11/12/17
10/25/17
Trump goes to war against his own country’s health care system
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trump-goes-war-against-his-own-countrys-health-care-system
"It’s not as if the president can say he wasn’t warned about the adverse consequences of this ridiculous gambit. In fact, it was around this time that Sen. Lamar Alexander, the Republican chairman of the Senate committee that oversees health care policy, added that if the CSR payments end, “Americans will be hurt.” Trump is doing it anyway, indifferent to the real-world consequences. The president is making a conscious decision to undermine his own country’s health care system on purpose. All of this, of course, comes on top of the series of related steps the Republican has already taken to make it more difficult for Americans – which is to say, his ostensible constituents – to get the coverage and health security they’re entitled to under the law. If Trump thinks this will force Democrats to accept a GOP repeal plan, he’s mistaken. If Trump thinks he can blame “Obamacare” for the damage he’s doing to the system, he’s misguided – because he’s taking ownership of American health care right now, forcing consumers to pay more while he sabotages the system as part of a bizarre political vendetta. The president is taking a sledgehammer to our health care system, and he’s making no effort to hide his actions. As conditions deteriorate, there will be no one else to blame."
"It’s not as if the president can say he wasn’t warned about the adverse consequences of this ridiculous gambit. In fact, it was around this time that Sen. Lamar Alexander, the Republican chairman of the Senate committee that oversees health care policy, added that if the CSR payments end, “Americans will be hurt.” Trump is doing it anyway, indifferent to the real-world consequences. The president is making a conscious decision to undermine his own country’s health care system on purpose. All of this, of course, comes on top of the series of related steps the Republican has already taken to make it more difficult for Americans – which is to say, his ostensible constituents – to get the coverage and health security they’re entitled to under the law. If Trump thinks this will force Democrats to accept a GOP repeal plan, he’s mistaken. If Trump thinks he can blame “Obamacare” for the damage he’s doing to the system, he’s misguided – because he’s taking ownership of American health care right now, forcing consumers to pay more while he sabotages the system as part of a bizarre political vendetta. The president is taking a sledgehammer to our health care system, and he’s making no effort to hide his actions. As conditions deteriorate, there will be no one else to blame."
Obamacare sabotage in Florida: they had the most signups, and now they have the most to lose
https://thinkprogress.org/florida-saw-the-most-obamacare-signups-now-groups-who-helped-people-enroll-are-being-penalized-c225e1430aab/
"The Trump administration has repeatedly undercut the current health law, and most encapsulating of this was yesterday’s decision to end promised subsidy payments to insurance companies. For Florida, this is especially troublesome because more residents there than any other state depend on the ACA marketplace for insurance. Florida has had the highest number of ACA signups in the country. Approximately 1.7 million people in the state enrolled in private plans offered on the ACA marketplace last open enrollment period. And the uninsured rate dropped from around 20 percent in 2013 to 12.6 percent in 2016. The ACA has worked in Florida even without much cooperation from the state government. Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R), one of the staunchest opponents of the current health law, refused federal funds to establish its own state exchange. Instead, residents enroll for coverage on the federally-facilitated marketplace, healthcare.gov. Additionally, the state has not expanded Medicaid. Florida outperformed California’s enrollment numbers by about 200,000 last enrollment period, even though Sacramento agreed to operate its own state-run exchange and is widely supported by local officials. Texas, the second-highest enrollment state that operates on heathcare.gov, had more than half a million less enrollees than Florida last enrollment period. There are many people who qualify for insurance on the Florida marketplace but are not enrolled. Of the 2,500,000 remaining uninsured, 614,000 qualify for subsidized insurance on the marketplace and 246,000 qualify for Medicaid — insurance largely for low-income people — according to a 2016 estimate by the Kaiser Family Foundation."
"The Trump administration has repeatedly undercut the current health law, and most encapsulating of this was yesterday’s decision to end promised subsidy payments to insurance companies. For Florida, this is especially troublesome because more residents there than any other state depend on the ACA marketplace for insurance. Florida has had the highest number of ACA signups in the country. Approximately 1.7 million people in the state enrolled in private plans offered on the ACA marketplace last open enrollment period. And the uninsured rate dropped from around 20 percent in 2013 to 12.6 percent in 2016. The ACA has worked in Florida even without much cooperation from the state government. Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R), one of the staunchest opponents of the current health law, refused federal funds to establish its own state exchange. Instead, residents enroll for coverage on the federally-facilitated marketplace, healthcare.gov. Additionally, the state has not expanded Medicaid. Florida outperformed California’s enrollment numbers by about 200,000 last enrollment period, even though Sacramento agreed to operate its own state-run exchange and is widely supported by local officials. Texas, the second-highest enrollment state that operates on heathcare.gov, had more than half a million less enrollees than Florida last enrollment period. There are many people who qualify for insurance on the Florida marketplace but are not enrolled. Of the 2,500,000 remaining uninsured, 614,000 qualify for subsidized insurance on the marketplace and 246,000 qualify for Medicaid — insurance largely for low-income people — according to a 2016 estimate by the Kaiser Family Foundation."
10/24/17
The Obamacare Repeal Back-Up Plan
http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a12838399/trump-undermine-obamacare-markets/
"The sheer meanness of the calculations behind the effort to deprive millions of people of their health insurance, including the millions of people who found relief from this nightmare only in the past eight years, is hard for the decent mind to comprehend. On Thursday, the president* signed an order guaranteed to corrupt health insurance marketplaces all across the country, and that corruption will not be an unintended consequence. It will be a deliberate act of vandalism, like cutting a gas line into a house and waiting for the explosion that inevitably will occur. Trump and that pack o'bastards applauding him are the perps, giggling and sweating into their palms across the street, waiting for the detonation that will shatter so many lives."
"The sheer meanness of the calculations behind the effort to deprive millions of people of their health insurance, including the millions of people who found relief from this nightmare only in the past eight years, is hard for the decent mind to comprehend. On Thursday, the president* signed an order guaranteed to corrupt health insurance marketplaces all across the country, and that corruption will not be an unintended consequence. It will be a deliberate act of vandalism, like cutting a gas line into a house and waiting for the explosion that inevitably will occur. Trump and that pack o'bastards applauding him are the perps, giggling and sweating into their palms across the street, waiting for the detonation that will shatter so many lives."
Even red states feel the brunt of Trump’s ACA sabotage campaign
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/even-red-states-feel-the-brunt-trumps-aca-sabotage-campaign
"Trump and his team are going out of their way to sabotage the nation’s health care system, motivated entirely by partisan spite. It is no exaggeration to characterize this as a “scorched-earth campaign to destroy Obamacare,” the consequences of which may be severe."
"Trump and his team are going out of their way to sabotage the nation’s health care system, motivated entirely by partisan spite. It is no exaggeration to characterize this as a “scorched-earth campaign to destroy Obamacare,” the consequences of which may be severe."
Ex-HHS head Price delayed rule fining Big Pharma for price gouging before resigning: report
Ex-HHS head Price delayed rule fining Big Pharma for price gouging before resigning: report
"Less than a day before Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price resigned from his cabinet position amid a week of controversy about his expensive travel habits, his department quietly moved to delay an Obamacare rule that would punish drug companies for knowingly price-gouging."
"Less than a day before Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price resigned from his cabinet position amid a week of controversy about his expensive travel habits, his department quietly moved to delay an Obamacare rule that would punish drug companies for knowingly price-gouging."
9/26/17
Senate Republicans Aren't Just Aiming to Destroy Obamacare and Medicaid; They Want to Provide a Death Blow to Any Future Health Care Reform @alternet
Senate Republicans Aren't Just Aiming to Destroy Obamacare and Medicaid; They Want to Provide a Death Blow to Any Future Health Care Reform @alternet:
"The Senate Republicans’ latest anti-Obamacare bill has bigger goals than destroying the Affordable Care Act and dismantling Medicaid. This bill aims to blow up the very foundation upon which a national health care system could be built—even if it roils private insurance markets via massive premium hikes for 2018."
"The Senate Republicans’ latest anti-Obamacare bill has bigger goals than destroying the Affordable Care Act and dismantling Medicaid. This bill aims to blow up the very foundation upon which a national health care system could be built—even if it roils private insurance markets via massive premium hikes for 2018."
Entire health care industry fights to kill Republican repeal bill
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/entire-health-care-industry-fights-kill-republican-repeal-bill
"Next week, the Senate is poised to vote on overhauling the American health care system, and at this point, the bill’s Republican supporters have managed to persuade no one but themselves. Medical professionals hate the Graham-Cassidy plan, as do hospital administrators and every major patient-advocacy organization in the country. To a very real extent, GOP lawmakers are going up against literally everyone who has a stake in the American health care industry."
"Next week, the Senate is poised to vote on overhauling the American health care system, and at this point, the bill’s Republican supporters have managed to persuade no one but themselves. Medical professionals hate the Graham-Cassidy plan, as do hospital administrators and every major patient-advocacy organization in the country. To a very real extent, GOP lawmakers are going up against literally everyone who has a stake in the American health care industry."
Kimmel showed a ‘better grasp of health policy’ than GOP’s Cassidy
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/kimmel-showed-better-grasp-health-policy-gops-cassidy
"In reality, more people won’t have coverage, Cassidy isn’t protecting those with pre-existing conditions, and Politico published a piece quoting health care analysts who concluded that between the host and the senator, “the late-night host has the better grasp of health policy"."
"In reality, more people won’t have coverage, Cassidy isn’t protecting those with pre-existing conditions, and Politico published a piece quoting health care analysts who concluded that between the host and the senator, “the late-night host has the better grasp of health policy"."
Why is the GOP desperate to pass this terrible healthcare bill? The Koch brothers threatened them
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/9/21/1700431/-Why-is-GOP-so-desperate-to-pass-this-terrible-health-care-bill-The-Koch-brothers-threatened-them
"Graham and Cassidy are pulling out all the stops in their attempt to sway votes ahead of this deadline. They’ve even gone so far as to promise key swing vote Sen. Lisa Murkowski that Alaska can keep Obamacare! You cannot make that up. So why are Republicans so laser-focused on gutting health care and tackling “tax reform,” which is nothing more than cutting taxes for the wealthy? Because The Swamp ordered them to do it and Republicans are beholden to their swamp masters above all others. The Koch brothers went to a Republican retreat in June and ordered them to gut health care and cut taxes—or else: At a weekend donor retreat attended by at least 18 elected officials, the Koch brothers warned that time is running out to push their agenda, most notably healthcare and tax reform, through Congress. One Texas-based donor warned Republican lawmakers that his “Dallas piggy bank” was now closed, until he saw legislative progress. “Get Obamacare repealed and replaced, get tax reform passed,” said Doug Deason. “Get it done and we’ll open it back up.” Republicans are terrified the “Dallas piggy bank” won’t be ponying up to prop them up and buy elections like they’ve so reliably done in the past. The Koch brothers and their allies want these things, and they want them right now. There is urgency,” said Tim Phillips, who leads Koch network’s political arm, Americans for Prosperity, at the industrialist brothers’ retreat in Colorado Springs. “We believe we have a window of about 12 months to get as much of it accomplished as possible before the 2018 elections grind policy to a halt.” The window for action may be even smaller, some Koch allies warned at the weekend retreat that drew roughly 400 participants to the heart of the Rocky Mountains. The price for admission for most was a pledge to give at least $100,000 this year to the Kochs’ broad policy and political network. So, we’re at a crossroads here. Will the American people win, or will The Swamp win?"
"Graham and Cassidy are pulling out all the stops in their attempt to sway votes ahead of this deadline. They’ve even gone so far as to promise key swing vote Sen. Lisa Murkowski that Alaska can keep Obamacare! You cannot make that up. So why are Republicans so laser-focused on gutting health care and tackling “tax reform,” which is nothing more than cutting taxes for the wealthy? Because The Swamp ordered them to do it and Republicans are beholden to their swamp masters above all others. The Koch brothers went to a Republican retreat in June and ordered them to gut health care and cut taxes—or else: At a weekend donor retreat attended by at least 18 elected officials, the Koch brothers warned that time is running out to push their agenda, most notably healthcare and tax reform, through Congress. One Texas-based donor warned Republican lawmakers that his “Dallas piggy bank” was now closed, until he saw legislative progress. “Get Obamacare repealed and replaced, get tax reform passed,” said Doug Deason. “Get it done and we’ll open it back up.” Republicans are terrified the “Dallas piggy bank” won’t be ponying up to prop them up and buy elections like they’ve so reliably done in the past. The Koch brothers and their allies want these things, and they want them right now. There is urgency,” said Tim Phillips, who leads Koch network’s political arm, Americans for Prosperity, at the industrialist brothers’ retreat in Colorado Springs. “We believe we have a window of about 12 months to get as much of it accomplished as possible before the 2018 elections grind policy to a halt.” The window for action may be even smaller, some Koch allies warned at the weekend retreat that drew roughly 400 participants to the heart of the Rocky Mountains. The price for admission for most was a pledge to give at least $100,000 this year to the Kochs’ broad policy and political network. So, we’re at a crossroads here. Will the American people win, or will The Swamp win?"
Trump isn’t the only one fibbing about the GOP’s health care plan
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trump-isnt-the-only-one-fibbing-about-the-gops-health-care-plan
"If the Graham-Cassidy plan were a good idea, why can’t its supporters simply tell the truth about it?"
"If the Graham-Cassidy plan were a good idea, why can’t its supporters simply tell the truth about it?"
If Jimmy Kimmel is so wrong about Graham-Cassidy, how come the AARP, AMA, and everyone else agrees?
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/9/21/1700456/-If-Jimmy-Kimmel-is-so-wrong-about-Graham-Cassidy-how-come-the-AARP-AMA-and-everyone-else-agrees
"After comedian Jimmy Kimmel called the GOP's bluff on the fantasy that their new healthcare repeal bill protects people with pre-existing conditions, conservatives were quick to jump all over Kimmel, noting he wasn't a policy expert. "Comedians are not public intellectuals," charged a National Review article. Okay, let's check in with some organizations that presumably know a little something about health policy. First, the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)."
"After comedian Jimmy Kimmel called the GOP's bluff on the fantasy that their new healthcare repeal bill protects people with pre-existing conditions, conservatives were quick to jump all over Kimmel, noting he wasn't a policy expert. "Comedians are not public intellectuals," charged a National Review article. Okay, let's check in with some organizations that presumably know a little something about health policy. First, the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)."
Basically The Entire Health Care System Hates The New Obamacare Repeal Bill
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/health-care-system-hates-new-obamacare-repeal-bill_us_59c2e7c7e4b06f93538c4d0a
American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Physicians, American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Osteopathic Association, American Psychiatric Association, National Council for Behavioral Health, American Hospital Association, Federation of American Hospitals, Children’s Hospital Association, Catholic Health Association of the United States, Association of American Medical Colleges, America’s Essential Hospitals, American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living, National Association of Medicaid Directors, America’s Health Insurance Plans, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Alliance of Community Health Plans, ALS Association, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Diabetes Association, American Heart Association, American Lung Association, Arthritis Foundation, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Family Voices, JDRF, Lutheran Services in America, March of Dimes, National Health Council, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, National Organization for Rare Diseases, Volunteers of America, WomenHeart, AARP, The Arc, Consumers Union
American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Physicians, American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Osteopathic Association, American Psychiatric Association, National Council for Behavioral Health, American Hospital Association, Federation of American Hospitals, Children’s Hospital Association, Catholic Health Association of the United States, Association of American Medical Colleges, America’s Essential Hospitals, American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living, National Association of Medicaid Directors, America’s Health Insurance Plans, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Alliance of Community Health Plans, ALS Association, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, American Diabetes Association, American Heart Association, American Lung Association, Arthritis Foundation, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Family Voices, JDRF, Lutheran Services in America, March of Dimes, National Health Council, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, National Organization for Rare Diseases, Volunteers of America, WomenHeart, AARP, The Arc, Consumers Union
What Trump Calls "Great," All 50 State Directors of Medicaid Say Is Terrible
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2017/09/22/what-trump-calls-great-all-50-state-directors-medicaid-say-terrible
"With nearly unheard of consensus, and despite assurances from serial liar President Donald Trump that the bill is actually "great" and would "help people," all 50 state Medicaid directors have signed on to a letter denouncing Republicans' latest effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA)."
"With nearly unheard of consensus, and despite assurances from serial liar President Donald Trump that the bill is actually "great" and would "help people," all 50 state Medicaid directors have signed on to a letter denouncing Republicans' latest effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA)."
Nevada’s Dean Heller is at war with himself over health care
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/nevadas-dean-heller-war-himself-over-health-care
"As a candidate, he endorsed ACA repeal, like nearly every other Republican. But when push came to shove, he announced his opposition to his party’s repeal plan, then he supported a different repeal plan, then he was happy about the failure of the bill he voted in favor of, then he co-authored a different plan that does the one thing he said he’s against."
"As a candidate, he endorsed ACA repeal, like nearly every other Republican. But when push came to shove, he announced his opposition to his party’s repeal plan, then he supported a different repeal plan, then he was happy about the failure of the bill he voted in favor of, then he co-authored a different plan that does the one thing he said he’s against."
Graham-Cassidy now guts Obamacare even more
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/9/25/16360550/graham-cassidy-revised-explained
"Senate Republicans, seemingly short on votes for their last-ditch plan to repeal Obamacare, are desperately tweaking the bill in hopes of winning over both their moderate and conservative wings. The result is a plan from Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Bill Cassidy (R-SC) that would go even further in rolling back Obamacare’s protections for people with preexisting conditions, while adding hundreds of millions of dollars meant to sweeten the deal for senators from key states. Graham-Cassidy would now, according to health policy experts, effectively end to Obamacare’s insurance protections. People with preexisting conditions could face higher premiums, insurers could choose which services to cover, and plans could also require people to pay more money out of pocket than Obamacare allows."
"Senate Republicans, seemingly short on votes for their last-ditch plan to repeal Obamacare, are desperately tweaking the bill in hopes of winning over both their moderate and conservative wings. The result is a plan from Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Bill Cassidy (R-SC) that would go even further in rolling back Obamacare’s protections for people with preexisting conditions, while adding hundreds of millions of dollars meant to sweeten the deal for senators from key states. Graham-Cassidy would now, according to health policy experts, effectively end to Obamacare’s insurance protections. People with preexisting conditions could face higher premiums, insurers could choose which services to cover, and plans could also require people to pay more money out of pocket than Obamacare allows."
AMA, American Hospital Association and other groups blast GOP healthcare bill in joint statement
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/9/24/1701098/-AMA-American-Hospital-Association-and-other-groups-blast-GOP-healthcare-bill-in-joint-statement
"Senators Cassidy and Graham took to the Sunday shows today to continue selling their bill, and the Republican leadership is pressing hard to see which holdout senators can still be bought. Out in the rest of the country, however, medical groups are nearly unanimous in their condemnation of the bill. The latest is a joint statement from the American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association, the Federation of American Hospitals, the American Academy of Family Physicians, AHIP and Blue Cross/Blue Shield—some of the most prominent healthcare groups in the nation—that blasts the bill and urges the Senate to vote against it."
"Senators Cassidy and Graham took to the Sunday shows today to continue selling their bill, and the Republican leadership is pressing hard to see which holdout senators can still be bought. Out in the rest of the country, however, medical groups are nearly unanimous in their condemnation of the bill. The latest is a joint statement from the American Medical Association, the American Hospital Association, the Federation of American Hospitals, the American Academy of Family Physicians, AHIP and Blue Cross/Blue Shield—some of the most prominent healthcare groups in the nation—that blasts the bill and urges the Senate to vote against it."
What Republicans get wrong about the cost of single-payer
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/what-republicans-get-wrong-about-the-cost-single-payer
"By any fair metric, this change would save an enormous amount of money. Republicans may balk for other reasons, but the cost argument is nonsense."
"By any fair metric, this change would save an enormous amount of money. Republicans may balk for other reasons, but the cost argument is nonsense."
Trump administration abandons subtlety in ACA sabotage campaign
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trump-administration-abandons-subtlety-aca-sabotage-campaign
"If the Affordable Care Act were as dreadful as the right claims, shouldn’t the sabotage campaign be unnecessary?"
"If the Affordable Care Act were as dreadful as the right claims, shouldn’t the sabotage campaign be unnecessary?"
'Groundbreaking': Democratic Co-Sponsors Rush Aboard Bernie's Medicare for All Train
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2017/09/12/groundbreaking-democratic-co-sponsors-rush-aboard-bernies-medicare-all-train
"A quarter of Democratic Caucus members in the U.S. Senate have now signed on as co-sponsors of Sen. Bernie Sanders' (I-Vt.) Medicare for All bill, which he plans to introduce Wednesday, signaling a shift among party lawmakers, who may be swayed by recent polling that has indicated a majority of Americans and more than two-thirds of Democrats favor a single-payer national healthcare system."
"A quarter of Democratic Caucus members in the U.S. Senate have now signed on as co-sponsors of Sen. Bernie Sanders' (I-Vt.) Medicare for All bill, which he plans to introduce Wednesday, signaling a shift among party lawmakers, who may be swayed by recent polling that has indicated a majority of Americans and more than two-thirds of Democrats favor a single-payer national healthcare system."
Thanks, Obama! Number of uninsured drops again in census count
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/9/12/1697944/-Thanks-Obama-Number-of-uninsured-drops-again-in-census-count
"The U.S. Census Bureau reports that the uninsured rate dropped again in 2016."
"The U.S. Census Bureau reports that the uninsured rate dropped again in 2016."
9/9/17
Trump’s big mistake on health care was not realizing Republicans were lying
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/8/25/16196824/trump-health-care-lies
"the larger issue here is that Republican leaders — both Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan, as well as Ryan’s predecessor John Boehner, and the chairs of all the relevant committees — spent years and years lying to everyone in sight about Republican health plans. Ryan’s “A Better Way for Health Care” document promises as its very first chapter heading that it will offer “High-Quality Health Care for All.” And congressional Republicans claimed — over and over again — that they had ideas on the shelf to replace the Affordable Care Act with a new program that would address the public’s main concerns with the law. In GOPtopia, premiums and deductibles would be lower, with more competition and lower copayments. Narrow networks would be a thing of the past too. All thanks to the magic of tax cuts and deregulation. If that were true — or even vaguely in the neighborhood of being true — then it would have been really easy for concurrent Republican majorities to pass a law and for President Trump to sign it. And while of course it’s easy for a political sophisticate to mock Trump for his naiveté on this point, at the end of the day his view that Republicans wouldn’t spend years claiming to have such a plan unless they actually had one wasn’t all that crazy. McConnell and Ryan don’t go around advertising themselves as huge liars, after all. In my experience, their staffers tend to get pretty angry if you assert that they are huge liars. Consequently, they’ve done a pretty good job of getting most media outlets to report on their health care assertions as if those assertions are not huge lies. Not everybody believes them, of course. But there are certainly some demographic groups — white male senior citizens who watch Fox News are constantly high on the list — that are very prone to believing them. Trump, of course, very much falls into that core audience for Republican Party spin."
"the larger issue here is that Republican leaders — both Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan, as well as Ryan’s predecessor John Boehner, and the chairs of all the relevant committees — spent years and years lying to everyone in sight about Republican health plans. Ryan’s “A Better Way for Health Care” document promises as its very first chapter heading that it will offer “High-Quality Health Care for All.” And congressional Republicans claimed — over and over again — that they had ideas on the shelf to replace the Affordable Care Act with a new program that would address the public’s main concerns with the law. In GOPtopia, premiums and deductibles would be lower, with more competition and lower copayments. Narrow networks would be a thing of the past too. All thanks to the magic of tax cuts and deregulation. If that were true — or even vaguely in the neighborhood of being true — then it would have been really easy for concurrent Republican majorities to pass a law and for President Trump to sign it. And while of course it’s easy for a political sophisticate to mock Trump for his naiveté on this point, at the end of the day his view that Republicans wouldn’t spend years claiming to have such a plan unless they actually had one wasn’t all that crazy. McConnell and Ryan don’t go around advertising themselves as huge liars, after all. In my experience, their staffers tend to get pretty angry if you assert that they are huge liars. Consequently, they’ve done a pretty good job of getting most media outlets to report on their health care assertions as if those assertions are not huge lies. Not everybody believes them, of course. But there are certainly some demographic groups — white male senior citizens who watch Fox News are constantly high on the list — that are very prone to believing them. Trump, of course, very much falls into that core audience for Republican Party spin."
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