Is ‘Trump Care’ Trumped Up?

By Gabrielle Seunagal
Republicans in Congress recently introduced a healthcare bill which will serve as a replacement to Obamacare. The bill will eliminate all tax penalties on people without health insurance, increases contribution limits for health savings accounts (that are exempt from taxes), and phase out Medicaid. ‘Trump Care’ will also terminate the majority of offshoot taxes from Obamacare and persons under the age of 26 will still be allowed to remain on their parents’ plans. While Trump Care has its upsides, it has been ominously dubbed with the satirical nickname of Obamacare 2.0 and attracted much censure from conservatives.
‘Trump Care’ has sadly been plagued with a plethora of negative feedback and press. CNBC claims that the repeal of tax hikes which targeted wealthy Americans will actually afflict less affluent members of the President’s voter base. Apparently, passing the Republican House bill will result in greater costs for people who already obtain coverage as a result of smaller premium subsidies. One of the key issues with Obamacare was the unaffordability and it appears as though Trump Care may be facing a similar plight. Perhaps it would be in everyone’s best interest if the congressmen who drafted the current healthcare bill were to sit down and make some revisions.
 

President Trump announced that the current health care plan will result in “a beautiful picture.” He also expressed that opposing the plan aids people who are pushing to keep Obamacare. However,  Mr. Trump is willing to negotiate on certain aspects of the plan as a means of “meeting in the middle” with conservatives who are concerned about whether or not Trump Care really eliminates Obamacare.  Medicaid expansion is a sensitive subject for worried Republicans, but the President has declared that he will “work hard” on the healthcare bill and it will be “great.”
Trump Care has much potential. Republican lawmakers are absolutely on the right path by eliminating the tax penalty on Americans who are not covered. While the healthcare bill has its merits, there is still much work to be done. An overwhelming amount of conservatives and even Trump supporters are displeased with the bill, which speaks volumes. With additional work and revisions, Trump Care will become a more desirable replacement for Obamacare, engendering a more favorable and accepting response from the people of this country. I have complete faith that the Commander In Chief will work hard to make it happen.