GOP Health Care Debacle

The GOP worked on a plan for health insurance to replace the Affordable Care Act known as Obamacare. They didn’t repeal Obamacare and they didn’t replace it with anything new.

There are reasons why they’ve been promising to repeal Obamacare. The first reason was because it was the government requiring American’s to buy a product that they may not need. For instance, when Obamacare came into existence, I was 53 years old. It required that I have coverage for having a baby. I am unaware of any man in history being pregnant. I’m not married so there is no fertile wife to cover and I’m not going to get pregnant, but even if I did I wouldn’t need the pregnancy coverage because I’d make so much money being a male that gets pregnant that I could pay cash for anything I did.

I’m sure you also all remember that Jonathan Gruber who is the architect of Obamacare was caught on tape about the entire thing being a lie that they’d get away with because the American people were basically stupid. Of course, there’s the ones we always hear about. If you like your doctor you can keep your doctor, or if you like your plan, you can keep your plan. Both proven untrue.

The reason that more people have coverage now that didn’t have it before is because the government requires all to buy insurance or pay a penalty. Since the government pays for the bulk of the premiums for those that could never afford it before, it’s easy for them to have coverage. Of course, the premiums are paid from taxes collected which means we’re all buying their coverage.

However, just because they have the coverage, doesn’t mean they get care. Their deductibles are $6,000, or $8,000 or $10,000 before their coverage kicks in. So their premiums are paid by us and they can’t afford the deductible so while they have the coverage, they can’t use it because they can’t afford the deductible. Remember the report that came out recently saying that most barely had $1,000 saved? If you don't have the amount needed to pay the deductible, what good does it do to have the health care? You have a policy but you can't do anything with it. Of course, since others are paying for it, it doesn't hurt them at all. 

The Obamacare plan had obstacles mentioned here before. The passing of Senator Kennedy and subsequent election of Scott Brown to that seat, but also a group of pro-life Democrats led by Michigan Congressman Bart Stupak who didn’t want Obamacare funding abortion. An executive order signed by Obama removed that obstacle and the law was passed and signed.

If the GOP really wants to repeal Obamacare, they need to first lay out their objectives. If I were a Congressman, I would not agree to sign any bill that requires Americans to buy anything, nor to pay a penalty for not buying. That only removes freedoms. They should also allow companies to sell across state lines. Remove the restrictions on borders and competition will be opened up which will lower costs.

They can repeal Obamacare effective by a certain date. For instance, they could say that nobody loses coverage for one year. They have one year to get coverage somewhere else and they are guaranteed to get the coverage if they have coverage now.

That would give the insurance companies one year to create plans. If they create plans within 6 months, you could change your plan to a new one as soon as it’s made available or you can take until that last minute to change if you like. But Obamacare would end on a certain date and it’s up to the people to get their coverage in the time frame given.

Once they’ve laid out their plan, make it public so that we can see it before they vote on it. We can then give our feedback and they can make any adjustments if needed.

There is one other thing that the Republicans need to learn and learn fast. While these things are in the planning stage, they should shut up. Senator Rand Paul, Senator John McCain and Representative Justin Amash have not been an asset to the GOP nor themselves. Rand Paul has been claiming he’d not vote for it before it even got on paper. McCain is a special case. He mouths off on anything and everything without knowing everything there is to know. Justin Amash has nothing to say except being negative. You only hear his name when he’s complaining. The GOP doesn’t need these bad apples mouthing off to the press each time the media turns the lights anywhere near them.

McCain in particular is acting like he did when Bush was President. I wonder how long before people start wondering if he’s going to change parties as he nearly did when Bush was President.

The GOP needs to get its act together and start taking charge and quit worrying about the media. The media will never be a friend to them. They should quit hoping and take charge of their message that they want to get out and not allow the media to talk over them.

They seem to have just given up on health care now. If they think that giving up is going to help them, they’re very wrong. They made a promise to repeal Obamacare, they’d better do it. It’s not going to get any easier with them moving as they say to tax reform. I guarantee you that the press is going to be badgering them about how they will “pay for the tax cuts”. Tax cuts don’t need to be paid for. Tax cuts create more economic activity which increases income to the various entities and people, which will increase the taxes coming in even at the lower rates. But they’ll likely get sucked into that because they aren’t taking charge of the issue.

You’re welcome to comment.

Brett