EDITORIAL: In St. Louis, the only ‘nightmare’ about Obamacare is that it could disappear
Nightmare? A greater percentage of Americans have health insurance today than at any point since the government began keeping track.
Nightmare?
Nightmare? Americans no longer have to worry about being bankrupted by health care costs. People who were uninsurable aren't. They're seeing doctors before they get sick, staying out of emergency rooms, keeping health care costs from being passed on to the privately insured.
Nightmare? Then why was Pence, as governor of
Here's what the nightmare would look like if Obamacare is repealed without a better replacement:
--About 504,000 Missourians would lose coverage, the
--In
--The EPI estimates that repealing Obamacare would cost 14,077 jobs in
--People on
--
--With Obamacare repealed, contraceptive coverage would be gone as well as automatic coverage for pregnancy. Before Obamacare, pregnancy was considered a "pre-existing condition."
--The nonpartisan
--The ACA prohibits insurance companies from charging higher rates for older people or those with pre-existing conditions. That would stop.
--Before Obamacare, insurance companies often canceled policies when a large claim was filed even if the premiums had been paid. Cast adrift, many people couldn't buy insurance on their own at any price.
--Obamacare allows parents to cover their children on a family policy up to the age of 26. That allows young adults who are just starting out in life to maintain health coverage until they finish school or establish themselves on their own.
Last week, Republican leaders released a 19-page outline of their vision for a replacement. But the document contains no details about the difficult tradeoffs required to achieve the same level of coverage for the 31 million people (20 million on the exchanges and 11 million in
The uncertainty has caused at least two insurance companies, Cigna and Humana, to withdraw from exchange markets. That has exacerbated the difficulties of rural Americans accessing care.
Trump continues to drop hints that his replacement plan is coming, perhaps as early as mid-March. But Sen.
Congressional
No one is arguing that Obamacare was perfect. It's what was possible in 2010, and all things considered, it has improved and extended life for 31 million Americans. It's cost affluent Americans a little more in taxes on earnings and investment income over
Forget compassion if you'd like. If nothing else, ending Obamacare would be an economic disaster for
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