The Trumpcare Disaster - The NYT Editorial Board

[DonViejo]

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD MAY 4, 2017

The House speaker, Paul Ryan, and other Republicans falsely accused Democrats of rushing the Affordable Care Act through Congress. On Thursday, in a display of breathtaking hypocrisy, House Republicans — without holding any hearings or giving the Congressional Budget Office time to do an analysis — passed a bill that would strip at least 24 million Americans of health insurance.

Pushed by President Trump to repeal the A.C.A., or Obamacare, so he could claim a legislative win, Mr. Ryan and his lieutenants browbeat and cajoled members of their caucus to pass the bill. Groups representing doctors, hospitals, nurses, older people and people with illnesses like cancer opposed the bill. Just 17 percent of Americans supported an earlier version of the measure, and Republicans have made the legislation only worse since that poll was conducted. Neither Mr. Trump nor Mr. Ryan seemed bothered by this overwhelming criticism of their Trumpcare bill, the American Health Care Act. They seemed concerned only about appeasing the House Freedom Caucus, the far-right flank of their party.

Mr. Trump in particular has been spreading misinformation and lies about health care, arguing that the legislation would lower costs while guaranteeing that people with pre-existing health conditions could get affordable health insurance. It would do the opposite. Here is what the bill actually does:

Takes a machete to Medicaid. The bill would cut $880 billion over 10 years from Medicaid, the program that provides health care to about 74 million poor, disabled and elderly Americans. That’s one-fourth of its budget. As a result, 14 million fewer people would have access to health care by 2026, according to a C.B.O. analysis of the earlier bill, which contained similar Medicaid provisions. The cuts would also hurt special education programs, which receive about $4 billion from Medicaid every year.

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https://www.nytimes.com/2017/05/04/opinion/obamacare-house-vote.html?emc=edit_th_20170505&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=57435284

[underpants]

1. The disabled community is not happy

I can tell you that.

[still_one]

2. It was a f*ing photo OP, and the media for the most was pushing the myth how this was "trumps first

victory". By all implications from the press, it is almost as if they have concluded that the ACA was repealed, and trumpcare was in place, and nothing could be further from the truth.

Over 50 times the republican house has voted to repeal the ACA, and each time it was DOA in the Senate.

This is almost as ridiculous as when CNN's Fareed Zakaria said, "today trump became president", in response to trump bombing a Syrian airbase.

At least the editorial boards for the most part are calling it as it is, a disaster to hurt the most vulnerable in our society

[dalton99a]

3. A must read.

[Metro135]

4. On Thursday, in a display of breathtaking hypocrisy . . .

Not surprising. Every breath Republicans take reeks of rank hypocrisy.

[flamingdem]

5. Let's not forget cruelty

They're betting that the poor cannot mount a defense. They are bullies.

[Frustratedlady]

6. They are also scaring the elderly and vulnerable.

It wouldn't surprise me if many die from the disinformation put out by the Republican party, as well as the information NOT provided. Fear is a powerful weapon. The fear of what is ahead for many elderly is enough to throw them into strokes or heart attacks just from the worry and spiking of blood pressure. What a horrible thing to do.

How can Trump sit in the Oval Office with a clear conscience when so many groups/media types are calling him a liar? I can't imagine he can sleep at night unless it simply doesn't bother him.

I'll bet he was one hell of a kid to raise.

[Lyricalinklines]

8. I saw disabled people crying as they were talking with each other about their understanding of this.

It's insane to me what they will do with seemingly little regard for how information is disseminated. Others (friends, caregivers, family) have little information to reassure them.

[Lyricalinklines]

7. They sure don't mind giving corporations 'shots'

costing each tax payer in excess of $6000.00 per year.

If they stopped financially enabling corporations, they could fund health care for all.