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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsObama to Ryan + McConnell: Why do you feel obliged to repeal ACA before showing the replacement?
Obama Presses GOP On Missing ACA Replacement Plan
January 06, 2017
President Barack Obama pointedly pressed GOP leaders on why they refuse to put forth an ACA replacement plan and instead continue to rush toward repealing the law, during a Friday an interview with Vox, and made similar arguments in a New England Journal of Medicine article. Also Friday, Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) reportedly expressed reservations about repealing the law without a simultaneous replacement and Senate health committee Chair Lamar Alexander (R-TN) likewise said the next steps should be figured out before moving to repeal.
Obama in the interview reiterated that while he is proud of the ACA's achievements, he does not have pride of authorship, and said he'd be all for it should the GOP come up with a better plan. But you have to show -- and I would advise every Democrat to be for it -- but you have to show that it's better. And that's not too much to ask. And that's the challenge. And the question right now for Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell is, 'Why is it that you feel obliged to repeal it before you show what it is that is going to replace?'
He also pointed out a majority of Americans believe a repeal without a replacement is a bad idea. A Kaiser Foundation poll out Friday found that only 20 percent of Americans think Congress should kill the law before a replacement bill is ready. Americans still remain split on the question of repeal, with 48 percent supporting and 47 percent against it.
You now have Republican governors, some Republican senators, who have said, 'We dont think that's a good idea,' Obama added. And there's been no real explanation to why you would actually try to do this before the new president is even inaugurated. What exactly is this rush? Particularly if you're going to delay the actual repeal, he said, referring to the expectation that there will be a transition period between the repeal and replacement that will hold consumers harmless.
The president also noted most Americans are upset with the law over premiums and out-of-pocket costs, and he has suggested increasing subsidies. Some, mainly rural, areas have also struggled with competition, a problem Obama said could be solved by creating a public option to ensure choice.
Obama acknowledged the GOP would not agree to those policies, but did stress it is important to tackle the most problematic aspects. And my advice to the president-elect -- in fact, we talked about this when I met with him for an hour and a half right after he got elected -- I said make your team and make the Republican members of Congress come up with things that they can show will actually make this work better for people. And if theyre convincing, I think you would find that there are a lot of Democrats out there -- including me -- that would be prepared to support it. But so far, at least, that's not whats happened."
https://insidehealthpolicy.com/daily-news/obama-presses-gop-missing-aca-replacement-plan-pens-nejm-article
AgadorSparticus
(7,963 posts)Are they going to wait until X amount of people die before introducing a replacement? I mean, really!!! What kind of bullshit is this??!?!!!
Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin
(108,010 posts)Paladin
(28,262 posts)flamingdem
(39,313 posts)Wish there were more who could clearly put them in their place
Paladin
(28,262 posts)TrekLuver
(2,573 posts)Rex
(65,616 posts)This is what their pathetic voters wanted.
renate
(13,776 posts)They aren't going to get rid of the ACA, just Obamacare. People with the ACA will be just fine! Yay!
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10028449519
flamingdem
(39,313 posts)Rex
(65,616 posts)The stupid is...uncharted levels. I know it is wrong to call people like that sheeple, but when they threaten the lives of 30 million people. I don't buy the GOP when they say people already on it are exempt.
A lot of shocked fuckwads this coming year, the GOP will gut the system now.
maxrandb
(15,330 posts)Because you are black - signed racist Retrumplicans
Iggo
(47,558 posts)ALBliberal
(2,342 posts)Hope that Obama will continue to lead after inauguration. If Hillary had won he would have bowed out gracefully and given her time and deference before entering any political debate. President Obama knows that we are sitting on a pile of dynamite with this horrible President Elect and even more horrible Republican led congress. He's gonna advocate strongly for us.
flamingdem
(39,313 posts)The only silver lining is that he is responsible and won't leave us suffering without his skills to help
ALBliberal
(2,342 posts)Responsibility will guide him. His speech tomorrow will be telling.
spanone
(135,841 posts)flamingdem
(39,313 posts)that they don't even want to return to the past. Those nuts have the power to do what no one wants.
central scrutinizer
(11,650 posts)Nfm