Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWAPO: It's not Obamacare anymore. It's our national health-care system.
Drew Altman is president and chief executive of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Larry Levitt is senior vice president of the Kaiser Foundation.Republicans failed to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act early Friday because of divisions within their own ranks, and because they tried not only to repeal and replace the ACA but also to cut and cap the Medicaid program, generating opposition from many red-state governors and their senators.
But most of all, they failed because they built their various plans on the false claim busted by the Congressional Budget Office that they could maintain the same coverage levels as the ACA and lower premiums and deductibles, while at the same time slashing about a trillion dollars from Medicaid and ACA subsidies and softening the ACAs consumer protection regulations. Had they succeeded, they would have won a big short-term victory with their base, which strongly supports repeal, but suffered the consequences in subsequent elections as the same voters lost coverage or were hit with higher premiums and deductibles.
The challenge now is to stabilize the ACAs insurance marketplaces. They are not in free fall or imploding, as President Trump suggests, and in most markets insurer profits have been improving. But these are fragile markets, especially in rural areas, and there are 38 bare counties where no insurer currently intends to participate in 2018. About 20 percent of marketplace enrollees have access to only one insurer, with the biggest problems in rural areas.
But most of all, they failed because they built their various plans on the false claim busted by the Congressional Budget Office that they could maintain the same coverage levels as the ACA and lower premiums and deductibles, while at the same time slashing about a trillion dollars from Medicaid and ACA subsidies and softening the ACAs consumer protection regulations. Had they succeeded, they would have won a big short-term victory with their base, which strongly supports repeal, but suffered the consequences in subsequent elections as the same voters lost coverage or were hit with higher premiums and deductibles.
The challenge now is to stabilize the ACAs insurance marketplaces. They are not in free fall or imploding, as President Trump suggests, and in most markets insurer profits have been improving. But these are fragile markets, especially in rural areas, and there are 38 bare counties where no insurer currently intends to participate in 2018. About 20 percent of marketplace enrollees have access to only one insurer, with the biggest problems in rural areas.
.....................................................................
But one thing is clear: 59 percent of the public says President Trump and the Republicans are now in control of government and are responsible for making the ACA work, and 74 percent says they should do what they can to make the law work.
Its apparent what needs to be done to stabilize the marketplaces and who owns the ACA going forward. Its no longer Obamacare; its now just the nations health insurance system.
Its apparent what needs to be done to stabilize the marketplaces and who owns the ACA going forward. Its no longer Obamacare; its now just the nations health insurance system.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/its-not-obamacare-anymore-its-our-national-health-care-system/2017/07/28/1a6583fe-73d3-11e7-9eac-d56bd5568db8_story.html
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
9 replies, 1404 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (18)
ReplyReply to this post
9 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
WAPO: It's not Obamacare anymore. It's our national health-care system. (Original Post)
ehrnst
Sep 2017
OP
JHan
(10,173 posts)1. cracking piece, great share ehrnst. K&R
ismnotwasm
(41,984 posts)3. Excellent
And thought-provoking
It is also possible as the smoke clears on the health-care battlefield that more states will want to move forward with Medicaid expansions, now that federal funding for those expansions appears secure. Red states will likely seek a conservative stamp on their expansions, adding elements such as work requirements, drug testing, premium payments, time limits or testing private insurance models. Some of these policies will be controversial, and others may stretch whats allowed under federal law too far. But some wrinkles will no doubt be necessary if Medicaid is to be expanded to the millions of people in the 19 holdout states.
Gothmog
(145,274 posts)4. The ACA is clearly working
Hortensis
(58,785 posts)5. ...74 percent says they should do what they can to make our national healthcare system work.
Good article, above all for its pointing out that this IS our national healthcare system and a whopping majority of Americans want it properly managed.
sheshe2
(83,772 posts)6. Excellent article, ehrnst.
"Its not Obamacare anymore. Its our national health-care system."
brer cat
(24,565 posts)8. I agree.
Excellent article, ehrnst. Thanks for sharing.