Pirate's Cove

Donald Trump wants immediate repeal of Obamacare, and is pushing Congressional Republicans to do just that. Many of those Republicans are concerned and want a replacement bill, which is a pretty wise stance. The time to straight up cancel Ocare was the 2012 general election, before the majority of the law kicked in. Meanwhile, over the NY Times, we see

On Tuesday, Donald J. Trump said he wanted Congress to repeal the Affordable Care Act right away and replace it with a new plan “very shortly thereafter.” But before they abandon all the work that has gone into the health care law since 2010, President-elect Trump and Republicans in Congress owe Americans a detailed explanation of how they plan to replace it. They should not repeal the law until they have submitted their replacement proposal for analysis by nonpartisan authorities like the Congressional Budget Office and the Tax Policy Center to determine how it will affect health insurance coverage, state and federal finances and individual tax burdens.

Vague promises are not enough when we are considering enormous changes in this country’s $3 trillion medical economy. Here are seven important questions that Congress must answer about its replacement plan before repealing the Affordable Care Act:

Those questions are (hit the link for the details with each one)

1. How many millions of Americans will lose coverage?
2. Will people over 55 pay higher health premiums for the same coverage?
3. Will the new plan let insurers charge women higher premiums than men while offering them less coverage?
4. What other services are likely to be cut?
5. Will the new plan let insurers reinstate annual or lifetime limits on coverage?
6. What will happen to the more than 130 million Americans with pre-existing conditions?
7. Finally, how much more will those with costly illnesses or injuries have to pay in out-of-pocket costs?

They’re actually decent questions, even from a slightly left wing point of view. If only question #1 had been asked before the bill was passed. But, instead of vague promises, there were specific promises, such as

• Ocare will cover the 40-45 million Americans without health insurance
• “If you like your health care plan, you’ll be able to keep your health care plan, period.”
• “[T]hat means that no matter how we reform health care, we will keep this promise to the American people: If you like your doctor, you will be able to keep your doctor, period.”
• “In an Obama administration, we’ll lower premiums by up to $2,500 for a typical family per year.”
• “[F]or the 85 and 90 percent of Americans who already have health insurance, this thing’s already happened. And their only impact is that their insurance is stronger, better and more secure than it was before. Full stop. That’s it. They don’t have to worry about anything else.” (WT-all the mandates and requirements caused changes in everyone’s insurance)
• “Under my plan, no family making less than $250,000 a year will see any form of tax increase.” (there are 18 different taxes and fees and penalties, most of which hit the middle class)
• “I will not sign a plan that adds one dime to our deficits—either now or in the future.”
• “I will protect Medicare.” (spending for Medicare was cut)
• It will “bend the curve” of costs downward
• “You should know that once we have fully implemented, you’re going to be able to buy insurance through a pool so that you can get the same good rates as a group that if you’re an employee at a big company you can get right now — which means your premiums will go down.”
• “Under our plan, no federal dollars will be used to fund abortions, and federal conscience laws will remain in place.”
• “So this law means more choice, more competition, lower costs for millions of Americans.” (it stayed the same for everyone not in the Exchanges, and those in the Exchanges often have two or less providers)
• “The implementation of this is fabulous.” – Nancy Pelosi, right before billions and billions were spent to create websites that barely worked, if worked at all, and then people were kicked off their plans they liked and couldn’t see the doctor they liked.

You can read more on those specific promises and lies here, here, and here, among others. It was brought up with lies, passed with lies, and implemented with lies.

Unfortunately, it has wormed it’s Big Government tentacles deep into our $3 trillion medical economy, and, as much as some would like to just cancel it, there needs to be a method to make sure people who want health insurance can have affordable health insurance.

Crossed at Right Wing News.

Read: NY Times: Vague Promises On Repealing Ocare Just Not Enough Or Something »