Republican Minority Leader John Boehner released the Republican comeback to the Health Care Reform package being put forward by the Democratic Leadership. However, the CBO, Congressional Budget Office, ripped apart the Republican plan for everything it doesn't do.
Robert Dobbs for Congress, SC-01
We have been waiting for months for the Republicans to come up with a Health Care Reform package in writing to back up all of the rhetoric they have put forward against the plan being floated by the Democratic Leadership. Well we now have that plan in writing and believe it or not, it doesn't save as much money nor does it cover more people than the Democrat plan. But would we expect anything less?
The Republican plan attempts to reform the system by creating high-risk insurance pools, allowing people to purchase health insurance policies across state lines, and instituting medical malpractice reforms.
The Congressional Budget Office, CBO, released its initial analysis of the health-care reform plan that Republican Minority Leader John Boehner offered as a substitute to the Democratic legislation.
CBO Analysis of Republican Plan
The CBO has a baseline estimate that 17 percent of legal, non-elderly residents won't have health-care insurance in 2010. However after 10 years of the Republican plan, the CBO estimates that 17 percent of legal, non-elderly residents won't have health-care insurance, so there would be no improvement. According to the CBO, theDemocratic bill will cover 36 million more people than the Republican Bill and cuts the uninsured population to 4 percent.
You must be asking yourselves, "You have to be kidding me", but no this is the Republican plan and it gets worse.
The CBO estimates the GOP's alternative will reduce $68 billion off the deficit in the next 10 years. However the CBO estimates the Democrats plan will reduce $104 billion off the deficit. Didn't the Republicans say the Democrats were adding more to the deficit, I guess not according to the CBO?
Additional Problems with the Republican Bill:
Nowhere does the bill make it illegal for insurance companies to deny coverage based on pre-existing conditions. As a result, consumers will never be fully protected and guaranteed coverage options.
The Republican bill states that it improves access through high-risk pools, but according to the bill, those states that currently do not have high-risk pools never need to develop them, and those states that have high-risk pools could close them.
Without any additional protections, insurers would be allowed to cherry pick healthy enrollees by marketing strategies, benefit design, and targeting those states with the least consumer protections.
Does not have policies to promote quality health care and efficiency of health care in private or public health insurance.
Does not give premium assistance for middle-income families that struggle to pay for health insurance.
Does not give increased support or options for states to build the platforms to improve the delivery system.
The bill caps the amount of damages a person injured can receive and will preempt state consumer protection laws.
So this is the best the Republicans can come up and dare to criticize the Democratic Leadership and the President? What the Republican plan will do is continue to have more people uninsured, more people denied coverage due to pre-existing conditions, and cost taxpayers more money. That doesn't seem like a plan to me.
Well John Boehner here is the reality facing millions of Americans today!
--62% of U.S. Bankruptcies Involve Medical Bills
--Current Health Care Costs Already Fueling Job Losses
--One in Five Americans Forced to Postpone Care
--50 Million Uninsured in America
--Another 25 Million Underinsured
--Dramatic Decline in Emergency Room Capacity
--94% of Health Insurance Markets in U.S Now "Highly Concentrated"
--Employer-Based Coverage Plummets Below 60%
Robert Dobbs for Congress, SC-01