It’s hard to find a good defense–or any defense, for that matter–of the planned revisions to the Affordable Care Act currently being mulled by the U.S. Senate, and we learned late Tuesday there will be no vote this week. The bill’s origins in the House were rushed and marginally liked, so its current path shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. Despite a Senate majority, this patchwork of tax exemptions that benefit a few people at the expense of tens of millions isn’t being well received by some within the party.
As a person with sympathy with some Republican causes, the concept of “repeal and replace Obamacare” is something I could defend. By my personal interpretation, the Affordable Care Act was a convoluted way of manipulating tax law to influence how Americans interact with an industry that impacts a huge chunk of the national economy. During my time under a health insurance plan offered under the Healthcare Marketplace, I never went to a doctor’s office; I did have conversations with accountants, IRS representatives, and Blue Cross customer service on several occasions.
The 143 pages released by Sen. Mitch McConnell is updated language to a law that is being neither repealed nor replaced. The proposal makes changes to our interaction with healthcare through insurance. While I’m no healthcare expert, I have a hard time believing a politician of any political party who says healthcare can be addressed by amending tax laws.
M. Dean Smith comments on C-SPAN’s “Washington Journal” – June 28, 2017
Since I failed to clearly answer in my call to C-SPAN this morning what I meant by the “Democratic plan” to address healthcare, I’ll answer it here. Yes, I believe the Democrat’s answer to the current Republican plan is “if it ain’t too broke, don’t fix it.” While Democrats–both in office and voters–are obviously frustrated with their opposition’s plans to address the issue, their Republican counterparts seem to be offering little input into the conversation. Yes, we know that Obamacare sucks, that he back-peddled on several key points, and that your premiums have risen. On the opposite side of that Obamacare coin, however, are millions of people who suddenly had insurance–and therefore healthcare–once the ACA was implemented.
The healthcare system we have now was heavily debated for nearly two years before implementation. Since 2010, millions on all sides of the political aisle have grumbled about the law and shown good evidence supporting their arguments. All of us can see what is not working, but the leaders on whom we rely for finding improvements have failed us for seven years.
To anyone continuing to defend your Republican representation in Washington, I ask what it will take for them to lose your support. Hopefully it comes before another seven years of inaction, because you and I will be broke by then.