GOP divided on how to replace health overhaul law
Side note: There is one thing that the GOP agrees on; they plan to repeal Obama’s health care law, what they refer to as Obamacare. What they don’t agree on is what they will replace it with. The Republicans feel confident about gaining control of the House this year. They cite that there are approximately 75 seats held by Democrats that are in contention; they need to gain only 40 to take a majority. Some Republicans back a plan that would cover an additional 3 million Americans by 2019, as opposed to the 33 million covered by Obamacare. Other Republicans propose weaning the American public off of employee provided insurance while replacing Medicaid with private insurance. One thing that all Republicans agree on is the need for medical malpractice reform. We all thought, or hoped, that because medical malpractice insurance reform was the one thing that President Obama and the GOP agreed upon, that it would be in the final bill. Unfortunately, that was not the case. We hope that as this bill gets revised over the years…..that this is finally added to the bill, which not only keep high-risk physicians in areas that have high malpractice insurance costs, but it will ultimately cut down on the healthcare costs because the need to practice defensive medicine will almost certainly decrease. It would have been nice if the Dems would follow the President’s leadership on this very important issue!
By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR
Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Republicans are promising to repeal and replace President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul if they win control of Congress. But with what?
Not even they know.
Some have proposed major changes to workplace coverage, even turning Medicare into a voucher plan. Many prefer small steps that tiptoe around political land mines. Others want a clean start.
“During the health care debate there was just as much division within Republicans as there was between the parties,” said Douglas Holtz-Eakin, a leading adviser to 2008 GOP presidential candidate John McCain. “It will be more visible now that Republicans may be in charge of one house because those divisions will come to the surface.”
Republicans appear have better than even odds of winning the House. At least 75 seats are competitive, the vast majority held by Democrats, according to a recent Associated Press analysis. The GOP only has to win 40.
One of the first acts of a Republican majority would be a vote to repeal what they dismiss as “Obamacare.” But they haven’t said much about what would replace it.
A GOP bill rejected by the Democratic-led House last year is the closest thing to a starting point.
