Schumer Blasts 'Breathtakingly Irresponsible' O'Care Replacement Bill

[DonViejo]

Source: Talking Points Memo



By CAITLIN MACNEAL Published MARCH 7, 2017, 11:07 AM EDT

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) on Tuesday morning slammed House Republicans' draft legislation to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, arguing that the bill would reduce coverage and raise the costs of health care for Americans.

"After seven years of talking about the same thing over and over again, you'd think the Republicans would have been able to come up with a better plan than this. This plan is a mess," Schumer began in a floor speech. "Trumpcare will make health insurance in America measurably worse in just about every way and leave more Americans uninsured. It does, however, greatly benefit the very wealthy and special interests."

The senator said that Republicans' plan will "cost more and you'll get less." In terms of care for women, Schumer said the proposal would "send us back to the dark ages," noting that it nixes Obamacare's requirement that insurers don't charge women more for coverage.

Schumer lamented that the tax credits the House GOP plan offers will be smaller than Obamacare's subsidies, and that the proposal "removes an investment tax and a surcharge on the wealthiest Americans."

Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/schumer-aca-replacement-floor-speech

[forgotmylogin]

1. Tax credits are sort of like mail-in rebates, right?

You have to pay in full up front, and then get a write off on your taxes. Which may not be possible due to some people's financial situations. And the actual money may not get back to you if it's a line-item write-off.

[DeminPennswoods]

3. Tax credits come right off the final individual tax bill

If, for ex, you owe $1,000 and the tax credit is $5,000, you'd get a refund of $4,000. If you owe 0 income tax, you'd get the full tax credit of $5,000.

[forgotmylogin]

5. Okay, that's better...

But still requires the insured to afford and front the payments initially.

[DeminPennswoods]

7. Yes, at least initially, then they can use last year's credit

for this year's insurance.

[forgotmylogin]

10. Still not optimal because it requires an initial investment.

My gf lives hand-to-mouth off her paycheck, and there's no way she could afford health care in this manner, even if she were getting paid back for it in the future.

[wishstar]

14. But in this bill, younger people only get $2000/yr tax credit while 60+ get $4000/yr

because insurance companies would be allowed to charge higher premiums based on age and of course these credits are only for people buying into individual plans on their own-

"Plan members in their 20s would get tax credits in the $2,000 range. Those in their 30s would get roughly $2,500 and people in their 40s would get roughly $3,000. People in their 50s would receive tax credits of about $3,500 and those over 60 would get roughly $4,000.

MOST OF THE PROPOSAL COMES AS ADVERTISED: IT CALLS FOR ENDING INCOME-BASED FEDERAL SUBSIDIES TO HELP PURCHASE MARKETPLACE COVERAGE AND WOULD WIPE OUT ALL TAXES THAT HELPED PAY FOR THE SUBSIDIES."



Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/article136815443.html#storylink=cpy

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

15. So if your income is so low that you don't pay any

federal income tax, do you get a check for whatever your tax credit is supposed to be?

[DeminPennswoods]

18. Yes

It should work the same way as the Earned Inc Tax Credit.

[DeminPennswoods]

2. "Costs more, get less"

That phrase should be the first thing Dems say when asked about Trumpcare.

[forgotmylogin]

11. And they should call it a "mail in rebate" for healthcare.

Many mail-in rebates are a scam. They make you wait, then often just don't honor them because many people forget about them, then make the consumer jump through hoops contacting them to actually get the rebate.

[SharonAnn]

20. It's Obamacare 0.5

[DK504]

4. I want to see them get to 60 votes.

Won't happen.

[Cosmocat]

16. They built the whole scam into reconciliation bills

they only need 50 votes in the senate ...

That said, as long as EVERY D does the right thing, its going to be tough, Lawrence O'Donnell said last night four R senators won't vote for it, IF that is the case, we might duck this bullshit.

[elmac]

6. Smoke & Mirrors Health Insurance

the ultimate death panel.

[ffr]

8. Investigate Russia. Press for Liar Sessions to resign.

We'll protest in the streets and burn up GOP fax/phone lines regarding ACA in the meantime.

[sheshe2]

9. Repuke Motto

Steal from the poor to give to the rich.

[bucolic_frolic]

12. Mandates for bathroom use, but not for health coverage or polluters

Does the GOP make any sense?

Get the government off our backs but in our pants?

[Cosmocat]

17. America 2017

THIS is the world we live in ...

[rickford66]

13. Why not find people happy about repeal who are ill ?

They must have some real compelling reasons to support the loss of real medical insurance and many of us wish to hear them. Of course this must include sane people who understand that Obamacare and ACA are the same thing.

[pat_k]

19. So, their "base" has been clamoring to increase rates for older Americans by 60%???

What the hell are all these opponents we hear so much about against anyway?

The only part of ACA I have ever heard anyone specifically object to is the "mandate."

As far as I can tell, the only "base" they are making happy with this bill is one that's made up of insurance company executives.