GOP suddenly mulls health insurance market collapse post-Obamacare repeal
The GOP can't wait to make good on their six-year-old promise to repeal Obamacare. They've formed a seamless plan to repeal immediately without a replacement in sight, with the actual ACA end date effective in several years. It's gonna be so great, writes Peter Sullivan:
But industry officials and healthcare experts are warning that insurers might bail out of the system altogether once a repeal bill passes, particularly since many of them have been losing millions of dollars on ObamaCare plans.
An exodus of insurers could dramatically limit the coverage options for the roughly 10 million people enrolled in the system, potentially creating a backlash.
Oops! GOP congressional staffers are now holding discussions with insurers about ways to "prevent a breakdown in the market."
The sources say that the talks are in the early stages and that no specific policies have been decided on. [...]
One Republican lobbyist said that in discussions about a plan to repeal the Affordable Care Act without a replacement, insurers are “painting a picture of the market that isn't very pretty and Republican staffers are getting the picture.”
“They want to pump money back in to the insurers without appearing like they’re giving them a handout or bailing them out,” the lobbyist added.
LOL. They're trying to repeal Obamacare and save it at the same time, like magic!
Elections have consequences. So does governing. That's news to Republicans after passing every half-baked wackadoodle idea they could come up with for the past six years with the safety that Obama would veto it.
GOP meet reality. Reality meet GOP.