NBC News reported about how Republicans have created and perpetuate a false narrative that suggests the law is deeply flawed in and of itself. But they fail to point out the much bigger issue at hand.
They may continue to point finger and play the blame game, but it looks like the truth is finally coming out.
Despite the fact that Republicans still control both houses of Congress, they continue to prove themselves inept and unable to work together in the smallest ways. While they all agree they hate the Affordable Care Act, the inability to agree on meaningful change to health care in America comes at a great cost to many of the poorest Americans.
Oh, and add to that the fact that since Donald Trump has been in office, they haven’t been able to come up with their own plan, they are more than happy to sabotage Obamacare.
And that exactly what’s happening.
NBC penned a revealing report about the situation, and explain that the sabotage/inaction GOP double threat is about to begin to hurt the most vulnerable of Americans.
NBC explains that while Congress can take as much time as they want, the insurance companies are bound to strict timelines. One big one looming is the deadline to submit premiums for the individual health care market. Republican efforts are already derailing the individual market, with the uncertainty compelling some insurance companies to pull out altogether, while there is a slump in individuals signing up, as well.
In fact, the staggering inaction has likely prevented a meaningful rescue of the insurance market for 2018.
Regardless of what lawmakers do in the long run, the time may have already passed for Congress to rescue the 2018 insurance market from the negative effects of the current debate. Insurers are putting in their initial bids for premiums and will finalize their plans in September. That means even a temporary fix would likely fail to shield customers from the effects of uncertainty.
“We needed to have the answers three months ago,” Bob Laszewski, president of Health Policy and Strategy Associates, a consulting firm in Washington, D.C., told NBC News.
NBC reminds us that President Trump has repeatedly said he is considering sabotaging the ACA by withholding the cost-sharing payments that are vital to the life-blood of the law. Blue Cross/Blue Shied of North Carolina said as late as last week that their 2018 premiums could jump more than 22%, but that number would be a less-staggering 8.8% “if Congress and the Trump administration guaranteed subsidies that they’re owed for paying out-of-pocket costs for low-income customers.”
The most influential insurance lobby in the United States has told Republicans and the Trump White House to either fix the problem by fulfilling their obligation to pay the subsidies, or own the fact that they are going to hurt vulnerable consumers:
“This uncertainty is arguably the single most destabilizing factor in the individual market, and millions of Americans could soon feel the impact of fewer choices, higher costs, and reduced access to care.”
No matter what happens, it remains to be seen whether or not the will be so blinded by their arrogance that they fail to hear the voice of the American people…or attempt to empathize with those who most need health care.
