President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence have vowed to make good on their campaign promises to fix — or abolish — the failing Affordable Care Act, known as ObamaCare.
But President Barack Obama and his cronies aren’t done fighting — and this week, the battle lines are being drawn in Washington, D.C. in the war for American healthcare.
With just days left in his second-term, Obama is traveling to the Capitol to give congressional Democrats advice on how to sabatoge and obstruct the Republican drive to fix or dismantle his controversial healthcare overhaul. Meanwhile, Pence is meeting with GOP lawmakers to discuss the best way to send Obama’s disasterous law to its graveyard and replace it with something that works.
The separate strategy sessions were coming on the second day of the new, GOP-led Congress. In 16 days, Trump replaces Obama at the White House, putting the party’s longtime goal of annulling much of the 2010 healthcare overhaul finally within reach.
Plenty of questions remain, including the repeal bill’s details, costs and when it would take effect. Republicans also face divisions over the next step — replacement legislation — that could take months or years to resolve, should there be establishment resistance to Pence.
Pence was meeting Wednesday morning with House Republicans to discuss their healthcare drive and planned to attend a lunch with Senate Republicans.
Republicans eager to show quick action against Obama’s healthcare law took an initial procedural step Tuesday, introducing a budget bill that would have to be considered under a parliamentary procedure that would prevent Democrats from using a Senate filibuster to protect the healthcare law.
Republicans control the Senate by a 52-48 margin, but it takes 60 votes to end a filibuster, a procedural roadblock that can kill legislation.
The Senate was expected to complete the budget by next week. House approval would follow.
“This is the first step toward relief for Americans struggling under Obamacare,” said House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis.
The budget legislation gives congressional committees until Jan. 27 — a blink of an eye for lawmakers — to write legislation repealing major parts of the healthcare law. Likely targets include the law’s tax penalties for people who don’t obtain insurance, its requirement that many companies cover workers and tax increases on higher-earning individuals and many healthcare firms.
Aware they have no chance of quickly agreeing on replacement legislation, Republicans plan to delay when their repeal would actually take effect. A range of 18 months to three years — perhaps longer — has been under discussion.
Republicans don’t want to abruptly end healthcare coverage for millions of voters who live in GOP-represented districts and states, or cause chaos in healthcare markets and prompt insurance companies to stop selling policies. So they are considering including provisions in their repeal bill to protect consumers and insurers during the transition period.
South Dakota Sen. John Thune, a member of the GOP Senate leadership, said that could include money to temporarily continue helping people afford to buy coverage and language letting the Department of Health and Human Services help stabilize insurance markets.
“Everyone realizes there’s going to have to be a phase-in, phase-out period,” Thune said Tuesday.
The Associated Press contributed to this article
Can the American taxpayers bring sedition suits against the political left for trying to sabotage the new President elect? He was honestly elected to administer the nation……..all of these tantrums and evil gestures by the left adds up to sabotage in my book.
This is the only thing left for Obama, he is willing to pay the little dictators in Congress to help keep this mandated over priced, our of range Health Care Bill in tact, so he can proudly claim that this is his Legacy. This damn health care bill has not only made it difficult to get insurance, but we can’t afford the tippled premium that its going to take to keep it going, It does no good to talk to your Senator and Reps about it because they get it for free. Then the news media comes up with 3 million people will not have health insurance, So stop giving it to the Illegals for free. With some 54 Million Illegals in this Country why are they here and getting free health care, Obama gives it to them for free, but fails to do anything for the Vets and the Senior Citizens. Obama has got to save his Legacy at all costs. He is willing to sacrifice million of people’s health insurance when if he had stopped taking vacations to the tune of 97 million dollars, That would have paid everybody’s insurance, wouldn’t it,
I hope Mike Pence gets in Obama’s face and tells him in no uncertain terms to stop lying to the public, Let Obama give up his money to save his damn legacy if he wants it so bad,
This needs to be done away with asap. The American people really don’t have health insurance with Obama care. The monthly payment for it is outrageous and the deductible doesn’t do anyone any good because it is so high also. It is very unaffordable for anyone. Congress should have been ashamed passing the bill. No thought was put into Obama care.
Vicki, Congress did not pass ObamaCare. It was crammed thru overnight by the Democrats. Not a single Republican signed off on the bill. It is owned lock stock and barrel by the Democrats. The fault of people having to shell out so much money on a program that simply does not work belongs to the Democrats. You are absolutely correct about no thought. Remember when the babbling idiot Nancy Pelosi stated in the House Chambers that “you have to pass it before you can read it”.
Oren, that’s an insult to Idiots.
No, the Brown Alfa-wriggler came on Wed. to teach Dems. how to sabotage, considering them stupid and naive
It was passed by the democrats in Congress so it was put to a vote.
Vicki – thanks to Pelosi who uttered the famous comment “We need to pass it before we read it to know what’s in it. She’s a true Phi Beta Cappa and “Liberal” intellect of the highest order par excellence.
Moderation – I think no I know not.
The first step Congress should take is to remove the mandate that forces Americans to buy healthcare insurance. This would take the teeth out of the law and let it completely crash of it’s own weight. The only people who can afford Obamacare are welfare bums who don’t work, and they get it free. Every working American (except for super-rich) are being screwed by this law, the high premiums, and high deductibles. Deductibles so high that most people can’t afford treatment.
Had to drop mine, due to over priced and could never meet the deductible. They were just pocketing 450.00 a month. Still had to pay out of pocket for all Dr. Visits.
Arthur-
If Americans were more Constitutionally-literate, they’d’ve never participated in that Unconstitutional scheme AT ALL, period!
There is ZERO provision in the Constitution which allows USG actors to compel ANY Citizen to purchase ANYthing from ANYone at ANY time for ANY reason.
In fact, if one dares to read and comprehend the Preamble to the Bill of Rights(often EXCISED from current textbook copies, btw), as well as the 9th and 10th Amendments, they would realize that UNLESS a power has been SPECIFICALLY named and delegated to sworn agents of the USG, it DOES NOT EXIST!
On top of all that, SCOTUS declared D’OweBamacare to be “legal as a tax.”(i very much disagree, for NO SCOTUS judge can point to ANY part of the Constitution that would authorize this impudent, imprudent, and outrageous Tyranny being imposed.) Anyone Constitutionally literate knows that ALL “bills for revenue”(aka “taxes”) MUST originate in the HoR; D’OweBamacare originated in the Senate. There’s your out, right there.
My reply to Mr. Constitutionalist. I agree with 99.9% of what you text. I doubt if most of our legislators have actually studied our Constitution. And I wonder what sort of pressure was brought on Justice Roberts to force him to make his ruling that Obamacare is a tax. (Do they have incriminating photos of him doing something sick and disgusting? Curious.) And now the fact that they’ve been collecting this ‘tax’ is making it harder to repeal Obamacare, because they’ll lose lots of money. In my construction work I did a lot of demolition. Often to build a new building the old buildings have to be demolished. We have to kill this now or we never will.
A-MEN A.J.
Yep, Cobra at his own expense then buy his own policy on the “healthcare ripoff website”. He can opt for the fine if he doesn’t like what he finds out there for little ole you and me.
YOUR ABSOLUTELY RIGHT!
Obamas healthcare have tax penalty to those who do not have health insurance. People who cannot afford buying it still get penalty. That’s why companies were leaving our country cuz they cannot afford buying insurance to their employees. His healthcare premium is triple cuz we’re also paying for the premium to illegal immigrants. So pathetic.
AMEN to that I am a SENIOR Citizen and know first hand what this insurance has been I will not be eligible for medicare till 2018 and have one of the worst insurance that’s out there until 2018 Me and my husband are on a fixed income I am having to pay very high insurance but cannot find a doctor that will take it I guess if I get really sick I will go to the emergency room THAKS ALOT OBAMA
This is the only thing left for Obama, he is willing to pay the little dictators in Congress to help keep this mandated over priced, our of range Health Care Bill in tact, so he can proudly claim that this is his Legacy. This damn health care bill has not only made it difficult to get insurance, but we can’t afford the tippled premium that its going to take to keep it going, It does no good to talk to your Senator and Reps about it because they get it for free. Then the news media comes up with 3 million people will not have health insurance, So stop giving it to the Illegals for free. With some 54 Million Illegals in this Country why are they here and getting free health care, Obama gives it to them for free, but fails to do anything for the Vets and the Senior Citizens. Obama has got to save his Legacy at all costs. He is willing to sacrifice million of people’s health insurance when if he had stopped taking vacations to the tune of 97 million dollars, That would have paid everybody’s insurance, wouldn’t it,
I hope Mike Pence gets in Obama’s face and tells him in no uncertain terms to stop lying to the public, Let Obama give up his money to save his damn legacy if he wants it so bad,
The Fault now lies on Trump for not taking all Obamas power away ! Obama has hurt this world way too much including little children in foreign countries !!!!!!! Obama should and will be very ashamed of what him and hillary have done GOD rest his soul !
How was Trump going to take Obama’s power away from him? He’s not been inaugurated yet?
Ditto.
Excellent point, Kathy! I too absolutely agree!
To Kathy Washburn, the political left will never stop trying to push their agenda. They don’t care about the election. They’ll never admit defeat. Unlike many Republican Senators and Representatives who quaked in fear of opposing Mr. Obama, these lefties just keep marching on. They have to be defeated with a strong fist to their face. You can’t bargain or reason with them. You have to totally destroy them. Unfortunately it will take a long while. They have wormed their way into our educational system. They have brainwashed a large percentage of the next generation. Hopefully we have the time and ability to repair the damage.
Anything greater than 12 months is too long. You guys have been trying to shed this disaster for years. We can’t wait. I need real affordable insurance right now and cannot afford it. How about showing a little competence instead of excuses!
Put bleach bit all over the unaffordable Obama health care!
Make all Congress get their insurance from Obama Care exchanges using their doctors and other facilities.
It won’t take long for them to fix it then if they have skin in the game.
Getting 60 votes would be easy.
oh but they are too good to have our kind of insurance after all theirs is free, we have to pay. i can not believe we armericans allowed obama do this to us
They do pay for their health insurance like they pay for their pensions. It’s not free to them.
Brenda, I never voted for him & refuse to take credit for what this total idiot has done to our country along with his supposedly Affordable Health Care plan aka as ObamaCare. I really have a difficult time saying ObamaCare b/c it leaves an unpleasant taste in my mouth just to say it. It would please me greatly if they took his name off of that along with all the other asinine things that he has done during the 8 yrs he was in office. It’s beyond me how he could ever think that he would have a chance if he had run for a third term. I take that comment as an insult b/c he must consider the American people to be so stupid that they would give him 4 more years. I’m not taking any bets, but I have a feeling that the gracious Mr. & Mrs. Obama will not leave OUR White House willingly on 1/20/17. That in itself should be a laugh..seeing that the past 8 yrs have been hell having this man in OUR White House. Plus, I have gotten tired of turning the TV to another channel when I see his face on the screen. Even Michael has gotten too much for me to tolerate. (Yes, you heard me right, I said Michael instead of Michelle.) You cannot blame the kids. They were adopted & got pulled into this situation through no fault of their own.
I totally agree azjenn
In just 16 days, AMERICA can celebrate the dismissal of the most corrupt and dismal political administration in my lifetime.
Good riddance to bad rubbish.
That sorry no good health care law (Obamacare) that was forced on hard working American people. It never came up to be voted on. Instead we have to pay Obama salary after that lousy no good as_hole he needs to pay for his health insurance like the American people have too.
Again…it was voted on but was passed by democrats only. Not 1 republican voted for it.
This needs to be done away with asap. The American people really don’t have health insurance with Obama care. The monthly payment for it is outrageous and the deductible doesn’t do anyone any good because it is so high also. It is very unaffordable for anyone. Congress should have been ashamed passing the bill. No thought was put into Obama care.
Now is the time for action ObzzoCare, the Wall, Taxes et all – time to get the country back on the right track.
Obamacare has injured my family irreparably. The law punishes people who have contributed to society greatly and have earned a good retirement that did not include employer-sponsored Health Care. We have found ourselves paying for many others who have not contributed to Society at all. This has to stop because it is not the American way and enables laziness.
I would like to know what was wrong with American health care before Bozo and the “guvment” decided to butt in? People came from all over the world to get the best treatment available anywhere. Most of the people that were employed and didn’t have insurance was their choice, they wanted to use that money for something else. I think it should the people’s choice.
1st and foremost thing that needs to be done is to allow insurance companies to sell insurance to anyone in any state or even any country. This would bring cost down fast.
I wish he would drop off of the face of the earth and take Michelle with him. I am so sick of looking at both of them.
Obama is a globalist and one thing stands in the way. Strong US. And two pillars that make it strong are a vibrant middle class and states rights. ACA was not about health care. It was about power nd control. With that one law, significant damage was done to the middle class and states rights. Middle class is hurt by the high costs taking money from them and basically lowering their economic standing. States rights are destroyed through the laws provisions for doubling Medicaid. State of IL was already paying 25% of state budget for Medicaid and is already broke. Any guess what happens when Medicaid roles are doubled? Sure for the first couple years, feds pick up additional costs but then that goes away and broke states go with hat in hand to the feds.
I read that the members of Congress are exempt from Obama care. In this case it would be interesting to know if any of the Democrats who are fighting to maintain Obama Care actually have this health care. Why not just remove the penalty part of the plan and let people quit if they want?
BECAUSE YOU AND I WOULD STILL BE BUYING SUM WORTHLESS BUMS HEALTH CARE. ITS HARD ENOUGH TO PAY FOR YOUR OWN HEALTH PLAN, AN WHY ARE WE BEING FORCED TO PAY FOR SUM BUMS HEALTHCARE? THESE PEOPLE ARE EXPERTS AT TAKING, SUM EVEN THINK THAT THEY ARE OWED HEALTHCARE, IF THEY WANT IT FOR FREE MOVE TO SWEDEN! BUT DONT FORCE US TO PAY.
The “people” who wrote are NOT covered by it, the people who voted it into “law” are not covered by it and the ILLEGAL ALIEN who signed it is not covered by it !!
It’s all part of the COMMIE SOCIALIST ADGENDA !!
This is based on Alinsky’s eight steps from Democracy to a socialist society.
Obama quotes him often in his book and Hillary did her thesis on Alinsky.
ALMOST DONE. JUST ONE ELECTION DECIDES OUR FATE!
ALMOST THERE
There are 8 levels of control that must be obtained before you are able to create a socialist/communist State. The first is the most important. 5 OF THE 8 ARE DONE – THE LAST 3 ARE ALMOST THERE
1. Healthcare: “Control Healthcare and you control the People”
DONE !!
2 Poverty: Increase the Poverty level as high as possible.” Poor People are easier to control and will not fight back if the government is providing everything for them to live.
DONE!!!
3. Debt: Increase the National Debt to an unsustainable level.” That way you are able to increase Taxes, and this will produce more Poverty.
DONE!!!
4. Gun Control: Remove the ability to defend themselves from the Government. That way you are able to create a Police State – total local control.
ALMOST THERE!!!
5. Welfare: Take control of every aspect of their lives (Food, Livestock, Housing, and Income).
ALMOST THERE!!!
6. Education: Take control of what People read & listen to; take control of what Children learn in School.
DONE !!!
7. Religion: Remove faith in God from the Government and Schools.
ALMOST THERE!!!
8. Class Warfare: Divide the People into the Wealthy against the Poor. Racially divide. This will cause more discontent and it will be easier to Tax the Wealthy with full support of the voting Poor.
DONE!!!
The bases are all covered! We are ripe!
Whats the best/safest way to leave a sinking ship? Have a non sinking ship pull close and allow passengers to swim or lifeboat over.
Dont dismantle Obamacare..Simply legalize a new market. Tear down the Laws prohibiting interstate health insurance sales. Subsidize competing companies for 18 months during the defined non extended transition period. As people transfer to new providers, the Fed Bill for Oidiotcare decreases, shifting these fed funding to subsidies in new market. As premium funding fill new market, decrease these the fed subsidies until fully self sufficient. Its more a financial/paperwork juggle than anything. As the New Market comes alive, Oidiotcare dies and dries and blows away. )) Obama can hide in more shame.
THE SCAM ARTIST OBAMA IS AT IT AGAIN. I WISH THE HELL WE COULD DISMANTLE HIM PIECE BY PIECE UNTIL HE DISAPPEARS OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH. HE’S A WORTHLESS, PATHETIC, LYING BAG OF $HIT.
The process of ending Obamacare can be done easily by making a few changes. The requirement to buy an Obamacare compliant health plan should end immediately. The requirement for employers to offer an Obamacare compliant health plan should end on Dec. 31, 2017. A plan should be put in place to phase out taxpayer subsidies of Obamacare health plans.
This would allow those who are happy with Obamacare to keep their plan. It would open the door for insurance companies to offer plans to those who want something different. In time most Obamacare plan holders would move to other plans offered by insurers.
The next phase comes with enacting legislation which will allow private enterprise to flourish as they compete to make health care affordable. The market may be able to do this more efficiently than government bureaucrats.
How about the government just setting up a preexisting condition risk pool (about $25B per year) and then providing catastrophic care (umbrella policy) over say $100K. Then the people could buy policies to cover that first $100K and they could have whatever they wanted for that first $100K. You could mandate coverage (with self insurance being an option) but it would be pretty inexpensive for people buying it and easy enough to standardize without men buying maternity care
Oh yes and I wouldn’t have to pay for men’s viagra, cialis or levitra.
My husband’s job offers one plan. They pay the premiums for workers. But the insurance has a $5000 deductible. Insane. It wasn’t like this until 2011. Before that it had copays, low deductible etc. Btw, his company does not pay for spouse. Premium is $500/month. Something has to change. It’s easy to criticize when you have good insurance.
OBOOOOOMA – the magnificent – and his OBOOOOOOMA – CARE are both shot out of the saddle by THE NEW CONGRESS. //
JOHN Q. PUBLIC CITIZEN is tired of paying for thos ewho refuse to work and pay for HEALTH CARE. ////////////////////////
This will be a very testy meetinig between OBOOOOOMA and PENCE. //////////////
One of the things Obama promised when he rolled out that disaster was that middle class people wouldn’t get stuck paying more for their healthcare to subsidize healthcare for the “underclass.”
They should show the video clip of him saying that over and over again. Good riddance to a Manchuria Candidate who wouldn’t have been able to get elected dog catcher but for the fact that he was black.
Pence is such a dolt
The left’s lying war to keep their so-called illegal prestige Unaffordable HC travesty in place and wreak havoc with the nations bloated budget…The lying by the DNCommunist Jackass Party this AM was laughable, they are doing their fear by hysterics, demeaning the perps on the right and giving you anything but the facts and truth….Communist hide behind the cloak of respectability and continue to steal from the public…….
WHY BOTHER WITH ALL THESE COSTLY MEASURES, THIS IS INSANE. JUST TAKE THE USTA WAS PRESIDENT TO COURT AND ASK HIM FOR A BIRTH CERTIFICATE, AND A FEW SCHOOL TRANSCRIPTS, THE JOB WILL BE DONE, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, ANYTHING THAT HE SIGNED WILL BE NULL AN VOID. WHATS THE MATTER NO CAJONES!
The times, they are a changing…..
How is ObamaScare called the Affordable Care Act, when most of American cannot afford it? IT IS A TAX!!!
It is comparable to Canada’s, England’s and other socialized “healthcare”. We tax you and tell you what services you can receive because we have a much different plan for ourselves.
It is most certainly not the same as Canada, where I live, or England, where I was born and grew up. American health care manages to spend some four to six times yearly for every person in the country. The problem was there long before Obamacare was even thought about. Administrative costs per patient are actually over ten times more in the States then either Canada or England. Blame your insurance companies for the big difference. In Canada and England we pay the government directly for health care.
The only good thing with Obama Death Care is the fact that I can now get insurance. I have a pre-existing condition, thus was rejected my whole life from getting health insurance on my own. I obtained health insurance through employers, and then the state when I was disabled, the state cancelled their program because of Obama Death Care (they said they could not comply with new standards and closed the state policy), but I was able to get coverage through the “Marketplace”. My premiums have gone up 100%, in one year, and the deductible is insane! oh, and you can’t forget the new co-insurance charges as well. Could this be more complicated! Remember how Obama promised the premiums would go down…he lied! Dear President Trump….God Bless and Protect You….as you fix this mess and many more! Thanks for giving us hope!
This isn’t just war for health care, this is a war against the Demoncrats and the Retardicans whose only concern is being among the power elite and the what is best for the country and the people. Good luck President Trump, these first one hundred days ought to be real interesting.
GOOGLE the word “government”, it basically means “CONTROL”, that is why our Forefathers put limitations on GOVERNMENT in the Constitution, which not ONE GOVERNMENT ENTITY follows today and haven’t for years, WASHINGTON DC is a COROPRATION and is a FOREIGN CORPORATION in respect to a State, not STATE !! Read the Federalist Papers and the warnings of our Forefathers about CORPORATIONS. EVERY “government” entity is CORPORATION, That’s why all “official” documents have EVERY STATE, COUNTY, CITY ect in all CAPS, that is why your name is in ALL CAPS in all communication from “government”, that’s CORPORATION spelling !!
Your “Birth Certificate” with your name in ALL CAPS is traded on the Stock Market !!
The only provisions of Obamacare worth keeping are: no pre-existing conditions, health insurance under parents insurance until age 26 and 100% coverage for preventive services. That is it. The rest of it is all garbage. My wife and I are paying more than twice what we use to pay for a much better policy. On top of that we have such a high deductible that we have never been able to use it. So we are basically paying for having an insurance card in our wallet that we cannot use. Obamacare replacement should be giving everyone on healthcare.gov that option of purchasing Hospitalization or Catastrophic Health Insurance only. If this was available, people would be signing off healthcare.gov faster that you can bat an eye. For outpatient services, we have several options: a Health Savings Account (HSA), membership monthly fee with a PCP to cover doctors visits and a discounted health services card for labs, diagnostic testing and prescriptions. This combination, if promoted across state lines, would bring down the cost of healthcare tremendously. Competition between insurance companies is the best way to control the cost of healthcare. Additionally, 30% of national healthcare expenditures are due to complications of chronic illnesses. This is to day that for example, uncontrolled Hypertension will lead to preventable heart attacks and strokes. Preventable illnesses are costing the country $ 900 BILLION per year!!! Physicians should be paid on a performance based fee schedule. Doctors who can prevent these complications by controlling chronic illnesses such as hypertension and diabetes should be paid higher fees that a doctor whose patients are so poorly treated that they end up in the hospital with preventable illnesses.
1. Hold Dems accountable for O Care AS IS.
2. make Congress & Senate live under the New HC law once passed.
( or all US Govt employees) NO exemptions save Vets & VA.
3. Gut the bad sections, keep the good
4. CUT the regulations that drive Premium Prices skyward since 2 yrs ago.
HMMMMM. HONORABLE VS. DISHONORABLE. PUT ON YOUR SEATBELT, MR. PENCE. BO PLAYS DIRTY AND ONLY THE DUMB AND UNINFORMED DON’T KNOW THAT. GOOD LUCK. LEARN TO PLAY DIRTY BECAUSE THAT IS THE ONLY WAY DEMOCRAT LIBERALS KNOW.
NOBAMACARE: It appears Obama, Pelosi & the rest of the cronies will not do anything but fight, even if something is better and good for you.
It’s nice to think that the 20 million on Obama Care PAY for it. However, the overwhelming are subsidized (THEY DON’T PAY). Put them on Medicaid. Keep pre-existing conditions, kids until 26 and 100% preventative services. The rest can go.
i really find it amusing to hear sane people call 26 year old unemployed Socialist Street marchers KIDS! They need insurance because they might bump their wittle heads when they O D On crack!
I’ll give a hint to those who want to “fix” ObamaDoesn’tCare: Do just the following two things.
1. Eliminate the individual mandate;
2. Eliminate the rules that establish the minimum coverage requirements.
The concept of paying a tax in lieu of making a purchase is, as spoken by Justice Antonin Scalia, not “regulating” commerce; it is forcing commerce to take place. As he stated, if I don’t like broccoli, you can’t force me to eat it.
Regarding the second part: There is no logic to requiring men to pay for maternity coverage as part of their “insurance” contract.