Weeks ago, President Donald Trump tweeted, “As I have always said, let Obamacare fail and then come together and do a great health care plan. Stay tuned!”
And indeed, the system established by the Affordable Care Act is collapsing on its own. Average premiums are up 105 percent since the health overhaul law took effect, and premiums will soar again next year, based upon early announcements. That will drive more young and healthy people away, further destabilizing the health insurance markets.
People in 40 percent of U.S. counties risk having only one “choice” of plan next year, and some may have none as insurers flee the market because of heavy losses.
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Even after narrow passage of the American Health Care Act in the House this month, we don’t fully know what Trumpcare will become. But we do know what Obamacare has produced—broken promises, disappointment, government overreach and dysfunctional health insurance markets around the country. And we do know that after the Senate has its say on the issue, the final version will be better than Obamacare, even though that’s admittedly setting a pretty low bar. What’s ahead for GOP health care reform? Cautious steps in a different direction to re-balance our investments in health care and hopefully better health.
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