When Tom Brokaw forced Rep. Eric Cantor to explain the Teapublican alternative to the Affordable Care Act, Cantor said that the GOP (Guardians Of Privilege) had already presented it. It was the alternative they offered during the healthcare debate in 2009: H. R. 3962. In short, what it calls for are more concessions to insurance companies, tort reform and a lot more hocus pocus.
At the time it was presented, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that it would increase the number of insured by roughly 3 million by 2019. That compares to the more than 30 million previously uninsured that will be covered under Obamacare by 2019.
Is it any wonder why Sen. Mitch McConnell was recently quoted as saying that the uninsured are not the issue?
Moreover, this great replacement for the Affordable Care Act would do very little, if anything, to curb rising healthcare costs. Indeed, its provision to allow insurance companies to sell insurance across state lines, looks a lot like the deregulation of national banks which allowed them to skirt state usury laws to raise interest rates on credit cards to more than 30 percent.
If this bill were to replace the ACA, it would likely allow a few health insurers to become monopolies with the power to set their costs and coverage. And it would allow doctors and hospitals to avoid any repercussions from malpractice and medical errors.
Whoeeee! Lets all celebrate. Who wouldn’t want this over “Obamacare?”