In all the ways that Congress and the Donald Trump administration have tried to depress participation in the Affordable Care Act individual markets, they are actively trying to make the nation worse, in hopes that some good will come of it eventually.
As I've said all year, and as far back as Barack Obama's first term, the best option all along for Republicans on health care may well be to just call "Obamacare" something else and call it a day a "pretend and rename" strategy.
It's not too late to avoid the trap, or at least the worst of it. Yes, if the bill dies in the Senate, Mitch McConnell and some or all Republican senators will take the blame and some Republican activists may hold it against them.
What if the Supreme Court rules against the government in King v. Burwell, and the Obamacare subsidies end in states that have chosen not to set up health care exchanges?
If Republications win the King vs. Burwell case regarding PPACA, will Republicans in Congress find their constituents demanding a solution to the loss of Obamacare?
We don't know whether the Supreme Court's decision in the King case will be to take away subsidies for people who signed up for insurance through healthcare.gov, the exchanges. If that is what happens, however, the legislative politics of a fix are increasingly clear.
DebugScreen: mobile
{
"author": {
"name": "Jonathan Bernstein",
"webUrl": "/author/profile/jonathan-bernstein/",
"description": "",
"imageLarge": "https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/f16d6fc2845f417ea0e93a3f2b6cd37d?s=136&d=mm&r=g",
"estimate": 14,
"social": [],
"articles": [
{
"uri": "/2018/05/31/medicaid-expansion-soldiers-on/",
"title": "Medicaid expansion soldiers on",
"byline": "Jonathan Bernstein",
"kicker": "Commentary",
"prettyDate": "May 31, 2018",
"timeToRead": "3 minute",
"image": {
"uri": "https://images.benefitspro.com/contrib/content/uploads/sites/412/2018/02/Medicaid-1.jpg",
"width": "616",
"height": "372"
},
"authors": [
{
"webUrl": "/author/profile/jonathan-bernstein/",
"name": "Jonathan Bernstein"
}
],
"kickerNode": [
{
"uri": "/commentary/",
"sectionName": "Commentary"
}
],
"summary": "After Virginia approved a Medicaid expansion earlier this week, there are only 17 holdouts — including Texas and Florida.",
"body": null
},
{
"uri": "/2017/12/22/republicans-behaving-badly-on-health-care/",
"title": "Republicans behaving badly on health care",
"byline": "Jonathan Bernstein",
"kicker": "",
"prettyDate": "December 22, 2017",
"timeToRead": "3 minute",
"image": {
"uri": "",
"width": "",
"height": ""
},
"authors": [
{
"webUrl": "/author/profile/jonathan-bernstein/",
"name": "Jonathan Bernstein"
}
],
"kickerNode": [],
"summary": "In all the ways that Congress and the Donald Trump administration have tried to depress participation in the Affordable Care Act individual markets, they are actively trying to make the nation worse, in hopes that some good will come of it eventually.",
"body": null
},
{
"uri": "/2017/11/07/the-slow-way-back-to-politics-as-usual-on-health-c/",
"title": "The slow way back to politics as usual on health care",
"byline": " Jonathan Bernstein ",
"kicker": "",
"prettyDate": "November 07, 2017",
"timeToRead": "3 minute",
"image": {
"uri": "",
"width": "",
"height": ""
},
"authors": [
{
"webUrl": "/author/profile/jonathan-bernstein/",
"name": "Jonathan Bernstein"
}
],
"kickerNode": [],
"summary": "Blowing up the individual market in health insurance in order to blame it on the previous administration just seems like very foolish politics.",
"body": null
},
{
"uri": "/2017/09/15/call-obamacare-fix-whatever-you-want/",
"title": "Call Obamacare fix whatever you want",
"byline": "Jonathan Bernstein",
"kicker": "",
"prettyDate": "September 15, 2017",
"timeToRead": "4 minute",
"image": {
"uri": "",
"width": "",
"height": ""
},
"authors": [
{
"webUrl": "/author/profile/jonathan-bernstein/",
"name": "Jonathan Bernstein"
}
],
"kickerNode": [],
"summary": "As I've said all year, and as far back as Barack Obama's first term, the best option all along for Republicans on health care may well be to just call \"Obamacare\" something else and call it a day a \"pretend and rename\" strategy.",
"body": null
},
{
"uri": "/2017/06/20/republicans-walk-into-a-health-care-trap/",
"title": "Republicans walk into a health care trap",
"byline": "Jonathan Bernstein",
"kicker": "",
"prettyDate": "June 20, 2017",
"timeToRead": "5 minute",
"image": {
"uri": "",
"width": "",
"height": ""
},
"authors": [
{
"webUrl": "/author/profile/jonathan-bernstein/",
"name": "Jonathan Bernstein"
}
],
"kickerNode": [],
"summary": "It's not too late to avoid the trap, or at least the worst of it. Yes, if the bill dies in the Senate, Mitch McConnell and some or all Republican senators will take the blame and some Republican activists may hold it against them.",
"body": null
},
{
"uri": "/2016/08/15/democrats-seem-tepid-about-adding-public-option-to/",
"title": "Democrats seem tepid about adding public option to ACA",
"byline": " Jonathan Bernstein ",
"kicker": "",
"prettyDate": "August 15, 2016",
"timeToRead": "3 minute",
"image": {
"uri": "",
"width": "",
"height": ""
},
"authors": [
{
"webUrl": "/author/profile/jonathan-bernstein/",
"name": "Jonathan Bernstein"
}
],
"kickerNode": [],
"summary": "Democrats support adding to the ACA a government-run insurance program that would compete with private health insurance. But will they fight for it?",
"body": null
},
{
"uri": "/2015/11/17/more-red-states-open-doors-to-ppaca/",
"title": "More red states open doors to PPACA",
"byline": "Jonathan Bernstein",
"kicker": "",
"prettyDate": "November 17, 2015",
"timeToRead": "3 minute",
"image": {
"uri": "",
"width": "",
"height": ""
},
"authors": [
{
"webUrl": "/author/profile/jonathan-bernstein/",
"name": "Jonathan Bernstein"
}
],
"kickerNode": [],
"summary": "Medicaid expansion under PPACA is increasing as 30 of the 50 states sign up--will more Republican-dominated states follow?",
"body": null
},
{
"uri": "/2015/06/22/the-next-step-if-ppaca-loses-in-court/",
"title": "The next step if PPACA loses in court",
"byline": "Jonathan Bernstein",
"kicker": "",
"prettyDate": "June 22, 2015",
"timeToRead": "3 minute",
"image": {
"uri": "",
"width": "",
"height": ""
},
"authors": [
{
"webUrl": "/author/profile/jonathan-bernstein/",
"name": "Jonathan Bernstein"
}
],
"kickerNode": [],
"summary": "What if the Supreme Court rules against the government in King v. Burwell, and the Obamacare subsidies end in states that have chosen not to set up health care exchanges?",
"body": null
},
{
"uri": "/2015/05/22/republicans-may-be-forced-to-save-obamacare/",
"title": "Republicans may be forced to save Obamacare",
"byline": "Jonathan Bernstein",
"kicker": "",
"prettyDate": "May 22, 2015",
"timeToRead": "4 minute",
"image": {
"uri": "",
"width": "",
"height": ""
},
"authors": [
{
"webUrl": "/author/profile/jonathan-bernstein/",
"name": "Jonathan Bernstein"
}
],
"kickerNode": [],
"summary": "If Republications win the King vs. Burwell case regarding PPACA, will Republicans in Congress find their constituents demanding a solution to the loss of Obamacare?",
"body": null
},
{
"uri": "/2015/05/11/how-ppaca-subsidies-fight-could-play-out/",
"title": "How PPACA subsidies fight could play out",
"byline": "Jonathan Bernstein",
"kicker": "",
"prettyDate": "May 11, 2015",
"timeToRead": "4 minute",
"image": {
"uri": "",
"width": "",
"height": ""
},
"authors": [
{
"webUrl": "/author/profile/jonathan-bernstein/",
"name": "Jonathan Bernstein"
}
],
"kickerNode": [],
"summary": "We don't know whether the Supreme Court's decision in the King case will be to take away subsidies for people who signed up for insurance through healthcare.gov, the exchanges. If that is what happens, however, the legislative politics of a fix are increasingly clear.",
"body": null
}
]
}
}
