So much for repeal and replace.

youngishbear

Sun, Mar 26 2017, 11:45 am

Iymnok wrote:

I'm in Israel, so I'm not so involved. Why can't the ACA be replaced a little at a time without risking leaving anyone unprotected?
There are so many aspects, I can't believe that it's ALL bad. Keep the good and fix the areas that are lacking.
Aha, repealing "Obamacare" and replacing it with "Trumpcare" is better for his ego.

Most of the parts are interconnected.

One of the most popular parts of the ACA allows adults up to 26 years old to stay on their parents plan. That takes a group of healthy young people off the market. Insurance plans need healthy young people in order to keep premiums low. The Republicans didn't want to touch this part of the ACA, either.

Another important innovation of the ACA was helping people with preconditions get insurance. That drives up prices pretty drastically, so there had to be a way to force young healthy people to buy plans to balance the market. Enter the mandate, which Republicans oppose and no one likes too much.

Etc... It's not Obamacare's fault that healthcare in America is complicated and expensive. The plan tried to bring life-giving coverage to more people, to the financial detriment of others. That conforms to socialist ideology and infuriates conservative capitalists.

But there really is no simple solution. Option 1: We can keep our status as most medically advanced country - which is due to the profit incentive - and suffer the consequences - which is that the 1% thrive while the rest of is struggle. Option 2: We can ensure all citizens have access to medical care, but it will cost those who can afford it more and even cut into the pockets of the middle class. Option 3: A messy combination of both, that is seriously flawed and loathed by many Americans right until they are faced with worse alternatives, when they suddenly begin to support it.

As others have pointed out, Americans want the profits of capitalism and the benefits of socialism without the costs and drawbacks of either.

youngishbear

Sun, Mar 26 2017, 11:48 am

dancingqueen wrote:

Same.

Here's a crazy idea. Maybe both sides can come together to improve the ACA, you know, actually try to improve the lives of their constituents. In this political climate it seems unlikely to happen though.

I think the middle class needs to get its act together and lobby for their needs to be met by their representatives.

33055

Sun, Mar 26 2017, 11:58 am

youngishbear wrote:

Obama care is drives people to Medicaid which disproportionately falls on the back of the middle class in NY. The cost of Medicaid continues to increase dramatically. 62% of my county tax dollars goes to Medicaid. In Erie County, 83% of the county tax bill goes to Medicaid. This is insane and directly attributable to Obama care.

youngishbear

Sun, Mar 26 2017, 12:13 pm

Squishy wrote:

Yes, the Medicaid expansion is a factor in the reduction in the level of uninsured in the US, but it definitely came at the expense of the middle class.

Which begs the question, why are so many tax loopholes available to those who need it the least while the middle class continues to buckle under the load?

treestump

Sun, Mar 26 2017, 12:22 pm

Squishy wrote:

I think the loss humanizes him. It takes the wind out of the sails of the crazy left. Right now the left sounds like petulant children.

Anyone who thinks Obama care doesn't have issues is foolish. It is inevitable it will crash without adjustments. Trump will get to step in and say that it was the other guys who wouldn't cooperate. He is going to end up the winner. When Roosevelt clashed with Washington insiders, he took his case directly to the people. The left still doesn't understand the appeal of Trump.

Very funny. By calling half the country "crazy" you are weakening your position.

Obamacare is meant to be adjusted!

Hillary had a concrete thought out list of things to improve and adjust Obamacare. It is not meant to be a rigid, fixed solution.

Actually, the left understands the appeal quite well. Which is why Bernie was so popular with so many liberal millennials.

Should I remind you how many Republicans said NeverTrump? How many Republicans are expressing concern now, and many who regretted their vote?

This isn't necessarily a partisan issue. It's not about the "crazy left" or the "crazy right".

33055

Sun, Mar 26 2017, 12:25 pm

youngishbear wrote:

Yes, the Medicaid expansion is a factor in the reduction in the level of uninsured in the US, but it definitely came at the expense of the middle class.

Which begs the question, why are MilO so many tax loopholes available to those who need it the least while the middle class continues to buckle under the load?

The only tax loophole I am aware of for property tax is to remove the property from the tax rolls and make it tax exempt.

33055

Sun, Mar 26 2017, 12:35 pm

treestump wrote:

Half the county isn't the crazy left. The crazy left are the ones who know they are correct and everyone else are Neanderthal cretins. Oh, excuse me - deplorables.

Actually, Hillary expressed her views quite well about the naive and idealistic basement dwelling millennials and the basket of deplorables. She isn't one of the crazies. She is an opportunist elite out for the power and bucks who never had her husband's ability to charm.

marina

Sun, Mar 26 2017, 1:19 pm

Don't misquote Hillary. She said half of Trump supporters are genuine people who want change and the other half are deplorables. In my opinion she completely underestimated the deplorables because, yes, many of the avid Trump supporters I meet are blatantly racist. Not even hiding it. The Trump supporters I meet that genuinely wanted change and had good reasons were by far in the minority.

marina

Sun, Mar 26 2017, 1:23 pm

And of course Obamacare needs changing. Everyone agrees with that. And a normal Republican President would have had committees study the issues and meet with insurance companies and other stakeholders and would have developed something economically feasible and would have then worked with congress to highlight the benefits while acknowledging what still needs to be done.

But normal is not what we have right now, so this is what you all get. I don't feel bad for anyone who voted for this lunatic or didn't vote at all. If you really wanted Obamacare replaced with something better, you should have all elected someone else in the primaries.