# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![Tee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@Tee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tee)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/61 "2017-01-03T01:15:08Z")
> [@GrumpyBunny](#): > > I live in Massachusetts; I’m originally from Florida. U did it wrong. 😛 > [@GrumpyBunny](#): > > The drug companies have been coddled and allowed to run amok, and will never, ever have a conversation about how to combine reasonable pricing and making reasonable profits until America starts to import drugs from India. They’ll just buy Indian manufacturing. ---
**Author:** ![Debillw3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@Debillw3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debillw3)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/62 "2017-01-03T01:26:55Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Certainly the desire of wealthy individuals to hold on to as much of their money as possible is mere ideological persiflage compared to matters of life and death and the fundamental values of the society we live in. I keep hearing about these “wealthy people” complaining, but the only real complaints I’ve heard about increased costs have come from people whose budgets are stretched so thin that they don’t have so much as an extra dollar/month, let alone enough to cover an additional cost for insurance or the penalty for not being able to cover that additional cost. ---
**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 3, 2017, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/63 "2017-01-03T01:31:28Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Nope. We’ve been over this only about 1,000 times but let’s do it again, just for you: > … I said it was analogous, not a perfect parallel. Go nitpick someplace else. > [@Debillw3](#): > > Maybe in a sense, but, on a whole, I disagree. > … Yes,\* in a sense\*. That’s what I said. Your disagreement is noted. > [@GrumpyBunny](#): > > I’m a healthcare analyst. I live in Massachusetts; I’m originally from Florida. And I agree with you that the ACA didn’t work when it was rolled out nationally. > … > To my mind, we need single-payer, universal coverage. Some form of universal coverage has worked in every westernized country, and serves to keep citiziens healthier by treating problems as they come up rather than when they are at the ER. > > The infrastructure for single payer already exists with Medicare, which has been successful for fifty years. (Medicare also needs some updating; but that’s another post.) > … > There are dozens of countries we can look at to analyze how to implement this, but I’d suggest one that was analyzed in [this Commonwealth Fund report](http://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2015/oct/us-health-care-from-a-global-perspective). YESYESYES. It can be done and it is being done all over the world. This from an expert on the subject. But the Republicans are against a universal payer system ON PRINCIPLE. It doesn’t matter that it would help people and would be financially feasible. They just don’t care whether anyone except the very rich make it in this world. That’s the long and short of it. Sad. But true. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/64 "2017-01-03T01:37:53Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Not sure what you are referring to. The only Affordable Care Act I know about is the abortion referred to as Obamacare, which is a miserable failure and has caused many more people to either lose coverage (or settle for substandard coverage) than it has allowed to gain coverage. If it’s not the worst legislation to ever come out of Congress, it’s definitely in the top 5. It needs to be repealed in its entirety, and I sincerely hope Trump spearheads the effort to do exactly that. The Fugitive Slave Act The Alien and Sedition Acts (counts for four) Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act USA PATRIOT Act That’s seven that are probably worse, off the top of my head. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/65 "2017-01-03T01:41:09Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Did anyone ever promise you that before? I don’t get the relevance. Is it better if I’d heard plenty of people tell that lie before? Is it better if I’d never heard anyone else tell that lie before? I remember the first time I ever heard a guy say to read his lips about no new taxes; was novelty relevant in _that_ case, for some reason? For what it’s worth, I’d never heard that lie before it came out of Obama’s mouth; I’m not sure why it _matters_ that I’d never heard that lie before then, but there you go. ---
**Author:** ![Calico\_Jack](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calico_jack/32/7320_2.png) [@Calico\_Jack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Calico_Jack)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/66 "2017-01-03T02:19:30Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Please join me in following the Republicans as they tap dance, shuffle, and obfuscate in the process of dismantling the highly popular\* (yes, it is) and highly successful\* (yes, it is) Affordable Care Act over the next few weeks, months. There won’t be any replacement (and everyone knows it), so that part is moot. > > They’ve been promising it and now they have to deliver, in spite of the fact that many Trump supporters will feel the deepest pain. Oh well. We don’t need them any more. We got elected. Screw 'em. > > I vote for, “They just don’t give a fuck about people who are sick and poor/middle class.” If they did give a rat’s ass about the health and welfare of the American people they would either save Obamacare, or they would have come up with a viable replacement during the EIGHT FUCKING YEARS they’ve been attacking it. > > * * * > > - No, Obamacare is not perfect, but millions of people WHO NEED COVERAGE now have it. Ideally, we would have a single-payer system like the more enlightened countries in the world. The ACA is the next best thing. When the Republicans fall flat on their faces over this issue in the next few years, the public (even the most backward members of our community) may finally understand why other countries don’t dick around with health care. Or maybe they won’t. Never underestimate people’s ability to sabotage their own well-being through sheer ignorance and narrow-mindedness. Eh, what they really need to do is repeal the 14th Amendment while they still control both branches of government. If the states who gave Trump the electoral votes all rallied behind it, then they’d be right on the verge of having the 2/3rd state majority they’ll need, wouldn’t surprise me if becomes a reality within the next 4-8 years. ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/67 "2017-01-03T03:35:01Z")
The thought occurred to me while reading this thread that the entire discussion might be moot since Trump could very well blow up the world before 2018 and the survivors wouldn’t care one whit who pays for what. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/68 "2017-01-03T04:21:49Z")
Free radiation therapy for cancer patents … ---
**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 3, 2017, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/69 "2017-01-03T04:24:51Z")
> [@watchwolf49](#): > > Free radiation therapy for cancer patents … Yeah, just step out on your front porch. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/70 "2017-01-03T04:25:47Z")
Seems like the same argument over and over again, just laughable … if the heath care itself wasn’t so damned expensive … maybe health care _insurance_ wouldn’t be so expensive … just a thought … ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/71 "2017-01-03T04:29:22Z")
> [@Calico\_Jack](#): > > Eh, what they really need to do is repeal the 14th Amendment while they still control both branches of government… Well, OK, then, thanks for your input. We look forward to more of your unique perspectives in these matters. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/72 "2017-01-03T04:30:20Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Even factoring out the laughable hyperbole, you are dead wrong. But I won’t belabor the point. Since I’m not wrong, belabor to your heart’s content. > **[Obamacare’s biggest impacts: Americans losing hours, losing coverage](https://dailycaller.com/2014/02/03/obamacares-biggest-impacts-americans-losing-hours-losing-coverage/)** > > More horror stories keep coming out of dropped coverage and expanding costs. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/73 "2017-01-03T04:40:46Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Since I’m not wrong, belabor to your heart’s content. > [Obamacare’s biggest impacts: Americans losing hours, losing coverage | The Daily Caller](http://dailycaller.com/2014/02/03/obamacares-biggest-impacts-americans-losing-hours-losing-coverage/) Awesome citation … just curious … why do you think Congress is the best folk to overhaul the health care system? ---
**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 3, 2017, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/74 "2017-01-03T04:40:58Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Since I’m not wrong, belabor to your heart’s content. > [Obamacare’s biggest impacts: Americans losing hours, losing coverage | The Daily Caller](http://dailycaller.com/2014/02/03/obamacares-biggest-impacts-americans-losing-hours-losing-coverage/) 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? ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/75 "2017-01-03T04:42:13Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Trump :rolleyes: Blah-blah-blah. I can’t wait 'till you’re Reeder-ruled or banned. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/76 "2017-01-03T04:55:08Z")
> [@GrumpyBunny](#): > > I’m a healthcare analyst… OK, you gots some info, dangerous thing to admit around here. A question: I’m wondering about people who complain about having their inexpensive health plans yanked away. Now, the Obamacare people say that those plans are substandard, but the people who complain swear by them. Is it because they never had to use them to a serious degree? They get the secure, warm feeling of coverage but are actually threadbare. I could understand that, if one is, say, young and healthy. You might be paying for crap insurance and be so lucky as not to actually need it. So, when we get anecdotal stuff about how pissed off someone is at losing their previous insurance, that question doesn’t seem to come up, have they ever had a serious claim to make? Is this a “thing” or am I misunderstanding something crucial? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/77 "2017-01-03T04:57:57Z")
> [@Fenris](#): > > Blah-blah-blah. I can’t wait 'till you’re Reeder-ruled or banned. Oh, sure you can, give it a try! Agonized patience is good for you, it builds character! Be sure to check in frequently, ya never know. ---
**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 3, 2017, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/78 "2017-01-03T05:57:08Z")
(My bolding) > [@](#): > > Congressional Republicans have long boasted that once they claim the reins of power, they will act quickly and decisively to roll back what they view as the most onerous piece of President Obama’s domestic agenda: the Affordable Care Act. > > But their actions starting Tuesday to end Obamacare will be far less sweeping, at least initially, than a full-blown repeal of the law. > > Democratic opposition and complex Senate rules mean that core pieces of the 2010 health-care overhaul are likely to remain, including the legal framework for **the individual mandate** and pieces of the state exchanges the law created. Furthermore, President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to preserve other key aspects, such as a ban on insurers denying coverage because of preexisting conditions and a requirement that insurers cover children under 26 on their parents’ plans. OMG! Keep the dreaded, evil Individual Mandate?? That’s a bitter, bitter pill to swallow. (Get it? Health care, swallow a pill?) > [@](#): > > And while Republicans are determined to rapidly repeal as much of Obamacare as they can, they have not settled on a replacement plan or on when that plan should take effect. > > “\*\*We will move right after the first of the year \*\*on an Obamacare replacement resolution,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said during a December news conference. “Then we will work expeditiously to come up with a better proposal than current law, because current law is simply unacceptable and not sustainable.” > > According to the latest estimates from the Department of Health and Human Services, the resulting jumble is likely to have an unpredictable and messy effect on the insurance marketplace, jeopardizing the health coverage of the 20 million people who have gained it under the Affordable Care Act… And what year would that be, pray tell? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/79 "2017-01-03T06:32:20Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > I said it was analogous… It’s not analogous for the reasons I stated. It’s not even close. It would be analogous if you had to take out medical insurance for injuries you might cause someone else to have. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2017, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146/80 "2017-01-03T06:38:17Z")
> [@raventhief](#): > > 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? I’m guessing he’ll say that you should ask for help from friends and family, take out loans, and get charitable aid, that it’s not his responsibility to pay for your bad decisions, and that people falling through the cracks is the price we pay for being free. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-repeal-of-obamacare-aca-step-bystep-inch-by-inch/776146.md?page=5)