GOP Obamacare Replacement Programs

Vouchers: So the GOP wants to eliminate traditional Medicare, most of Medicaid, and all of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), converting these health programs largely to vouchers that low-income households, seniors, and people with disabilities could use to help buy insurance in the private health insurance market. The very marketplace which already costs Americans 2 times more than any other industrialized nation in the world. And even though we spend twice as much we do not have better outcomes for our citizens.

Health Insurance Voucher Program: so someone born today at the ripe old age of 60 could expect to receive about 25% or one-quarter of the benefit when compared to the resources allocated to today's Medicare programing. Which means the vouchers that citizens receive will come no where near to satisfying the cost of any reasonably priced health care plan at the time when citizens need it most.

Ending Tax Deduction for Employer Based Health Care Programs: So employer based systems would no longer be favored leaving many millions of citizens without employer based programs. The problem here is the GOP is proposing a refundable tax credit or voucher of $2,300 for individuals and $5,700 for families. Low-income families with children (but not low-income individuals or couples) would be eligible for additional assistance — $5,000 for families with incomes up to 100 percent of the poverty line, declining to $2,000 for families with incomes between 180 and 200 percent of the poverty line. The tax credit could be used to help buy any “qualified health insurance plan.” People eligible for Medicare would not qualify for the credit. Again here goes the GOP sending individual citizens to the very marketplace which already costs Americans 2 times more than any other industrialized nation in the world. And even though we spend twice as much we do not have better outcomes for our citizens.

Tort Reform: So when medical professionals are negligent and cause harm to you, the patient, they do not have to pay damages based on an actuarial determination of what you actually lost today, tomorrow and for the rest of your life plus pain and suffering. GOP wants to cap damages.

It get worse and the GOP is unwilling to be straight with the American People, so you will be hearing more from me.