# The Repeal of Obamacare/ACA: Step-bystep, Inch-by-inch **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 2, 2017, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146 "2017-01-02T17:06:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 21
**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:** [March 2, 2017, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/401 "2017-03-02T21:30:13Z")
Apparently, the Republicans have their replacement ready, but it’s a **[secret](http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_58b80b7ce4b01fc1bde61f71/amp)**. My bold. > [@](#): > > Bloomberg Politics and the Washington Examiner on Wednesday reported that GOP leaders are putting the finishing touches on the legislation, and are ready to show their colleagues what it’s going to look like. Nothing is quite final, but the tentative plan is to have the House Energy and Commerce Committee, one of three House panels with jurisdiction, consider the proposal next Wednesday. If the committee signs off, it would be a major step toward legislation passing in the full House ― and, eventually, enactment of a law wiping the 2010 health care law off the books. > > For now, according to Bloomberg, leaders are planning to make the bill available only to committee members, who will have to view a printout in a dedicated reading room. No copies will be allowed out of the room. > > Committee rules call for making legislation public no less than three calendar days before hearings, which means that Republicans will have to post a version by 11:59 p.m. on Monday if they want markup to start sometime on Wednesday. But Rep. Chris Collins (R-N.Y.), who sits on the committee, told Bloomberg that **the vote might take place before the Congressional Budget Office and Joint Committee on Taxation get a chance to produce formal estimates of the bill’s effects on insurance coverage and the federal budget.** ---
**Author:** ![mistymage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mistymage/32/459_2.png) [@mistymage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mistymage)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/402 "2017-03-02T21:54:54Z")
It’s so secret that ““It’s the secret office of the secret bill,” Paul said, with a copy machine in tow. He later called the whole thing “crazy.”” > **[Democrats (And Rand Paul) Go In Search Of Secret GOP Obamacare Bill](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/democrats-secret-gop-obamacare-bill_n_58b85f66e4b0a8ded67b3323)** > > "Crazy," Paul said of the secrecy. Which reminds me of the Family Guy version of a Bill on Capitol Hill: [Family Guy's I'm just a bill song - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uf2q66G3lmM) ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2017, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/403 "2017-03-02T22:11:07Z")
> [@mistymage](#): > > Which reminds me of the Family Guy version of a Bill on Capitol Hill: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uf2q66G3lmM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uf2q66G3lmM) That Bill, and the Amendment in a similar parody on _The Simpsons_ were both voiced by the original Bill, Jack Sheldon. ---
**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:** [March 7, 2017, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/404 "2017-03-07T00:55:31Z")
Republicans let the cat out of the bag. Not a lot of detail in this article. “House Republicans Unveil Plan to Replace Health Law” [https://nyti.ms/2n84lkB](https://nyti.ms/2n84lkB) > [@](#): > > WASHINGTON — House Republicans unveiled their long-awaited plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, scrapping the mandate that nearly all Americans have health insurance and replacing it with a system of tax credits aimed at enticing Americans to purchase health care on the open market. > … > Under the Republican plan, the income-based tax credits would be replaced with credits that would rise with age. In a late change, the plan was also expected to include language limiting who is eligible for the tax credits, so that affluent Americans would not receive them. > … > On Monday, four Republican senators — Rob Portman of Ohio, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, Cory Gardner of Colorado and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska — signed a letter saying a House draft that they had reviewed did not adequately protect people in states like theirs that have expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Three conservative Republicans in the Senate — Mike Lee of Utah, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Ted Cruz of Texas — had already expressed reservations about the House’s approach. **In combination, the conservatives and moderates have more than enough votes to bring it down in the Senate.** > … My bold. Does “bring it down” mean defeat it? ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2017, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/405 "2017-03-07T01:05:59Z")
Given the context, I assume so. ---
**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2017, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/406 "2017-03-07T01:30:39Z")
H’m. Assuming that a simple majority would be enough in the Senate\*, then the defection of three Republican senators would be enough to kill the replacement, assuming a party-line vote. As it stands, three don’t like it for the refundable tax credit, and four don’t like it for the limitations on the Medicare expansion. In other words, three object on “conservative” grounds, and four on “progressive”\*\*. It seems unlikely that those two groups could come together in a compromise. \*Which I kinda doubt, but I’m not certain \*\*Relative terms. ---
**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2017, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/407 "2017-03-07T01:32:47Z")
If the replacement bill needs sixty, then things get even more unlikely. You’d have to bring those seven Republican senators, and get eight Democrats to go along. Not bloody likely. ---
**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:** [March 7, 2017, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/408 "2017-03-07T03:00:44Z")
Maybe they’ll spend the next four years trying to reach a consensus. ---
**Author:** ![AngelSoft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/angelsoft/32/440_2.png) [@AngelSoft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AngelSoft)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2017, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/409 "2017-03-07T03:10:36Z")
Why is it so hard for them to just realize or accept that for people who really need help the most, giving it to them in the way of ‘tax credits’ and ‘health savings accounts’ are useless. I’m not going to magically have the money to pay for my insurance premiums each month just because I know I’ll get a (small) credit once a year. I don’t even have a regular savings account, let alone one dedicated to health care because I can’t afford to save anything. All their ‘help’ is help for rich people. ---
**Author:** ![Inbred\_Mm\_domesticus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/aca169/32.png) [@Inbred\_Mm\_domesticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inbred_Mm_domesticus)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2017, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/410 "2017-03-07T04:11:47Z")
> [@AngelSoft](#): > > Why is it so hard for them to just realize or accept that for people who really need help the most, giving it to them in the way of ‘tax credits’ and ‘health savings accounts’ are useless. I’m not going to magically have the money to pay for my insurance premiums each month just because I know I’ll get a (small) credit once a year. I don’t even have a regular savings account, let alone one dedicated to health care because I can’t afford to save anything. All their ‘help’ is help for rich people. They do realize this is the case. Their ideology leads them to believe this is better left to the states, that as much money should go directly to insurers as possible, and then the faults and short-sightedness will eventually kill the program. Their overriding concern is that Washington DC has no involvement at all. Tax credits, accounts, choice are all code words for eviscerating a government program. My favorite part is the 30% surcharge that will go directly into insurer’s pockets for a year if you go two months without coverage. That’s beautiful. It’s that kind of short-sighted greed and cruelty that makes me so proud of Republicans. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2017, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/411 "2017-03-07T04:18:13Z")
> [@AngelSoft](#): > > Why is it so hard for them to just realize or accept that for people who really need help the most, giving it to them in the way of ‘tax credits’ and ‘health savings accounts’ are useless. I’m not going to magically have the money to pay for my insurance premiums each month just because I know I’ll get a (small) credit once a year. I don’t even have a regular savings account, let alone one dedicated to health care because I can’t afford to save anything. All their ‘help’ is help for rich people. They don’t want to help the people who really need help the most. That’s been clear from the start. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2017, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/412 "2017-03-07T04:27:04Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Apparently, the Republicans have their replacement ready, but it’s a **[secret](http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_58b80b7ce4b01fc1bde61f71/amp)**. > > My bold. You have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it. ---
**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2017, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/413 "2017-03-07T04:29:51Z")
> [@Inbred\_Mm\_domesticus](#): > > \<…snip\> > My favorite part is the 30% surcharge that will go directly into insurer’s pockets for a year if you go two months without coverage. That’s beautiful. It’s that kind of short-sighted greed and cruelty that makes me so proud of Republicans. Short-sighted greed seems to be the driving force of many conservative political entities - not just parties, and not just in the US. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2017, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/414 "2017-03-07T05:42:02Z")
> [@Inbred\_Mm\_domesticus](#): > > My favorite part is the 30% surcharge that will go directly into insurer’s pockets for a year if you go two months without coverage. That’s beautiful. It’s that kind of short-sighted greed and cruelty that makes me so proud of Republicans. So exactly how do you deal with the problem of healthy people not participating until they get sick? The Obamacare solution is the mandate–and that mandate was too weak resulting in massive premium increases. The Republicans and most Americans want to get rid of the mandate. What other options would you propose? [My proposed solution is universal Medicare.] ---
**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:** [March 7, 2017, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/415 "2017-03-07T06:36:04Z")
> [@AngelSoft](#): > > All their ‘help’ is help for rich people. Yes, that’s rather the whole point. For Republicans, that’s a feature, not a bug. ---
**Author:** ![Inbred\_Mm\_domesticus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/aca169/32.png) [@Inbred\_Mm\_domesticus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inbred_Mm_domesticus)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2017, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/416 "2017-03-07T13:43:44Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > So exactly how do you deal with the problem of healthy people not participating until they get sick? The Obamacare solution is the mandate–and that mandate was too weak resulting in massive premium increases. The Republicans and most Americans want to get rid of the mandate. What other options would you propose? > > [My proposed solution is universal Medicare.] Their proposals will lead to people opting to avoid the individual market because it is too expensive to participate. This effectively returns this aspect of the law to pre-ACA days. In the meantime, for the suckers who try to participate, the 30% surcharge they pay for the bottom of the barrel insurance they can afford will go straight to insurer’s profits. Yes, they will eventually cancel their insurance when they realize it doesn’t do anything for them, but in the meantime profit. This is what I meant. They are ideologically opposed to ACA, but that won’t stop them from crafting legislation that simultaneously kills it and allows their backers to profit from it off the backs of the poor. I actually have more respect for Republicans that clearly just want the whole thing repealed without a replacement. I would also like universal Medicare, but there is something really odd going on with how expensive American healthcare is and I would like to see honest efforts to get the costs under control. I hate to say it but I am somewhat optimistic about the Medicaid block grants. I need to re-read an article about its implementation in Maryland, but it seems to have been successful in reducing costs. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2017, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/417 "2017-03-07T16:41:38Z")
From ObamaCare to WealthCare, a study in how to openly fuck millons out of their lives to enrich dozens. Hear Chaffetz today saying that poor people will have to choose between their iPhones and health insurance? Only an amoral cockup like him can say something to that affect. Wonder what Apple thinks about the UT cockup effectively telling them “well, stop selling iPhones to poor people.” ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2017, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/418 "2017-03-07T17:03:57Z")
It is getting increasing difficult for me to disabuse myself of the notion that most Republicans in power, deep down in their pre-verbal [lizard brains](https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/where-addiction-meets-your-brain/201404/your-lizard-brain), truly want most people that they consider inferior to themselves (due to: gender, wealth, skin color, national origin, etc.) dead. And that they willfully, happily, pursue policies toward that goal. If it were to rise to their verbal centers, I suspect they would think, “Well, they don’t vote for us, they don’t contribute money to our campaigns, and we don’t really need them for labor, so f\*ck-em, let them die.” ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2017, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/419 "2017-03-07T17:08:27Z")
Well, it really is a philosophy of “If you aren’t rich and successful, it is entirely you’re own damned fault and there is something wrong with you.” Like a boss once told me long ago (and got karmic payback on later - long story) after I’d had a semi drive over the front of my car, got in trouble for telling my supervisor I needed more work and a couple of other things happened in a short period; “There must be something fundamentally wrong with you as a human being if these things happened to you. Bad things only happen to people who deserve it.” So yeah, the philosophy is that if your life is bad, it is because you are a bad person and this makes you inferior to them. And you wanting help is just an excuse for your own failures and flaws and they shouldn’t be ‘enabling’ you. ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2017, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/420 "2017-03-07T17:42:53Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > From ObamaCare to WealthCare From Obamacare to “we don’t care.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146.md?page=20) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146.md?page=22)