Kasich Warns About Repealing Obamacare without Replacement

Governor John Kasich, a man seemingly at odds with himself on a near constant basis, is doing work to put Ohio in the national healthcare spotlight. According to letters published on Healthtransformation.ohio.gov, Kasich warns that a repeal of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) without a replacement, “could have serious consequences.”

“We understand Congressional Republicans are planning to use budget reconciliation to defund the ACA, A similar bill passed in 2015 would have repealed the funding for exchange subsidies and Medicaid expansion, the individual and employer mandates, and various taxes that fund the ACA. We support a single repeal-and-replace package but are concerned that a strategy to repeal now then later replace the ACA could have serious consequences.” The letter reads, signed by both John Kasich and Ltn. Governor Mary Taylor.

According to The Dispatch, Kasich will be taking part in private health-care roundtables with Senate Finance Committee members and Republican House Energy and Commerce Committee members in the two days.

He also is meeting with the man who he pledged his presidential vote for, Sen. John McCain.

A nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office report found that repealing many of the most impactful provisions of the Affordable Care Act would cause 18 million Americans to lose coverage and jack up premiums for individual insurance plans by 20-to-25 percent in the first year. According the report, by 2026, there would be 32 million uninsured U.S. citizens and premiums costs would double.

The letter concludes with:

“Based on our hands-on experience with these programs, we recommend Congress quickly repeal and replace the ACA, in a single package, and then move on to address the underlying market dynamics that are driving up the cost of care. We have a head start on these issues in Ohio, and look forward to any opportunity to work with Congress and the incoming administration to advance the same conservative, value-driven, market-based reforms that are improving health and holding down the total cost of care in Ohio.”

What do you think? Is Ohio the future of Healthcare?

BROUGHT TO YOU BY