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Obamacare: Republicans Can’t Win For Losing?
sharylattkisson.com ^ | May 27, 2015 | Sharyl Attkisson

Posted on 05/27/2015 7:55:29 PM PDT by upchuck

If the plaintiffs win the current Affordable Care Act (ACA) case before the U.S. Supreme Court, King v. Burwell, millions of Americans who bought health insurance through the federal marketplace or “exchange” will lose the federal tax dollars they’re getting to help buy their policies.

That’s because the Court would have ruled the ACA only allowed subsidies to be given to those buying policies on state-established exchanges; not the federal website.

It would theoretically be a victory for Republicans who oppose Obamacare: Americans would likely find the health care law less palatable if tax money isn’t helping pay for their mandatory policies. They would suddenly be exposed to the reality faced by those who aren’t getting subsidies: insurance may cost more, come with higher deductibles, and provide less coverage.

But some Congressional Republicans are more worried about winning the Supreme Court case than losing it.

“There are Republicans right now scared to death that we’re going to win,” says one Republican leader who did not want to be quoted by name. “They’re in meetings right now planning ways to revive the subsidies if the [Supreme] Court strikes them down.”

The irony is that Republicans would, in effect, be providing a crucial fix to a law they’ve opposed since its inception. In other words, when Obamacare would be at greatest risk of crumbling, Republicans would be ensuring its survival.

Republican Rationale

According to a dozen Congressional Republicans who discussed the topic but did not wish to be named, they worry the public wouldn’t view a strike-down of the subsidies as a weakness in Obamacare, but would instead blame Republicans for taking money away from them.

These Republicans also worry that the news media will coalesce behind that view, making it difficult to overcome from a public relations standpoint.

Politico reports that 31 senators are backing a bill by Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisconsin, that would restore subsidies for the affected Obamacare customers through September 2017.

Large percentages of those polled say they would support a fix if the subsidies are found to be unlawful. Significant numbers of those polled don’t understand how the federal and state exchanges work.

Poorest Americans Will Still Receive Free Health Care

Meantime, there’s has been a great deal of misreporting implying millions will lose their health insurance if the Supreme Court wipes out subsidies for federal exchange customers.

In fact, such a decision wouldn’t remove anybody’s health insurance and those affected would still be required, under Obamacare, to have insurance; they would just have to pay for it themselves.

For example, under Obamacare, a couple earning as much as six figures with three children is currently eligible for taxpayer assistance to buy health insurance. If plaintiffs win the Supreme Court case, nothing would change for that family as long as they purchased their health insurance through a state exchange. If, however, they bought insurance through the federal website, they would lose their subsidy.

The poorest Americans will be unaffected no matter what the Supreme Court decides. They have long had free health care under Medicaid insurance for the poor. Under Obamacare, many states, such as California, extended Medicaid to people making more money than before, such as a couple with three children earning $39,206 a year.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: obamacare
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To: upchuck

Thanks for the ping...the *worried* Pubbies need to be named and shamed. I bet all/most of them ran, in their last election, on defunding/repealing 0KenyanCare.

Also, great news about Sharyl’s new Sunday morning talk show! I can’t wait ;-)


21 posted on 05/27/2015 9:18:24 PM PDT by Jane Long ("And when thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek")
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To: tumblindice

Once again the Republicans are dithering over offending the wrong people.


Yep.


22 posted on 05/27/2015 9:19:01 PM PDT by Jane Long ("And when thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, LORD, will I seek")
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To: Intolerant in NJ

Unfortunately, there were absurd mandates placed on insurance companies by state legislators who were lobbied to force insurers to cover all kinds of things. Until all these mandates are removed and people are truly free to buy only the insurance they want, insurance and health care costs will continue to increase.


23 posted on 05/27/2015 9:25:20 PM PDT by Pining_4_TX (All those who were appointed to eternal life believed. Acts 13:48)
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To: upchuck

Republicans did not force this down the throats of the the people.


24 posted on 05/27/2015 9:50:16 PM PDT by CPT Clay
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To: upchuck
What's the big deal?

The GOP always gives up a royal flush by throwing away the Ace, King, and Queen of spades and drawing three so they can hopefully get a pair of jacks an maybe add a pair of 10s to it...

They don't know how to play this game.

25 posted on 05/27/2015 10:15:20 PM PDT by Gritty (The more we submit to violent jihadi intimidation, the more we are going to get-Robert Spencer)
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To: upchuck

They would lose the vote of those getting stuff for nothing anyway.
Still, why do Federal subsidies exist?
Why not let the real cost show itself instead of increasing our national debt for it?


26 posted on 05/28/2015 12:12:33 AM PDT by A CA Guy ( God Bless America, God Bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: upchuck

Why not let those who end up not being covered make their own decision as to whether they want coverage or not. If they want it EARN it. It’s not a right.


27 posted on 05/28/2015 2:07:39 AM PDT by maddog55 (America Rising a new Civil War needs to happen.)
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To: CPT Clay
Republicans just made sure EVERY GOVERNMENT BUDGET since Obamacare passed, had enough MONEY to FULLY FUND this EVIL FARCE !
They didn't force it down the peoples' throats, but they had the ability to DEFUND IT, YET THEY REFUSED !
28 posted on 05/28/2015 2:17:25 AM PDT by Yosemitest (It's Simple ! Fight, ... or Die !)
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To: CPT Clay

Republicans did not force this down the throats of the the people.

And they have not lifted a finger to repeal it either......


29 posted on 05/28/2015 2:20:53 AM PDT by JParris
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To: upchuck
Know what? It's going to hurt me. I don't use the subsidy because I can. I use the subsidy because it is the only way I can afford health insurance.

I hope SCOTUS rules against the subsidies. At the same time, unless the GOP grants some sort of extension, I and countless others are screwed through no fault of our own.

I would like to see something like Sen Johnson's bill pass. It would extend subsidies through September, 2017 as well as repeal mandates. The key word is temporary. Give the free market time to adjust.

You claim a “ don't care attitude” which is fine by me. I just want to make sure you know that there are those of us who are as much against obamacare are as you who will have the rug pulled out from under them should SCOTUS rule against the subsidies, especially if the GOP fails to have a TEMPORARY measure ready to roll.

Sorry. I risk becoming a one trick poster and swore no more posts about this. :). I have no clue what will happen after the SCOTUS decision. I understand Sen. Johnson's bill is not supported by all. Rep Tom Price wants no extension, thinking it will make Congress act faster. (Right, when has that happened?)

It's a scary place to be right now.

30 posted on 05/28/2015 3:34:29 AM PDT by Protect the Bill of Rights
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