The Republicans in Congress are still flogging away at the Affordable
Care Act (OK, OK, “Obamacare”), but that dog don’t hunt no more.
Republicans in the House have voted—what? 163 times or something like
that--to repeal Obamacare….campaign talking points, and nothing else.
The New York Times talked straight a few days ago in an editorial that
diced up “…the big myths they are peddling…”
Here’s the short version:
“[Myth 1] MILLIONS OF PEOPLE
HAVE LOST THEIR INSURANCE:
According to the Census Bureau, the number of uninsured Americans
dropped by 10 million between 2010, when the law passed, and 2014. While
critics said employers might stop offering health insurance because of the
law, three million people gained coverage through their employers between 2010
and 2014.
[Myth 2] MILLIONS OF PEOPLE HAVE
LOST THEIR JOBS:
A 2015 study using data from the Current Population Survey found that
the law “had virtually no adverse effect on labor force participation,
employment or usual hours worked per week through 2014.
[Myth 3] REDUCE COSTS BY
WEAKENING STATE REGULATIONS:
…the biggest obstacle stopping insurers from setting up in more states
is not regulation; it’s the difficulty of establishing a network of providers
in a new market. And such a structure would destroy the longstanding ability of
states to regulate health insurance for their populations.”
The Republicans have proposed nothing to replace Obamacare.
Obamacare has done a lot of good so far, and we have a long way to go
in making our American health care system more effective and less costly.
Copyright
© Richard Carl Subber 2016 All rights reserved.
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