Why, No, The GOP Hasn’t Given Up On “Repeal And Replace”

It’s just been very hard to do, considering that the GOP doesn’t control the Senate nor the White House. The Republican Party is going to have to get control of those two in 2012 in order to affect a full repeal and replace

More than four months after their triumphant vote to scrap the Democrats’ healthcare reform law, House Republicans have yet to fulfill the second part of their campaign pledge to “repeal and replace” the legislation.

Republicans say healthcare has taken a back seat to issues like the debt ceiling and Medicare reform but stress that they have a number of reform proposals up their sleeve.

“Our focus right now is on repealing all of ‘Obamacare’ and pieces of it where we can,” said Rep. John Kline [R-Minn.], the chairman of the Education and Workforce Committee, one of three panels with jurisdiction over the health policy. “And then we’re working on spurring the economy and getting America back to work with jobs.

“The replacement pieces for healthcare are still on the table,” Kline said, “but we’re not pushing them right now because we’ve got a full plate with other stuff.”

We knew this would be difficult without full control. Even if the GOP had taken the Senate, Senator Half Term Obama would still have vetoed the legislation. The latest Rasumssen poll has repeal favored by 51%, and 47% say Obamacare will be bad for the country.

Rep. Phil Roe (R-Tenn.), the chairman of the Education and Workforce health subcommittee, said the conservative Republican Study Committee is working on a half-dozen bills aimed at creating a “market-based approach to healthcare.”

The proposals include: medical malpractice reform; expanding health savings accounts that put consumers in charge of their healthcare spending; allowing health insurance to be sold across state lines; strengthening association health plans that are sold to individuals and small businesses; and promoting disease management programs.

Until full control, the GOP will have to nibble nibble nibble. And one of the big ones that should be up for a vote soon will be to allow health insurance sales across state lines, which would also remove some of the idiotic mandates some states require

For example, 12 states require health plans to cover acupuncture services, said Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R, Tenn.), lead sponsor of the interstate insurance measure, known as the Health Care Choice Act of 2011. Residents in those states who feel they don’t need such coverage theoretically could find cheaper plans in states without the acupuncture mandate.

“This bill would give consumers the option of buying health insurance that meets their needs and is right for them — even if that means buying a policy that is qualified in another state,” Blackburn said during a May 25 House Energy and Commerce health subcommittee hearing on the bill. The measure, like nearly all of the GOP health reform repeal-and-replace measures, is unlikely to be adopted by the Democratic-controlled Senate or signed by President Obama. The House Energy and Commerce Committee adopted a similar bill in 2005.

Remember, the original idea by the Democrats was to simply make health insurance available to the 30-45 million American’s without health insurance, and to lower insurance costs. Over the 8 months the Democrats spent ignoring the economy, the idea moved from something simple to the massive, bloated 2,000+ legislation and life intrusion it now is. Of course, the Democrats never had ideas that would work in the first place. That said, if the Democrats really want to lower costs and expand insurance coverage, then the GOP needs to get out and call the Democrats, and Obama, out if they fail to vote for the Health Care Choice Act of 2011 (gotta love the inclusion of the word “choice,” too).

Crossed at Right Wing News and Stop The ACLU.

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6 Responses to “Why, No, The GOP Hasn’t Given Up On “Repeal And Replace””

  1. mojo says:

    WHAT??! No Crystal or Aroma Therapy?

    BARBARIANS!

  2. david7134 says:

    Easiest way to reduce the cost of health care—get the government out.

    In the 80’s, cost were reasonable, but the government came in and they went out the roof. Still continue to climb. Ever ask why they go up? Try the fact that Medicare and Medicaid do not come close to paying their share, thus it is passed along.

  3. captainfish says:

    Over the 8 months the Democrats spent ignoring the economy

    Try 2 years. And no budget for a year and a half. Funny how we have not heard a wimper from them or the media about debt ceilings, defaulting or lack of a budget lately.

    Also, if the excuse for not voting for full repeal is that the Liberal Socialists will veto anything the Conservatives put up, then why even bother with the small stuff? They will just veto that as well!!

    Get the big stuff up there and force them to veto it. Get them to put their sigs down on a vote.. ESPECIALLY before the 2012 election cycle. Force ALL the libs to show their hand and be held accountable to it.

    This piddly-ass half-way crap is nothing but the same-old Congress crap we’ve had before.

    You can’t fix what’s about to blow up with a needle and a short stretch of thread. You need to either let it blow up or bring out the huge firehose!!

    These people piss me off!!

  4. david7134 says:

    cf,
    Good points. I am beginning to believe that the election process has stopped working. Both parties only jockey for political position, but not to help us, only to enrich themselves or maintain power.

    I am thinking that if the economy keeps coming apart, then we can expect people to begin to really hurt and start the revolution that is getting closer every day.

    I have patients that are not keeping their appointments because of the co-pay, generally about $25. Others will not buy a medication because of a cash pay of about $5 to $10.

    This just can’t last much longer.

  5. captainfish says:

    Quote:
    I have patients that are not keeping their appointments because of the co-pay, generally about $25. Others will not buy a medication because of a cash pay of about $5 to $10.

    This just can’t last much longer.

    What are you saying? That your patients can’t afford $5-$25 or are refusing to pay it because of their antipathy towards their Health Insurance? Why make an appt if you aren’t going to keep it? If you can’t afford the copay, then you probably qualify for welfare anyway.

    So, I don’t understand.

  6. david7134 says:

    CF,
    You hit the nail on the head. Most people don’t understand health care. Patients do not make appointments based on need. They make them every 6 months to one year. Remember what I have said in the past on getting rid of drug laws. That is what makes these people have to return to the doctor. I consider the visit useless. If we did away with the concept we would only need about 50% of the doctors.

    As to money and welfare, it doesn’t work that way. There are a large number of people considered working poor. Then there are the older folks that have too much saving to be on welfare. The fact is that people are getting hit hard by the big O and his policies.

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