President Donald Trump bribed a vote out of Missouri Congressman Billy Long for the American Health Care Act – the “replacement” of the Affordable Care Act. The man with funny hair agreed to Long’s proposal to add $8 billion, over five years, to help subsidize coverage for ‘high risk’ Americans.
[ http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/02/politics/republican-health-care-bill/ ]
A quick math lesson. Divide $8,000,000,000 by five years and then by 321,400,000 Americans and the result is $4.97 per person per year. If just one of 20 Americans needs the subsidy due to their “health status” – Trump speak for ‘pre-existing condition’ – then the extra money available to subsidize coverage would be less than $100 per year. AARP looked at the bill. They claim, as do others, that the new maximum premium could be $26,000 per year for average coverage. [ www.aarp.org ] In other words, Rep. Billy Long sold his vote to reduce health insurance premiums for some Missourians by less than 4/10ths of 1%.
One of those Missourians could be me.
As many of you know, I’ve had two heart surgeries and there’s an internal defibrillator is in my chest. I’ve been fighting back problems since the Reagan Administration and I have a few other, more minor issues. And, I’m over 60 years old. Under Trumpcare my premium goes into the bonus zone due to my age and my conditions.
Of course, many Republicans think my problems are my fault. Republican Congressman Mo Brooks [R – AL] argues the new AHCA amendment is fair because people “who lead good lives “ should not have to pay as much in health insurance costs:
“It will allow insurance companies to require people who have higher health care costs to contribute more to the insurance pool that helps offset these costs…they’re healthy, you know, they are doing the things to keep their bodies healthy…”
http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2017/05/should_sick_people_pay_more_fo.html#incart_river_index
For the record, my cardiologist authorized some genetic testing a couple of years ago. It explained why my dad, my uncle, my cousin, my little brother and me all developed serious “plumbing” problems in our 40’s. Despite taking care of ourselves and having below average cholesterol, well, we had no chance. My back problems are a family tradition too (my dad wore a steel-ribbed corset for several years so he could walk upright). In Rep. Brooks’ view I made a bad choice choosing my dad.
Many of our neighbors have health issues beyond their control. Genetics and the environment (radiation leaking from a landfill?); car accidents and on-the-job injuries; random chance conditions such as Lou Gehrig Disease or lymphoma, and, a myriad of other problems arise which healthy eating and regular exercise can’t stop.
Trumpcare raises premiums for those with bad luck.
Don’t worry: Congress exempted themselves from the most punishing new rules [ https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2017-04-26/gop-backtracks-on-health-care-exemption-for-congress ]
Right now I have decent health coverage thanks to my wife’s job. Next month?
My answer?
First, contact your members of Congress and demand that they vote against the American Health Care Act, aka Trumpcare. We can’t afford to price millions of Americans out of their health insurance.
Second, Medicare for all! Attach a Medicare card to every birth certificate. Spend money on health care, not layer upon layer of middle-men. Eliminate MO HealthNet, TriCare, Anthem, United Health Care, Centene and all the rest. We need simple, single payer health care for all Americans. It will take time (and money) but the investment will be worth it.
For years I’ve been hearing that everything is cheaper in southern Missourah. Nice to know that Billy Long continues that tradition.
Submitted by Glenn Koenen, WCD Member
I never quite understood why Congress didn’t take an existing program that is widely used and liked – Medicare – and make it a single payer system for everyone. The administrative system is in place. Health care providers, from doctors to pharmacies to hospitals, are used to dealing with it. It still allows supplemental insurance for those who want it. (A bone to toss to the insurance lobby.) The only reason I can think of is that Republicans have a larger goal of eliminating Medicare.