A conservative ideology is the driving force behind the republicans attempt to repeal and replace the ACA for the last seven and half years. And Donald Trump has followed in their foot steps for the past 19 months. Their lies and fake news concerning the cost and the predicted collapse of the ACA tells a fairy tale the news media is willing to accept but does not square with the known facts.
There are two leading reports and studies concerning health care cost and the ACA. Both were subject to commentary by this writer in PolitiDose at the time. The reports were published in the Huffington Post on 6/20/16 and 2/15/17 titled, "We're Spending less on Health care than we thought we would before Obamacare" and "Health care rises modestly as GOP eyes big changes." The reports by the Urban Institute in conjunction with The Independent Office of the Actuary at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Their findings and reports stated total health care cost (that paid by American businesses, the government and households) grew an average of 4.4% a year from 2008-2014. It grew 4.8% in 2016. It will grow an average of 5.6% a year from 2016 to 2025, much less than the almost 8% for the two decades before 2008. Between 2014 and 2019 health care expense is predicted to be $2.6 trillion less than originally projected despite the added cost of the ACA.
The actuaries are not sure what role the ACA has played in the modest increase in health care cost but noted health care spending is actually lower than the federal actuaries projected prior to the ACA. They also noted the projections are subject to a great deal of uncertainty because Donald Trump and the republican controlled congress plan to make major changes to the health care system. And sure enough, Trump and the republicans health care plans they introduced have been shot down with facts from the CBO that would increase health care cost dramatically and millions would lose their health insurance.
Yes, ideology is driving Trump and the republican party on the issue and not facts. They love government to be involved in giving out tax breaks and corporate welfare to business and the wealthy but hate government involvement in health care. Hillary Clinton and the democratic party have the right answers in fact. Change what is necessary in the ACA and make it better while still lowering the cost. That is really not hard to understand because the ACA is working.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
