White House Press Secretary, Sean Spicer, brought props to the White House daily briefing to help roll out the new Republican healthcare plan. Spicer acted as if the plague was just a fingertip away, when placing his hands on a stack of what, by his count, was over nine hundred pages of legislation known as Obamacare. Next to this eight-inch-high stack of documents, which I assume were not just blank pieces of paper, was the one inch high Republican proposed legislation. Well, what more do I need; the argument is over.
Spicer explained that “you can’t get any clearer.” He went on to characterize Obamacare as, “crowding out competition, drives up prices and stifles entrepreneurialship (sic) and innovation”http://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2017/03/07/white-house-press-briefing-american-healthcare-act-size-sot.cnn/video/playlists/american-health-care-act/. The Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, was of course flawed because there was so much of it to read. I guess I could not expect more from a guy whose boss conducts policy in 140 characters.
So the alternative is to introduce a few pages that can be read easily but is being panned by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association, AARP, the American Hospital Associations and a growing list of Conservatives politicians http://abcnews.go.com/Health/major-health-groups-oppose-proposed-trumpcare-bill/story?id=46017007. Maybe Paul Ryan in his quest for an Ayn Rand utopia, feels the takers can just be AtlasShrugged off and giving them too much to read spoils it for the thinkers and producers https://www.aynrand.org/ .
The Affordable Care Act went through nine months of committee hearing and redrafts, but the Republicans said it was rushed through and “jammed down our throats.” The CBO (Congressional Budget Office) is due to score or reveal the economic effects and long term cost of the Republican replacement, American HealthCare Act, on Monday. The Republicans could not wait for that score. They have had two days of marathon hearings to clear two committees in the last 72 hours https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/obamacare-revision-clears-first-hurdle-in-house-committee-early-thursday/2017/03/09/579586b4-04c2-11e7-b9fa-ed727b644a0b_story.html?utm_term=.987fbbcc9e7a. That is as fast as an early morning Trump tweet.
One of the interesting proposals is to remove prenatal care as part of insurance coverage. Afterall, according to Congressman John Shimkus (R-Ill.), men are not being treated fairly by Obamacare because they are forced to pay for maternity care http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/john-shimkus-prenatal-care_us_58c1e4fae4b0ed71826b6e4e. I guess adding in healthcare for the millions of wives and spouses who bear children is a bridge too far, and look at the added pages it would cause. His mom, I am sure, just squatted in a hole in a little log cabin, voila baby Shimkus.
You know, if I did not know better, I would think Republicans are in hurry because the thought of the mounds on paper that come with impeachment…oh golly!
Ok, Ok I have not seen the CBO report either, I may be jumping the gun. The full court press by Paul Ryan, the admonitions from Health and Human Services Secretary, Tom Price, letting us all know “access” is what is important, should give me pause. Of course, every American already has access, that is not the point, paying for it is. The upcoming Trump traveling health care show will answer all our questions. Oh, and if you need to read any detail @realDonaldTrump has the cliffs notes.
’18 and Change’