Following a congressional meeting on Tuesday, Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY) released a resolution that outlined several qualifications necessary for repealing President Obama’s eponymous healthcare-reform law. These steps include repealing legislation through a fast-track process, authorizing a budget committee and reserving funds for repealing and replacing Obamacare. Implementing a fast-track process is especially notable, since only a simple majority would be needed to repeal Obamacare, rather than a two-thirds majority in the Senate. Democrats would not be able to override this decision since Republicans have control of the House and Senate.
The Republican Party is continuing its march to repeal Obamacare.
“Americans face skyrocketing premiums and soaring deductibles,” Enzi said. “Today, we take the first steps to repair the nation’s broken health system, removing Washington from the equation and putting control back where it belongs: with patients, their families and their doctors,” he continued.
However, this plan was certainly not met without vocal opposition. Dr. James Mandala of the American Medical Association stated that “before any action is taken through reconciliation and other means that would potentially alter coverage, policymakers should lay out for the American people, in reasonable detail, what will replace current policies.” Indeed, no tangible alternative policy action has been provided for Americans that justifies repealing Obamacare.
Contrary to Trump’s campaign promises, a full repeal of Obamacare in the first 100 days of the new presidency would be simply implausible due to the time necessary for repealing and rewriting legislation.
A new healthcare policy under Trump would be detrimental for many Americans. If the GOP were to follow up with its past attempts to eliminate parts of Obamacare, an individual mandate, or a tax penalty for not being insured, would be implemented. This would disproportionately affect Americans who cannot afford insurance premiums. Furthermore, funding for Planned Parenthood would be restricted, denying women access to resources pertaining to their own reproductive health. Finally, Americans who receive cost assistance for preexisting conditions, such as cancer or diabetes, would lose coverage options.
