Attacking the ACA for Fun and Profit

The noise just keeps going on and on.  Republicans, after their own disastrous shut down the government fiasco, are attacking the ACA with renewed fervor.

Sometimes, as the saying goes, be careful what you wish for.

Let's play this out.  It will take months if not years for the Republicans to repeal the ACA.  It certainly will not be repealed during the Obama Administration.  so this is three years at least.

In that three years, all the good that the ACA was written to do will be well on its way. 

Remember, if you can through all the bullshit, why the ACA was written and passed for good reason: we desperately need health care reform in this country. 

One, the United States has the most expensive and one of the least efficient and cost effective system in the industrialized world.  In short, we pay for health care, with the least result.

Recently, it was divulged that many U.S. citizens are going to Mexico for medical treatment, because it is not only cheaper, but BETTER!

Secondly, we had the least regulated health care system, especially insurance wise, in the industrialized world.  This means junk insurance policies, with lots of small print, not covering pre-existing conditions, excluding many conditions, lifetime maximums, etc.  Everyone in the country has a horror story of people who thought they were covered, but weren't. 

This has led to bankruptcy and worse for many people.

The ACA was written to stop these abuses.  THE REASON WHY POLICIES HAVE BEEN CANCELLED, IS BECAUSE THERE IS NOW A STANDARD OF COVERAGE TO PROTECT CONSUMERS.

Yes, some of these junk policies are cheaper, you usually get cheap when you pay cheap.  The ACA basically mandates common sense and competitive policies on insurance companies.

The ACA also tries to use the free enterprise system and competition to drive costs down.  Heretofore, this has not been the case, as the insurance industry has been regulated by state's with wide variability between regulations.  A policy bought in California for example, for the same family, could vary markedly. 

The facts are the Exchanges were set up to use the power of the market place to drive down costs and bring quality affordable health care to millions more.  The 30 to 50 million Americans with no or little effective insurance are being finally addressed.

So let's play this out.  Let's say in three years millions now have effective and cheaper health insurance and along come the Republicans to repeal the act.

Who will be held responsible? 

This is why the Republicans are so afraid that the law will be allowed to operate.  That is why they tried to shut the government down, and may do so again.

The ultimate irony is the Affordable Care Act is exactly the same law that currently exists in Massachusetts, passed by the Republican candidate for President in 2012, which should have been a showcase of private enterprise solving a public problem. 

Instead, Republicans decided to take the position that will deny millions adequate health care.

They still have time, to quietly take ownership of what really is their philosophical position, that private markets (the exchanges; et al), can solve the health care crisis in the United States.

The smart position is to make the Democrats own the messed up roll out, and then move to support the ACA as their idea, based on the Massachusetts' example. 

But they steadfastly refuse to do this!

Be careful what you wish for!