Just when you think that Republicans couldn’t sink any lower in terms of exhibiting ANY personal integrity or consistency or principles, there is this . . . .
Well once Republicans and Donald come out with their much better privatized plan they’ll be glad to drop Medicaid…ha ha ha ha…Republicans a Donald coming up with something better…ha ha ha…I crack me up…
Here is a fun little exercise …look at the states that refuse to implement medicaid for the needy in their states, then see where these states rank in terms of effective education for their residents…gulp…you have ignorant people electing professional misfits to fuck them over in a seemingly endless dumbfest…
We’re going to get privatized Medicare, which is basically Obamacare without some of the good features. I suspect that Trumpcare will expand on that, so it will be Obamacare with some of the good features taken out to pay off cronies, and be rebranded so people think it’s a brand new replacement. Medicaid will either turn into block grants (furthering the privatization) or go away, since Republicans don’t actually want to keep programs that assist the poor running.
It really is amazing at how in denial Republicans are about their own leaders.
So how many of these fine Republicans own stock in Centene? “Through a diversified product portfolio and expanding geographic reach, Centene continues to deliver results by executing on our strategy, growing premium and service revenues profitably.” These guys need to make a profit so the poor and sick better pony up the $$.
Dumb ass GOPers/conservatives vote against their self interest all the time. If you haven’t read WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH KANSAS? (Thomas Frank) it’s an amazing explanation on why this happens. Of course, the perfect summation of the phenomenon is the famous TeaBagger chant: Keep government out of my Medicare.
We need a Medicare For All single-payer health care program now more than ever!!!
Since the Democrats seem to be paralyzed into stupification, let me make a modest suggestion
On Day 1 of the new Congress, the Democrats should introduce in both the House and the Senate a simple bill, named the “Health Insurance Fair Share and Financial Security Act of 2016”, with the following provisions:
(1) Dramatic expansion of Medicaid income eligibility, so that it is available to a family of four with annual income of no more than $50,000 (and is adjusted annually based on CPI).
(2) Federal government takeover of all State financial responsibility for both the Obamacare Medicaid expansion and this expansion, thus obviating the Supreme Court decision allowing the states an opt out under Obamacare.
(3) Permit anyone 55 years or older to opt into Medicare if that person is not covered by an employer health insurance equivalent to an Obamacare Silver Plan. Each such person would pay a fair share additional premium to Medicare.
(4) Permit anyone otherwise eligible for Obamacare to opt into Medicare if there are not at least three private plans available on the Exchange in that locality. Each person would pay a fair share additional premium.
(5) Extend the VA’s authority to bargain with drug manufacturers to both Medicaid and Medicare, and for policies on the Exchanges.
(6) Provide “Employer Equivalent” contributions by the federal goverment to reasonably share the Obamacare msrketplace insurabce costs for policyholders whose income is too high to qualify for a subsidy. These federal contribution levels would be determined annually by HHS.
This bill should take effect in the date of enactment and should be written in plain English, not in the impenetrable language code of the Congressional Legislative Counsel’s office.
Having introduced it, let Trump, Ryan and Company argue against it.