Barack Obama shakes hands as he meets with Donald Trump on transition planning in the Oval Office at the White House on November 10, 2016 in Washington, DC.
At long last, America has a glimpse of the Senate’s ACA replacement plan. The bill would drastically alter Medicaid and let states water down changes to some of the ACA’s guarantees, among other initiatives.
Former President Barack Obama, who has generally kept mum on the subject, recently spoke out via a Facebook post.
“The Senate bill, unveiled today, is not a healthcare bill,” Obama said in the post. “It’s a massive transfer of wealth from middle-class and poor families to the richest people in America.”
Through the ACA, Obama notes, more than 90 percent of Americans have health insurance. Although healthcare costs have been increasing, they have been rising at the slowest pace in the past half century. The ACA has made insurance more accessible and affordable for women, young adults and those with pre-existing conditions.
But the healthcare law is far from perfect. “I was careful to say again and again … that if Republicans could put together a plan that is demonstrably better than the improvements we made to our healthcare system, that covers as many people at less cost, I would gladly and publicly support it,” Obama said. “That remains true.”
However, the latest repeal and replace idea isn’t such a plan, he said. In addition to tax cuts to wealthy Americans and the insurance industry, the bill would result in higher premiums, higher deductibles, lower tax credits and discrimination to certain individuals.
A Deep-dive Into Specialty Pharma
A specialty drug is a class of prescription medications used to treat complex, chronic or rare medical conditions. Although this classification was originally intended to define the treatment of rare, also termed “orphan” diseases, affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the US, more recently, specialty drugs have emerged as the cornerstone of treatment for chronic and complex diseases such as cancer, autoimmune conditions, diabetes, hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS.
Obama continued:
I hope our Senators ask themselves — what will happen to the Americans grappling with opioid addiction who suddenly lose their coverage? What will happen to pregnant mothers, children with disabilities, poor adults and seniors who need long-term care once they can no longer count on Medicaid? What will happen if you have a medical emergency when insurance companies are once again allowed to exclude the benefits you need, send you unlimited bills, or set unaffordable deductibles? What impossible choices will working parents be forced to make if their child’s cancer treatment costs them more than their life savings?
A better plan is possible, Obama concluded. He urged Democrats and Republicans to work together to find a better option for all Americans.
“After all, this debate has always been about something bigger than politics. It’s about the character of our country — who we are, and who we aspire to be,” Obama said. “And that’s always worth fighting for.”
Photo: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images
