Senate Republicans unveil 'discussion draft' of health care bill

[txradioguy]

What would you do with the 10.4 million* insured through Obamacare as of June 2017 @Emjay ?  This is a pretty big stumbling block to outright repeal.

* (http://money.cnn.com/2016/12/21/news/economy/obamacare-enrollment-record/index.html)

Someone needs to simply point out the fact that less people are insured now than there were 7 years ago.


Fewer people have health insurance now than in 2009

The percentage of Americans with health insurance has dropped from 84 percent in 2009 to 83.8 percent in 2014, according to a report by Gallup issued the day before President Obama’s State of the Union speech.

The 0.2 point drop means that roughly 600,000 people have lost insurance amid the lousy economy that has prevailed during  Obama’s tenure.

The number means that four years after the Democrats birthed the Obamacare network, the percentage of people without insurance is still below the level seen during President George. W. Bush’s second term.

GOP leaders and free-market advocates argue that GOP-backed free-market health laws would have provided more coverage to more people than was allowed by Obamacare’s mix of new taxes, myriad regulations and government-designed insurance packages.



The percentage drop shown by Gallup helps explain why public support for Obamacare remains low.

For example, a December survey by Gallup showed that only 22 percent of Americans say Obamacare will improve their families’ health care, while 37 percent believe it will worsen their families’ healthcare.

http://dailycaller.com/2014/01/27/fewer-people-have-health-insurance-now-than-in-2009/

That doesn't even take into account how it's ruining the insurance companies providing the coverage.

Then simply point out the financial burden it's been to employers and employees who suddenly found out they were having their hours cut to less than 40 so their employer wouldn't go bankrupt having to suddenly ensure everyone.

Using the excuse that "well look how many people it covers now"...is just that...an excuse...and a very Liberal one at that...that the GOP needs to avoid falling into. 

It's disingenuous and it wallpapers over the realities of just how this whole ACA boondoggle has ruined the economy and people's financial situations.

[Cripplecreek]

I have no idea. Every house in my greater house is without insurance now, except my two sons - one is LEO and covered by the county, and the other is IT for a major insurance company.

I take that back... My elder sister still has insurance too - her old man is a tenured professer and covered by the university.

Its medicaid and part time jobs as far as the eye can see. To make matters worse, many of the new jobs being created are medical and insurance related. I never expected to work anywhere near the medical industry but here I am getting ready to head out to work as a porter at a medical specialty building. (MRI. X-Ray, CT Scan. Ultrasound etc).

The democrats set one hell of a time bomb.

[roamer_1]

The democrats set one hell of a time bomb.

Yep.

I am going the other way... I am sick of the rat race, and sick of fixing computers...

I think I have a buyer for chaga and amadu... So if I can get my body back in one piece, I'll be heading back to the woods... Birch woods, which are my favorite. That is something I can do the rest of my working days and love going to work every single day of it.

[Cripplecreek]

Yep.

I am going the other way... I am sick of the rat race, and sick of fixing computers...

I think I have a buyer for chaga and amadu... So if I can get my body back in one piece, I'll be heading back to the woods... Birch woods, which are my favorite. That is something I can do the rest of my working days and love going to work every single day of it.

I'm surprised that I actually like the job since its so far outside my blue collar experience.

I found a doctor there after my own heart. He has a "Hillary for prison" cartoon on his office wall right next to one that says TP (Trump/Pence) for my bunghole".

[austingirl]

In my work as a telephonic RN I spoke to people employed by major corporations who were covered by insurance. Every day I heard that their doctors were quitting and retiring, that they premiums had tripled and that their deductibles were so high, they couldn't afford to go to the doctor. That is how Obamacare affected working insured people. To what benefit?

A few million people were covered with government subsidies ( our tax dollars)  as well as the entire working population screwed over? 

The whole insurance industry is based on pricing risk. If you are a bad driver, your car insurance goes up.

Obamacare must be repealed in full.

[Bigun]

What would you do with the 10.4 million* insured through Obamacare as of June 2017 @Emjay ?  This is a pretty big stumbling block to outright repeal.

* (http://money.cnn.com/2016/12/21/news/economy/obamacare-enrollment-record/index.html)

Let them do whatever they were doing before Obamacare!  No one in this country was going without healthcare then!  No one!

[Emjay]

I have no idea. Every house in my greater house is without insurance now, except my two sons - one is LEO and covered by the county, and the other is IT for a major insurance company.

I take that back... My elder sister still has insurance too - her old man is a tenured professer and covered by the university.

Everyone in my immediate and semi-extended family has health insurance.  Most have it through their employment and one is on Medicare (not to be confused with Medicaid).

I don't know what I'd do if I had to buy insurance now.  My husband was an insurance guy and he advised everyone in that boat to just buy disaster coverage ... much cheaper but I don't know if that's available now.

[austingirl]

Everyone in my immediate and semi-extended family has health insurance.  Most have it through their employment and one is on Medicare (not to be confused with Medicaid).

I don't know what I'd do if I had to buy insurance now.  My husband was an insurance guy and he advised everyone in that boat to just buy disaster coverage ... much cheaper but I don't know if that's available now.

Catastrophic coverage is now ILLEGAL in this country thanks to Obamacare. And this is a "free" country? That is why it needs to be repealed so the insurance market can start working again.

[Bigun]

Catastrophic coverage is now ILLEGAL in this country thanks to Obamacare. And this is a "free" country? That is why it needs to be repealed so the insurance market can start working again.

Absolutely right!  Get the damned government the hell out of the way and let the marketplace work it's magic!

[Sanguine]

Everyone in my immediate and semi-extended family has health insurance.  Most have it through their employment and one is on Medicare (not to be confused with Medicaid).

I don't know what I'd do if I had to buy insurance now.  My husband was an insurance guy and he advised everyone in that boat to just buy disaster coverage ... much cheaper but I don't know if that's available now.

That's a great point.  Before 0bamacare, you could buy a "catastrophic" plan.  It would only kick in after the first several thousand dollars of expense.  They were cheap, and since most of us seldom surpass our deductible, they worked very well. 

[Emjay]

Catastrophic coverage is now ILLEGAL in this country thanks to Obamacare. And this is a "free" country? That is why it needs to be repealed so the insurance market can start working again.

Oh my gosh.  That is ridiculous.  Catastrophic coverage is a good thing for younger people who don't have insurance through their employment.

[jmyrlefuller]

Absolutely right!  Get the damned government the hell out of the way and let the marketplace work it's magic!

Yeah, that magic is going to get a lot of low-income folks killed.

I'm all in favor of getting rid of this disaster but we cannot be reckless in doing so. Recklessness is how we ended up with the mess we have now.

[Bigun]

Oh my gosh.  That is ridiculous.  Catastrophic coverage is a good thing for younger people who don't have insurance through their employment.

Which is why they had to get rid of it!  Ocare had no chance without forcing those young people into it!

[Bigun]

Yeah, that magic is going to get a lot of low-income folks killed.

I'm all in favor of getting rid of this disaster but we cannot be reckless in doing so. Recklessness is how we ended up with the mess we have now.

Bovine fecal matter!  There is no one in this country who does not get essential healthCARE regardless of whether or not they have healthINSURANCE!

[austingirl]

Yeah, that magic is going to get a lot of low-income folks killed.

I'm all in favor of getting rid of this disaster but we cannot be reckless in doing so. Recklessness is how we ended up with the mess we have now.

 "A lot of low-income folks killed"
Is that you Nancy... Chuck...?

[roamer_1]

Yeah, that magic is going to get a lot of low-income folks killed.

I'm all in favor of getting rid of this disaster but we cannot be reckless in doing so. Recklessness is how we ended up with the mess we have now.

Oh baloney!

[Emjay]

I would like to request a moment of silence.  Someone has actually been convinced to change her mind about the current bill before the Senate.

I now think it would be wrong to pass a bill that Ted Cruz doesn't like and that doesn't fully get rid of Obamacare and government interference in health care.

[driftdiver]

Bovine fecal matter!  There is no one in this country who does not get essential healthCARE regardless of whether or not they have healthINSURANCE!

Depends on your definition of 'essential'.   A guy I know had a stroke and no insurance.   He got care for the stroke but will not get the therapy he needs to walk and use his arm again.

The insurance system is broke.   If you don't work for a company who provides insurance its prohibitively expensive. 

[driftdiver]

Yeah, that magic is going to get a lot of low-income folks killed.

I'm all in favor of getting rid of this disaster but we cannot be reckless in doing so. Recklessness is how we ended up with the mess we have now.

Its not recklessness; its the insurance companies and trial lawyers.

[austingirl]

I would like to request a moment of silence.  Someone has actually been convinced to change her mind about the current bill before the Senate.

I now think it would be wrong to pass a bill that Ted Cruz doesn't like and that doesn't fully get rid of Obamacare and government interference in health care.

 

[Bigun]

Depends on your definition of 'essential'.   A guy I know had a stroke and no insurance.   He got care for the stroke but will not get the therapy he needs to walk and use his arm again.

The insurance system is broke.   If you don't work for a company who provides insurance its prohibitively expensive.

If it's broken it's because the government broke it.  Not the other way around!

[Sanguine]

Yeah, that magic is going to get a lot of low-income folks killed.

I'm all in favor of getting rid of this disaster but we cannot be reckless in doing so. Recklessness is how we ended up with the mess we have now.

Really?  How would that work?

[driftdiver]

If it's broken it's because the government broke it.  Not the other way around!

Its broke because of the insurance companies were allowed by the govt to push laws which were quite favorable to them.   The relationship between govt and the insurance companies (& trial lawyers) is very incestuous.

A doctor I know is prohibited from taking cash payments.  He was sued for giving preferential treatment to a cash payer.   

The cost for someone paying cash is usually higher than someone using insurance.    By design

[roamer_1]

I would like to request a moment of silence.  Someone has actually been convinced to change her mind about the current bill before the Senate.

I now think it would be wrong to pass a bill that Ted Cruz doesn't like and that doesn't fully get rid of Obamacare and government interference in health care.

With the exception of the Ted Cruz shtick - Huzzah! A moment of agreement.
I do agree in part with what you've said... the Conservatives are the bellwether. But even if 'Ted Cruz' - Trust but verify. Always.

A good bit of the monkeyshines we are currently dealing with comes from trusting what should never be trusted.

Same thing for accountants, as an example.

[INVAR]

I'm all in favor of getting rid of this disaster but we cannot be reckless in doing so.

They were reckless in imposing it upon us and upon the nation.

Being 'reckless' by simply ending it in total simply returns us to the state where the free market can construct an insurance market that everyone benefits from and puts incentive back into the medical industry.