Guys, who was supposed to look after grandpa last night? Because he got out, got on TV and… It. Was. No. Good.
For 18 long minutes on Wednesday evening we were subjected to President Trump's statement which moved predictably from immigrants (bad) to jobs (good), rarely slowing down in reality. But mixed between the vitriol and the poison is a vision of American health care in which the terrible villain M3GAN shakes in her Mary Janes – a vision that we should all fear, because it will take us back to a dark era when insurance could not be counted on.
Trump's statements, as usual, offered little more than a sketch of how premium costs might be lower, but that would be because the coverage is terrible. Yes, you will save money. But so what? A cheap car without wheels is no deal.
“The money has to go to the people,” Trump said of his plan.
The money he vaguely alluded to is government subsidies that make coverage under the Affordable Care Act affordable. After the antics and mini-rebellion of four Republicans on Wednesday, Congress has been unable to do anything meaningful on health care—all but guaranteeing that these subsidies will disappear with the New Year.
Since January, insurance premiums for too many people we're going to jump into the sky without subsidies, jumping by an average of $1,016, according to KFF Health Policy Research Group.
That's bad enough. But Trump would like to make the situation worse.
The Affordable Care Act is about more than just subsidies. Before it went into effect in 2014, insurance companies in many states could deny coverage for pre-existing conditions. It doesn't have to be something expensive like cancer. Child with asthma? Mom with colitis? These were routine but chronic problems that prevented millions of people from obtaining insurance and, therefore, health care.
Obamacare required that policies sold on its exchanges not be discriminatory. In addition, the ACA required plans to cap out-of-pocket expenses and end lifetime dollar caps, as well as provide basic coverage that includes essentials such as maternity care. These standards force all plans to include more, even those offered by large employers.
Trump would like to undo a lot of this. Instead, he wants to resort to his favorite trick: sending a check!
What he proposes, by sending subsidy money directly to consumers, would likely also open up the market for plans without ACA regulation. So yes, small businesses or even groups of people can band together to buy insurance, but there will likely be fewer rules about what or who it must cover.
Most people aren't smart or careful enough to understand the limits of their insurance before it makes a difference. So he has a $2 million lifetime limit? This sounds like a lot until your child needs treatment that will take care of it in a couple of months. What then?
Trump suggested to people pay for it yourselffrom health savings accounts funded by this grant check sent directly to taxpayers. Because it will definitely work and people won't spend money on groceries or rent and what they save will most likely cover any medical expenses.
“You'll get much better health care at a much lower cost,” Trump said Wednesday. “The only losers will be the rich insurance companies and the Democratic Party, which is completely controlled by the same insurance companies. They won't be happy, but I'm okay with that because you people will finally get great health care at a lower price.”
He then bizarrely tried to blame the Democrats for the expiring subsidies.
Democrats “are demanding these increases, and it's their fault,” he said. “It's not the Republicans' fault. It's the Democrats' fault. It's the Affordable Care Act, and everyone knew it.”
It looks like Trump just wants to cut costs at the expense of quality. This is where I disagree with the Democrats. I'm not here to defend insurance companies or our health care system. Both countries are clearly in need of reform.
But why can't Democrats explain what the phrase “Money should go to the people” will mean?
I understand that affordability is key, and as someone who bought both a steak and a carton of milk this week, I understand how serious this problem is.
However, everyone, Democrat or Republican, wants decent health care they can afford and peace of mind knowing that if something terrible happens, they will have access to help. There is not a single American who would happily pay for insurance every month, no matter how low the premium, and it would leave them without care when they or their loved ones need it most.
Grandpa Trump doesn't worry about this because he has the best healthcare our taxes can buy.
But when he promises to send a check instead of providing management and regulation for one of the most important purchases in our lives, the message becomes disgusting: my victory in exchange for your well-being.
