Friday, March 24, 2017

Joel B. Pollak — Health Care Bill’s Failure: Just Part of the ‘Art of the Deal’


You see, the Great Dealmaker planned to appear to lose this round in crafting the deal.

Breitbart News
Health Care Bill’s Failure: Just Part of the ‘Art of the Deal’
Joel B. Pollak | Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News

Also

Report: Steve Bannon Says American Health Care Act ‘Written by the Insurance Industry’

13 comments:

Matt Franko said...

Dilbert saying he predicted it:

https://twitter.com/scottadamssays/status/845383621095522304

Noah Way said...

If Trump expanded Medicare to all ...

lastgreek said...

After the vote was pulled, Trump said that Obamacare is both imploding and exploding.

Is such an event possible -- for an object or thing to both explode and implode? And if not, why is Trump messing around bigly with the English language?

Peter Pan said...

A picture tube will implode then explode when the vacuum seal is broken.

Noah Way said...

Identifying Obamacare as anything less than the industrial health complex is an exercise in deception.

Tom Hickey said...

Obamacare was poor, for sure, and Obama didn't really seem to push hard on something better. But as it was, the bill only squeaked through even though the Dems controlled both branches of government, the executive and the legislature, and Obama won by an impressive margin. It was very likely the best that could clear the hurdles.

The significance of the ACA was twofold. First, it was the first major health care program since Medicare. Secondly, it established the principle of universal coverage, even though it fell short.

While we can complain about the specifics, passage of just about anything would have been a major victory in face of continual opposition in the past. Remember "Hillarycare"?

Obama's legacy was burnished by the political feat alone. It was an achievement and stands in contrast to Trump's defeat today, and a rather ignominious defeat at that.

At the same time, the ACA was responsible for furthering "the industrial health complex." It's needs at upgrade ASAP but that is not going to come during the Trump administration, while the GOP rules.

lastgreek said...

A picture tube will implode then explode when the vacuum seal is broken.

Interesting.

So let me ask you: Is the implosion preceded by a death spiral? ;)

Detroit Dan said...

Well said, Tom. ObamaCare sucks, but is better than what we had before.

Dave said...

I agree with Mrs Irene Query....

Too much winning. Can't take the winning, its overwhelming me.

You know what's amazing to me? Trump actually did some pretty good deal making here. It was mean spirited and cruel to those who need health care subsidies, but he actually gave some concessions to the freedom caucus and then said I'm done dealing, if you don't vote with me, then we will have Obama care for the foreseeable future.

In this way, I believe he out maneuvered the Kochs. Not only didn't they get what they wanted, a repeal of Obamacare, but they may never get that now.

So in his mind, he wins. Sometimes you just ave to walk away from a deal, right?

Matt Franko said...

Yes Dave what imo he is now assuming is ACA will become unpopular, unbearable.... we'll see....

Don't expect the GOP to raise the subsidy amounts or lower the income levels that qualify for subsidies either....which is what is needed for the ACA to ultimately succeed....

Matt Franko said...

Probably what's going to happen is the "individual group!" in the ACA is either going to lose coverage by insurers leaving the exchanges or the premiums will be so high they can't afford it and then they will just pay the fine for having no insurance and their care I think goes thru Medicaid....

So look for the the Marketplace payments to go down, taxes to go up and Medicaid reimbursements to go up....

Peter Pan said...

So let me ask you: Is the implosion preceded by a death spiral? ;)

It is preceded by an impact from a blunt object :)

Dave said...

That blunt object is called reality. Healthcare forces people into a fight or flight response. Slogans can't override evolution, so the government will devise a plan to offer healthcare to as many people as possible, and it will be expensive, and yes the cost will have to be absorbed by everyone. If they don't, then they will cease to be legitimate. Bottom line.

Good news is that government spending in the healthcare sector will go up, which means the stock market will likely continue its rally.