So says the House Republican budget. Exactly what does that mean?
The fact is most, the vast majority of American families, are unaffected by Obamacare. Any federal law is a pain in the butt for employers with additional costs, administration and the unintended consequences on workers – Is ERISA after forty-years not working for America’s families and employers? Is Medicare not “working?”
In fact, it is too early to say Obamacare is working or not working (even if we had a good definition of that). America’s families that may be quick to jump on the Republican bandwagon better read the fine print whenever that may surface.
Clearly Obamacare is setting up a major national liability that will continue to grow much like Social Security and Medicare. It also creates dependency and reflects a massive wealth transfer. It adds unnecessary costs by supporting the notion somebody else should pay for basic care (contraceptives, “children” on parents coverage to age 26, etc.). It’s cost containment provisions are unproven and largely ignore the general non-Medicare population.
So, fix it!
To repeal the law at this point and start over with a so-called free market competitive model is beyond naive and is nothing more than pandering to an under-informed voter base. America’s families have yet to understand health insurance and the relationship between premiums and health care and lifestyle and costs.
Make what you will of it, but in countries around the world that have taken a more centralized approach in a variety of ways, the citizens generally like what they have, and are satisfied with their care. Their costs are no more out of control than ours and their health outcomes are no worse.
Republicans are barking up the wrong tree. They do not understand the American people or how health care is different from other goods and services and they are taking a short-sighted, politically motivated view.
In other words they are shooting themselves in the foot.
From Kaiser Health News
Most Americans Unaware Obamacare Subsidies Are At Risk
Despite months of news coverage, most people say they have heard little or nothing about a Supreme Court case that could eliminate subsidies helping millions of Americans afford coverage under the federal health law, according to a poll released Thursday.
But when respondents were told about the case, King v. Burwell, about two-thirds said that if the court strikes down the subsidies, then Congress or state officials should step in to restore them, according to a survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation. (KHN is an editorially independent program of the foundation.)
Majorities of Democrats (81 percent) and independents (67 percent) favor congressional action, while Republicans (56 percent) prefer Congress not act on the issue (with 39 percent favoring action). Over half of respondents said they were not confident Democrats and Republicans in Congress could work together on the issue.
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