Another tax cut for the wealthy

Re “Republicans split over Obamacare replacement plan,” March 8

The Republicans gained control of Congress and presidency partly based on their campaign promise to repeal and replace the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

President Obama and the Democrats passed the law in 2010 to try to cover most of the nearly 50 million Americans who lacked insurance at the time. They also wanted to slow the increase in healthcare costs and improve the actual delivery of care for all Americans.

They succeeded in getting more than 20 million more people insured and nudged 5 million more to sign up at work. They improved the process of delivering care while restraining costs. They raised enough taxes to pay for it.

The GOP plan does not set out to cover the remaining uninsured, but it would reduce taxes on the richest Americans. In other words, the Republicans want to cut taxes on the wealthy. Again.

Ben Tenn

Northridge

Democrats take great pride in reducing the number of uninsured people — but in California, most of that coverage came from Medi-Cal. If California wants huge Medi-Cal rolls, why should the rest of the country help pay for that?

Obama attempted to convert the insurance industry into a utility; choice was reduced and costs have increased. His long game was for the United States to have a single-payer system, and the American people — at least those who live away from the coasts —rebelled.

As a small-business owner, my insurance coverage costs have increased dramatically, and I have also suffered with huge deductibles and copays. Obamacare failed smallbusiness owners years ago, and it is only getting worse.

The Republicans will have a very difficult time not making improvements on Obamacare.

Dan Dreblow

Big Bear City, Calif.

Three important issues regarding healthcare in the U.S. do not seem to be part of the dialogue.

First, having much of the care in this country delivered via employerprovided insurance is completely unworkable in this modern day of contract workers, part-time employees, self-employed workers and the significant numbers of those who can’t pay even for employersponsored plans.

Second, employers’ resources are stretched because they have to serve as healthcare administrators, yet few in the business community aside from small-businesses owners ask to be relieved of this burden. I would think Republicans would be all over this opportunity, but they’re strangely silent on the subject.

Third, the health insurance companies are the elephant in the room, having made huge profits under Obamacare and salivating to make more under the new plan, whatever it is.

Mary Jeanne Hawes

Newport Beach