Posted on 11/11/2016 2:14:57 PM PST by nickcarraway
He has repeatedly called the law a “disaster” and pledged full repeal. President-elect Donald Trump just announced his first big possible compromise. And it’s on, of all things, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), aka Obamacare.
Trump made President Obama’s health reform law one of his scariest political boogeymen during the 2016 campaign. He called it a “disaster” that’s crushing consumers with spiraling costs and fleeing insurers (the reality is considerably more complicated despite very legitimate problems with the ACA). And Congressional Republicans, who have voted to repeal Obamacare upwards of 60 times during the now-lame duck president’s tenure, have pledged to fully do away with it the moment they can under Trump’s administration.
But Trump told the Wall Street Journal in an interview Friday that his meeting with President Obama on Thursday, which had an air of cordiality, had convinced him to consider preserving critical Obamacare provisions like guaranteeing coverage for Americans with pre-existing conditions and allowing young people up to the age of 26 to remain on their parents’ health policies.
Subscribe to Brainstorm Health Daily, our brand new newsletter about health innovations.
“I like those very much,” Trump told the Journal. Obama asked the president-elect to keep those measures intact during their meeting. “I told him I will look at his suggestions, and out of respect, I will do that,” said Trump, adding, “either Obamacare will be amended, or repealed and replaced.”
It may not be entirely surprising that Trump is, at least partially, changing his tune on a policy he’s consistently said he despises. The reality of repealing a law that provides coverage to more than 20 million Americans, no matter its flaws, is no mean feat—as evidenced by the fact that Trump’s surprise victory on Tuesday night may have helped fuel a massive and unexpected Obamacare enrollment surge on Wednesday, when more than 100,000 people signed up for individual insurance coverage through Healthcare.gov.
But there are still plenty of questions about how preserving these measures, especially guaranteed issue for people with pre-existing conditions, could possibly work alongside Trump’s and the GOP Congress’ other proposed reform to U.S. healthcare. Trump’s transition website posted some more details about what his health policies might look like on Thursday, including providing the option of “continuous coverage” for people who have already purchased individual plans and creating “high-risk” insurance pools for those with pre-existing conditions who haven’t.
It’s unclear how these various proposals could work in tandem with, at the very least, Trump’s ostensible willingness to keep guaranteed issue in place. That provision could lead to a massive adverse selection problem without Obamacare’s so-called individual mandate, which Trump and the GOP alike despise, requiring all Americans who make enough money to procure insurance so that consumers can’t just buy plans when they get sick.
Liar Fortune.
2 Parts. BOTH of which are IN the House GOP plan.
Give him a break. If he can get healthcare back in the private sector, he will have saved our future.
Both in the House GOP plan, next smear #Never Trumpers?
He’ll consider it. Then discard the consideration.
The man hasn’t taken office yet and people are trying to stir the zhit....leave it alone until he actually DOES something.
"Coverage" not "health care". Give them access to actual care and they won't even notice that an insurance company is no longer involved.
Trump threw he Democrats a bone they can gnaw over. Most of the huge premium raises ill occur at the beginning of the year, and the people will be screaming for someone to do something.
The Democrats in congress will roll over just so they can say they are doing something and so they can blame Trump for any problems.
Just attempts to work up Trump supporters by innuendos.
Trump is being diplomatic to outgoing president.
Aw Jeez. How about we wait until something actually happens before panicking.
IMO He should repeal it.
then if he wants to keep anything going like pre-existing conditions have congress send up a bill for it.
I posted an article on this and was slammed. I hope it’s false but there is a lot of smoke here and the Independent UK articles cites the Wall Street Journal as their source.
I thought he said he would do single payer healthcare.
Let fools keep their Obamacare if they want it. It will not take long for it to become inferior. Competitive non-Obamacare policies will emerge and competent medical specialists will choose to only work for private sector patients.
And I should start believing the MSM now because?
The MSm is manufacturing this misrepresentation to drive a wedge before Trump ever has a chance.
Ignore them. I noticed in this piece it changes to “major parts”.
That has always been the law with conditions attached. Conditions being a waiting period based on the period of time the coverage lapsed............
There will be private market insurance for those who can afford it.
Expanded Medicaid will remain in place for every one else as well as Medicare for seniors.
The main problem is how to solve the “rider” problem as it relates to buying private market health insurance.
Obamacare never adequately addressed the issue.
Big, beautiful noncommittal statement, followed by reality.
I freakin love this guy.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.