Rally in Support of the Affordable Care Act, at The White House, Washington, DC USA, see https://www.facebook.com/events/1425620610816402/
By Joshua Scheer
This has to be one of the most bizarre situations imaginable: Republicans discussing healthcare premiums as if they genuinely care about the issue. The public sees through this charade. The games are over, and the media is aware of this too.
I have a long history with Obamacare, both as a radio host/reporter on KPFK Los Angeles and including my time working with Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), who was the deciding vote on whether to kill it or keep it going. He was a supporter of single payer healthcare, but that did not have enough support, and after meeting with President Obama four times, he voted for Obamacare — better than nothing.
I support single-payer healthcare, and I’ve often criticized Obamacare as an abomination. I hesitated to support Hillary Clinton in 2008 because her healthcare plan was essentially the same as Mitt Romney’s from Massachusetts — a giveaway to big insurance companies. This approach likely contributed to rising premiums back in 2007 and 2008, ensuring that healthcare remained a profit-driven enterprise.
We need single-payer healthcare in this country, but neither political party seems willing to pursue it. Despite my reservations, I didn’t appreciate being forced into Obamacare, along with millions of Americans. However, it’s crucial to recognize that if no one was required to enroll, many might not have any coverage at all. While it’s far from perfect, Obamacare has provided millions of Americans with health insurance, which is certainly better than the alternative of leaving people to suffer or die without access to healthcare.
Since his election in 2016, Trump has worked tirelessly to dismantle Obamacare, and the GOP has been complicit in this effort. This article that popped up on my internet feed today is an affront to everything good and just. Perhaps they will actually vote to maintain the subsidies — it’s the least they could do. But Trump, anxious to deep-six Obamacare, is working with Republicans on a plan to replace it, and in a recent Fox News even proposed a name: “Call it Trumpcare… Call it whatever you want to call it. But anything but Obamacare.”
Clearly, I am in favor of single-payer healthcare. It is the only sensible solution for America. We are the only industrialized nation that allows people to go bankrupt over basic healthcare needs. I once found myself screaming at my insurance company, saying I would rather “die like a dog in the street” than deal with them any longer because they refused to cover essential services, leaving me with a $1,000 bill. I had to negotiate that down to a more manageable $500, and that was with insurance. I can only imagine how dire it is for those without coverage. Emergency rooms are overcrowded because people are forced to use them as their primary care, which should not be tolerated in such a wealthy nation.
Hopefully, if we can get attention on this issue, we can reignite the fight for single-payer healthcare. Living in Los Angeles, I see politicians like Antonio Villaraigosa, a career politician who opposes single-payer, vying for the governorship. He has the endorsement of our mayor Karen Bass, another Democratic figure who has failed to advocate for meaningful change. We need to hold our politicians accountable, especially the Democrats, because they should be doing more, and better. It’s a shame there is not more impetus to secure single-payer healthcare in California.
P.S. The latest from the Trump White House is that he plans to pitch a new plan — so don’t worry, I guess. However, Politico reports that a White House official declined to confirm any details, saying: “Until President Trump makes an announcement himself, any reporting about the administration’s healthcare positions is mere speculation.” MSNOW first reported that Trump may announce a new health care framework as soon as Monday to address spikes in ACA insurance premiums.
Good luck, all.
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