Let's get rid of the ACA, but is this a good idea?

[Old Rabbit]

The GOP and likely others hate the ACA (Obamacare) They provided much
misinformation trying to prevent it's passing into law. The GOP wants less
government and will oppose almost anything to reach this goal. Even if it
results in the suffering and deaths of many many americans.

Now the GOP is working to get rid of it and they say they will replace it with a
lower cost program. Even though they don't have any thing ready to replace it
with.

I wonder how many people know that much about it. I think many people see it
as a bad idea that costs me a lot of money when I could get coverage cheaper.

The ACA is more than just a market place where insurance companies post their
wares.  It pays for preventitive care against Colon Cancer, and Breast Cancer for
women to name two.

It provides substidies to people who can't afford the high cost of insurance.
Like most things our government provides. It needs fixes, but the GOP has
faught to kill it not fix it. They and most working people have insurance, so
they think the less than 10% of americans who can't afford or don't have
insurance can get along without the ACA.

Many people who had insurance before the ACA didn't have the coverage they
needed. THat's why the ACA required people to have adequate insurance. In the
past hospitals and doctors were loosing money because the uninsured or under
insured never paid for the needed service. The GOP managed to keep the states
from being required to provide subsidies  or to do their part. This weakened the
plan, otherwise even more people would likely be covered.


So lets debate the value of the ACA to americans.

It's ok to just have a general opinon without a link. Since often a personal idea mght
not have political comments or facts to support it. I know I have many opions of my
own.    As with all debates if you do wish to contest an opinon you should
have some facts to back it up.

[cause the rat]

The biggest problem with Obama Care is it's penalties. it's actually cheaper to pay the fines than it is to have the insurance. Unlike driving without auto insurance. These fines are steep. On top of that you will have to pay more for auto insurance because you were caught without it. If the fines for not caring Obama Care were 2X+50% of the going rate then it would be cheaper to have it. Less people would choose to pay the low fines.

I'm only posting this for those who don't know this. The more healthy people caring insurance the cheaper the total cost for everyone. So lest say the average yearly cost for 10.000 people would be 1000. If 20.000 people had that same insurance the cost would be 600. This is just an example.

Both the house and senate have been the worst we've had in a few generations. They spent the last eight years more interested in political propaganda than Americans.  The real reason to replace Obama Care is to change it's name.

[Kobuk]

If Trump and the GOP are going to gut Obamacare, then don't do it till they actually have a replacement plan ready to go and be implemented. If they don't have a replacement plan ready yet, then keep Obamacare as it is until they do.

You never want to get rid of something till you have a replacement all ready to go.

[Old Rabbit]

The biggest problem with Obama Care is it's penalties. it's actually cheaper to pay the fines than it is to have the insurance. Unlike driving without auto insurance. These fines are steep. On top of that you will have to pay more for auto insurance because you were caught without it. If the fines for not caring Obama Care were 2X+50% of the going rate then it would be cheaper to have it. Less people would choose to pay the low fines.

I'm only posting this for those who don't know this. The more healthy people caring insurance the cheaper the total cost for everyone. So lest say the average yearly cost for 10.000 people would be 1000. If 20.000 people had that same insurance the cost would be 600. This is just an example.

Both the house and senate have been the worst we've had in a few generations. They spent the last eight years more interested in political propaganda than Americans.  The real reason to replace Obama Care is to change it's name.

I agree, the GOP has made a huge deal out of getting rid of the ACA instead of fixing it. Now
they are in a box. They can get rid of it, but likely at a big political cost. So I kind of  figure
it may become Trump Care instead of Obama Care.

[Acton]

I say replace it, and not with single payer. Going repealing it back before Obamacare is not enough. I was turn down for  an individual healthcare insurance for preexisting conditions, but had no problem with temporary health insurance to tied my over until  I got on a company plan at the next job or cobra.    Now cobra and premiums  is unaffordable.  Then there the failure of here of Oregon of  both  Cover Oregon, the healthcare  exchange and  Oregon's  Healthcare Co-OP  that is under liquidation.

[Old Rabbit]

The GOP has always worked to keep the size of government down. I agree a
government grows too large can destroy a country. It can drag the economy
down when the government needs too much for the economy to support. But
to ignore human need harms society to the same end.  So a balance has to be
made.

I wish the GOP had spent the last 6 years coming up with a replacement
or fixing it instead of playing politics with the plan. Other societies of the
world deny the wishes of the rich over human need so we should be able
to do it as well.

In the past costs of health care was much lower, and of course so were
wages. As time passed costs have gone up. For some reason healthcare
costs have gone up much faster than inflation. That has been one good
side effect of the ACA the rate of increase in the cost of health care has
slowed to a rate not seen for 50 years.  Hospitals, doctors and other care
facilities had to charge more to cover losses incurred caring for those
who could not pay. Having insurance this loss has been cut significantly.
So there hasn't been a need to raise prices so much.

The ACA has provisions for preventative care. This also reduces costs as
people don't need the major care they would have had without checkups.

The aid provided to help the poor also cuts long term health costs.

All this shows we need to fix or replace the ACA as it will keep health
costs lower for us all. 

[Yip]

We need to move away from employer provided health insurance. It may work for people with full-time long-term jobs, but, at least in tech industries, contract positions are way more common. And for people that work under contract, either no health insurance is provided, or it's limited to the length of the contract. Meaning that there will be significant gaps where the person isn't covered, assuming they are covered at all.

I think getting rid of the ACA is an extremely bad idea unless they have something better to replace it with -before- getting rid of it.