I really thought we had nearly reached the social mountaintop. Now I realize we are being pushed off the cliff. It was beautiful while it lasted. To the sanctimonious haters among us, you’ll never know that beauty for even a moment. Not in this life. And not in the next.
Insurance is a game of risk. Typically, the younger you are, the better your odds; but what about those with the bad roll of the dice? What are the provisions for such persons?
Obviously Sen. Cruz has never had lunch with girlfriends. A lot of pregnancies, even those within marriages, are unplanned. How will this be handled when one has purchased the low premium maternity-exclusion policy? I imagine Sen. Cruz believes the new insurance regulations will encourage women to keep that nickel between their knees. I hope he has equally draconian punishment planned for the fellows, also.
I really think this is the end. And I was so hopeful. I really thought we had nearly reached the social mountaintop. Now I realize we are being pushed off the cliff. It was beautiful while it lasted. To the sanctimonious haters among us, you’ll never know that beauty for even a moment. Not in this life. And not in the next.
2
Whether you agree with their political philosophies or not (I do not), the extremely conservative and moderately conservative Senators at least have principles. The 40 or so Republican Senators who have been very quiet and are expected to vote for the bill do not. They are the real cowards allowing this farce to continue hoping they won't be outed. If they vote and pass it, their constituents will find out that they shifted to their states the dirty work of taking coverage away from Moms and Babes and they shifted billions of dollars upon their state tax payers. Read pages 32-35 of the CBO report on BCRA and you will see it shifts tens of billions in federal expenses to states, especially Blue states and Purple states. Good-bye Portman, Toomey, Capito, Gardner, Heller and, perhaps McCain, Flake, Johnson, etc.
And, Trump certainly doesn't have principles or even care what's in the bill or who it will hurt. He just wants something to sign regardless of the roadkill. “I am sitting in the Oval Office with a pen in hand, waiting for our senators to give it to me,” he said to a true Christian, Pat Robertson.
Jesus must be thinking this is a good time for them to soul search and either stand up and be counted or join Trump who long ago established his bona fides to join Satan's club.
And, Trump certainly doesn't have principles or even care what's in the bill or who it will hurt. He just wants something to sign regardless of the roadkill. “I am sitting in the Oval Office with a pen in hand, waiting for our senators to give it to me,” he said to a true Christian, Pat Robertson.
Jesus must be thinking this is a good time for them to soul search and either stand up and be counted or join Trump who long ago established his bona fides to join Satan's club.
6
B, this is what I've been saying all along. Those who voted for ACA repeal and are now against the health care bill because they view it as still too reliant on the government are at least being consistent, if barbaric. Those, on the other hand, who willingly voted for ACA repeal when President Obama was in office but are now balking at the health care bill because they don't think it's generous enough are being disingenuous at best. They voted to get rid of it lock stock and barrel within the past two years! They now look like they were being nothing more than political opportunists back then and are afraid to face the music now.
I think that if the Republicans want to successfully reform healthcare in this nation, they must place more emphasis on encouraging preventative medicine. If Americans took more personal responsibility for their own health, then they would not need all this fancy insurance to pay for expensive medical treatments. If they did not costly medical treatments, then healthcare costs would decrease, and perhaps eventually go away. If Americans did more to live healthier and responsible lives, then there would be less need for doctors altogether. I believe that by increasing access to healthcare and making insurance more affordable to pay for costly treatments only encourages unhealthy and irresponsible lifestyles which result in illness, disease, addiction, and death. By facilitating access and affordability, people begin to think that if something is wrong with them, such as heart disease or lung cancer, they can just go to hospital and get it fixed, when instead they could have prevented these maladies by living healthy, responsibly, and morally in the first place.
1
I could be wrong, but weren't you just advocating yesterday or the day before that Congress should do a straight repeal, without replace? You know, the route that the CBO says will result in 32 million less Americans with insurance?
And btw, where it the "immorality," for example, in a kid who starts drinking Coca Cola because s/he is bombarded with advertising, and ends up with Type-2 diabetes?
And btw, where it the "immorality," for example, in a kid who starts drinking Coca Cola because s/he is bombarded with advertising, and ends up with Type-2 diabetes?
3
Dan88,
Thank you for remembering me. Yes I advocated an outright repeal of Obamacare and then get around to replacing it whenever. I believe people need to take responsibility for their health. For example, lung cancer can avoided by not smoking and the USG has warned people about the deleterious effects of smoking for decades. For that reason smokers who come down with cancer for failing to heed the warnings should be penalized, in paying much more treatment for non-smokers. In the example you provide of the kid who develops T-2 diabetes from drinking Coca-Cola, I maintain the same thing: 1st the kid feel victim to advertising, he should have made more responsible decisions; and 2nd, the government has warned people about the consequences of consuming soft drinks. Didn't one of NY mayors try to curb consumption of soft-drinks by imposing a sin tax of sorts? Again it comes back to personal responsibility.
Thank you for remembering me. Yes I advocated an outright repeal of Obamacare and then get around to replacing it whenever. I believe people need to take responsibility for their health. For example, lung cancer can avoided by not smoking and the USG has warned people about the deleterious effects of smoking for decades. For that reason smokers who come down with cancer for failing to heed the warnings should be penalized, in paying much more treatment for non-smokers. In the example you provide of the kid who develops T-2 diabetes from drinking Coca-Cola, I maintain the same thing: 1st the kid feel victim to advertising, he should have made more responsible decisions; and 2nd, the government has warned people about the consequences of consuming soft drinks. Didn't one of NY mayors try to curb consumption of soft-drinks by imposing a sin tax of sorts? Again it comes back to personal responsibility.
Unless you get hit by a bus or die in your sleep, someday you will need health care, Southern Boy. Then you'll understand the debate. I hope you can afford the doc visit or the long term care.
2
Senator Rand Paul is an extremist with too much outsize attention.
3
It's Wealthcare, not Healthcare. More tax cuts for the very rich, no benefits to the poor or middle class.
5
Republicans are very eager to cut maternity and mental health care, addiction treatment, Planned Parenthood, and Medicaid. And likely allowing insurance companies to charge more for preexisting conditions. These are all issues that affect the poor and middle class. Why are they doing this?
Many Republican politicians see taxes as an impediment to personal freedom, which is ignorant since taxes pay for services we expect and need everyday. Talk of states rights are hollow as Trump uses the power of the federal government and taxes to once again bloat the military budget. Therefore, Republicans cherry pick what they like and don't like with no logic behind their opinions.
Republicans won't admit that they hated Obama because he was black. Everything he did was wrong. Everything. Thier hatred for black people is well documented over time. Their acceptance of right wing groups is also well documented.
I expect the senators to vote for their tweaked health care bill. Since the US has a free press, their bill and results of this legislation will be reported. They cannot hide their cruelty.
Many Republican politicians see taxes as an impediment to personal freedom, which is ignorant since taxes pay for services we expect and need everyday. Talk of states rights are hollow as Trump uses the power of the federal government and taxes to once again bloat the military budget. Therefore, Republicans cherry pick what they like and don't like with no logic behind their opinions.
Republicans won't admit that they hated Obama because he was black. Everything he did was wrong. Everything. Thier hatred for black people is well documented over time. Their acceptance of right wing groups is also well documented.
I expect the senators to vote for their tweaked health care bill. Since the US has a free press, their bill and results of this legislation will be reported. They cannot hide their cruelty.
7
There aren't very many times that something in Washington will so directly affect our lives in such a big way.
We're in our 50s, so if this passes, our health insurance will double in price, to something like $30,000 a year with a $15,000 deductible. That blows 20 years of careful financial planning; it will mean the death of my sole proprietor business and I suspect a lot of others. You'll see a lot of 50-olds working convenience stores, fast food, anything to have access to group insurance plans.
Which I suspect is what the Republicans had in mind all along. They always liked the idea of ordinary people chained to low-wage jobs. They want all of us to be servants.
We're in our 50s, so if this passes, our health insurance will double in price, to something like $30,000 a year with a $15,000 deductible. That blows 20 years of careful financial planning; it will mean the death of my sole proprietor business and I suspect a lot of others. You'll see a lot of 50-olds working convenience stores, fast food, anything to have access to group insurance plans.
Which I suspect is what the Republicans had in mind all along. They always liked the idea of ordinary people chained to low-wage jobs. They want all of us to be servants.
11
Only 17% of Americans support the G☭P "health care" bill; I put "health care" in qutes because the Republican bill is not about health, it's about payment. President Obama's Affordable Care Act honestly implies payment in its very name; it declares, rightly so, that care should be affordable. The Republican "health plan" is disingenuously called the "American Health Care Plan," when in fact it is far more about money than health -- who pays more to stay alive and who saves on taxes. Quite ironically, they call it the "American" plan when only 17% of Americans support it. That is not "American" at all. 17% percent support is not representational governance. It's merely "Republican." Their bill, named properly, is the "Republican Medical Payment and Elite Class Tax Savings Plan."
Republicans, stop claiming to be working for "Americans." You are working for G☭P party power only. Single party rule. Karl Rove's dreamed-of permanent majority. The G☭P is becoming a police-state operation, like the old communist USSR. Uber-secretive hearings on your "health care" bill, ending with 17% support of the people, is the grandest possible proof of your disingenuous clain to be working for the "American people."
Republicans, stop claiming to be working for "Americans." You are working for G☭P party power only. Single party rule. Karl Rove's dreamed-of permanent majority. The G☭P is becoming a police-state operation, like the old communist USSR. Uber-secretive hearings on your "health care" bill, ending with 17% support of the people, is the grandest possible proof of your disingenuous clain to be working for the "American people."
4
The Cruz notion of splitting the healthcare industry into a "healthy" plan and a "sick" plan is a clear indication that Crus knows nothing about the insurance industry. The way you maky ANY expensive insurance industry function properly is to impliement a "redistribution of wealth" mechanism so that the revenue from the "healthy" is able to fund the benefits required by the "sick". Regardless of whether you are insuring your house, body, phone, car, or dish washer, you need people to sign up who never need the benefits of the insurance so that their premium payments can pay for benefits for others who DO need those benefits. Any other desisn is, by defintion, a death spiral and simply cannot work! The reason the GOP doesn't see this simple truth is that they are so fixated on considering such an insurance model sounding too much like "socialism" with it's "redistribution of wealth" architecture. Sorry, folks, but since Day 1, that's how insurance works. If you want insurance you simply MUST, by definition, depend on the "redistribution of wealth" to make it work.
5
The Republicans have assumed the role of God. They were outraged but what they saw as death panel in the ACA. But now they are willing to issue death sentences to individuals who are low income, disabled, and have pre-exiting conditions. Ted Cruz's proposal is the worst of the worst. Defund Plan Parenthood and deny maternity care as the new strategy for birth control.
3
If you have a Democratic senator, you can also call them and urge them to follow the process that Indivisible calls a "filibuster-by-amendment:"
This would involve Democratic senators introducing thousands of amendments if the bill gets to the Senate floor, and each one would have to be introduced for consideration. https://www.indivisibleguide.com/resource/withholding-consent-filibuster...
And, of course, if you have a Republican senator and oppose this bill, you should be calling regularly and telling them your position. And asking your friends and family to do the same.
Find your senators and their party affiliation using the “Find your senators” menu on the senate.gov website.
This would involve Democratic senators introducing thousands of amendments if the bill gets to the Senate floor, and each one would have to be introduced for consideration. https://www.indivisibleguide.com/resource/withholding-consent-filibuster...
And, of course, if you have a Republican senator and oppose this bill, you should be calling regularly and telling them your position. And asking your friends and family to do the same.
Find your senators and their party affiliation using the “Find your senators” menu on the senate.gov website.
Be wary of taking away the tax breaks for the wealthy in this bill, it would not change the fundamental intention of dismantling the ACA. I spot a red herring as I'm sure they will receive the usual tax cuts when they get to write a new tax bill.
What is really telling in all of this is the fact that Republican have had years to come up with an alternative to Obamacare and have not done so. It only goes to prove that they are simply obstructionists.
1
You get it Tony G. They never had any thoughts about any plan to do anything other than to be anti-Obama. There is a very simple word for that but it is akin to yelling "fire" when one should not.
You get it Tony G. No other reason on their part than to be anti-Obama.
I genuinely hope this sentiment is not premature, but:
I salute Senator Susan Collins of Maine who is putting the needs of her constituency and her country above the political wants of her party. She is exhibiting leadership which is clearly lacking in the rest of the Republican Party.
I salute Senator Susan Collins of Maine who is putting the needs of her constituency and her country above the political wants of her party. She is exhibiting leadership which is clearly lacking in the rest of the Republican Party.
1
Isn't this just tyranny of the majority in congress and tyranny of the minority of voters? From all I have read, most people don't want the ACA repealed; they want it improved or they want universal health care.
I thought somehow - silly me - that we were supposed to be protected from tyranny; we were supposed to have representative government.
I thought somehow - silly me - that we were supposed to be protected from tyranny; we were supposed to have representative government.
4
When is this going to stop being about a "win," and start being about us?
3
As "Deep Throat" said, "Follow the money." Not one Republican has dared say that taking over $1 trillion out of the health care system has consequences - whether it is about gutting Medicaid, getting rid of subsidies, eliminating essential benefits, etc., etc., etc.
So this Kabuki play between the "moderate" and "conservative" wings of the Republican party are just optics, not substance. They all want to repeal and replace the ACA rather than fix its shortcomings and all want to move on to their reverse Robin Hood strategy of taking from the poor and giving to the rich. How many Republicans are holding Trump's feet to the fire for promises made during the campaign to preserve Medicare and Medicaid.
And where are the Democrats? They are having a grand time watching the Republican immolation, but are somehow afraid to trumpet the enormous successes of the ACA. A day should not pass without a testimonial from a beneficiary of the ACA whose life and function were preserved and are now threatened.
So this Kabuki play between the "moderate" and "conservative" wings of the Republican party are just optics, not substance. They all want to repeal and replace the ACA rather than fix its shortcomings and all want to move on to their reverse Robin Hood strategy of taking from the poor and giving to the rich. How many Republicans are holding Trump's feet to the fire for promises made during the campaign to preserve Medicare and Medicaid.
And where are the Democrats? They are having a grand time watching the Republican immolation, but are somehow afraid to trumpet the enormous successes of the ACA. A day should not pass without a testimonial from a beneficiary of the ACA whose life and function were preserved and are now threatened.
Let me encourage all readers to go to http://thomas.loc.gov, where the tireless Librarians of Congress publish the actual text of every bill, every version, every revision, a transcript of every committee meeting. Everything. Go there, and READ THE BILLS. For yourself. (They're short.)
You will see, first of all, that they are virtually identical.
You will also see that they DO NOT "Repeal Obamacare." The necessary verbiage is not there.
You will also see the real point of it: a MASSIVE give-away of Federal money to these "epic FAIL" industries, under the guise of "premium support." It's well-couched in legislative doubletalk (in the most-recent versions, anyway), but it's right there. No strings attached! Strange that no one seems to be talking about it.
In my opinion, both of these bills should go down – as should the "for profit" concept of health-care altogether. The British and the Canadians had it right all along. The "for profit" model has failed to produce profits, and has failed providers and patients alike. The last thing that I am willing to do is to give these FAILURES mountains of unrestricted public cash. Twenty-five years of failure is enough.
You will see, first of all, that they are virtually identical.
You will also see that they DO NOT "Repeal Obamacare." The necessary verbiage is not there.
You will also see the real point of it: a MASSIVE give-away of Federal money to these "epic FAIL" industries, under the guise of "premium support." It's well-couched in legislative doubletalk (in the most-recent versions, anyway), but it's right there. No strings attached! Strange that no one seems to be talking about it.
In my opinion, both of these bills should go down – as should the "for profit" concept of health-care altogether. The British and the Canadians had it right all along. The "for profit" model has failed to produce profits, and has failed providers and patients alike. The last thing that I am willing to do is to give these FAILURES mountains of unrestricted public cash. Twenty-five years of failure is enough.
1
McConnell is nothing if not politically driven (probably too much so), so I bet that there have been nights of late where he's thought back to Senate races that the Republicans basically threw away in 2010 and 2012 by picking fatally flawed nominees (Christine O'Donnell, Sharron Angle and Ken Buck in 2010, Rich Mourdock and Todd Akin in 2012) and saying to himself, "There went our margin for error on the Obamacare repeal." This repeal effort has torn open, once and for all, the fact that the present-day Republican Party is a misnomer, for it is not one party, but at least two.
2
Write enough "earmarks" into the bill and sooner or later the Republicans will fold. They just don't have much in the way of moral fiber to take strong ethical stances against their leadership to begin with - even when almost 4 of 5 Americans disagree.
2
I do find it rich irony that the party that wraps themselves in their pro-life flag does not think healthcare is a right, but a luxury. Life is only a right if you're lucky enough to be healthy or have the money to afford medical care. Otherwise, your right to life just ended. Sorry!
7
Suzanne I agree and just said he other day that for Republicans birth is a right, however living is a privilege.
I wonder how many remember those patriotic founding words: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.? Life. Or that the next words that men form a government to insure the rights are upheld?
I wonder how many remember those patriotic founding words: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.? Life. Or that the next words that men form a government to insure the rights are upheld?
At some point, adults in the room (oops I forgot we are talking about congress here) have to realize the healthcare is necessary for the citizens of this country.
Why has every other 1st world nation on earth figured this out, and do it better. Maybe it is because they have figured out the socialized medicine is not a dirty word and it is important to include everyone in the society, not just those who can afford it.
Britain achieves BETTER healthcare results and outcomes then we do, and does it for less money. This has nothing to do with who is in charge of the country it is a reflection of the core values of the country itself. From doctors not charging three years annual salary for a simple surgery to a shared pool of risk that everyone is invested in, all citizens benefit from the system.
What does our system and the current debate on legislation tell about our core values: That we would take away a life sustaining program so that a few hundred thousand of the very richest people in our country can have a tax cut.
The republican healthcare plan is not about providing necessary or life sustaining care to anyone, it is about the continued transfer of wealth from the working class to the wealthy and leisure classes.
Why has every other 1st world nation on earth figured this out, and do it better. Maybe it is because they have figured out the socialized medicine is not a dirty word and it is important to include everyone in the society, not just those who can afford it.
Britain achieves BETTER healthcare results and outcomes then we do, and does it for less money. This has nothing to do with who is in charge of the country it is a reflection of the core values of the country itself. From doctors not charging three years annual salary for a simple surgery to a shared pool of risk that everyone is invested in, all citizens benefit from the system.
What does our system and the current debate on legislation tell about our core values: That we would take away a life sustaining program so that a few hundred thousand of the very richest people in our country can have a tax cut.
The republican healthcare plan is not about providing necessary or life sustaining care to anyone, it is about the continued transfer of wealth from the working class to the wealthy and leisure classes.
27
Since his inauguration, Trump has repeatedly frustrated lawmakers from his own party, especially through his frequently contradictory and obstructionist tweets. Trump called the Senate proposal "mean." Now he's putting pressure on them and warning of the consequences if they don't hurry up and do something, even if it means passing a bill that will result in an uproar from millions of Americans, including many Republican voters in general and Trump supporters in particular.
What if Trump's mission isn't to get the Republicans to reform healthcare, or to do anything at all for that matter?
What if his mission is actually a directive? What if that directive is simply to grind our government to a halt? To sow utter chaos and mistrust, both among Americans and between America and the rest of the world?
What if Trump's mission isn't to get the Republicans to reform healthcare, or to do anything at all for that matter?
What if his mission is actually a directive? What if that directive is simply to grind our government to a halt? To sow utter chaos and mistrust, both among Americans and between America and the rest of the world?
1
It's as if Republicans have no clue about what will happen to them if they go ahead with this tax cut, and the upcoming further "tax reform." And, it's as if Democrats have no clue about the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that presents itself, right here, right now. We should kick them all to the curb. They're ALL too stupid to govern.
1
I know this anecdotal but it does illustrate the complaint that many of us have about how the government systematically creates disincentives for people to pay their own way through life. My husband works with a farmer who was complaining recently how hard it is for him to find good workers. He said that he had finally found a man who was a great worker but who recently showed up for work and proclaimed that it would be his last day because "my crazy money (from the government) came through." There are so many people (of all races) here in the South on "disability" who are perfectly able to hold a job. Not only do they get checks for not working but they also get their medical care covered for free. How is that fair when it costs me $30/$40/$100 (depends on the doctor/procedure) for every visit, not to mention our deductible and the amount taken out by our employer. I truly don't mind paying additional taxes if I thought that the money were actually going to help honest people who aren't trying to game the system.
2
The farmer must pay very low wages. Disability is at best around $1500 a month. You can't live on that.
2
There will always be a percentage of people on the dole (note per capita, whites are much bigger recipients of govt. dole than blacks.)
There will always be a percentage of people that game any system (think welfare cheats; tax cheats; Bernie Madoff) ( that's why we need strong regulation and enforcement programs)
(Speaking of dishonest people gaming the system - WHERE ARE THOSE TAX RETURNS ?????)
There will always be a percentage of people that game any system (think welfare cheats; tax cheats; Bernie Madoff) ( that's why we need strong regulation and enforcement programs)
(Speaking of dishonest people gaming the system - WHERE ARE THOSE TAX RETURNS ?????)
1
If the US had a single payer system, you would not be talking about health care and the "takers".
1
Has any state ever had worse United States Senators at the same time than Kentucky? 500,00 people gained health insurance under the ACA and both Senators want to abolish it?
Unnecessary premature death, disability, pain, suffering, and financial ruin will follow. How can Rand Paul, a physician, and McConnell, who are both old enough to know better, cause such misery for so many?
Is a sociopathic personality disorder a requirement for office in Kentucky?
Unnecessary premature death, disability, pain, suffering, and financial ruin will follow. How can Rand Paul, a physician, and McConnell, who are both old enough to know better, cause such misery for so many?
Is a sociopathic personality disorder a requirement for office in Kentucky?
9
The republicans keeps saying they promised citizens to repeal the ACA, no they promised their donors. This ugly bill is still ugly and harms everyone. Republicans should be ashamed of themselves but they lack that gene.
5
3 words: Single payer healthcare
6
We have an incompetent president and an incompetent congress. It's up to the American people to fix this, and if that's too much to ask, then just live with it!
3
The Republican senators are a "profile in cowardice." Their conduct now proves beyond a shadow of doubt that every claim they made over the past seven years about Obamacare being a disaster was a lie; every promise that they had a better health care plan was a hoax; every symbolic vote to repeal the law was a fraud perpetrated on their gullible constituents. The irony, of course, is that this may prove to be one of those rare instances when the nation will be grateful for the Republicans' cowardly reluctance to follow through on a misbegotten pledge to take health insurance away from millions of Americans.
5
I am so sick of hearing "we promised american voters."
Huh ?
Reminder - DT did not win "the vote."
And a third of the electorate never showed up at the polls. .
And a significant number of that less than a third who did pull the lever for DT held their collective nose in doing do.
Very few voters want the senate to keep that fake promise.
Be honest and quit playing us for suckers - a truer statement would be"
"we promised the dark money holders behind the PACs that fund us" .
Huh ?
Reminder - DT did not win "the vote."
And a third of the electorate never showed up at the polls. .
And a significant number of that less than a third who did pull the lever for DT held their collective nose in doing do.
Very few voters want the senate to keep that fake promise.
Be honest and quit playing us for suckers - a truer statement would be"
"we promised the dark money holders behind the PACs that fund us" .
4
When that third of the electorate show up in the emergency room with no hope of any life-saving healthcare, I hope they remember that their non-vote counted for the tax break for the rich..
2
Pressure from the president? If the senate can't see the writing on the wall about the president and they 're responding to pressure from him, they are even more spineless than anyone can imagine.
4
If they don't do it, Big Daddy Trump is going to be very, very angry.
1
McConnell is trying to redefine Pink Slime as finely textured beef -
degrading the Senate legislative process from making sausage to making offal.
He has not gotten 50 Republican Senators to vote for it because it is based upon deceptions that aren't fooling enough on either the extreme right or the moderately right
Paul, Cruz, Lee, etc. are correct that the version of the bill McConnell has twisted to get 50 votes is now Obamacare-lite. So, it is deception to say they are repealing Obamacare. They are merely deleting some provisions, editing others and adding some wording to the legal language of Obamacare.
And, Collins, Heller, Murkowski, etc. are correct that it harms too many people and harms their state government. The deceptions are that the Senate is not cutting Medicaid enrollees, they are leaving it to state legislatures to either cut babies and moms or raise state taxes. The Senate will not protect people with pre-existing conditions, they will be priced out of coverage. The Senate is not reducing costs - the cost of coverage will increase to most people who need individual coverage. Only the young and currently healthy will have lower costs. And, hardly mentioned in the press, is that the Senate bill shifts billions of federal dollars away from Blue states. Thus, McConnell is expecting Senators in those states to crawl out on a limb and find out later whether their constituents will saw off the limb. Hence, Portman, Toomey, Gardner, etc may be doomed
Sad
degrading the Senate legislative process from making sausage to making offal.
He has not gotten 50 Republican Senators to vote for it because it is based upon deceptions that aren't fooling enough on either the extreme right or the moderately right
Paul, Cruz, Lee, etc. are correct that the version of the bill McConnell has twisted to get 50 votes is now Obamacare-lite. So, it is deception to say they are repealing Obamacare. They are merely deleting some provisions, editing others and adding some wording to the legal language of Obamacare.
And, Collins, Heller, Murkowski, etc. are correct that it harms too many people and harms their state government. The deceptions are that the Senate is not cutting Medicaid enrollees, they are leaving it to state legislatures to either cut babies and moms or raise state taxes. The Senate will not protect people with pre-existing conditions, they will be priced out of coverage. The Senate is not reducing costs - the cost of coverage will increase to most people who need individual coverage. Only the young and currently healthy will have lower costs. And, hardly mentioned in the press, is that the Senate bill shifts billions of federal dollars away from Blue states. Thus, McConnell is expecting Senators in those states to crawl out on a limb and find out later whether their constituents will saw off the limb. Hence, Portman, Toomey, Gardner, etc may be doomed
Sad
A tip for Republican senators: create a health care bill that provides the same coverage for all Americans that you get for life.
It will be a beautiful bill like our eloquent president wants, and it will pass immediately.
It will be a beautiful bill like our eloquent president wants, and it will pass immediately.
2
If the bill looks it will go down by a narrow vote, additional GOP senators will vote no to pretend they care about tens of millions of their constituents losing health insurance. In truth, however, these senators couldn't care less. This cruel bill is an abomination.
3
Frankly, I have some doubt that the Senate bill will be defeated which leads me to the following question. If the DEM's retake the Senate and House, can they in turn repeal and replace this travesty of a bill? It is shameful the manner in which the GOP is handling this. It is heartless and frankly un-American. I've been an indelep my my adult life (68 btw) and have voted for the "candidate." I will never again vote GOP. My Senator - Rubio - is nothing more than a huge disappointment. As trump would say, "Trust me," this bill will garner the requisite votes....
3
7 years of ranting, maybe one of these folks would have thought about coming up with a plan. Instead we see them for what they are, small indecisive and overly sensitive men.
1
Kind of like that high school clique huh.
The government needs to provide catastrophic coverage for all. It is the main reason anyone puts up with the scam of insurance. Employers and the market will figure out the rest.
1
Interesting how Republicans spend their waking hours trying to pass a healthcare bill amongst themselves with no regard for its effect on people or the economy, just their party. That says it all. Everything else is noise so you don’t hear the screaming of Americans who think the plan is a sham
4
Placing a Band-Aid on a shark bite is not going to cut it with the voters - a get well card will not due - light a candle.
Republicans supporting the new healthcare bill are ill informed, those republicans opposing it do so for the wrong reasons, at least for the majority of them.
Republicans supporting the new healthcare bill are ill informed, those republicans opposing it do so for the wrong reasons, at least for the majority of them.
1
Although he denied it, Hitler wanted to destroy Stalingrad chiefly because it bore the name of his most bitter foe. His obsession became his ultimate undoing. The republicans seem to be obsessed with the same affliction, spitefully destroying a working program because of the name it bears. Here's hoping they get the same kind of result.
4
Democrats should steer clear of this Republican Conservative disaster at all costs.
Let the majority legislators legislate. Let's observe how the party of no ideas use their "ideas" to try to create a law that's actually beneficial to the people who put them in office. I doubt they can.
It seems to be difficult for republicans to reconcile their unholy alliance between the very rich and the very naive, the latter of whom actually thought something positive might be coming their way. The very naive want to believe there is a heart somewhere in the republican party, psyche or soul. There is, but only for about 5% of the people, the wealthiest that is.
It will truly be poetic justice for that part of their base, those lower middle class voters who clamored against Obamacare, if the republicans can push this legislation through as presently constituted. That same base will wallow in the result of their decision for years to come. And the complimentary relationship between the rich and naive will be further reinforced.
Let the majority legislators legislate. Let's observe how the party of no ideas use their "ideas" to try to create a law that's actually beneficial to the people who put them in office. I doubt they can.
It seems to be difficult for republicans to reconcile their unholy alliance between the very rich and the very naive, the latter of whom actually thought something positive might be coming their way. The very naive want to believe there is a heart somewhere in the republican party, psyche or soul. There is, but only for about 5% of the people, the wealthiest that is.
It will truly be poetic justice for that part of their base, those lower middle class voters who clamored against Obamacare, if the republicans can push this legislation through as presently constituted. That same base will wallow in the result of their decision for years to come. And the complimentary relationship between the rich and naive will be further reinforced.
9
The irony is that if the Republicans are successful in passing a Draconian bill, we will get single payer universal healthcare sooner not later. In a twisted way the ACA, which was/is supported by the insurance companies was intended in large part to stop the cry for universal single payer, and keep insurers alive. The insurance companies want the same thing as the Dems, higher mandates for people who opt out, and restore the safety net under insurers that lose money. This will force more young and healthy into the market, and keep the insurers from leaving due to loses. Unfortunately, this would also push out the urgency for single payer universal coverage. Fixing Obamacare hurts the march to a Euro style healthcare system, where the GOP's plan is so horrendous that it will lead to a popular revolt to a Euro styled healthcare system.
21
I also think single-payer is the way to go.
But how many dead bodies are acceptable to prove the point?
By that I mean that if the GOP gets their plan passed, how many people will have to die from lack of healthcare before things change?
And make no mistake, people will die. Mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, friends.
But how many dead bodies are acceptable to prove the point?
By that I mean that if the GOP gets their plan passed, how many people will have to die from lack of healthcare before things change?
And make no mistake, people will die. Mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, friends.
1
@Sparkythe Hear Hear! That is the calculus I've been advocating as a supporter of single payer. Let republicans have their day. They will have to own the pain they inflict. We will then have a radically expensive and inequitable (lack of) system and no half measure in the way of moving to single payer.
Democrats need to make noise but they should not block the republican measure. Give 'em enough rope to hang themselves.
On the flip side, if the party is not transformed away from it's current corporatist thralldom, we may not see single payer effectively promoted from the democratic side even in reaction to Trumpcare. That is my biggest concern in the long game.
Democrats need to make noise but they should not block the republican measure. Give 'em enough rope to hang themselves.
On the flip side, if the party is not transformed away from it's current corporatist thralldom, we may not see single payer effectively promoted from the democratic side even in reaction to Trumpcare. That is my biggest concern in the long game.
The focus for the Republican Party may be in getting enough votes so that they can "win one for the Grifter" but this travesty of a bill spells disaster for the poorest, neediest and sickest people in America.
Anyone taking the time to look at the CBO and the Kaiser Foundation analyses can see immediately that this bill in effect is a two-fer: it slashes funding for Medicaid by $800 billion wich fulfills the hardline demands for Freedom Caucus faction of the Republican Party.
By doing so, they have larded out whopping tax cuts for their favorite constituents, the rich and powerful. That has become part of their tax reform policy which aims to further empower the wealthiest 1% who are receiving an average $50,000 tax cut from Trumpcare while hitting both the lower and middle income Americans with higher premium costs and fewer benefits.
The claim that younger people (supposedly millennials) will be able to buy health care insurance more cheaply also comes at the expense of the elderly whose policies will leap to over 5 times as much as it does for the younger and healthier demographic.
Yes, if it passes it will be a big win for the Grifter but a huge loss for millions of American citizens and the poor. As the French saying goes, "Plus ça change..."
Anyone taking the time to look at the CBO and the Kaiser Foundation analyses can see immediately that this bill in effect is a two-fer: it slashes funding for Medicaid by $800 billion wich fulfills the hardline demands for Freedom Caucus faction of the Republican Party.
By doing so, they have larded out whopping tax cuts for their favorite constituents, the rich and powerful. That has become part of their tax reform policy which aims to further empower the wealthiest 1% who are receiving an average $50,000 tax cut from Trumpcare while hitting both the lower and middle income Americans with higher premium costs and fewer benefits.
The claim that younger people (supposedly millennials) will be able to buy health care insurance more cheaply also comes at the expense of the elderly whose policies will leap to over 5 times as much as it does for the younger and healthier demographic.
Yes, if it passes it will be a big win for the Grifter but a huge loss for millions of American citizens and the poor. As the French saying goes, "Plus ça change..."
20
The GOP doesn't care about getting a decent healthcare plan for everyone. All they care about is dismantling ACA and giving more tax breaks to the wealthy. Who do they think they're fooling?
28
How shameful and disgusting that 51 out of 52 Republican senators seem to be okay with a law that reduces or eliminates health insurance for millions of the most needy -- one of the 51 objecting that the bill is not draconian enough (a sentiment no doubt shared by others).
44
And yet these same guys still chant" We are the greatest" , as this White House turns steadily gray! And their side of the congress Keep trying to reimagine this country with no healthcare for its people . We can not rely on what's best for this country from this congress. It's like the illness - " necrotizing fasciitis " or flesh eating disease. Unless diagnosed,acknowledged fatal! And they will watch this happen. And smile, walk out the door at the end of the day patting each other on the back. Proud men!
1
Where are the church leaders on this? If there was ever a time to take to the news and pulpits, it is now. Have the traditional main stream churches never had a better cause than mothers, children, elderly, just older, weak, and poor being denied neighborly access to a doctor and care.
I do no not include the Evangelicals who seem to believe all other citizens are verging on the demonic and whose death is a secret wish or whose medical suffering will drive them to faith (at death door, desperate!). For them illness is punishment, until they become ill, of course. Sick.
I do no not include the Evangelicals who seem to believe all other citizens are verging on the demonic and whose death is a secret wish or whose medical suffering will drive them to faith (at death door, desperate!). For them illness is punishment, until they become ill, of course. Sick.
20
FOR THE LAST gol durned TIME!!!!
The US Senate is NOT writing a Health Care Bill!!!
ObamaCare is NOT about Health Care!!!
When will you people stop deluding yourselves???
What the US Senate did when ruled by the Democrats was to fashion a TAX BILL, similar to the Social Security Program(already destroyed thru profligate borrowing and spending). If ObamaCare is not a tax bill....then please explain why every single provision is enforced by none other than the Internal Revenue Service.
Now...the Republicans, power drunk, in a manner similar to the recently humiliated Democrats, want to demonstrate their own ability to FOOL the public...and ram their own Revenue bill thru Congress and decieptfully call it AHCA.
Y'alls being played.
And the NY Times is playing a willing roll in the deception.
Ralph Nader warned us,"They are all laughing at you."
The US Senate is NOT writing a Health Care Bill!!!
ObamaCare is NOT about Health Care!!!
When will you people stop deluding yourselves???
What the US Senate did when ruled by the Democrats was to fashion a TAX BILL, similar to the Social Security Program(already destroyed thru profligate borrowing and spending). If ObamaCare is not a tax bill....then please explain why every single provision is enforced by none other than the Internal Revenue Service.
Now...the Republicans, power drunk, in a manner similar to the recently humiliated Democrats, want to demonstrate their own ability to FOOL the public...and ram their own Revenue bill thru Congress and decieptfully call it AHCA.
Y'alls being played.
And the NY Times is playing a willing roll in the deception.
Ralph Nader warned us,"They are all laughing at you."
2
I'm not sure what point you are making here, or why you're so upset.
What would you call a military defense bill?
What would you call a military defense bill?
2
Wow Hugo -- invoking Ralph Nader, that does not further anyone's argument. Really, his ego based run for president resulted in the then worst president of al time. All W did was ruin the economy and start two wars -- wgich are still being fought and turn the middle east upside down resulting, in among other things, the refugee crisis. Please let Ralph drift off to the dustbin of history.
1
I work for an NBA team owned by one of the world's richest men & the only way I got health insurance, so I could get a hip replacement and keep working and paying taxes, was because of the ACA which made insurance community rated instead of medically underwritten. Look up these terms before you make the assertion that the ACA is simply a tax bill. You know nothing about the issue. Yes, the Republican bill IS a tax cut, but the ACA is a universal health care bill based on private insurance and private providers modeled after the Heritage Foundation conservative think tank plan. Look it up.
4
Republican healthcare reform and all that is left at this point is the politics and not the substance or the efficacy of what is being put forth by Mitch McConnell and crew.
Mr. Trump offered a warning about what would happen if the Senate failed.
“Well, I don’t even want to talk about it because I think it would be very bad,” Mr. Trump said. “I will be very angry about it, and a lot of people will be very upset.”
Tantrum time from the Donald who is certainly not tapped into the details of the Senate healthcare bill now in heated consideration — the last ditch effort to dump the ACA.
What a monumental mess the GOP has made has made of this — eight years of endless carping and threats and now they are manically pursuing anything that will remotely look like reform.
Mr. Trump offered a warning about what would happen if the Senate failed.
“Well, I don’t even want to talk about it because I think it would be very bad,” Mr. Trump said. “I will be very angry about it, and a lot of people will be very upset.”
Tantrum time from the Donald who is certainly not tapped into the details of the Senate healthcare bill now in heated consideration — the last ditch effort to dump the ACA.
What a monumental mess the GOP has made has made of this — eight years of endless carping and threats and now they are manically pursuing anything that will remotely look like reform.
6
The Times always finds endless space for feature articles on the Republican's attempt to address the failures of the ACA, but not a single column on the numerous deficiencies in the current legislation. Insurers are leaving unprofitable markets and in many regions requesting double digit rate increases to offset losses. The working public have seen their healthcare cost increase, coverages reduced, and deductibles rise. Those fortunate to have good coverage through their employer saw it reduced as companies avoided the Cadillac Tax ( by the way these are the same people that you have increased their taxes on in order to pay for the ACA). " "Socializing" the cost of the ACA across income levels is income redistribution. Welcome to the Socialist States of America courtesy of the liberal Democratic Party, who have put the Jeffersonian Ideal on life support.
3
Our republic has been "redistributing income" since we first built post roads and public schools 200 years ago. Welcome to the 21st century. Without these redistributive mechanism, like social security and medicare, our political and economic system would collapse.
2
Minor problem in your incorrect summation. The high risk corridor funding irradicated by Marco Rubio in 2015. When Rubio eliminated that funding to insurers for the high risk corridor, they started backing out of exchanges and exchange coverage rates began increasing. Add to that that many counties in rural America had 1 provider and zero competition from say a public option and many red state governors with these same counties made the conscious decision NOT to expand Medicaid this also led to increased rates. Insurers are now backing out of exchanges because of all of the above and the uncertainty and sabotage created by Republicans. The NYT has written volumes about this over the last few years. All you need do is search for the articles.
2
The profit motive depends on boosting demand. This explains why the US has such lousy public health statistics from spending more on health care per capita than any other nation.
2
So Trump will be very angry if the Senate doesn't give him a bill to sign, as he said if they don't give it to him don't even think about it.
The bill seems to still break the most of the promises he made to the American people about their health care coverage and cost.
I guess he thinks its a real estate deal not a healthcare bill.
The bill seems to still break the most of the promises he made to the American people about their health care coverage and cost.
I guess he thinks its a real estate deal not a healthcare bill.
5
If this bill goes through, it will cause more damage to the American people than 9/11 or any terrorist activity since then. All this just to give tax breaks to the rich! Are the GOP senators a new breed of terrorists in America? The senators who vote against this bill will probably be the only senators re-elected.
8
Q: "Are the GOP senators a new breed of terrorists in America?"
A: Yes.
A: Yes.
I just wish I believed you are correct that Republicans will be punished for hurting the very people who vote for them, but so far, that's not what happens.
1
The GOP push to repeal the ACA because they said they would in their campaign rhetoric since the beginning of the Obama years with no reasonable plan to adequately cover all Americans is absurd policy, ridiculous judgment, asinine behavior and blatantly unfair since the bottomline result they seem to only care about is a tax reduction for the wealthy.
This is perverse government gone way wrong. It's tail wagging dog muscle that will only lead to excessive healthcare spending when people without insurance wind up again going to the ER for a flu shot, all compounded by the inevitable rise in every other tax everywhere to offset the GOP's largess by way of the tax reduction for the wealthy and corporations.
This is perverse government gone way wrong. It's tail wagging dog muscle that will only lead to excessive healthcare spending when people without insurance wind up again going to the ER for a flu shot, all compounded by the inevitable rise in every other tax everywhere to offset the GOP's largess by way of the tax reduction for the wealthy and corporations.
8
An unintended consequence of this bill passing is what an insurance executive friend of mine termed: health-care paralyzation. So much of Obamacare is baked into insurance business model that the depth of disruptions caused by the Senate bill would freeze up the system---throwing millions of citizens into a healthcare void that would take some time to undo. The problem all along for Trumpcare is a healthcare bill built entirely on a theory of free markets and an irrational hatred of President Obama---missing in this legislative formula is any attention to the practice of healthcare--how the Trumpcare would be implemented.
5
"“We promised the American voters that we would repeal Obamacare,” Mr. Paul said"
Yes, and the majority of American voters rejected you.
Yes, and the majority of American voters rejected you.
12
Since Roe V Wade has been upheld the move to use tax credit limitations to force people into limited women's health selections (after all, ob/gyn includes all aspects of female fertility) I suspect that this alone could cause the court challenge that takes this bill down, and the lawyers know it. There is clearly more tweaking to be done. Defunding PP for a year is a cynical move to put their employees at financial risk and the clinics out of business. Who are these reprehensible people who would continuously attack all humans but especially women? Wha the heck happened to them in their lives to cause such hatred?
12
" Wha the heck happened to them in their lives to cause such hatred?"
One word: religion!
One word: religion!
1
“I am sitting in the Oval Office with a pen in hand, waiting for our senators to give it to me,”
In case there was ever any doubt that Trump has no personal interest in the details and will sign whatever they send him. He cares even less than McConnell about a bill that improves health care, and that's not easy.
In case there was ever any doubt that Trump has no personal interest in the details and will sign whatever they send him. He cares even less than McConnell about a bill that improves health care, and that's not easy.
15
The GOP is rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. I hope they keep trying and exposing their disregard of public health in deference to donor funding and phony right wing moralizing. They will try to bride a few states for votes but will only insure their own demise in 2018 and beyond.
8
Sometimes it feels like Democrats get blamed for playing by he rules
8
I've worked in health care my whole life and I see only two options to truly reduce health care costs. Make health care cash only, or give us Medicare for all. All other ideas only kick the can down the road and never reduce costs. Everyone would take a huge reduction in pay and income but if cost reduction is your main goal then tell me another way.
4
It is no wonder many Americans are disaffected. The minutia being debated over this bill has nothing to do with the reality that the US has the most expensive healthcare system of all the major economies with the worst return on the monies we poor into it. Will our political class ever stop talking about Obamacare and the Republicans pledge to repeal it and start working on an evidence based proposition for how we can provide good healthcare (not insurance) for everyone? Full stop, period.
8
The folks in Kentucky elected anti-care legislators by large margins. Let them have what they want. If they regret it, blame someone else. I am all in favor of giving those who want the freedom to be bankrupt due to medical expense to be so. That is the compassionate thing to do isn't it?
5
Instead of working to improve on the ACA and the work already done, the Republicans are bound and determined to destroy anything and everything accomplished by and associated with President Obama. This is nothing less than blatant hatred and racism. They are more than willing to trade the health and welfare of the most vulnerable of America's citizens for a "win". Absolutely shameful and disgusting. This will not work. Democrats, please continue to ramp up the resistance. We must fight this with everything we have.
12
Ask any Republican to explain the problems with their so-called "Health Care Plan" and the most common answer is "It's Obama's Fault"................
5
There are a few incontrovertible facts:
1. People need health insurance to survive
2. Health care is absurdly expensive
3. More than 50% of people can't afford health insurance
4. There are two options: A. let these people go without insurance; B. subsidized their insurance.
5. You can spent the money by giving subsidies to insurance companies or you can use this money to establish a national health care system.
Now, take it from here.
1. People need health insurance to survive
2. Health care is absurdly expensive
3. More than 50% of people can't afford health insurance
4. There are two options: A. let these people go without insurance; B. subsidized their insurance.
5. You can spent the money by giving subsidies to insurance companies or you can use this money to establish a national health care system.
Now, take it from here.
17
Your "facts" are flawed.
1) People do not need insurance to "survive". I grew up in a household without insurance so we only went to the doctor when absolutely necessary.
2) Health care is only so expensive because the US has the money to pay for it. The more the government injects into the industry, just like college tuition, the more the price goes up.
3) so what? Insurance is not a right. Health care services and products are not a right.
4) I choose option A
5. Or you can get the government completely out of the healthcare industry. Or you could set up a universal catastrophic insurance policy that everyone pays for the covers generic drugs and procedures and devices that are off patent or over 20 years old to keep costs competitive and low. Or you could tax everyone 5% of income and then evenly divide the tax money back to everyone as vouchers to purchase their own private insurance (like Sweden does). There are LOTS of options Frank.
1) People do not need insurance to "survive". I grew up in a household without insurance so we only went to the doctor when absolutely necessary.
2) Health care is only so expensive because the US has the money to pay for it. The more the government injects into the industry, just like college tuition, the more the price goes up.
3) so what? Insurance is not a right. Health care services and products are not a right.
4) I choose option A
5. Or you can get the government completely out of the healthcare industry. Or you could set up a universal catastrophic insurance policy that everyone pays for the covers generic drugs and procedures and devices that are off patent or over 20 years old to keep costs competitive and low. Or you could tax everyone 5% of income and then evenly divide the tax money back to everyone as vouchers to purchase their own private insurance (like Sweden does). There are LOTS of options Frank.
1
Frank....I respectfully dispute your "facts".
1. Why do we need "insurance" to pay for "health care"?
2. A common sense observation tells me that "mandatory insurance" is precisely why "health care" costs automatically shoot up every year by at least 10%!
3. Again....see #1.
4. Option A: well, maybe you're catching on and I'm not seein' it!
Option B: who pays for the subsidy? We all know who....the taxpayer. And please dont tell me that all the Govt has to do is print more money...Weimar Republic style.
5. Again....why is "insurance" required for "health care"?
1. Why do we need "insurance" to pay for "health care"?
2. A common sense observation tells me that "mandatory insurance" is precisely why "health care" costs automatically shoot up every year by at least 10%!
3. Again....see #1.
4. Option A: well, maybe you're catching on and I'm not seein' it!
Option B: who pays for the subsidy? We all know who....the taxpayer. And please dont tell me that all the Govt has to do is print more money...Weimar Republic style.
5. Again....why is "insurance" required for "health care"?
I am glad that you grew up healthy. Unfortunately, not everyone has the same luck.
2
It's worrisome that Dems are relying on the ethics of ONE solid fearless Republican who cares about her constituents, Sen Collins, and ONE libertarian who wants something even worse than what is being cooked up, based on his unshakeable tenets.
5
In what possible way is this cutting room floor droppings taped together any better than the ACA? It doesn't even seem to be a compromise. It seems to be a poison pill with two sides. It doesn't save the wealthy all the millions they've been promised, and it doesn't throw enough people under the bus or allow enough people to sit on the bus - depending on your point of view.
9
Senator Paul complains about price controls......on human lives. This is talking about business rather than human life. It's time healthcare is removed from our capitalist system , it's not a commodity. Universal healthcare is on the way, at some near point in the future. I would surmise 2020. I have faith in American ingenuity to make American universal care the best in the world. I also believe Americans would agree to higher taxes for it.
23
Healthcare has always been a commodity. As to paying higher taxes, it's great to be philanthropic when the dollars do not come out of your pocket!
Do we need a safety net of free Public Health Service absolutely, the funding of it needs to be resolved, which given the size of the budget is doable by cutting the waste and questionable subsidies. Let's also put foreign aid "in the pot" for cuts as well!
Do we need a safety net of free Public Health Service absolutely, the funding of it needs to be resolved, which given the size of the budget is doable by cutting the waste and questionable subsidies. Let's also put foreign aid "in the pot" for cuts as well!
1
Completely incorrect.
2
I can understand why the Republicans are proposing this bill with tax cuts for the rich and no health care for the poor. This is what conservatism and being a Republican has stood for in the last 50 years. What I don't understand is why the Democrats aren't flooding the news and social media about how bad this bill is. The Republicans certainly did the same for the past 7 years.
Both sides have had 7 years to come up with solutions, but neither side did anything except the Republicans vowing to repeal. If the Republicans were so concerned about this why didn't they have a bill ready for Trump on the first day he was in office? Again, they had 7 years!
Why isn't there at least 1 senator of either party that stands up and says they should have the same coverage as everyone else? Isn't that plainly fair to everyone? I guess none of them every went to kindergarten where you learn to be fair. Why don't the news organizations ask this question of both congress and the American people?
Both sides have had 7 years to come up with solutions, but neither side did anything except the Republicans vowing to repeal. If the Republicans were so concerned about this why didn't they have a bill ready for Trump on the first day he was in office? Again, they had 7 years!
Why isn't there at least 1 senator of either party that stands up and says they should have the same coverage as everyone else? Isn't that plainly fair to everyone? I guess none of them every went to kindergarten where you learn to be fair. Why don't the news organizations ask this question of both congress and the American people?
12
Reality check having health care is a privlege ,not a right. Do we buy car insurance if we dont have license to drive. Same is true with congress should be more concern with the pratice of deceptions being played out on media. Alot pain an suffeing created by drugs brought into usa illegally like herion. Question how is it being imported what means .Is herion being mixed into imports hidden from inspection an if so do we stop importing products an make what we need for our selves. Unfotenly congress isnt in bussness in stopping problems to busy making big deal in having all right answers . Being right wont solve real problems takes smart people who know how its being created an health care has alot to do with life style .If we dont stop repeating past mistakes wil turn usa in bunch deplorables
2
As healthcare can and in many instances does entail a life or death situation, you must think people also do not have the right to live.
5
Don't know about you but I sure didn't choose this body myself. And while I take pretty good care of it, I see friends and relatives who have suddenly met with serious medical crises not of their own making. Your suggestion that I should buy insurance suited to my needs (Toyota versus Cadillac anyone?) is simplistic I am afraid. If I actually knew which health problems I would need this might be an argument, but actually in that case I couldn't buy any of it as they would be pre-existing conditions. Exactly why I tell people NOT to get their genetic screening unless there is a familial illness or risk. One day it will definitely be used against you
3
American have the unalienable right to life, which they need insurance to pay for treatments to continue to live.
3
Republicans want to argue that getting the government out of healthcare, and depending a private market, to lower both healthcare insurance pricing and healthcare delivery is a myth. The healthcare insurance industry will "compete" only in creating policies that serve their own bottom lines, denying coverage for pre-existing conditions, placing monetary caps on coverage, and limiting access to healthcare systems, drugs, and doctors. Healthcare providers will continue to charge what ever they can for the services they provide. No patient is going to "shop" for that heart transplant they need as their heart fails. No prospective parent s going to choose the discount, no frills birthing center as their child is born. It makes no sense. It will not happen. Freedom to choose is a stupid argument to make. If you are poor you will choose to suffer or die. if you are wealthy you will buy the best you can afford. Only the most wealthy and well funded will gain from the changes the Republicans want to make. The rest of us will suffer.
11
Not only that, it is impossible to "shop" around even if you have the luxury of time. Two examples; a) my insurer dropped my plan last year, so I called a few doctors that I regularly visit in order to determine some costs ahead of time which would impact my plan selection. No doctor could or would tell me the cost of an office visit because of course, it depends on what is actually wrong with the patient. I also called the insurance company to no avail. b) broke out in a terrible case of hives, reaching a boiling point over a weekend. I called a MedEmerge type location because I am cost conscious and would be willing to continue suffering if the price was too high. MedEmerge said some software was down and they couldn't tell me the cost of a visit but come on in, make a "good faith" payment and they'd bill me the rest later. Yeah, right!!! Who signs a contract without a price in place??? I upped my dosage of Benadryl and continued scratching.
2
They obstructed every piece of legislation that would have lowered prescription costs, protected us from price-gouging practices, and stabilized the market.
They are the "Know-Nothing" party - a party of dysfunctional charlatans with a deliberate misinformation campaign aimed at dismantling and destroying healthcare reform, and they are playing with our lives.
These influence-peddling frauds shouldn't just be removed from office, they should be run out on a rail.
They are the "Know-Nothing" party - a party of dysfunctional charlatans with a deliberate misinformation campaign aimed at dismantling and destroying healthcare reform, and they are playing with our lives.
These influence-peddling frauds shouldn't just be removed from office, they should be run out on a rail.
8
Why does the Democratic Party insist on charging young working Americans above market rates?
2
Medicare for all is the solution.
So older people not yet receiving medicare can be charged well below market rates. Even this Republican plan as it now stands charges these older Americans less than market rates, forcing young people to pay more.
This is "socialism," a word you have perhaps heard of? It is a word that Republicans cannot utter, even when they are doing it.
This is not socialism in rawest form, because the presumption is that most young people will grow old, thus representing a form of health-insurance annuitization. But socialism it remains.
But if you die in your thirties in an abrupt way that doesn't generate a lot of healthcare expenses ... yes you lose.
This is "socialism," a word you have perhaps heard of? It is a word that Republicans cannot utter, even when they are doing it.
This is not socialism in rawest form, because the presumption is that most young people will grow old, thus representing a form of health-insurance annuitization. But socialism it remains.
But if you die in your thirties in an abrupt way that doesn't generate a lot of healthcare expenses ... yes you lose.
Einstein did NOT say "doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results is the definition of insanity" ... in part because that is wrong; it is the definition of stupidity. Yet it does apply here.
It's prima facie evident that the age ratio, waiting period and abortion coverage provisions are policy goals, and also obvious that defunding abortion coverage will end up costing the public a lot of money. The Democrats aren't willing to say the obvious for two reasons: 1: people find the reality unpleasant 2: an increase is a "change."
The Republicans are desperate to be able to claim they repealed "Obamacare," desperate for something they can claim as a "victory." In reality neither of these can be true now; anyone with an ounce of brains can see that.
Voting for this turkey is folly. Vote for it and you own it. The biggest demonstrated of Republican political incompetence is that nearly 50 Republicans appear willing to vote for a bill that has less than 20% public approval.
Democrats attempting to stop this bill are doing the Republicans a favor by attempting to give them a face-saving way to avoid political mass hara-kiri.
It's prima facie evident that the age ratio, waiting period and abortion coverage provisions are policy goals, and also obvious that defunding abortion coverage will end up costing the public a lot of money. The Democrats aren't willing to say the obvious for two reasons: 1: people find the reality unpleasant 2: an increase is a "change."
The Republicans are desperate to be able to claim they repealed "Obamacare," desperate for something they can claim as a "victory." In reality neither of these can be true now; anyone with an ounce of brains can see that.
Voting for this turkey is folly. Vote for it and you own it. The biggest demonstrated of Republican political incompetence is that nearly 50 Republicans appear willing to vote for a bill that has less than 20% public approval.
Democrats attempting to stop this bill are doing the Republicans a favor by attempting to give them a face-saving way to avoid political mass hara-kiri.
8
Asked to share my thoughts, I can only air my outrage! Behind the Republican Health Care "Plan" (i.e. death fare device) stands the greed of the rich. When will the country throw out these wicked pols, notably the voters of Kentucky their evil schemer McConnell and their equally despicable Rand Paul, both staunch reasonable health care deniers.
7
If the Cruz amendment is inserted, will Republicans act to make social Darwinism part of our nation's compact? It is disgusting. Insurers would simply be forced to segregate and price people with pre-existing conditions out of the pool. Will republicans allow a congenital heart defect to be a death sentence or a life of indenture beholden to circumstances beyond one's control? Is that their idea of freedom? This survival of the fittest brand of insanity will also lock up the economy. Once someone is part of a group plan provided by their employer, they will never leave that job to pursue other entrepreneurial activity or retire early, as they could not afford to do so. Brilliant Mr. Cruz. Your ideologically driven drivel gets us the worst of all worlds.
11
In countries with socialized medicine there are review boards in place that dictate what procedures are warranted given the age and medical condition of the patient e.g. the British infant Charlie Gard. Medical resources are doled out based on their decision. ( The U.K., Canada, Germany, and several US states, also permits doctor assisted suicide) .
As to access to medical resources, a child with scoliosis under socialized medicen, may wait several years for surgery as it is deemed non life threatening.
As to access to medical resources, a child with scoliosis under socialized medicen, may wait several years for surgery as it is deemed non life threatening.
Nobody in the 60 nations that provide health care for all citizens wants US style expensive for profit health care. Nobody. My Canadian friends run to Canada as soon as they need health care. My relatives in Spain call US healthcare barbaric.
One thing is certain, if they manage to pass this bill I will do everything in my power to make sure these people are voted out of office. Not only would they be passing a murderous bill for their constituents but they're passing it for the rest of us. The work they're doing is inhumane and evil incarnate.
8
If Senate Republicans pass this legislation, unworthy of lining a sick bird's cage, the American people will not be the only ones who will be damned.
The GOP will be hit by all sides. Every major medical and patient advocacy group is opposed to it. Why? It will have horrific effects on the infrastructure of our healthcare system.
Without Medicaid in its current form, hospitals (especially in rural areas) will be forced to shut down.
Patients will suffer and die because they won't have access to care.
Homelessness will rise, as the disabled and elderly won't be able to afford nursing home care.
"Patient dumping", an illegal practice where hospitals dump patients onto the streets because they can't afford to be treated will increase.
Personal bankruptcy will skyrocket, patients and their families will be financially ruined.
The elderly will skip their medicines and die because no one in Congress thought to regulate drug costs.
Toss in the slashing of medical research by the NIH, CDC and other government supported agencies, and the death and destruction just gets bigger.
If there was ever a doubt that Satan was into cloning, look no further than the GOP leaders of Congress backing this bill.
The GOP will be hit by all sides. Every major medical and patient advocacy group is opposed to it. Why? It will have horrific effects on the infrastructure of our healthcare system.
Without Medicaid in its current form, hospitals (especially in rural areas) will be forced to shut down.
Patients will suffer and die because they won't have access to care.
Homelessness will rise, as the disabled and elderly won't be able to afford nursing home care.
"Patient dumping", an illegal practice where hospitals dump patients onto the streets because they can't afford to be treated will increase.
Personal bankruptcy will skyrocket, patients and their families will be financially ruined.
The elderly will skip their medicines and die because no one in Congress thought to regulate drug costs.
Toss in the slashing of medical research by the NIH, CDC and other government supported agencies, and the death and destruction just gets bigger.
If there was ever a doubt that Satan was into cloning, look no further than the GOP leaders of Congress backing this bill.
13
Legislative effort such as the A.C.A repealing bill, that is bad in intentions, full of dishonesty, and aimed at inflicting suffering on people is bound to end in a debacle.
9
Wrong.
Hows that National Health Care Service workin' out over there in India?
Seems like all the Indian Doctors prefer to work in the decrepit, horrible conditions of the USA.
Hows that National Health Care Service workin' out over there in India?
Seems like all the Indian Doctors prefer to work in the decrepit, horrible conditions of the USA.
And medical tourism is one of the fastest growing US businesses.
Americans will die. Thousands. They will die needlessly. As Obama's attempts at harnessing an equitable sharing of good fortune with misfortune are now being brazenly and cruelly dismantled, I say unequivalently to McConnell “shame on you! You are a more than willing instrument of such heartless uncaring disregard for the well being of millions. Shame. Shame.”
23
I just looked up the definition of Insanity in the dictionary .... it said the U.S. health care debate / discussion. Both parties.
Orange, NJ
Orange, NJ
3
The Donald has little or no idea what is contained in the latest copy and paste version of the big tax cut that these senators took a whole week to devise. It will come as a heavy blow to the millions who will lose their coverage in order for the super wealthy to enjoy a meaningless tax break.
For six months we have been buried in a miasma of accusations alleging that the Donald and his puppets colluded with Mr. Putin to fix the election.
This morning the Donald advised all and sundry that Putin would actually have preferred Clinton to be in the White House , so all of the accusations are baseless.....Despite the fact that Clinton publically pilloried Putin in her capacity as Secretary of State to the point that Putin made no bones about his hatred for her.
For six months we have witnessed a carnival side show. No legislation of any consequence despite the fact that The Donald controls all three branches of government.
Therefore , regardless of how horrible and heartless the new Senate version of how to shaft your constituents , " Trump and many important people will be angry and upset if it fails. "
How terrible for them.
For six months we have been buried in a miasma of accusations alleging that the Donald and his puppets colluded with Mr. Putin to fix the election.
This morning the Donald advised all and sundry that Putin would actually have preferred Clinton to be in the White House , so all of the accusations are baseless.....Despite the fact that Clinton publically pilloried Putin in her capacity as Secretary of State to the point that Putin made no bones about his hatred for her.
For six months we have witnessed a carnival side show. No legislation of any consequence despite the fact that The Donald controls all three branches of government.
Therefore , regardless of how horrible and heartless the new Senate version of how to shaft your constituents , " Trump and many important people will be angry and upset if it fails. "
How terrible for them.
14
One thing I know about the future, specifically 2018. I will not forget what party gave us a treasonous, incompetent Russian puppet. I will not forget what party enabled and sheltered this traitor. I will not forget what party is eagerly trying to dismantle healthcare for millions to give massive tax breaks to a small few. I will not forget what party is dismantling protections for clean air and water. I will not forget what party wants to rape our public schools and their funding to funnel into sub standard for profit on line schools. I will not forget, ever. 2018 can't get here soon enough. C'mon republicans pass you disaster of a bill. I want the people who were brainless enough to vote for you to remember too.
24
One thing I'll say for certain: They won't be winning 2018. Maybe red states but not blue. Because they are basically saying f u were good your not going beyond just personal with Obama ordeal. They are doing this as a irritated selfish when aren't in power get at half the population. This isn't wisdom, this isn't maturity, this isn't responsible & this isn't god believing doing good as it's spoken thru some but not all religions belief systems.
4
Tuesday night Senator Isackson R, Ga had an unnounced tele townhall to those of us who had registered for one of his previous ones this year. I had listened into the first one he did this year right after his first back Surgury. It was mostly people telling him they hoped he was feeling better from his Surgury. Definely a red state love fest. This Confrence call all but one of the calls they took was from outside the metro Atlanta area. Pretty much solid red area. The overwhelming message that came through was why aren't you being Bipartisan? Also, why haven't we heard you hold the Whitehouse accountable for their misdeeds over the last couple of months. ( It is clear that this will be Isackson's last term since he is 74, has Parkinson's and just had two major back surguries within a month aka a salvage Surgury for failed back Surgury syndrome). He claimed he called them out for what they did to Dean Heller with the Ad's. He stated that he told them that each member of the delegation has to be allowed to vote how they see best for their state.
Advocates for the developmentally impaired pointed out that optional services that allow these folks to live and work in the community would be cut out of Medicaid with the cuts. He promised he would not vote for any cuts to Medicaid that would take away benefits for the developmentally impaired!
There were other comments from Isackson that basically said ignore Trump and Company budget cuts, because the Congress has the purse!
Advocates for the developmentally impaired pointed out that optional services that allow these folks to live and work in the community would be cut out of Medicaid with the cuts. He promised he would not vote for any cuts to Medicaid that would take away benefits for the developmentally impaired!
There were other comments from Isackson that basically said ignore Trump and Company budget cuts, because the Congress has the purse!
So-called president trump's reassuring words still ring in my ears ... "Obamacare is an utter disaster folks. I will repeal it entirely and replace it with something much much better, believe me ... and very quickly". Ringing ringing ringing ... like an unanswered telephone.
15
Sounds a lot like the number former trump "University" students called once they realized their credit cards had been maxed out.
6
THE GOP IS Guaranteed success because of Trump's threat that he will be very angry if the Trumpcare bill fails to be debated in the Senate. Whooooooooo, I'm shivering in my shoes! After all, Trump has only said that he would be very mad. He's not even said that he'd be very very mad. Leave alone very very very mad. Or very ver very very very mad. Or worse.
5
Trump's narcissism doesn't let him appreciate how many people are laughing at him, even among the Republicans. The reality is that nobody but spineless Republican representatives fearTrump now at all. Worse yet, this bill is the complete opposite of Trump's promises about healthcare ... so any Republican who wants to vote against this bill can simply say they will only vote for bill that fulfills Trump's campaign promises ... meaning nothing, ever.
I urge people to check out the comment below from Francis in "Naples" (presumably Naples, Fla.) on how horrible it is that working poor people in Ohio get health benefits. The responses to this provide good, fact-based responses on the need for health care. There is some good fact-based dialogue here. I'm not saying my post is the best, but Congress heeds to be looking at people's real-life situations before they junk Obamacare.
4
do they actually have the nerve to do it? really?
1
..., the sad reality, which is America of today!
Mostly everything is for profit first and foremost - making people sick for profit, helping people get well for profit, education for profit, government for profit, policies for profit, legislation for profit, foreign relations for profit, defense & national security for profit, deteriorating climate for profit, social security for profit - one big colluded franchise; certainly not of the people, by the people and for the people.
"We the people ...", got lost on the way to the shining city on a hill as the founding values, principles, honor and respect were lost along the road.
The people, or rather, the sponsored, bought and paid for politicians, who got America "here" aren't the ones, who'll get America back to its admirable roots - then again, maybe America won't make it back ...
Mostly everything is for profit first and foremost - making people sick for profit, helping people get well for profit, education for profit, government for profit, policies for profit, legislation for profit, foreign relations for profit, defense & national security for profit, deteriorating climate for profit, social security for profit - one big colluded franchise; certainly not of the people, by the people and for the people.
"We the people ...", got lost on the way to the shining city on a hill as the founding values, principles, honor and respect were lost along the road.
The people, or rather, the sponsored, bought and paid for politicians, who got America "here" aren't the ones, who'll get America back to its admirable roots - then again, maybe America won't make it back ...
6
For all his eagerness to sign, does he know it will still have be reconciled the House version, or are we going to skip this part of government procedures???
1
Ideologically Im more aligned with Sen Collins, Sen. Paul...not so much. But its important for any Repubs to show some backbone and stand up to McConnells bill, as its clearly a rush job that is nothing but a tax cut for the rich.
Winning for the petty sake of winning is al this is. Instead of doing good work, McConnell along with "No details" Trump, just want to rack up a win...but with garbage. Which is the basic foundation of any thing WH/GOP driven.
Winning for the petty sake of winning is al this is. Instead of doing good work, McConnell along with "No details" Trump, just want to rack up a win...but with garbage. Which is the basic foundation of any thing WH/GOP driven.
7
The dems shouldn't count on Collins . The media label her a moderate. However , she's simply always " concerned" or " "bothered" and then she votes with the conservatives. I hope she joins ayote on vacation. She should not be rewarded for her cowardice and calculating ways.
8
Time for Americans to unite on this cruel, hideous healthcare bill. The best and most forceful punishment is voting Congressional Republicans out of office in the 2018 mid-term elections.
The only way out of this healthcare mess is to vote Republicans right out of Congress.
If you don't vote in the midterm elections to remove Republicans from Congress you can't complain about hideous healthcare in this country. It is really that simple but it must come from each citizen of this great country!
The only way out of this healthcare mess is to vote Republicans right out of Congress.
If you don't vote in the midterm elections to remove Republicans from Congress you can't complain about hideous healthcare in this country. It is really that simple but it must come from each citizen of this great country!
9
Rand Paul is absolutely right, the bill has been loosened by McConnell as gesture to woo Democrats and make up for lost GOP votes.
Although praiseworthy for its bipartisan intent, we all know by now, that engaging with the Democrats is a fool's exercise and complete waste of time. McConnell should ditch any and all pretense at accommodation. The bill needs to move right not left. Less taxing, less billions for opiod addiction, zero government sponsorship of unlimited and irresponsible sex via free contraceptives etc.
In fact, what McConnell needs to do, is to put the House version for vote unedited. That'll sail through, no problem. Some of it might get stymied due to procedural issues, fight that battle separately another day.
At any rate, with his keen intellect, focus, and straight shooting, Senator Paul is the new and upcoming GOP star around corner. McConnell needs to take Paul's counsel more often. He is, after all, the new Mitch in the block.
Although praiseworthy for its bipartisan intent, we all know by now, that engaging with the Democrats is a fool's exercise and complete waste of time. McConnell should ditch any and all pretense at accommodation. The bill needs to move right not left. Less taxing, less billions for opiod addiction, zero government sponsorship of unlimited and irresponsible sex via free contraceptives etc.
In fact, what McConnell needs to do, is to put the House version for vote unedited. That'll sail through, no problem. Some of it might get stymied due to procedural issues, fight that battle separately another day.
At any rate, with his keen intellect, focus, and straight shooting, Senator Paul is the new and upcoming GOP star around corner. McConnell needs to take Paul's counsel more often. He is, after all, the new Mitch in the block.
1
So, if I follow your reasoning, you think it would be better to have countless unwanted children born, not to mention the accelerated spread of venereal diseases involved, and a proliferation of drug related deaths, just so some people including yourself will have less taxes to pay?
Your hero, Rand Paul is a would be murderer, and you applaud him. What does this make you?
Your hero, Rand Paul is a would be murderer, and you applaud him. What does this make you?
1
The claim that this bill has been "loosened by McConnell as [a] gesture to woo Democrats" is nuts.
And fella -- they aren't going to vote for "gestures" ... they aren't that stupid.
And fella -- they aren't going to vote for "gestures" ... they aren't that stupid.
past ridiculous watching the continuing battle as americans try to find their way into the 20th century while other western democracies are already well into the 21st.
7
Do not get your hopes up people that Rand Paul and his infinitely steadfast libertarian principles will be saving grace of the ACA. He will vote for the bill without fail when it comes up, no matter what is in it. We can only hope Collins, Murkowski, Flake or another moderate will stand up to the donors, Agent Orange, and the Turtle and strike this smoldering pile of garbage down.
4
The definition of the gop is banging their heads against Obamacare over & over like zombies & expecting more than a headache.
But they're determined to disprove Einsteins tired trope with hardheaded relentlessness.
As sure as the zombies eventually burst through the boards to eat the brains of the innocent, so the gop will get their law, one boneheaded way or another.
But they're determined to disprove Einsteins tired trope with hardheaded relentlessness.
As sure as the zombies eventually burst through the boards to eat the brains of the innocent, so the gop will get their law, one boneheaded way or another.
4
I don't mean this to be offensive, but it seems to be true from the evangelicals I have known, that they tend to think that they have somehow earned some sort of holy privilege and that all others who have not found their god, deserve what they get - hellfire. How else can you rationalize throwing tens of millions of poor people off of health insurance? Seeing the photo of political leaders praying with a treasonous president chilled me to the core. These observations have led me to believe that we have morphed into a religious state with an autocrat who casually works with a foreign government to get his way. If the healthcare bill passes and Trump stays in office, that is will seal the deal.
10
GOP controlled House and Senate and Trump still cannot get his wall built, cannot repeal and replace Obamacare and (well see how the Supreme Court rules) might not get his Muslim ban.
The founders had the foresight to know that one day someone as dangerous and incompetent as Donald Trump could become president so let's thank them for their system of checks and balances between the three equal branches of government.
The founders had the foresight to know that one day someone as dangerous and incompetent as Donald Trump could become president so let's thank them for their system of checks and balances between the three equal branches of government.
4
2018 can't come fast enough. Anyone who plans on getting older than thirty must vote these charlatans out of office. This is not a health care plan; it's a death care plan.
4
You can bet if the Republicans do not have the votes and the bill is scrapped that Trump and his minions will work toward sabotaging the ACA piece by piece until there are such serious emergencies in multiple States that the chaos will doom the current healthcare markets to ruin. McConnell dangles his red herring about working with the Democrats to shore up ACA. What a crock! He'll be the first one to outmaneuver and weaken the current law by adding poison pill amendments galore to put as many wrenches into the works as possible. Republicans have shown that they are absolutely corrupt, and that goes especially double for McConnell. If the vote is scuttled, Democrats should immediately jump into action and thrust forward their proposals for fixing Obamacare. You'll be seriously owning it again lock stock and barrel, and every problem associated with it will be an issue for the campaign seasons of 2018 and 2020. It will be a sad sausage-making event if the Republicans pass their healthcare monstrosity, but keep in mind the long game. (Majorities in 2018 and all three branches in 2020.)
3
Millions need to march on Washington and surround the Senate.
5
Still a terrible bill. Still saying NO.
5
GOP(Trump) is like POPE. He doesn't really do anything miraculous, but millions and millions of people believe in him!
Power of a mind !
Power of a mind !
1
So they are looking for 50 votes which is one half the Senate or in effect somewhat less than one half the population in order to pass a more flawed bill.
From the very passage of the ACA many people have been left out of an equation which should have considered all of us. The posing of our Senate and House Representatives is childish. The fact they are taken seriously and most of us consider them with any respect beyond their semblance to humans are observations which are better left to zoo visits.
If this what the we should expect from those who purport to represent us we might as well throw in the towel and accept our position as serfs in an oligarchy patterned from the masters of the former Soviet Union
From the very passage of the ACA many people have been left out of an equation which should have considered all of us. The posing of our Senate and House Representatives is childish. The fact they are taken seriously and most of us consider them with any respect beyond their semblance to humans are observations which are better left to zoo visits.
If this what the we should expect from those who purport to represent us we might as well throw in the towel and accept our position as serfs in an oligarchy patterned from the masters of the former Soviet Union
4
Why? It has no benefit for the American people.
3
So now its about making good on a campaign promise to repeal a health care law that was designed as a beginning not an end to bringing affordable health care to millions who did not have the means to do it alone.
America was supposed to be a country where people helped people especially our own. The GOP with the help of the electorate is turning it into a place where it is more acceptable to be self centered rather than sharing. By taking our culture of rugged individualism and self determination to the extreme, by leaving those most vulnerable in the cold is not only harsh but truly un-American.
The world thinks we are a country of billionaires and millionaires, and the reason why so many aspire to come to America, to be clear America is a wealthy country but not for everyone.
The callous attempt by the GOP controlled Congress to destroy health care for millions should be an affront to those of with means because most of us are one recession or serious financial meltdown from being on the other side of the fence. Think of that when you look at your GOP representative.
America was supposed to be a country where people helped people especially our own. The GOP with the help of the electorate is turning it into a place where it is more acceptable to be self centered rather than sharing. By taking our culture of rugged individualism and self determination to the extreme, by leaving those most vulnerable in the cold is not only harsh but truly un-American.
The world thinks we are a country of billionaires and millionaires, and the reason why so many aspire to come to America, to be clear America is a wealthy country but not for everyone.
The callous attempt by the GOP controlled Congress to destroy health care for millions should be an affront to those of with means because most of us are one recession or serious financial meltdown from being on the other side of the fence. Think of that when you look at your GOP representative.
5
The fact that the GOP leadership and their self-serving followers in the Senate and the House still continue to try to undo and destroy that which has remarkable possibilities toward some kind of universal health care speaks to their lack of decency as human beings. Not only in states and districts but also in the halls of the Capitol, their constituents have wheeled themselves in, have walked in with walkers or canes, or have wheeled in their loved ones, including little children, so their senators and representatives can learn what is at stake. But they turn a blind eye and deaf ear to the pleas and, I dare say, desperateness of thousands upon thousands of us Americans.
What to do with this group who does not care about the every day citizen seems so beyond our ability. But it is not. We need to push the Democrats in Congress and push ourselves to fight against the GOP's allegiance to greed and corporate America. And that begins in the voting booth. We have a big task ahead of us, but it is doable....to replace this present legislative majority as well as their apparently corrupt president. Let's hang in there and do it.
What to do with this group who does not care about the every day citizen seems so beyond our ability. But it is not. We need to push the Democrats in Congress and push ourselves to fight against the GOP's allegiance to greed and corporate America. And that begins in the voting booth. We have a big task ahead of us, but it is doable....to replace this present legislative majority as well as their apparently corrupt president. Let's hang in there and do it.
3
Why would RAnd Paul presume to represent "the American voters" - he's one senator from a dinky impoverished state whose voters by and large are extremely dependent on the Medicaid expansion. His constituency did not even understand what "repealing Obamacare" would do -- they were just voting for better insurance and more affordable healthcare, which Trump and Co lied and promised to them. Most Kentucky voters did not even understand that the ACA is Obamacare. If republicans ever told the truth during a campaign, they'd never win another election.
5
“Insurance companies have made billions of dollars under Obamacare,” Mr. Cruz said, “and their focus appears to be on maximizing their own subsidies at the expense of consumer choice.” - Senator Ted Cruz (TX).
Now that at least one prominent GOP senator has refuted the basis of the GOP efforts to dismantle affordable HC, isn't it time to move beyond this charade, enlist the 48 Democrat Senators, hold hearings on ways to address the problems in the initial legislation, and find a bi-partisan manner to provide affordable HC for ALL?
Governing is finding middle ground that benefits the majority, while not overtly harming the minority on any issue. When will the GOP leadership stand up and do what is best for the entire country?
Now that at least one prominent GOP senator has refuted the basis of the GOP efforts to dismantle affordable HC, isn't it time to move beyond this charade, enlist the 48 Democrat Senators, hold hearings on ways to address the problems in the initial legislation, and find a bi-partisan manner to provide affordable HC for ALL?
Governing is finding middle ground that benefits the majority, while not overtly harming the minority on any issue. When will the GOP leadership stand up and do what is best for the entire country?
1
The premise of the bill as repeated by McConnell is a lie. The ACA, "Obamacare" is not collapsing. It is not failing. Whatever difficulties the program is having is entirely due deliberate brazen GOP sabotage efforts- both by refusing the Medicare expansion, and by destabilizing the insurance markets through Trump's threats, and the AHCA legislation.
5
Lets ask all Senators and Representatives one simple question. Do you think health care is a right?
I the answer is yes stop the quibbling because the answer is to vote for single payer. There is no other reasonable choice.
If the answer is no. Then why all teh fuss over how these bills work. Scrap the ACA. Defund Planned Parenthood. Remove the tax breaks on insurance through employers. Let emergency rooms treat only those who can provide proof of payment.
Just be honest and put your cards on the table. Stop this charade.
I the answer is yes stop the quibbling because the answer is to vote for single payer. There is no other reasonable choice.
If the answer is no. Then why all teh fuss over how these bills work. Scrap the ACA. Defund Planned Parenthood. Remove the tax breaks on insurance through employers. Let emergency rooms treat only those who can provide proof of payment.
Just be honest and put your cards on the table. Stop this charade.
5
I cannot believe Rand Paul (and probably the other hardline conservatives as well). All the faults he listed had absolutely nothing to do with healthcare. No wonder Republicans can't get their act together and bring out a better healthcare bill! They're too focused on giving tax breaks and deregulation to remember what on earth they were supposed to do in the first place: come up with a better bill or plan that works, since the ACA is supposedly destroying American values, etc. Look, no one said the ACA was perfect, even the Dems and Obama are fully aware that it's a patchwork bill. But instead of trying to improve it or replace it with another that serves the people better, the Republicans seem to be repealing it for the sake of doing so. It's like Iraq all over again; topple Saddam Hussein, then what? What happened to the foresight of our forefathers? When we defeated Germany and Japan, we stuck around to help them get back on their feet again. That's what made America great. If we want to Make America Great Again, we have to lead from the front, not hide behind walls!
The ACA has helped many of my friends and family. If the Republicans can improve it or come up with a better deal, I'm all for it - in fact, I do agree with having a waiting period over a tax penalty, although six months is a tad too long.
Basically, Republicans, just give the people something that works and makes sense!
The ACA has helped many of my friends and family. If the Republicans can improve it or come up with a better deal, I'm all for it - in fact, I do agree with having a waiting period over a tax penalty, although six months is a tad too long.
Basically, Republicans, just give the people something that works and makes sense!
1
Dear God, may this bill go down to a swift and conclusive defeat, never to be seen again.
3
Why can’t the Republicans extend Medicaid for all managed under the already existing CMS. Bypassing the insurance industry and the middleman. Let the private insurance companies write all the policies they want to write under the State's Banking/Insurance departments to whosoever wants to buy them.
Our politicians should look out for the interest of the people of US and not the Insurance industry. They should provide the residents of this great country of ours Quality Health Care under any name they chose. The citizens should not worry about who would pay the deductible, premiums, or whatever, but should be able to get care when they need it like any other developed country.
Our politicians should look out for the interest of the people of US and not the Insurance industry. They should provide the residents of this great country of ours Quality Health Care under any name they chose. The citizens should not worry about who would pay the deductible, premiums, or whatever, but should be able to get care when they need it like any other developed country.
3
So if we consider only those people on Medicaid or Medicare: can someone explain how that isn't essentially a single-payer system?
2
Explain to me, Elizabeth Macdonough, again how a bill that cuts 22 million from insurance, destroys the Medicaid program, changes the taxes that affects the funding of Medicare and health subsidies and changes the benefits of every American, insured or uninsured somehow can be allowed to pass by a simple majority rather than a filibuster proof 60%? The ACA required 60% to pass but it can be unraveled by 50%?
We should demand a justification that passes the "sniff" test of the American people. Otherwise, we can already say that the bill is dead and we need to move on to working with Dems to fix health care.
We should demand a justification that passes the "sniff" test of the American people. Otherwise, we can already say that the bill is dead and we need to move on to working with Dems to fix health care.
4
Cruz predicted his state “would lead the parade to opt out of all the federal mandates” in the Affordable Care Act". Figures. Texas has the highest number of uninsured people (over a third of its population) than all of the states because of their refusal to accept the provisions of the ACA from day one.
4
If Democrats try to use the rules to hinder Republicans, McConnell will surely have no problem changing the rules once again.
Nothing must get in the way of ramming through this "health care" bill. Republicans desperately need to win. They need to show they can pass legislation, even if it's an abomination that amounts to genocide of some 23 million non-wealthy Americans. They need to deliver on the promise they've made to their "base" after feeding them inflammatory lies about the ACA and Obama for the last seven years.
The bill is also vital to the Republican goal of eradicating the illegitimate [Black] Obama from the history books. And most importantly, taking away health care from tens of millions of expendable non-wealthy people is essential to funding the first round of enormous tax cuts their donors are eagerly awaiting.
Health care? That's obviously not important. Insurance companies will sort it out. And if millions of people die in the process, it's their own fault for making bad choices. Undeserving takers, leeches, and moochers are not something Republicans should ever be concerned about. Keep the focus on the spiteful destruction of everything the evil Obama did, and particularly on funneling the nation's wealth to the deserving wealthy.
That's why passing this bill is so important. It's not about health care. The only need it meets is the need for the Party of the Rich to cut taxes for the wealthy. That's what matters.
Nothing must get in the way of ramming through this "health care" bill. Republicans desperately need to win. They need to show they can pass legislation, even if it's an abomination that amounts to genocide of some 23 million non-wealthy Americans. They need to deliver on the promise they've made to their "base" after feeding them inflammatory lies about the ACA and Obama for the last seven years.
The bill is also vital to the Republican goal of eradicating the illegitimate [Black] Obama from the history books. And most importantly, taking away health care from tens of millions of expendable non-wealthy people is essential to funding the first round of enormous tax cuts their donors are eagerly awaiting.
Health care? That's obviously not important. Insurance companies will sort it out. And if millions of people die in the process, it's their own fault for making bad choices. Undeserving takers, leeches, and moochers are not something Republicans should ever be concerned about. Keep the focus on the spiteful destruction of everything the evil Obama did, and particularly on funneling the nation's wealth to the deserving wealthy.
That's why passing this bill is so important. It's not about health care. The only need it meets is the need for the Party of the Rich to cut taxes for the wealthy. That's what matters.
3
The longer this healthcare mess does not get solved more people will have one or no choices. It is very simple and I am very thankful I am not one of those people.
1
Republicans in Congress would rather pass a bill that could put many lives in jeopardy than make a few fixes that improve on the ACA. But they are so blinded by ideology they fail to see the potential consequences of this terrible bill. Basically, they just make changes on the fly which makes it even more complicated and difficult to bring together conservative and moderate members in Congress (e.g., slashing Medicaid and Planned Parenthood benefits, throwing in 45 billion dollars to fight opioid addiction when a couple of billion would suffice, etc.). One thing we know, Trump is so clueless he'll sign anything that Congress throws on his desk. Whether there are political consequences (e.g., the midterm elections) remains to be seen.
2
Let's see insurance bailout superfund: check.
Cut millions beings helped by Medicaid--including seniors in nursing homes and the disabled: check
Apply age discrimination: check
Penalize people if they drop insurance: check
Punish people who seek insurance that covers abortion: check
Give upwards of $1 trillion dollars (okay its closer to $800 billion) in tax bennies to the super-rich: check
And this bill you're gonna love is brought to you by the very people you are subsidizing with platinum-plated healthcare--the Republican Congress.
Bully for them!!
Cut millions beings helped by Medicaid--including seniors in nursing homes and the disabled: check
Apply age discrimination: check
Penalize people if they drop insurance: check
Punish people who seek insurance that covers abortion: check
Give upwards of $1 trillion dollars (okay its closer to $800 billion) in tax bennies to the super-rich: check
And this bill you're gonna love is brought to you by the very people you are subsidizing with platinum-plated healthcare--the Republican Congress.
Bully for them!!
46
Let's see the CBO scoring on this turkey.
The Cruz amendment would transform the goal of healthcare and encourage young to get skimpy benefits. Since the plan covers little, these folks could end up in the ER, just like the "old days". Premiums would rise dramatically.
Trump would sign anything that crosses his desk with the name "healthcare" or health"in the title. Which just goes to show how desperate he, and Congress, are for a "win".
Even a "win" that still kills some of the structure that more and more sounds like the ACA on a crash starvation diet.
The Cruz amendment would transform the goal of healthcare and encourage young to get skimpy benefits. Since the plan covers little, these folks could end up in the ER, just like the "old days". Premiums would rise dramatically.
Trump would sign anything that crosses his desk with the name "healthcare" or health"in the title. Which just goes to show how desperate he, and Congress, are for a "win".
Even a "win" that still kills some of the structure that more and more sounds like the ACA on a crash starvation diet.
20
Unfortunately, ER's do not provide care for chronic diseases on a routine basis. They don't provide chemo, for example. So even going to an ER is not going to get folks healthcare needs taken care of. An option for some, but certainly not a viable solution for many.
MIMA
MIMA
2
@MIMA: Our atrocious healthcare system which the ACA only partially addressed was based on the fact that uncovered patients run to the ER, which only drives up costs for all paying customers. Of course they don't provide care for chronic diseases.
But neither do barebone health plans Ted Cruz who wants to remove all requirements that plans cover any "essential benefits."
I seem to remember you are a nurse, and know all this, just as I know it being retired medical writer specializing in managed care and payer reimbursement rules.
ERs should be used for real emergencies, not as stopgaps for people with no, or inadequate, healthcare insurance.
But neither do barebone health plans Ted Cruz who wants to remove all requirements that plans cover any "essential benefits."
I seem to remember you are a nurse, and know all this, just as I know it being retired medical writer specializing in managed care and payer reimbursement rules.
ERs should be used for real emergencies, not as stopgaps for people with no, or inadequate, healthcare insurance.
3
As long as EMTALA is law, ER's will be used as doctor's offices, and Republicans will indeed encourage this by their legislation which promotes this. Unfortunately ER's do not and cannot provide all sorts of healthcare needs. So all of this is a false premise, and yes, untoward usage of ER's.
MIMA
MIMA
1
So it's okay for Trump to invite a terminally ill baby from England for experimental treatment in the US. And that is the humane answer.
However, Trump wants a repeal without a replace here. How many terminally ill babies in the US of the 32-34million people who will not be able to afford health insurance and/or Medicaid will die. That just shows his inhumanity.
Since Trump is a billionaire, why doesn't he take $100 million of his fortune, and set up a real foundation to help pay for those who will be unable to afford health insurance and are preempted financially, from dying.
And let's say McConnell's new plan to be announced today for CBO to rate, will disenfranchise 23 to 24 million, or perhaps a few million less of us, who cannot afford health insurance and/or Medicaid will die.
However, McConnell will sleep well at night, because as a multi-millionaire, he will be able to afford health insurance for his family, a la Trump. And since he is too is ample financially, why doesn't he set up his foundation to help those he disenfranchises, too! Mitch, show us some of your humanity, and just not your stealth!
However, Trump wants a repeal without a replace here. How many terminally ill babies in the US of the 32-34million people who will not be able to afford health insurance and/or Medicaid will die. That just shows his inhumanity.
Since Trump is a billionaire, why doesn't he take $100 million of his fortune, and set up a real foundation to help pay for those who will be unable to afford health insurance and are preempted financially, from dying.
And let's say McConnell's new plan to be announced today for CBO to rate, will disenfranchise 23 to 24 million, or perhaps a few million less of us, who cannot afford health insurance and/or Medicaid will die.
However, McConnell will sleep well at night, because as a multi-millionaire, he will be able to afford health insurance for his family, a la Trump. And since he is too is ample financially, why doesn't he set up his foundation to help those he disenfranchises, too! Mitch, show us some of your humanity, and just not your stealth!
27
Senators McConnell, Cruz, Paul et all are provided ACA Gold plans at no cost to them through the largess of American taxpayers. How about providing those same benefits to the rest of us?
3
because he does not have it - he owes it to his russian masters
2
The jig is up! You might have had, ignorant uninformed voters in the past. Too many people know your tax bill. No more labeling bills erroneously. Call it what it is. And no matter how many whistles and bells you attach. Be a man,men call it what it is. Payola to your future friends,confidants ,supporters. And while you are at it, get truthful on another subject! I know you don't like to acknowledge any belief of it , but really? Go ahead you can say it Russian Trump,Trump Russian, now say it 10 times fast! It doesn't hurt so bad. And you get used to it really.
19
What would be worse than Senate Republicans breaking their campaign promises? Senate Republicans keeping their campaign promises.
45
It amazes me how many Americans say they believed that Trump actually was going to replace ObamaCare with something that would cover more people at a lower cost and provide better care and are now surprised that the Republican plan does none of those things.
Perhaps even more amazing is how many still say they support Trump.
Perhaps even more amazing is how many still say they support Trump.
72
Hey, how many people said they preferred to keep their ACA coverage and hoped the government got rid of Obamacare?
3
Republicans have been pulling this trick -- successfully -- since old George yelled "read my lips -- no new taxes" and won the election on that ridiculously false promise. The whole pack of them feel no need to tell the truth, when pathologically lying has worked so well. And now they have the poster family Trump, which has elevated dishonesty and ethical bankruptcy to a new art form. What them spin this new proposal with "this will give you individual choice" and "this will get government meddling out of your health care decisions." How do they sleep at night??
3
RE: " How do they sleep at night??"
Rhetorical, right?
They have all your money, benefits paid by you, and no morals or empathy. So naturally they sleep the deep and wonderful sleep of the entitled self righteous. So, they sleep very well, thank you much.
Rhetorical, right?
They have all your money, benefits paid by you, and no morals or empathy. So naturally they sleep the deep and wonderful sleep of the entitled self righteous. So, they sleep very well, thank you much.
1
“Insurance companies have made billions of dollars under Obamacare,” Mr. Cruz said, “and their focus appears to be on maximizing their own subsidies at the expense of consumer choice.”
This must explain why they have been pulling out of markets after loosing money on the exchanges.
This must explain why they have been pulling out of markets after loosing money on the exchanges.
14
Eight years ago it was completely different. The democrats ran it all and they were in lock step with each other. What ever Pelosi said it went through.The republicans now lack that unity. Although the democrats lost control of congress and now the presidency because of that it.
1
A colleague who was an avid Trump supporter is not opposed to single payer. Can Trump pull off a Nixon goes to China moment here, and put together a group of Republicans with all the Democrats to pull off single payer? If he wants accolades, that's the way to get it.
31
It would be nice, and I used to hope for surprises like that after the fact of a Trump presidency sank in, but we can see now that he is not up to it. He doesn't want to be president, he wants to play president.
3
I want the same Health Care that each and every member of Congress enjoys at the Tax payer expense, or I believe that each member of congress should be kicked off their plan and have to take what they sign into law.
Easy Peasy! Why no American see's this is beyond me, regardless of Party Affiliation.
Easy Peasy! Why no American see's this is beyond me, regardless of Party Affiliation.
22
The bill as it stands is a disgrace to our country.
32
"We promised the American voters that we would repeal Obamacare" says the party who has 17% support or less for their Trumpcare junk bill, and who barred public input and ran away from voters.
Rand is lying. The GOP is lying. Trump lied about a better healthcare.
This is for them and their donor class. This is their tax cut.
No one is fooled.
Rand is lying. The GOP is lying. Trump lied about a better healthcare.
This is for them and their donor class. This is their tax cut.
No one is fooled.
109
But why can't we get those who are not fooled to vote? If the wise voted, this nonsense would go away and we could get to the business we need for a wealthy, healthy, and secure democracy. As an aside, any entity that is not a human being should have absolutely no say and no vote in politics. One human, one vote period!
No surprise here, poor people are gross, disgusting and certainly not deserving of health care.. Wealthy people have earned every single serve they are entightled to, especially tax cuts.
The rest of the parasites should do the decent thing and throw their carcus down a dark hole where decent people won't see it.
The rest of the parasites should do the decent thing and throw their carcus down a dark hole where decent people won't see it.
26
The Republican proposals to repeal Obamacare all have two things in common: They throw the average American citizen under the bus, while providing huge tax cuts to the 1 percent.
This is a healthcare bill?
This is a healthcare bill?
60
Too many people are , finally, aware of what is at stake. Finally!! Take their healthcare away, then prepare for protests in the streets not unlike those of the Vietnam war. Do it. Just do it......
23
Why is it all about Senators winning and losing, and not about people and what will happen with their lives? Why can't the GOP go around and ask its conservative think-tanks for an actual shred of a solution with an iota of a chance of actually working, vs. having McConnell and his cabal rewrite in secret 20% of the nation's economy as an exercise of horse trading and quid pro quo?
They better know they will get it wrong. Long time ago the GOP was against Communism precisely because it (correctly) stated that no group of men could set the rules for economics and bend the laws of the marketplace by diktat... The irony! The irony!
They better know they will get it wrong. Long time ago the GOP was against Communism precisely because it (correctly) stated that no group of men could set the rules for economics and bend the laws of the marketplace by diktat... The irony! The irony!
14
Well they did that actually and funny enough the Heritage Foundation's solution actually IS THE ACA!
1
It's really astonishing how much legislation gets passed without the responsible people having read it.
Just on the principle that normal procedures have not been followed, senators should vote against this bill and force the leadership to be more transparent;.
Just on the principle that normal procedures have not been followed, senators should vote against this bill and force the leadership to be more transparent;.
14
At least the ACA was debated on before being passed. This is a stealth bill.
1
This is insanity. The Republicans are going to publish their proposed revisions and then try to vote a week later? What about a CBO review? Does anyone know what is really in the bill? What are the unintended consequences? No wonder our country is in such a mess. Our government is broken. Both sides are playing power games with people's lives, you should be ashamed.
It's time to throw the bums out and start over.
It's time to throw the bums out and start over.
21
The GOP has proven over and over again to lack the interest of their constituency. The interest of the middle class and poor alike have been usurped by the wealthy campaign donors. Sellouts.
Public service has been turned into what Republicans claimed to have feared- a bunch of sellouts acting in their own political or financial interest. It's exhausting to just read about their malfeasance on a daily basis.
Public service has been turned into what Republicans claimed to have feared- a bunch of sellouts acting in their own political or financial interest. It's exhausting to just read about their malfeasance on a daily basis.
20
I agree with Democrats and Republicans. The ACA had a flawed model with a mandate that was being ignored and consequently rising premiums, impossibly high deductibles and a shrinking insurance market. The Republican bill will leave many people without insurance. Neither bill (ACA and Republican version) addresses quality of care and drug prices. Bernie Sanders is right: only a single payer, Medicare for all, will provide the care that Americans deserve and can afford. Since it is opposed by entrenched interests (doctors, hospitals,insurance companies, Big Pharma) it has no chance.
9
When is it time for our senators to break a promise that is no longer wanted? Is it enough that only 30 percent of Americans want repeal of Obamacare (Gallup, July 5-9)?
13
Single payer system. Medicare for all. If you want the supplemental, you pay for it. Let's get this done and move on.
38
I don't think that is the Republican plan.
I don't think for a minute that more than two Republicans will have the integrity, the conviction, the courage and the human decency to vote against any bill, regardless of what's in it, that their leadership puts in front of them. They really don't even have to read it. Certainly, their president doesn't care what's in it or who will suffer because of it. He just wants a win he can brag about. Republicans are all about party power and nothing else. End of story.
33
The most glaring attack by the Republicans with their repeal bill is that tens of millions of lives will be endangered and many will die. The Democrats are not driving home that message. I was thinking; what estimate might there be of the number of people who will die needlessly due to this possible repeal if the Republicans succeed? I would think the Democrats could ask the Congressional Budget office or some medical organization to make that estimate prior to next weeks vote. This is just so important. I'm appalled that I'm not hearing about the ultimate grave consequences of this Republican lust for taking away health coverage from millions of Americans.
7
Have you seen the number of organizations that have voiced their grave concern about this proposed revision to the ACA? Every medical association is against it, if Republicans can't see the cliff sign let them fall into along with Trump. We see Blue in 2018 and 2020. Trump will be forever more the Poster child of an Evil wannabe Emperor in America!
2
Advice to the GOP---hang it up already. Keeping the promise of repeal and replace you made to your base and doing it with something that can pass in this senate is not worth the suffering and costs it will inflict on the American people, many of who may just remember in November 2018.
8
i have an easy idea for the dems..
step aside! let this train wteck of a gop plan just go right on by! i'm so sick of the gop and their blatant disregard for our fellow americans. fighting them on this issue just keeps prolonging the stupidity. let them vote on it themselves, then beat them over the head with it come midterms! why are you even spending any energy on trying to stop this gift?
step aside! let this train wteck of a gop plan just go right on by! i'm so sick of the gop and their blatant disregard for our fellow americans. fighting them on this issue just keeps prolonging the stupidity. let them vote on it themselves, then beat them over the head with it come midterms! why are you even spending any energy on trying to stop this gift?
2
I feel like you and others do - let the GOP pass this deplorable bill and suffer the consequences.... but people who need decent medical care are the ones who will suffer. We must remember that trump, his family, McConnell, his family, Pence, his family, Ryan, his family and all the rest of this gang without conscience or compassion will not suffer as they all have quality insurance and $$$$$$$$.
Yes, the GOP members who vote for this bill should rot - but they will only have rotten eggs thrown at them. Because they have no conscience or morals or ethics they will laugh.
The only recourse for democrats is to fight against this bill, fight for all of us and ultimately take over the congress and the presidency and right our inside down world with decency, protection for our saving our people and our planet, and Universal Health Care.
Yes, the GOP members who vote for this bill should rot - but they will only have rotten eggs thrown at them. Because they have no conscience or morals or ethics they will laugh.
The only recourse for democrats is to fight against this bill, fight for all of us and ultimately take over the congress and the presidency and right our inside down world with decency, protection for our saving our people and our planet, and Universal Health Care.
1
I would say it time to take note for the 2018 election. The Republican/GOP broken promises are killing us.
10
As Senate Republicans struggled for agreement on the contents of their repeal bill, President Trump exerted pressure. “I am sitting in the Oval Office with a pen in hand, waiting for our senators to give it to me,” he said in an interview with Pat Robertson, the founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network.
Mr. Trump offered a warning about what would happen if the Senate failed.
“Well, I don’t even want to talk about it because I think it would be very bad,” Mr. Trump said. “I will be very angry about it, and a lot of people will be very upset.”
==========================================================
Wow. This bill would take away access to affordable healthcare for 22 million Americans. A recent Harvard study indicated that approximately 43,000 people each year would die because of that decreased/nonexistent access to affordable healthcare.
Funny, ha ha, how every single Republican member of Congress claims to be a Christian, yet seems to have never studied Matthew 25: 31-46. Basically, "How you treat the least amongst me is how ye shall be judged..."
Mr. Trump offered a warning about what would happen if the Senate failed.
“Well, I don’t even want to talk about it because I think it would be very bad,” Mr. Trump said. “I will be very angry about it, and a lot of people will be very upset.”
==========================================================
Wow. This bill would take away access to affordable healthcare for 22 million Americans. A recent Harvard study indicated that approximately 43,000 people each year would die because of that decreased/nonexistent access to affordable healthcare.
Funny, ha ha, how every single Republican member of Congress claims to be a Christian, yet seems to have never studied Matthew 25: 31-46. Basically, "How you treat the least amongst me is how ye shall be judged..."
19
The GOP WealthCare Plan. The Rich get richer, everyone else dies more quickly, AND suffers along the way. It's really that simple, and cruel.
Amazing what hatred for a black President combined with unfettered greed and a megalomaniac, incompetent " leader" can produce. It's a perfect storm of arrogance, stupidity and spite. Thanks, GOP.
Amazing what hatred for a black President combined with unfettered greed and a megalomaniac, incompetent " leader" can produce. It's a perfect storm of arrogance, stupidity and spite. Thanks, GOP.
20
The more they debate unsuccessfully, the more it looks like the only improvement to Obamacare is Medicare for all. (That is if you are looking at health outcomes and cost, and premiums) Amazing.
7
Lots of people who had not before been able to access healthcare did in recent years because of the ACA. There were many of them. As far as anyone has been able to tell the rich did not suffer. To reduce cover now with such flimsy talking points isn't going over.
10
Dear Republican Senators. May I suggest a compromise that might satisfy both wings of your party. It's called Obamacare. Not perfect, but no compromise is.
8
Senator Susan Collins very often talks from the moderate side of her mouth. Then, she votes as Mr. McConnell asks. Will she do that again? I suspect there will not be 50 Republican votes in favor of McConnell's bill; I doubt Ms. Collins will be the vote that bucks McConnell's wishes.
6
It's a rare day when I agree with any statement by Texas Senator Ted Cruz, but at least in Texas the following is true: “Insurance companies have made billions of dollars under Obamacare,” Mr. Cruz said, “and their focus appears to be on maximizing their own subsidies at the expense of consumer choice.”
Under the Federal Health Exchange's least expensive "Obamacare" health insurance plan for Texans, not a single primary care doctor or medical care specialist in the 5 county area around Corpus Christi will accept patients with that insurance plan, yet the Federal government is subsidizing individuals who buy that plan to the tune of $800 per month.
The insurer in question persists in publishing a "doctors guide" of physicians who supposedly accept that health insurance plan, but the reality is that one can phone doctor after doctor in that book and their receptionist/appointment bookers uniformly say that they will not even let patients with that insurance "in the door". One of the most outrageous listings in the "doctors guide" is a kidney specialist who stopped practicing medicine in early 2015 because he was 70+ years old and had a stroke. Yet that doctor's name is still in the "doctors guide" and the insurance company in question has repeatedly refused to remove his name.
Bottom line is that in Texas and perhaps in other states the insurance companies are defrauding the Federal government and the consumer insureds.
Under the Federal Health Exchange's least expensive "Obamacare" health insurance plan for Texans, not a single primary care doctor or medical care specialist in the 5 county area around Corpus Christi will accept patients with that insurance plan, yet the Federal government is subsidizing individuals who buy that plan to the tune of $800 per month.
The insurer in question persists in publishing a "doctors guide" of physicians who supposedly accept that health insurance plan, but the reality is that one can phone doctor after doctor in that book and their receptionist/appointment bookers uniformly say that they will not even let patients with that insurance "in the door". One of the most outrageous listings in the "doctors guide" is a kidney specialist who stopped practicing medicine in early 2015 because he was 70+ years old and had a stroke. Yet that doctor's name is still in the "doctors guide" and the insurance company in question has repeatedly refused to remove his name.
Bottom line is that in Texas and perhaps in other states the insurance companies are defrauding the Federal government and the consumer insureds.
3
What is the status of HR 676 - Medicare for all?
3
Senator Capito, your constituents in WV are waiting to learn if people in their families will live or die. And so am I. My sister-in-law is one of those people.
14
Historians will not be kind to the Republican Party of 2017. Please note that many now-Senators, as well as Congresspeople, ran on a platform to repeal and replace Obamacare.
However, I challenge you to find a single instance when one of these charlatans ever disclosed to the electorate how they planned to eviscerate health care for so many of the people that voted for their election. Instead, it was masked in rhetoric and obfuscation, now best exemplified by Ted Cruz's insipid explanation of his proposed bill.
Once elected, these poseurs ignore the will of the people - the same people who have now said, overwhelmingly, that the current healthcare bill is terrible. Voters, what you need to do is repeal and replace the Ted Cruz's and Rand Paul's of Congress as they have abdicated their responsibilities to look after their own voters.
However, I challenge you to find a single instance when one of these charlatans ever disclosed to the electorate how they planned to eviscerate health care for so many of the people that voted for their election. Instead, it was masked in rhetoric and obfuscation, now best exemplified by Ted Cruz's insipid explanation of his proposed bill.
Once elected, these poseurs ignore the will of the people - the same people who have now said, overwhelmingly, that the current healthcare bill is terrible. Voters, what you need to do is repeal and replace the Ted Cruz's and Rand Paul's of Congress as they have abdicated their responsibilities to look after their own voters.
7
Group Insurance works best with the largest number of participants. This keeps premiums within reason for everyone. As such, Obamacare has been quite successful. The combination of the mandatory coverage, individual mandate, and Medicaid expansion gives everyone a good deal. As it is, Obamacare has certain identified flaws, and these could best be corrected directly by making minor changes "around the edges" rather than a rewrite. This would be the most productive way to proceed forward, and could be supported by the Democrats as well as the Republicans.
"Killing Obamacare" is a silly goal. As is clear from the CBO evaluation, the Republican plans will reduce the insured by over 20 million people, whether the House bill or the Senate bill. This is NOT progress!
Let's fix the flaws in Obamacare and move forward.
"Killing Obamacare" is a silly goal. As is clear from the CBO evaluation, the Republican plans will reduce the insured by over 20 million people, whether the House bill or the Senate bill. This is NOT progress!
Let's fix the flaws in Obamacare and move forward.
7
Dear Republicans. Whats the malfunction. This should be easy.
1) Print out a copy of the ACA.
2) Scratch out the name at the top. Retitle it the Donald J Trump Best Health Care Law Ever And The Russians Had Nothing To Do With It Act. Vote it through, put it on is desk. He will see his name, giggle, and sign it.
3) Ding! All done. "Obamacare" is repealed and replaced and nobody got hurt.
Now you can go home on recess and come back relaxed. You can always update the legislation later if something needs tweaking. Easy peasy.
1) Print out a copy of the ACA.
2) Scratch out the name at the top. Retitle it the Donald J Trump Best Health Care Law Ever And The Russians Had Nothing To Do With It Act. Vote it through, put it on is desk. He will see his name, giggle, and sign it.
3) Ding! All done. "Obamacare" is repealed and replaced and nobody got hurt.
Now you can go home on recess and come back relaxed. You can always update the legislation later if something needs tweaking. Easy peasy.
23
The difference between Republicans and Democrats:
Republicans in 2010: ACA will cause you to lose your healthcare!
Result: 20 million gain health insurance.
Democrats in 2017: ACHA will cause you to lose your healthcare!
Result: 25 million lose health insurance.
Republicans in 2010: ACA will cause you to lose your healthcare!
Result: 20 million gain health insurance.
Democrats in 2017: ACHA will cause you to lose your healthcare!
Result: 25 million lose health insurance.
12
Unfortunately this bill will pass and we will never really know what was given to members X Y & Z to cause them to vote for R&R.
An opportunity to govern to & from the middle will be missed again and we will all be worse off for it.
Trump will gloat. McConnell will crow. Millionaires will score. And real people will suffer and then die all because if the sick ideal and aspiration of fake American Exceptionalism. Bogus to its core.
An opportunity to govern to & from the middle will be missed again and we will all be worse off for it.
Trump will gloat. McConnell will crow. Millionaires will score. And real people will suffer and then die all because if the sick ideal and aspiration of fake American Exceptionalism. Bogus to its core.
6
I don't think this bill will pass muster.
Health insurers and AARP oppose it, and the majority of Americans have some real misgivings.
Health insurers and AARP oppose it, and the majority of Americans have some real misgivings.
2
If the bill gets to the floor of the Senate, the group Indivisible is also advocating that Democrats use a “filibuster by amendment,” which they describe on their website as follows:
“Republicans are using a special process called “reconciliation” to jam through TrumpCare. This means they only need 50 votes, instead of the usual 60, to pass it. But the trade-off is that they have to allow an unlimited number of amendments. Any Senator can file as many amendments as they want and then call them up for a vote on the Senate floor during a period called “vote-a-rama.” Democratic Senators can and should plan thousands of amendments and keep them going until Republicans agree to have public hearings on the bill.
“By introducing tens of thousands of amendments, Democrats can slow down the process enough to draw necessary attention to Senate Republicans' secret process and the disastrous impacts of their TrumpCare bill.”
So if you have a Democratic senator, you can call them and urge them to follow this process, if the bill gets that far.
And, of course, if you have a Republican senator and oppose this bill, you should be calling regularly and telling them your position. And asking your friends and family to do the same.
Find your senators and their party affiliation using the “Find your senators” menu on the senate.gov website.
“Republicans are using a special process called “reconciliation” to jam through TrumpCare. This means they only need 50 votes, instead of the usual 60, to pass it. But the trade-off is that they have to allow an unlimited number of amendments. Any Senator can file as many amendments as they want and then call them up for a vote on the Senate floor during a period called “vote-a-rama.” Democratic Senators can and should plan thousands of amendments and keep them going until Republicans agree to have public hearings on the bill.
“By introducing tens of thousands of amendments, Democrats can slow down the process enough to draw necessary attention to Senate Republicans' secret process and the disastrous impacts of their TrumpCare bill.”
So if you have a Democratic senator, you can call them and urge them to follow this process, if the bill gets that far.
And, of course, if you have a Republican senator and oppose this bill, you should be calling regularly and telling them your position. And asking your friends and family to do the same.
Find your senators and their party affiliation using the “Find your senators” menu on the senate.gov website.
3
We keep hearing from Trump that the ACA is a dead carcass and that the markets are imploding. Lies!! Why can't we as citizens rely on people in Congress to do their homework, study remedies and other systems that have been implemented with success and in a "non-partisan manner" come up with a solution that is the "Best" for this country. You could get creative with Medicaid and expand it in all States to get to 100% coverage, and then phase out private insurers entirely. Build on what we have now, but at least come up with SOME new ideas. The Republicans are ideological dimwits trapped within their own pathetic mindsets and paranoia about maintaining their status quo in office. It would be a service to the entire country if they would all resign, and we'd get some college educated experts from Harvard, Yale, Princeton and the like to take a fresh look at this. The Republican swamp is not going to deliver on new, sensible, or pragmatic health care solutions. Simply can't be done in this corrupt environment. Improve Obamacare!! It's been the best solution so far that the country has ever adopted. Get in a room and improve it with the Democrats!
7
Go, Dems, go! Stop this death-panel the GOP is trying to shove down our throats. Kill the bill, not people.
GOP: you haven't kept any promises before--why are you working so hard to keep this one. NOBODY wants--not even you!
FIX ACA--don't kill it. Ignore Trump--you KNOW he doesn't know what he's doing. Even he admits healthcare is hard. Who knew? I'm so glad he told us.
GOP: you haven't kept any promises before--why are you working so hard to keep this one. NOBODY wants--not even you!
FIX ACA--don't kill it. Ignore Trump--you KNOW he doesn't know what he's doing. Even he admits healthcare is hard. Who knew? I'm so glad he told us.
5
As a mother ( with extensive work experience in international finance) of an adult child with a brain injury, the GOP health cut bill is craven, cruel and catastrophically incompetent.
153
FINALLY the Democrats are fighting! We've been waiting for this. Please keep it up, Dems. Your political future depends upon it.
67
Perhaps this is like that other work of financial genius - option ARM mortgages...
Perhaps - just let things collapse, and sift through the rubble...
That's how it seems to work now - ask anyone traveling by rail in metro NYC...
Perhaps this is like that other work of financial genius - sovereign Greek debt bailout...
Perhaps - just let things collapse, and sift through the rubble...
That's how it seems to work now...
Perhaps - just let things collapse, and sift through the rubble...
That's how it seems to work now - ask anyone traveling by rail in metro NYC...
Perhaps this is like that other work of financial genius - sovereign Greek debt bailout...
Perhaps - just let things collapse, and sift through the rubble...
That's how it seems to work now...
8
Yes, even though so many Trump-Republicans have suggested dissatisfaction with TrumpNoCare 6.0, it makes sense to place all available counter-options on the table. Since the GOPpers have seemingly given him a free pass for the pst six months, they still cannot be trusted!.
https://thetruthoncommonsense.com
https://thetruthoncommonsense.com
The ACA stinks.
The Republican plan stinks
Here is MikeCare, it is good:
You know how the government pays to provide us with universal necessities like cops, education, libraries, road construction and repair, fire departments, snow removal, defense, garbage removal and the like? That's what we need in regard to medical care to make sure that everyone in the country, regardless of wealth or income, is covered. Just like with the other services it should be paid for using the taxes which we pay.
Go to whatever doctor you want to go to, you pay a deductible to discourage frivolous medical visits, and the medical providers get paid according to a reasonable government schedule that is tailored to region. Medical providers who do not want to accept what the government is paying can do so by posting a notice in their offices to that effect. You either pay the difference or go elsewhere.
The government funds this and the insurance companies run it for the government. Just like with FEMA and flood insurance.
And that's the end of it. Welcome to the 21st Century!
If it makes the prez feel any better we can call it "Trumpcare".
Representatives, get this through your heads, THIS is what we want. Anything less than this is no good, antiquated and criminal. We need and expect better from our elected representatives who work for us and get paid by us.
The Republican plan stinks
Here is MikeCare, it is good:
You know how the government pays to provide us with universal necessities like cops, education, libraries, road construction and repair, fire departments, snow removal, defense, garbage removal and the like? That's what we need in regard to medical care to make sure that everyone in the country, regardless of wealth or income, is covered. Just like with the other services it should be paid for using the taxes which we pay.
Go to whatever doctor you want to go to, you pay a deductible to discourage frivolous medical visits, and the medical providers get paid according to a reasonable government schedule that is tailored to region. Medical providers who do not want to accept what the government is paying can do so by posting a notice in their offices to that effect. You either pay the difference or go elsewhere.
The government funds this and the insurance companies run it for the government. Just like with FEMA and flood insurance.
And that's the end of it. Welcome to the 21st Century!
If it makes the prez feel any better we can call it "Trumpcare".
Representatives, get this through your heads, THIS is what we want. Anything less than this is no good, antiquated and criminal. We need and expect better from our elected representatives who work for us and get paid by us.
43
wait, I'm missing something--how do insurance companies run it?
I'm with you, except why let the insurance companies profit from administration? Medicare employees do an excellent job of processing and paying claims.
2
Good plan can be made better by varying copays according to the value of each service. So no copay for diabetes care and heroin addiction, but higher copays for toe fungus treatment. Big difference in value to all of us, worth the cost.
3
Amazing if people in a business acted like this I would fire all of them, both republican and democrats and hire people that want to accomplish something positive.
7
Unfortunately, you didnt fire the republicans who have made this their standard practice for the past 8 years. You cant object now that they made this the new normal when they have declared they now wont work with the other side now that they have power. Reap what you sow, any farmer realizes this truth. Cant plant carrots and expect to get watermelon. Grandpa knew what he was talking about, but people refuse to face facts these days. Start with a plan by 13 people of the same party out of 100 people, dont expect the others to be overjoyed with the results and not do all they can to stop it. If the Republicans had any honor, first they would have included Dems, then they would have used standard procedures needing a 60 vote majority to pass, not silly rules that allow them to pass a bill with 50 votes plus the vp to break the tie.
1
The republicans spent years voting against covering healthcare for Americans and not one of them in the House or Senate can come up with a cogent plan for anything close to replacing Obamacare (aka as Romney Care from Massachusetts). Incredible!
22
Aren't we forgetting about Dean Heller? I do believe he had (another) change of mind. He was against it before he was for it before he was against it. I think he now realizes, as our Republican governor does, that this bill will decimate our state.
12
We MUST see more BOLDNESS on the part of Congressional Democrats. Their weakness and complacency is killing us.
19
Exactly what do you want to see or hear from them? Please be specific.
1
All they can do is talk ... they currently have no power in the federal government. They made a mess of things and were punished accordingly at the polls over the last 7 years.
Memo to Senate Republicans on your so-called health bill, but really a wealth transfer to the wealthiest: Fuggedaboutit!
9
'I will be very angry about it and will be very upset'. Par for the course from our temper tantrum driven excuse for a president.
18
Trump angry and upset? Maybe his kids have to worry about his tantrums but the rest of us don't.
3
This is the main difference between the parties. ( putting aside that everyone under the sun, especially the press promotes a false equivalency.
Democrats took over a year with innumerable hearings, public forums and and a 60 vote threshold to pass the ACA ( Obama\Cares )
republicans have tried ( several times ) to pass within days a 50+1 bill that was hatched behind closed doors and with NO CBO score ,
Your gangster government in action.
Democrats took over a year with innumerable hearings, public forums and and a 60 vote threshold to pass the ACA ( Obama\Cares )
republicans have tried ( several times ) to pass within days a 50+1 bill that was hatched behind closed doors and with NO CBO score ,
Your gangster government in action.
39
Not to mention that the intention behind the Democrats in enacting the ACA was to expand healthcare coverage for Americans and to start to bring medical costs under control.
By contrast, the current Republican effort will make things much worse for tens of millions of Americans, with 20+ million losing coverage. It is not even contested that this will be the outcome, since Republicans are not even bothering to defend their bill on the merits.
By contrast, the current Republican effort will make things much worse for tens of millions of Americans, with 20+ million losing coverage. It is not even contested that this will be the outcome, since Republicans are not even bothering to defend their bill on the merits.
3
Democrats didn't have 60 Senators when they passed Obamacare ... that's why they had to resort to reconciliation. Remember when Scott Brown defeated the anointed democrat by 9 points in Massachusetts? That was the beginning of the Tea Party movement, which has led to the GOP taking the House, the Senate, the White House, 12 governorships, and over 1000 state legislative seats. That's what you call a real movement, folks.
The fundamental dishonesty on the part of Republicans to acknowledge - finally - that the PPACA is a conservative idea (Heritage Foundation) is at the heart of the stalemate. The simple truth is POTUS Obama and the Democrat's "idea" of the PPACA was their recognition that only a truly bipartisan plan would pass muster with the American people. The fact is has not passed muster with American people is thanks to the GOP's muddying of the waters that the ACA was purely a "leftist" plan "shoved down the throat" of America. In essence, POTUS Obama and the Democrats came out of the block compromising, something no Republican will ever admit to their supporters.
Fix this bipartisan, conservative plan known as the ACA, Republicans Start by being honest and returning the things to the ACA you've managed to take out (e.g. Risk Corridors) that have caused the current problems of insurance companies leaving the market, rising premiums/deductibles. Put us first. We don't need an extremist "conservative" plan "shoved down out throats".
Fix this bipartisan, conservative plan known as the ACA, Republicans Start by being honest and returning the things to the ACA you've managed to take out (e.g. Risk Corridors) that have caused the current problems of insurance companies leaving the market, rising premiums/deductibles. Put us first. We don't need an extremist "conservative" plan "shoved down out throats".
14
C'mon Dems! Lay out a version of your plan at the same time to tweak the ACA to make it better. One that counters this GOP nonsense wherein Americans can compare and contrast which would be the most beneficial. Saying no is simply not enough.
13
On June 14, Senators Tom Carper and Tim Kaine introduced the 'Individual Health Insurance Marketplace Improvement Act' to help stabilize the individual health care marketplace and lower premiums. This covers a lot of the sore spots found in the ACA. (It's true, more attention must be given to containing costs, but this proposed legislation is good for its scope.) But it won't be brought to a vote in the Republican-controlled Congress, and then folks like you are confidently asserting that the Democrats only say "no!" That's a Fox News narrative, not the reality.
2
When mr. Cruz says "choice" for a lot of people that means either dying from a treatable disease or going bankrupt. This is the America that he believes in, where those born lucky, wealthy or gain success on their own merits get to drive by those living on the streets, looking out through the tinted windows on their cars, and think that those suffering Americans are someone else's responsibility.
20
I notice that you are in Seattle not Texas. While I can easily say that I don't like Senator Ted Cruz and would never vote for him, the reality is that the Obamacare Health Insurance plans sold through the Federal Exchange in Texas are fundamentally consumer frauds where the insured gets nothing for his/her premium payments and the Federal government is bled to the tune of about $500+ per month for every insured it subsidizes. In essence, in Texas, the insurance companies are committing consumer fraud on a rampant scale. In Texas and for Texas the best thing which can happen is the complete elimination and repeal Obamacare's provisions for subsidized insurance for working people.
Texas Governor (not Ted Cruz) decided that poor Texans would not be allowed to participate in the "Medicaid Expansion". As a result, the only way the Texas insurance companies, Texas corporate hospital chains and Texas doctors will get their heads in a proper place is to starve them of cash flow for a few years.
Texas Governor (not Ted Cruz) decided that poor Texans would not be allowed to participate in the "Medicaid Expansion". As a result, the only way the Texas insurance companies, Texas corporate hospital chains and Texas doctors will get their heads in a proper place is to starve them of cash flow for a few years.
Doug, they believe that "those suffering Americans" have responsibility for themselves. That is, they must think we all have complete control over our genes, the nation's travel hazards, environmental contaminants etc. etc. + the employability that allows for purchase of adequate insurance. It's insane. I wonder if any of these heartless people on being struck by some catastrophic illness would believe that they brought it on themselves.
1
Democrats; remember that millions of Americans are threatened by this Republican exercise. Fight accordingly.
20
I suppose the republicans are boxed in--they must deal with Obamacare, because they said they would. What they don't understand is that the repeal/replace vow does not mean they must come up with something even worse than Obamacare. Republicans, let me help you: come up with the best you can, vote and move on. If the ACA continues, so be it. I personally think it is flawed in so many ways. But if that is what the Senate (dems and reps.) want, then let it go. The inability of our political leaders to think is both stunning and frightening.
2
Every Senator who is thinking about voting for this bill should spend one week with a family in their district so that they can experience what real life is.
The age tax on those 50+ and the pre-existing coverage carve out will kill the healthcare system as costs from uninsured get pushed onto those with insurance. Rural communities will not know what hit them as hospitals close, nursing homes close and medical providers leave. The trickle down economics of the GOP healthcare bill will be hard felt as these closing will have a very broad impact on communities. The job losses will not be minor and if you think people are in despair already, just wait. The mental health issues will only intensify and magnify.
Presently we spend $3.6 trillion dollars on healthcare as a country, the GOP plans on cutting $1 trillion, however, this does not remove the spending, it moves the costs to individuals, employers, and communities. Local taxes will raise as communities attempt to keep a medical provider and hospital in town and to cover the costs of the uninsured.
THe GOP owns this, they have done everything for the last 7 years to undermine the ACA. We'll see them at the polls in 2018 and 2020.
The age tax on those 50+ and the pre-existing coverage carve out will kill the healthcare system as costs from uninsured get pushed onto those with insurance. Rural communities will not know what hit them as hospitals close, nursing homes close and medical providers leave. The trickle down economics of the GOP healthcare bill will be hard felt as these closing will have a very broad impact on communities. The job losses will not be minor and if you think people are in despair already, just wait. The mental health issues will only intensify and magnify.
Presently we spend $3.6 trillion dollars on healthcare as a country, the GOP plans on cutting $1 trillion, however, this does not remove the spending, it moves the costs to individuals, employers, and communities. Local taxes will raise as communities attempt to keep a medical provider and hospital in town and to cover the costs of the uninsured.
THe GOP owns this, they have done everything for the last 7 years to undermine the ACA. We'll see them at the polls in 2018 and 2020.
16
Challenge the bill absolutely and offer changes and adjustments to make the ACA work that much better. There are a lot of folks waiting for rational adults to step forward and take the lead on health care for all.
10
The only decent thing that all members of Congress can do is to voluntarily divest themselves of their government paid health insurance plan. Then they can go out into the insurance marketplace and determine how much they will need to pay and what plans they won't qualify for because of their pre-existing conditions.
I double dare you!
I double dare you!
12
Nothing short of a single payer, Medicare for all policy will get the public's attention. The Democrats must seize the cry of the nation who overwhelmingly want this to happen. This should be the number one issue on their platform.
20
Agree! Single payer the only way to go, the only way that makes good humane and affordable sense.
4
It's so obvious, I can't believe the Dems aren't doing it.
We put man on moon and 50 years later can't do this simple thing.
We put man on moon and 50 years later can't do this simple thing.
2
According to the nonpartisan Urban Institute, single-payer would cost $32 trillion over 10 years. Who's gonna pay for that, you?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/single-payer-health-care-would-h...
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/single-payer-health-care-would-h...
It seems the Republican’s have lost site of the purpose of the healthcare bill. Simply put it is to provide healthcare to everyone, or as close to everyone as we can get. This doesn’t mean we want people to gamble and guess what diseases they will get and when and how much each will cost. These are the unknowns that insurance is supposed to cover. The purpose of insurance is to spread the risk.
What the Republican healthcare bill is effectively asking is for over 20,000,000 people absorb 100% of their healthcare risk, and for many others to pay more than they would with an updated ACA and absorb a greater portion of the risk. It sounds to me like the Republicans do not believe free private enterprise can be part of affordable healthcare for all. If the Republicans and Insurance companies can’t, they should get out of the way. There are plenty of other choices. Republicans supposedly understand when a business can no longer provide a good product, they should be allowed to fail. The Republican Healthcare bill if failed Insurance.
Democrats, Please do everything you can to kill the Republican so called Healthcare Bill!
What the Republican healthcare bill is effectively asking is for over 20,000,000 people absorb 100% of their healthcare risk, and for many others to pay more than they would with an updated ACA and absorb a greater portion of the risk. It sounds to me like the Republicans do not believe free private enterprise can be part of affordable healthcare for all. If the Republicans and Insurance companies can’t, they should get out of the way. There are plenty of other choices. Republicans supposedly understand when a business can no longer provide a good product, they should be allowed to fail. The Republican Healthcare bill if failed Insurance.
Democrats, Please do everything you can to kill the Republican so called Healthcare Bill!
6
Single-payer healthcare system is the only way to go. Politicians are creating laws and restrictions that will never affect them personally, so they don't care. If they were in the same boat with the "regular people" they might care and finally get it.
12
Republicans care only about rich people, especially VERY rich people. They think rich people need more massive tax cuts. Through their propaganda machine, they have demonized the ACA, even though it was originally a Republican idea, because President Obama and Democrats passed it into law. Most Republican politicians don't give a hoot about healthcare for the poor or for working people. Their bill has a 17% approval rating, but it gets rid of the ACA and gives the big tax cuts to the rich. If the righties pass it, they will claim that the mess is the fault of Democrats, and Fox, Rush, and the rest of them will spin it for the low information people who get their "news" won't know the difference. They live in an alternate universe.
6
Pretty clearly, the Wealthcare, I mean Trumpcare bill has little to do with the budget and much more with the policy of blame the poor for being poor and give the richest 1% even more welfare that they don't need, since most of them have more than enough money to last 10 lifetimes. It is, as the President stated, just like the House proposal, "mean" to its core.
3
Ron Paul wants there to be no health insurance. McConnell's bill attempts to almost do that, but not enough to get Sen. Paul on board. Meanwhile, Donald Trump Jr. is trying to decide which of his meetings with Russian officials can be disclose without making matters any worse for Dad than they already are. The result being, nothing gets done. Sad. (But that's just Donald Trump's opinion.)
2
Absolutely terrified that I have to depend on a Republican to save me from this horrible legislation. Even more terrified that I may have to depend on the Republican to literally save my life.
3
If this works it will be a very good thing but can we feel comfortable that McConnell won't be able to somehow circumvent the rules? We've seen it before with the vote for Gorsuch and limiting debate on other nominees. Regardless, I would like Democrats to try but also speak up loudly with a counter proposal to improve the existung law with a goal of getting to universal coverage. Present a coherent plan that people can understand and support. The mood is already against the GOP plan however they try to dress it up, now is the time to offer a good alternative to change the narrative and control the discussion on health care.
I don’t understand why we have to talk about a new opposition strategy now when it’s just the same last-minute, cobbled-together, piece-of-garbage deal that the Republicans have foisted on America a few times already this year. The Republicans’ standard plan, to take health care (and money) away from non-rich Americans (while telling us it’s for our own good), deservedly sank like a stone in the House and in the Senate. It's alarming to me that this latest run-through of the same tired and objectionable script is being anticipated as if it somehow might have new energy or as if there's a whole new audience out front. It doesn't and there isn't. Maybe the Democrats are worried that the GOP has finally succeeded in wearing the public down.
4
The American Health Care Act (the House version of the GOP health care bill) passed in the House on May 4. It was initially pulled, due to inadequate support, and then when the media had turned its attention away, it was suddenly resuscitated and passed. I believe that was even before the revised version had been scored by the CBO. When the Senate bill passes, that means the Senate and House versions can rather quickly be reconciled and then turned into legislation. (No more hoops to jump through.) The Democrats are right to be worried and to be gearing up for a fight.
When I was in elementary school I was taught arithmetic.
The republicans and President Trump have promised that everyone would have access to health care, that it would be better than Obamacare, and it would cost less.
Basic arithmetic says it can't be done.
The republicans and President Trump have promised that everyone would have access to health care, that it would be better than Obamacare, and it would cost less.
Basic arithmetic says it can't be done.
Other countries have already done it, so we just need to learn from them.
I hope the senate passes their bill. I say this as a supporter of single payer. I see passage of the republican agenda as the fastest way to get to single payer.
Pain is the reason. The amount of pain republicans will inflict on their own constituents along with everyone else will provoke a radical backlash. It appears we require a broad, substantial, and unremitting amount of pain before we can be induced to vote for our real interests.
With the ACA gone, it won't have to be defended by democrats as the half measure corporate giveaway toward universal health care. Instead, the thing that should have been passed long ago will really be on the table: Single payer health care.
I see the survival of the ACA as the strongest defense against actual universal health care. I wish Senator McConnell success in this single endeavor. For the sake of single payer.
Pain is the reason. The amount of pain republicans will inflict on their own constituents along with everyone else will provoke a radical backlash. It appears we require a broad, substantial, and unremitting amount of pain before we can be induced to vote for our real interests.
With the ACA gone, it won't have to be defended by democrats as the half measure corporate giveaway toward universal health care. Instead, the thing that should have been passed long ago will really be on the table: Single payer health care.
I see the survival of the ACA as the strongest defense against actual universal health care. I wish Senator McConnell success in this single endeavor. For the sake of single payer.
3
Democrats and any Republicans who have an ounce of compassion should fight against the repeal of of the ACA as currently structured.
It is clear that health care is the cover story. The current GOP plan is all about cutting taxes for the super-wealthy. Despite all of their pretenses of fiscal conservatism as a motive, the Republican Party is willing to let the American people die in the streets on behalf of their rich donors. Yes, they have lost their way. Political philosophy is no longer relevant. We see the GOP for what it is: Raw greed on behalf of the 0.1% is all that counts.
It is clear that health care is the cover story. The current GOP plan is all about cutting taxes for the super-wealthy. Despite all of their pretenses of fiscal conservatism as a motive, the Republican Party is willing to let the American people die in the streets on behalf of their rich donors. Yes, they have lost their way. Political philosophy is no longer relevant. We see the GOP for what it is: Raw greed on behalf of the 0.1% is all that counts.
6
I'm outraged by the age tax and making "older" people pay five times more. Do you know what "older" is? People over 50! FIFTY! I turn 60 next month. I take no medications—never have—and haven't had any medical expenses greater than $200 since I was in my forties. Note: I had more medical expenses in my forties than in my fifties. Why on the basis of mere age should I pay more?
It's ridiculous to pit us all against each other, so that we're snarling about paying for somebody else. Why on earth can't we have a rational system as they do in Germany or Switzerland, where there are private insurers who are required to provide legit coverage, and citizens pay a percentage of their income so that everybody bears the burden of costs in an equitable way.
But anyway, the media need to stop with this "older" people stuff and start saying "people over 50." People I know in their fifties think of themselves as middle-aged, not "older Americans." Stating the number will bring this nasty age tax into much sharper focus.
It's ridiculous to pit us all against each other, so that we're snarling about paying for somebody else. Why on earth can't we have a rational system as they do in Germany or Switzerland, where there are private insurers who are required to provide legit coverage, and citizens pay a percentage of their income so that everybody bears the burden of costs in an equitable way.
But anyway, the media need to stop with this "older" people stuff and start saying "people over 50." People I know in their fifties think of themselves as middle-aged, not "older Americans." Stating the number will bring this nasty age tax into much sharper focus.
137
We can't have those systems because this is the US with a much different population and culture. Now I thought that was the maximum, to have real insurance you must charge for the risk, if you can't do that by the actual risk you need something to replace that.
1
"It's ridiculous to pit us all against each other, so that we're snarling about paying for somebody else."
It's more than ridiculous, it's evil. And it is the standard strategy of the financial elite who control the media and the parties and politicians. Bear in mind that currently, the democratic party and the republican party are simply the left and right political arms of the financial elite puppeteers.
Progressives and indeed Americans who believe in democracy need to cut off the left arm of the elite puppeteers by taking over the democratic party and forcing it to eliminate big money corruption by ending big money donations. More than anything now, people, independents especially, want to end corruption in politics. They want a genuine Mr. Smith to go to Washington. That cannot happen if Mr. Smith takes corporate money from the party or private donors. Mr. Smith needs to represent you, the person who has next to nothing to be able to donate. It's one person one vote, not one Million dollars, effectively a million votes.
It's more than ridiculous, it's evil. And it is the standard strategy of the financial elite who control the media and the parties and politicians. Bear in mind that currently, the democratic party and the republican party are simply the left and right political arms of the financial elite puppeteers.
Progressives and indeed Americans who believe in democracy need to cut off the left arm of the elite puppeteers by taking over the democratic party and forcing it to eliminate big money corruption by ending big money donations. More than anything now, people, independents especially, want to end corruption in politics. They want a genuine Mr. Smith to go to Washington. That cannot happen if Mr. Smith takes corporate money from the party or private donors. Mr. Smith needs to represent you, the person who has next to nothing to be able to donate. It's one person one vote, not one Million dollars, effectively a million votes.
@Vulcanalex To have real insurance you share the risk. You do not charge individuals for their risk because that means in the case of health insurance, that the most vulnerable individuals who are least able to take a high risk expensive policy are left out in the cold. And you never know beforehand if or when you will be part of that category. Different population and culture than say, European countries, Canada (also an immigration country) and Australia and New Zealand (same)? The American Wild West is over and was quite miserable at the time, contrary what Hollywood wants you to believe.
3
The parliamentarian can be overruled by the majority at any time. Only Democrats are naive enough to abide by parliamentarian rulings.
4
Michael: You don't understand. This is all a charade put up by McConnell for the Trump supporters (like you) to make it look like they *tried* to repeal Obamacare. In reality, this bill would be a death sentence for many Republican representatives and senators in the next election. The Majority Leader will not trigger the "nuclear option" to try to pass the bill because it would be political suicide.
1
If Republicans could muster the 50+1 votes they needed on the bill they wouldn't be in this mess to begin with so I wouldn't hold your breath that they can muster it to overrule the parliamentarian on an already unpopular (un-passable?) bill.
Universal health care built into the tax code. get rid of health insurance all together and regulate fees and charges. Let the government pay for the MRI machine so providers do not have the expense to recoup. IE Socialized medicine really is the right way to provide healthcare. I have been covered cradle to grave, so should everyone else.
27
Never and I have not been protected cradle to now. When I was a child we had no insurance, we were healthy and paid for the health care we needed.
1
"I was lucky. Let's base national health policy on people being lucky."
lucky you. Some of us are born with health issues that require continuous care!
Every time I hear some republican representative yell and scream that the cost of Obamacare is killing people I have to laugh. At age 50 my health insurance before the ACA was getting so expensive, with a pre-existing clause and very high deductible, that I would only be able to afford insurance for another couple of years before it was too expensive for me to have it. Along came the ACA and I felt a sense of great relief. I was able to afford the insurance and the plan was way better and covered much more without any pre-existing clause. Why we rarely hear my story is beyond me. Why the dems have not told my story I don't understand.
248
You go into the risk pool who gets assistance, healthy individuals pay the healthy individual insurance cost. They tried to get healthy people to pay that did not work.
1
Then why not get rid of compulsory auto insurance? I pay over $3000 a year and am in the lowest risk pool. I am paying for all the uninsured drivers (they still exist) and for the underinsured.
It is similar with my property taxes. I pay into two school districts and have never had a child in either. This is cost of living in society. An emergency room visit for the simplest thing runs well over $1000 if you are uninsured and paying yourself. You may be perfectly healthy but you may trip and break a bone. If you can't pay, the rest of us do.
By the way, the complaint that men pay for maternity costs - what about the women paying for prostate cancer and Viagra?
It is similar with my property taxes. I pay into two school districts and have never had a child in either. This is cost of living in society. An emergency room visit for the simplest thing runs well over $1000 if you are uninsured and paying yourself. You may be perfectly healthy but you may trip and break a bone. If you can't pay, the rest of us do.
By the way, the complaint that men pay for maternity costs - what about the women paying for prostate cancer and Viagra?
8
they are not listening
The Republican goal is to make sure that only people who deserve to live (people who are not poor or from other countries) gain real health insurance and remain alive long enough to vote for Republicans, while people who don't deserve to live (poor and non-native Americans) suffer premature death due to failure to get adequate health care, and thereby cannot vote against Republicans. Pretty simple.
50
Senate Democrats - please keep obstructing and trashing this evil bill which, if enacted, will destroy millions of lives. I personally can't see how I would be able to survive it.
85
Challenge the house bill by pushing for single payer universal healthcare. Suggest a referendum from the American people on universal healthcare. It will never happen, but suggest it. Has there ever been a referendum on a specific issue in the United States?
14
In the last two years, Medicaid spending has increased 16% and 14% respectively.
As an example of the perfidious effect Medicaid spending has in our society, look at Ohio, where Medicaid expenses comprise 42% of the budget, compared to that of education (K-12 only) at 14%
MEdicaid started as a program to assist the disabled and children living in poverty. Presently it subsidizes able-bodied persons whose means exxceeed thiose of the poverty level.
Would someone please reply with a progressive's justification for that inequity. And please, no abusive, insulting liberal commentariat. Looking for reasonable alternative opinions to mine.
As an example of the perfidious effect Medicaid spending has in our society, look at Ohio, where Medicaid expenses comprise 42% of the budget, compared to that of education (K-12 only) at 14%
MEdicaid started as a program to assist the disabled and children living in poverty. Presently it subsidizes able-bodied persons whose means exxceeed thiose of the poverty level.
Would someone please reply with a progressive's justification for that inequity. And please, no abusive, insulting liberal commentariat. Looking for reasonable alternative opinions to mine.
7
There is none, here in TN. we refused the expansion for these exact reasons, the state should not be spending a vast amount of their resources on health care or insurance.
2
Our government needs to have a basic health insurance program, similar to Medicaid, in which everyone gets basic health insurance. Poor people, or those with pre-existing conditions, would not be discriminated against. Government would play a role in keeping health costs fair and reasonable. Then affluent people who want better health insurance can choose the coverage they want, and purchase their policy from a private insurer. This is how Germany does it, and it works great. Pharmaceuticals and many medical procedures are a lot cheaper.
And no health care reform plan should contain one cent of tax cuts for the wealthy. That's not a health care plan. It's Republican tax "reform"
And no health care reform plan should contain one cent of tax cuts for the wealthy. That's not a health care plan. It's Republican tax "reform"
1
Because 'able bodied' people who work but get paid so little that they are still poor deserve to be able to see the doctor? Also because preventative Medicaid spending, while a lot of money, is still far less than emergency care and ER-as-primary treatment.
3
This is disgusting and Republicans should be ashamed of themselves. Trying to limit insurance or higher costs for anyone is obscene. Congress people get incredible insurance benefits themselves and they don't pay for it. There is no reason why any individual American should not have as good health care insurance and should not have to pay for it. If we strip the waste that goes to the military and the waste protecting this president at his New York and Florida house in addition to Washington we would have plenty of money and then those fat behind people making millions on health insurance will be forced to get a legitimate job. Mitch McConnell should resign since he is not interested in the welfare of the American people but in himself and his cronies.
30
Everything is free??? Those with risk must pay either directly or through assistance from the government.
3
I am glad to see that the Democrats are doing something besides just speaking out so meekly that the Republicans will never actually hear them. Even if they wanted to hear them. Where are the Democratic equivalents to Newt Gingrich and Bill O'Reilly? Why don't we have Democrats speaking out Loudly against these abysmal actions of the Republicans (without the lies)?
This so-called health care bill is catastrophic. The number of people who will lose insurance, the loopholes to avoid coverage by the insurance companies, the de-funding of important areas of healthcare, are an assault against the citizenry. It will also set a precedent for the Republicans to begin ripping apart other areas of legislation which protect and assist American citizens.
Yes, I support the Democrats in using the rules to try and stop this draconian legislation--and not taking the rules and twisting them to fit the fight. But, why aren't Democrats in congress screaming from the rooftops the way that Republicans have against them for so long? Voters have been speaking out loud and clear, even people who voted so that Obama Care would be repealed once they realized that their ACA benefits ARE Obama care. Come on, Democrats, fight back in word and deed!
This so-called health care bill is catastrophic. The number of people who will lose insurance, the loopholes to avoid coverage by the insurance companies, the de-funding of important areas of healthcare, are an assault against the citizenry. It will also set a precedent for the Republicans to begin ripping apart other areas of legislation which protect and assist American citizens.
Yes, I support the Democrats in using the rules to try and stop this draconian legislation--and not taking the rules and twisting them to fit the fight. But, why aren't Democrats in congress screaming from the rooftops the way that Republicans have against them for so long? Voters have been speaking out loud and clear, even people who voted so that Obama Care would be repealed once they realized that their ACA benefits ARE Obama care. Come on, Democrats, fight back in word and deed!
251
There are dems on TV, most are idiots focused on foolish things like Trump's tax return, his Tweets, the Russians, his daughter sitting in a seat just listening and other idiotic things. And many who voted for Trump don't have ACA, they have employer based insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid (without expansion). The ACA only effects about 10% or so. How about cooperating for a solution, especially allowing states to experiment instead of fighting.
2
Remember - the Republicans spoke loudly against the original bill in 2009 and with a fair amount of maneuvering. If I recall correctly, it was bi-partisan votes *against* the bill, with only Democratic support for the bill, and Bernie as an Independent.
Obamacare will be repealed. The original law had a built-in poison pill named Partisanship.
Obamacare will be repealed. The original law had a built-in poison pill named Partisanship.
The ACA affects everyone, whether you buy insurance on the exchanges or get it from an employer.
5
Republicans can't craft a health care bill that will get 60 votes. They can't get 50 votes either. They loved screaming that "Obama" had crammed the ACA down the throats of Americans (despite a year of debates and adoption of numerous GOP amendments).
Now the Republicans are doing the cramming, and this time it's for real. The bill stinks. The public hates it. It will kill and bankrupt millions. But Mitch McConnell needs a "victory." In fact this is no victory. It is a pitiful, desperate flailing gesture to justify 8 years of obstruction and inaction on the part of the Republicans.
The GOP is not governing. The public will suffer. I hope voters will wake up in 2018--finally!
Now the Republicans are doing the cramming, and this time it's for real. The bill stinks. The public hates it. It will kill and bankrupt millions. But Mitch McConnell needs a "victory." In fact this is no victory. It is a pitiful, desperate flailing gesture to justify 8 years of obstruction and inaction on the part of the Republicans.
The GOP is not governing. The public will suffer. I hope voters will wake up in 2018--finally!
222
At the end of the day, we need our Senators to be held accountable for voting up or down on this bill, and all others. Voters need the ability to hold them accountable for saying yea or nay. That's the only way we can decide who to vote for next time.
Ducking and delaying votes to avoid the tough decisions is a favorite gambit. If the insurance lobby threatens to fund a primary challenge to a sitting Senator or representative, leadership finds a way to pull the vote or obscure it with procedural maneuvers. The result is gridlock and a 12% congressional approval rating.
What we need are rules in both the House and the Senate for a minority, say 25% of the body, to force a vote on any matter: a bill, an amendment, committing to hold hearings, set up special investigative committees, etc. The minority may lose all such votes, but at least the voters will know where their elected person stands on key issues.
Ducking and delaying votes to avoid the tough decisions is a favorite gambit. If the insurance lobby threatens to fund a primary challenge to a sitting Senator or representative, leadership finds a way to pull the vote or obscure it with procedural maneuvers. The result is gridlock and a 12% congressional approval rating.
What we need are rules in both the House and the Senate for a minority, say 25% of the body, to force a vote on any matter: a bill, an amendment, committing to hold hearings, set up special investigative committees, etc. The minority may lose all such votes, but at least the voters will know where their elected person stands on key issues.
7
Republicans, if you manage to drag the dead and dusty carcass of your "repeal Obamacare" fixation over the finish line after these eight or so years of trying then you will have poisoned health care in America for an indefinite period. You can't square actually making constructive improvements in current health care policy with providing huge tax breaks for the rich. So decide, who do you really want to please, Donald Trump and his devotees or your reelection cronies? Plus, remember that you're going to need (really, really need) some way to demonstrate your distance from him, next time you're up for reelection. So forget repeal, set up a bipartisan commission to improve the ACA and then go work on your tax bill. You know that's where your hearts really are.
11
Reality check our representives should be ensuring public safety rather medaling in health care plans. Proven that toxic air is causing altimers an other disease. But congress does littel nothing to acknowleg know problems .
3
What toxic air and where is it. Be very specific!!!
2
Rand Paul does not support having the young and healthy subsidize insurance for the older and less fortunate. But he does support having the older and wealthier people in the more affluent states "subsidize" money payments or reduced taxes for corporate interests in Kentucky, such as the tobacco, liquor, horse racing and breeding industries, or any other industry with a substantial presence in Kentucky, Why don't the Senators in the Northeast and West Coast tell him that stripping Kentucky of any money payments greater than what they send to the federal Treasury in taxes is in the national interest, too.
26
Medicare for all!
33
No your state can have it, we don't want it nor can we afford it.
2
Well, that's simply not true.
https://www.tn.gov/tenncare/article/tenncare-overview
According to statistics provided by your state gov't, Medicaid is vital to many people in TN. Tenncare is Medicaid. People in need rely on it.
https://www.tn.gov/tenncare/article/tenncare-overview
According to statistics provided by your state gov't, Medicaid is vital to many people in TN. Tenncare is Medicaid. People in need rely on it.
3
If we had it, EVERY state could afford--just like they can afford Medicare now!
This is a very cruel bill. Might as well call it a Health Kill Bill. Can you imagine creating such a horrible law that will have a terribly destructive effect on over 70 million Americans who rely on Medicaid---infants, kids, seniors. disabled, pregnant women, low income workers, the poor?
Even if you could care less about these people, this bill increases your own out of cost burdens. It worsens your coverage. It's even meaner than the House bill. Hospitals will have more uncompensated costs for care and might close. Millions will have ruined lives because of health care costs, or denial for care. Men, women and children.
Home or community based services and care will be cut to shreds, affecting the very sick, disabled and elderly. Car accident victims. Etc.
It looks very bad for nursing home care, which most people cannot afford, if Medicaid is dismantled. A day at a nursing home cost $225.00 in 2016 on average.
Imagine having to pay that for your parents, then for yourself. Medicare only pays for 100 days of nursing home care. Then Medicaid kicks in.
But Republicans want to kill Medicaid. Most people need years of nursing home care. Their homes are usually gone. What will become of them?
Republicans do not care!!!!!!!!!!!!
Even if you could care less about these people, this bill increases your own out of cost burdens. It worsens your coverage. It's even meaner than the House bill. Hospitals will have more uncompensated costs for care and might close. Millions will have ruined lives because of health care costs, or denial for care. Men, women and children.
Home or community based services and care will be cut to shreds, affecting the very sick, disabled and elderly. Car accident victims. Etc.
It looks very bad for nursing home care, which most people cannot afford, if Medicaid is dismantled. A day at a nursing home cost $225.00 in 2016 on average.
Imagine having to pay that for your parents, then for yourself. Medicare only pays for 100 days of nursing home care. Then Medicaid kicks in.
But Republicans want to kill Medicaid. Most people need years of nursing home care. Their homes are usually gone. What will become of them?
Republicans do not care!!!!!!!!!!!!
14
When are the Republicans going to figure out that when you take the insurance out of insurance, you don't have insurance. I guess that's why they're avoiding town halls...they don't want their constituents to explain it to them.
18
I hope the Democrats do not get lulled by the charade in Washington over the Russia fiasco and let the Republicans sneak their mean healthcare bill which will hurt millions of Americans. In fact, I am convinced that the Republicans are deliberately trying to take attention away from what they are trying to do.
9
It's vital that we keep the Senate and the Health Bill in the people's consciousness. McConnell is a wily character; he (and Trump) need a success, so he'll add sweeteners to get his 50 votes (plus Pence, of course). At this point, much of the public is weary of talk of this VERY IMPORTANT new health bill, and we must maintain visibility of how truly AWFUL it is.
And, there is always the Nuclear Option. Senate leadership may consider this, as a last resort. Keep this in mind.
As with the House bill, there may be an attempt to put in last minute changes, and then force a vote before the C.B.O. gets a chance to evaluate it. Republican leadership will claim that these last minute changes will reduce the number of uninsured, but reality may be rather different. We've seen this act before!
And, there is always the Nuclear Option. Senate leadership may consider this, as a last resort. Keep this in mind.
As with the House bill, there may be an attempt to put in last minute changes, and then force a vote before the C.B.O. gets a chance to evaluate it. Republican leadership will claim that these last minute changes will reduce the number of uninsured, but reality may be rather different. We've seen this act before!
9
The mission of a fix/rewriting should be to lower cost, provide better coverage and cover more people. At this point I am not sure what the GOP goal is. I believe it is just to say they have repealed the ACA with no regard for the American people. I really believe they have lost their minds.
18
Republican goals are first, to eradicate the hated illegitimate [Black] usurper from the history books, beginning with his "signature" Obamacare. Second, and far more important, to funnel the nation's wealth to the wealthiest Americans, who are the only true constituents of the Party of the Rich. And third, to "win." The bill satisfies all three goals, at the significant expense of the vast majority Americans.
It is completely wrong to call it a "health care" bill. Its only connection to health care is eviscerating the ACA and diverting funding for Medicaid and ACA subsidies into a tax cut for the wealthy and a handout to CEOs. It will deny health care to at least 22 million people, and make health insurance unaffordable, unavailable, and/or unusable for as-yet-uncounted millions more. It is actually a wealth care bill that serves the longstanding Republican agenda of enriching the wealthy at the expense of everyone else. This bill will KILL non-wealthy people to make the rich richer.
The bill makes it very clear that Republicans have no interest in improving the lives of non-wealthy Americans. The non-wealthy, along with the environment, are merely resources to plunder for the short-term gain of the wealthy, who are the only true constituents the Party of the Rich represents. Their desperate flailing attempts to pass this abominable bill represent Republicans at their worst-- and at their most authentic.
It is completely wrong to call it a "health care" bill. Its only connection to health care is eviscerating the ACA and diverting funding for Medicaid and ACA subsidies into a tax cut for the wealthy and a handout to CEOs. It will deny health care to at least 22 million people, and make health insurance unaffordable, unavailable, and/or unusable for as-yet-uncounted millions more. It is actually a wealth care bill that serves the longstanding Republican agenda of enriching the wealthy at the expense of everyone else. This bill will KILL non-wealthy people to make the rich richer.
The bill makes it very clear that Republicans have no interest in improving the lives of non-wealthy Americans. The non-wealthy, along with the environment, are merely resources to plunder for the short-term gain of the wealthy, who are the only true constituents the Party of the Rich represents. Their desperate flailing attempts to pass this abominable bill represent Republicans at their worst-- and at their most authentic.
1
How to ensure the fewest possible number of the most vulnerable among us are insured while at the same time assure the least vulnerable that life is so, so good.
That's the Republican party's mission.
That's the Republican party's mission.
28
Why do people complain about different partys when know fact they all belong same club an are best money can buy
1
I doubt you could name one Republican that puts country over party. Just look at the current mess in Washington. Who is trying to take healthcare away from Americans? Who is destroying cleaner air? Not Trumps EPA director. Each cabinet member was appointed to destroy the department they are supposed to manage.
Betsy DeVos -Sec of Education. Doesn't know what education is.
Jeffrey Beauregard Sessions III Att. Gen. Perjured himself at his nomination hearing and would not answer questions when asked by the Judiciary Committee. He wants to reward private prison corporations by incarcerating more American for minor crimes.
I could go through all of them but if you believe what you wrote today, you are not thinking or need to see a doctor.
Betsy DeVos -Sec of Education. Doesn't know what education is.
Jeffrey Beauregard Sessions III Att. Gen. Perjured himself at his nomination hearing and would not answer questions when asked by the Judiciary Committee. He wants to reward private prison corporations by incarcerating more American for minor crimes.
I could go through all of them but if you believe what you wrote today, you are not thinking or need to see a doctor.
Planned Parenthood
Age ratios
Waiting period
Abortion coverage
Work requirements
Stripped-down insurance
Or... just do Medicaid for all and get this nightmare over with already.
And... allow the insurance companies to sell supplemental policies for "Platinum" coverage.
Age ratios
Waiting period
Abortion coverage
Work requirements
Stripped-down insurance
Or... just do Medicaid for all and get this nightmare over with already.
And... allow the insurance companies to sell supplemental policies for "Platinum" coverage.
145
Medicaid for all will bankrupt many providers or they won't be taking it. Even for everyone without other coverage it will fail due to providers not taking any Medicaid patients. You have Medicaid insurance but no care.
2
We all use healthcare and only the wealthiest can pay out of pocket. The choices are to let people die in the streets, put hospitals out of business, increase our taxes to pay for those without, or do like every other country and move to single payer. Medicare for all. We all pay and we all get. Like we all pay and get roads, even if we don't use every road. Compassionate and cheaper. Win/win.
3
That person is confusing Medicaid with Medicare, which would not bankrupt anyone, because it would be paid for with higher taxes.
And I know those aren't popular in red states (or most blue ones either), but short of tens of millions of uninsured people --it IS what will eventually have to happen.
And I know those aren't popular in red states (or most blue ones either), but short of tens of millions of uninsured people --it IS what will eventually have to happen.
I didn't realize there were still democrats in Congress. I thought they were all hibernating. Nice to hear they still have a pulse.
44
stop this ridiculous tug of war and pass universal health care giving government the right to limit drug price gauging and stopping insurance companies from putting their greedy profits above health care
240
"Profits?" Like ex-presidents, being paid $2,000,000 to speak?
You let government bureaucrats run wild, you'll never see another "miracle drug" in your lifetime, adults don't let others tell them what to do. Bet the farm on that.
You let government bureaucrats run wild, you'll never see another "miracle drug" in your lifetime, adults don't let others tell them what to do. Bet the farm on that.
2
Just 2 things-first, we're not talking about EX presidents; we're talking about a bill promoted by the CURRENT administration.
Secondly, many drugs are developed through government grants and/or university research already. The part of the budget proposal cutting the CDC's budget for research support is more damaging than taxing big pharma, which already has a net profit (according to a Forbes report, hardly a 'liberal' source, estimates that the ACA will bring big pharma between $10 & 35 billion in new profits. So it's not hurting the industry. According to Sheppard Mullin, a global legal firm that, among other things, analyzes "complex financial transactions," and the ACA's pharma taxation is nothing if not complex, big pharma's per cent taxation under the ACA is well under 1%. According to a recent BBC report, the top half-dozen US pharmaceutical companies have a profit margin of 10-20%. The ACA is hardly something that's going to destroy the incentives for research there, either.
Secondly, many drugs are developed through government grants and/or university research already. The part of the budget proposal cutting the CDC's budget for research support is more damaging than taxing big pharma, which already has a net profit (according to a Forbes report, hardly a 'liberal' source, estimates that the ACA will bring big pharma between $10 & 35 billion in new profits. So it's not hurting the industry. According to Sheppard Mullin, a global legal firm that, among other things, analyzes "complex financial transactions," and the ACA's pharma taxation is nothing if not complex, big pharma's per cent taxation under the ACA is well under 1%. According to a recent BBC report, the top half-dozen US pharmaceutical companies have a profit margin of 10-20%. The ACA is hardly something that's going to destroy the incentives for research there, either.
Never interfere with an enemy making a self destructive maneuver.
44
Sounds like a list of demands rather than a stalling tactic. Chuck Schumer even said the calendar isn't the problem. The bill is the problem. I'm guessing Schumer can't wait for Republicans to offer a concession just so Democrats can show both cheeks. That'll learn 'em. Serves McConnell right too.
Let's face it. This bill is a dead fish. Even in passing, Republicans still lose. They'll lose hard too. McConnell simply needs to decide which direction he chooses to fail in. I hope the audacity of this nonsense grants McConnell the power to fail in all directions at once.
Let's face it. This bill is a dead fish. Even in passing, Republicans still lose. They'll lose hard too. McConnell simply needs to decide which direction he chooses to fail in. I hope the audacity of this nonsense grants McConnell the power to fail in all directions at once.
23
When your opponent is committing suicide don't interfere. Stay out of their way Democrats.
37
Withdraw this fight, Dems. I want McConnell and Ryan holding the bag in a couple of years when at least a few million more citizens are bankrupt or homeless because they had the spectacularly bad misfortune of getting hurt or sick. Only then will people start realizing what they voted into office in 2016.
25
Exactly!!!! People in general are reactive as opposed to proactive. They need to feel the sting to realize that being sick and bankrupt doesn't feel a whole lot like freedom that they thought it would!
3
Revenge is sweet, except that I have a mother in a nursing home, and a young adult whom I want to have access to health care as well as policy that keeps my insurance through work intact. People don't seem to realize that a race to the health insurance bottom that the Republicans support will affect all health insurance. Why should employers maintain plans with essential coverage when they don't have to? I'm glad the Dems are acting like adults instead of rich men lackeys. Their "plan" makes no sense in terms of health; it's just a tax write-off for the rich.
So far President Trump has shown tremendous achievement in sabotaging Republican agenda for the rich people. However, Democrats can't rely on this strange and eccentric President for long because Republican congress may give up on him by joining impeachment calls by eager and stupid Democrats that don't visualize Pence Presidency to come. Democrats, don't try to kill Trump Presidency, and let Trump kill instead all the Republican agenda for the remaining his term.
6
The Democrats have appropriately grown a backbone, but are still too timid in confronting Republicans.
8
My 50th year as a healthcare provider, worked as an RN Case Manager both for insurance and hospitals, large and small. So I know what I'm talking about.
Planned Parenthood deductions? Decrease funding for cancer detection, other disease, contraceptives. Trading off for what? Women not having access to lower cost, affordable healthcare provisions? Tell that to young women who work as waitresses to work their way through college and have no health care insurance. Yes, they get cancer. They need detection. That's what these Republican legislators do not seem to know or care about.
Age ratios? How cruel. As a woman who needed a pacemaker at the age of 57, which would cost thousands out of pocket, now a senior, I should pay 5X as much to have my heart beat? And how about chemo? Multiple Sclerosis? Kidney dialysis? Where do you think people who have already been flung out of the job market due to health issues are going to get millions for "the increase?"
Waiting period? Wanna get stuck people? Don't get insurance for three months and then get diagnosed with cancer! Good luck on that one!
States requiring working for Medicaid? All you disabled people begging for home care services to keep you in your homes, please go get a job. You know you can do it. The Republicans said so. Leave the walkers and wheelchairs and your heart and kidney issues at home, please.
And last, no maternity or mental health benefits. Babies are free right?
And depression, so what?
Cruel.
Planned Parenthood deductions? Decrease funding for cancer detection, other disease, contraceptives. Trading off for what? Women not having access to lower cost, affordable healthcare provisions? Tell that to young women who work as waitresses to work their way through college and have no health care insurance. Yes, they get cancer. They need detection. That's what these Republican legislators do not seem to know or care about.
Age ratios? How cruel. As a woman who needed a pacemaker at the age of 57, which would cost thousands out of pocket, now a senior, I should pay 5X as much to have my heart beat? And how about chemo? Multiple Sclerosis? Kidney dialysis? Where do you think people who have already been flung out of the job market due to health issues are going to get millions for "the increase?"
Waiting period? Wanna get stuck people? Don't get insurance for three months and then get diagnosed with cancer! Good luck on that one!
States requiring working for Medicaid? All you disabled people begging for home care services to keep you in your homes, please go get a job. You know you can do it. The Republicans said so. Leave the walkers and wheelchairs and your heart and kidney issues at home, please.
And last, no maternity or mental health benefits. Babies are free right?
And depression, so what?
Cruel.
646
MI, "cruel" is when organizations go bankrupt. Just ask the Detroit city employees.
Anyone can promise to spend, spend, spend. Adult courage is figuring out how to do it, without going bankrupt.
Anyone can promise to spend, spend, spend. Adult courage is figuring out how to do it, without going bankrupt.
4
Thank you, MIMA
( thanking thru tears, depression)
( thanking thru tears, depression)
2
Oh, but wait! Did all these people just make bad choices?
Did the smoke?
Did they drint?
Did they not eat their lean cuise?
Or did they just choose to be born a woman?
Maybe they should have chosen their parents a little wiser!'
But at any rate, if you aren't a weatlhy white man in our county, I guess you don't deserve insurance, and you don't deserve any special tax breaks either!
Did the smoke?
Did they drint?
Did they not eat their lean cuise?
Or did they just choose to be born a woman?
Maybe they should have chosen their parents a little wiser!'
But at any rate, if you aren't a weatlhy white man in our county, I guess you don't deserve insurance, and you don't deserve any special tax breaks either!
1
why bother?
oh, of course: abortion.
these guys have a very few themes and they never let them go: they are stingy; they are frightened of sex; they value money over health and even life itself; they play to their big donors and to the cheap seats; they hate it when government acts in any way to protect rube citizens from being walked all over by big money and born again religion.
oh, of course: abortion.
these guys have a very few themes and they never let them go: they are stingy; they are frightened of sex; they value money over health and even life itself; they play to their big donors and to the cheap seats; they hate it when government acts in any way to protect rube citizens from being walked all over by big money and born again religion.
18
What's the use of governing if you can't control people while they're in their bedrooms or at a OB/GYN appointment?
5
Hold fast to the Rules and save us from this despicable healthcare bill.
The country is an inch away from losing something that most people can't afford to lose. Else, take healthcare away from Congress, first.
The country is an inch away from losing something that most people can't afford to lose. Else, take healthcare away from Congress, first.
14
More reporting like this, please! These are the nuts and bolts I want to hear about. Is a decision on each of these items solely up to the parliamentarian? What history is there to tell us how she is likely to decide?
8
It is sad to see politics being played for a basic human right: Healthcare. If we cant take care of our sick, elderly and poor properly, we don't deserve to be called the leaders of this world.
38
Agreed. If we can't take care of our sick, elderly, and poor, we don't even deserve to be called human.
60
We aren't leaders of the free world - not since 1/20/17.
Our country's administration, leadership and actions are deplorable which reflects badly and bodes poorly on We the People.
Our country's administration, leadership and actions are deplorable which reflects badly and bodes poorly on We the People.
Any right that forces others to serve you is hardly a right. Health care is a demand and a need, but it isn't something you do, it's something you receive or take from others.
How can anything be called "sacrosanct" in the age of Trump (or McConnell for that matter)?
There is an enormous difference between the way the ACA was developed and the way this slice of garbage has been thrown against the wall.
Harry Reid broke the longstanding 60 vote rule for an excellent reason. The Republicans refused to allow any judicial nominees to be voted upon, no matter their qualifications. The Republicans whose symbol is an elephant never forgot, but of course went much further. They took their revenge out on Merrick Garland to not even vote on an Obama Supreme Court nominee and then let their own nominee stand without needing a 60 vote confirmation.
Sacrosanct, indeed!
There is an enormous difference between the way the ACA was developed and the way this slice of garbage has been thrown against the wall.
Harry Reid broke the longstanding 60 vote rule for an excellent reason. The Republicans refused to allow any judicial nominees to be voted upon, no matter their qualifications. The Republicans whose symbol is an elephant never forgot, but of course went much further. They took their revenge out on Merrick Garland to not even vote on an Obama Supreme Court nominee and then let their own nominee stand without needing a 60 vote confirmation.
Sacrosanct, indeed!
23
According to Politico, Trump just stated that he will "be very Angry" if the GOP health care bill fails. So, folks, our president has been very clear, yet again. He will be very angry if our public health and productivity is NOT destroyed! A nation in poor health will be weakened physically and economically so it will aid the Kremlin in taking power over us. All people in our country need to stay as healthly as possible, productive as possible, and patriotic as possible. We need the Senate to stop the destruction of Obamacare. We need Congress to fix and improve it instead. For God's sake.
19
Here's a thought. Impeachment.
At what point will the GOP admit that they are a coalition and no longer a single political party? The health care debate (gunfight? hostage taking? street brawl?) in both the House and Senate illustrate the lack of any consistency on policy, temperament, philosophy and careful reasoning that one might expect from a unified political party. Thus the outsized influence of the deplorables like Cruz, et al. When we should be hearing from reasonable members of the Senate on health care and other topics, we are forced to endure the rantings of the lunatic fringe from this smallest of minority parties. There is no reason for the GOP to tolerate these immature and self-serving politicians within their party. For the good of us all, do the work of the people.
5
This is a MUCH better action than just trying to delay the bill.
Maybe it will help some of the details to be available for public discussion. Despite what the GOP has said, the ACA was pretty much open, with bipartisan work at the beginning, but then a political action of denying it at the end.
And THEN seven years of doing everything they could to make it fail. And now essentially giggling about premiums rising and companies leaving the market because the future is so uncertain. The real problem is that NOTHING can be done to get a lot more carriers in, and premiums to drop, in 2018.
So people will still leave the market, or get sicker and die sooner.
ad.
Maybe it will help some of the details to be available for public discussion. Despite what the GOP has said, the ACA was pretty much open, with bipartisan work at the beginning, but then a political action of denying it at the end.
And THEN seven years of doing everything they could to make it fail. And now essentially giggling about premiums rising and companies leaving the market because the future is so uncertain. The real problem is that NOTHING can be done to get a lot more carriers in, and premiums to drop, in 2018.
So people will still leave the market, or get sicker and die sooner.
ad.
5
For all the commenters who want to say that the Dems are just like the Republicans, let's recap:
1) Dems use the rules to get hearings, debate and regular order.
2) Republicans use the rules to prevent hearings (Merrick Garland, health care bills), prevent debate (one day set aside), maintain secrecy and jam bills through, and to use 40 votes to prevent debate.
The rules exist to ensure due consideration and debate, but only democrats use the rules for that purpose. Republicans see rules and norms as weapons to be used against democratic values.
1) Dems use the rules to get hearings, debate and regular order.
2) Republicans use the rules to prevent hearings (Merrick Garland, health care bills), prevent debate (one day set aside), maintain secrecy and jam bills through, and to use 40 votes to prevent debate.
The rules exist to ensure due consideration and debate, but only democrats use the rules for that purpose. Republicans see rules and norms as weapons to be used against democratic values.
220
"Nevertheless, she persisted" is but one outcome of GOP rule-exploit malfeasance.
May it blow up in GOP faces like so forever.
May it blow up in GOP faces like so forever.
Well yes, Democrats. Get to it and show those Republicans what you've learned from them when it comes to objecting.
You may not have the numbers in the House, but you've got 22 MILLION Americans counting on you.
You may not have the numbers in the House, but you've got 22 MILLION Americans counting on you.
96
Democrats; go to the podiums and talk about how bad this is and how good the Affordable Care Act by comparison. You need to publicize more and be seen and heard. Appeal to the public.
And please start encouraging women to think carefully about Abortion. We need more Democrats brought up by good Democrats.
And please start encouraging women to think carefully about Abortion. We need more Democrats brought up by good Democrats.
6
When the ACA was in the legislative process many members of Congress and right-wing pundits spoke of "rationed health care" and the most bigly item-the "death panels". From my understanding of the McConnelldoesn'tcareaboutyou bill this would be closer to rationed health care and the much touted, by the GOP, death panels.
The Democrats need to use this against the toxic "health care" bill that McConnell will introduce.
The Democrats need to use this against the toxic "health care" bill that McConnell will introduce.
6
Very good Dan, indeed the Republicans are the death panel, not only in this particular case but when these choose to build the deadly Military at the expense of those in need.
I hope that a few "Senate Rules" is not the only arrow in the Democrat's quiver. Can it be that the Republicans who oppose the health care bill, especially the ones who do so morally by being against throwing millions of Americans out of the healthcare system, can be turned? If that happens they will have drained the last drop of compassion out of the GOP.
4
This is an excellent summary, and the Democratic positions seem to be strong ones. It is also a horrifying glimpse at the way Republicans are thinking: impose work requirements on Medicaid recipients? Let insurers charge older Americans five times as much, whether or not federal subsidies were involved? Penalize those who went without insurance for two months the prior year by forcing them to wait another six months before coverage, no matter what their circumstances such as sudden job loss or critical illness? Prevent consumers from using their own tax credits for any insurance that included abortion coverage?
This is both tyranny and complete intrusion into Americans's private health requirements. If they are spending their own money, why limit how they spend it? Forcing someone to go without insurance for eight months is a death sentence for some illnesses.
Pretending that this is a matter of federal money is exposed as partisan ideology. Some of it is imposing Sharia-type evangelical religion on Americans with regard to abortion. Everything that is included about abortion is clear sexism, and impacts only one gender which is absolutely discriminatory. So is something that only applies to those with disabilities, or who are pregnant.
Maybe they should reframe their remit to cover white males of a certain age who should not be permitted to have abortions, who would be forced to work for money even when disabled.
Let the buyer beware with this crowd.
This is both tyranny and complete intrusion into Americans's private health requirements. If they are spending their own money, why limit how they spend it? Forcing someone to go without insurance for eight months is a death sentence for some illnesses.
Pretending that this is a matter of federal money is exposed as partisan ideology. Some of it is imposing Sharia-type evangelical religion on Americans with regard to abortion. Everything that is included about abortion is clear sexism, and impacts only one gender which is absolutely discriminatory. So is something that only applies to those with disabilities, or who are pregnant.
Maybe they should reframe their remit to cover white males of a certain age who should not be permitted to have abortions, who would be forced to work for money even when disabled.
Let the buyer beware with this crowd.
83
Can someone explain to me why all of these versions of the Republican proposals for a health care bill all have huge tsx cuts for the wealthy who really have no need for them?Can they not propose something without these tax cuts for the rich?
27
TRUMPCARE! Because tax cuts for the 1% is the Republican solution for everything.
11
Many of those rich are also the benefactors of campaign war chests. You know, quid pro quo.
5
There is a segment of the donor class who bitterly resent paying taxes. They regard it as literal robbery by the government. Their version of American Freedom means freedom from any government regulations. They see themselves as victims of democracy because poor people can vote to raise taxes on the wealthy and this, in their minds, is the greatest injustice man has ever known.
Paul Ryan and his ilk approach tax cuts with the fervor of those fighting to overcome long suffered injustice. Their notion of a better society is one with an unfettered aristocracy where the suffering of the middle class and poor is not their problem.
Paul Ryan and his ilk approach tax cuts with the fervor of those fighting to overcome long suffered injustice. Their notion of a better society is one with an unfettered aristocracy where the suffering of the middle class and poor is not their problem.
1
How about limiting power in the Senate to people who care about others.
That would put us on a proper track.
That would put us on a proper track.
7
Their is a major philosphical difference between the parities: The Democtrats believe health insurance is a right provided by the state and Repblicans believe in individual freedom to allow consumers to purchase any type of healthcare (or none) if they wish. Its easy to be partisan and think that only your side is correct and cares. Philosphical differences are settled in this county by elections.
1
What you're really doing here (albeit in the least inflammatory language possible) is accusing all people who support a comprehensive health care system of being AGAINST freedom. And then you're accusing THEM of being ideologically partisan puritans.
If conservatives actually are caring (and don't just want to be philosophically correct) and if the election we just had DID settle all philosophical differences in your favor, then what exactly ARE you proposing besides repealing the ACA? Or is that all you want here?
If conservatives actually are caring (and don't just want to be philosophically correct) and if the election we just had DID settle all philosophical differences in your favor, then what exactly ARE you proposing besides repealing the ACA? Or is that all you want here?
1
This is not "exploiting the rules." The Republicans are trying to get their health care legislation passed through budget reconciliation and under budget reconciliation the Senate is able to pass their legislation with only a majority. Budget reconciliation, however, can only be use on items that affect the federal budget. The Dems therefore are merely pointing out areas where the Republicans cannot use budget reconciliation. This is hardly exploiting the rules. They are merely saying that Republicans have to Go By the rules. It is much more analogous to pointing out you cannot use your hands while playing soccer.
In addition, this article makes it seem like using budget reconciliation on such massive pieces of legislation is normal. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities congress has enacted 20 budget reconciliation bills since 1980. Almost all of these were for deficit reduction or for tax cuts. All directly related to the budget. Amendments to the ACA were passed through budget reconciliation as well, but most of the legislation was passed prior and I am sure the pieces passed through reconciliation had to affect the budget. Regardless, using budget reconciliation now for major pieces of legislation distorts its original purpose.
In addition, this article makes it seem like using budget reconciliation on such massive pieces of legislation is normal. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities congress has enacted 20 budget reconciliation bills since 1980. Almost all of these were for deficit reduction or for tax cuts. All directly related to the budget. Amendments to the ACA were passed through budget reconciliation as well, but most of the legislation was passed prior and I am sure the pieces passed through reconciliation had to affect the budget. Regardless, using budget reconciliation now for major pieces of legislation distorts its original purpose.
17
The longer this health insurance debate and media attention it gets goes on the worse it gets. For the Republicans! They've been at it now for close to 6 months and nothing but negative news is coming out from most of the media. Good that the Senate Democrats have a plan to try and stop this from going through. They deserve a lot of credit. 100% of them holding together.
I watched some interviews recently with some patients in southwest VA and a WV town that borders KY. Beyond sad, these people are desperate and are now beginning to see what the Republicans are trying to do with their ACA and Medicaid, mostly Medicaid. The Doctors and Nurse Practitioners were also interviewed and were most knowledgeable with Medicaid expansion (WV) and had good solutions to improving health care for those on the ACA and Medicaid. If only someone would listen to them!
And for the life of me I cannot understand Senator Paul and his ideological belief of no or minimal public health care insurance. He’s a “physician” and from KY, a state with serious health issues in the eastern part of the state, (coal country).
I watched some interviews recently with some patients in southwest VA and a WV town that borders KY. Beyond sad, these people are desperate and are now beginning to see what the Republicans are trying to do with their ACA and Medicaid, mostly Medicaid. The Doctors and Nurse Practitioners were also interviewed and were most knowledgeable with Medicaid expansion (WV) and had good solutions to improving health care for those on the ACA and Medicaid. If only someone would listen to them!
And for the life of me I cannot understand Senator Paul and his ideological belief of no or minimal public health care insurance. He’s a “physician” and from KY, a state with serious health issues in the eastern part of the state, (coal country).
132
What I don't get is why people in Kentucky, especially those in the poorer rural areas who most benefit from the ACA, voted for Rand Paul and Mitch McConnell.
7
Sen Paul is lying about why he doesn't support the bill. His outward puffery about "More taxes, more regulations, more spending, blah, blah, blah"
The real reason he doesn't support the bill is because 1/3 of his state uses Medicaid and he knows if he votes for this bill and it passes, he can kiss his seat in the senate Bye, Bye!
The real reason he doesn't support the bill is because 1/3 of his state uses Medicaid and he knows if he votes for this bill and it passes, he can kiss his seat in the senate Bye, Bye!
cherrylog754:
Senator Paul is increasingly a minority outlier among physicians: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucejapsen/2017/05/11/poll-doctors-hate-tr... . Keep in mind that no major medical or hospital organization (that I know of) supports repeal of the ACA: they all favor repair. There are plenty of other stories to be found confirming these impressions.
Senator Paul's views reflect elements of modern Republican theology: 1. tax breaks for the most affluent 2. basic health care should be considered neither a right or a public utility.
Senator Paul is increasingly a minority outlier among physicians: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brucejapsen/2017/05/11/poll-doctors-hate-tr... . Keep in mind that no major medical or hospital organization (that I know of) supports repeal of the ACA: they all favor repair. There are plenty of other stories to be found confirming these impressions.
Senator Paul's views reflect elements of modern Republican theology: 1. tax breaks for the most affluent 2. basic health care should be considered neither a right or a public utility.
Senate was envisioned by the founders of US constitution to be the deliberative body and set forth more stringent requirements to be elected to Senate. It must therefore consider the bills on all its merits before passing. Sometimes, these rules cut both ways - when one party is in power, the deliberation by the other party might be viewed as delay tactics. So be it, do not give up proper deliberations!
7
The Democrats cannot block a federal court ruling that the present method of funding Obamacare is unconstitutional. The Obama administration kept insurance providers in the Obamacare market by transferring billions of dollars from, from the Treasury to cover their losses, but a federal district court has ruled that these transfers are unconstitutional. District Court Judge Rosemary Collyer ruled that the Constitution says "No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law.” She said “Paying [those] reimbursements without an appropriation thus violates the Constitution. Congress is the only source for such an appropriation, and no public money can be spent without one." The ruling is on hold pending appeal, but it is s unlikely the Trump Justice Department will appeal and even less likely it will win if it does. Obamacare will collapse once the unconstitutional Treasury transfusion stops.
1
If that legal ruling is upheld it will surely give voters in every congressional district a chance to see if their representatives care about them having health insurance or only really care about huge tax cuts for the very, very rich, now won't it? How many of those Republican congressmen and women will refuse to appropriate the money for subsidies? This is really just a bit more make-work by courts that care much more about process than truth or justice, isn't it?
4
The Government should be responsible for ensuring health care coverage for all Americans — Period. Democrats Seize the Moment. Do not merely defend the Affordable Care Act but insist Medicare for all.
17
Great. Let's accelerate the destruction of Americans and create a void to be fill by the desperation of failed societies. Brilliant.
2
Universal healthcare. It works.
18
This statement it true.... not perfect... but it works.
I have Universal Healthcare in my country. I have never gone without care and never have paid a health care bill in my life. I am 56yrs old.
I have Universal Healthcare in my country. I have never gone without care and never have paid a health care bill in my life. I am 56yrs old.
3
all the republican have to is vote to change the rules and the democratic trying to stop health bill amounts to nothing.
If Republicans change the Senate rules then they would also suffer from those changes when they are the minority party. And passing McConnell's Trumpcare plan would get them into minority status faster and for longer than anything else in their agenda, wouldn't it?
1
I don't think the proposed Democratic actions will even be necessary: in the end, the pressure from home state constituents, governors, and interest groups, should be enough to prevent the Republicans from passing the bill. At least that's what I hope, but given that the Republicans have essentially zero legislative achievements, even though they control ALL levers of government, exposes their failure to lead on anything. At least on anything that a majority of Americans would ever support.
6
obama will be remembered as moving the democrats too far left of center
1
President Obama will be remembered as moving the Democrats too far right of center.
6
Baloney. Obama was a mediator more than a leader and a centrist far more than a liberal. That is why Obama embraced the Republican healthcare plan from the Heritage Foundation, the foundation of Romneycare in Mass that shows it can work very well, instead of Medicare for Everyone. Even on immigration President Obama publicly pleaded with the Republican Congress to please do their job and act. Even on ISIS he asked in vain for the Republican Congress to amend the act authorizing use of force against Al Qaeda (sp?) to include ISIS but they wouldn't, would they? And just so Republicans could attack him regardless of what action he took, wasn't It? From Obama's first day in office to his last wasn't he faced with relentless partisan attacks and refusal to cooperate on much of anything that he wished to accomplish for the good of our country?
14
By choosing greed and enormous tax severance for the richest among us, the GOP Congress has waged war on the health and welfare of the American people.
Make no mistake, tens of millions of patients will suffer, be bankrupted and die if the GOP wins the healthcare battle. We will lose more American lives than we have in every war we've ever fought, combined.
Make no mistake, tens of millions of patients will suffer, be bankrupted and die if the GOP wins the healthcare battle. We will lose more American lives than we have in every war we've ever fought, combined.
61
This could have been avoided had the Republicans realized they were in the majority, no longer needed to "Repeal and Replace" the Affordable Care Act and would benefit themselves and the nation by joining with Democrats to Repair and Improve the legislation.
Using the Senate rules to block Senator McConnell's Horrible Care Act is an act of mercy for the American people, among them many Trump supporters whom the Horrible Care Act would impoverish and sicken.
Using the Senate rules to block Senator McConnell's Horrible Care Act is an act of mercy for the American people, among them many Trump supporters whom the Horrible Care Act would impoverish and sicken.
11
McConnell's Horrible Care Act for the enrichment of insurers and the very rich would not only impoverish and sicken millions, it would also bankrupt and kill many, many more.
1
The Couldn't Care Less Act.
The media and the public can debate arcane Senate rules from now on; it doesn't matter. What's important here is that Mitch McConnell is desperate to repeal ObamaCare and has no scruples as to how he does it. This is nothing more than dressing up a corpse; the issue is which casket to put the body in.
Senate Majority Leader McConnell, and his confederate twin in the House, Speaker Paul Ryan, merely want to honor the promises they made to their campaign donors--the Koch Bottles, the shadow money, the Citizens United beneficiaries--by returning the taxes they've paid for the ACA to their offshore accounts. That countless millions of Americans face catastrophic illness or financial disaster as a result of the subsidies being deleted from McConnell's bill has nothing to do with Senate rules. Does anyone think No. 45 understands (or cares) about Senate rules? No; he wants a win and McConnell thinks that he can deliver, using the president's problems with his son, son-in-law and campaign manager as a diversion.
The ordinary citizen may not know or care about Senate rules; he and she do, however, realize when they're on the cattle car to the slaughterhouse. They know who's driving the train and even those who shine McConnell's shoes in the Senate, are uncertain as to how proceed. Their re-election bids depend upon how they line up on this "wanted, dead or alive: the American voter" bill that McConnell is so keen to see become law.
Rules don't matter if you're dead.
Senate Majority Leader McConnell, and his confederate twin in the House, Speaker Paul Ryan, merely want to honor the promises they made to their campaign donors--the Koch Bottles, the shadow money, the Citizens United beneficiaries--by returning the taxes they've paid for the ACA to their offshore accounts. That countless millions of Americans face catastrophic illness or financial disaster as a result of the subsidies being deleted from McConnell's bill has nothing to do with Senate rules. Does anyone think No. 45 understands (or cares) about Senate rules? No; he wants a win and McConnell thinks that he can deliver, using the president's problems with his son, son-in-law and campaign manager as a diversion.
The ordinary citizen may not know or care about Senate rules; he and she do, however, realize when they're on the cattle car to the slaughterhouse. They know who's driving the train and even those who shine McConnell's shoes in the Senate, are uncertain as to how proceed. Their re-election bids depend upon how they line up on this "wanted, dead or alive: the American voter" bill that McConnell is so keen to see become law.
Rules don't matter if you're dead.
21
Interesting how the Republicans were obstructionists, according to the media, when they opposed Obama but we don't hear that term applied to Dems now by that same media. Hmmm!
3
Maybe we ought to be a little more "interested" in the fact that millions of people could lose their health insurance.
Would it make you happy if the media said "Democrats are trying to *obstruct* the passage of a terrible bill that will result in millions losing their health care and tax reductions for the wealthiest Americans?"
If you're so worried about the alleged "liberal media" distorting things, then forget the NYT and check out what the Congressional Budget Office says about it later this week.
Would it make you happy if the media said "Democrats are trying to *obstruct* the passage of a terrible bill that will result in millions losing their health care and tax reductions for the wealthiest Americans?"
If you're so worried about the alleged "liberal media" distorting things, then forget the NYT and check out what the Congressional Budget Office says about it later this week.
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The GOP had the House and a Leader promising up front to obstruct all legislation. Hmm is right.
21
Not really....
Yes, by all means block block and block some more! It's for the good of the country. We cannot move forward on repeal & replace Obamacare nonsense until we hole JUST ONE MORE HEARING on Benghazi. Democrats must insist on another Benghazi hearing. We need this! We need to see what the republicans are hiding and are afraid of regarding Benghazi.
I heard from several unconfirmed and unreliable sources there was someone named Donald was involved in Benghazi. I'm not saying it's the president or his son or someone who looks like them, but by golly we need to get to the bottom of things!
I heard from several unconfirmed and unreliable sources there was someone named Donald was involved in Benghazi. I'm not saying it's the president or his son or someone who looks like them, but by golly we need to get to the bottom of things!
15
Several weeks back it was noted that at least 18,000 to 25,000 individuals will die as a result of the Republican Sponsored health care bills. Perhaps everyone who voted for these bills should be indicted for attempted murder !!
65
My fiancé is one of the millions who obtained insurance through the Medicaid expansion here in CA. If he loses his insurance, he will either suffer a massive stroke and be left an invalid or he will die. He has incredibly high blood pressure and without insurance he will not be able to see a doctor nor be able to fill his prescriptions. It scares the bejessus out of me and I wonder why the GOP has such distain the working, yes I said WORKING, poor! The GOP bill is the death panels of the future.
6
The number was much higher; 200,000+.
Meet the new bill - same as the old bill.
We won't get fooled again!
Senator Schumer, about to obstruct the King of Obstructionism. Payback's a . . .
We won't get fooled again!
Senator Schumer, about to obstruct the King of Obstructionism. Payback's a . . .
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Not only these provisions, but the entire "healthcare bill" is not, and should not, be construed as acceptable by the Parlamentarian. The reason for Reconciliation is for bills that provide funds for the government to run --not to change the laws, to modify past acts of Congress, or for affecting regulations.
All of that, the business of making laws, is what should be done either with a super-majority, to reflect the will of the People, or with bipartisanship --to also reflect the will of the People and to negotiate and find a balance.
America is being damaged every day when rules are bent to the extent that they become meaningless, and when might makes right. The Parlamentarian needs to send the entire bill back --let the GOP negotiate with the Dems, or let them win a supermajority in the mid-terms. The name of that game is Democracy.
All of that, the business of making laws, is what should be done either with a super-majority, to reflect the will of the People, or with bipartisanship --to also reflect the will of the People and to negotiate and find a balance.
America is being damaged every day when rules are bent to the extent that they become meaningless, and when might makes right. The Parlamentarian needs to send the entire bill back --let the GOP negotiate with the Dems, or let them win a supermajority in the mid-terms. The name of that game is Democracy.
93
Yoandel, that is how our democracy should work and how it used to work. Then came the Republican leaders uniting their party to vote as an obstructionist block with the very real threat that any who did not would be eliminated in the next party primary. It seems that very few Republicans in the Senate and even fewer in the House will work with Democrats on anything today. And it is largely due to the threats of secret money for character assassination and the impact even a few extremist party zealots can have against them, isn't It? Along with ever more consolidation of news sources and now even psychological warfare techniques being used to manipulate enough individual voters to sway elections if the story on the great Brexit robbery is accurate. I just hope we can teach enough people to use critical thinking skills to save our society from descent into authoritarianism.
1
Democrats are applying the Senate rules, not exploiting them. The Republicans are the ones exploiting the rules of the Senate, while flouting all norms, conventions, and morals.
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Wow, who would've thought that Rand Paul would make the new Senate Bill sound good! More taxes and subsidies, unfortunately for Republicans, are what will be necessary to get most Americans insured.
But what will be the actual function of this "Superfund"?
But what will be the actual function of this "Superfund"?
3
ToxicWaste Cleanup ?
That don't mean THAT fund, do they?
I question the planned parenthood cut for one year once it's gone its not coming. Susan and Lisa take note please. Those earning above 250,000 get a benefit those 75000 and under pay more. Thought this was middle class
Tax relief should be left for the tax bill not health care. Why does the GOP hae their voters??
Tax relief should be left for the tax bill not health care. Why does the GOP hae their voters??
23
”I have felt that is was likely is that all of the Republican Senators and Congress members will be put in a room, and their leaders will say something to the effect that: We are going to have a $600 billion tax cut with not one penny of it going to anyone who makes less than $250,000 per year, and you are giving us grief over things like how many or how few people are going to be uninsured and funding Planned Parenthood? When put that way all the Republicans will likely fall in line and the Republican Health care bill will pass both houses. However, differences within the Republican caucuses between those who feel the Republican replacement bill goes too far and those who feel it does not go far enough, could prove insurmountable.
A possible outcome could be that President Trump strikes a deal with Democrats where there is no cut in Obamacare spending, minor technical improvements and repeal of the taxes on high-income households that are used to finance Obamacare. Repeal of the Obamacare taxes on high-income households would be enough to get the support of most of, but not all of the Republican legislators. A bill that fully funds all present law Obamacare spending, and thus can be said not to take away health insurance from anyone, would be hard for many Democrats to oppose. If a combination of Republican Senators unable to resist a $600 billion tax cut with not one penny of it going to anyone who makes less than $250,000..."
https://seekingalpha.com/article/4084498
A possible outcome could be that President Trump strikes a deal with Democrats where there is no cut in Obamacare spending, minor technical improvements and repeal of the taxes on high-income households that are used to finance Obamacare. Repeal of the Obamacare taxes on high-income households would be enough to get the support of most of, but not all of the Republican legislators. A bill that fully funds all present law Obamacare spending, and thus can be said not to take away health insurance from anyone, would be hard for many Democrats to oppose. If a combination of Republican Senators unable to resist a $600 billion tax cut with not one penny of it going to anyone who makes less than $250,000..."
https://seekingalpha.com/article/4084498
Simple solution, change any and every rule that gets in the way of progress. Limit discussion of nominees in committee to say a half hour each. Do your job, vote!!! Get rid of the 60 vote requirement. Jam the change as much as needed.
Cause that Democracy thing just gets in the way of making the wealthy more prosperous? Explain how a nation of uninsured citizens is progress. Explain how a bill that has ratings in the sub basement is progress.
18
Turning back the clock is not "progress". The only "change" that can come from this bill is dooming more poor Americans to die from lack of health care.
12
Using/exploiting the rules in this situation is not simply a matter of partisan or political advantage. It is to the advantage of the millions of Americans who would suffer the consequences of the GOP bill.
The ACA is imperfect - just like every other major piece of progressive, "change"-oriented legislation. They are not/should not be cast in stone.
In fact, the most effective and curative change needed is to put in a public option, which was part of the original proposal. It was the failure to do so that has exacerbated things.
The ACA is imperfect - just like every other major piece of progressive, "change"-oriented legislation. They are not/should not be cast in stone.
In fact, the most effective and curative change needed is to put in a public option, which was part of the original proposal. It was the failure to do so that has exacerbated things.
246
Single payer. Expand Medicare to all. If you want better coverage, you buy the supplemental insurance. It isn't rocket science.
31
And exploiting arcane rules is to the disadvantage of the 10s of millions of Americans who are suffering under the ACA.
Let's see if we can reform Medicare/Medicaid and all the abuse that facilitates before we consider public options
Let's see if we can reform Medicare/Medicaid and all the abuse that facilitates before we consider public options
Republicans could address Medicare fraud but have refused to for years. I think because they want to bankrupt it faster as an excuse to get rid of it. Just like authorizing negotiated prices and passing a law that drugs and other healthcare items' manufacturers must not sell them for more here than the lowest price given to any other G20 nation or be liable for four times the amount of the difference. Similarly with Medicare Congress should immediately require no payments for new providers until they have had the local police verify the ID of the owner and the business's address, and then require that all payments must be made electronically to the business's account with a US bank or credit union. That little bit would stop a huge amount of Medicare fraud compared to the current requirement that all claims be paid within two weeks and much of the bogus claims going to phony businesses with no real place of business, wouldn't it? Yet I've proposed this for years and years but Congress does nothing at all. No discussions, no proposals, no debates, Nothing! All while hundreds of billions of dollars are wasted on fraud.
1