Be Careful What You Wish For

As you may have heard by now, a federal judge in Texas recently held the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to be unconstitutional in its entirety. The political machinations by Trump and Republicans that it took to get to this point were highly unusual to say the least. Nevertheless, the 20 Republican state attorneys general, including Ken Paxton of Texas, who filed the suit got their wish. This ruling came at the end of the enrollment period and after voters showed that health insurance and coverage for pre-existing conditions was very important to them during the November elections.

This ruling, if it stands on appeal, will strip millions of people of health insurance coverage and all of those with pre-existing conditions will probably not be able to find coverage at any price.

After the ruling, Trump tweeted something to the effect that we shouldn’t worry about it, that there would be a “GREAT” healthcare plan coming. Other Republicans said nothing, and for good reason.

As I have previously written, Republicans have no alternative to offer. If they did, you would be hearing about it. There is a huge difference between complaining and offering a viable, meaningful alternative.  

The simple fact of the matter is that insurance of every kind and description is based on the immutable truth that many who probably won’t need insurance have to pay premiums so that there will be a pot of money available to pay the claims of those who will need the insurance. Young, healthy people don’t want to buy coverage and are willing to take their chances. If young, healthy people don’t buy coverage, no plan that covers the elderly and sick, the at-risk population can ever succeed.

It goes without saying that Americans don’t like to be told what to do or be forced by the government to do something, but what is the alternative? We’ll see if Republicans have one.