Posted on 03/07/2017 7:56:10 AM PST by SeekAndFind
The first thing to understand about the GOP healthcare bill is that it is not merely Obamacare-lite or a bad “replacement” bill. It doesn’t repeal the core of Obamacare in the first place. In fact, the few parts that it repeals or tweaks within a few years will actually intensify the death spiral of Obamacare when mixed with the core regulatory structure, exacerbated by the subsidies that they do keep. And this time, the GOP will own it politically. All of it.
The most dangerous myth about the GOP plan is that it repeals Obamacare. At least if GOP leadership would be honest and say they are too scared to repeal the ACA and are just tweaking it a few years from now (after the death spiral is made worse), then we can blame the Democrats for voting for it. Now that a bill codifying Obamacare in the worst possible form is being sold as “repeal and replace,” Republicans have bailed out Democrats from their most toxic political issue without securing a single concession.Regulations, spending, mandates, subsidies, and taxes
The basic structure of this plan is what I outlined last week after the first draft was leaked to the media. There is no discussion of lowering prices, fostering a revolution of choice, competition, portability, cost-consciousness, or breaking down the barriers between consumer and provider. That is because most of the regulatory structure and the exchanges are left in place.
There is no innovation, and no way to lower costs. While some of the regulations are tweaked with more flexibility, the 800-pound gorilla in the room — guaranteed issue mixed with community rating (which is responsible for almost all of the premium hikes) — is left in place. Nor does this bill repeal the mandated essential benefits, which require insurers to cover a specific number of people and sex change operations, maternity care for men, etc.
And even the repeal of actuarial value “metal” requirements (platinum, gold, silver, bronze) — the most positive of the outlined changes — would not take place until the 2020 plans.
Amazingly, while the “American Health Care Act” blows up the insurance market in order to mandate coverage of the sick, it still throws a whopping $100 billion at states in order to further subsidies to the poor and the sick (on top of Medicaid expansion and exchange subsidies).
… the GOP bill is actually worse than Obamacare for two reasons: 1) It will exacerbate the death spiral of fiscal insolvency; and 2) It will destroy the employer market.
Furthermore, the existence of the exchanges and the subsidies being steered to those exchanges will force insurers to continue competing for government-run health care that is actuarially insolvent. This continued structure will ensure that startup companies — which lack economies of scale to operate within this rigid (albeit slightly relaxed) structure — cannot enter the market. That is the core of what ails the health care industry.
On top of leaving the regulatory regime and the rigid exchanges, this House bill replaces the income-based subsidies with age-based subsidies – ranging from $2,000 for younger people to $4,000 a year for older enrollees, and as much as $14,000 for a family. It is a massive new entitlement for middle-income and lower-income Americans. It would apply in full for families earning up to $150,000, and then phased out $100 per thousand dollars earned over that threshold. Thus, a family could theoretically get some sort of subsidy well into the $200,000-plus income level.
As for Medicaid, the draft plan grandfathers in the entirety of the Obamacare expansion. Worse, it doesn’t freeze future enrollment for another two years, which will incentivize states to massively expand Medicaid before 2020. It also throws another $10 billion to states that never expanded Medicaid.
Between the regulatory structure, subsidies, and Medicaid expansion, this bill is Obamacare. Literally.
But, in fact, the GOP bill is actually worse than Obamacare for two reasons: 1) It will exacerbate the death spiral of fiscal insolvency; and 2) It will destroy the employer market.
The one part of the bill that does actually immediately repeal an Obamacare provision is the immediate elimination of the individual mandate and the employer mandate that requires individuals to purchase and employers to provide health insurance.
By leaving the price-hiking regulatory and subsidy structure in place, yet repealing the individual mandate, this bill will exacerbate the death spiral because people like myself — who are getting crushed with ridiculous premiums — will dump their insurance. Likewise, employers who are now forced to provide insurance will quickly dump their employees from their plans.
This is what happens when Republicans focus on coverage numbers at the expense of lowering costs through the regulatory structure. They achieve neither. While the individual mandate is replaced with a provision mandating that insurance companies charge individuals who dropped their insurance an extra 30 percent when reenrolling, that provision doesn’t take effect until 2019. The adverse selection and death spiral will be terminal by then ; the employer mandate is not replaced at all.
Also, the 40 percent Cadillac tax on more expensive health plans is delayed from 2020 until 2025, but not repealed.
Thus, House Republicans have replaced the notorious taxes, regulations, subsidies, and mandates of Obamacare with … taxes, regulations, subsidies, and mandates. Except, this time, Republicans will own it. And that is exactly what the lobbyists for the status quo wanted.
… this is one of the rare instances when it’s better to do nothing if they don’t want to do the right thing. There is no upside for a conservative to sign onto this, and only downside.
Now that Republicans will have their reputation tethered to Obamacare, they will be forced to consistently continue the hospital bailout program, otherwise known as Medicaid expansion. They will constantly be forced to re-up the individual and corporate cost-sharing subsidies to make up the gap from getting rid of the employer and individual mandates. This is not a half a loaf, it’s a poisonous loaf
House leadership will tell its members, “Look, this isn’t perfect, but isn’t it better to take a half a loaf than no loaf at all?” In reality, this is a poisonous loaf. Again: It doesn’t repeal Obamacare, will exacerbate the death spiral, dump people off employer-based insurance, and force Republicans to own it this time.
Yes, this is one of the rare instances when it’s better to do nothing if they don’t want to do the right thing. There is no upside for a conservative to sign onto this, and only downside. Also, remember that the Senate GOP is even more liberal than the House GOP, so this is the opening bid that will invariably get worse.
Big picture: The result of this bill is that insurance companies will continue to look to government to regulate and subsidize. Thus, insurers will continue to run health care based on government and lobbyists to keep the gravy train rolling, and box out competitors instead of being forced to compete directly with new insurers for consumer business.
Under the guise of promoting expanded coverage rather than decreasing costs, this plan will exacerbate both. Well done, Republicans.
If nothing else, this is a vindication of those who warned during the primaries that Republicans were lying to us all along.
It’s time for President Trump to lead, or this is over.
I want to know if Trump had input into this or if this is all Ryan. Because Ryan is an idiot.
President Trump IS leading. His election pretty much shot any chance we had for getting a conservative plan through. He officially campaigned on such promises as keeping the rules on pre-existing conditions, and on making sure everybody still had their health insurance, and that kids could still be on their parent’s plans.
The more likely scenario is that Trump will take this as the most conservative starting point, and will cede ground to the democrats so he can claim a bipartisan victory.
Several of Trump’s own promises are not included; one being portability and shopping across state lines.
I think a free market solution with some basic controls on litigation would allow things to sort themselves out in no time.
With cosmetic surgery, cosmetic dentistry, laser vision correction and veterinary services that are not controlled prices are highly competitive and the consumers win.
Everyone here has a rep.
This is where we all get on their butts.
None of this just sit back and hope it gets vetoed. It should never make it past the House! It should not even make it out of committee.
I’m already contacting my idiot. Maybe when he is done kissing up to Democrats, he can demonstrate some of that libertarian he claims to have in him and take the lead on this.
“The biggest challenge is not the recent immigrant”
You mean all those tens of millions of immigrants are in perfect health or can afford health care?
Do Forever This new government program will fix the last government program. EndDo
Retards.
FAKE CARE
VETO
VETO VETO
VETO VETO VETO
VETO VETO VETO VETO
Did I mention VETO RyanCare Cr*p?
It is going no where without competition across state lines and removal of any mandate forcing people to purchase insurance.
Sounds wrong to me.
Let’s not pretend that the employer receives no benefit.
Taxing the employee for the plan value would be theft... Another transfer of wealth from the people creating value to the parasites living on their backs.
The COST of the insurance is lowered by the size of the employee pool as well. Companies aren’t out here buying individual health care plans on the Obama exchanges you know?
Maybe you work in the insurance industry?
Ever heard of freedom of association and the right to contract?
Nothing is made better by government involvement or taxation.
What does a recent immigrant on Medicaid have to do with skyrocketing premiums for private health insurance coverage?
Who did Paul Ryan have write this thing? Jonathan Gruber?
The prices aren't competitive because the costs of these services aren't controlled. The prices are competitive because insurance plans don't pay for them.
Why can't people figure out that the best way to reduce health care costs is by having people pay their doctors directly?
In other words, he campaigned on promises for things that have a lot of support even among people right here on FreeRepublic who claim to be conservatives. LOL.
Too late: HHS Sec Tom Price [on behalf of Trump admin] endorses the American Health Care Act
RINO’s like democrats have only one agenda LET’S MAKE A DEAL.
Monte Hall winks
Would the benefit be any different than if the employer paid for the employee's groceries?
Taxing the employee for the plan value would be theft... Another transfer of wealth from the people creating value to the parasites living on their backs.
You might call it "theft," but taxing the employee for the plan would be -- well, taxation. When my employer allowed me the option to buy a life insurance policy and paid the premiums, I had to report the premiums they paid as taxable income. I didn't consider it "theft" because I always had the option to decline the coverage. The same holds true for a long-term disability policy that my employer offered. Why is medical coverage treated differently under the tax code? I'll tell you why: Because it allows the government to maintain control -- over you AND your employer.
The COST of the insurance is lowered by the size of the employee pool as well. Companies aren’t out here buying individual health care plans on the Obama exchanges you know?
So what? For some of my insurance -- through a professional association, for example -- I have access to an insurance pool that's much larger than my employer's insurance pool.
Maybe you work in the insurance industry?
No.
Ever heard of freedom of association and the right to contract?
Yes. I'm not sure what this means. Are you suggesting I'm opposed to any of this?
Nothing is made better by government involvement or taxation.
I agree with you 100%.
I knew the whole time there would be little change. The RINOs are ALL to a man and woman, One World Government types. Health care, and free money are the two key ingredients in their total control of the population. They still want that control so that when Trump is gone, they still have us by the gonads. That simple. They are one and the same. No change. Period. Even Reagan would have a time with these criminals. Just look who these thugs have making the decisions, Ryan, Oconnell, Mccain, yada yada.
“What does a recent immigrant on Medicaid have to do with skyrocketing premiums for private health insurance coverage?”
“A recent immigrant on Medicaid”?
You mean more like millions of immigrants. Well, since you evidently dense, I will describe it for you.
There are a limited number of taxpayer dollars for Medicaid, would you not agree? So, when the number of people receiving Medicaid is enlarged, then the dollars are soaked up rapidly. That is why the states went in big time for Medicaid expansion.
But government doesn’t pay full cost for Medicaid, just like Medicare. So the shortfall is taken care of by inflating cost for those who do pay. As in insurance premiums. That is why the new bill freezes Medicaid.
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