USA Republicans' Obamacare repeal only plan seems to be headed for failure
Given below are a couple of New York Times article links as well as statements from three USA Republican Senators on USA Republican leaders' plan to do only repeal of Obamacare.
The 3 Republican Women Who Doomed a Senate Repeal of the Health Law, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/18/us/politics/the-3-republican-women-who-doomed-a-senate-repeal-of-the-health-law.html, 18-Jul-2017
Given below are the statements from the three Republican senators:
Senator Shelley Moore Capito from West Virginia:
“As I have said before, I did not come to Washington to hurt people. For months, I have expressed reservations about the direction of the bill to repeal and replace Obamacare. I have serious concerns about how we continue to provide affordable care to those who have benefited from West Virginia’s decision to expand Medicaid, especially in light of the growing opioid crisis. All of the Senate health care discussion drafts have failed to address these concerns adequately.
“My position on this issue is driven by its impact on West Virginians. With that in mind, I cannot vote to repeal Obamacare without a replacement plan that addresses my concerns and the needs of West Virginians.”
Source: https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases/capito-statement-on-health-care-vote-to-repeal-obamacare, dated 18-Jul-2017
Senator Lisa Murkowski from Alaska:
"As I've been saying, the Senate should take a step back and engage in a bipartisan process to address the failures of the ACA and stabilize the individual markets. That will require members on both sides of the aisle to roll up their sleeves and take this to the open committee process where it belongs.
"The individual market in states like Alaska and in rural communities across America has continued to deteriorate since we last voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Alaskans have seen their premiums increase over 200 percent, only one insurer remains on our individual market, and the state was forced to enact a costly reinsurance program to keep our sole remaining provider from leaving."
"At the same time, the coverage offered on the exchange has become coverage in name only for too many Alaskans with premiums close to $1,000 a month on average and many facing deductibles approaching $10,000. Repealing the ACA without a clear path forward just creates confusion and greater uncertainty."
"As I stated earlier this year, I cannot vote to proceed to repeal the ACA without reform that allows people the choice they want, the affordability they need and the quality of care they deserve."
Source: https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowskis-statement-on-senate-healthcare-process, 18-Jul-2017
Senator Susan Collins of Maine:
“I will vote no on the motion to proceed to repeal the Affordable Care Act without a replacement. I voted against this same proposal in 2015.
“I do not think that it’s constructive to repeal a law that is so interwoven within our health care system without having a replacement plan in place. We can’t just hope that we will pass a replacement within the next two years. Repealing without a replacement would create great uncertainty for individuals who rely on the ACA and cause further turmoil in the insurance markets.
“I have recommended to Chairman Alexander that the Senate Health Committee begin to hold hearings to examine ways to fix the many flaws in the ACA so that it will work better for all Americans.”
Source: https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins%E2%80%99-statement-senate-plan-repeal-aca-without-replacement, 18-Jul-2017
The second NYT article is by Gov. John Kasich of Ohio: John Kasich: The Way Forward on Health Care, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/18/opinion/john-kasich-the-way-forward-on-health-care.html, 18-Jul-2017
Small extracts from the article are given below:
In the uncertainty created by the Senate plan’s collapse, Congress should guard against a hasty next step. Just taking up the fatally flawed House plan is not an answer, and this idea should be immediately rejected for the same reasons senators rejected the Senate’s own proposal. Also, simply repealing Obamacare without having a workable replacement is just as bad. Both would simply yank health coverage out from under millions of Americans who have no other alternative.
...
[Concluding paragraph of article]
The best next step is for members of both parties to ignore the fear of criticism that can come from reaching across the aisle and put pencil to pad on these and other ideas that repair health care in real, sustainable ways. America needs it, and I know that a bipartisan group of governors, including myself, stands ready to help in any way we can to provide an affordable, sustainable and responsible system of health care for the American people.
--- end extracts from Gov. John Kasich article ---
Please note that I have a PUBLICLY NEUTRAL informal-student-observer role in these posts that I put up about USA politics. Of course, as I am an Indian citizen living in India, there is no question of me having voted in USA elections.
[I thank USA Senators Shelley Moore Capito, Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins, and the New York Times and have presumed that they will not have any objections to me sharing the above extracts (small extract from New York Times) from their websites on this post which is freely viewable by all, and does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever. Please note that this post is about a matter related to human welfare.]
The 3 Republican Women Who Doomed a Senate Repeal of the Health Law, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/18/us/politics/the-3-republican-women-who-doomed-a-senate-repeal-of-the-health-law.html, 18-Jul-2017
Given below are the statements from the three Republican senators:
Senator Shelley Moore Capito from West Virginia:
“As I have said before, I did not come to Washington to hurt people. For months, I have expressed reservations about the direction of the bill to repeal and replace Obamacare. I have serious concerns about how we continue to provide affordable care to those who have benefited from West Virginia’s decision to expand Medicaid, especially in light of the growing opioid crisis. All of the Senate health care discussion drafts have failed to address these concerns adequately.
“My position on this issue is driven by its impact on West Virginians. With that in mind, I cannot vote to repeal Obamacare without a replacement plan that addresses my concerns and the needs of West Virginians.”
Source: https://www.capito.senate.gov/news/press-releases/capito-statement-on-health-care-vote-to-repeal-obamacare, dated 18-Jul-2017
Senator Lisa Murkowski from Alaska:
"As I've been saying, the Senate should take a step back and engage in a bipartisan process to address the failures of the ACA and stabilize the individual markets. That will require members on both sides of the aisle to roll up their sleeves and take this to the open committee process where it belongs.
"The individual market in states like Alaska and in rural communities across America has continued to deteriorate since we last voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Alaskans have seen their premiums increase over 200 percent, only one insurer remains on our individual market, and the state was forced to enact a costly reinsurance program to keep our sole remaining provider from leaving."
"At the same time, the coverage offered on the exchange has become coverage in name only for too many Alaskans with premiums close to $1,000 a month on average and many facing deductibles approaching $10,000. Repealing the ACA without a clear path forward just creates confusion and greater uncertainty."
"As I stated earlier this year, I cannot vote to proceed to repeal the ACA without reform that allows people the choice they want, the affordability they need and the quality of care they deserve."
Source: https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/murkowskis-statement-on-senate-healthcare-process, 18-Jul-2017
Senator Susan Collins of Maine:
“I will vote no on the motion to proceed to repeal the Affordable Care Act without a replacement. I voted against this same proposal in 2015.
“I do not think that it’s constructive to repeal a law that is so interwoven within our health care system without having a replacement plan in place. We can’t just hope that we will pass a replacement within the next two years. Repealing without a replacement would create great uncertainty for individuals who rely on the ACA and cause further turmoil in the insurance markets.
“I have recommended to Chairman Alexander that the Senate Health Committee begin to hold hearings to examine ways to fix the many flaws in the ACA so that it will work better for all Americans.”
Source: https://www.collins.senate.gov/newsroom/senator-collins%E2%80%99-statement-senate-plan-repeal-aca-without-replacement, 18-Jul-2017
The second NYT article is by Gov. John Kasich of Ohio: John Kasich: The Way Forward on Health Care, https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/18/opinion/john-kasich-the-way-forward-on-health-care.html, 18-Jul-2017
Small extracts from the article are given below:
In the uncertainty created by the Senate plan’s collapse, Congress should guard against a hasty next step. Just taking up the fatally flawed House plan is not an answer, and this idea should be immediately rejected for the same reasons senators rejected the Senate’s own proposal. Also, simply repealing Obamacare without having a workable replacement is just as bad. Both would simply yank health coverage out from under millions of Americans who have no other alternative.
...
[Concluding paragraph of article]
The best next step is for members of both parties to ignore the fear of criticism that can come from reaching across the aisle and put pencil to pad on these and other ideas that repair health care in real, sustainable ways. America needs it, and I know that a bipartisan group of governors, including myself, stands ready to help in any way we can to provide an affordable, sustainable and responsible system of health care for the American people.
--- end extracts from Gov. John Kasich article ---
Please note that I have a PUBLICLY NEUTRAL informal-student-observer role in these posts that I put up about USA politics. Of course, as I am an Indian citizen living in India, there is no question of me having voted in USA elections.
[I thank USA Senators Shelley Moore Capito, Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins, and the New York Times and have presumed that they will not have any objections to me sharing the above extracts (small extract from New York Times) from their websites on this post which is freely viewable by all, and does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever. Please note that this post is about a matter related to human welfare.]
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