There’s a reason Donald Trump has never produced a health care plan that protects citizens from injury, health issues; and those with preexisting medical conditions. The GOP simply wants health care systems that are cheaper; provide insurance companies more net profits, and stock market gains to his rich friends who invest in them.
Any thought of an alternative Affordable Care Act (ACA) that Republicans have offered relies on eliminating most ACA provisions that would suggest a greater risk and cost sharing between healthy and sick citizens. Simply put, reducing protections for patients with great health care needs does not bother GOP leadership.
Republicans talk of reducing premiums and rolling back protections, including preexisting conditions. America deserves more than talk.
Added to the misery is Trump’s nominee, Amy Barrett, to the Supreme Court. The plan is to get her on board then vote to eliminate the ACA completely by striking down the law. Her vote? Yes, for an ACA ‘no.
The GOP pretend talk is to protect patients with preexisting conditions even if the Supreme Court strikes down the ACA. No assurances. No written plan. Just talk. Try to find a sponsored GOP legislative action on Health Care. One will not find one, except for sending states Block Grants to let them do as they please. Sad.
The talk, which is cheap, means none of the GOP fantasy ACA initiatives will protect patients with preexisting health needs because the GOP plans still allow insurers to treat them differently from healthy patients, sometimes overtly but more so subtly. GOP is playing the “Hogan’s Heroes” Sargent Schultz: “I know nothing; I see nothing.”
Looking at the lack of ideas and any components of reform, the GOP, particularly Trump, continue to advocate to separate the health care costs of the healthy from the sick to a greater extent than presently under ACA. Right now some 40 percent of US household have someone with a preexisting condition.
The GOP’s “opposite pole plan” stresses individual autonomy over solidarity and free market competition over necessary mandates in health care. Trump has not issued a specific plan; rather he talks in “glittering generalities.” But his plan is quite clear: give health care programs back to the states in block grants, having a possibility of 50 different government plans rather than a sound one policy program.
The paradox of the GOP v Democrats is that the Dems plan asks more of the young people, individuals and part of families, while the Republican phantom plans impose greater costs on older Americans. It’s not an ethnic, political, or religious issue. It’s having affordable health care for all and making sure all get equal care and fear not for happening to have a preexisting condition. Biden has a plan; Trump? Not so much . . . again.
Respectfully,
Edward Johnson