With millions covered, 'repeal and replace Obamacare' gets riskier
As Republicans gather to anoint their presidential ticket, Donald Trump's plan for replacing "Obamacare" appears to be anything but solid. A nonpartisan analysis recently found it would make 18 million people uninsured.
Uncompromising opposition to President Barack Obama's health care overhaul has been a winning issue for Republicans, helping them gain control of Congress. Capturing the White House would finally let them make good on "repeal and replace."
Yet Obama's law has changed the nation in ways that many people wouldn't want reversed. Reviled as it may be, the law means people don't have to worry about being denied coverage due to medical problems, or fear policies that max out while a patient is undergoing chemotherapy. Millions who couldn't afford health insurance now have financial help.
Ripping apart the social safety net in the name of rolling back the government's power would be politically self-defeating, a dilemma for Republicans.
"I don't think they can credibly do 'repeal' until they have a solid legislative proposal to replace it," said Lanhee Chen, policy director for the 2012 Mitt Romney presidential campaign. "Politically, you can't really do 'repeal' without the 'replace' coming in right behind it."
Trump "has made some vague pronouncements, but that's not a plan," he added.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/healthcare/with-millions-covered-repeal-and-replace-gets-riskier/ar-BBus7ia?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=edgsp
