By Richard Robinson
The answer to the question “How Might Trumpcare Affect Medicare?” appears to depend on who is weighing in and the possible impact it will have for American citizens both those who are retired and perhaps more importantly for those who are currently still in the workforce.
According to Democratic Senator McCaskill, Trumpcare is a derogatory term creeping into the vernacular of politically-correct lingo. She maintains that during the shift from Obama’s Affordable Health Care Act to what is correctly referenced as the American Health Care Act when negative issues arise and things get iffy the term Trumpcare will be an easy way to ensure that President Trump gets full credit no matter how long the process takes in formal congressional debates and informal get-to-gathers on Capital Hill. The senator cites that the number of American citizens projected to suffer possible premium increases would only amount to three percent or approximately 10 million of the USA’s 320 million adults.
In a recent Forbes article “Trumpcare, Ryancare, Medicare—It’s The Efficiency—Stupid,” contributor Robert Hockett maintains that Obamacare aka Affordable Care Act is a charity band-aid benefiting indigent Social Security and Medicare recipients. Hockett further cites that these programs must continue to exist in order for America to maintain its economic and development capabilities.
As we all know, a portion of each paycheck an employee receives goes into a post-retirement healthcare funding source, and another portion is set aside should the need for on-the-job medical leave arise. For most workers, their employer-based health insurance plan enables them to provide for themselves and their family; however, in the Trump administration many experts deem this to be a discouragement from seeking a more lucrative employment opportunity.
By the same token, Affordable Care Act Health Savings Accounts pose an unreasonable hardship for independent and small business owners as well as entrepreneurs. Many American Health Care Act opponents maintain that Paul Ryan and members of Trump’s Health Services team are seeking ‘Medicare for All.’
According to various sources, the AARP cites the possibility of a shift from Medicare as we know it to a voucher system wherein Seniors would be given an age-tax voucher of 0.9 percent or higher with no limit suggested for private carrier coverage policies.
A recent Daily KOS article suggests that Ryan’s desire is to end Medicare/Medicaid as we know it. One idea is to require all adults to be employed prior to enrollment in Medicaid. This would apply to single parents of children enrolled in the Children’s Health Insurance Program. It should be noted that CHIPS is currently set to expire on a yet to be specified date in September 2017.
Going down another avenue, the current Block Grant system that provides state funding based on the number of people in need of services would shift to a new Block Grant system wherein each state would be given an identical lump-sum payment under the auspices of Medicare/Medicaid expansion. Healthcare experts advise that, should this happen, Medicare coverage would become part of the marketplace insurance system.
What do you think about Trumpcare as we know it?
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