Today, the vote on the American Health Care Act – the Republican answer to the Affordable Care Act – is set to go to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.
But as of Wednesday night, it didn’t look good for the measure pushed by House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and embraced by President Donald Trump. The Freedom Caucus, which includes lawmakers who are harder-line conservatives, still didn’t back the bill.
Republicans can now afford 22 defections – one Democrat was expected to miss Thursday’s session – but the Freedom Caucus numbers 30 representatives.
A number of moderate Republicans have also announced their opposition, which means the AHCA is in treacherous waters.
Despite the situation in Washington, D.C., Republican U.S. Rep. Markwayne Mullin, representing Oklahoma’s District 2, which includes Tahlequah, was optimistic on Wednesday during a telephone town hall about the bill’s chances in the House.
Believing the bill had ample backing, Mullin said, “I’m a deputy whip, and I know the number [of supporters] pretty well. I think the media is making assumptions.”
Though a couple of callers said they didn’t want to see the ACA end, Mullin characterized Obamacare as “disastrous.” He claimed the AHCA had numerous advantages over the ACA.
“We will end individual mandates, employer mandates,” he said. “The says it will reduce premiums by 10 percent, it will cut $883 billion in taxes that are mainly on the middle and working classes, and it will take Medicaid out of the hands of Washington bureaucrats and put it back in the hands of the states where it belongs.”
He also said there would be no effect on Medicare or the Indian Health Service.
Two callers asked why Republicans were moving with such urgency, and suggested the party take more time to formulate a replacement.
“We aren’t moving fast,” Mullin said. “We have worked on this bill for almost a year, and I’ve worked on it almost around the clock since November.”
Though Mullin offered assurances that the GOP had not thrown an Affordable Care Act replacement together quickly, he also said the legislation is on the clock.
“We have to get it passed as part of the budget process, or we have to wait until next year,” he said. “If we don’t do it now, we will have Obamacare for another year.”
The March 10 Tahlequah Daily Press Saturday Forum on Facebook did not draw any comments from people happy with the government health care plans.
“The best way to stop this silliness it to go to universal single-payer system. Insurance by it very nature is spreading the risk of the few among the many,” wrote Jack Webb.
Craig Parrish also supported single payer.
“I firmly believe the amount of waste, whether it be through the insurance provider or through the pharmaceutical companies, is astronomical beyond reason, and we are paying for it through our premiums. And the trap that comes with how we attain our coverage must be changed. A single-payer platform which includes everyone, is portable if changing a job or getting a divorce, uniformity of benefits, physician choice, removal of insurance industry interference and the profits that goes to the insurance corporations and setting cap laws that pharmaceuticals must follow, or allow Americans to get their pharmaceuticals from across the border to enhance competition of cost, thus lowering the cost of pharmaceuticals. Lastly, in general, lobbying must be eliminated.”
Glenda Pate wrote: “I guess the GOP proposal makes sense if you’re in the upper-income brackets, but I don’t think that applies to the majority of Cherokee County residents.”
A Daily Press online poll asked readers: “Congress has just come out with its replacement for the Affordable Care Act. There is no mandate to buy insurance, but initial analysis shows many lower-income families will not be able to afford it because in many areas, tax credits will not be as extensive as ACA subsidies were. What statement most closely mirrors your opinion?”
The possible responses and percentages were:
1. I trust Congress that the new act will solve most of the country’s health care problems, and should be implemented as is – 8 percent.
2. I like many provisions of the new plan, such as the repeal of the mandated purchase, but I believe subsidies, not tax credits, should be available for lower-income people – 3 percent.
3. I like the ACA far better than I like the new plan, and it should be scrapped – 5 percent.
4. Neither ACA nor the new plan is acceptable, and I think Americans should begin to bypass the insurance industry and seek competitively priced health care on their own – 20 percent.
5. America needs universal health care, period – 62 percent
6. I don’t know enough about the plan to comment – 2 percent.
Calls were placed Tuesday to Scott Rosenthal, CEO of NeoHealth, and Jim Berry, administrator for Northeastern Health System. Neither man had responded by presstime Wednesday.
Date: March 19, 2017