Vox’s Sara Kliff thinks she has caught out Senate Republicans doing something nefarious. What’s she has unintentionally pointed out is worse, at least for those who have been voting Republican
Senate Republicans exempt own health coverage from part of latest proposal
Senate Republicans included a provision that exempts members of Congress and their staff from part of their latest health care plan.
This exemption could have the effect of ensuring that members of Congress have coverage for a wider array of benefits than other Americans who purchase their own coverage.
A Senate Republican aide confirmed that the exemption existed but was unable to comment as to the specific effect it would have. The aide said it was included to ensure that the bill hewed to the chamber’s strict reconciliation rules that limit the policies this health bill can include.
The exemption is similar to the one that existed in the House health bill. After Vox reported on its existence, the House voted to close the loophole — and the Senate aide expected their chamber to follow the same path.
I’m really not seeing the big problem: all these bills do is require that Congressional health plans have lots and lots of coverage, much as private employers do, while allowing citizens and private entities to obtain plans with lower coverage. But, really, this is not the point: here’s the point
The revised Senate health bill draft released Thursday lets health insurers offer plans that do not cover the Affordable Care Act’s essential health benefits, which requires insurers to include a wide array of benefits such as maternity care and mental health services.
Insurers can offer plans without these benefits — unless they’re selling coverage to members of Congress and their staff, who are required to buy coverage on the health law marketplaces. The exemption says this part of the law still applies to any plans sold to Congress.
Do you see it? Why is an exemption needed if this Senate bill is supposed to be a repeal and replace? If it was truly R&R, there would be no need. Because Obamacare would be repealed. If it is creating exemptions, that means that Obamacare is still the law of the land, and the Senate bill simply dinks and dunks, makes some changes to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, ie, Obamacare.
One would think Democrats would be happy that these idiots aren’t actually repealing Obamacare. That way, when the GOP loses the House and Senate over the next 2 election cycles, and probably the White House, all because Republican voters will be too mad to vote GOP because they were lied to about R&R, Democrats can get rid of the measures the GOP passes, because Ocare is still around.
No one should be happy that the GOP is making US healthcare worse.
William Teach: Because Obamacare would be repealed.
A true repeal would require overcoming a filibuster; hence, the use of reconciliation, which means it is a budget bill. The bill will effectively end ObamaCare, however.
One of the biggest problem with the Republican bill is that is will almost certainly lead to an insurance death spiral, as old and sick people become concentrated in full coverage plans, while young and healthy people leave for low-cost alternative plans.
Z,
Obamscare is coming apart, anything is better, except your dear single payor. I don’t think you know the difference between health insurance and medical care.
david7134: Obamacare is coming apart
Actually, even though Republicans have worked to destabilize the system, such as trying to stop the risk corridor stabilization fund, and by threatening to not fund required subsidies, ObamaCare is stable in most areas, though less stable in a few rural areas.
The new Republican bill will be highly unstable. The old and sick will become concentrated in full coverage plans, while young and healthy people leave for low-cost plans. That will mean that full-coverage plans will spiral up in price, beyond the reach of most people; just another way ending coverage for those with pre-existing conditions.
Zachriel:
C’mon I haven’t heard such a load of tripe since Gruber sold us Obama care. Tell us the truth, you’re Gruber aren’t you?
Read: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/13/opinion/obamacare-collapsing-imploding-trumpcare.html?_r=0
Jeff, lyin with fake news. Fool.
Obama’s boyfriend: C’mon I haven’t heard such a load of tripe since Gruber sold us Obama care.
Handwaving is not an argument.
Another lie, FOOL.
Z,
How many times must you be told that Obamacre does not cover people and has adversely wrecked the insurance of the rest of the country.
david7134: How many times must you be told that Obamacre does not cover people and has adversely wrecked the insurance of the rest of the country.
More Americans have insurance coverage than ever before. More Americans have actual access to regular healthcare than ever before.
No they don’t Z. And as I have said there is a difference between insurance and coverage. Try to learn something.
“These findings suggest that not only has the ACA decreased the number of uninsured Americans, but has substantially improved access to care for those who gained coverage.”
According to the uh,…ahem,.. dated and somewhat questionable “findings”…
Handwaving is not an argument.
Multiple studies have confirmed the findings. See French et al., Key Provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA): A Systematic Review and Presentation of Early Research Findings. Health Services Research 2016
Are studies by advocates for ACA not considered biased?
The GOP has spent over 7 years raising awareness of and casting doubt on the ACA, yet nearly everyone hates the GOPKare alternative.
Quoting trump, “No one knew healthcare was so complicated.”
Key Provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA): A Systematic Review and Presentation of Early Research Findings.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1475-6773.12511/full
The article is a literature review published in the peer-reviewed journal, Health Services Research, in 2016.
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/438104/obamacare-insurance-exchanges-failure-widespread-and-may-get-worse
http://healthaffairs.org/blog/2016/10/11/the-future-of-the-acas-exchanges/
http://dailycaller.com/2017/06/19/this-map-shows-how-many-insurers-are-pulling-out-of-obamacare/
drowningpuppies: the exchanges are on the brink of collapse
Economic analysis by CBO has found that the exchanges are stable. However, some rural areas are underserved, a problem that does need to be addressed. Some of the problem, as already pointed out, is that Republicans have tried to undermine the system.
https://www.atr.org/new-jersey-obamacare-co-op-becomes-17th-collapse-1
Only six left.
http://www.dailywire.com/news/15107/another-insurance-company-drops-out-obamacares-aaron-bandler
Neither of those situations support your claim that fewer people have access to healthcare under ObamaCare than before ObamaCare was instituted, nor do they indicate that the overall system is in threat of collapse.
Never claimed that.
Y’all made it up.
Z,
What is it that you don’t understand about the difference in having insurance and the fact that the insurance will not pay for basic service? In the last 8 years I have been impressed with the difficulty in getting care for people with any insurance all secondary to the ACA.
If one is concerned about bias in cited articles look no further than the right-wing National Review printing an opinion piece (without citations) from the right-wing Pacific Research Institute.
Daily Caller, American Enterprise Institute, ibid.
Nah, little jeffuckery, just shows your lack of reading comprehension and dishonesty.
The Russians engineered a soft coup, with full cooperation from the trump family and campaign, to have trump installed as president of the us of a.
Nothing the trump regime does will even be fully investigated. AG Sessions, part of the conspiracy, will do nothing. trump, also part of the conspiracy, will use the power of the federal government and the pardon to defend his dynastic kleptocracy.
The GOP goes along with the closet Russian, trump, because he supports their simple agenda of supporting the wealthy and corporations and punishing the poor and working classes.
#WhoKilledPeterSmith?
Still got that pussy hat on your head, little jeffuckery?
You wear it well.
Jeff,
So why don’t you outline how this happened. Then explain why Hillary gave the Russians 20% of our UR. Then explain why you are a fool.
dave,
Mr. Mueller will reveal the Russian/trumpski perfidy in due time. It’s looking bad for the trumpski clan so far.
We’re foolish for reading anything you type.
Secretary Clinton did not give the Russians 20% of our U (not UR as you keep typing). Once again your congenital lack of curiosity is misled by your ignorance and your willingness to swallow right-wing tripe.
Can’t answer the question or outline what you think is wrong, typical for a fool.
Rrrrrright!!!
dave,
Our objective is to refute your lies. Otherwise, we ignore your pointy-hooded slurs.
Do you admit that the right-wing is wrong on the uranium issue?
I am sorry jeff, did not see this little comment, fact is your article proved beyond a doubt that Hillary have the Ur to the Russians. Fool.
What most surprised liberals about the far-right is their complicity and willingness to support trumpski’s apparent anti-American activities.
trumpski has invited a foreign adversary into the US halls of power.
We would never ever have believed the far-right was anti-America despite their fealty to the wealthy and their disdain of the working classes. We always thought the far-right would join with us and defend the nation.
What has been revealed (and what many leftists warned us about) is that our right-wing ACTUALLY do value authoritarianism over freedom. As long as they’re in charge!
Russia attacked the US with the cooperation of the trumpski administration. They also attacked Germany, The Netherlands and France. They may be responsible for installing Putin’s puppet, trumpski, in our White House.
But since trumpski displays all the plumage of a Putin style dictator, our far-right brethren are OK with it.
Jeff, now you are a stupid fool. By the way your so called article is so full of wholes that it hurts. Man you are a looser.
Oh, my, fool, I am sorry, I said wholes rather than holes. And I still like the UR for the substance rather than the periodic symbol U.
Have is gave.
david7134: What is it that you don’t understand about the difference in having insurance and the fact that the insurance will not pay for basic service?
Multiple studies have shown that more Americans are receiving *actual* medical care than before ObamaCare.
Those multiple studies, biased as they were, are dated through 2014-15 are do not reflect the present “actual” situation (failed exchanges, exorbitant rate hikes, deductibles, taxes, etc.).
But do you ever wonder that the studies may be terribly wrong, just like all the other stuff over the last 8 years that goes against observed events. Give me your names and I will forward the concerns of my poor patients to you and you can explain the studies.
z,
I think you lied to me. I can’t find any studies specifically about medical care rather than just insurance. There are none indicating how often stress test are turned down or ECHO’s. Is this issue so important to you that you will forsake your honor and lie? Makes you look bad.
We can provide the citations, but we can’t make you read them. “Early evidence also indicates improvements in *access* to and affordability of health care.”
Z,
You don’t have anything and you certainly don’t have anything to support the discussion. People can see a doctor, that is up but the doctor can not get needed testing or treatment. You refuse to see that concept. Then medication are much higher. A tube of steroid cream used to cost $50, now $300. That is because it is now a mechanical treatment.
david7134: People can see a doctor, that is up but the doctor can not get needed testing or treatment.
It took you long enough to be specific. So, you agree more people can see doctors. Do you have empirical evidence that there is less access to “needed testing or treatment”?