# "The Health Care Plan Trump Voters Really Want" **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 6, 2017, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-health-care-plan-trump-voters-really-want/776469 "2017-01-06T19:10:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-health-care-plan-trump-voters-really-want/776469/1 "2017-01-06T19:10:38Z")
[Source](http://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/05/opinion/the-health-care-plan-trump-voters-really-want.html?_r=0) All bolding is mine. > [@](#): > > The Kaiser Foundation organized six focus groups in the Rust Belt areas — three with Trump voters who are enrolled in the Affordable Care Act marketplaces, and three with Trump voters receiving Medicaid. The sessions, with eight to 10 men and women each, were held in late December in Columbus, Ohio, Grand Rapids, Mich., and New Cumberland, Pa. > > Though the participants did not agree on everything, they expressed remarkably similar opinions on many health care questions. They were not, by and large, angry about their health care; they were simply afraid they will be unable to afford coverage for themselves and their families. **They trusted Mr. Trump to do the right thing but were quick to say that they didn’t really know what he would do, and were worried about what would come next**. Like the rest of us, they have some sensible, legitimate concerns: > [@](#): > > They spoke anxiously about rising premiums, deductibles, copays and drug costs. They were especially upset by surprise bills for services they believed were covered. They said their coverage was hopelessly complex. Those with marketplace insurance — for which they were eligible for subsidies — saw Medicaid as a much better deal than their insurance and were resentful that people with incomes lower than theirs could get it. They expressed animosity for drug and insurance companies, and sounded as much like Bernie Sanders supporters as Trump voters. One man in Pennsylvania with Type 1 diabetes reported making frequent trips to Eastern Europe to purchase insulin at one-tenth the cost he paid here… Though many who post here will say this is a lie, in fact: > [@](#): > > [Surveys show](http://kff.org/health-reform/press-release/survey-finds-most-marketplace-enrollees-like-their-coverage-though-satisfaction-with-premiums-and-deductibles-has-declined-since-2014/)that most enrollees in the Affordable Care Act marketplaces are happy with their plans. However (not surprisingly), > [@](#): > > The Trump voters in our focus groups were representative of people who had not fared as well. Several described their frustration with being forced to change plans annually to keep premiums down, losing their doctors in the process. Furthermore, > [@](#): > > But asked about policies found in several Republican plans to replace the Affordable Care Act — including a tax credit to help defray the cost of premiums, a tax-preferred savings account and a large deductible typical of catastrophic coverage — several of these Trump voters recoiled, calling such proposals “not insurance at all.” …These voters said they did not understand health savings accounts and displayed skepticism about the concept. Here’s the kicker: > [@](#): > > \*\*When told Mr. Trump might embrace a plan that included these elements, and particularly very high deductibles, they expressed disbelief. \*\*They were also worried about what they called “chaos” if there was a gap between repealing and replacing Obamacare. But most did not think that, **as one participant put it, “a smart businessman like Trump would let that happen.”** Some were uninsured before the Affordable Care Act and said they did not want to be uninsured again. Generally, the Trump voters on Medicaid were much more satisfied with their coverage. > [@](#): > > In general, the focus among congressional Republicans has been on repealing the Affordable Care Act. There has been little discussion of the priorities favored by the Trump voters who spoke to us. Because Trump and the Republicans don’t care what Trump voters want, what anyone else wants, or what is good for the country. If they did, they’d have a plan ready to go. They’ve had eight years to prepare it. But all they really want to do is take down what Barack Obama built. Fuck the American public. Nothing else matters. * * * Read about the Kaiser Family Foundation [here](http://kff.org/about-us/). If you don’t want to follow the link: > [@](#): > > [The Kaiser Family Foundaiton is] a leader in health policy analysis and health journalism, the Kaiser Family Foundation is dedicated to filling the need for trusted information on national health issues. > > Kaiser is a non-profit organization focusing on national health issues, as well as the U.S. role in global health policy. Unlike grant-making foundations, Kaiser develops and runs its own policy analysis, journalism and communications programs, sometimes in partnership with major news organizations. We serve as a non-partisan source of facts, analysis and journalism for policymakers, the media, the health policy community and the public. > > Our product is information, always provided free of charge — from the most sophisticated policy research, to basic facts and numbers, to in depth health policy news coverage provided by our news service, KHN, to information young people can use to improve their health or the general public can use to understand the health reform law. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-health-care-plan-trump-voters-really-want/776469/2 "2017-01-06T19:16:46Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Here’s the kicker: > Because Trump and the Republicans don’t care what Trump voters want, what anyone else wants, or what is good for the country. If they did, they’d have a plan ready to go. They’ve had eight years to prepare it. But all they really want to do is take down what Barack Obama built. Fuck the American public. Nothing else matters. This is true. At the moment, their concerns revolve around: “How can we make the most money off of the ensuing debacle, and how can we blame it on Obama and the Democrats?” They don’t have much of a plan, and don’t really give a shit about a plan. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-health-care-plan-trump-voters-really-want/776469/3 "2017-01-06T19:19:53Z")
You give Trump too much credit. He has already achieved his only goals (getting elected) and will spend the next 2 to 4 years merely trying to look busy. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-health-care-plan-trump-voters-really-want/776469/4 "2017-01-06T19:36:58Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > This is true. > > At the moment, their concerns revolve around: “How can we make the most money off of the ensuing debacle, and how can we blame it on Obama and the Democrats?” They don’t have much of a plan, and don’t really give a shit about a plan. I think what they’re really saying is “How can we roll back every single thing Obama ever did, and erase any evidence that he had ever been President?” ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-health-care-plan-trump-voters-really-want/776469/5 "2017-01-06T19:43:43Z")
Do we need this thread when we have this one, Ms Boffking? [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=814379](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=814379) Trump supporters who need the ACA are in for a rude surprise ---
**Author:** ![Calatin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Calatin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calatin)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-health-care-plan-trump-voters-really-want/776469/6 "2017-01-06T20:16:54Z")
When I made a comment last time about how you seem to have some sort of mandatory new anti-Trump thread per day requirement, you replied that, while you do admit to making a lot of these threads, they each have different context. How could this one not tie into your “Repeal of Obamacare and the ACA” thread? They both pertain to healthcare and when discussing repealing it, why would you not also mention with what Republicans are considering replacing it? ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-health-care-plan-trump-voters-really-want/776469/7 "2017-01-06T20:22:55Z")
“Hey! You were supposed to get rid of Obamacare, not take away my Affordable Care Act stuff!!” ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-health-care-plan-trump-voters-really-want/776469/8 "2017-01-06T20:53:43Z")
> [@Calatin](#): > > When I made a comment last time about how you seem to have some sort of mandatory new anti-Trump thread per day requirement, you replied that, while you do admit to making a lot of these threads, they each have different context. > > How could this one not tie into your “Repeal of Obamacare and the ACA” thread? They both pertain to healthcare and when discussing repealing it, why would you not also mention with what Republicans are considering replacing it? I gave this some thought, but made the decision to start a new thread based on the fact that the Repeal ACA thread had become long and unwieldy. If someone is not already following that discussion, they probably aren’t going to jump into it. Besides, the theme of that thread was the step-by-step exposition of the step-by-step (forward and backward) repeal process. That’s not what this thread is about. Furthermore, I thought the Kaiser survey showed that the Trump supporters’ wishes for a health care plan were totally reasonable and on board with what any sensible person would want in a health care plan. IOW Trump supporters showed a lot of common sense in their survey responses, and also showed _common ground_ with \ Dems and liberals, but NOT with Trump and the Republicans. I think this is an important point and worth highlighting. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-health-care-plan-trump-voters-really-want/776469/9 "2017-01-06T21:08:31Z")
> [@Steve\_MB](#): > > “Hey! You were supposed to get rid of Obamacare, not take away my Affordable Care Act stuff!!” This is not far off the mark. Change 2 words in the ACA, re-name it “The Republican Trumpcare Act”, blame the previous administration for any costs, and away you go. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-health-care-plan-trump-voters-really-want/776469/10 "2017-01-06T21:17:12Z")
“Hey Obama keep your socialist hands off my Medicare!” ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-health-care-plan-trump-voters-really-want/776469/11 "2017-01-06T21:26:58Z")
All I can say is **Burn Baby Burn**. Go ahead, repeal the Affordable Care Act as quickly as possible and don’t replace it with a damned thing. Do it. Then we’ll see if all these people who thought Obamacare was a tool of Satan, Unconstitutional and The Worst Law Ever but yet got insurance through it are happy with having no insurance at all again and an increased pace in rural clinic closings. I mean seriously, you Republicans have the steering wheel. Do everything you said you would do. Cut Social Security. Cut Medicare. Defund health services. Cut taxes for the ultra-rich and raise them on the poor. Do every goddamned thing you’ve been claiming to want to do for the last 8 years. And let’s see how that plays. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-health-care-plan-trump-voters-really-want/776469/12 "2017-01-06T21:34:30Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > You give Trump too much credit. He has already achieved his only goals (getting elected) and will spend the next 2 to 4 years merely trying to look busy. And tweeting about how unfair everyone is. He’s a fucking child, and mentally unstable, to boot. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-health-care-plan-trump-voters-really-want/776469/13 "2017-01-06T21:50:50Z")
He’s gonna let his daughter do the job. But don’t worry, she’s gonna move to DC. Play First Lady, lobby congress, and sit in on all the meetings. So it’s cool right? (I think railing against Trump is so last year.:D) ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-health-care-plan-trump-voters-really-want/776469/14 "2017-01-06T22:03:27Z")
> [@](#): > > …And let’s see how that plays. The cold eyed Leninist _realpolitik_ in me approves. However, that isn’t the mind set I use to make decisions. This would cause suffering, and suffering people aren’t as rational. They might very well turn on the authors of their trouble, but they might turn on us just as easily. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-health-care-plan-trump-voters-really-want/776469/15 "2017-01-06T22:08:09Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > But all they really want to do is take down what Barack Obama built. Fuck the American public. Nothing else matters. Total bullshit. What we Trump voters want is our healthcare system back in working order like it was before Obama fucked it over. The only way to start getting that back is by ripping Obamacare out by the roots. ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-health-care-plan-trump-voters-really-want/776469/16 "2017-01-06T22:15:11Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Total bullshit. What we Trump voters want is our healthcare system back in working order like it was before Obama fucked it over. The only way to start getting that back is by ripping Obamacare out by the roots. Clotha hump, I asked a question in the other thread but I guess you haven’t seen it. Here is my question again: [Clothahump, I am genuinely curious. I have pre-existing conditions, as does my husband. He is working on disability, but it’s a work in progress. I am self employed. We could not get any insurance under the old system, and now we are covered. What, in your opinion, should we do in the event of a repeal, without replacement?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=19892291&postcount=74) ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-health-care-plan-trump-voters-really-want/776469/17 "2017-01-06T22:17:18Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > He’s a fucking child, and mentally unstable, to boot. I want to read this as hyperbolic rant. And I can’t. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-health-care-plan-trump-voters-really-want/776469/18 "2017-01-06T22:17:47Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Total bullshit. What we Trump voters want is our healthcare system back in working order like it was before Obama fucked it over. The only way to start getting that back is by ripping Obamacare out by the roots. Where you had over 20 million uninsured citizens, but hey you were not one of them, and this made you feel superior. Just admit you don’t give a shit if people die. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-health-care-plan-trump-voters-really-want/776469/19 "2017-01-06T22:18:49Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Total bullshit. What we Trump voters want is our healthcare system back in working order like it was before Obama fucked it over… Exactly what about tens of millions uninsured, and largely unable to get insurance, was “working order”? ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-health-care-plan-trump-voters-really-want/776469/20 "2017-01-06T22:23:57Z")
> [@Amateur\_Barbarian](#): > > Exactly what about tens of millions uninsured, and largely unable to get insurance, was “working order”? He was OK, and those “other” dirty nasty people were suffering. That’s exactly what he liked about it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-health-care-plan-trump-voters-really-want/776469.md?page=2)