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The GOP Repeal Plan Sucks. But Is it Better Than Nothing?
Townhall.com ^ | March 11, 2017 | David Harnanyi

Posted on 03/11/2017 12:12:01 PM PST by Kaslin

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1 posted on 03/11/2017 12:12:01 PM PST by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

Which begs the question, is Ryan better than nothing?


2 posted on 03/11/2017 12:14:29 PM PST by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi - Monthly Donors Rock!!!)
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To: Kaslin

It is worse than nothing, it makes us own the result


3 posted on 03/11/2017 12:14:46 PM PST by dila813 (Voting for Trump to Punish Trumpets!)
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To: dila813

Exactly. Repeal the whole thing and go back to pre-ACA health insurance.

Why replace??


4 posted on 03/11/2017 12:17:54 PM PST by ObozoMustGo2012 ("Be quiet... you are #fakenews!")
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To: dila813

It is a no win situation. If it totally fails you are left with a Govt take over of 1/5 of the economy. Another thing to say vote for me, else you will lose you health care


5 posted on 03/11/2017 12:18:57 PM PST by Jimmy The Snake
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To: Kaslin

Nothing is better.

obamacare is about to derail. Trump should ask Schumer, Pelosi, and the democrat leaders to quickly come up with a plan to fix this train wreck. Like everything else, the democrats have nothing to offer. Then, there is a clear reason to fix the disaster because obamacare has FAILED.

Then the republicans offer a common sense plan.

The democrats need to be reminded that not everything can be free in life ..... including healthcare.


6 posted on 03/11/2017 12:19:19 PM PST by boycott
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To: Kaslin
This statement:

Constrain markets to create monopolies that can be controlled by a federal regulatory regime

Contradicts this statement:

(this is why liberals oppose markets expanding across state lines)

The best way to guarantee that there will only be a few big players in the insurance market is to allow those markets to expand across state lines. That's what happened in banking, and it will happen in insurance as well.

I don't know that there is any real liberal opposition to expanding markets across state lines. It's probably more a case of those in favor of local control in opposition to those who want to federalize everything.

Why can't libertarians understand this? Why can't they figure out that "opening up markets" nationwide doesn't necessarily lead to freer markets. It only results in more nationalized markets which are more readily controlled by the feds rather than the states or cities.

The logical extension of this principle is to open up markets globally, which is something libertarians are for, but which ends up making our markets controlled by the feckless UN and undemocratic WTO and IMF.

So the US plays the sucker and abides by UN/WTO/IMF rulings but China, Russia, etc. do not.

How's that good for free markets and competition?

7 posted on 03/11/2017 12:22:55 PM PST by who_would_fardels_bear
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To: Kaslin

It sucks and is just as unsustainable, unworkable, unwanted and unconstitutional and insane as ObamaCare.


8 posted on 03/11/2017 12:23:15 PM PST by Jim Robinson (Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God!)
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To: Kaslin
REPEAL!

We don't need to follow it up with repair or replace. I can't understand republicans in congress sticking with the idea that government needs a plan to watch over us with. I wish they'd get out of the way and let us run our life with whatever options the free market offers.

9 posted on 03/11/2017 12:23:52 PM PST by Baynative ( Someone's going to have to pay for these carbon emissions, so it might as well be you.)
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To: Kaslin

No, it’s not better than nothing. Doing nothing would allow Obamacare to crash and burn on its own. Nothing is better.


10 posted on 03/11/2017 12:24:41 PM PST by Jim Robinson (Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God!)
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To: Kaslin

11 posted on 03/11/2017 12:25:38 PM PST by 4Liberty (PRESIDENT TRUMP: Making Private Property Rights great again!)
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To: NormsRevenge

No, Ryan is worse than nothing, just like his bill.
Opening up Obamacare to illegal aliens is not an improvement.


12 posted on 03/11/2017 12:30:38 PM PST by Lurkinanloomin (Natural Born Citizen Means Born Here Of Citizen Parents - Know Islam, No Peace -No Islam, Know Peace)
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To: ObozoMustGo2012

Fedzilla gained enormous power from Obamacare.
Fedzilla’s attendants in Congress are never going to take that back.
The structure of putting the federal government at the center of all healthcare will not be dismantled.
Fedzilla wants to keep all your medical records.


13 posted on 03/11/2017 12:33:47 PM PST by Lurkinanloomin (Natural Born Citizen Means Born Here Of Citizen Parents - Know Islam, No Peace -No Islam, Know Peace)
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To: Kaslin

Nothing.

Repeal, yes. Of course.

Replace, no. Not the government’s job.

Allow insurance coverage across state lines.
Reform tort law.
Compel insurers to fix “pre existing conditions” issue.
And otherwise tell the insurance companies to shape up, and get out of their way.


14 posted on 03/11/2017 12:33:57 PM PST by ctdonath2 (Understand the Left: "The issue is never the issue. The issue is always the Revolution.")
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To: Kaslin

Here is my plan:

Doctors take a “Hippocratic Oath,” Don’t they. If they are so virtuous then.....

If a doctor/hospital agrees to treat someone who cannot afford to pay then the doctor/hospital assumes the responsibility to pay for the uninsured one.

They will not like that. They much prefer to treat the uninsured then say to the taxpayers, “Eff you! Pay me!”

Make the doctors/hospitals pay.


15 posted on 03/11/2017 12:35:18 PM PST by spel_grammer_an_punct_polise (Note to all foreigners: Please.....GET OUT and STAY OUT!)
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To: 4Liberty

Ramirez once again showing why he’s the best.


16 posted on 03/11/2017 12:36:21 PM PST by Lurkinanloomin (Natural Born Citizen Means Born Here Of Citizen Parents - Know Islam, No Peace -No Islam, Know Peace)
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To: Kaslin
The Republican proposal is worse than nothing.

ACA is collapsing with every passing week. It cannot be fixed. Trying to "fix" it simply means that the Republicans can be held responsible and punished for the inevitable failure.

The entire thing must be scrapped. Preferably before April 15th.

But we are going to do this the hard way instead. We will have one ill-conceived "compromise" after another. Insurers will continue to exit the ACA markets. The Government will ultimately delay and default on Medicaid and Medicare payments.

We will have massive non-compliance with untenable laws, combined with a few vicious attempts to enforce the latest regulations.

After that, things will get interesting.

17 posted on 03/11/2017 12:42:46 PM PST by flamberge (What next?)
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To: dila813

“It is worse than nothing, it makes us own the result”

Exactly! “Obama Care” will disappear and never be used again.

The Dems will never own anything that is bad having to do with health care again.

Now they will see to it that the burden is only on the Republicans.


18 posted on 03/11/2017 12:45:21 PM PST by laplata ( Liberals/Progressives have diseased minds.)
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To: Baynative

Hate to be the one who has to introduce some actual facts into this debate, but here is the Congressional Research Service summary of the “Obamacare Repeal” Bill Passed by the House and Senate and vetoed by President Obama. Looks more like “Obamacare Defund” to me.

What do we have for a Health Care System is this is all that is done?

https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/3762?r=1

Shown Here:
Passed Senate amended (12/03/2015)

TITLE I—HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR, AND PENSIONS

(Sec. 101) This bill amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to terminate the Prevention and Public Health Fund, which provides for investment in prevention and public health programs to improve health and restrain the rate of growth in health care costs. Unobligated funds are rescinded.

(Sec. 102) Funding for community health centers is increased.

(Sec. 103) Certain funding for U.S. territories that establish health insurance exchanges is no longer available after 2017.

(Sec. 104) The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) may not collect fees or make payments under the transitional reinsurance program.

(Sec. 105) This bill makes appropriations for FY2016 and FY2017 for HHS to award grants to states to address substance abuse or to respond to urgent mental health needs.

TITLE II—FINANCE

(Sec. 201) This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to require individuals to pay back the full amount of advance payments in excess of their premium assistance tax credit. (Currently, there is a limit on the amount of excess an individual must pay back.)

(Sec. 202) Provisions relating to the premium assistance tax credit, reduced cost-sharing, and eligibility determinations for these subsidies are repealed on December 31, 2017.

(Sec. 203) The small employer health insurance tax credit does not apply after 2017. (This credit is for certain employers who make contributions toward employee health coverage purchased through a health insurance exchange.)

(Sec. 204) The penalty for individuals who do not maintain minimum essential health care coverage is eliminated.

(Sec. 205) Large employers are no longer required to make shared responsibility payments.

(Sec. 206) For one year, this bill restricts the availability of federal funding to a state for payments to an entity (e.g., Planned Parenthood Federation of America) that:

is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization;
is an essential community provider primarily engaged in family planning services and reproductive health;
provides for abortions other than abortions in cases of rape or incest, or where a physical condition endangers a woman’s life unless an abortion is performed; and
received a total of more than $350 million under Medicaid in FY2014, including payments to affiliates, subsidiaries, successors, or clinics.

(Sec. 207) This bill amends part A (General Provisions) of title XI of the Social Security Act (SSAct) to require the additional payments to U.S. territories for Medicaid under the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 to be made by the end of FY2017 instead of the end of FY2019.

This bill amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the SSAct to end the expansion of Medicaid under PPACA on December 31, 2017.

After 2017, hospitals may no longer elect to provide Medicaid services to individuals during a presumptive eligibility period.

States must maintain Medicaid eligibility standards for individuals under 19 years old through FY2017 instead of through FY2019.

The federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP, the federal matching rate for Medicaid expenditures) for U.S. territories is 50% after 2017 (currently, the FMAP is 55%).

The increased FMAP for childless adults and home and community-based attendant services under PPACA ends December 31, 2017.

After 2017, states may no longer elect to provide certain individuals with a presumptive eligibility period for Medicaid.

Medicaid benchmark plans are no longer required to provide minimum essential health benefits after 2017.

After 2017, states are no longer required to operate a website for Medicaid enrollment that is linked to the state’s health benefit exchange and Children’s Health Insurance program (CHIP).

(Sec. 208) Medicaid allotments for disproportionate share hospitals are increased.

(Sec. 209) The excise tax on high cost employer-sponsored health coverage (popularly known as the “Cadillac tax”) does not apply after 2017.

(Sec. 210) Health savings accounts (HSAs), Archer medical savings accounts (MSAs), health flexible spending arrangements (HFSAs), and health reimbursement arrangements may be used to pay for over-the-counter medications.

(Sec. 211) This bill lowers the tax on distributions from HSAs and Archer MSAs that are not used for medical expenses.

(Sec. 212) Salary reduction contributions to an HFSA under a cafeteria plan are no longer limited.

(Sec. 213) The annual fee on manufacturers and importers of brand name prescription drugs is eliminated.

(Sec. 214) The excise tax on medical devices is eliminated.

(Sec. 215) The annual fee on health insurers is eliminated.

(Sec. 216) Medical costs are allowed as a tax deduction regardless of whether the costs are taken into account when determining the amount of the subsidy for an employer-sponsored retiree prescription drug plan under Medicare part D (Voluntary Prescription Drug Benefit Program).

(Sec. 217) A tax deduction is allowed for medical expenses in excess of 7.5% (currently, 10%) of adjusted gross income.

(Sec. 218) The additional Medicare tax on income above a certain threshold is eliminated.

(Sec. 219) The indoor tanning services tax is eliminated.

(Sec. 220) The net investment income tax is eliminated.

(Sec. 221) A health insurer is allowed a tax deduction for the full amount of an employee’s compensation. (Currently, there is a limit on the amount of an employee’s compensation that a health insurer may deduct.)

(Sec. 222) Provisions relating to the economic substance doctrine are repealed. (The economic substance doctrine treats a transaction as having economic substance if it has a purpose other than reducing income taxes. Currently, there are penalties for claiming tax benefits for transactions without economic substance.)

(Sec. 223) Funds are transferred from the Department of the Treasury to the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund.


19 posted on 03/11/2017 12:45:59 PM PST by SubMareener (Save us from Quarterly Freepathons! Become a MONTHLY DONOR)
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To: Kaslin
The GOP Repeal Plan Sucks. But Is it Better Than Nothing? Nothing is better than anything.
20 posted on 03/11/2017 12:53:22 PM PST by PGR88 (The)
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