Why Republicans Want To Repeal Obamacare

Why Republicans Cant And Wont Repeal Obamacare

Editors Note:

This article was originally posted on Real Clear Health on January 16, 2017.

Now that the Republicans control both the presidency and both houses of Congress, they must put up or shut up on their promise to repeal and replace Obamacare. Here is a flat-footed prediction: the effort will fail for three reasons. First, the Affordable Care Act has largely succeeded not failed, as president-elect Trump and other Republicans falsely allege. Second, it is impossible for the stated goals of repeal to be achieved. Finally, the political fallout from the consequences of partial or total repeal would be devastating. When it comes to casting votes, enough Republicans will conclude that repeal is a bad idea and will join Democrats to sustain the basic structure of the health reform law.

Second, the stated objectives of repealing Obamacare are mutually inconsistent. Three provisions comprise the core of Obamacare. First, rules barring insurance companies from refusing to sell insurance to people because of preexisting conditions or varying premiums based on those conditions. Second, a requirement that everyone carry health insurance who can afford it. And third, subsidies for those with moderate incomes to help make such insurance affordable. The law contains many other provisions as well, but these three are core.

Why Do People Hate Obamacare Anyway

By December 13, 2017

We encourage organizations to republish our content, free of charge. Heres what we ask:

You must credit us as the original publisher, with a hyperlink to our khn.org site. If possible, please include the original author and Kaiser Health News in the byline. Please preserve the hyperlinks in the story.

Have questions? Let us know at

Satisfying Activists And Donors

One main school of political scientists defines a political party as consisting of three parts: the partys voters, its elected officials, and the party-as-organization, meaning the groups that support and influence the party, including powerful labor unions on the Democratic side and groups like the National Rifle Association for the GOP.

Polls suggest a majority of Republican voters support the health care repeal effort, but it is nowhere near universal. A recent Kaiser poll, for example, found that 67 percent of Republicans had a favorable view of the House version of the Obamacare repeal legislation, while 18 percent viewed the bill unfavorably and another 15 percent didnt give an opinion.

And crucially, a recent Survey Monkey poll conducted for FiveThirtyEight showed that while 89 percent of core Trump supporters like how the president is handling health care, only 58 percent of reluctant Trump supporters1 feel the same way. These reluctant voters put Trump over the top in the Electoral College in 2016 and will play a major role in determining the GOPs fortunes in 2018, and 40 percent of them disapprove of how Trump has handled health care.

It may actually make political sense to push a health care bill that is broadly unpopular with the public but keeps party volunteers knocking on doors and donors giving money.

Also Check: Republican Ranking Member

How To Steal An Election

Gerrymandering;is another way to steal elections by creatively drawing voting districts o win more seats;than otherwise suggested by population demographics.

Voter Intimidation;comes in many forms, such as;hiring thugs as poll watchers at polling places or making imposing threats;like, Voter Fraud is a Crime, and Punishment includes Deportation. Even presidential candidate Trump used voter intimidation tactics in his unsubstantiated claims of massive voter fraud, calling on his supporters to keep an eye on;the polls.

Voter Suppression;occurs through other;means too, including those described in Politics and the Killing Fields. Even before Republicans;deny healthcare to tens millions of people, and up to 20% of them;die as a result,;public health officials saw;alarming differences in average lifespan between poor and affluent neighborhoods. According to the HBO documentary, The Weight of the Nation, those differences are due;to inferior access to healthcare, nutritious food, safe places to play & exercise, and competitive;education & employment opportunities, as well as light & sound solution, environmental contamination, and gun violence. Republicans have historically opposed proposals to improve those issues, knowing full-well their impact, and thats why I have no choice but;to describe their;behavior as a form of political genocide, as disgusting as that may sound.

Efforts To Repeal The Affordable Care Act

The following is a list of efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act , which had been enactedby the 111th United States Congress on March 23, 2010.

Recommended Reading: How Many Republicans Did Trump Beat

Trumps Executive Action Could Erode Marketplace Built Under Obamacare

Attempts to repeal portions of the Affordable Care Act have failed in the past several months, leading President Donald Trump to issue an executive order expanding access to cheaper, less comprehensive health care plans.

The order, signed on Oct. 12, instructs federal agencies to remove certain limitations on association health plans and expand the availability of short-term health plans, both of which can skirt certain minimum coverage requirements included in the Affordable Care Act and state laws.

These changes will not immediately take effect; federal agencies will have to figure out how to act on Trumps directions.

The executive action orders agencies to explore ways in which the government can expand access to short-term health plans, which are available to individuals on a three-month basis and meant for people who are in-between health care coverage plans. Under the instructions, association health plans would be allowed to sell plans across state lines; those plans allow small businesses to band together to create cheaper health care plans that offer fewer benefits.

The order was intended to create more options for individuals seeking health insurance and help stimulate competition among insurers. Some health policy advocates worry that it could disrupt the insurance marketplace in a way that would drive up health care costs for elderly individuals and people with medical conditions.

It will be months before changes are seen in the marketplace.

Why Do Republicans Want To Repeal Obamacare So Much Because It Would Be A Big Tax Cut For The Rich

There are going to be so many tax cuts for the rich, you’re going to get tired of tax cuts for the rich. You’re going to say, Mr. President, please don’t cut taxes for the rich so much, this is getting terrible.

And it will start;when Republicans repeal Obamacare.

This is the Rosetta Stone for understanding why conservatives have acted like subsidized health care was the end of the republic itself. It wasn’t just that it had the word Obama in its name, which, in our polarized age, was enough to ensure that 45 percent of the country would despise it. No, it was that Obamacare was one of the biggest redistributive policies of the last 50 years. The Republican Party, after all, exists for what seems like;the sole purpose of reversing;redistribution.

A quick recap: Obamacare is a kind of three-legged stool. First, it tells insurance companies that they can’t discriminate against sick people anymore; second, it tells people that they have to buy insurance or pay a penalty, so that everyone doesn’t just wait until they’re sick to get covered; and third, it helps people who can’t afford the plans they have to buy be able to. Which is to say that you need to come up with a whole lot of money to make this work money that Obamacare gets by taxing the rich. Indeed, at its most basic level, it raises taxes on the top 1 percent to pay for health insurance for the bottom 40 percent.

Getting tired of tax cuts for the rich yet?

Read Also: Dems Voting For Trump

Gop Wants To Repeal Obamacare Without A Backup Plan But Some Republicans Say That’s A Bad Idea

A Republican-led lawsuit is leaving the fate of the Affordable Care Act hanging in the balance of the courts amid a pandemic that’s ravaged the globe and exacerbated the need for health care.

Yet GOP lawmakers on Capitol Hill concede they do not have safety net legislation ready to catch the millions of Americans who would find themselves suddenly without health insurance during a potential second coronavirus wave.

Some Republicans, however, believe that needs to change.

“We need to have a plan in place to make sure that people don’t lose coverage,” said Senator Mitt Romney .

Pre-existing conditions are the “most important thing” to cover, said Senator Martha McSally. But, the Arizona Republican added, “there are many other contingencies that we need to be looking into,” referring to a wide array of issues that could arise without the law.

Republicans have tried unsuccessfully over the years to repeal and replace Obamacare with health provisions of their own. But more than three years into President Donald Trump’s first term, they acknowledge there is neither a discussion nor a plan available to simply replace the expansive health care law that is Obamacare, should it be struck down.

Senator Rick Scott , a former hospital CEO, said he’s “come up with lots of proposals. But there’s no proposal here,” he added.

Mcconnell Reacts To Skinny Bills Failure

We told our constituents we would vote that way and when the moment came, the moment came, most of us did, he said.

This is clearly a disappointment, McConnell added. Its time to move on.

The return of McCain to Washington after a brain cancer diagnosis added drama to the already tense proceedings. It was his vote the 50th that allowed Republicans begin debating the measure.

McCain gave a heartfelt speech upon his return to the Senate on Tuesday, decrying the rise of partisanship. And it was McCain who put an end to the partisan repeal effort.

McCain spoke to Trump last night on the phone and the president urged him to vote to for the skinny repeal bill assuring him it wouldnt end up passing into law, according to one source with direct knowledge of the call.

Vice President Mike Pence, who arrived in the chamber in a bid to rescue the bill and in preparation to cast the deciding vote, stood alongside McCains desk and then joined the senator in the cloakroom. By the time they re-emerged, separately, the vote had begun.

McCain went back to his desk and sat after casting his no vote. He eventually made his way to the Democrats side of the chamber and was greeted with hugs and cheers.

I believe each of us stood up for the reasons that we felt were right

Several Republicans said they did not know where McCain would fall, and there were audible gasps in the chamber when he turned down his thumb to indicate his decision.

Also Check: When Did The Democrats And Republicans Switch Platforms

For The Third Time The Supreme Court Rejected A Challenge To A Law Opposed By Most Republicans

Supporters of the Affordable Care Act demonstrated in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., last year.

The Supreme Court turned back the latest challenge to the Affordable Care Act, leaving the healthcare law known as Obamacare in place. Here is a look at the law and the views of its supporters and detractors.

What is the Affordable Care Act?

The Affordable Care Act was passed by a Democratic-controlled Congress and signed into law by then-President Barack Obama in 2010, and has had . The law expanded eligibility for Medicaid, though about a dozen states have still not adopted the change. It created online marketplaces where consumers could get plans from insurers, and a system of federal subsidies that help most enrollees pay for the coverage. Under a law that passed this March, eligibility for the subsidies expanded to include more people.

The ACA also rewrote the rules around insurance. Because of the law, insurers can no longer deny coverage or charge more for plans based on a persons pre-existing health conditions. They cant cap the amount they pay out in benefits. Also, they have to spend a set share of the premiums they receive on healthcare-related costs, limiting the portion that goes to profits and administration.

What do the ACAs backers say about it?

Fact Check: Who’s Right About Protections For Pre

After that, the president and his administration shifted to a piecemeal approach as they tried to take apart the ACA. “ObamaCare is a broken mess,” the president tweeted in the fall of 2017, after repeal in Congress had failed. “Piece by piece, we will now begin the process of giving America the great HealthCare it deserves!”

Two years later, what has his administration done to change the ACA, and who’s been affected? Below are five of the biggest changes to the federal health law under President Trump.

Recommended Reading: How Many States Are Controlled By Republicans

Why Do Republicans Oppose Obamacare

• Patrizia Rizzo, SEO Reporter

• 11:10 ET, Nov 11 2020

• Patrizia Rizzo, SEO Reporter

• Invalid Date,

REPUBLICANS have campaigned against Obamacare ever since it was signed into law in 2010.;

But with a change in presidency ahead, the Supreme Court is likely to leave in place the bulk of Obamacare, including;key protections for pre-existing health conditions.

This Is Why Republicans Couldnt Make A Better Replacement

Republicans have made a lot of political hay out of pointing out that the plans available under the Affordable Care Act are, in many ways, disappointing. Unsubsidized premiums are higher than people would like. Deductibles and copayments are higher than people would like. The networks of available doctors are narrower than people would like.

These problems are all very real, and they all could be fixed.

They are not, however, problems that the American Health Care Act actually fixes. While Republicans have made several changes to the AHCA to cobble together a majority of House votes, the core of the bill remains the same: it offers stingier insurance to a narrower group of people.

This is because the AHCA does what Republicans want: it rolls back the ACA taxes. But under those circumstances, its simply not possible for the GOP to offer people the superior insurance coverage that it is promising.

The bill the House is voting on Thursday doesnt get rid of the ACAs tax credits to make it easier to buy health coverage, but it bases them on age, with younger people getting bigger credits, rather than income which means poorer Americans. especially elderly ones, will have a bigger tax burden and more difficulty affording the insurance they need.

Don’t Miss: How Many Republicans In California

Mccain Hated Obamacare He Also Saved It

Many lawmakers made their names in health care, seeking to usher through historic changes to a broken system.

John McCain was not one of them.

And yet, the six-term senator from Arizona and decorated military veteran leaves behind his own health care legacy, seemingly driven less by his interest in health care policy than by his disdain for bullies trampling the little guy.

He was not always successful. While McCain was instrumental in the passage of the Americans With Disabilities Act in 1990, most of the health initiatives he undertook failed after running afoul of traditional Republican priorities. His prescriptions often involved more government regulation and increased taxes.

Repeal Of Obamacares Taxes Would Be A Huge Tax Cut For The Rich

This did not play a major overt public role in the 2009-10 debate about the law, but the Affordable Care Acts financing rests on a remarkably progressive base. That means that, as the Tax Policy Center has shown, repealing it would shower moneyon a remarkably small number of remarkably wealthy Americans.

The two big relevant taxes, according to the TPCs Howard Gleckman, are a 0.9 percent payroll surtax on earnings and a 3.8 percent tax on net investment income for individuals with incomes exceeding $200,000 . That payroll tax hike hits a reasonably broad swath of affluent individuals, but in a relatively minor way. The 3.8 percent tax on net investment income , by contrast, is a pretty hefty tax, but one that falls overwhelmingly on the small number of people who have hundreds of thousands of dollars a year in investment income.

For the bottom 60 percent of the population that is, households earning less than about $67,000 a year full repeal of the ACA would end up meaning an increase in taxes due to the loss of ACA tax credits.

But people in the top 1 percent of the income distribution those with incomes of over about $430,000 would see their taxes fall by an average of $25,000 a year.

Under the actual AHCA, Jared Kushner would actually pay even less in taxes. As a young person, Kushner would get a larger tax to buy insurance under the AHCA than he does now.

Don’t Miss: How Many States Are Controlled By Republicans

Does President Trump Really Want To Repeal The Aca

When he introduced the 2020federal budget President Trump re-emphasized his intention to repeal theAffordable Care Act, known more popularly to most of us as Obamacare.

Perhaps that is the issue! Trumpand Obamacare!

The Affordable Care Act is irrevocably associated with the Democratic Party and ex-President Obama in particular. ;Most citizens benefit from it one way or another.

Since the swing to theDemocratic Party at the Mid-Term elections in 2018 President Trump has beenremarkably quiet on his plans for replacing Obamacare if he is granted a secondterm by the American public.; Indeed, hehas made it clear that there will be no new legislation until at least 2021.

In the meantime, he will bewatching the polls and judging the voters intentions as the Democratcandidates put their healthcare policies on display.

Nobody claims the AffordableCare Act is perfect.; All agree it can beimproved. ;At the 2018 mid-term electionsmore than half the voters claimed that healthcare was the major factor in theirvoting decision.; That is why it stays atthe top of the political agenda. After all, our spending on healthcare accountsfor nearly 20% of the way in which we spend the countrys income .

This may be true but there arelimits to savings from increased efficiency and inflation is inevitable.; The outcome is, necessarily, reduction inbenefits or in enrollment.

There are signs that Trump mightbe prepared to keep the subsidies and allow income-related tax relief.