March 14 2017 Letter to Editor, The Daily Standard, Celina Ohio
Mark Twain famously said, “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics.”
Statistics can deceive or enlighten and our ability to reason determines which. Defending the GOP proposed health care replacement bill, the Secretary of Health and Human Services offers us these statics:
-New Republican Plan = Savings of $337 Billion by 2026 (9yrs)
-Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) = Savings of $124billion by 2019 (2yrs)
Wow, $337Billion minus $124Billion equals a whopping $213Billion savings.
But wait, what is the average yearly savings? $337billion divided by 9 years equals $37.4billion in savings per year, while $124billion divided by 2 years equals $62billion per year. That means the ObamaCare plan saves $24.6billion per year more than the GOP plan as estimated by the CBO. That means that the GOP plan in nine years will cost $221.4billion more than ObamaCare, and by CBO estimates 24million people will lose their coverage. Is that better?
Mark Twain would probably say, be leery of a snake oil selling x-doctor selling a cure all.
Many people voted for Trump because of economic issues especially those attributed to ObamaCare’s higher deductibles and rising premiums. Many people like certain features of the ACA (ObamaCare.) Is it possible the ACA can be fixed so that the middle class is not dealt a bad hand. It is time to put aside ideologies to work for real solutions. Do not sacrifice the health care of the masses to give a tax break to those who do not need it. Many features in the ACA law are known only by those directly affected. Case in point, ACA covers coal miners in Kentucky, Virginia and West Virginia for black lung ills. Under the GOP plan, they will lose these benefits. What features in the ACA that effect your health care will you lose with repeal? Who will make you aware of these features?
Urge your representatives to work together to fix the ACA or put together a health care system that is less costly with better outcomes for the middle class. There are many ways to insure debt reduction that does not eliminate good health care for any of our citizens.
The GOP claims that purchasing health insurance across state lines will help drive down premiums and health care costs. That is absolutely proven to be correct. The Massachusetts’ plan includes an interstate compact with neighboring states that allows anyone living within these states to buy insurance in any of the compact states. Health care cost and premiums are much lower in these states. Section 1333 in the ACA law legislates that feature. Purchasing insurance across state lines already is law ala the ACA. So much for one of the GOP’s arguments for repealing the ACA.
Call your representatives and tell them your vote in the last election was a vote for lower costs and a plan that works for all. “Repeal and Replace” was a slogan for “fix and reduce my costs” not a literal command.
Jesse and Carol Parete
228 Lakeland Blvd.
Celina, OH 45822
937-214-0983