What I like most about this CNN Politics headline of July 25, 2017, "The Republican health care strategy: Pass bill first, fix it later" is this. It is exactly what Nancy Pelosi said about ACA (aka Obamacare) on December 24, 2009. You must understand that ACA was passed using a "shell bill." So when the Democratic House got the Senate version of their H.R.3200 healthcare bill it was now known as H.R.3590 Amended¹. And they literally had no idea what was in it.
Obamacare would be impossible to fix. Its basis is 3 cheap insurance plans with deductibles of $6,000, $5,000 and $3,000. Subsidies of up to 100% of the cost of the premium are available for individuals and families earning up to 400% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) and Medicaid was expanded to include up to 138% of FPL. Those who buy a "Cadillac plan" are charged a 43% excise tax on their premium and those who don't get or buy insurance are fined. These are five good reasons why Obamacare cannot be "fixed."
Let's not forget "If you like you healthcare plan you can keep it." Well, not exactly. Your plan must meet "federal standards" and if you have a plan you did not buy through the Health Exchange you cannot deduct your premium costs from your income tax as you have in the past. That's a "biggie" for middle class or the 273 million Americans who had health insurance before Obamacare.
On the other hand, there is a tragic anger over the GOP Healthcare Plan. I say "tragic" because among all of the hate and disregard for the GOP bill I'm yet to hear the cons express any specifics or particulars within the bill with which they disagree. I've just pointed out specifics about Obamacare that are bad. What is "bad" about the GOP plan?
Oh yes! There is this noise that 20 million, no 23 million, no 24 million, its been creeping up, will be left uninsured in 10 years. This is according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). Yes. The same CBO that predicted that Obamacare would increase Medicaid enrollment by 5 million but it increased the enrollment by 23 million. The CBO also predicted the cost of ACA but they missed that too, by $583 million. Seems the Budget Office isn't too good at predicting healthcare budgets.
If that 23 million sounds familiar, it should. Medicaid Expansion enrolled 23 million under ACA and the CBO predicts that 23 million will lose insurance over 5 years. The CBO based their damning prediction only on Medicaid recipients. You see, Medicaid used to be split between the states and the federal government 50-50. ACA changed all that. Those states, 37 of them and D.C., accepting the Medicaid Expansion would be reimbursed 100% by the feds. Well, that was for the first 3 years. It dropped to 95% this year and will then continue forever at 90% reimbursement.
I saw two things wrong here. Those 37 states and D.C. being reimbursed 95-100% for Medicaid no longer have any significant cost for Medicaid but they are not returning to their citizens any portion of the millions in savings and, secondly, the states no longer have any rights to design a healthcare plan of their own, which was actually guaranteed to them by our Constitution.
Obamacare would be impossible to fix. Its basis is 3 cheap insurance plans with deductibles of $6,000, $5,000 and $3,000. Subsidies of up to 100% of the cost of the premium are available for individuals and families earning up to 400% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) and Medicaid was expanded to include up to 138% of FPL. Those who buy a "Cadillac plan" are charged a 43% excise tax on their premium and those who don't get or buy insurance are fined. These are five good reasons why Obamacare cannot be "fixed."
Let's not forget "If you like you healthcare plan you can keep it." Well, not exactly. Your plan must meet "federal standards" and if you have a plan you did not buy through the Health Exchange you cannot deduct your premium costs from your income tax as you have in the past. That's a "biggie" for middle class or the 273 million Americans who had health insurance before Obamacare.
On the other hand, there is a tragic anger over the GOP Healthcare Plan. I say "tragic" because among all of the hate and disregard for the GOP bill I'm yet to hear the cons express any specifics or particulars within the bill with which they disagree. I've just pointed out specifics about Obamacare that are bad. What is "bad" about the GOP plan?
Oh yes! There is this noise that 20 million, no 23 million, no 24 million, its been creeping up, will be left uninsured in 10 years. This is according to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). Yes. The same CBO that predicted that Obamacare would increase Medicaid enrollment by 5 million but it increased the enrollment by 23 million. The CBO also predicted the cost of ACA but they missed that too, by $583 million. Seems the Budget Office isn't too good at predicting healthcare budgets.
If that 23 million sounds familiar, it should. Medicaid Expansion enrolled 23 million under ACA and the CBO predicts that 23 million will lose insurance over 5 years. The CBO based their damning prediction only on Medicaid recipients. You see, Medicaid used to be split between the states and the federal government 50-50. ACA changed all that. Those states, 37 of them and D.C., accepting the Medicaid Expansion would be reimbursed 100% by the feds. Well, that was for the first 3 years. It dropped to 95% this year and will then continue forever at 90% reimbursement.
I saw two things wrong here. Those 37 states and D.C. being reimbursed 95-100% for Medicaid no longer have any significant cost for Medicaid but they are not returning to their citizens any portion of the millions in savings and, secondly, the states no longer have any rights to design a healthcare plan of their own, which was actually guaranteed to them by our Constitution.
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