Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Republicans take aim at the poor first, repealing ObamaCare.

Many don't believe Republicans will be able to repeal ObamaCare right away because millions of people will lose their insurance. Don't you believe it, they're going to do it:
When the 115th Congress convenes in early January, they'll waste no time before launching  a vehicle to dismantle the Affordable Care Act ... through an expedited budget reconciliation process that requires a simple majority vote in the Senate. 

Republicans (plan) to strip funding for major parts of the healthcare law: 1. The cost-sharing subsidies.

2. Medicaid expansion. 

3. They will ax the mandate requiring people to enroll in health coverage as soon as possible. 
The cost-sharing subsidies help lower income people on the exchanges. Not only do individuals and families get a tax credit, which is also on the chopping block, but they also get help paying for co-pays and deductibles - that's the cost sharing part. Many ended up paying nothing.

Getting rid of cost sharing would be brutal:
Industry lobbying group America's Health Insurance Plans has warned against repealing the cost-sharing subsidies. It is unclear whether the GOP leaders plan to retain any key ACA provisions.  
It's also interesting to note:
A "repeal and delay" strategy that could leave up to 400,000 Wisconsinites without health insurance coverage. One federal health official from Wisconsin believes that even Trump voters will balk at going back to pre-ACA rules. As an interactive New York Times piece demonstrates, various ACA provisions play into each other in a way that makes it hard to eliminate some and keep others.

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