The GOP knows they want to get rid of Obamacare, but what’s going to fill its spot once it’s gone? After a repeal, thousands of US citizens would be left without healthcare insurance. This could turn into an emergency without a replacement.
Nancy Pelosi, House Minority Leader, takes the repeal without a replacement as a sign of weakness for the Republicans. She asked, “Where are they going to get the votes to replace? If, in fact, ideologically they’re opposed to a public role and any participation in the good health of the American people, where are they going to get the votes, unless they were to act in a bipartisan way?”
The incoming Trump administration doesn’t care about votes the way Democrats do. They want what they feel is best for the people. The fact of the matter is that Obamacare is expensive and people have wanted it out since it came in. According to a poll by Real Clear Politics, by CBS News, 50% of respondents are against the health care law while only 45% of respondents approve of it. In 2012, Obamacare Facts said that 56% of Americans were against Obamacare.
The people who are against Obamacare dislike it for clear reasons. First of all, it’s expensive. Everyone has to get it, even if they cannot afford it, or they will be fined. This also calls into question the issue of personal freedom. Obamacare is a form of oppression. You don’t have a choice. Do what the President wants you to, or face punitive measures. Digging deeper into that idea, not all religions are accepting of Obamacare. Still, if you’re uninsured, you have to get it even if it violates your religion.
Businesses aren’t immune. Premiums only get more and more expensive over time for businesses. Under the law, businesses with over 50 full-time employees have to offer health insurance to their workers- there is no choice about it. Still, without health insurance, people are at risk of not receiving health care.
The GOP is under immense pressure- Paul Ryan, the House Speaker, Republicans and Congress are all rushing to think of a replacement. Doctors and the public are very concerned. 400,000 physicians sent a letter to Congress urging them “not to increase the number of uninsured” after Obamacare is repealed.
Some Americans see the repeal as extremely “hurtful.” This includes people in lower income classes who benefit off the backs of the middle class. They benefit the most because they can receive fully-paid medical coverage, while the middle class foots the bill. The middle class gets hit the hardest because many aren’t broke enough to receive free coverage, but they’re not rich enough to be able to afford many of the treatments offered through health care. These are the people most happy to see Obamacare go.
Doctors worry that Republicans will destroy tax credits for those who have purchased coverage. According to Dr. Nitin Damle from the American College of Physicians, “Working class people are the ones most at risk of being priced out of having health insurance if premium and cost-sharing subsidies are eliminated.”
Damle added that, in Rhode Island, almost 80,000 will be uninsured after the repeal which would increase the uninsured population by 136%. Many patients will not be able to receive healthcare, especially those who don’t have jobs. If they don’t have jobs, they won’t be able to receive insurance through an employer, and there’s no way they can afford it out of pocket.
When Obamacare is repealed, the Republicans will have their shot at doing what the Democrats failed to do. They will need to establish their own form of health insurance. Republicans are tackling the challenge by starting with the concerns and interests of hospitals, insurers, and other important healthcare system players. They’ve recently met up with health executives of large hospitals to get an idea of what they need to do to benefit hospitals and patients alike.
Democrats are hoping that the Republicans fail in their endeavor. It’s all about the vote for them. If the Republicans fail, then that’s some votes for the Democrats. Pelosi hopes they fall on their face so that people can get angry and scared about it. She said, “People react more from fear of what might be taken away than they do for something that is a prospect of a good thing coming their way. These families, whatever their politics, know that personally they will pay more for less, if they have any health insurance at all.”
She cannot seem to come to grips with reality. Obamacare is on its way out. There is no preserving it. Still, the Democrats believe there is hope that they can keep it in place.
Most people don’t like Obamacare, but many are a little nervous about a full repeal because it will lead to an immense strain on insurance companies that they aren’t prepared for and thousands of uninsured people across the US.
