It is surprising to me that some many otherwise intelligent people seem to be completely lost when it comes to healthcare insurance. A recent letter to The Citizen by a retired colonel is a good example.
He rants about government being involved in healthcare, which is strange in that retired military get more government healthcare than anyone else. Even the current GOP replacement plan is too progressive for him. He implies that we need a market-based system with everyone (very sick or healthy) fighting for themselves. Great for him and his family since they get either get VA or other military insurance.
He advocates for selling insurance across state lines as some sort of panacea. Obviously, he does not realize that Georgia is one of 4 states that already permit this and it has not helped bring down premiums.
But what really annoyed me was his insistence that everyone who needs care can now get it under Medicaid and that there is no need for Obamacare (the ACA). That is 100 percent factually incorrect.
There have been many studies of the impact of repeal. All have found major impact on the poor and others.
The bi-partisan Congressional Budget Office found that 24 million people would lose insurance under the repeal bill (AHCA, Trumpcare). Also, there would be a $600 million tax break for the rich and corporations.
Georgians for a Healthy Future has pulled statistics from various reputable sources to determine our current health insurance status and the impact of Trumpcare on Georgia itself. Here is what they found:
• For a working Georgia mother with two children to be eligible for Medicaid today, she must make less than $8,000 annually.
• If Georgia would expand its Medicaid program under Obamacare by letting higher income people in, 90 percent of the cost would be paid for by the feds. All but 19 red states have done so.
• Georgia spends less per-capita on Medicaid than any other state except Nevada. Under Trumpcare (repeal/replace), Georgia would therefore get less money per capita than all of the other 48 via a block grant.
• Trumpcare would cause 560,000 Georgians to lose insurance.
• There are 500,000 Georgians currently enrolled in Obamacare via the health insurance marketplace “exchanges.” Over 80 percent get substantial financial aid, enabling them to get insurance. Aid would be cut dramatically under Trumpcare, with most of the money going towards tax cuts for the wealthy.
• Trumpcare will eliminate the requirement that health insurance be affordable for those with pre-existing conditions. These people will be charged astronomical premiums and driven out of the market. Risk pools under Trumpcare will only help a small fraction of those hurt by this change.
We are the most religious democracy. Is Trumpcare consistent with biblical teachings? Does this sound like something a caring nation should do? Is this really the America that we want to leave to our children?
Jack Bernard
Peachtree City, Ga.
