Killing Obamacare easy to talk about, tougher to do
The august members of the U.S. Senate are learning something their counterparts in the House already know
Talking about repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act is one thing. Actually doing so is quite another.
For seven years, Republicans railed against the signature legislation of former President Barack Obama. The fact that the common reference to it is Obamacare only seemed to gall them that much more.
They took any number of votes to repeal the measure, then loudly proclaimed their actions.
Of course, it was for the most part a hollow gesture. That’s because they did so knowing full well that their actions were meaningless. They knew that no matter how many times they voted to overturn the ACA, President Obama was waiting there with his trusty pen ready to veto the action and they did not have the votes to override.
But last November that scenario was turned on its head when the nation elected a billionaire real estate tycoon and reality TV host to take up residence in the White House. Donald Trump loudly declared that one of his first actions would be to overturn Obamacare.
Knowing their votes now meant something, House members suddenly got cold feet. Local U.S. Reps. Pat Meehan, R-7, and Ryan Costello, R-6, who had initially voted in favor of moving the GOP plan out of their committees, announced they could not support the measure. The weekly protests outside their district offices might have had something to do with that.
Then it was the Senate’s turn. They had much the same experience.
It took a tie-breaking vote from Vice President Mike Pence to even move the Senate version out to the full floor.
Once there, it became apparent once again the measure did not have the support of the Republican majority.
Two versions went to votes. Both failed.
Thursday night into early Friday morning, the Senate mulled what was mockingly being called “skinny” health reform - a plan that would roll back Obamacare’s individual and employer mandates. Most senators had not seen the actual bill and didn’t know what was in it.
Even that effort failed, with Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain, recently diagnosed with brain cancer, ironically delivering the fatal vote against.
Here’s the real “skinny” on the health care battle:
Americans are divided on what to do about health care, but they should be united in this conclusion: The Senate Republicans’ manic approach to reforming a sector that represents one-sixth of the U.S. economy and determines life or death for millions of people was utterly craven and irresponsible.
No expert testimony. No public hearings. Not even a public draft of what was being considered, let alone an independent analysis.
This is how Republicans are going to determine how Americans get their health care? A 20hour free-for-all in which most Americans aren’t even sure what plan the Senate is debating — the House bill or some new version of the Senate bill, which, by the way, several GOP senators have said they won’t support?
Republicans had seven years to come up with an alternative, and they aren’t even close to something they can agree on.
As usual, President Trump’s remarks were wholly disconnected from reality: “I want to congratulate the American people, because we’re going to give you great health care.”
Really? Is this the version that takes away health insurance from 30 million people, or just 20 million?
Republican attempts to “repeal and replace” Obamacare have nothing to do with improving health care in the United States. Every plan presented has been designed to take away coverage for millions of Americans and send premiums soaring.
The GOP’s intent is, and always has been, to take the money that Obamacare has spent improving the health care of millions of low-income Americans and instead give it to the wealthy in the form of massive tax cuts.
If it were otherwise, Republicans would be touting health benefits their so-called improved plans provide. What do you hear about that? Nothing. Nada. Zilch.
Obamacare slowed the rate of health care spending, emphasized preventive care, added millions of Americans to the ranks of the insured, allowed parents to add their children to their insurance plans until they turned 26 and — this may have been the most welcome — prevented insurers from denying insurance to people with pre-existing conditions.
President Obama’s legislation passed after a year of debate involving health care experts, medical professionals and Republicans. It included countless public hearings in Washington and town hall meetings around the country.
What Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell presented was a farce, badly acted at that. They should be ashamed.
The GOP’s intent is, and always has been, to take the money that Obamacare has spent improving the health care of millions of low-income Americans and instead give it to the wealthy in the form of massive tax cuts.