Smashing the GOP's Fake "Patient Centered" Health Care Plan

Since the Supreme Court decision came out, I've been hearing a few ridiculous talking points about the mysterious Republican health care scheme.

Rand Paul laid each point clearing in a Fox News interview today. I'm pretty sure Paul's plan will be the official GOP position now through the presidential election. Each of the following issues were repeated over and over by all the Fox News pundits. Starting with the most bizarre:

1. Can't choose your own Doctor? (Full disclosure, I'm insured through the marketplace, so I have some working knowledge of process) I have no idea what Rand Paul is talking about. Paul claims we can't choose our own doctors. That's odd, because I have a giant insurance booklet with a huge choice of doctors. This is the most repeated talking too. If anyone reading this was not allowed to choose their doctor, let me know immediately in the comments section. Personally, it takes balls to say something this ridiculously untrue. I'm assuming Paul wants to reach people who get employer coverage, so they won't know how outrageous this lie is.



2. Buy Less Expensive Insurance Plan? Paul is pushing the old standby that allows Americans to buy what they can afford. No broad coverage and no economic security, especially if you get the one disease or broken bone you weren't insured for. You still pay a premium, a monster deductible, and receive a double digit increase in your premium the next year. But you have coverage...kinda. It's a junk policy. Oh, and health savings accounts not only have huge deductibles, but no one I know has ever had much money in their account. They gambled like me. Plus, there's a cap on what you can deduct on your taxes.What a deal, and what a rip off:



3. ObamaCare Deductibles are Too High, Subsidies Suck: Back to HSA's above. Rand Paul is making the case against subsidies, believe it or not. This is so incredibly insulting. The GOP came up with high deductible HSA plans so people had "skin in the game," and they wouldn't make unnecessary trips to the doctor or get too many tests. Now that it's a part of the exchanges, they hate high deductibles (you can choose a lower deductible on the exchange). Paul is saying the subsidy is too small anyway compared to what you might have to pay as your deductible. So get rid of the exchanges and subsidies.

Paul's own "reform" plan has high deductibles, so Paul either doesn't know what he's talking about, or he's flat out lying.

One more thing: If you don't use your insurance, the subsidy is a blessing. And you get free checkups, and depending on your plan, lab tests and x-rays:



Here's Fox News using Rand Paul's talking points. Once you understand what all this really means, it would be laughable if it weren't so stunning:

"Individuals, small business owners, we do not have a choice any longer. You have to buy into this, you have to accept the price they're gonna tell you you're going to pay, you have to accept the deductible, you can't choose your own doctor..."

None of that is true. It doesn't even sound like it could be true.