Repealing Obamacare is not enough: Republicans must unite around a good alternative.

Washington Examiner ^ | 01/13/2015 | Philip Klein

[SeekAndFind]

For nearly five years, Republicans have been fighting to repeal President Obama’s healthcare law.

But repeal is not enough.

Even if simple repeal were politically obtainable, Americans would still be left with a broken healthcare system. Government regulations would still be stifling competition and individual choice and government healthcare programs would still be driving the nation’s unsustainable long-term debt problem.

If Republicans achieved repeal without agreeing on a way to reform healthcare along free market lines, it’s inevitable that Democrats would eventually lead another overhaul of the system that would grant even more power to the federal government than the Affordable Care Act does. This would gradually morph the system into a full single-payer program.

Republicans have been unable to unite around an alternative approach on healthcare so far. But this year, there are several factors that could force their hand.

The GOP now has full control of Congress, giving the party more power to set the policy agenda.

Additionally, the Republican presidential campaign will provide an opportunity for leading figures within the party to hash out ideological differences when it comes to healthcare policy.

Adding further urgency is that a Supreme Court decision expected by late June could invalidate Obamacare subsidies for millions of Americans. If Republicans don’t have an alternative ready, congressional leaders will be under tremendous pressure to pass a simple “fix” that would allow the subsidies to continue to flow, thus further entrenching Obamacare before a Republican president theoretically is able to act in 2017.

For these reasons and many others it’s important for Republicans to unite around an alternative to Obamacare. But that is easier said than done.

[waverna]

How can conservatives argue that the government has no constitutional authority to run healthcare, and then offer an alternative way for the government to run healthcare?

[mikefromwichita]

1)Deregulate (at the Federal level) the provision of medical goods and services (including insurance). Success in the deregulation effort to be judged by the ease with which new players come onto the field.

2)Abolish the current medicare and medicaid programs along with their respective tax collections. Continue medicare for persons over age 55 (with gradually tightening cost controls and an immediate end to PART D)funded by Bonds for which ALL Fed real property will be collateral. Federal MSA’s for all working age population to which upto $20K/yr maybe contributed tax free. Encourage MSA holders to pay for services directly and the use of insurance only for catastrophic events. (HINT: child birth, dental work, BP meds, eyeglasses are NOT catastrophic events).

3) For the lower less competent 40% of the population provide local low cost clinics operated by the several States using their own revenues in a manner which suits local culture/mores/economics. IF NYC wants to pay for sexchange ops the local taxpayers can take that up with Da Mayor at election time......or take their ability to pay elsewhere immediately.

4) Make it clear that if you get shot gang banging, OD on drugs/alcohol get lung cancer from cigs, etc the Community owes you nothing except a spot in potter’s field when you pass (at home) because you will not get ‘free’ care.

[arthurus]

There is no good alternative that the Congress or any other part of the government can come up with. The only reasonable thing to do is take the government totally out of the whole field of medicine and health and also insurance except for truth in advertising and labeling and its Constitutional duty to guarantee weights and measures.

[Mike Darancette]

Three simple changes IMHO:

You could add tort reform too. But this all veto bait. The Democrats expect the ACA to fail, they need it to fail badly.

[Mike Darancette]

Three simple changes IMHO:

You could add tort reform too. But this all veto bait. The Democrats expect the ACA to fail, they need it to fail badly.

[oldbrowser]

Even if simple repeal were politically obtainable, Americans would still be left with a broken healthcare system.

The only flaw with the free enterprise system we had is that the federal government won't keep it's fat nose out of it.

Obamacare or any other nationalized health care program is anti-free market.

Any nationalized health insurance program is ripe for abuse by imperfect politicians. And we know very well how imperfect they are.

[Amagi]

How about unfettered free market healthcare like we had before government post world war II (when England was going full tilt boogie government healthcare) started meddling with the free market in ways that were bound to raise costs and cause dissatisfaction, necessitating (government claims) more government meddling leading to single payer (total government control) healthcare-rationing/death-panels?