Is the ACA safe & up for improvement now house has flipped?

[ShokWaveRider]

Please no political implications, just what we all think.

I was curious if we think it will remain the same or get better. I hope it will be strengthened. I think the Pre-Existing conditions mandatory coverage could be solidified as it seems that a lot of folk agree it is a good thing. If that is all that happens as a general insurance mandate, it would almost eliminate the need for the ACA if done correctly.

 

[joeea]

While I think the majority of the current ACA is relatively safe, I think it's clear that whatever provisions can be chipped away without congressional approval are not safe.

Just yesterday the US Department of Health and Human Services changed a rule to allow employers to avoid having to provide contraceptive coverage if it goes against the employer's religious beliefs. And the same exemption is allowed for nonprofit organizations and small businesses that may have non-religious moral convictions to such coverage.

I suppose it depends on your individual viewpoint if you view that as "better" or "worse".

The trend is clear. How far it will go is not.

It seems unlikely that any parts of the ACA will be strengthened in the near term. While the house has flipped, the Senate and Executive branch have not. It's hard to imagine all three coming together to strengthen the ACA.

 

[googily]

This from yesterday's Washington Post:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/powe...31dcd53ca6b_story.html?utm_term=.9292f2ba3072

Republicans abandon the fight to repeal and replace Obama’s health care law

...

The day after crushing midterm election losses handed Democrats control of the House, GOP leaders signaled they had no appetite to make another go at shredding the signature accomplishment of Obama’s presidency anytime soon.

“I think it’s pretty obvious, the Democratic House is not going to be interested in that,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who suggested instead that lawmakers address the flaws in the Affordable Care Act “on a bipartisan basis.”

 

[ShokWaveRider]

That is actually promising, especially the part about Bi-Partisan strengthening. So maybe it may get better?

 

[MRG]

I think our representatives heard healthcare matters to voters.

 

[Dtail]

I voted no change.
Very glad to see @googily's post.
It is clear that the overall feeling about the ACA is somewhat better than in the past.
It clearly has been good for me (and Shokwave I dare say).
Nevertheless, hopefully the flaws of the ACA can be addressed on a bipartisan basis.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

Very glad to see @googily's post.
It is clear that the overall feeling about the ACA is somewhat better than in the past.
It clearly has been good for me (and Shokwave I dare say).
Nevertheless, hopefully the flaws of the ACA can be addressed on a bipartisan basis.

+10

 

[ShokWaveRider]

I think our representatives heard healthcare matters to voters.

Yes, along with Medicare and SS for the Older Citizens. Get all those on a healthy road and my household will be happy campers.

 

[SumDay]

I think our representatives heard healthcare matters to voters.

Agreed. It's now part of the conversation.

 

[gauss]

I hope so -- but that is what I thought after the 2012 Presidential election.

Also hoping that since I will be over age 55 after the 2020 election takes place, that any proposals to reform SS will continue to apply in a limited fashion to those older than 55.

-gauss

 

[street]

I read that ACA cost US tax payers 700 Billion a year to subsidize HC in the US.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

I read that ACA cost US tax payers 700 Billion a year to subsidize HC in the US.

If so, it is Money well spent IMHO. Especially when you compare it to other expenses.

 

[davebarnes]

RIF

I read that ACA cost US tax payers 700 Billion a year to subsidize HC in the US.

Wrong!
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...lion-a-year-to-subsidize-u-s-health-insurance

"It will cost the U.S. government almost $700 billion in subsidies this year help provide Americans under age 65 with health insurance through their jobs or in government-sponsored health programs, according to a report from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

The subsidies come from four main categories.
1. About $296 billion is federal spending on programs like Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which help insure low-income people.
2. Almost as big are the tax write-offs that employers take for providing coverage to their workers.
3. Medicare-eligible people, such as the disabled, account for $82 billion.
4. Subsidies for Obamacare and for other individual coverage are the smallest segment, at $55 billion."

 

[Dtail]

Wrong!
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...lion-a-year-to-subsidize-u-s-health-insurance

"It will cost the U.S. government almost $700 billion in subsidies this year help provide Americans under age 65 with health insurance through their jobs or in government-sponsored health programs, according to a report from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

The subsidies come from four main categories.
1. About $296 billion is federal spending on programs like Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which help insure low-income people.
2. Almost as big are the tax write-offs that employers take for providing coverage to their workers.
3. Medicare-eligible people, such as the disabled, account for $82 billion.
4. Subsidies for Obamacare and for other individual coverage are the smallest segment, at $55 billion."

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[broadway]

Wrong!
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...lion-a-year-to-subsidize-u-s-health-insurance

"It will cost the U.S. government almost $700 billion in subsidies this year help provide Americans under age 65 with health insurance through their jobs or in government-sponsored health programs, according to a report from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

The subsidies come from four main categories.
1. About $296 billion is federal spending on programs like Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which help insure low-income people.
2. Almost as big are the tax write-offs that employers take for providing coverage to their workers.
3. Medicare-eligible people, such as the disabled, account for $82 billion.
4. Subsidies for Obamacare and for other individual coverage are the smallest segment, at $55 billion."

Kudos to Bloomberg.com for that!

And kudos to you for providing that link!

.

 

[scrabbler1]

Back in September 2017, I was watching on C-Span several hearings held by senators Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Patty Murray (D-WA) about improvements which can be made to the ACA. Panelists included experts in the health care and health insurance industry as well as elected and appointed government officials who oversee the health care and health insurance industry. It was fascinating how much agreement there was by the panelists no matter which side of the political aisle they came from.


All of this was in the preparation of an Alexander-Murray ACA reform package which I hoped would advance to the senate floor for a vote. It never made it to the floor. However, I also heard that there wasn't much, maybe lukewarm interest in the senate's work by House leaders.


Could this ACA reform interest be revived next year, especially if the House begins a similar reform effort the senate has already undertaken?

 

[MBSC]

Multiple lawsuits both against and in favor of the ACA are still making their way through the court system.

Here are the two latest filed in support of the ACA: https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hblog20180917.479910/full/

11/6/18 Court of Appeals decision on Risk Corridor payments: https://www.healthaffairs.org/do/10.1377/hblog20181107.37909/full/

 

[Rianne]

The ACA becomes a problem when one makes over the subsidy limit. I believe it's only fair to make the Affordable Car Act affordable for everyone. Companies get tax write offs for providing HI, why shouldn't everyone get good affordable HI? I am 100% for fixing the ACA with bi partisan support. I was sickened to learn my DB payed over $25K in premiums alone and another $12K deductible simply because DB and DSI were independent contractors (real estate brokers) and were successful.

 

[Lakewood90712]

Expect gridlock , no changes.

 

[REWahoo]

I believe it's only fair to make the Affordable Car Act affordable for everyone.

I'm in complete agreement. Some car prices are totally ridiculous!

 

[USGrant1962]

....
The subsidies come from four main categories.
...
2. Almost as big are the tax write-offs that employers take for providing coverage to their workers.
...

Just a nit, but a common error made by the press showed up here. The tax expenditure for employer-provided health insurance has nothing to do with "tax write-offs that employers take". To employers, health insurance is just another expense like salaries and paper clips. U.S. corporate income taxes are on "income", which in simplest terms is revenue minus expenses (i.e., profit).

The source report is clear and correct - the tax expenditure exists because health insurance does not show up as taxable compensation for the employee. Source here: https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/115th-congress-2017-2018/reports/53826-healthinsurancecoverage.pdf

On page 16:

Employers’ payments for workers’
health insurance coverage are a form of compensation,
but unlike cash compensation, those payments
are excluded from income and payroll taxes.

 

[Rianne]

I'm in complete agreement. Some car prices are totally ridiculous!

Ha! Yes, let's make BMW's affordable for everyone!

 

[travelover]

Expect gridlock , no changes.

Unfortunately, yes. It is all about scoring points now.

 

[FreeBear]

Expect gridlock , no changes.

+1

Seems most likely...

Still could be worse for me. "Glad" ACA continues on, in the sense that it's better than the bad old days of pre-existing condition, etc, again, at least for me and DW.

I realize that escalating HC costs, regardless of who pays for what, is probably the elephant in the room problem. We all just kicked the can or elephant down the road another year or two...