robin1234

I just got an email from my congressperson (she's a republican.) She's inviting comments on the new draft legislation set to replace the Affordable Care Act. This document has a happy-talk blurb about the bill, quite a detailed and useful FAQ, and a link to the House bill text...

https://housegop.leadpages.co/healthcare/

I didn't look at the bill text yet, and just had a quick read of the FAQ.

Giantaxe

Here's a pretty good review by Avik Roy (a right wing health commentator from Forbes Magazine, so no fan of the ACA) of what's being proposed:

"House GOP's Obamacare Replacement Will Make Coverage Unaffordable For Millions -- Otherwise, It's Great"

https://www.forbes.com/sites/theapot.../#5af4a76a37fd

dc koop

But is it "wonderful" ? Donald said it would be

BEVS

1: I don't see how a 'tax credit' will help families on low incomes.

Leslie

It sounds like they're doing a bait-n-switch on the whole pre-existing clause. Basically, the insurance company cannot technically deny coverage for a pre-existing condition but they can charge you whatever they want. So pretty much anybody who's ever been sick enough to dare to use their insurance can go suck it.

scrubbedexpat099

I was having a chat with somebody in the Medical field at the weekend, our local Surgery closed and they can not find anyone to take it on.

Basically we held similar views, needs major reform, not fudging. Not beyond the wit of man, or woman - International Women's Day tomorrow.

Anian

It looks intentionally poisoned so that it won't pass. It's just junk that will cause millions to lose access to healthcare and cost everyone else more.

It even has a clause so that if you have to drop coverage if you lose your job and can't afford it, you get kicked in the face extra hard when you try to get insurance the next time.

tom169

I'm all for expanding how much can be stashed in a HSA. I'm treating it as a retirement account.

scrubbedexpat099

I had NPR on this morning and they covered the AHC Draft, and all they said seemed fair enough.

What I really do not understand is that many of the same comments equally apply to OCare, the one semi honest thing about AHC is nobody I think has said it is Affordable.

The one guy who really annoyed me was involved in OCare from the beginning and was saying basically how wonderful it is and the only real issue was some States who had not gone the full hog.

Really?

I live in a State that has, premiums through the roof and in nearly half of the State there is only one Insurer. I know a few people in the Healthcare biz and they do not like it, one of the reasons being that reimbursements rates are lower than Medicare.

Strikes me as the worst case sceario for the Dems is if OCare continues, they are no doubt hoping that it gets squashed to get them out of the hole. How to do it without appearing to do it...

kodokan

As fit and fortunately healthy people with no prescription needs and a pretty high household income, HSAs work great for us. We max it out annually, and I pay the few medical expenses we have - dental, child randomly breaks something - out of already taxed money.

But the rationale behind them, that of 'skin the game will turn everyone into competitive shoppers and lower prices' is a total joke. It's become a game now for my own personal amusement to enquire up front what the cost of any consultation/ procedure/ device will be. The admin staff and the doctors don't have the slightest clue; they usually can't narrow it down beyond something ridiculous like 'probably between $100 and $500'. I understand why - not only are there bespoke separately negotiated rates for every insurer, in every state, but even for every flavor of plan offered by that insurer for particular groups of people and/ or employers - but it's still deeply irritating. I'd LOVE to be a take-charge consumer and shop my (small) medical needs around, but it's completely impossible.

dc koop

Ironically enough the most people who will lose with Trumpcare are those who voted for him

Giantaxe

Don'tCare

Anian

A law requiring up-front pricing for all standard procedures would probably do more to bring the costs down than anything else at this stage. It's a ridiculous game between the medical centre and the insurance company on how much is paid for it, and the patient stumps up regardless of the outcome.

mrken30

This is one of my biggest issues, you have no idea how much a procedure will cost, how many bills you will get,who will bill you and whether it will be covered or not.

robin1234

'We're gonna make the best healthcare system in the world even better,' Pence said.