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They’re at it again

Dear Editor,

So now the GOP is making a last-ditch effort to “repeal and replace Obamacare” by September 30th (after which doing so would be even harder due to parliamentary rules, as 60 votes would then be required), despite he fact that the number of our nation’s citizens without health insurance has fallen to historically low levels as a result of the implementation of the Affordable Care Act 7 years ago. Their “new” replacement plan would insidiously sabotage our current healthcare insurance coverage system over the next 10 years, including provisions undermining protections for those with pre-existing conditions, raising premiums to unaffordable levels for many, and ultimately resulting in tens of millions of people losing healthcare coverage.

This effort fits right in with their ongoing and persistent efforts to undermine and sabotage the success of the ACA right now — for example, by gutting funding directed toward informing people of the upcoming open enrollment period (which, for those who might be interested, extends from 11/1/17 to 12/15/17).

One cannot help but wonder why Mr. Trump and the GOP are so relentlessly determined to repeal legislation which has clearly helped so many by repeatedly trying to push through a hastily thrown together plan which would only replace it with a clearly dreadful one proving devastatingly harmful to tens of millions of Americans.

Why not build upon the system currently in place through a transparent and bi-partisan approach utilizing input from all stakeholders (e.g., citizens, healthcare providers, insurance companies), wherein all issues are thoroughly considered before trying to implement dramatic changes impacting all Americans?

Actually, I would support this effort to “repeal and replace Obamacare” if we would be replacing it with a clearly better system — say, for example, one which provides universal healthcare for all American citizens via a single-payer system (“Medicare for All”), like all other developed nations in the world do. Imagine that — providing better healthcare to all of our citizens in a more efficient and less costly manner. What a novel idea.

Respectfully submitted,

Dale E. Buonocore,

Warren

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