Politics is a game, there are clear winners and losers. The recent game has been about health care reform and President Trump and the House GOP, Paul Ryan are the leaders; and if the Republicans were to change it they needed to figure out how to get the vote of the other senators and representatives. Below is a breakdown of the proposed bill that was shot down at the end of March.
The Remains of Obamacare |
|
The Changes of Obamacare (Republican Proposal) |
|
Unfortunate Losers (those who lose benefits from new bill) |
|
The Winners (those who gain benefits from new bill) |
|
The Republicans are losing the favor of many senators who cannot fully agree to the changes in Obamacare. They are trying to make healthcare, “more affordable, and more accessible” but towards whom? Due to the redirection of helpful subsidies to refundable tax credits which are determined more by age than income. The subsidies under Obamacare were more handy in giving people in lower income families chances to save their money on premium and out-of-pocket expenses. And so, the bill has clear advantages and disadvantages. Luckily for the Democrats, the bill did not survive. Republican Moderates thought the reduction in subsidies were too tough on low income families, but if the bill was swayed more to the moderates then the conservatives would get involved. All in all, there was no way for the House GOP and the committee to create a bill that pleased everyone. Therefore in the words of Paul Ryan, “Obamacare is the law of the land” and both parties ought to treat it as such.