Let's Not Ignore the Real Heroes Who Saved Our Health Care System from Total Ruin @alternet:
"What all this media coverage ignores is the tireless and determined organizing of activist groups against the bill. If anyone is to be heralded a hero for saving the ACA, it’s the activists from ADAPT, a disability rights organization, who have been on the front lines fighting for their right to health care. The primary factor driving ADAPT organizers and disability rights activists is the need to protect Medicaid, a program that has helped an estimated 10 million disabled people and counting, according to Kaiser Family Foundation. With both the House and Senate’s health care bills proposing drastic cuts to Medicaid, people with disabilities are particularly vulnerable. “Medicaid is a lifeline for us,” said Laura Halvorson, a member of the DC Metro ADAPT chapter. “It gives us our life and liberty.” ADAPT activists, ranging in age from parents with younger children to the elderly, held about 40 protests, rallies and sit-ins this week and over the past few months to pressure the lawmakers working to strip health care away from millions of people. These demonstrations took place in legislative offices on Capitol Hill as well as representatives' local offices across the country, the message ringing loud and clear. Protesters were often met with aggressive police presence. A "die-in” protest organized by ADAPT on June 22 to commemorate the 18th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision in Olmstead v. LC—which affirmed the rights of the disabled to live in communities instead of institutions—outside Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s office led to the arrests of 43 people. Footage from reporters on the scene shows officers lifting individuals out of their wheelchairs to remove them from the vicinity."
7/30/17
Ideology, Not Tactics, Killed Trumpcare
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/features/ideology-not-tactics-killed-trumpcare-w494720
"There was no plan in that seven years, and there would have been no reasonable plan out of the conference committee, because a Republican health care bill is an oxymoron. The problem was never one of tactics, but always one of ideology. Every bill Republicans put forth was measured in the millions of Americans who would lose their coverage. There was never a plan on the table that would have given Americans cheaper, better, simpler, more effective access to health care. It only subtracted, because subtraction is what the Republicans in Congress believe in. They don't believe access to health care is a basic human right. They don't believe people should never go bankrupt because they get sick. They hide behind words like "freedom" and "personal responsibility," but what's freedom worth if you get cancer while making $30,000 a year? How can anyone who isn't fabulously wealthy be expected to take personal responsibility for bills that could easily go into the hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of dollars? Republican faith in the free market to solve all our problems doomed any attempt at writing a health care law. The free market doesn't care if people get sick, go bankrupt and die if there's no profit in it. The Affordable Care Act was a last-chance effort to preserve a market-based health care system, based largely on ideas that originated in conservative think tanks. Its failures – and there are some – are largely failures of too little regulation, not too much. The plan Republicans have been fiercely opposing because it has a Democratic president's name attached to it is the closest thing they could ever get to a GOP health care plan. Americans don't want to be kicked off our health insurance. We don't want it to become unaffordable, or to fail to cover our actual health care needs. But any plan that comes solely from the Republican Party will do exactly that. We know this because we just saw them try over and over again, and every result was the same: Less coverage, higher costs."
"There was no plan in that seven years, and there would have been no reasonable plan out of the conference committee, because a Republican health care bill is an oxymoron. The problem was never one of tactics, but always one of ideology. Every bill Republicans put forth was measured in the millions of Americans who would lose their coverage. There was never a plan on the table that would have given Americans cheaper, better, simpler, more effective access to health care. It only subtracted, because subtraction is what the Republicans in Congress believe in. They don't believe access to health care is a basic human right. They don't believe people should never go bankrupt because they get sick. They hide behind words like "freedom" and "personal responsibility," but what's freedom worth if you get cancer while making $30,000 a year? How can anyone who isn't fabulously wealthy be expected to take personal responsibility for bills that could easily go into the hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of dollars? Republican faith in the free market to solve all our problems doomed any attempt at writing a health care law. The free market doesn't care if people get sick, go bankrupt and die if there's no profit in it. The Affordable Care Act was a last-chance effort to preserve a market-based health care system, based largely on ideas that originated in conservative think tanks. Its failures – and there are some – are largely failures of too little regulation, not too much. The plan Republicans have been fiercely opposing because it has a Democratic president's name attached to it is the closest thing they could ever get to a GOP health care plan. Americans don't want to be kicked off our health insurance. We don't want it to become unaffordable, or to fail to cover our actual health care needs. But any plan that comes solely from the Republican Party will do exactly that. We know this because we just saw them try over and over again, and every result was the same: Less coverage, higher costs."
The 3 most compelling moments from the Senate’s late night health care debate
https://thinkprogress.org/health-debate-moments-d4431ec968ab
"The Senate continued its health care debate late into Thursday night, deciding whether or not to strip health care from 16 million people while many Americans slept. Before the vote on the so-called “skinny repeal bill” at midnight on Friday, lawmakers held the floor to speak out about the legislation. Tensions were high, and senators bickered over policy and procedure. Here are three memorable moments from the late night session"
"The Senate continued its health care debate late into Thursday night, deciding whether or not to strip health care from 16 million people while many Americans slept. Before the vote on the so-called “skinny repeal bill” at midnight on Friday, lawmakers held the floor to speak out about the legislation. Tensions were high, and senators bickered over policy and procedure. Here are three memorable moments from the late night session"
What McCain did was hard. What Murkowski and Collins did was much harder.
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/7/28/16055132/murkowski-collins-mccain
"Murkowski and Collins were the only Republicans to vote against a motion to proceed with the health care bill debate. Both women cast votes against the Better Care Reconciliation Act, which could have led to 22 million more uninsured Americans. They both also voted against the Obamacare Reconciliation Act — repeal and delay — which could have led to 32 million more uninsured Americans. Both senators said they could not support bills that would leave millions of people without health insurance. They also opposed provisions to defund planned parenthood. When skinny repeal — seemingly the last shot for the GOP — came down, they stood their ground and voted no again."
"Murkowski and Collins were the only Republicans to vote against a motion to proceed with the health care bill debate. Both women cast votes against the Better Care Reconciliation Act, which could have led to 22 million more uninsured Americans. They both also voted against the Obamacare Reconciliation Act — repeal and delay — which could have led to 32 million more uninsured Americans. Both senators said they could not support bills that would leave millions of people without health insurance. They also opposed provisions to defund planned parenthood. When skinny repeal — seemingly the last shot for the GOP — came down, they stood their ground and voted no again."
Dean Heller's awful, stupid, really dumb Trumpcare vote
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/7/28/1685037/-Dean-Heller-s-awful-stupid-really-dumb-Trumpcare-vote
"Sen. Dean Heller was already having an extremely bad week, all entirely of his own making. For whatever reason, the extremely vulnerable Nevada Republican—the only one running in 2018 in a state that went for Clinton last year—decided he was going to vote against his constituents in order to stick with his party."
"Sen. Dean Heller was already having an extremely bad week, all entirely of his own making. For whatever reason, the extremely vulnerable Nevada Republican—the only one running in 2018 in a state that went for Clinton last year—decided he was going to vote against his constituents in order to stick with his party."
Sean Hannity Throws a Hissy Fit Because GOP, Trump are Frauds (Video)
https://forwardprogressives.com/sean-hannity-throws-a-hissy-fit-because-gop-trump-are-frauds-video/
"He seems “shocked” that Republicans have been exposed as frauds who never had any plan to replace Obamacare, spent the last few years lying about it to benefit themselves politically, and now that they were forced to turn their propaganda into action, backed down. Despite their anti-Obamacare crusade the last seven years, the GOP is well aware of how many conservatives have actually benefited from the law. What Hannity fails to mention is that, while the “skinny repeal” barely failed, the vote to reject the full-on repeal of Obamacare wasn’t even close. As far as not wanting “the president to succeed,” that’s just idiotic. During his campaign he promised a bill that would make health care cheaper, better, and cover more Americans — yet Trumpcare literally would have done none of that. It was going to strip-down coverage, raise premiums, and 22 million fewer Americans would have had health insurance by 2026. He then went on to claim that the “deck is stacked” against the Trump administration. It’s easy to understand why Trump and Hannity get along so well; they’re two of the biggest crybabies I’ve ever seen. In case anybody’s forgotten, the Republican Party controls the House, the Senate, and the White House. If they can’t pass legislation that’s on them — and nobody else. What Sean Hannity’s essentially whining about here is the fact that Donald Trump and the GOP are liars who pander to ignorance. Now he’s upset because their conservative fan fiction they all desperately want to be real is running up against a reality that would expose what con artists they are. They know if they instantly stripped health care away from millions — many of whom are their own voters — the political ramifications from that fallout would be catastrophic for the party at nearly every level of government. So Hannity can blame whoever, or whatever, he wants for the failures of Donald Trump and the Republican Party in fulfilling the lies they fed to millions of naive people who actually believed their nonsense."
"He seems “shocked” that Republicans have been exposed as frauds who never had any plan to replace Obamacare, spent the last few years lying about it to benefit themselves politically, and now that they were forced to turn their propaganda into action, backed down. Despite their anti-Obamacare crusade the last seven years, the GOP is well aware of how many conservatives have actually benefited from the law. What Hannity fails to mention is that, while the “skinny repeal” barely failed, the vote to reject the full-on repeal of Obamacare wasn’t even close. As far as not wanting “the president to succeed,” that’s just idiotic. During his campaign he promised a bill that would make health care cheaper, better, and cover more Americans — yet Trumpcare literally would have done none of that. It was going to strip-down coverage, raise premiums, and 22 million fewer Americans would have had health insurance by 2026. He then went on to claim that the “deck is stacked” against the Trump administration. It’s easy to understand why Trump and Hannity get along so well; they’re two of the biggest crybabies I’ve ever seen. In case anybody’s forgotten, the Republican Party controls the House, the Senate, and the White House. If they can’t pass legislation that’s on them — and nobody else. What Sean Hannity’s essentially whining about here is the fact that Donald Trump and the GOP are liars who pander to ignorance. Now he’s upset because their conservative fan fiction they all desperately want to be real is running up against a reality that would expose what con artists they are. They know if they instantly stripped health care away from millions — many of whom are their own voters — the political ramifications from that fallout would be catastrophic for the party at nearly every level of government. So Hannity can blame whoever, or whatever, he wants for the failures of Donald Trump and the Republican Party in fulfilling the lies they fed to millions of naive people who actually believed their nonsense."
Trump angrily rants that ‘Obamacare is death’ – and it backfires hilariously
Trump angrily rants that ‘Obamacare is death’ – and it backfires hilariously:
"the president’s claim that Obamacare was “death” quickly ignited mockery on social media."
"the president’s claim that Obamacare was “death” quickly ignited mockery on social media."
Trump Appears to Not Understand What Health Insurance Is
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/features/trump-appears-to-not-understand-what-health-insurance-is-w493467
"the theory that our government can function even if the president is clueless is being tested."
"the theory that our government can function even if the president is clueless is being tested."
7/27/17
Bipartisan Group Of Governors Warns Senate Not To Pass ‘Skinny’ Obamacare Repeal Bill
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/governors-letter-skinny-repeal-bill-obamacare_us_59791482e4b02a4ebb72a510?wxk&ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009
"A bipartisan group of 10 governors wrote a letter Wednesday urging the Senate to reject a proposed “skinny” health care bill that Republican leaders are now trying feverishly to pass. And if the collective voice of so many governors doesn’t get the attention of GOP leaders, the letter’s endorsement by one particular Republican governor might."
"A bipartisan group of 10 governors wrote a letter Wednesday urging the Senate to reject a proposed “skinny” health care bill that Republican leaders are now trying feverishly to pass. And if the collective voice of so many governors doesn’t get the attention of GOP leaders, the letter’s endorsement by one particular Republican governor might."
The GOP Is Willing to Destroy Our Democracy If That's What It Takes to Repeal Obamacare @alternet
The GOP Is Willing to Destroy Our Democracy If That's What It Takes to Repeal Obamacare @alternet:
"The Republicans have shown themselves to be the party that cares most about their power, political gamesmanship and serving their wealthy patrons. But the lawlessness they have embraced is multi-layered."
"The Republicans have shown themselves to be the party that cares most about their power, political gamesmanship and serving their wealthy patrons. But the lawlessness they have embraced is multi-layered."
Somebody tell the United States Senate they are voting on a real bill
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/7/27/16052884/voxcare-skinny-repeal-vote
"Senate Republicans are primed to pass some kind of health care bill in the next 24 hours. The crazy thing is, they say they don't actually want it to become law.They just want to pass something and then start negotiations with the House on a much bigger bill. In fact, they want assurances that whatever they pass won't just be taken up by the House and passed. Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) told reporters that senators weren't concerned about the "substance" of the bill they're about to vote on, they just want a guarantee the House won't pass it too. What on earth."
"Senate Republicans are primed to pass some kind of health care bill in the next 24 hours. The crazy thing is, they say they don't actually want it to become law.They just want to pass something and then start negotiations with the House on a much bigger bill. In fact, they want assurances that whatever they pass won't just be taken up by the House and passed. Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) told reporters that senators weren't concerned about the "substance" of the bill they're about to vote on, they just want a guarantee the House won't pass it too. What on earth."
GOP Senators threaten to blow up Trumpcare unless they are given an unconstitutional guarantee
https://thinkprogress.org/gop-senators-demand-an-unconstitutional-promise-or-they-wont-back-skinny-repeal-6c374c3f0594
"Sens. Lindsay Graham (R-SC), John McCain (R-AZ), and Ron Johnson (R-WI) held an odd press conference Thursday evening where they announced that they will vote for the latest gambit to advance Trumpcare, but only if they can be sure that the bill they vote for does not become law."
"Sens. Lindsay Graham (R-SC), John McCain (R-AZ), and Ron Johnson (R-WI) held an odd press conference Thursday evening where they announced that they will vote for the latest gambit to advance Trumpcare, but only if they can be sure that the bill they vote for does not become law."
GOP Senators Call “Skinny” Repeal Bill a Fraud—But Say They Might Vote for It Anyway
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/07/gop-senators-call-skinny-repeal-bill-a-fraud-but-say-they-might-vote-for-it-anyway/
"In other words, these four senators are saying that they are willing to vote for a bill they don’t support as long as congressional leaders promise it won’t actually become law."
"In other words, these four senators are saying that they are willing to vote for a bill they don’t support as long as congressional leaders promise it won’t actually become law."
7/23/17
GOP senator says Trump should just sign health care bill even if he doesn’t know what’s in it
https://thinkprogress.org/key-republican-senator-says-trump-doesnt-need-to-understand-health-care-bill-a03f45bd088
"On Wednesday, President Trump revealed profound confusion about how health insurance works, suggesting to the New York Times that he thinks people can buy coverage for $12 a year. Asked about Trump’s comments during an MSNBC interview Thursday morning, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) defended the president, saying he’s “about broad principles,” not specifics. But Cassidy — who publicly expressed concern about the version of Trumpcare that went down in flames earlier this week, and has proposed his own replacement plan — took things a step further. He went on to say that he doesn’t think it’s important for the president to understand the details health care legislation at all."
"On Wednesday, President Trump revealed profound confusion about how health insurance works, suggesting to the New York Times that he thinks people can buy coverage for $12 a year. Asked about Trump’s comments during an MSNBC interview Thursday morning, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) defended the president, saying he’s “about broad principles,” not specifics. But Cassidy — who publicly expressed concern about the version of Trumpcare that went down in flames earlier this week, and has proposed his own replacement plan — took things a step further. He went on to say that he doesn’t think it’s important for the president to understand the details health care legislation at all."
7/22/17
Republicans Have Yet Another Health Care Bill. This One Would Leave 22 Million More Uninsured.
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/07/republicans-have-yet-another-health-care-bill-this-one-would-leave-22-million-more-uninsured/
"The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office is out with yet another report on yet another Republican proposal to repeal and replace Obamacare. And yet again, the CBO is projecting that 22 million fewer people would have health insurance as a result of the legislation."
"The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office is out with yet another report on yet another Republican proposal to repeal and replace Obamacare. And yet again, the CBO is projecting that 22 million fewer people would have health insurance as a result of the legislation."
The President of the United States thinks health insurance costs $12 per year
https://thinkprogress.org/president-trump-doesnt-really-know-how-health-insurance-works-a5150312d351
"Other comments from Trump’s interview with the Times reveal that the president might not understand what health insurance is."
"Other comments from Trump’s interview with the Times reveal that the president might not understand what health insurance is."
The Trump administration melts down—and McConnell STILL tries to take health care away from millions
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/7/21/1682789/-The-Trump-administration-melts-down-and-McConnell-STILL-tries-to-take-healthcare-away-from-millions
"All hell is breaking lose at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Popular vote loser Donald Trump is actually trying to figure out if he can pardon himself and all of his family because of their Russia connections—connections that are just getting deeper and deeper and smack dab in the middle of the Kremlin. He's openly talking about firing Robert Mueller, the guy looking into those connections, essentially confirming that yeah, he's in Putin's pocket. His legal team is in turmoil, his White House staff is in turmoil. He just conducted an interview with The New York Times in which he demonstrated, repeatedly that he is losing what he had of his mind. Calling this a circus is an insult to the institution of the circus. And in the middle of all of that, after having declared defeat but being beaten back into submission by the deranged ring-master himself, Mitch McConnell is going to force his caucus into voting to take health insurance away from 22 million people. Even worse, a possible majority of that caucus is A-Okay with that, or he wouldn't still be trying. He's actually using all this confusion to force this vote. All as if it's business as usually as he horse-trades peoples lives away. They are about ready to vote to sentence untold tens of thousands of people to death—because that's what Obamacare repeal will do—and very possibly end their own careers. All for a president who might just have been elected by Vladimir Putin, and even if he wasn't, is working hard to make sure Putin gets to pull the strings of our government. This is not normal."
"All hell is breaking lose at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Popular vote loser Donald Trump is actually trying to figure out if he can pardon himself and all of his family because of their Russia connections—connections that are just getting deeper and deeper and smack dab in the middle of the Kremlin. He's openly talking about firing Robert Mueller, the guy looking into those connections, essentially confirming that yeah, he's in Putin's pocket. His legal team is in turmoil, his White House staff is in turmoil. He just conducted an interview with The New York Times in which he demonstrated, repeatedly that he is losing what he had of his mind. Calling this a circus is an insult to the institution of the circus. And in the middle of all of that, after having declared defeat but being beaten back into submission by the deranged ring-master himself, Mitch McConnell is going to force his caucus into voting to take health insurance away from 22 million people. Even worse, a possible majority of that caucus is A-Okay with that, or he wouldn't still be trying. He's actually using all this confusion to force this vote. All as if it's business as usually as he horse-trades peoples lives away. They are about ready to vote to sentence untold tens of thousands of people to death—because that's what Obamacare repeal will do—and very possibly end their own careers. All for a president who might just have been elected by Vladimir Putin, and even if he wasn't, is working hard to make sure Putin gets to pull the strings of our government. This is not normal."
Here’s Exactly How Many People Will Be Uninsured Under Each Republican Health Care Bill
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/07/heres-exactly-how-many-people-will-be-uninsured-under-each-republican-health-care-bill/
"Over the past few months, Republicans have trotted out a variety of ideas for killing Obamacare. Each of their various bills has shared one key trait: They would all leave tens of millions more Americans without health insurance."
"Over the past few months, Republicans have trotted out a variety of ideas for killing Obamacare. Each of their various bills has shared one key trait: They would all leave tens of millions more Americans without health insurance."
Nation's doctors demand Republicans pull the plug on Trumpcare, work to shore up Obamacare
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/7/21/1682815/-Nation-s-doctors-demand-Republicans-pull-the-plug-on-Trumpcare-work-to-shore-up-Obamacare
"Every major health advocacy group opposes it. The vast majority of the voting population opposes repeal."
"Every major health advocacy group opposes it. The vast majority of the voting population opposes repeal."
7/21/17
CBO: Mitch McConnell’s Latest Health Care Bill Would Leave 32 Million More Uninsured
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/07/cbo-mitch-mcconnells-latest-health-care-bill-would-leave-32-million-more-uninsured/
"Whether they do repeal-and-replace or straight repeal, the results would be devastating."
"Whether they do repeal-and-replace or straight repeal, the results would be devastating."
Here’s what Mitch McConnell wants to do to the U.S. health care system
https://thinkprogress.org/heres-what-mitch-mcconnell-wants-to-do-to-the-u-s-health-care-system-956364e3ad63
"Whether they do repeal-and-replace or straight repeal, the results would be devastating."
"Whether they do repeal-and-replace or straight repeal, the results would be devastating."
Trump levels another threat at insurers, Obamacare
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/7/19/1682125/-Trump-levels-another-threat-at-insurers-Obamacare
"Trump has every intention of destroying Obamacare, and he and his fellow Republicans are going to be the ones who take the blame for that."
"Trump has every intention of destroying Obamacare, and he and his fellow Republicans are going to be the ones who take the blame for that."
Mitch McConnell Announces Plan To Harm Even More People With Obamacare Repeal Only Bill
http://www.politicususa.com/2017/07/18/mitch-mcconnell-announces-plan-harm-people-obamacare-repeal-bill.html
"A stand alone repeal bill would take health care away from 32 million Americans. It is even worse than repeal and replace. If Republicans couldn’t get 50 votes for their bill that took coverage away from 22 million people, they aren’t going to get 50 votes for a bill that takes coverage away from 32 million people."
"A stand alone repeal bill would take health care away from 32 million Americans. It is even worse than repeal and replace. If Republicans couldn’t get 50 votes for their bill that took coverage away from 22 million people, they aren’t going to get 50 votes for a bill that takes coverage away from 32 million people."
Condoms don't work, smoking doesn't kill, GOP is saving Medicaid—the world class lies of Mike Pence
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/7/17/1681393/-Condoms-don-t-work-smoking-doesn-t-kill-GOP-is-saving-Medicaid-the-world-class-lies-of-Mike-Pence
"His current boss aside, you’d be hard-pressed to name another politician who so openly and freely spews one lie after another."
"His current boss aside, you’d be hard-pressed to name another politician who so openly and freely spews one lie after another."
7/19/17
Tom Price Says Insurers Should ‘Dust Off How They Did Business Before Obamacare’
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/tom-price-insurers-obamacare_us_596b76fae4b01741862825c6?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009
"Prior to Obamacare, 79 million — more than one in four Americans — either lacked health insurance or were underinsured."
"Prior to Obamacare, 79 million — more than one in four Americans — either lacked health insurance or were underinsured."
7/15/17
'Total Garbage': Senate GOP's New Trumpcare Bill Even Worse Than Original
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2017/07/13/total-garbage-senate-gops-new-trumpcare-bill-even-worse-original
"Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who spent this past weekend rallying the Trumpcare opposition in West Virginia and Kentucky, reiterated a point he has made frequently in recent months. "Make no mistake about it," he wrote, "thousands of Americans every year will die unnecessarily if the Republican legislation is passed"."
"Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who spent this past weekend rallying the Trumpcare opposition in West Virginia and Kentucky, reiterated a point he has made frequently in recent months. "Make no mistake about it," he wrote, "thousands of Americans every year will die unnecessarily if the Republican legislation is passed"."
New Health Care Bill Proves GOP Promises On Pre-Existing Conditions Were Never Serious
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/gop-senate-health-care-bill-preexisting-conditions_us_5967b4c6e4b03389bb15e1fe?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009
"If you have medical problems, this proposal probably won’t be good for you."
"If you have medical problems, this proposal probably won’t be good for you."
Republican Steve King's Astonishing Cruelty isn't the Exception, it's the Norm
https://thedailybanter.com/2017/07/republican-steve-kings-astonishing-cruelty-isnt-the-exception-its-the-norm/
"It should be remembered that the Republican Party, in collusion with Donald Trump, is attempting to pass a health care bill that could kill roughly 24,000 Americans a year. The Republican Party and Donald Trump are also seeking to slash $10.6 billion from federal education initiatives that include after-school programs for the poorest students in America."
"It should be remembered that the Republican Party, in collusion with Donald Trump, is attempting to pass a health care bill that could kill roughly 24,000 Americans a year. The Republican Party and Donald Trump are also seeking to slash $10.6 billion from federal education initiatives that include after-school programs for the poorest students in America."
McConnell's Latest Health Care Bill Is Even Worse, Gutting Coverage and Raising Costs for Tens of Millions @alternet
McConnell's Latest Health Care Bill Is Even Worse, Gutting Coverage and Raising Costs for Tens of Millions @alternet:
"The latest Trumpcare bill released by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is a political dealmaker’s version of putting lipstick on a pig—taking a colossally destructive bill hurting tens of millions and dressing it up so it can win enough votes to pass."
"The latest Trumpcare bill released by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is a political dealmaker’s version of putting lipstick on a pig—taking a colossally destructive bill hurting tens of millions and dressing it up so it can win enough votes to pass."
Paul Krugman: Republicans Are on the Brink of Completing a Long, Deadly Con @alternet
Paul Krugman: Republicans Are on the Brink of Completing a Long, Deadly Con @alternet:
"It's really very simple. If the GOP manages to pass its health care bill, millions of Americans will be deprived of insurance, while those who manage to keep theirs will pay considerably more for less. As Krugman sees it, this is what Republicans have wanted all along."
"It's really very simple. If the GOP manages to pass its health care bill, millions of Americans will be deprived of insurance, while those who manage to keep theirs will pay considerably more for less. As Krugman sees it, this is what Republicans have wanted all along."
American Medical Association, health groups sound alarms over Trumpcare 3.0
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/7/14/1680715/-American-Medical-Association-health-groups-sound-alarms-over-Trumpcare-3-0
"Other major industry groups agree. The president of the American Hospital Association, Rick Pollack, says it would mean "real consequences for real people. […] Among them people with chronic conditions such as cancer, individuals with disabilities who need long-term services and support, and the elderly." Darrel Kirch, president of the Association of American Medical Colleges, specifically address the harm the Cruz amendment would cause, saying that it "will hurt those with preexisting conditions and further destabilize insurance markets." Chris Hansen, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, reinforces that, saying that the bill as a whole, including the Cruz amendment, would make health care worse for cancer patients and everyone. "This bill would leave patients and those with pre-existing conditions paying more for less coverage and would substantially erode the progress our nation has been trying to make in providing affordable, adequate and meaningful coverage to all Americans," he said. None of these groups or any others in the industry or representing patients had any say in this bill. Neither did at least 45 of the 52 Republican senators who are about to vote on this thing, if Mitch McConnell has his way. One, just one, of those 45 or so who've been shut out of the process could put an end to this thing right now. It only takes three to torpedo the bill, and Susan Collins and Rand Paul are already there."
"Other major industry groups agree. The president of the American Hospital Association, Rick Pollack, says it would mean "real consequences for real people. […] Among them people with chronic conditions such as cancer, individuals with disabilities who need long-term services and support, and the elderly." Darrel Kirch, president of the Association of American Medical Colleges, specifically address the harm the Cruz amendment would cause, saying that it "will hurt those with preexisting conditions and further destabilize insurance markets." Chris Hansen, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, reinforces that, saying that the bill as a whole, including the Cruz amendment, would make health care worse for cancer patients and everyone. "This bill would leave patients and those with pre-existing conditions paying more for less coverage and would substantially erode the progress our nation has been trying to make in providing affordable, adequate and meaningful coverage to all Americans," he said. None of these groups or any others in the industry or representing patients had any say in this bill. Neither did at least 45 of the 52 Republican senators who are about to vote on this thing, if Mitch McConnell has his way. One, just one, of those 45 or so who've been shut out of the process could put an end to this thing right now. It only takes three to torpedo the bill, and Susan Collins and Rand Paul are already there."
The U.S. health care system has been rated the worst (by far) among high-income nations
http://www.newsweek.com/united-states-health-care-rated-worst-637114
"The Commonwealth Fund focused on care process, access, administrative efficiency, equity and health care outcomes, studying 72 indicators within those fields. The 11 countries analyzed were Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. In addition to ranking last or close to last in access, administrative efficiency, equity and health care outcomes, the U.S. was found to spend the most money on health care. The U.S. rated especially poor in equality of coverage."
"The Commonwealth Fund focused on care process, access, administrative efficiency, equity and health care outcomes, studying 72 indicators within those fields. The 11 countries analyzed were Australia, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. In addition to ranking last or close to last in access, administrative efficiency, equity and health care outcomes, the U.S. was found to spend the most money on health care. The U.S. rated especially poor in equality of coverage."
Republicans Are Trying to Exempt Themselves from the More Brutal Aspects of Trumpcare
https://thedailybanter.com/2017/07/republicans-are-trying-to-exempt-themselves/
"the GOP is trying to carve out special language in Trumpcare to avoid the more punitive cuts in the embattled Trumpcare bill. They tried it once in the House bill, only to be forced to close the loophole. It's back."
"the GOP is trying to carve out special language in Trumpcare to avoid the more punitive cuts in the embattled Trumpcare bill. They tried it once in the House bill, only to be forced to close the loophole. It's back."
Republican governor fact-checks Pence’s lie about Medicaid
https://thinkprogress.org/republican-governor-fact-checks-pences-lie-about-medicaid-fb7c0783a095
"the Trump administration has no shame about the disinformation campaign officials are waging."
"the Trump administration has no shame about the disinformation campaign officials are waging."
What Trump’s GOP health cuts mean for rural America
What Trump’s GOP health cuts mean for rural America
"Rural health care has at times been characterized as patchwork. In part, that’s because the costs of sustaining health care infrastructure in rural areas are higher thanks to the large service areas, the inability to negotiate bulk pricing and lack of financial incentives to fill in provider gaps. The ACA, intended to turn this around, has in fact led to dramatic gains in insurance coverage among rural Americans. Broadly speaking, insurance rates in rural areas reached almost 86 percent in early 2015, up from an estimated 78 percent in 2013. In Kentucky – a state with high poverty, a large rural population (42 percent of residents) and a successful Medicaid expansion initiative – tens of thousands of newly insured low-income adults began using preventative services after previously being unable to afford it. The state’s uninsured fell by half and, as a result, fewer people skipped taking their medications due to financial hardships relative to other states that didn’t expand Medicaid. The ACA also strengthened rural health care institutions by investing in upgrades to hospitals and clinics, preventative health programs and support for providers to stay in rural areas. While rural hospitals are often laden with the expense of providing extensive care without payment to indigent patients, rural hospitals in states that expanded Medicaid under the ACA finally were able to better balance their books when caring for this vulnerable group. At the same time, the ACA supported innovative models ideal for rural areas that prioritized outreach, integration of services and collaboration between safety-net players. Both the House and Senate bills to repeal and replace Obamacare would drastically reduce rural Americans’ insurance coverage and significantly threaten the ability of many rural hospitals and clinics to keep their doors open."
"Rural health care has at times been characterized as patchwork. In part, that’s because the costs of sustaining health care infrastructure in rural areas are higher thanks to the large service areas, the inability to negotiate bulk pricing and lack of financial incentives to fill in provider gaps. The ACA, intended to turn this around, has in fact led to dramatic gains in insurance coverage among rural Americans. Broadly speaking, insurance rates in rural areas reached almost 86 percent in early 2015, up from an estimated 78 percent in 2013. In Kentucky – a state with high poverty, a large rural population (42 percent of residents) and a successful Medicaid expansion initiative – tens of thousands of newly insured low-income adults began using preventative services after previously being unable to afford it. The state’s uninsured fell by half and, as a result, fewer people skipped taking their medications due to financial hardships relative to other states that didn’t expand Medicaid. The ACA also strengthened rural health care institutions by investing in upgrades to hospitals and clinics, preventative health programs and support for providers to stay in rural areas. While rural hospitals are often laden with the expense of providing extensive care without payment to indigent patients, rural hospitals in states that expanded Medicaid under the ACA finally were able to better balance their books when caring for this vulnerable group. At the same time, the ACA supported innovative models ideal for rural areas that prioritized outreach, integration of services and collaboration between safety-net players. Both the House and Senate bills to repeal and replace Obamacare would drastically reduce rural Americans’ insurance coverage and significantly threaten the ability of many rural hospitals and clinics to keep their doors open."
Trump voter fighting cerebral palsy fears life would be ‘destroyed’ by massive Trumpcare cuts
Trump voter fighting cerebral palsy fears life would be ‘destroyed’ by massive Trumpcare cuts
"An Arkansas man who voted enthusiastically for President Donald Trump last fall is now worried about how he’ll be affected by both the GOP’s proposed budget and the party’s proposed health care legislation. The Washington Post’s Catherine Rampell reports that 36-year-old Trump voter Bradley Ledgerwood is worried about proposed cuts to two programs that have helped him survive ever since he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at the age of just two years old: Medicaid and legal aid."
"An Arkansas man who voted enthusiastically for President Donald Trump last fall is now worried about how he’ll be affected by both the GOP’s proposed budget and the party’s proposed health care legislation. The Washington Post’s Catherine Rampell reports that 36-year-old Trump voter Bradley Ledgerwood is worried about proposed cuts to two programs that have helped him survive ever since he was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at the age of just two years old: Medicaid and legal aid."
Indiana Republicans ask for Obamacare horror stories and get ... something different
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/7/5/1678062/-Indiana-Republicans-ask-for-Obamacare-horror-stories-and-get-something-different
"Now, Obamacare is getting more popular as people are facing the prospect of losing it, and a lot of people have stories of their own or their loved ones’ lives being saved, or not being stuck in a bad job for the health coverage, or not facing mountains of debt for minor health problems."
"Now, Obamacare is getting more popular as people are facing the prospect of losing it, and a lot of people have stories of their own or their loved ones’ lives being saved, or not being stuck in a bad job for the health coverage, or not facing mountains of debt for minor health problems."
Sean Hannity Pretends To Care About ‘The American People’ As He Demands GOP Take Away Health Insurance | Crooks and Liars
Sean Hannity Pretends To Care About ‘The American People’ As He Demands GOP Take Away Health Insurance | Crooks and Liars
"If Hannity really cared about upheld promises, he’d be bugging Donald Trump about violating his promises that Trumpcare would have insurance for everybody, regardless of their income; that he would not cut Medicaid; that people would still get coverage of pre-existing conditions; and that “nobody is going to be better on women’s health issues than Donald Trump,” for example."
"If Hannity really cared about upheld promises, he’d be bugging Donald Trump about violating his promises that Trumpcare would have insurance for everybody, regardless of their income; that he would not cut Medicaid; that people would still get coverage of pre-existing conditions; and that “nobody is going to be better on women’s health issues than Donald Trump,” for example."
7/11/17
Republican Lawmakers Buy Health Insurance Stocks as Repeal Effort Moves Forward
https://theintercept.com/2017/07/06/republican-lawmakers-buy-health-insurance-stocks-as-repeal-effort-moves-forward/
"Health industry stocks, including insurance giants like UnitedHealth, have surged as Republicans move forward with their repeal effort, which rolls back broad taxes on health care firms while loosening consumer regulations which prevent insurance companies from denying coverage for medical treatment"
"Health industry stocks, including insurance giants like UnitedHealth, have surged as Republicans move forward with their repeal effort, which rolls back broad taxes on health care firms while loosening consumer regulations which prevent insurance companies from denying coverage for medical treatment"
Trump administration steps on Trump’s ‘death spiral’ talking point
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trump-administration-steps-trumps-death-spiral-talking-point
"The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which is part of the Department of Health and Human Services, last week released a report about a wonky aspect of the Affordable Care Act related to insurance payments. Tucked away in the report, however, was evidence that the health insurance marketplaces set up by Obamacare were relatively stable in 2016. Contrary to the “death-spiral” narrative, the CMS report found that the mix of healthy and sick people buying insurance on the Obamacare marketplaces in 2016 was surprisingly similar to those who enrolled in 2015."
"The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which is part of the Department of Health and Human Services, last week released a report about a wonky aspect of the Affordable Care Act related to insurance payments. Tucked away in the report, however, was evidence that the health insurance marketplaces set up by Obamacare were relatively stable in 2016. Contrary to the “death-spiral” narrative, the CMS report found that the mix of healthy and sick people buying insurance on the Obamacare marketplaces in 2016 was surprisingly similar to those who enrolled in 2015."
Trumpcare could force 4 million special needs kids into pricy ‘pediatric nursing homes’
Trumpcare could force 4 million special needs kids into pricy ‘pediatric nursing homes’
"Under the version of Trumpcare being considered in the United States Senate, four million special needs children would be at risk for institutionalization due to cuts in the Medicaid programs that currently allow them to live at home with their families."
"Under the version of Trumpcare being considered in the United States Senate, four million special needs children would be at risk for institutionalization due to cuts in the Medicaid programs that currently allow them to live at home with their families."
Unprecedented spite: The American carnage of the GOP health care bill
https://www.dailykos.com/story/2017/7/2/1676305/-Unprecedented-spite-The-American-carnage-of-the-GOP-health-care-bill#
"A calamity a wiser Donald Trump might call “American carnage”—22 million more uninsured Americans, millions more facing financial ruin, gutted essential health protections, skyrocketing premiums to maintain comparable coverage, jacked-up deductibles, spiraling out of pockets costs and over 200,000 needless deaths by 2026, all to fund an $600 billion tax cut windfall for the wealthy—Mitch McConnell’s “Better Care Reconciliation Act” has nothing to do with “replacing” Obamacare. For 25 years, Republicans have never wanted to enable universal health care coverage for the American people, but only to prevent the Democratic Party from doing so. We know this—that is, that Republicans feared not Obamacare’s failure, but its success—because they told us so. Barack Obama himself never fully articulated this crucial point. During an August 2013 press conference, President Obama pondered why the GOP's "number one priority, the one unifying principle in the Republican Party at the moment is making sure that 30 million people don't have health care." But in attributing the 40-plus Affordable Care Act repeal votes, the threats to shut down the government over Obamacare funding, the tens of millions of dollars in misleading ads and another summer of town hall rage to the GOP's "ideological fixation," the president was only partly right. At its core, the Republicans' scorched-earth opposition to Obamacare has never been so much about "freedom" or "limited government" or any other right-wing ideological buzzword as it has been about political power, pure and simple. Now as for the past 20 years, Republicans have feared not that health care reform would fail the American people, but that it would succeed. Along with Social Security and Medicare, successful healthcare reform would provide the third and final pillar of Americans' social safety net, all brought you by the Democratic Party."
"A calamity a wiser Donald Trump might call “American carnage”—22 million more uninsured Americans, millions more facing financial ruin, gutted essential health protections, skyrocketing premiums to maintain comparable coverage, jacked-up deductibles, spiraling out of pockets costs and over 200,000 needless deaths by 2026, all to fund an $600 billion tax cut windfall for the wealthy—Mitch McConnell’s “Better Care Reconciliation Act” has nothing to do with “replacing” Obamacare. For 25 years, Republicans have never wanted to enable universal health care coverage for the American people, but only to prevent the Democratic Party from doing so. We know this—that is, that Republicans feared not Obamacare’s failure, but its success—because they told us so. Barack Obama himself never fully articulated this crucial point. During an August 2013 press conference, President Obama pondered why the GOP's "number one priority, the one unifying principle in the Republican Party at the moment is making sure that 30 million people don't have health care." But in attributing the 40-plus Affordable Care Act repeal votes, the threats to shut down the government over Obamacare funding, the tens of millions of dollars in misleading ads and another summer of town hall rage to the GOP's "ideological fixation," the president was only partly right. At its core, the Republicans' scorched-earth opposition to Obamacare has never been so much about "freedom" or "limited government" or any other right-wing ideological buzzword as it has been about political power, pure and simple. Now as for the past 20 years, Republicans have feared not that health care reform would fail the American people, but that it would succeed. Along with Social Security and Medicare, successful healthcare reform would provide the third and final pillar of Americans' social safety net, all brought you by the Democratic Party."
7/10/17
The Trump administration is quietly making it easier to abuse seniors in nursing homes
https://thinkprogress.org/trump-admin-nursing-home-95a1aa1cb79d
"The Trump administration is poised to undo rules issued by the Obama administration last year to protect seniors from a common tactic used by businesses to shield themselves from consequences for illegal conduct. Under these rules, issued last September, Medicare and Medicaid would cut off payments to nursing homes that require new residents to sign forced arbitration agreements, a contract which strips individuals of their ability to sue in a real court and diverts the case to a privatized arbitration system. But last month, the Trump administration published a proposed rule which will reinstate nursing homes’ ability to receive federal money even if they force seniors into arbitration agreements. Forced arbitration can prevent even the most egregious cases from ever reaching a judge. According to the New York Times, a 94 year-old nursing home resident “who died from a head wound that had been left to fester, was ordered to go to arbitration.” In another case, the family of a woman who suffered “two spine fractures from serious falls, a large, infected ulcer on her heel that prevented her from walking, incontinence from not being able to get to the bathroom, receding gums from poor hygiene assistance, and a dramatic weigh loss from not being given her dentures,” was also sent to an arbitrator after they sued the woman’s nursing home alleging neglect. Moreover, as law professor and health policy expert Nicholas Bagley notes, arbitration tends “to favor the repeat players who hire them — companies, not consumers.” Several studies have found that forced arbitration typically produces worse outcomes for consumers and workers."
"The Trump administration is poised to undo rules issued by the Obama administration last year to protect seniors from a common tactic used by businesses to shield themselves from consequences for illegal conduct. Under these rules, issued last September, Medicare and Medicaid would cut off payments to nursing homes that require new residents to sign forced arbitration agreements, a contract which strips individuals of their ability to sue in a real court and diverts the case to a privatized arbitration system. But last month, the Trump administration published a proposed rule which will reinstate nursing homes’ ability to receive federal money even if they force seniors into arbitration agreements. Forced arbitration can prevent even the most egregious cases from ever reaching a judge. According to the New York Times, a 94 year-old nursing home resident “who died from a head wound that had been left to fester, was ordered to go to arbitration.” In another case, the family of a woman who suffered “two spine fractures from serious falls, a large, infected ulcer on her heel that prevented her from walking, incontinence from not being able to get to the bathroom, receding gums from poor hygiene assistance, and a dramatic weigh loss from not being given her dentures,” was also sent to an arbitrator after they sued the woman’s nursing home alleging neglect. Moreover, as law professor and health policy expert Nicholas Bagley notes, arbitration tends “to favor the repeat players who hire them — companies, not consumers.” Several studies have found that forced arbitration typically produces worse outcomes for consumers and workers."
Healthcare’s biggest losers: Which states are harmed the most under the Senate TrumpCare plan?
Healthcare’s biggest losers: Which states are harmed the most under the Senate TrumpCare plan?:
"In Alabama, for example, premiums would increase 164 percent from $156 a month to $411 under the BRCA. In Alaska, they would increase 142 percent from $334 a month to $802 a month. The reductions in premium subsidies, in concert with tax cuts for the wealthy, will cost Americans jobs as well. Because low- and moderate-income households tend to spend a much higher share of their disposable income, the overall effect of the BCRA would be less spending and lower aggregate demand across every state and congressional district."
"In Alabama, for example, premiums would increase 164 percent from $156 a month to $411 under the BRCA. In Alaska, they would increase 142 percent from $334 a month to $802 a month. The reductions in premium subsidies, in concert with tax cuts for the wealthy, will cost Americans jobs as well. Because low- and moderate-income households tend to spend a much higher share of their disposable income, the overall effect of the BCRA would be less spending and lower aggregate demand across every state and congressional district."
Trumpcare is Even Worse for America Than You Think
https://thedailybanter.com/2017/07/trumpcare-is-even-worse-for-america-than-you-think/
"Remember, before the ACA, insurance companies could jack your premiums through the roof if you got sick or they could kick you off of your policy. Got breast cancer? No more coverage for you. It was cruel and immoral but 100% legal. Insurance companies also set yearly and lifetime caps on coverage. Did you get HIV through a blood transfusion? Wow, that's rough. Fortunately, there are drugs that can keep it from turning into AIDS indefinitely. Unfortunately, they're very expensive and you reached your lifetime cap after 6 months. Better luck next time. Then there were pre-existing conditions, children being thrown off their parents' policy at age 18, policies that didn't actually cover anything beyond a summer cold, etc. etc. Racking up enormous medical debt was extremely easy and the United States is the only country in the world where this is a routine problem. But this is the system Republicans would like very much to return to. Trump and the GOP say they want to maintain coverage for pre-existing conditions and no yearly of lifetime caps but the system they're trying to create will bankrupt insurance companies unless they can throw people off of their coverage or raise their premiums so high they can't pay them. We can't even hold it against them because they won't have any choice but to reduce the number of people they cover. This, by the way, is the lie behind the Republican catchphrase "guaranteeing access to healthcare." Sure, you have access to healthcare, you just won't be able to pay for it. It's like saying you have access to food but it's up on a ledge 20 feet off the ground. And I just took your ladder away and gave it to the guy over there who already has 100 ladders."
"Remember, before the ACA, insurance companies could jack your premiums through the roof if you got sick or they could kick you off of your policy. Got breast cancer? No more coverage for you. It was cruel and immoral but 100% legal. Insurance companies also set yearly and lifetime caps on coverage. Did you get HIV through a blood transfusion? Wow, that's rough. Fortunately, there are drugs that can keep it from turning into AIDS indefinitely. Unfortunately, they're very expensive and you reached your lifetime cap after 6 months. Better luck next time. Then there were pre-existing conditions, children being thrown off their parents' policy at age 18, policies that didn't actually cover anything beyond a summer cold, etc. etc. Racking up enormous medical debt was extremely easy and the United States is the only country in the world where this is a routine problem. But this is the system Republicans would like very much to return to. Trump and the GOP say they want to maintain coverage for pre-existing conditions and no yearly of lifetime caps but the system they're trying to create will bankrupt insurance companies unless they can throw people off of their coverage or raise their premiums so high they can't pay them. We can't even hold it against them because they won't have any choice but to reduce the number of people they cover. This, by the way, is the lie behind the Republican catchphrase "guaranteeing access to healthcare." Sure, you have access to healthcare, you just won't be able to pay for it. It's like saying you have access to food but it's up on a ledge 20 feet off the ground. And I just took your ladder away and gave it to the guy over there who already has 100 ladders."
Why Are 'Pro-Life' Republicans Pushing a Bill That Will Kill Tens of Thousands?
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/features/pro-life-republicans-are-pushing-bill-that-will-kill-thousands-w489867
"Here's a dark fact: Every single GOP senator who calls him or herself pro-life who votes for the Republican health care bill knowingly will be voting for legislation that will kill tens of thousands of Americans per year."
"Here's a dark fact: Every single GOP senator who calls him or herself pro-life who votes for the Republican health care bill knowingly will be voting for legislation that will kill tens of thousands of Americans per year."
Guide to right-wing media myths and facts about the Senate health care bill
https://www.mediamatters.org/research/2017/06/28/guide-right-wing-media-myths-and-facts-about-senate-health-care-bill/217083
"Right-wing media figures are trying to curry favor for the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA) by attacking the Affordable Care Act (ACA), pushing lies about the BCRA, disparaging the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) or distorting its analysis of the legislation, and muddying the truth about the health care system in general. Here is a guide to the myths right-wing media are employing to sell the Senate Republican health care bill."
"Right-wing media figures are trying to curry favor for the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA) by attacking the Affordable Care Act (ACA), pushing lies about the BCRA, disparaging the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) or distorting its analysis of the legislation, and muddying the truth about the health care system in general. Here is a guide to the myths right-wing media are employing to sell the Senate Republican health care bill."
Media Boosts Trumpcare Promoter Without Asking Who’s Writing His Checks @alternet
Media Boosts Trumpcare Promoter Without Asking Who’s Writing His Checks @alternet:
"Avik Roy’s primary function is to be the Reasonable Conservative and lobby centrists and liberals in their own media spaces that their worries about smoke-filled backroom Republican health care plans are unwarranted. This is done with a mix of “aw, shucks” nuance trolling and warmed-over discredited claims that health care coverage does not, in fact, affect mortality. This isn’t a post about the substance of Avik Roy’s argument. Lots of other writers have written about his claims and sought to debunk them. This post is about whether the source of his funding and his sudden rise as the face of the otherwise faceless, secret GOP plan is worth an ounce of scrutiny. Given his enthusiastic and unqualified spin (even before anyone knew what was in the legislation), some, such as MSNBC’s Joy-Ann Reid, have understandably begun to question Roy's motives. Avik Roy and others involved with his generically named Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity have ties to far-right billionaires through the Manhattan Institute and other organizations. FREOPP itself is associated with the Koch-backed State Policy Network, but FREOPP’s website does not reveal any of its donors, nor does it share its tax number, as most nonprofits do. This could be because FREOPP is a new corporation (it was founded in May 2016), but neither the firm nor Roy responded to multiple questions via email and Twitter about who funds the Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity. Others are noticing the sudden importance of the heretofore obscure think tank. FREOPP is "a very official-sounding think tank that popped up in 2016 seemingly just to orchestrate a repeal of the Affordable Care Act," The New Republic's Cilo Chang wrote. The online address for Roy’s “think tank" is for a P.O. Box inside a UPS store in Austin. The physical address on record for the state of Texas for FREOPP is Roy’s personal home in Austin."
"Avik Roy’s primary function is to be the Reasonable Conservative and lobby centrists and liberals in their own media spaces that their worries about smoke-filled backroom Republican health care plans are unwarranted. This is done with a mix of “aw, shucks” nuance trolling and warmed-over discredited claims that health care coverage does not, in fact, affect mortality. This isn’t a post about the substance of Avik Roy’s argument. Lots of other writers have written about his claims and sought to debunk them. This post is about whether the source of his funding and his sudden rise as the face of the otherwise faceless, secret GOP plan is worth an ounce of scrutiny. Given his enthusiastic and unqualified spin (even before anyone knew what was in the legislation), some, such as MSNBC’s Joy-Ann Reid, have understandably begun to question Roy's motives. Avik Roy and others involved with his generically named Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity have ties to far-right billionaires through the Manhattan Institute and other organizations. FREOPP itself is associated with the Koch-backed State Policy Network, but FREOPP’s website does not reveal any of its donors, nor does it share its tax number, as most nonprofits do. This could be because FREOPP is a new corporation (it was founded in May 2016), but neither the firm nor Roy responded to multiple questions via email and Twitter about who funds the Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity. Others are noticing the sudden importance of the heretofore obscure think tank. FREOPP is "a very official-sounding think tank that popped up in 2016 seemingly just to orchestrate a repeal of the Affordable Care Act," The New Republic's Cilo Chang wrote. The online address for Roy’s “think tank" is for a P.O. Box inside a UPS store in Austin. The physical address on record for the state of Texas for FREOPP is Roy’s personal home in Austin."
Latest Republican Health Care Tactic: A Sneak Attack on People With Pre-Existing Conditions @alternet
Latest Republican Health Care Tactic: A Sneak Attack on People With Pre-Existing Conditions @alternet:
"It’s becoming clear that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s plan to decimate the American health care system is to tinker around the edges of his bill until, as Charles Pierce of Esquire argued, “you get a CBO score you can plausibly use to con the country, the elite political press, and the mind of Susan Collins into thinking you’re ‘moderating’ the bill.” McConnell is counting on the fact that the press is easily bored and always eager to move onto the next new thing — often meaning whatever President Trump has just said on Twitter — and all he needs is a week of such distractions to pass this stinker under the cover of darkness. But don’t let the tinkering or assurances that the health care bill is somehow becoming more moderate fool you. Republicans still plan on passing a bill that will lay waste to the protections offered ordinary Americans in the Affordable Care Act, leaving people vulnerable to financial ruin or even death from illnesses or conditions that are covered under existing law. One of the ways Republicans plan to do this is to gut the part of the Affordable Care Act that guarantees coverage of what are deemed “essential health care benefits"."
"It’s becoming clear that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s plan to decimate the American health care system is to tinker around the edges of his bill until, as Charles Pierce of Esquire argued, “you get a CBO score you can plausibly use to con the country, the elite political press, and the mind of Susan Collins into thinking you’re ‘moderating’ the bill.” McConnell is counting on the fact that the press is easily bored and always eager to move onto the next new thing — often meaning whatever President Trump has just said on Twitter — and all he needs is a week of such distractions to pass this stinker under the cover of darkness. But don’t let the tinkering or assurances that the health care bill is somehow becoming more moderate fool you. Republicans still plan on passing a bill that will lay waste to the protections offered ordinary Americans in the Affordable Care Act, leaving people vulnerable to financial ruin or even death from illnesses or conditions that are covered under existing law. One of the ways Republicans plan to do this is to gut the part of the Affordable Care Act that guarantees coverage of what are deemed “essential health care benefits"."
Republicans reduced to lying about GOP health plan’s Medicaid cuts
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/republicans-reduced-lying-about-gop-health-plans-medicaid-cuts
"Donald Trump promised Americans, over and over again, in writing and in public remarks, that he would never cut Medicaid. And yet, the president is now an enthusiastic proponent for a Republican health care plan that makes brutal cuts to Medicaid."
"Donald Trump promised Americans, over and over again, in writing and in public remarks, that he would never cut Medicaid. And yet, the president is now an enthusiastic proponent for a Republican health care plan that makes brutal cuts to Medicaid."
An Open Letter to the GOP: You Are Sentencing Me to Death
http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/41077-an-open-letter-to-the-gop-you-are-sentencing-me-to-death
"People with disabilities deserve to live."
"People with disabilities deserve to live."
7/6/17
The CBO Just Released Even More Scary News About the Republican Health Care Bill
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2017/06/trumpcare-senate-cbo-medicaid/
"When the Congressional Budget Office revealed on Monday that a Republican health care bill would leave 22 million more people without insurance, the public backlash forced GOP leaders to cancel a Senate vote. On Thursday, things got worse. The CBO released another report, this time making clear that the bill would lead to billions of dollars in additional cuts—and, presumably, millions more people without insurance—that hadn’t been included in its additional study."
"When the Congressional Budget Office revealed on Monday that a Republican health care bill would leave 22 million more people without insurance, the public backlash forced GOP leaders to cancel a Senate vote. On Thursday, things got worse. The CBO released another report, this time making clear that the bill would lead to billions of dollars in additional cuts—and, presumably, millions more people without insurance—that hadn’t been included in its additional study."
CBO: Republican health care bill will get worse with age
http://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/cbo-republican-health-care-bill-will-get-worse-with-age-979997251998
"the CBO says that bill will be even worse than previously thought."
"the CBO says that bill will be even worse than previously thought."
The Senate's 'healthcare' bill is designed to strip Americans from insurance for a stupid tax cut
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/7/1/1675872/-The-Senate-s-healthcare-bill-is-designed-to-strip-Americans-from-insurance-for-a-stupid-tax-cut
"There's really no possible reason for Republicans to even want this bill except as a tax cut. That's all it provides. Their constituents will suffer, their states will suffer, Americans booted off their health insurance will die preventable deaths, and the whole sodding thing is simply an exercise in drowning the federal government in the bathtub as anti-government groups have demanded for so very long now. That fifty or so senators are negotiating over what perks they might be able to squeeze out of McConnell for selling their own voters out ought to be remarkable. It's not, but it ought to be."
"There's really no possible reason for Republicans to even want this bill except as a tax cut. That's all it provides. Their constituents will suffer, their states will suffer, Americans booted off their health insurance will die preventable deaths, and the whole sodding thing is simply an exercise in drowning the federal government in the bathtub as anti-government groups have demanded for so very long now. That fifty or so senators are negotiating over what perks they might be able to squeeze out of McConnell for selling their own voters out ought to be remarkable. It's not, but it ought to be."
Pathetic Republican Stunt to Promote Obamacare ‘Horror Stories’ Fails Miserably
https://forwardprogressives.com/pathetic-republican-stunt-promote-obamacare-horror-stories-fails-miserably/
"When people have to lie about something, that means the facts concerning whatever it is they’re lying about don’t support what they want to be true. For example, the “war” Republicans have waged against Obamacare that’s been mostly based on lies and propaganda. Before Barack Obama even signed the Affordable Care Act into law, Republicans were pushing asinine conspiracies against it, claiming it formed “death panels” or would force people to allow doctors to implant microchips somewhere in their bodies. Is Obamacare a flawless law? Of course not. It was never meant to be the “final product.” The Affordable Care Act was setup to be a stepping stone toward improving our health care system and moving the United States toward true universal health care like most every other major nation on Earth has. The problem is that Republicans were never going to help make the law better. For years they wasted vote after vote to repeal the law in symbolic gestures they knew were pointless because Obama was never going to sign them. That’s what makes what we’re currently witnessing so telling. Now that Republicans have the power to “repeal Obamacare,” like they’ve spent the last few years promising they would do “on Day 1,” they can’t — because the benefits of the law they’ve lied about this entire time are too popular. They know if they did a full repeal, like they said they would, it would be “political suicide” for the party as millions of conservatives would instantly realize how much they’ve benefited from Obamacare. Well, in a stunt that was clearly meant to slander Obamacare, the Indiana Republican Party asked people on Facebook to post their “horror stories” about the health care law. Let’s just say — it failed miserably. The post was flooded by people thanking Obamacare for helping provide them with insurance or, even in some instances, saving their life or the life of someone they knew."
"When people have to lie about something, that means the facts concerning whatever it is they’re lying about don’t support what they want to be true. For example, the “war” Republicans have waged against Obamacare that’s been mostly based on lies and propaganda. Before Barack Obama even signed the Affordable Care Act into law, Republicans were pushing asinine conspiracies against it, claiming it formed “death panels” or would force people to allow doctors to implant microchips somewhere in their bodies. Is Obamacare a flawless law? Of course not. It was never meant to be the “final product.” The Affordable Care Act was setup to be a stepping stone toward improving our health care system and moving the United States toward true universal health care like most every other major nation on Earth has. The problem is that Republicans were never going to help make the law better. For years they wasted vote after vote to repeal the law in symbolic gestures they knew were pointless because Obama was never going to sign them. That’s what makes what we’re currently witnessing so telling. Now that Republicans have the power to “repeal Obamacare,” like they’ve spent the last few years promising they would do “on Day 1,” they can’t — because the benefits of the law they’ve lied about this entire time are too popular. They know if they did a full repeal, like they said they would, it would be “political suicide” for the party as millions of conservatives would instantly realize how much they’ve benefited from Obamacare. Well, in a stunt that was clearly meant to slander Obamacare, the Indiana Republican Party asked people on Facebook to post their “horror stories” about the health care law. Let’s just say — it failed miserably. The post was flooded by people thanking Obamacare for helping provide them with insurance or, even in some instances, saving their life or the life of someone they knew."
7/1/17
Who Is Getting Rich Off the Secret Health-Care Overhaul?
https://www.thenation.com/article/who-is-getting-rich-off-the-secret-health-care-overhaul/
"Political-intelligence firms are a fast-growing sector in Washington: They spread out across the capital and gather information from various regulatory bodies, Pentagon offices, and congressional committees. They then sell this information to clients, who are often Wall Street banks and individual investors who use it to get ahead of markets. If this sounds like insider trading, that’s because it basically is—though the legal lines around what constitutes a quid-pro-quo benefit are vague and sometimes difficult to enforce. There are many instances where a political-intelligence firm is clearly just providing basic, legal research for investors, but at times employees have been charged with insider trading. Earlier this year, the Justice Department indicted a political-intelligence professional for passing advance knowledge about Medicare-reimbursement rates, which he learned from an official at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, to two hedge-fund managers. The hedge-fund managers shorted the stocks of health-care companies that would be adversely affected by the rate change. They were also indicted, as was the CMS official. But it’s generally hard to tell when a legal line is crossed, in part because there is no transparency around political intelligence firms. Provisions that would force these companies to disclose their clients were originally included in a 2012 government reform bill, but then–House majority leader Eric Cantor had it stripped."
"Political-intelligence firms are a fast-growing sector in Washington: They spread out across the capital and gather information from various regulatory bodies, Pentagon offices, and congressional committees. They then sell this information to clients, who are often Wall Street banks and individual investors who use it to get ahead of markets. If this sounds like insider trading, that’s because it basically is—though the legal lines around what constitutes a quid-pro-quo benefit are vague and sometimes difficult to enforce. There are many instances where a political-intelligence firm is clearly just providing basic, legal research for investors, but at times employees have been charged with insider trading. Earlier this year, the Justice Department indicted a political-intelligence professional for passing advance knowledge about Medicare-reimbursement rates, which he learned from an official at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, to two hedge-fund managers. The hedge-fund managers shorted the stocks of health-care companies that would be adversely affected by the rate change. They were also indicted, as was the CMS official. But it’s generally hard to tell when a legal line is crossed, in part because there is no transparency around political intelligence firms. Provisions that would force these companies to disclose their clients were originally included in a 2012 government reform bill, but then–House majority leader Eric Cantor had it stripped."
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