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BUSINESS Monday 26 June 2017
A25

Consumer issues stemming from the GOP health care initiative

tors and hospitals are over-
By RICARDO ALONSO- whelmingly opposed to
ZALDIVAR the Republican approach,
Associated Press because it’s likely to result
WASHINGTON (AP) — Re- in millions more uninsured
publicans in full control of people. Consumer organi-
government are on the zations like AARP are also
brink of history-making opposed.
changes to the nation’s Under Obama, the nation’s
health care system. The im- uninsured rate dropped
pact for consumers would below 9 percent, a historic
go well beyond “Obam- low. Progress has stalled,
acare.” partly because “Obam-
Former President Barack acare” is politically divisive.
Obama’s signature law Now, the uninsured rate
is usually associated with may start climbing again,
subsidized insurance mar- because both the House
kets like HealthCare.gov. and Senate bills cut feder-
But the Affordable Care al financing and repeal an
Act also expanded Med- unpopular requirement to
icaid. carry health insurance.
Not only would the GOP It “would have a pro-
legislation scale back cov- foundly negative impact
erage through the insur- In this April 3, 2017, file photo, the Senate side of the Capitol is seen in Washington. on Americans,” said John
ance markets and phase Associated Press Meigs, president of the
out the Medicaid expan- American Academy of
sion, it would also make about 70 million people, would cover about 14 mil- cal discipline that conser- Family Physicians.
fundamental changes to including children and lion fewer people by 2026, vatives say is long overdue. Some Republicans argue
the broader Medicaid pro- able-bodied adults mostly a 17 percent reduction. But the human conse- that a Medicaid card or
gram. The federal-state served by private man- Governors of both parties quences could be politi- an “Obamacare” policy
program covers low-in- aged care plans. have warned Congress cally volatile. “No one wins means little because either
come people, from new- The GOP’s biggest Medic- that would mean a cost on health care policy,” ob- the doctor doesn’t accept
borns to elderly nursing aid change involves limit- shift to states that under- served Holtz-Eakin. notoriously low Medicaid
home residents, from spe- ing future federal financ- mines coverage for the vul- WHAT DOCTORS ARE SAY- fees, or high deductibles
cial-needs kids to young ing. Since its inception, nerable. ING under the health law keep
adults caught in the opioid Medicaid has been an Medicaid limits got very Groups representing doc- patients from coming in.q
epidemic. open-ended entitlement, little attention in the 2016
House Republicans have with Washington matching presidential campaign. The
passed their health care a share of what each state idea was a relatively late
bill, and Senate GOP lead- spends. Instead, Republi- addition to Trump’s talking
ers are driving toward a cans propose a per-bene- points. Indeed, candidate
vote next week. President ficiary cap. Trump had started out
Donald Trump is waiting, In addition, the GOP would promising no cuts to Social
eager to deliver on a cam- phase out added financ- Security, Medicare or Med-
paign promise to repeal ing that Obama’s law pro- icaid.
the law. vided as an incentive for Economist Douglas Holtz-
Against fast-moving devel- states to expand the pro- Eakin, a longtime GOP
opments, a look at some gram and cover more low- adviser, says the Repub-
major issues for consumers. income adults. About 11 lican approach is “180
WHY MEDICAID MATTERS million are covered by the degrees different in its
As health care costs have expansion. economic and budget-
kept climbing, employers The Congressional Bud- ary philosophy,” from the
cut back on coverage, get Office estimated the course steered by Obama.
and Medicaid passed House bill would reduce The Medicaid limit would
Medicare as the nation’s federal Medicaid spend- move the nation closer to
largest public insurance ing by $834 billion over 10 putting public health care
program. It now covers years, and the program programs on a budget, fis-