• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Senate health-care draft repeals Obamacare taxes, bigger subsidies for low-income

Sounds very much designed to bring the water to a slow boil so the American population dies without realizing - at least until it's too late. Worst effects targeting a time when Democrats are likely to have control again, so things can be blamed on them when it all goes to shit.

It will pass. Cuts what the crazies want, but in a slower, more subtle way so the 'moderates' feel they can slink by without severe damage.

Any holdouts will be told it's now or never due to reconciliation, and will cave.

This doesn't have the cuts the crazies want.
 

antonz

Member
Its been designed from the Get go to be a 50 vote only bill so Pence can ride in and "Save" the day. They know there is no alternative
 
Sounds very much designed to bring the water to a slow boil so the American population dies without realizing - at least until it's too late. Worst effects targeting a time when Democrats are likely to have control again, so things can be blamed on them when it all goes to shit.

It will pass. Cuts what the crazies want, but in a slower, more subtle way so the 'moderates' feel they can slink by without severe damage.

Any holdouts will be told it's now or never due to reconciliation, and will cave.

I agree with this.

Sounds like Mitch found the secret sauce to get this passed in the Senate. That said, it may give them a short-term victory, but the one thing Obama did achieve, which can't be repealed, is that people now expect a higher standard for healthcare. A large majority of rust-belt Republicans and Trump voters may not directly say "healthcare is a right" but that's certainly what they're now expecting. In 2009 and 2010, repealing Obamacare was about stopping "Big Government" and returning to the status quo. But now in 2016/2017, it's about having a working healthcare system with low deductibles and good coverage. It's not about returning to the status quo pre 2009.

Sure there are a few vocal minority of Republicans in blood red GOP districts that want a Darwinistic health-scare system where only the well-off can afford quality healthcare. But that's not the majority of the country and that's why all these GOP healthcare bills keep polling at only 17-25% nationally. Obama has raised the standards for what people expect from their healthcare system and that hasn't sunk in yet for most Congressional Republicans.

This bill may give Republicans a short-term victory or reprieve. But in 4-5 years when Trumpcare leaves millions of middle class Americans with unaffordable or unusable health insurance, there will be a hard and sustaining backlash on the GOP because they will own this bill 100%. And the method in which they tried to pass this bill in secrecy will come to haunt them.

And on a side note, there are two things Democrats should be doing, which will give them long-term results.

1). Put together a legit "Repair Obamacare" plan. If they all agree it should be repaired, then actually offer legislation that shows what a repair would look like and actually get it scored by the CBO. Obviously Republicans won't touch it, but it'll give the American people a comparison and it'll show contrast with Republicans from both a substance and action standpoint. I really hope Democrats don't start the same cycle of trying to repeal the AHCA 1,000 times and then not actually have a credible plan when they get in power. Democrats need to stop being afraid of fighting on substance and actually present a "Repair Obamacare" plan.

2). Make sure this bill is called Trumpcare. Not Ryancare, GOP-care, or whatever. Call it Trumpcare. Donald Trump will go down as the most unpopular president in history and there's a strong possibly he won't even finish his first four year term. The substance of the ACHA is not what most Americans want and the Trump name is already becoming poisonous, so naming it Trumpcare will make it a lot easier for Democrats to get rid of it. There's going to be a point where the majority of the American public will want to erase anything related to the Trump presidency out of existence so they can fully turn the page. Republicans in 4-5 years may be eager to get the Trumpcare tattoo of their head after they've already reaped a few good years of tax cuts. The fact that Trump is already saying he wants a healthcare bill that's "less mean" than the House version means he's acutely aware the Trumpcare name is about to placed on a steaming pile of turds. Democrats shouldn't let Trump weasel his way out of taking credit and responsibility for it.
 

Ether_Snake

安安安安安安安安安安安安安安安
Sounds like what Trump wanted: Obamacare is officially repealed, so Dems can't say criticize them for not doing what they said they would, but only after 2020, so until then any complaints people have can be thrown right back at Obamacare and the Democrats, and they will keep saying how if the Democrats are reelected they'll bring it back or keep it or make it worst. It essentially becomes a none-issue until after 2020, because people will give Republicans the benefit of the doubt.
 

Diablos

Member
If they're cutting nearly all of the taxes how the fuck are they going to pay for it

Giving states more flexibility for the waivers and what qualifies as a health plan is VERY concerning to me.
I think that is going to open a pandora's box if you don't have a Democratic gov which is silly
 

Zips

Member
This doesn't have the cuts the crazies want.

Anything that's left will die for lack of funding as they are cutting the taxes that helped pay for it. Those straggler bits will just die slower so that people aren't hit by it all at once and go into the rage that the Republicans fear.

Or do you think they don't realize that it won't be able to be sustained with the funding taxes cut.
 

Diablos

Member
I have a feeling AHCA plans will rival COBRA plans in several years in regards to premium prices -- if it passes, because they're not funding SHIT.

How are you getting a low income tax credit if no one else is being taxed to pay for it...

Yep it is quite the huge problem but I really do feel one that has a relatively simple solution but I feel it would be more cold dead hands than gun control.

I wonder what the rough cost would be for what I have had done recently (with/without insurance)?

2x initial ER visits by ambulance then transferred to specialist hospital
VATS Bullectomy surgery
3x chest drains (2 powered ones post surgery, 1 standard)
23 days stay in hospital over 2 visits
2x blood pleurodesis?
~30x chest X-rays (really!) This was questioned by myself, ward manager and the X-ray team eventually...
Plus all the drugs/food/pain relief etc

If anyone could guesstimate?
Without insurance? You'd be bankrupt
With insurance? You'd still have a lot of medical bills but could probably deal with it albeit over a long span of time if you're able to work
 

drspeedy

Member
When will enough be enough for the American proletariat?


Hahahahaahahahaha! Good one!

hoap-president-elizondo.jpg
 

zelas

Member
If they're cutting nearly all of the taxes how the fuck are they going to pay for it

Giving states more flexibility for the waivers and what qualifies as a health plan is VERY concerning to me.
I think that is going to open a pandora's box if you don't have a Democratic gov which is silly
What is their to pay for when we've kicked everyone off and restricted what needs to be covered!
 
Anything that's left will die for lack of funding as they are cutting the taxes that helped pay for it. Those straggler bits will just die slower so that people aren't hit by it all at once and go into the rage that the Republicans fear.

Or do you think they don't realize that it won't be able to be sustained with the funding taxes cut.
No Freedom Caucus member wants to be on record as voting for abortion funding. When dealing with districts of single issue voters, something like that becomes a problem.
 

Alphahawk

Member
So wait the bill allows states to get rid of the exchange but not allow insurance companies to exclude pre existing conditions? That really doesn't make sense. Can't insurance companies exclude pre existing conditions on everything but the exchange. How would this work in states that opt not to do the exchange. Would it just be everyone is allowed to join during the exchange months?
 

Diablos

Member
No Freedom Caucus member wants to be on record as voting for abortion funding. When dealing with districts of single issue voters, something like that becomes a problem.
It would end their career.

GOP is gonna nuke the filibuster, they have to now if they think they can pass this
 

Bleepey

Member
I hope the dem challenger in 2020 runs with Obama as VP and they run on single payer. You thought OG obamacare was too much govt control. Watch what happens when the boogeyman they fear comes back to haunt you.
 
It would end their career.

GOP is gonna nuke the filibuster, they have to now if they think they can pass this
If the GOP nukes the filibuster, they're done for. Not immediately, but it'd soon be the end of the party as we know it. McConnell is not putting that option on the table.

I think this bill will squeak by, unfortunately.
 
Ugh.

13 SEC. 208. REPEAL OF COST-SHARING SUBSIDY PROGRAM.
14 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1402 of the Patient Pro-
15 tection and Affordable Care Act is repealed.

7 SEC. 131. OPTIONAL WORK REQUIREMENT FOR NON-
8 DISABLED, NONELDERLY, NONPREGNANT IN-
9 DIVIDUALS.
10 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1902 of the Social Secu-
11 rity Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a), as previously amended, is fur-
12 ther amended by adding at the end the following new sub-
13 section:
14 ‘‘(oo) OPTIONAL WORK REQUIREMENT FOR NON-
15 DISABLED, NONELDERLY, NONPREGNANT INDIVID-
16 UALS.—

Yah.
 

Kusagari

Member
It's exactly the kind of insidious bill you would expect from McConnell.

Designed to pass because it doesn't look that bad at first glance, but in the long run it's even worse than the house bill.
 
How does this qualify for reconciliation?

They were specifically told that the abortion exception stuff for healthcare wouldn't fly under reconciliation

They added it anyway

So I guess they're killing the filibuster.
 

Ekai

Member
Sounds very much designed to bring the water to a slow boil so the American population dies without realizing - at least until it's too late. Worst effects targeting a time when Democrats are likely to have control again, so things can be blamed on them when it all goes to shit.

It will pass. Cuts what the crazies want, but in a slower, more subtle way so the 'moderates' feel they can slink by without severe damage.

Any holdouts will be told it's now or never due to reconciliation, and will cave.

Pretty much my takeaway.

Fuck the Republicans.
 

Brandon F

Well congratulations! You got yourself caught!
It boggles my mind this seems to be a logical system to so many American's!?

I mean how does 100's of dollars in premiums and then additional costly co-pays/deductibles in most cases make more sense than a say 10% (or whatever it takes) hike in income tax for everyone that gives universal healthcare?

Business interests is the answer of course.... I just don't know why the American people allow the current system to continue without real protests!?

Because people are fucking misinformed idiots that play team sports with the lives of their families.
 

Omadahl

Banned
The pyrrhic victory of the poor republican voter, "My team won but I'm dying from cancer because I can't afford treatment." Fucking morons.
 

Jeremy

Member
Jesus christ. Its not enough for these guys to sabotage Obamacare and basically render it useless, they've also got to blow up planned parenthood and Medicaid while they're at it, In the same bill. How is this better than a straight repeal?

Edit: Also this thing is basically states rights out the ass. It basically reads like "Blue state? Slight downgrade. Red state? Get ready to die."

This was the scary part to me as well. I live in Mississippi so I can not get behind this given the poor decisions made in the past regarding healthcare and EVERYTHING ELSE
 

AndyD

aka andydumi
This looks more like a repeal of Medicaid than anything...

Pretty much. I don't think it will be well received by the elderly for whom Medicaid pays part of nursing home costs.

But that's in the future, and we all know how well they vote for the future that won't affect them.
 
Pretty much. I don't think it will be well received by the elderly for whom Medicaid pays part of nursing home costs.

But that's in the future, and we all know how well they vote for the future that won't affect them.

There are 70 million people insured by Medicaid!

And they thought the 20 million off insurance headline was bad... uh...
 
Aren't the majority of folks on Medicaid the types that always and consistently vote Republican? Or is that Medicare?

No, Medicaid is for the poor, who generally vote Democrat. Medicare is for the elderly, and they generally vote Republican.

However, quite a lot of elderly rely on Medicaid as well (like my grandparents) because Medicaid has really good nursing home and home aide coverage (my grandpa uses the latter).
 

boiled goose

good with gravy
What about pre existing conditions and lifetime caps?

Those are two good things about aca that affect almost everyone, not just low income people.
 

Chumly

Member
Has anyone done any analysis yet on how much more fucked we are?

What is the senate proposing for cost sharing subsidies
 
Top Bottom