Healthcare and the 2024 presidential election
Republicans have long objected to the ACA, and Trump tried several times to have it overturned; he’s claimed he’ll replace it with something better, but in eight years, he’s never come up with even a rudiment of a proposal. And here’s Speaker Johnson at a campaign stop yesterday:
“No Obamacare?” an attendee asked Johnson, referring to the law Democrats passed in 2010, also known as the Affordable Care Act.
“No Obamacare,” Johnson responded, rolling his eyes. “The ACA is so deeply ingrained, we need massive reform to make this work, and we got a lot of ideas on how to do that.”
No, both sides aren’t equal:
“Vice President Kamala Harris, who previously backed a universal healthcare plan, wants to expand and strengthen the health law, popularly known as Obamacare. She supports making permanent temporary enhanced subsidies that lower the cost of premiums. And she’s expected to press Congress to extend Medicaid coverage to more people in the 10 states that have so far not expanded the program.
“Trump, who repeatedly tried and failed to repeal the ACA, said in the September presidential debate that he has “concepts of a plan” to replace or change the legislation. Although that sound bite became a bit of a laugh line because Trump had promised an alternative health insurance plan many times during his administration and never delivered, Vance later provided more details.
“He said the next Trump administration would deregulate insurance markets — a change that some health analysts say could provide more choice but erode protections for people with preexisting conditions. He seemed to adjust his position during the vice presidential debate, saying the ACA’s protections for preexisting conditions should be left in place.”
Just a reminder: “preexisting conditions” is insurance-speak for medical history.
Trump vs Harris on the ACA
“No Obamacare?” an attendee asked Johnson, referring to the law Democrats passed in 2010, also known as the Affordable Care Act.
“No Obamacare,” Johnson responded, rolling his eyes. “The ACA is so deeply ingrained, we need massive reform to make this work, and we got a lot of ideas on how to do that.”
No, both sides aren’t equal:
“Vice President Kamala Harris, who previously backed a universal healthcare plan, wants to expand and strengthen the health law, popularly known as Obamacare. She supports making permanent temporary enhanced subsidies that lower the cost of premiums. And she’s expected to press Congress to extend Medicaid coverage to more people in the 10 states that have so far not expanded the program.
“Trump, who repeatedly tried and failed to repeal the ACA, said in the September presidential debate that he has “concepts of a plan” to replace or change the legislation. Although that sound bite became a bit of a laugh line because Trump had promised an alternative health insurance plan many times during his administration and never delivered, Vance later provided more details.
“He said the next Trump administration would deregulate insurance markets — a change that some health analysts say could provide more choice but erode protections for people with preexisting conditions. He seemed to adjust his position during the vice presidential debate, saying the ACA’s protections for preexisting conditions should be left in place.”
Just a reminder: “preexisting conditions” is insurance-speak for medical history.
Trump vs Harris on the ACA
Joel:
deregulate insurance markets — a change that some health analysts say could provide more choice with additional costs for the original costs and less healthcare for the new choices.
It is all about the money, how do we obtain it, and with less care. Offering up additional care which is not necessarily needed or is a regurgitation of earlier care.
The choice is never with the patient as the care is sold as needed care. How would a typical patient know if a rerun of a past test is needed?
@Bill,
This is about politics, not economics or health care. Trump hates Obama so Trump hates the ACA. It’s really that simple.
Joel:
I concede politics is a part of the issue. The greater part being Obama is a Black man who became the president. We (trump) can not have that now, can we?
The only Republican proposal we have seen in any detail was Romneycare. Pretty much the same as Obamacare. It has been well over a decade since the ACA was passed, and the only actual suggestions for changes also came from Romney – essentially making things they were before Obamacare.
If the GOP does actually have “a lot of ideas” why don’t they share at least some of them with the public? Aside from the fact they would be very unpopular, which I strongly suspect.
@JaneE,
“If the GOP does actually have “a lot of ideas” why don’t they share at least some of them with the public? Aside from the fact they would be very unpopular, which I strongly suspect.”
Yep. Their “ideas” are to immiserate the poor, shackle the working class, destroy the middle class and enrich the wealthy. They won’t say it, but based on their proposals and actions when in power, that’s the summary.
Jane:
An answer not needed but should be said. Trump has no plan and the ones offered up by Republicans are poor substitutes for the ACA, Medicare. and Medicaid. The ACA is not so spectacular. It is all we have for now.
Trump hates ObamaCare because it’s not called TrumpCare.
He’ll tweak it, move the needle on some aspect of it by 1%, and rename it TrumpCare.
All is well.
@Jonathan,
Your prophecy is noted.