Obamacare repeal will push uninsured to 60 million, trigger ‘unprecedented’ crisis
That grim prediction by the Urban Institute was laid out as Trump prepares to assume the presidency and as Republicans make plans to repeal Obamacare during the next session of Congress in 2017. If the ACA is repealed, or funding for the health center trust fund is not renewed, that could lead to the closure of many health care centers, or require them to charge higher rates for services.
The Obamacare law has funneled billions of federal dollars into an experimental program that expanded Medicaid coverage to more than 400,000 Hoosiers living just above the federal poverty line.
Obamacare was devised as a market system rather than a government program like Medicare.
The figures illustrate the challenges for newly empowered Republicans who, having won the presidential election after pledging to ease the financial burdens on the American working class, must work out the details of how they will deliver on their promises. It sets up rules and establishes federal subsidies to help encourage people to buy insurance. The “Patient CARE Act” is similar to Ryan’s plan in many respects.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott had no immediate comment through a spokeswoman, but has pushed for repeal and replacement of the health law in the name of protecting taxpayers and serving consumers better. When it comes to Obamacare, however, Americans largely oppose the law itself, regardless of their opinion of government involvement in healthcare more broadly.
“This is the ideal excuse to get out”, he said.
What would replace Obamacare isn’t entirely clear. If you like your health-care plan, you’ll be able to keep your health-care plan, period. Ending those subsidies could prompt insurers to swiftly discontinue coverage. Medicaid expansion is responsible for about half of the health law’s recent reductions in the uninsured. With more than 150 sites of care, including 11 hospitals, Presence Health has more than 20,000 employees, 4,000 medical professionals and a revenue base of $2.5 billion. That was true in 10 counties, but the typical increase was around 22 percent – high, but not stratospheric.
Under the ACA, most individuals who do not enroll for health insurance are fined. Enrollment in the markets was lower than forecast but was growing slowly. Even Hillary Clinton’s staff recognized the law is imploding.
Beyond that, Holmes suspects other major changes could take time.
The Affordable Care Act changed all that. It would be better to fix its flaws than destroy its accomplishments.
The House Republicans’ budget this year called for cutting Medicaid funding by $1 trillion – or about one-quarter – over the next decade, according to the Center of Budget and Policy Priorities. The only logic is kicking the can down the road, because after five years Republicans have no idea how to accomplish what Obamacare accomplishes.
“To replace the ACA after reconciliation with new policies created to increase insurance coverage, the federal government would have to raise new taxes, substantially cut spending, or increase the deficit”, the report said. As many as 36,000 people every single year will die.
The actuaries said even if Congress delays the date of repeal, the uncertainty could prompt insurers to stop offering individual plans for people not covered by employers.
Furthermore, any effort to repeal Obamacare’s insurance regulations and a very long and diverse menu of provisions, and any replacement for them, will likely be subject to a Senate filibuster.
Presence Health is the largest Catholic health system based in IL.
Here’s the simple reality about Obamacare: Politics aside, it is a sweeping law – now nearly seven years old – that covers some 20 million people across the country.
Insurers are expressing nervousness about its impending repeal.
Things will probably stay stable through the end of next year. With Republicans soon to control the House, Senate and White House, GOP lawmakers could pass a similar reconciliation bill in early 2017.