Think Progress reported on what appears to be a stunning reversal by the GOP when it comes to their stance on ACA.
The GOP is demanding that Obama continue the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP).
A 5 billion dollar program designed to help those who are unable to procure insurance through employers due to pre-existing conditions that will kill any profitability an insurance company might make off of a policy holder.
So what exactly has prompted this sudden outpouring of concern for a class of American citizens the GOP normally takes an attitude towards of;
“Why don’t you just fuck-off and go die in a ditch somewhere” (the chronically ill).
One has to realize that the GOP hasn’t changed its prime objective in the fight against affordable healthcare – supporting policy that requires that all Americans be forced to purchase healthcare while giving private insurance companies the right to deny anyone they deem an unsound investment (ie; sick people).
If American private health insurance companies had their way only males between the ages of 18-28 would be required to purchase healthcare (possibly 18-28 year old women as well provided they were anti-natalists).
So keeping PCIP going helps alleviate some of the bad press that comes from them telling most of America to “Fuck off and die” when they actually do end up fucking off and dying.
All they have to do is point out that the chronically ill have options when it comes to treatment in the form of programs like PCIP and if the chronically ill are dying it’s the fault of the government (ie; Obama).
“BUT WAIT!” you say.
The GOP has shown that if it is consistent about one thing it is not caring about the bad press that comes from the harm their policies do to everyday American citizens! What’s a few tens of millions of uninsured, dying Americans to them considering all they have to do is crank up the old propaganda machine to confuse the issue and please the masses?!
For that answer you have to look at this quote from the letter the GOP sent to the White House.
…to allow PCIP to continue to accept new enrollees, we urge you to support efforts to transfer the funds necessary from other PPACA programs, such as the Prevention and Public Health Fund, the Secretary’s transfer authority to assist with state based exchanges, comparative effectiveness, planning, or another similar program to PCIP.
Transfer funds.
There you have it. The GOP is still trying to kill ACA using an old time-honored political tactic.
Gut funding from a portion of a program that is designed to keep costs down and transfer those funds to another section of the program that is exorbitantly expensive and services only a small minority.
If successful the GOP will be one step closer to setting the stage for that moment years from now when they point to ACA and say;
“Look at how inefficient and prohibitively expensive it is! See how liberals set up these programs that cost tons of money, serve only a small minority, and cost you the tax payer all this money?!
Vote Republican because we’re fiscally conservative and-ignore-the-past-that-shows-this-is-all-our-fault!”
It’s an old story folks, almost as old as boy meets girl.
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2013/03/08/1690341/top-republicans-demand-that-obama-provide-coverage-to-people-with-pre-existing-conditions/
