The GOP's Repeal and Replace Act (Explained)

Under the GOP's "repeal and replace" healthcare bill, the CBO says about 22 million will "lose" healthcare insurance. But what is misunderstood (or is not properly explained) is:

1) About half of those -- 11 million "able-bodied adults without children" -- will no longer qualify for Medicaid, which was expanded under Obama during the Great Recession when 8.7 million Americans had lost their jobs and the number of the unemployed had peaked at 15 million in 2009.

2) The other half of those who will "lose" healthcare insurance -- about another 11 million Americans -- will voluntarily forfeit healthcare insurance by choosing to no longer pay the rising premium for a MANDATED healthcare insurance policy because they will no longer be forced to pay a fine for not buying such a policy.

The idea of a 3.8% sur-tax on capital gains for those earning $200k or more --- and to offer subsidies for middle-to-low income people to purchase an ObamaCare™ healthcare plan -- was to expand the risk pool for the unemployed and low-income "able-bodied adults without children"; and for older Americans who either can not afford to buy a healthcare plan and/or (is still working) but are not covered by their employer (which is more and more common these days with the demise of labor unions).

Under the current GOP plan being considered in the Senate, the disabled and low income adults (WITH young children) will still qualify for Medicaid.

But the elderly will most likely be the most harmed by this plan, because they are usually high risk and/or with pre-existing conditions, and until they can qualify for Medicare at age 65 (which isn't all that great without a costly Medi-Gap policy), will be "SOL". Some groups like AARP are calling the GOP's "repeal and replace" healthcare plan an "age tax" on our senior citizens. (Civilized cultures take care of their elderly citizens.)

The elderly -- the most vulnerable of our society (unless they are wealthy) -- would suffer the most because they would be forced to pay higher premiums unless they can afford to see a doctor who will provide them with the evidence they need to show the government that they are no longer "able-bodied adults without children" -- but yet, may not qualify for disability.*

* If someone is applying for Social Security disability benefits, they would still qualify for Medicaid until such a time when their claim is finally settled -- but it usually takes up to 3 years to settle a disability claim after all the appeal processes have been exhausted (unless one has VERY STRONG MEDICAL EVIDENCE and/or ARE VERY NEAR DEATH.) And about 50% of all disability claims are ultimately denied.**

** Bill O'Reilly on Fox News used to always say that millions of Americans quit their jobs to file a disability claim because it's easy to do. No part of his ridiculous claim is true. Millions of people DO NOT quit their jobs to take a huge chance of being awarded on a claim and "being on the government dole". And it IS NOT "easy" to file a claim. Even the very first initial process of filing a claim on line can be difficult; and as time goes by, and as the process wears on, it gets more and more difficult. There are many doctor appointments and a ton of paperwork. Most of those people suffer acute anxiety and depression while waiting for an answer during this very apprehensive time. Also, most of those people CAN NOT survive 3 years without any income at all -- unless they had a free place to live and can survive only on Medicaid and food stamps for 3 years. To quit a job and live like that for 3 years with a 50% chance of winning a claim is taking a HUGE gamble. And in the end, the monthly stipend is barely enough to live on -- even if you have worked for 40 or 50 years. Bill O'Reilly could NEVER imagine what it must like to be in this situation: poor, disabled, suffering, alone, bored and terrified while waiting 3 years for a judge's decision on the future of their survivability.

Whether one agrees with Senator Bernie Sanders OR NOT on a range of other issues, one thing he is definitely right about -- Medicare for All -- where everyone pays in to expand the pool and provide healthcare for everyone.*

* No, healthcare in America is NOT a Constitutional Right sanctioned by our founding fathers, it's a Human Right sanctioned by God**.

** Currently the replace part of the GOP's repeal and replace healthcare plan is to replace "healthcare" for the very poor with "tax cuts" for the very rich.

After almost 8 years in the making...

(EDITOR'S NOTE: If any part of this explanation for the GOP's "repeal and replace" healthcare bill is incorrect, please leave a comment below. Thanks).