Friday, January 27, 2017 5:56:07 PM
[.. As expected ..] Repeal and Replace in Name Only
The GOP's Obamacare replacement will look a lot like Obamacare.
By Dean Clancy | Contributor
Jan. 26, 2017, at 4:35 p.m.
In congressional testimony this week, Health and Human Services secretary-designate Tom Price made some sweeping promises regarding the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, that, when viewed in the light of his boss President Donald Trump's even bolder promises, point to a startling realization: The new administration plans to fix the health care law, rather than repeal and replace it. Oh, they'll call whatever they do "repeal and replace," but it will amount to "retain and repair."
After seven years of demanding repeal, Republicans are finally in a position to do something, but they still have not settled on an Obamacare replacement. Whatever it is, though, it'll be "terrific" – and probably look a lot like Obamacare.
To hear Price and his boss tell it, their forthcoming Obamacare-repeal bill (Trump, if anyone has forgotten, has promised .. https://www.donaldjtrump.com/positions/healthcare-reform .. to "completely repeal Obamacare") will hurt no one, their "replace" bill will guarantee access to everyone, health care costs will come tumbling down and every little girl will have a pony.
When asked what will happen to Medicaid enrollees whose coverage would be yanked in a "complete" repeal, Price told the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, "We must absolutely ensure that individuals do not fall through the cracks in whatever transition occurs." Going further, Price vowed Trumpcare will guarantee "universal access" (a less sweeping promise .. http://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2017-01-15/the-latest-white-house-urges-trump-to-mend-ties-with-lewis .. than Trump's "insurance for everybody" and his assertion we'll be "beautifully covered"). "What I commit to the American people," Price informed the Senate Finance Committee, "is … making certain every single American has access to affordable health coverage."
RELATED CONTENT
Women and Children Need the ACA
http://www.usnews.com/opinion/policy-dose/articles/2017-01-23/donald-trumps-obamacare-politics-risk-health-care-for-women-and-children
Rolling back health care gains will be devastating to American families.
That phrase, "has access to," caused Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont Democrat, to scoff: "'Has access to' does not mean that they are guaranteed health care. I have access to buying a $10 million home. I don't have the money to do that."
Price's compassionate-sounding promises won't be easy to keep. They require the support of at least eight Senate Democrats, which is not, apparently, forthcoming. Currently the GOP has a bare majority in the Senate (52 votes), but not the three-fifths majority (60 votes) required for most legislation in that chamber. So without Democrats, Republicans are stuck.
Or are they? It turns out there is one path, though it's a bit rocky. They can use the special parliamentary procedure known as "budget reconciliation" to repeal some, but not all, of Obamacare. Importantly, that procedure, which forestalls filibusters and requires only 51 votes to pass a bill, can only be used for passing or repealing things that clearly affect the deficit. It does not allow for repeal of the entire Affordable Care Act, nor for passage of nonbudgetary reforms. Which is why, in the light of Price's and Trump's promises, my money is on congressional Republicans ultimately fixing rather than replacing Obamacare.
Republicans can repeal some things through reconciliation – Medicaid expansion; premium and cost-sharing subsidies for people who buy their insurance through the government exchanges; various taxes that help fund those subsidies; tax penalties that enforce the mandate on individuals to buy coverage; and tax penalties that enforce the mandate on employers to offer coverage.
[.. another irresponsible Trump campaign vote-grabbing 'promise' trashed .. ]
CARTOON GALLERY .. [one of]
http://www.usnews.com/opinion/policy-dose/articles/2017-01-26/why-trump-and-the-gop-wont-repeal-and-replace-obamacare
See also:
How repealing Obamacare could change millions of lives
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=127601329
Paul Ryan Is Planning a Revolution, and It Starts in January
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=125640069
Senate Republicans just introduced an Obamacare repeal plan Democrats can’t stop
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=127598594
+ one re gerrymandering .. http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=127772973
The GOP's Obamacare replacement will look a lot like Obamacare.
By Dean Clancy | Contributor
Jan. 26, 2017, at 4:35 p.m.
In congressional testimony this week, Health and Human Services secretary-designate Tom Price made some sweeping promises regarding the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, that, when viewed in the light of his boss President Donald Trump's even bolder promises, point to a startling realization: The new administration plans to fix the health care law, rather than repeal and replace it. Oh, they'll call whatever they do "repeal and replace," but it will amount to "retain and repair."
After seven years of demanding repeal, Republicans are finally in a position to do something, but they still have not settled on an Obamacare replacement. Whatever it is, though, it'll be "terrific" – and probably look a lot like Obamacare.
To hear Price and his boss tell it, their forthcoming Obamacare-repeal bill (Trump, if anyone has forgotten, has promised .. https://www.donaldjtrump.com/positions/healthcare-reform .. to "completely repeal Obamacare") will hurt no one, their "replace" bill will guarantee access to everyone, health care costs will come tumbling down and every little girl will have a pony.
When asked what will happen to Medicaid enrollees whose coverage would be yanked in a "complete" repeal, Price told the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, "We must absolutely ensure that individuals do not fall through the cracks in whatever transition occurs." Going further, Price vowed Trumpcare will guarantee "universal access" (a less sweeping promise .. http://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2017-01-15/the-latest-white-house-urges-trump-to-mend-ties-with-lewis .. than Trump's "insurance for everybody" and his assertion we'll be "beautifully covered"). "What I commit to the American people," Price informed the Senate Finance Committee, "is … making certain every single American has access to affordable health coverage."
RELATED CONTENT
Women and Children Need the ACA
http://www.usnews.com/opinion/policy-dose/articles/2017-01-23/donald-trumps-obamacare-politics-risk-health-care-for-women-and-children
Rolling back health care gains will be devastating to American families.
That phrase, "has access to," caused Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont Democrat, to scoff: "'Has access to' does not mean that they are guaranteed health care. I have access to buying a $10 million home. I don't have the money to do that."
Price's compassionate-sounding promises won't be easy to keep. They require the support of at least eight Senate Democrats, which is not, apparently, forthcoming. Currently the GOP has a bare majority in the Senate (52 votes), but not the three-fifths majority (60 votes) required for most legislation in that chamber. So without Democrats, Republicans are stuck.
Or are they? It turns out there is one path, though it's a bit rocky. They can use the special parliamentary procedure known as "budget reconciliation" to repeal some, but not all, of Obamacare. Importantly, that procedure, which forestalls filibusters and requires only 51 votes to pass a bill, can only be used for passing or repealing things that clearly affect the deficit. It does not allow for repeal of the entire Affordable Care Act, nor for passage of nonbudgetary reforms. Which is why, in the light of Price's and Trump's promises, my money is on congressional Republicans ultimately fixing rather than replacing Obamacare.
Republicans can repeal some things through reconciliation – Medicaid expansion; premium and cost-sharing subsidies for people who buy their insurance through the government exchanges; various taxes that help fund those subsidies; tax penalties that enforce the mandate on individuals to buy coverage; and tax penalties that enforce the mandate on employers to offer coverage.
[.. another irresponsible Trump campaign vote-grabbing 'promise' trashed .. ]
CARTOON GALLERY .. [one of]
http://www.usnews.com/opinion/policy-dose/articles/2017-01-26/why-trump-and-the-gop-wont-repeal-and-replace-obamacare
See also:
How repealing Obamacare could change millions of lives
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=127601329
Paul Ryan Is Planning a Revolution, and It Starts in January
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=125640069
Senate Republicans just introduced an Obamacare repeal plan Democrats can’t stop
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=127598594
+ one re gerrymandering .. http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=127772973
It was Plato who said, “He, O men, is the wisest, who like Socrates, knows that his wisdom is in truth worth nothing”
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