If Republicans Repeal Health Law how Will They Pay For Replacement? (Cuts to Medicare and Medicaid!)

[flamingdem]

http://khn.org/news/if-republicans-repeal-health-law-how-will-they-pay-for-replacement/

The GOP, in the partial repeal bill that passed in January and was vetoed by President Barack Obama, proposed to cancel the tax increases in the health law, as well as the health premium subsidies and Medicaid expansion. But it would have kept the Medicare and Medicaid payment reductions. Because the benefits that would be repealed cost more than the revenue being lost through the repeal of the taxes, the result would have been net savings to the federal government — to the tune of about $317.5 billion over 10 years, said CBO.

But those savings — even if Republicans could find a way to apply them to a new bill — would not be enough to fund the broad expansion of coverage offered under the ACA.

If Republicans follow that playbook again, their plans for replacement could be hampered because they will still lose access to tax revenues. That means they cannot fund equivalent benefits unless they find some other source of revenue.

Some analysts fear those dollars may come from still more cuts to Medicare and Medicaid.

[Cryptoad]

1. No,,,,,,,

those cuts are going to used for the tax loopholes for the Rich.

[zipplewrath]

2. This is their fundamental problem

They can't offer similar benefits without it increasing spending significantly. Especially if they intend on reducing revenues. Truth is, unless they can get control of health CARE costs, they can't control the costs of premiums.

Some one is floating a plan that would allow states to choose between stock ACA and some GOP alternative. I think they might be surprised how many would choose to stay with the ACA.