The Dem plans for health care and the ACA

Renae said:

Tax the ever loving **** out of everyone, force every under Gov't thumb and control our lives

Click to expand...

The ACA was supposed to spend new money on coverage expansions by (1) expanding Medicaid, (2) providing subsidies for private coverage in the marketplaces, and (3) offering tax credits to small business to provide coverage.

It was in turn supposed to more than offset that new spending with (1) savings to Medicare relative to the pre-ACA baseline, and (2) new revenues through a variety of changes to the tax code, excise taxes, etc.

I've looked up what was projected to happen with new health coverage spending under the ACA, expected Medicare savings, and new revenues.

I've also looked up what was actually spent, actually saved in Medicare relative to baseline, and actually raised under the ACA's tax changes (the latter is understated, as I've only included those revenues I could easily find, which leaves some revenue-raisers out, and some have only been reported through 2016 at this point). 2018 and 2019 numbers are projections at this point.



Turns out we can make the financial assistance under the ACA much more generous under the original financial envelope of what was promised back in 2009/10. So there's no reason not to. No additional taxes required.

Neomalthusian said:

To nitpick for a second, I don't think you can point to Congress' hyperpartisanship and say they therefore don't represent us. Look at what the people are saying. The people are hyper-partisan. Congress' tribalism reflects populist tribalism. Generally speaking, the people do not understand the complexities of the health care issue. I barely understand it, and that's in spite of my honest efforts to understand it, including challenging or questioning some of my own assumptions and biases.

A lot of others, most that I've ever personally spoken to, they don't remotely understand the complexities of the health care system and don't make much effort to do so. The only exceptions seem to be people that work relatively higher up in an insurance company or in government. People in general just seem to feel personally entitled to low-cost or no-cost health care for themselves and their loved ones, and then insofar as any system-wide problems are concerned, they just pick a scapegoat. Either it's all the fault of for-profit insurance companies, or it's all the fault of government.

Click to expand...

The only caveat to that is that both parties.. in their hyperpartisanship.. have misinformed and continue to misinform the public when it comes to healthcare. The republicans have done it and continue to do it when it comes to the ACA. From death panels to causing costs to rise.. etc.

They spent years lambasting it.. and when it comes down to the ACA and repealing it... suddenly they had to admit at some level.. it works and they can't repeal it, nor do they have a plan for a better system.

The democrats on the other hand.. also misinform as well.. especially when talking about Canadian healthcare and single payer. And both dems and republicans misinform when they talk about the need to lower the "cost of healthcare".

Most people with insurance don't pay for healthcare costs... they pay for healthcare insurance cost.. which is different.

jaeger19 said:

The only caveat to that is that both parties.. in their hyperpartisanship.. have misinformed and continue to misinform the public when it comes to healthcare. The republicans have done it and continue to do it when it comes to the ACA. From death panels to causing costs to rise.. etc.

They spent years lambasting it.. and when it comes down to the ACA and repealing it... suddenly they had to admit at some level.. it works and they can't repeal it, nor do they have a plan for a better system.

The democrats on the other hand.. also misinform as well.. especially when talking about Canadian healthcare and single payer. And both dems and republicans misinform when they talk about the need to lower the "cost of healthcare".

Most people with insurance don't pay for healthcare costs... they pay for healthcare insurance cost.. which is different.

Click to expand...

I agree with that.