A Horrible GOP Health Bill is About to Get Much, Much Worse By Ron Pollack It's hard to imagine that the recently withdrawn GOP health bill could get any worse. The bill cuts off insurance for 24 million people. It raises premiums for many others, especially low-income families and older people. It jeopardizes health coverage for approximately 70 million people who count on Medicaid for their lifeline. It plays Robin-Hood-in-reverse by reducing $880 billion in federal health funding for the poor and showers almost $600 billion of it in unneeded tax breaks for the rich and corporate interests. Little wonder, therefore, that the American public loathes this hastily and poorly conceived legislation. A national poll issued shortly before the bill was withdrawn showed that, by a margin of 56-17, the public opposed this proposal. So, how in the world can this bill get any worse? The answer unfortunately is quite simple: The Trump Administration desperately wants a health bil
By Ron Pollack Starting in 1965, when Medicare and Medicaid were enacted into law, our nation incrementally bent the arc toward the crowning achievement in health coverage justice: universal health insurance. That progress has been substantial – with enhancements in people gaining coverage occurring throughout the years thereafter, culminating in the historic Affordable Care Act (ACA). But we still have a long way to go. The adoption of Medicare and Medicaid, passed despite ardent opposition by the American Medical Association (with its negative advertising featuring then-actor Ronald Reagan), was a milestone achievement. Medicare was a huge leap forward in coverage for America Shortly before Medicare was adopted, half of America’s seniors did not have health insurance. Today, thanks to Medicare, virtually all seniors have health coverage. Over the years since 1965, Congress has significantly improved Medicare coverage. Among the numerous coverage improvements to the program: