Repeal Bill Makes Worse A Problem GOPers Complained About Under O'Care

[DonViejo]

By TIERNEY SNEED Published MARCH 15, 2017, 11:25 AM EDT

The legislation Republican leaders are pitching as their replacement to Obamacare does little to fix a problem in the individual insurance market that has been a major GOP talking against the Affordable Care Act -- and the Republican-proposed alternative may even make the problem worse, health policy experts told TPM.

The prevalence of counties having only one or two insurers has been a constant criticism Republicans -- fairly or or not -- lobbed against Affordable Care Act and they haven’t stopped now, as GOP leaders beg rank-and-file members to support their controversial repeal legislation, the American Health Care Act.

The shrinking presence of insurers in certain parts of the country -- and particularly in rural regions -- is a major problem. But the structural issues pushing them out are largely untouched by the Republican legislation. On top of that, the way a key element of the bill, its tax credits, is structured exacerbates the dynamics. The few provisions GOPers can highlight in the legislation that could make insurance cheaper could have the opposite effect in rural areas, health care policy experts tell TPM. But that hasn't stopped GOP congressional leaders from harping on the lack of insurer choice as a reason their legislation should be rushed through.

“Over one-in-three counties in America: You’ve got one plan to choose from,” House Speaker Paul Ryan said in his weekly press conference Thursday. “These insurers probably never intended on being monopolists, but they are, in these counties. There is no choice, no competition, one plan to choose from.”


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http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/choice-rural-counties-insurers

[gopiscrap]

1. fucking idiots

in their zeal to kill Obamacare (ACA) they're fucking themselves over.....couldn't happen to a nicer crowd.