Two major problems with the Republicans' recent epic failure to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act were: 1. They tried to do it at a breakneck pace, with little debate or care to detail; 2. It was retrogressive trash that was hardly an improvement on the current health insurance access program that's in place.
The lessons they seem to have taken away from that, however, are: 1. GO FASTER! 2. MAKE IT EVEN WORSE!
Mike DeBonis and John Wagner at the Washington Post: With Help from Pence, House Republicans Suddenly Rekindle Healthcare Talks.
With help from Pence. Of course.
Anyway.
GO FASTER! "Administration officials described the possible deal only in broad outlines, Meadows said, but legislative text reflecting the proposal was expected to be drafted by Tuesday."
MAKE IT EVEN WORSE! "The proposal, [Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), the chairman of the Freedom Caucus] said, would allow states to apply for federal waivers exempting them from some health insurance mandates established under the Affordable Care Act—including 'essential health benefits' requiring coverage of mental-health care, substance abuse treatment, maternity care, prescription drugs and more, as well as a provision that bars insurers from charging the sick more than the healthy."
In other words: Ixnay on requiring insurers not to treat being a woman (for example) as a preexisting condition and on disallowing insurers from refusing to cover preexisting conditions.
Pence may have success in strong-arming House Republicans to pass something this shitty, but I expect (and fervently hope) that he will have a much more difficult time convincing Republicans in the Senate.
Shakesville is run as a safe space. First-time commenters: Please read Shakesville's Commenting Policy and Feminism 101 Section before commenting. We also do lots of in-thread moderation, so we ask that everyone read the entirety of any thread before commenting, to ensure compliance with any in-thread moderation. Thank you.
blog comments powered by Disqus