Dr. Moffitt gives guidance to the states that seems based on his humanitarian ideals to cover more people who cannot afford healthcare insurance. Some of that concern for humanity seems to have left Republican Congressmen of late.
Since the Affordable Care Act was introduced as law, Republicans in Congress have been fighting to find ways to stop its implementation. They have wasted their time attempting to repeal the law over fifty times, only to be met with a Presidential veto. They have researched the weakest parts of the law and attempted on a few occasions to get the Supreme Court to denounce it as unconstitutional; usually to no avail.
Republican leaders in GOP led states refused to open up their own state healthcare marketplace sites to try to make the Federal government's role more complex. They were happy when the Supreme Court left it up to the states to implement the medicaid expansion part of the Affordable Care Act law. Most Republican led states refused to accept medicaid expansion and denied millions of the most defenseless Americans the opportunity for healthcare. This was not just a typical Republican heartless act, but was also intended to help the law fail. Any additional profit for insurance companies from medicaid expansion payments by the federal government could not happen as a result. This would likely push premium prices higher. Additionally, people who could not get medicaid assistance would increase lost revenue by hospitals and doctors when they could not afford to pay for their medical care. Some who could not afford it, would die without medical care.
Republicans have used their power in Congress to appropriate funds, or in this case to fail to approve appropriation of healthcare funds in attempts to make the law fail. They have contributed to the potential failure of the Affordable Care law however they could. Without their destructive acts, the law may have been successful. Now closed medical facilities and hospitals may have stayed in business. Insurance companies could have profited more. The act would have lived up to its title and really been affordable without increases in premiums as are now proposed.
But now, this latest tactic of Republicans has been to attack Obama's funding of subsidies which they claim has been done without their consent. Congress does have the authority to approve the appropriation of money used by the Federal government and they claim the money was not approved by Congress. The lawsuit brought against the Obama Administration has been judged in favor of Republicans by the lower court. The judge in that case has found the subsidy funding of insurance companies by the Obama Administration was illegal since the money was not appropriated by Congress.
Of course, the case is not final and will be allowed to have appeals proceedings. If brought to the Supreme Court, where the Court is now equally divided between Democratic sympathizers and Republican Sympathizers, the lower court ruling may stand if it ends in a tie and the Affordable Care law will die.
What type of party is the GOP to have fought against its own citizens to defeat an administration who is an advocate of the people? Hopefully you will think hard and long about this as you ponder your choices for the party that should be elected to Congress in the upcoming elections.
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