Posted on 03/18/2017 6:35:05 AM PDT by Kaslin
ATLANTA -- From my Skype-seat at the White House briefing room on March 16, 2017, I asked this question: "Many conservatives are worried that President Trump is being led by Speaker Ryan down the wrong path toward health care reform. Please respond to that."
White House press secretary Sean Spicer said that "Trump is not going to be led down a path by anyone."
I beg to differ. I believe Trump has been convinced that the congressional Republicans’ plan is the best option that can pass the House and the Senate.
There are four main problems with this proposed health care law.
First, while the federal government may save between $300-400 billion over the next few years if the law is enacted, the burden will shift to the states to pick up a bigger cost for Medicaid funding. The individual states don't have the power of the printing press as does the federal government and this burden will be more strenuous on the citizens as a result.
Second, I don’t believe in the Obamacare subsidies and I still don't believe in healthcare tax credits. If someone wants a healthcare tax credit, that should be done exclusively through health savings account. Otherwise, it doesn't matter what you call it. A tax credit is still a de facto government handout that requires one class of American citizens to pay (or sacrifice) for the healthcare of another.
Third, there should be two healthcare systems. The first should be the private market where individuals and families pay for their own health care because they can afford it. For the people who are not fortunate enough to afford health insurance premiums, we should expand Medicaid to make sure that everyone has access to coverage. In that case their monthly premium payments should be based on a means test.
If someone is receiving the same healthcare at a significant discount (via tax credit or subsidy) as someone who is paying the full amount out of their own pocket, the former is likely to abuse that system.
Finally, healthcare costs will not go down under the congressional Republicans' plan. In fact, I believe that healthcare costs will continue to rise no matter what President Trump and the Republicans do. The truth that the American people need to hear is that the best lawmakers can possibly do is decelerate the rising cost of healthcare premiums in the near future.
This past week, Georgia Sen. Purdue commented that he believes Republicans might be best served to "slow down." In government, it's commonplace that elected officials and bureaucrats love checking boxes.
New healthcare plan complete: "check!"
While I do think the Republicans’ plan is far better than Obamacare it still leaves a lot to be desired.
If a family is paying $1,000 per month for health insurance, another family should not get the same insurance through tax credits for several hundred dollars less. America is built on the premise that you have to earn premium benefits or sacrifice those desires and needs until you do.
Without the ‘carrot at the end of the stick’ there is nothing to create drive and discipline.
I do believe we have a social and moral responsibility to provide healthcare options to people with limited income resources so that everyone can receive quality care and preventative treatment.
In many cases, giving unearned access to premium healthcare options leads to excessive emergency room visits, unnecessary doctor visits and abuse of access to prescription drugs.
The private market generally competes for business from individuals who can afford to pay a premium for better quality and thus are more responsible with their use of it.
While many may charge this viewpoint as elitist, it's quite the contrary. I'm simply saying that until someone exhibits the discipline, personal responsibility and perseverance to 'earn' the best money can buy they shouldn't be given unfettered access through subsidy or tax credit.
Speaker Ryan, alone, may not be leading President Trump down the wrong path toward healthcare reform, but he may be clouding better options. There’s likely a much better path that saves his political capital and provides the American public with a much better healthcare system.
It is more likely Ryan is being lead down the path by Trump.
That said the Pottery Barn rule is the main point in this debate.
So then if Trump is the driver, as you seem to be saying, then he is the owner of this? And the disaster that is to come is in his lap?
2 tiered system? Sounds fair to me. Will the rats allow those that pay their own way to get away with it? The subsidized person gets to die-that’s all they need to say.
If you don’t understand there’s going to be a large medicaid expansion you don’t understand the issue - too many people are used to freeloading, too many people are on the dole, 100 million americans don’t work, 20% of households have no one working. If we don’t have a solution for those people we’ll never win an election again.
What we can hope for on health is that they put it back the way it was for us that do work and pay in. What we have is now is high deductible, crap insurance with sex change operation coverage no one wants or cares about. What we have are faithful employers that always paid 100% for everyone and now pay more than that for a 50% contribution for that crap insurance. This horse has left the barn. lets get on with Trumps three phase solution for healthcare and move forward to deregulation and economic growth and taxes.
Isn't that a good thing?
I get really annoyed when I see a distinction made between state and federal money. There is none. The money comes from the same source--taxpayers. The only difference is that the state collects directly from the taxpayers, and the federal money comes back to the state after the federal government collects it. If the federal government is collecting so much tax money that it has leftovers to give back to the states after paying its operational costs, then the fed is collecting too much money.
Perhaps if states perceive that they are not getting enough (of their own money) back from the federal government to pay for Medicaid, perhaps they will be more diligent with how they dole out Medicaid.
And yes, I am aware that the Federal government isn't returning tax moneys to the states as much as it's borrowing money to funnel to the states. And we're in a huge mess with our debt at all levels of government.
Isn't that a good thing?
I get really annoyed when I see a distinction made between state and federal money. There is none. The money comes from the same source--taxpayers. The only difference is that the state collects directly from the taxpayers, and the federal money comes back to the state after the federal government collects it. If the federal government is collecting so much tax money that it has leftovers to give back to the states after paying its operational costs, then the fed is collecting too much money.
Perhaps if states perceive that they are not getting enough (of their own money) back from the federal government to pay for Medicaid, perhaps they will be more diligent with how they dole out Medicaid.
And yes, I am aware that the Federal government isn't returning tax moneys to the states as much as it's borrowing money to funnel to the states. And we're in a huge mess with our debt at all levels of government.
I hate Obamacare. That being said, there was a provision for Christian sharing ministries which we joined this year after premiums for two of us for O-care were going to be $1450 per month. I haven’t researched yet but we got an email that Christian sharing ministries are left out of Ryancare. How does that compute? A very liberal Democrat disaster plan offers but not a supposedly conservative Republican plan? That is no way to expand choices is it? Like I said, I still need to look into details so if any of you know more than me please share.
Ok-cash clinics for once a year(15 minutes) exam. $50k deductible for the big stuff that may come up. How much would that cost ME?
Two problems. The "massive change" allegedly being negotiated will do nothing to fix the underlying issues. And the administration is making the same mistakes that Obama made by over-promising. Trumpcare will lower costs and lead to more choices. It will cover everyone and will not result in anyone being worse off. All of that is going to come back to haunt them.
The Ryan three phase approach to repeal and replace is BS and the Senate parliamentarian is blowing liberal smoke. The democraps got Obamacare passed on a simple majority in both houses. Repeal and replace should be done the same way. I’m tired of watching republicans in the Senate play by some arbitrary democrap rules. McConnell needs to do the job or step aside, and President Trump needs to steamroll Ryan.
How does that compute?
They are our elected representatives, not the Politburo.
You are probably correct. The whole thing is such a mess that there is no place to really take decisive action to stop the damage. Fukishima type disaster, the more you do the less change get.
“I am hoping that we’re able to reveal all of this and my greatest desire is to lead him right into impeachment.” ~Maxie
I don’t know about that but Amish benefited and many other Christians who did not want to pay for abortions.
They are our elected representatives, not the Politburo.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
They are Fedzilla’s attendants, they look out for Fedzilla, not the citizens.
They will never vote to repeal all of the federal agencies that Obamacare created that give Fedzilla power.
expand Medicaid to make sure that everyone has access to coverage. In that case their monthly premium payments should be based on a means test.
I don’t like it when people comment on Medicaid who don’t know how it works. Medicaid is not like insurance. There are no ‘monthly premiums’. It is already means tested. You can apply for Medicaid but based on your income you could have a $4-5000 Share of Cost. That share of cost is every month. That means if you have medical bills you cover the $4-5000 share of cost and if there are any bills left Medicaid will cover the rest. Then it starts over the next month. Depending on your income your share of cost can be $0 on up.
Yes, I was an eligibility worker for MediCal, California’s Medicaid.
Later
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.