https://pixabay.com/en/trump-president-usa-america-flag-2546104/
By Nigel Hilton
It was meant to be over.
That was how the media portrayed the Republican battle to kill off Obamacare once and for all. After the defeat of the first bill, and then the decision to forgo a vote on the ill-fated Graham-Cassidy bill, it was meant to be over. The Republicans had failed in their biggest political quest; everyone who relied on Obamacare could breathe a little easier.
Except it’s not really over at all. In fact, it very much looks like the fight is just beginning.
Trump’s War On Obamacare
Donald Trump, unlike any other president before him, seems to be defining his presidency onto not being Barack Obama. He’s not particularly bothered about being President Donald Trump; instead, he focuses on being President Not-Obama. It’s widely believed this obsession with rolling back all of Obama’s political victories dates to the infamous moment Obama openly mocked Trump, and even now, it’s still a defining moment for 45. It might just be the moment that made him consider a move in politics; it was that important to the famously thin-skinned Trump.
So, of course, Trump has always had Obamacare in its sights; it is the very definition of the man who occupied the office before him. It has his name; his advocacy– all the things that Trump desperately wants to separate himself from. While Trump has occupied some of his time with rolling back other legislative victories of Obama’s — such as the Paris Accord for climate change, or the Iran nuclear weapons deal — Obamacare was always his primary target. That was the one he really wanted to kill.
Then The Republicans Failed
Not once, but twice. So would Trump finally see that this was a political issue that he should leave well alone? No. Instead of using conventional legislation, he’s declared war on Obamacare through a series of Tweets and executive orders. He plans to undermine Obamacare to the point it’s no longer feasible, actions which — according to https://www.vox.com/the-big-idea/ — may even be illegal.
So Where Does This Leave Patients?
For the moment, Trump’s actions haven’t quite been felt yet– but they will. If you use Obamacare, you have to start thinking of the future. For example:
- Start saving money for your premiums in years to come. Having a nest egg set aside to either pay for insurance or pay for hospital bills directly will come in useful.
- If you have an illness or disability as a result of an accident that wasn’t your fault, get in touch with the likes of https://hm-attorneys.com/personal-injury/ to see if you can claim compensation– you might not be able to continue to receive insurance coverage for existing conditions when Obamacare finally falls.
- Call your representatives and defend Obamacare if you believe the policy is politically worthwhile continuing. The more complaints that representatives receive, the more they may be bolstered to look for alternatives.
What Happens Next?
As mentioned, it will be some time before the true impacts of Trump’s latest actions are felt. Many believe that the Republicans have now abandoned the idea of legislatively ending Obamacare, so they are relying on asset-stripping and the executive branch to do what they couldn’t. Over the next few years, Obamacare may die a slow death rather than being snipped away in an instant– so keep an eye on the news to see how the situation develops, and — most importantly — what might replace it.
https://pixabay.com/en/usa-flag-american-flag-america-1561757/
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