Every word of ObamaCare?
To the editor:
As I watch the Republican debates I can’t help but wonder why they have no inclination to mention something that will help poor and middle class. The Democratic debates concentrate on health care, Rx costs, jobs etc. Even though both Democratic candidates have conflicting opinions they still seem to be leading in the same direction, help those who need it. The Republican debates seem to be only a debacle of criticizing each other and blaming Obama for everything. Ted Cruz makes one of the most ridiculous statements “In my first day in office, I will repeal every word of Obamacare.” Does he even know a word of Obamacare? I doubt it. Let’s look at how ridiculous this is
OBAMACARE
1 Covers Pre-Existing Conditions. You intend to repeal that?
2 Children may remain on Parents Policy till age 26. Do you dump them off? Over 4 million children are now on their parent’s policies.
3 The ACA gradually closes the Part D Medicare Donut Hole. Seniors already saved approximately $19 billion. Do they give it back?
4 The ACA will not cover any illegal residents. You want this repealed?
5 Healthcare Carriers must use at least 80 percent of your premium to pay medical bills. Humana used 65 percent and had to refund over $2.5 million back to policyholders.
6 No more Lifetime Caps on healthcare. Companies must continue coverage for the severely disabled even after their limit expired.
7 Women cannot be charged more premium than men.
8 Healthcare carriers cannot cancel coverage due to illness.
9 Your appealed claim can no longer be completely decided by the healthcare carrier who rejected it in the first place. The ACA allows a third independent party.
10. Sec 2794 of the ACA was initiated not to allow a healthcare carrier to increase your premium over 10 percent unless justified losses were presented to the State Insurance Commissioner. Republican governors like Rick Scott passed bills like SB1842 taking that authority away from the Commissioner so rates can run rampant while pointing the blame on Obamacare. Many younger Americans have no idea what went on between 1952 and 1965. Even President Kennedy made his own unsuccessful push for a National Healthcare Program, 56 percent of Americans over 65 were not insured. Rates were based on age and the majority had pre-existing conditions. Healthcare carriers connected whatever possible to a pre-existing condition to deny coverage. In every Congress between 1952 and 1965 a Medicare Bill was introduced by congressional Democrats, every bill fought off by Republicans. Finally in 1965 legislation was signed by Lyndon B. Johnson and Americans finally started receiving Medicare health coverage. The same situation went on with Social Security back in 1939. Of course the arguments were similar to what we hear today, Social Security was a disaster, Medicare was a Socialist program, the word repeal mentioned at every Republican candidacy.
It makes you wonder, since Medicare in 1965, have you ever once heard a Republican even mention improving our healthcare system? Please don’t say we had the best healthcare in world, not true, we were rated 39th in the world and our per capita expenditure on health 17.4 percent of GDP one of the highest in world. Our life expectancy of 78.2 years is the 27th highest in the world.
When it comes to healthcare a journey of a 1000 miles begins with a single step, Obama took that step only to be tripped, blocked, criticized and demonized at every turn.
So when it comes to healthcare we already know the only word in the Republican agendaREPEAL.
Ted Spiewak
Cape Coral