U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy introduces his Obamacare alternative

[TexasTowelie]

Source: Baton Rouge Advocate

Washington — U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., has rounded up some heavyweight co-sponsors for his proposed replacement to the Affordable Care Act, his office said, but the legislation still has a long way to go after Cassidy officially introduced it Tuesday.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas, have signed on to Cassidy’s Patient Freedom Act, as have David Vitter, R-La., and four other Republicans.

Cassidy’s bill could form a significant element of the Republican response to a potential decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in favor of a conservative challenge to the 2010 law. But in a radio interview Monday, McConnell said the details of the response won’t be determined until after the Supreme Court makes its ruling, which is expected by the end of the month.

A ruling in favor of the Obama administration, which has defended the law — called “Obamacare” — against the challenge, would render an immediate Republican response moot. Each side has expressed confidence the court will rule its way, and the outcome is not at all certain.

Read more: http://theadvocate.com/news/12606447-123/us-sen-bill-cassidy-introduces

[SoapBox]

1. Diaper Man Vitter?

Ha!

Like I would trust anything the POS was involved in?

Never!

[Ex Lurker]

2. Even if the Senate GOPers are sincere, in trying to pass a replacement, the House won't go along

they'd rather burn the whole thing down. The only silver lining is the resulting a Democratic landslide in 2016.

[Cryptoad]

10. They are trying to cover their asses,,,,,

if ruling goes against ACA ,, instantly the GOP loses millions of voters.

[d_legendary1]

15. Assuming the corporate media doesn't write the narrative

"Obamacare ruled unconstitutional"

Today the Supreme Court ruled to strike down a part of Obamacare that subsidizes health insurance for millions of Americans. The ruling comes as the result of a lawsuit, claiming that the government should not be handing out money to people who refuse to get a job and pay for insurance like all hard working Americans do. This is the second time the high court has struck down the law. The ruling came as a surprise to the White House, who has fired back calling the ruling the wrong decision.

"A lot of Americans will be forced to pay full price for a service that they were qualified for. With a simple decision by a minority of people these Americans will be left without any recourse for affordable health insurance", said the President at his press conference. "It is a victory for America and what it stands for", claimed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell during the Senate's rebuttle conference. "We are not a nation that rewards people who do not work while Working Americans are trying their best to insure their families with their blood, sweat, and tears".

That's kinda the way the media is going to spin that shit anyway. They need that big pharma money in between their talking head shows to make a buck.

[davidpdx]

3. Smells like someone has inside information as to the ruiling

They seem a bit over confident that the court is going to rule against the administration.

[Recursion]

4. Allowing HSA money to go to premiums is an interesting idea

As is the pricing transparency.

[Zynx]

7. HSAs are flatly ineffective for low income earners, the very people we've been trying to help.

[Recursion]

21. The assumption is always that the HSAs for poor people would be subsidized

Obviously Cassidy's bill is a piece of crap, I just like the idea of premiums being payable from HSAs -- not a huge help for the poor, but probably a big help for the middle class.

[CBHagman]

19. "Pricing transparency" is often invoked...

...but it's long been true that the care of a premature baby or a dying adult can quickly reach six figures. So people are going to shop for a cheaper alternative to the NICU when their child has an infection or a heart defect?

[Recursion]

20. No, and nobody is claiming that. But the majority of medical care is routine

And people often go in with absolutely no idea of what a routine procedure is going to cost.

Compare this to dentists: a lot of dentists publish a table of how much all of the routing dental care they offer costs.

I think a big step towards transparency is coming already with the WalMarts and CVSs of the country trying to provide a Nurse Practitioner-staffed clinic at every location: they say how much they charge for everything. Federally Qualified Health Clinics (which not only advertise rates but do so on a sliding income-based scale) are another good thing -- one of Sanders's best amendments was the one to the ACA that tripled their funding.

[mindem]

5. Ya But, ya but,

their plan has the word freedum in it so it has to be good for the American people right? If it is for freedum it has to be good because nothing is more important than them protecting our freedums. Repukes are always for freedom and would never interfere in anyone's life. Freedum loving repukes would never do anything that would let big corporations set things up to grab everyone's money. I sure do love repuke freedom.

[TexasBushwhacker]

6. Conveniently extending subsidies

until 2017, AFTER THE ELECTION. Because cutting subsidies in 2016 would be catastrophic for them.I bet their shittin' bricks that the SCOTUS might actually rule against the subsidies, because the states that didn't set up their own exchanges are primarily red states.

[Cryptoad]

8. Funny how all those so called details of all the GOP programs

never come out for inspection !

[Historic NY]

9. Tax deductions, grants, HSA...

isn't this the same shit they want to do with social security, make it think your getting something. They want to do away with the insurance mandate but they'd never give you enough to get insurance. When that catastrophic medical bill arrives guess who's holding the bag, when the account doesn't have enough.

[bigdarryl]

11. Health savings accounts is a JOKE

If someone needs heart surgery no way a savings account is going to cover a 300,000 dollar operation

[Dawgs]

12. That's not how they work. n/t

[happyslug]

16. Technically you can ONLY set up a HSA, if you have a high deductible insurance policy

http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/faqs/Taxes/Pages/Health-Savings-Accounts.aspx

They can NOT be your primary form of Medical Insurance, you MUST have other medical insurance.

[Roy Rolling]

13. It wouldn't be a Republican bill without the word "freedom" in the title nt

[vkkv]

14. Perfect!!

Can I use that line elsewhere?

[Boomerproud]

17. Typical 1984 doublespeak.

same as "Right To Work" where the opposite effect is the actual goal.

[Aristus]

18. When they put the word "Freedom" into one of their bills,

you know they're up to no good...