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U.S. Republicans lay out plans for Obamacare repeal

By Susan Cornwell and David Morgan

REUTERS

 

U.S. Representative Chris Collins is interviewed during the 2017 "Congress of Tomorrow" Joint Republican Issues Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. January 25, 2017. REUTERS/Mark Makela

 

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - U.S. Republican leaders on Wednesday laid out plans for repealing Obamacare by spring, followed by funding the building of a border wall and reforming the tax code by late summer, as lawmakers launched an effort to unify behind a legislative strategy.

 

But Republicans gathered in Philadelphia for a three-day retreat showed little fervor for President Donald Trump's calls to investigate what he believes was large-scale voter fraud in the Nov. 8 election.

 

On Wednesday night, several hundred protesters crammed into the street near the hotel where Trump is scheduled to speak to congressional Republicans on Thursday to demonstrate against his agenda.

 

"Philly hates Trump!" and "No hate, no fear, refugees are welcome here," were among the demonstrators' chants.

 

Police said they were expecting a larger turnout of protesters on Thursday when both Trump and Vice President Mike Pence address the Republican gathering.

 

Trump said on Wednesday he would seek a voter fraud probe, although there is overwhelming consensus among state officials, election experts and politicians that such fraud is rare in the United States.

 

At the closed-door retreat, House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan laid out a plan of legislative action including repeal of the Affordable Care Act, former President Barack Obama's signature healthcare law known as Obamacare, by March or April, followed by appropriations for a border wall with Mexico and overhauling the tax code by August, one Republican source said.

 

Republicans have majorities in both the House and Senate.

 

A senior House Republican, Representative Diane Black, said key House committees would take votes within the next two weeks on draft legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

 

“Then we expect that probably toward the latter part of February, or the first part of March, that we should be ready to go with the final reconciliation bill” to repeal Obamacare, she told reporters.

 

Representative Chris Collins, a New York Republican who was an early Trump backer, said on MSNBC that lawmakers were told at the retreat that they would write legislation "in the next two months" to help pay for the border wall that Trump signed directives to build.

 

On the issue of tax reform, Ryan, speaking to MSNBC, said: “Our goal is to get this done by the end of summer, which is for Congress quite fast.”

 

While there is Republican enthusiasm about the idea of swift action against Obamacare and on taxes, the challenge for Trump and congressional Republicans will be getting lawmakers to coalesce around specific plans.

 

'THE ELECTION'S OVER WITH'

 

Trump won in November because he secured the most votes in the state-by-state Electoral College system, but he lost the popular vote to Democrat Hillary Clinton by nearly 3 million ballots. Irked by that large figure, he has blamed voter fraud, without citing evidence, and called for an investigation.

 

Senator John Thune of South Dakota, chair of the Senate Republican Conference, saw little need for a probe.

 

"I’ve not seen any evidence to that effect, but if they want to take that issue up, that’s a decision obviously that he can make," Thune told reporters.

 

"All I can say is what I’ve said before, and that is that we’ve moved on, the election’s over with, we had a decisive winner in our constitutional system, and we’re ready to go to work," he said.

 

U.S. Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington state, chair of the Republican conference in the House of Representatives, took a wait-and-see attitude toward Trump's demand for a probe.

 

“It’s very important that people have confidence in the elections and the outcome of those elections. And I’ll wait until I see more of what he’s proposing before I comment on what his action is going to be," she said.

 

British Prime Minister Theresa May will also join lawmakers in Philadelphia on Thursday and is expected to discuss plans for a possible U.S.-U.K. trade deal.

 

(Additional reporting by Richard Cowan; Editing by Leslie Adler and Peter Cooney)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-01-26

[IMA_FARANG]

I am an American on a Social Security pension living  here in Thailand.

I have been paying more than $100 a month from my Social Security pension to give me access to what they call Obamacare.

However outside the U.S. I have never been able to use any of it.

Does that mean that when and if Trump and friends abolish Obamacare, my pension will go up by $100 a month?

I wouldn't bet on it, my experience of government is once they get your money they never give it back to you.

When Pigs fly.

 

 

[Johpa]

Looks like they still, after eight years, have no replacement plan.

But say hey, why spend money on healthcare when you can spend it a symbolic wall.


Happy Trails

[ilostmypassword]

32 minutes ago, IMA_FARANG said:

I am an American on a Social Security pension living  here in Thailand.

I have been paying more than $100 a month from my Social Security pension to give me access to what they call Obamacare.

However outside the U.S. I have never been able to use any of it.

Does that mean that when and if Trump and friends abolish Obamacare, my pension will go up by $100 a month?

I wouldn't bet on it, my experience of government is once they get your money they never give it back to you.

When Pigs fly.

 

 

Why are you paying for Obamacare when you're eligible for Medicare? And why are you paying for Medicare when it isn't mandatory and you live outside the USA?

[Emster23]

Agree with ilostmypassword. If you are paying around $100 a month, that is medicare. " to give me access to what they call Obamacare." Well, who the heck are "they"? I don't think expat Americans have ever been covered abroad by medicare, other than some special instances in Mexico or Canada. You've been played by whoever told you it is Obamacare.

[kamahele]

For 6 years the Republicans are telling the people they are going to introduce a new plan to replace Obamacare. Well, where is the replacement?

[wwest5829]

5 hours ago, IMA_FARANG said:

I am an American on a Social Security pension living  here in Thailand.

I have been paying more than $100 a month from my Social Security pension to give me access to what they call Obamacare.

However outside the U.S. I have never been able to use any of it.

Does that mean that when and if Trump and friends abolish Obamacare, my pension will go up by $100 a month?

I wouldn't bet on it, my experience of government is once they get your money they never give it back to you.

When Pigs fly.

 

 

Really?? You must be trying to convince folks who do not have knowledge of the U.S. Medicare System which is most assuredly not "Obamacare" but rather a system you...and I paid into (as well as our employers) all the years we worked. Medicare, I believe, is traced to President Lyndon Johnson's Administration (readily available confirmation on Wikipedia). This single payor system is very highly regarded although, I believe we would agree that extending our coverage to select hospitals here would save on medical costs over our returning for treatment in the U.S.. I'm thinking those politicians most wanting to cut social spending will simply continue to ignore us.

[wwest5829]

I cannot find the words to tell you how relieved I am reading the the Affordable Care Act is to be repealed and replaced! What great information concerning the replacement medical care for all....wait, what? Why, you are correct...there is nothing offered as a replacement...

[Jingthing]

5 hours ago, IMA_FARANG said:

I am an American on a Social Security pension living  here in Thailand.

I have been paying more than $100 a month from my Social Security pension to give me access to what they call Obamacare.

However outside the U.S. I have never been able to use any of it.

Does that mean that when and if Trump and friends abolish Obamacare, my pension will go up by $100 a month?

I wouldn't bet on it, my experience of government is once they get your money they never give it back to you.

When Pigs fly.

 

 

Please confirm that you are over 65 and the payment is about MEDICARE. Nothing to do with Obamacare. Did you actually not KNOW that? 

 

Medicare has NEVER covered expats. Nothing to do with Obama although yes he was another of a long line of presidents that didn't bother to work on the issue of covering expats on Medicare. trump won't either.

Edited January 26, 2017 by Jingthing

[malibukid]

it's about time Medicare should cover expats in Thailand, would save the U.S,. taxpayers $$$.

[Jingthing]

4 minutes ago, malibukid said:

it's about time Medicare should cover expats in Thailand, would save the U.S,. taxpayers $$$.

 

Yeah, but nothing to do with the topic of this thread and ZERO chance it would happen under a trump regime anyway. 

[1Gringo]

I got SS to stop taking that money out of my meager check.  you can, too.

[Mansell]

Actually if you are Medicare and are on vacation and having medical expenses. They will reimburse you if you take receipts back with you. But forget being an expat on Medicare unless you want to fly back for treatments. 

[Jingthing]

Obamacare concerns Americans UNDER age 65 that do not obtain insurance in other ways, such as through employers which is the most common way to obtain health insurance. 

 

This is a thread about the politics of OBAMACARE. People that have reached age 65 are not personally impacted by changes to OBAMACARE. 

[JAG]

How does, let us say, a 45 year old US citizen with a pre existing medical condition, (let us say Type 2 Diabetes) and no job get medical care?

 

 I ask simply because as a non US Citizen (and don't worry, I've no intention of going there), I simply don't understand what provision if any there is. I really cannot imagine that the richest country in the world simply has no universal health care system, however basic.

[Jingthing]

13 minutes ago, JAG said:

How does, let us say, a 45 year old US citizen with a pre existing medical condition, (let us say Type 2 Diabetes) and no job get medical care?

 

 I ask simply because as a non US Citizen (and don't worry, I've no intention of going there), I simply don't understand what provision if any there is. I really cannot imagine that the richest country in the world simply has no universal health care system, however basic.

Currently, pre-trump, there are a number of options ---

 

Traditional Medicaid -- only for almost homeless people poverty level and often restricted to single mothers. Not allowed to have assets over a very small sum.

Likely trump change -- traditional Medicaid will go to state block grants and states decide the details. Health care analysts generally say this will result in greatly reduced services for the poorest.

 

Expanded Medicaid -- an Obamacare program in some states, but rejected by most republican controlled states. Allowed people with very low or no income to have Medicaid without asset tests. Income from asset sales such as stocks or withdraws from retirement accounts counts as income.

Likely trump change -- Expanded Medicaid KILLED 100 percent

 

Obamacare -- People making under a certain income level, , not eligible for tradtional Medicaid, not eligible for expanded Medicaid because of living in republican controlled states, NO ACCESS. 

People making the MINIMUM income eligible for Obamacare (purchased insurance) on a SUBSIDIZED basis. 

For example a person making just above the minimum would have "affordable" premiums. People making over the subsidy cutoff would pay full retail for the insurance.

This supported by MANDATES ... requirement to have insurance or pay an annual penalty on tax form.

Preexisting conditions allowed. 

Likely trump change --

Mandates (need to support the program) KILLED

Penalties related to mandates -- KILLED

Subsides gone 100 percent.

Obamacare killed.

Preexisting conditions dealt with very differently ... likely something like you need to have CONTINUOUS coverage for 16 months beforehand.

And/or "high risk pools" meaning very high totally unaffordable for most premiums.

Estimated annual deaths from these changes -- 40 to 50 THOUSAND Americans. 

 

Complicated, yes very.

Perfect, not at all.

Universal single payer the only decent answer ... yes of course, but too many strong financial interests will never allow that, it seems. 

 

Edited January 26, 2017 by Jingthing

[JAG]

^^^ Thank you. 

 

Golly, up to 50000 may die!

 

Not a proud boast is it!

[Jingthing]

40 minutes ago, JAG said:

^^^ Thank you. 

 

Golly, up to 50000 may die!

 

Not a proud boast is it!

Not at all. Mostly poor people of course and including plenty of the "angry" white men that voted trump without understanding how this would hurt them, even kill them. 

Edited January 26, 2017 by Jingthing

[Grubster]

The headline says " lays out new plan", then not one word about the new plan. Huh

[ericthai]

11 hours ago, ilostmypassword said:

Why are you paying for Obamacare when you're eligible for Medicare? And why are you paying for Medicare when it isn't mandatory and you live outside the USA?

Medicare is not mandatory however, If you are eligible for Medicare weather you live in the USA or not you are required to enrolled when eligible.  Living outside of the USA is not an exemption from enrolling in Medicare. If you dont enroll when eligible and you enroll later

there is a 10% per year for each year your did not enroll for the part B premium. You are exempt of having to enroll into medicare If you have other medical coverage that medicare deems creditable coverage. 

 

Part D is different. Typically there is a 1% (of the national average) penalty for each month you dont enroll for part D when eligible, but if you live abroad you are exempt and will have a Special enrollment period when you return to the USA.

 

Both penalties are for life. 

 

IAM_Farang   Medicare and ACA ((affordable care act) or as commonly referred as Obamacare are two different things. 

I dont understand the $100 a month as for medicare the part B is now $134 for anyone new to medicare and $121.40 for anyone already one medicare which is typically take out of your SS.  Do you have a pension or SS or both? Nobody should be taking anything out of your pension. 

Edited January 26, 2017 by ericthai

[Grubster]

5 minutes ago, ericthai said:

Medicare is not mandatory however, If you are eligible for Medicare weather you live in the USA or not you are required to enrolled when eligible.  Living outside of the USA is not an exemption from enrolling in Medicare. If you dont enroll when eligible and you enroll later

there is a 10% per year for each year your did not enroll for the part B premium. You are exempt of having to enroll into medicare If you have other medical coverage that medicare deems creditable coverage. 

 

There is also a 1% (of the national average) penalty for each month you dont enroll for part D when eligible, again unless you have creditable coverage. Both penalties are for life.  I have a few clients that are paying the part D penalty because they didnt know

they had to enroll in part D. 

 

IAM_Farang   Medicare and ACA ((affordable care act) or as commonly referred as Obamacare are two different things. 

I dont understand the $100 a month as for medicare the part B is now $134 for anyone new to medicare and $121.40 for anyone already one medicare which is typically take out of your SS.  Do you have a pension or SS or both? Nobody should be taking anything out of your pension. 

You can refuse or cancel part B anytime and they will no longer deduct that amount from your SS. The penalty is applied only if you reinstate.

[ericthai]

3 minutes ago, Grubster said:

You can refuse or cancel part B anytime and they will no longer deduct that amount from your SS. The penalty is applied only if you reinstate.

Correct, if you dis-enroll you must make an appointment at a SS office or call SS office. You need to complete a form and must have an interview with SS as they want to make sure you understand the implications of dis-enrolling from part B. 

[Srikcir]

5 hours ago, Mansell said:

But forget being an expat on Medicare unless you want to fly back for treatments.

Can get it in Guam.

[ericthai]

5 hours ago, Mansell said:

Actually if you are Medicare and are on vacation and having medical expenses. They will reimburse you if you take receipts back with you. But forget being an expat on Medicare unless you want to fly back for treatments. 

Sorry that is not always true if on original medicare. In general you are not covered if outside that USA. There are exceptions such as a foreign hospital is closer to you than a US hospital or in Canada on your why to Alaska or on a ship no further from the USA than 6hrs. 

 

You are covered if in the USA or one of it's territories ( the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa) or in Canada on your why to Alaska or on a ship no further from the USA than 6hrs. 

 

However allot of Medicare advantage plans offered by private companies such as Humana, Cigna, Atena, Anthem etc.

will provide coverage outside of the USA typically up to $50,000 USD. A medicare advantage plans has several benefits that original medicare does not cover.  

 

[Grubster]

9 hours ago, ericthai said:

Correct, if you dis-enroll you must make an appointment at a SS office or call SS office. You need to complete a form and must have an interview with SS as they want to make sure you understand the implications of dis-enrolling from part B. 

Just a phone call. they ask you a few ?s just to verify its you, thats all I did. They never even said there was a penalty if I reinstated nor did they ask where my coverage would come from.

[ericthai]

23 hours ago, Grubster said:

Just a phone call. they ask you a few ?s just to verify its you, thats all I did. They never even said there was a penalty if I reinstated nor did they ask where my coverage would come from.

You can do the interview over the phone, really surprised they didn't inform you on what the consequences are if you were to enroll again later. 

[ilostmypassword]

Somebody anonymously sent a recording of a meeting of Republican house and senate members about the perils of repealing Obamacare

Behind closed doors, Republican lawmakers fret about how to repeal Obamacare

Republican lawmakers aired sharp concerns about their party’s quick push to repeal the Affordable Care Act at a closed-door meeting Thursday, according to a recording of the session obtained by The Washington Post.

The recording reveals a GOP that appears to be filled with doubts about how to make good on a long-standing promise to get rid of Obamacare without explicit guidance from President Trump or his administration. The thorny issues with which lawmakers grapple on the tape — including who may end up either losing coverage or paying more under a revamped system — highlight the financial and political challenges that flow from upending the current law.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/behind-closed-doors-republican-lawmakers-fret-about-how-to-repeal-obamacare/2017/01/27/deabdafa-e491-11e6-a547-5fb9411d332c_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-banner-main_goptapes-138pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.ac02b6fd51c6

[Grubster]

2 hours ago, ericthai said:

You can do the interview over the phone, really surprised they didn't inform you on what the consequences are if you were to enroll again later. 

Yes I was surprised too, when I found out later, but I do have VA care in the US so I am ok with it. I have some friends here that have canceled it also with no other coverage. Not a good idea.

[Skywalker69]

Many Trump woters starting to regret they woted for him.

 

https://twitter.com/trump_regrets

[Skywalker69]

Many Trump supporters dont´know that Obamacare and the Affordable Care Act are the same thing. Obamacare is a nicname the republicans gave it.

 

 

Edited January 29, 2017 by Skywalker69