Are we being coaxed into another SNAFU?
There was a lot of noise yesterday from all corners about House passage of the American Health Care Act, (AHCA) a health insurance bill which we decline to refer to as a repeal and replace of Obamacare. Presumptions inculcated by Obamacare remain intact. To the extent that we are able to decipher from reports, it does give states a larger role, allows for cross state lines sales of policies and that individual mandates, rather than enforced by fines, are incentivized.
The GOP House and Trump administration tried a tack of almost triumphalism or bandwagoneering to claim they have performed their promise to “repeal and replace” and probably also in an effort to get the Senate to get on board, post haste. They no doubt felt the heat to “do something” “get your act together.” Unfortunately they may have taken that to mean do some tweaking, add some window-dressing and rearrange the chairs. We will see as more substantial analysis comes out.
The liberal caterwauling has been knee jerk and hypocritical, asserting without substantiation or admission of compensating factors that some will be adversely impacted. Of course they never mention how devastating the effects of Obamacare has actually been on affordability and availability to many more. Nor do they mention Obamacare’s devastating effect on employment opportunities.
Guy Benson writing at Townhall sets forth some sketchy features that will help readers get a flavor of the House bill (soon to be changed by the Senate no doubt). Reading the “features” we still get the impression of overly complicated mishmash and phase-ins that will also inhibit substantial tax code reform (de-complication) as key elements remain tethered to that. Benson mentions some useful amendments that certain Republican Senators are poised to pursue.
BREAKING: House Narrowly Passes Healthcare Bill — Here’s What You Need to Know
Benson mentions in one subheading of his review PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS that the House bill requires states must comply with Obamacare’s categories of “essential health benefits,” We hope that does not mean what it implies.
So much of these GOP “leadership” bills seem to be aimed at garnering support from media and Democrats that will never happen. It won’t happen so they can blame Republicans. And Republicans, because they inculcate concessions and compromises that continue the unsustainability of the whole thing, will get blamed. We hope we are wrong.
R Mall
