As we discussed in this space a week or so ago, the Supreme Court today is hearing the case of King v Burwell which, depending upon how the court decides, could fatally undercut the Affordable Care Act (aka “Obamacare”) by disallowing the subsidies upon which millions of low and middle income Americans depend to afford their health care insurance. Given that health care in this country is ridiculously expensive for the reasons we’ve already discussed, it seems fairly Grinchy to pull the rug out from under people who are now enjoying health insurance, many for the first time ...
But help is at hand, apparently, should the Supreme Court
decide the subsidies are illegal*!
“Republicans have a plan to protect
Americans harmed by the administration’s actions**.”
This is wonderful
news! Of course, it might have been even more wonderful had it been announced a
few years ago, in place of endless, useless votes to defund all or part of the
ACA, but hey! – they have a plan now!
“We would provide financial assistance to help Americans keep the
coverage they picked for a transitional period.”
The second part of the “plan” is this:
“We will give states the freedom and flexibility to create better, more
competitive health insurance markets offering more options and different
choices ... We have had many discussions with our Senate and House Republican
colleagues on this issue, and there is a great deal of consensus on how to
proceed. Many of our colleagues have good ideas, and we look forward to working
together.”
So I ask again ... what's the plan? And what makes Senators Hatch, Alexander, and Barrasso think that anyone other than the most die-hard conservatives will believe that their platitudes constitute a plan?
Sadly there's quite a bit of stupidity and gullibility in the American voting population ... perhaps just enough to carry the day. And then they can turn to the GOP and ask what the plan is.
Have a good day. More thoughts tomorrow.
Bilbo
* For a very good analysis of the legal issue, read this New York Times OpEd by Nicholas Bagley: Hello, Justices? It's Reality Calling.
** I assume they are referring to the incalculable harm done to millions of Americans who are now able to obtain affordable health care insurance.
*** The obvious solution is that they will just print the money and blame the Democrats for making it necessary for them to do so.
I don't expect straight answers from Washington. Never did.
ReplyDeleteLet me just say that from what I'm seeing among those who are too poor to afford expensive policies...even though they were able to get a low payment on a plan (which of course is being subsidized by the government), they are dropping the plans because they still can't afford them when other bills take priority. And they just go to the hospital emergency and run up a bill where they can't be refused care. I don't have the answer, but would hope something can be figured out among all those great minds in Congress..Dems and GOP
ReplyDeleteNational healthcare is the only true answer. If we can afford to kill innocent civilians in fake wars we can afford healthcare for our citizens.
ReplyDeleteWell said Bilbo. I also agree with Mike. A national system is needed. Doesn't every, or nearly every, industrialized country have one?
ReplyDeleteLeaving it to Congress means it won't get done.
ReplyDelete