Source:New York Magazine– Congressional Republicans talking about health care plan.

“Face it: Republicans are never coming up with a health care plan.
One of the things Republicans seem to have forgotten, in the wake of the introduction and swift passage of their Dickensian budget crafted by Paul Ryan, is their unshakeable commitment to health care reform. Remember that? Throughout the health care debate, they were determined to rally around their own reform plan. And now the House has passed a long-term budget that yanks health insurance away from more than 40 million Americans and neglects to put anything in its place. Maybe it’s just an oversight, like the time in freshman year when I turned in a history paper with no bibliography. But it’s kind of starting to look like the Republicans don’t actually plan to do anything for the uninsured.”

From The New Republic

Trying to gage where the GOP especially in the House, stands on health care reform, is a little tricky. Sort of like judging the whether in Washington: it can change day by day. 50 and rainy one day, 80 sunny and humid the next. Like a couple of weeks ago. I apologize, that joke is for Washingtonians.

Democrats have been clear: regulate the health insurance industry, with essentially a Patients Bill of Rights to prevent and punish abuses from that industry. And assist people and small business’s who want to purchase health insurance, with a Tax Credit. And make sure everyone in the country gets health care. Good luck finding someone who doesn’t pay for their health care, which is what the health insurance mandate is about, to help bring down health care costs, which is what the Affordable Care Act is about.

Democrats also wanted to include a public option for health insurance, that would bring more competition and freedom of choice for our health insurance from a non-profit health insurance service, but couldn’t get that through the Senate.

Like I said, judging the GOP on health care reform is a little tricky. In 2009-10 there seemed to be a consensus on what a Patients Bill of Rights would look like, like stopping health insurers from dropping health insurance, just because people actually need it. Or eliminating lifetime caps on health insurance.

The House GOP Leadership had their bill that was voted on as a substitute to the ACA in the House. That was projected to cover about 25% of what the ACA would cover (according to the Congressional Budget Office) but they haven’t offered that bill since. That bill also had most if not all the Patient Protections that the ACA has.

After the ACA passed and since the House GOP position on health care reform has changed to now repealing the ACA, denying the people who currently benefit from it. And then putting a health care reform task force together (all Republicans of course) to perhaps eventually come up with a replacement. Instead of just leaving in what they said they like and eliminating what they don’t like.

The Paul Ryan health care plan the latest version of GOP health care reform, its mostly about Medicare reform, turning it into a voucher system and forcing people off of Medicare and into the private market. Leaving them with less freedom of choice in health insurance. That blew up faster than a car with an oil leak with a lighted match. So now I guess they’ll start over again.

If the House GOP is serious about health care reform (not exactly Atlantic City bet) then they need to broaden who they talk to. Instead of just talking amongst themselves. If they want to pass something out of Congress, because Democrats already passed their bill that is now law. And they like that bill.