# House passes "repeal and replace"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-passes-repeal-and-replace/785871>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [May 4, 2017, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-passes-repeal-and-replace/785871 "2017-05-04T20:53:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 67

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**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2017, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-passes-repeal-and-replace/785871/1321 "2017-07-18T18:21:15Z")

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From the Borowitz report, McConnell has been hospitalized with a low white vote count.

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**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2017, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-passes-repeal-and-replace/785871/1322 "2017-07-18T18:42:50Z")

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I’m sure we all like a bit of droll humor every now and again, but isn’t that just tearing down without building up?

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**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2017, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-passes-repeal-and-replace/785871/1323 "2017-07-18T18:56:34Z")

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Why should the federal government be paying for building? Let the construction industry and the market handle it.

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**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2017, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-passes-repeal-and-replace/785871/1324 "2017-07-18T20:52:51Z")

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Yeah, it turns out it super easy to claim that your bill will cover more people, cost less, be simpler, and provide better coverage.

It’s a lot harder to actually do it. The only part about Trump’s promise that was actually in the Republican bill was the “cost less”, and that’s because it had to cost less so they could have tax cuts for the rich.

If Republicans have a proposal that will do what Donald Trump promised–and some of you Republicans claim to hate lies–then I’d like to see it. Insurance for everyone that is much less expensive and much better.

It is kind of odd that Trump never publicly proposed his secret plan, but I guess he’s saving it? For later?

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**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2017, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-passes-repeal-and-replace/785871/1325 "2017-07-18T21:08:09Z")

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He has to be careful, very few people are smart enough to grasp his revolutionary theories of quantum economics. Not like “voodoo economics”, this is all sciencey. And stuff.

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**Author:** ![Hocus\_Pocus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/41988e/32.png) [@Hocus\_Pocus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hocus_Pocus)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2017, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-passes-repeal-and-replace/785871/1326 "2017-07-18T21:27:22Z")

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> [@Lemur866](#):
>
> Yeah, it turns out it super easy to claim that your bill will cover more people, cost less, be simpler, and provide better coverage.
> 
> It’s a lot harder to actually do it. The only part about Trump’s promise that was actually in the Republican bill was the “cost less”, and that’s because it had to cost less so they could have tax cuts for the rich.
> 
> If Republicans have a proposal that will do what Donald Trump promised–and some of you Republicans claim to hate lies–then I’d like to see it. Insurance for everyone that is much less expensive and much better.
> 
> It is kind of odd that Trump never publicly proposed his secret plan, but I guess he’s saving it? For later?

It’s sort of like Josh Lyman’s secret plan to fight inflation…

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**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-passes-repeal-and-replace/785871/1327 "2017-07-19T06:20:00Z")

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Won’t somebody give Mitch a hug?

[http://thepoliticus.com/content/mitch-mcconnell-practically-breaks-down-tears-america-celebrates-trumpcare-defeat-video](http://thepoliticus.com/content/mitch-mcconnell-practically-breaks-down-tears-america-celebrates-trumpcare-defeat-video)

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-passes-repeal-and-replace/785871/1328 "2017-07-19T06:37:22Z")

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\<crickets\>

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**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-passes-repeal-and-replace/785871/1329 "2017-07-19T06:47:03Z")

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> [@vivalostwages](#):
>
> Won’t somebody give Mitch a hug?
> 
> [http://thepoliticus.com/content/mitch-mcconnell-practically-breaks-down-tears-america-celebrates-trumpcare-defeat-video](http://thepoliticus.com/content/mitch-mcconnell-practically-breaks-down-tears-america-celebrates-trumpcare-defeat-video)

[I’d love to!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vm5Ggw_Q62Q) :mad:

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**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-passes-repeal-and-replace/785871/1330 "2017-07-19T15:06:30Z")

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He blames Dems for the fail, when the real problem is that he and his cronies just didn’t pray hard enough.

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**Author:** ![Hocus\_Pocus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/41988e/32.png) [@Hocus\_Pocus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hocus_Pocus)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-passes-repeal-and-replace/785871/1331 "2017-07-19T22:29:00Z")

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CBO says that repealing ACA w/o a replacement will result in the loss of medical insurance to 32 million people.

Anyone who attempts to repeal ACA w/o a replacement is anything but “Pro-Life.”

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-passes-repeal-and-replace/785871/1332 "2017-07-20T17:52:29Z")

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I had a “Wait…what?” moment this morning. CNN came out with a new health care poll today: (Formatted as best I can given the limitations here. Option numbers added and Total numbers bolded by me for clarity.)

[QUOTE=CNN/SSRS]

CN-02. As you may know, the Republican leadership in Congress and the Trump administration have pledged to repeal and replace the health care law known as Obamacare. How would you like Congress to handle the law? Should Congress…?

(Numbers are Total/Rep/Dem/Ind)

1. Abandon plans to repeal the law and leave it as is **35** 11 56 32

2. Repeal parts of the law, regardless of whether a replacement is ready **18** 30 10 18

3. Repeal parts of the law only if replacements can be enacted at the same time **34** 53 26 36

4. Don’t know/undecided **11** 5 7 12

5. Refused **2** 2 1 2  
[/QUOTE]

(1,019 respondents)

But…

[QUOTE=The Kaiser Foundation]  
Do you have a generally favorable or generally unfavorable opinion of…[the] Affordable Care Act?

Favorable **51%**  
Unfavorable **41%**  
Undecided **8%**  
[/QUOTE]

(1,208 respondents)

So, what accounts for the apparently opposed results of the two polls? I’m glad I asked. 🙂

First, the Kaiser question is obviously fairly vague. But the CNN poll is glaringly missing an option which should have been given (or at least one of the options that are given is very poorly-worded): to abandon plans to repeal the law and modify Obamacare, which might or might not include repealing parts of the law. I think that would have drawn responses from the first and third options, and maybe even from some undecideds. The key appears to be that third option, repeal/replace, where the ‘favorable’ side would most increase. I think CNN’s numbers would look a great deal closer to Kaiser’s as far as the ACA being generally favorable if that were the case.

As it is, the CNN poll makes it appear that half again more people _don’t_ approve of the ACA than do. Bad methodology.

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**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\
**Post date:** [July 20, 2017, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-passes-repeal-and-replace/785871/1333 "2017-07-20T21:45:47Z")

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I think some of the disconnect may be in using the terms “Obamacare” in one and “Affordable Care Act” in the other. I recall that viral meme on social media where folks wanted to keep the ACA, but repeal Obamacare, not realizing they were the same thing.

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**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\
**Post date:** [July 22, 2017, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-passes-repeal-and-replace/785871/1334 "2017-07-22T17:27:33Z")

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> [@Hocus\_Pocus](#):
>
> CBO says that repealing ACA w/o a replacement will result in the loss of medical insurance to 32 million people.
> 
> Anyone who attempts to repeal ACA w/o a replacement is anything but “Pro-Life.”

Check out the sky-high deductibles point:

> **[CBO: Under the latest Senate healthcare bill, deductibles could be more than...](https://www.businessinsider.com/cbo-deductibles-under-new-senate-health-care-bill-to-rise-sharply-2017-7?utm_content=buffer7130a&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer-bi)**
>
> By 2026, deductibles under the senate bill could be so high they're actually illegal, according to the CBO.

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**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\
**Post date:** [July 23, 2017, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-passes-repeal-and-replace/785871/1335 "2017-07-23T05:12:32Z")

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DT reckons that health care costs about twelve bucks a year.

> **[Donald Trump Thinks Health Insurance Costs $12 Per Year When You're 21](https://fortune.com/2017/07/20/donald-trump-health-insurance-comments/)**
>
> It doesn't.

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**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\
**Post date:** [July 23, 2017, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-passes-repeal-and-replace/785871/1336 "2017-07-23T11:28:08Z")

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> [@vivalostwages](#):
>
> Check out the sky-high deductibles point:  
> [CBO: Deductibles Under New Senate Health Care Bill to Rise Sharply - Business Insider](http://www.businessinsider.com/cbo-deductibles-under-new-senate-health-care-bill-to-rise-sharply-2017-7?utm_content=buffer7130a&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer-bi)

There is an important point to remember about the high deductible plans. One that is often overlooked by ACA detractors.

It’s not like you have an useless insurance policy that you can’t use until you hit the deductible. From day one, you will be billed at the insurance companies discounted rate- not the full rate that uninsured customers are billed at. At it’s usually substantial. If my health care bills are an accurate indicator, you usually pay 30-50% of the full rate for any given service or procedure.

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**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\
**Post date:** [July 23, 2017, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-passes-repeal-and-replace/785871/1337 "2017-07-23T11:31:10Z")

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> [@vivalostwages](#):
>
> dt reckons that health care costs about twelve bucks a year.  
> [Donald Trump Says Health Insurance Costs $12 Per Year | Fortune](http://fortune.com/2017/07/20/donald-trump-health-insurance-comments/)

but her emails guys!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2017, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-passes-repeal-and-replace/785871/1338 "2017-07-24T19:56:35Z")

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Crossposted from the Pit. Sorry. I’ll generally only post in the Pit thread from now on:

Motion to proceed vote scheduled for tomorrow. I’m hearing 2:15.

It’s completely unclear what they are voting on. It’s completely unclear who is voting for it. I think it’s likely to pass the MTP and then a final, devastating bill. This could be because I’m a realist or it could be because I’m a pessimist. Don’t ask me, IOW.

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2017, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-passes-repeal-and-replace/785871/1339 "2017-07-24T20:02:22Z")

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> [@jsgoddess](#):
>
> Crossposted from the Pit. Sorry. I’ll generally only post in the Pit thread from now on:
> 
> Motion to proceed vote scheduled for tomorrow. I’m hearing 2:15.
> 
> It’s completely unclear what they are voting on. It’s completely unclear who is voting for it. I think it’s likely to pass the MTP and then a final, devastating bill. This could be because I’m a realist or it could be because I’m a pessimist. Don’t ask me, IOW.

I think there’s too much stacked against it, from Susan Collins to Rand Paul to John McCain to neither end of the Republican Party being able to agree on the color of clear water.

And _then_ there are the parliamentary issues (Byrd Rule).

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2017, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-passes-repeal-and-replace/785871/1340 "2017-07-24T20:13:51Z")

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> [@Johnny\_Ace](#):
>
> I think there’s too much stacked against it, from Susan Collins to Rand Paul to John McCain to neither end of the Republican Party being able to agree on the color of clear water.
> 
> And _then_ there are the parliamentary issues (Byrd Rule).

The parliamentary issues only matter if they give a shit. If they gave a shit, they wouldn’t be pushing BCRA or ORRA. These are really bad bills.

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