What the Republican Health Care Plan Doesn't Do

My answers follow each Republican reform point....

NPR.org:
"None of the Republican proposals include an insurance mandate:" If you don't have a large pool of participants, you can't keep cost down and spread the risk. Plus, it allowed some to freeload off everyone who does have coverage.

"Tax credits to help the uninsured buy coverage:" The tax credits aren't adjusted to inflation and are too small to make premiums affordable. Plus, the government is redistributing taxpayer money, a no-no for Republicans isn't it?

"Medical malpractice damage award caps:" Blame the victim and their legal representative. It does nothing to prevent the 90,000 medical errors each year, resulting in malpractice lawsuits. It's backward.

"Special pools to help those with pre-existing conditions get insurance:" These are high cost plans paid for by taxpayers.

Summation:

"Many analysts say most of the Republican bills simply wouldn't do all that much to change the situation. 'This is not anything but window dressing on the gaping problem we have with the uninsured and the serious problem of cost growth. This is not gonna solve the problem,' says Len Nichols of the New America Foundation, which works with Democrats and Republicans."

"I think they're (Republicans) trapped in a cul-de-sac of their own making. They really do have a problem in that no serious solution to our health system's problems can be concocted without some more government involvement," Nichols says.

One more thing: TORT REFORM:

AP: Family health care premiums rose about 4 1/2 times faster than earnings for Texas workers from 2000 through 2009, family health insurance premiums rose by about 92 percent while median earnings rose by about 20 percent during the 10-year period. the average annual health insurance premium in the 2000-2009 period for family health coverage provided in the workplace rose from $6,638 to $12,721: It doesn't look like tort reform lowered premiums in Texas, does it?