Trumpcare in trouble as Obama defends ACA
ADVERTISEMENTThe United States spends around $3.5tr on health care per annum, less than half is covered by the public purse.
That contrasts with the 72 percent average of OECD members.
As it stands some 28 million American citizens remain uninsured.
Since 2010 when the Affordable Care Act, known as Obamacare, came into being some 20 million more people have gained health coverage.
This Day in History: “Obamacare” was signed into law 7 years ago today pic.twitter.com/rM4PVSAeAh
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) March 23, 2017
Less well off Americans and the middle classes have benefitted from ACA.
The plan adheres to a set of minimum standards such as free preventive care coverage, it mandates the majority of employers to offer insurance to employees and introduced subsidies to encourage individuals to buy into it.
ACA also banned insurers from turning down people based on their medical history. It also permits younger people to remain on their parents insurance until the age of 26.
Along came President Trump, he put pen to paper on his first
executive order on January 20, shortly after his inauguration, to repeal Obamacare. The Trump bill however, appears to be losing support with Republican moderates.
GOP Rep. Massie: Health care bill is ‘worse than Obamacare’ https://t.co/qkGGCpjJpXpic.twitter.com/sZK5HuAmCU
— POLITICO (@politico) March 23, 2017
According to the Congressional Budget Office 14 million citizens will lose coverage by next year climbing to 24 million by 2026.
The measures proposed by Trump’s Republicans include cutting taxes related to Obamacare, an end to the penalties for not buying coverage and funding cuts for Medicaid, which is a social health care programme for people with limited resources, and they also want to modify the subsidies that help people buy insurance.
The right-wing of the Republican party want to go further they would like to omit emergency services, maternity and mental health assistance in order to reduce insurance premiums.