Congressional Republicans gathered in Philadelphia this week for the annual GOP retreat privately shared deep concerns about the potential political damage of botching the Affordable Care Act’s repeal, according to recordings of closed sessions obtained by the Washington Post.
GOP lawmakers quoted in the recordings worried over their ability to carry out a simultaneous “repeal and replace” strategy, preserve expanded Medicaid rolls and avoid disrupting or ending coverage for millions of Americans. Though party members have called for dismantling the legislation for the past seven years, lingering policy disagreements have prevented them from proposing a replacement.
“We’d better be sure that we’re prepared to live with the market we’ve created” through repeal, Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA) said, according to the Post. “That’s going to be called Trumpcare. Republicans will own that lock, stock and barrel, and we’ll be judged in the election less than two years away.”
TPM’s Tierney Sneed reported that one lawmaker at the retreat chastised her for using the word “Obamacare” to refer to the healthcare law, telling her that the preferred term was “Affordable Care Act.”
These concerns and unanswered questions are being floated even as the Trump administration took steps towards repealing the law. On Thursday, The White House canceled millions in previously purchased advertising and outreach scheduled for the final enrollment days for 2017 health coverage under the law. That order was dialed back slightly on Friday, allowing some phone and digital outreach to occur, though $4 million of the $5 million in purchased ads were still canceled.
Aw, they’re fretting. That doesn’t come anywhere close to the emotional fear/dread cast upon much of the population. Throw in that dash of possible (likely) Sec. Price desire to decouple insurance from employers - in exchange for a coupon (still from the employer - so it’s not decoupling insurance from employment, more like making it cheaper for employers and more costly in future years for everyone) - the system they ‘create’ could be the system for everyone’s healthcare in the future. Ya, GOP, you better be fretting - but not just the “political damage” you cause to yourselves, you need to fear the damage you are heaping on to your constituents, your families, and yourselves.
Repeal it, rename it and pass it the same day. Done.
Yup.
TPM’s Tierney Sneed reported that one lawmaker at the retreat chastised her for using the word “Obamacare” to refer to the healthcare law, telling her that the preferred term was “Affordable Care Act.”
Primary move right there.
It is not the market you should worry about,it is the body count.
How rich. They’re all worried about the political consequences, but the consequences on the health of millions of Americans is apparently of no concern to them.
They’re scum, pure and simple.