G.O.P. Plans Immediate Repeal of Health Law, Then a Delay

[TomCADem]

Source: MSN/Washington Post

WASHINGTON — Republicans in Congress plan to move almost immediately next month to repeal the Affordable Care Act, as President-elect Donald J. Trump promised. But they also are likely to delay the effective date so that they have several years to phase out President Obama’s signature achievement.

This emerging “repeal and delay” strategy, which Speaker Paul D. Ryan discussed this week with Vice President-elect Mike Pence, underscores a growing recognition that replacing the health care law will be technically complicated and could be politically explosive.

Since the law was signed by Mr. Obama in March 2010, 20 million uninsured people have gained coverage, and the law has become deeply embedded in the nation’s health care system, accepted with varying degrees of enthusiasm by consumers, doctors, hospitals, insurance companies and state and local governments.

Unwinding it could be as difficult for Republicans as it was for Democrats to pass it in the first place and could lead Republicans into a dangerous cul-de-sac, where the existing law is in shambles but no replacement can pass the narrowly divided Senate. Democrats would face political pressure in that case as well.

Read more: http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/gop-plans-immediate-repeal-of-health-law-then-a-delay/ar-AAl4lAx?li=BBmkt5R&ocid=spartanntp

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So, they plan to repeal the ACA, then blame Democrats for not replacing it. I am sure CNN will go along for the ride.

[SHRED]

1. Delay won't work

Insurance companies will leave the exchanges in droves due to uncertainty.
In fact a delay will throw so much uncertainty into the market that planning by insurance companies would be impossible. It will create chaos.

[msongs]

2. in chaos, there is opportunity nt

[SHRED]

3. With the GOP at the helm?

[msongs]

5. opportunity to take advantage of a situation...for dems and their standing with voters

[Hortensis]

20. The delay gives the Republicans an EXTREME ADVANTAGE.

Insurance companies leaving the ACA marketplace in "droves" during the delay allows them to pretend it is proof the ACA was failing anyway. That conservative voters believe this is VERY important to avoid revolt.

And then there's the little issue of the 2018 elections, when the entire house goes up for reelection, plus many state legislatures. Of COURSE they don't want to take away guaranteed coverage for preexisting conditions, lifetime coverage for all conditions, and guaranteed acceptance by insurers in spite of previous history BEFORE the elections. It's also extremely important that voters don't realize they are paying MORE for incredibly less BEFORE the election.

And these are just off the top of my head. Probably experts can list more off the tops of theirs.

[pangaia]

4. DISASTER CAPITALISM at its best. or rather worst...

[SunSeeker]

6. The GOP will kill thousands of Americans. nt

[cstanleytech]

10. They pretty much don't care. nt

[eShirl]

11. pretty sure that's the whole point

[Docreed2003]

7. As a physician, this is truly frightening to me...

Repealing the ACA without any plan for replacement and a delay in the repeal will destabilize the exchanges and is a set up by the GOP to blame Dems for not approving whatever bullshit plan they come up with to replace the ACA. Just this week, I've had two patients who need surgery: one for colon cancer the other for gallstones that caused pancreatitis and neither have health insurance. Our hospital will not approve surgery unless a payment plan is set up prior to surgery. Even though we have a large charity care program in our community, the hospital expects payment. Now, I've recently moved to a red state that did not accept federal subsidies, so this is a not an infrequent position that I find myself in. The people of this country should not have to go bankrupt for life saving healthcare. This plan by the GOP is one which will not only harm millions of Americans but lay the blame at the feet of Dems. We must stand up to this egregious power grab, because if we don't, the next step will be "reforms" to Medicare/Medicaid/Social Security.

[SHRED]

8. this

[Docreed2003]

9. How I wish it wasn't so Shred! Nt

[SHRED]

18. That's for sure!

[muriel_volestrangler]

12. hostage politics - plant a time bomb under it, and then blame others for not defusing it

They have no ideas on how to do something, only to destroy. But since that's all they know, they'll do it quickly.

[BumRushDaShow]

13. "I am sure CNN will go along for the ride."

Exactly. Plus their brethren will go along with it too because this is a ratings bonanza sure to last the next 5 years, as they instigate and then report on the "cat fight" between the parties on nonsensical issues while people go back to being bankrupted by the industry and dying for lack of care.

[Hugin]

14. Their strategy seems to be "Boil the frog slowly".

So, it's unchanged from the status quo.

[HockeyMom]

15. Veterans Benefits too?

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/veterans-affairs-trump-232088

[riversedge]

16. damn.

[lark]

17. Total BS and craven political move.

Repeal to satisy the teahadists, and this includes Medicare, watch and see
Delay so that the effects haven't hit anyone so they can claim this new law to come (unseen and not real) will help everyone without providing any specifics or information.

Just hoping seniors aren't taken in and will rise up in mass to throw out these lying, cheating, stealing bums.

[Sunlei]

19. open enrollment on healthcareDOTgov. grab your subsidised insurance now because Republicans will

shut that place down very soon. That website * LINK is a huge help to wade through Americas 'for profit' insurance Corporations.

LINK, watch out on the web, insurance corps already have several scam websites set-up that are not regulated by healthcare.gov

https://www.healthcare.gov/

[J_William_Ryan]

21. Unsurprisingly,

Republicans have no idea what they’re doing.

Needless to say they have no plan of their own; or more precisely, the ACA would be the Republican plan.

The right’s opposition to the ACA is purely partisan, the consequence of their unwarranted hostility toward Obama, having little to do with the merits of the Act.

[geek tragedy]

22. Majority party gets blamed for what happens. nt

[DetlefK]

23. What if the democratic replacement plan for the ACA is the ACA???

The GOP lambasts them for not working with them on a replacement plan, for not offering ideas. Well, the Democrats have an idea that is proven to work: Just bring back the ACA.