CBO Summary of H.R. 1628 Obamacare Repeal Reconciliation Act of 2017 (19.07.2017)

Senate Republican Health Care Bill – Devastating effect for millions of Americans!

Who? Who elected this men in shiny suits and grins in the Capitol and who walk around like gentleman and ladies in Washington D.C. That is the question I ask today, since first the House of Representative under the key leader Paul Ryan passed the American Health Care Act (AHCA) to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA). This was done on the 4^th May 2017 and they had such a wonderful victory speech by President Donald Trump in the rose garden. Than, after the vote, the CBO score came in and it showed no mercy to the ones who needs medical care or health care, neither was the legislation made for safety of the American people, more a tax-relief for the wealthy who pays for poor. So they can get health-care under current legislation. That is something sinister in the eyes of Republican Party in the United States. Therefore, they have behind closed doors in the Capitol or the Congress, worked to make a new Health Care Bill based on the House of Representative vote in May 2017. And by June the legislation made in the dark, has come to light. Yesterday, the leak of the “Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017” was also broke down by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), BCRA are the still an ugly duck compared to the ACA or Obama-Care. Just take look at important quotes from their report and it proves the devastating acts of the Senate and House of Representatives,

The quotes I have taken, is just like last go-around on the members of society who will be cut off from Health-Care by new legislation. How much monies the 1% saves and how much the wealthy get tax-relief is benign since it is so many lives at stake and so many more people who will not be covered or can afford a Health Care Plan or Health Insurance under the new legislation. That is more dire, than if the state saves a few billion dollars, because the rich cannot afford to have some solidarity because their need for golden showers and Bentley’s. Take a look!

“The Senate bill would increase the number of people who are uninsured by 22 million in 2026 relative to the number under current law, slightly fewer than the increase in the number of uninsured estimated for the House-passed legislation. By 2026, an estimated 49 million people would be uninsured, compared with 28 million who would lack insurance that year under current law” (CBO, P: 1, 2017).

“CBO and JCT estimate that, in 2018, 15 million more people would be uninsured under this legislation than under current law—primarily because the penalty for not having insurance would be eliminated. The increase in the number of uninsured people relative to the number projected under current law would reach 19 million in 2020 and 22 million in 2026. In later years, other changes in the legislation—lower spending on Medicaid and substantially smaller average subsidies for coverage in the nongroup market—would also lead to increases in the number of people without health insurance. By 2026, among people under age 65, enrollment in Medicaid would fall by about 16 percent and an estimated 49 million people would be uninsured, compared with 28 million who would lack insurance that year under current law” (CBO, P: 4, 2017)

“Medicaid. Enrollment in Medicaid would be lower throughout the coming decade, with 15 million fewer Medicaid enrollees by 2026 than projected under current law in CBO’s March 2016 baseline (see Figure 4). Some of that decline would be among people who are currently eligible for Medicaid benefits, and some would be among people who CBO projects would, under current law, become eligible in the future as additional states adopted the ACA’s option to expand eligibility” (CBO, P: 16, 2017).

Just think about it, 49 Million uninsured compared to 28 million. The 28 millions uninsured under current legislation should be the worry today, not make sure there are another 21 millions who joins the club of ill-health and possible side-effects of not affording to pay for their health care bills. The Republican party and the Senate, as the House of Representatives are morally bankrupt. They don’t care or have no issues making provisions for a possible 21 million citizens without health-care. That means, they can easily do so, since the donors and rich-backers needs a Tax-Holiday. That is the seriousness and the bottom-line. Nothing beautiful about this. Just hardcore tax-relief so fewer people can afford to treatment and get people healed through Health-Insurance. Seriously, who votes this gang of brothers in and who would accept this sort of treatment? Can someone please explain to me what this dude Mitch McConnell still doing in the Capitol when he can serve this sort of legislation?

The numbers themselves are insane and the other aspects of the law is bad. There aren’t any good news in this one, unless your wealthy and don’t care about the society you sponge of in general. That is what this bill does, it isn’t “Better Care Reconciliation of 2017”, so to translate to a proper name of the bill it should be named: “We don’t Care Act of 2017”. Sponsored by the honorable men and woman of the Republican Party, with they new slogan to the public: “because we don’t care! We don’t care if you cannot afford to go to the hospital, have a per-existing condition, planned parenthood or any sort of benefits because of your low-pay-grade, you are just a Smuck-On-Wheels for voting for us and we are making sure that you cannot be covered in the future”. Why you say? We the Republican’s Just don’t Care! Peace.

Reference:

Congressional Budget Office – ‘H.R. 1628 Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017’ (26.06.2017)

Trump’s Draft Executive Order on Big Pharma isn’t the remedy the Public needs!

There has been a draft release Executive Order without a date, but planned for June 2017 by the Trump Administration. The United States Government and soon the American Health Care Act (AHCA) or the Trump Care is run through the Senate after the amendments for the law after the vote in the Representatives House. So it seems like the Trump Administration trying to patch the ill-will and the gained reputation for draconian laws with a medicine and a remedy. Still, if people cannot afford health care plans or afford health-care insurance, what help is in making medicine and pills cheaper. When you cannot afford to get to the doctor, what help is that the pills and medicine cost less. Needs help from the doctor to find the needed treatment. That is simple, but forgotten math by the Republicans and the Congress these days. Not like President Trump understands that, unless tanning became more expensive for him.

While we’re at it, let’s look into major quotes from the Draft Executive Order:

“Section 1 Policy:

b) Reduce burdens caused by regulatory and administrative actions that inflate or distort prices for beneficiaries of Federal health programs or that provide more favorable pricing for intermediate actors in the medical product supply chain than the prices available to beneficiaries” (Executive Order, 2017).

So the Trump Administration plans to put down the prices and control the prices of medicine. It is special that the Administration cares about the Federal Health Programs, when the new TrumpCare laws want to relief the state of Medicaid and other supplementary subsidized programs through the Affordable Health Care Act (AHCA) or ObamaCare. Health Care News Emily Kopp: “This probably refers to the 340B program, which provides hospitals that serve low-income patients with a discount on intravenous drugs, anti-nausea drugs for cancer patients and some other outpatient drugs. Donald Trump’s interagency working group on drug prices has weighed scaling back the 340B program, KHN reported earlier this month. Critics say the discounts don’t truly benefit patients, including PhRMA, the influential pharmaceutical lobby” (Kopp, 2017). Certainly, the repeal will make sure these sort of programs get phased out as well as the pricing on the Health Care plans that the citizens has to get through insurance companies. But this draft plans to take it further do.

“c) Facilitate, where appropriate, the ability of Federal health programs to enter into reimbursement arrangements for medical products that are based on the value of such products to patients rather than the volume of such products purchased” (Executive Order, 2017).

That the State will have value-based pricing, which means that the States and Federal Government have decided prices depending on the needs and than that the patients has to cover the cost of the medicine. Which is a nice idea, but I am skeptical as before, since the reality doesn’t change, even if the State and Federal Government can control the buying-in and the prices of it. The rising prices of insurance under new law will not be helped by this remedy. Neither is this too.

“d) Ensure that the laws intended to help lower-income or vulnerable Americans and strengthen the safety net healthcare providers that serve them are carried out in such a way, that the benefits of such programs accrue primarily to the intended populations, including by the rescinding or revising of regulatory or administrative actions” (Executive Order, 2017).

This here is main reason for it in a way, if the Trump Administration did care, but if they though the world works like that and these provisions would change the ways of buying-in and research of medicine would change. Still, Health Care News Emily Kopp says this: “This probably refers to the 340B program, which provides hospitals that serve low-income patients with a discount on intravenous drugs, anti-nausea drugs for cancer patients and some other outpatient drugs. Donald Trump’s interagency working group on drug prices has weighed scaling back the 340B program, KHN reported earlier this month. Critics say the discounts don’t truly benefit patients, including PhRMA, the influential pharmaceutical lobby” (Kopp, 2017).

Again, Trump Presidency has to be self involved and not understanding the world order, therefore, this had to be inside the EO: “e) Ensure that American citizens do not disproportionately subsidize medical product innovation for the rest of the world, or allow foreign governments to unfairly devalue American innovation” (Executive Order, 2017). Again, let me quote Emily Kopp: “The Trump administration is making the implicit argument that longer monopoly rights for drugs and higher drug costs in foreign markets will lead to lower prices in the U.S. Not so, according to James Love, director of Knowledge Ecology International” (Kopp, 2017). So, in Alice in Wonderland, this sort of provision might work, even in Narnia, but I am sure it has the same effect as Wall towards Mexico or the sudden love for Solar Panel on the wall, which is insane in it self. That Trump Administration believes in this wouldn’t surprise anyone and that Sean Spicer would defend it would be field day for journalists.

Las piece of the Executive Order, that I will put forward is this one: “f) Rescind, revise or simplify regulations and other administrative actions that inappropriately or unfairly contribute to higher prices or cost-sharing for medical products for American patients” (Executive Order, 2017). Just as before, kind of hard to get lower prices if the repealing of Obama-Care law gets into effect. It like thinking you get lower cost, when the insurance sky-rockets and the 1 percent of American citizens get a giant tax-break. The relief again would only suit the ones without already hard-earned pockets, the rich would earn more and the R&D of medical suppliers would secure more funding. This would not earn the citizens in the United States.

This is maybe why this law hasn’t been signed and hasn’t been enacted, as the Senate are working on their bill and this would counter it. Secondly, the lesser prices for medicines wouldn’t help the provisions in the new Health Care law. United States would really be a place for the wealthy and the poor would suffer more. That is reality of the Health Care bill that the Senate are putting forward. This Executive Order wouldn’t help, but be a field day for the Big Pharma to get new system for subsidized medicine, so the people wouldn’t feel this. Unless, the Health Care plans inside the Senate bill would actually serve the public and not just the wealthy. Peace.

Reference:

Donald J. Trump – ‘Executive Order – REDUCING THE COST OF MEDICAL PRODUCTS AND ENHANCING AMERICAN BIOMEDICAL INNOVATION’ (Draft Paper for June 2017).

CBO scores on AHCA proves damaging results for millions of Americans!

Again, the House of the Representatives passed the baby of President Donald Trump and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan. This is the American Health Care Act, it was passed on the 4^th May 2017 and it 20 days after it’s passing the CBO came. This shows the disregard of checks and balances of the Congress. That the Representatives couldn’t trust the results of the Act and the bill, shows the proof that there are certain damaging reports in the report. The Republican Party representatives are clearly afraid of insights into the act. Therefore, the AHCA are really explosive, even as the knowledge of certain representatives didn’t even read it before voting for it.

“Republican Rep. Chris Collins admitted Thursday that he did not read the full health care bill before voting for it. “I will fully admit, Wolf, I did not. But I can also assure you my staff did. We have to rely on our staff,” Collins told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on “The Situation Room.” (Manduley, 2017). So when the Republicans cannot even read their legislation, the paperwork that can affect millions of citizens. It shows disregard for the public and for the ones they represent, but clearly it is more important to take the calls of donors. Than the citizens who needs health-care. So I will not go through how much monies this ACHA does, and possible change the economy. What I will look into is the estimated people who are cut-off from health-care and insurance. As the ACHA might be damaging for the people, as the former CBO on the TrumpCare was really bad. Therefore, we can expect this one to be destroying lives for the poor Americans. So here are the quotes I think is worth remembering, as this proves what the Republican Party does to the ones they represent.

“CBO and JCT estimate that, in 2018, 14 million more people would be uninsured under H.R. 1628 than under current law. The increase in the number of uninsured people relative to the number projected under current law would reach 19 million in 2020 and 23 million in 2026. In 2026, an estimated 51 million people under age 65 would be uninsured, compared with 28 million who would lack insurance that year under current law” (CBO, P: 4, 2017).

That the ACHA is damning, is seen by just this 14 million more people will lose their insurance, in 2020 it would reach of 19 million and in 2026 would be 23 million. Therefore the estimated 51 million by 2026. With current ObamaCare it would be 28 million, which is also to many, but the new law doubles the amount of people without health insurance.

These two stats, show the damaging effects of the Republican bill, as not only massive amounts people without insurance, but also the different prices on the insurance after the repealing on the bill. These statistic is telling and the reason why the Republicans doesn’t want to understand their efforts to work of the private healthcare industry and insurance companies, instead of for the people who needs the health care. Peace.

Reference:

Congressional Budget Office – ‘H.R. 1628 – American Health Care Act of 2017 – As passed by the House of Representatives on May 4, 2017’ (24.05.2017)

Manduley, Christina – ‘Congressman admits he didn’t read full health care bill before voting’ (04.05.2017) link:

Opinion: Repealing ObamaCare proves that Trump’s America is morally and financially bankrupt!

The United States of America must be bankrupt, broke and in ill fatigue because it cannot afford to insure millions of citizens through medical insurance. At least that is the new report from Congressional Budget Office (CBO) on the new TrumpCare Act that Paul Ryan spoke so nicely about like it was a genuine idea from one of his donors.

This act of repealing and changing ObamaCare or the Affordable Health Care Act (ACA) is not because the Republican Party cares about the health of the United States Citizens. It is clear by the numbers that they want the health care industry and the ones selling insurance to earn more bucks on the ones who aren’t healthy and add higher price tag on their premiums.

Look at the numbers:

“CBO and JCT estimate that, in 2018, 14 million more people would be uninsured under the legislation than under current law” (…) “Later, following additional changes to subsidies for insurance purchased in the nongroup market and to the Medicaid program, the increase in the number of uninsured people relative to the number under current law would rise to 21 million in 2020 and then to 24 million in 2026. The reductions in insurance coverage between 2018 and 2026 would stem in large part from changes in Medicaid enrollment—because some states would discontinue their expansion of eligibility, some states that would have expanded eligibility in the future would choose not to do so, and per-enrollee spending in the program would be capped. In 2026, an estimated 52 million people would be uninsured, compared with 28 million who would lack insurance that year under current law” (CBO, P: 2, 2017).

So who cares about the trillions of dollars possibly saved? Certainly when the nation is so poor that it cannot secure possible health care for such amount of people. I know I proclaimed that Trump could create a Banana Republic back in November 2016. These sorts of act of injustice to millions of citizens as the state’s poverty levels are so the minority of rich can get cheap premium insurance. The others are the already healthy who can afford under the new law. Certainly this will be more costly on the ones that need insurance and the ones that is sick and need it. So if you have preconditions before signing up you are likely to pay more. This whole scheme is so the already expensive health care system can benefit more from the citizens, while the Republican government can spend more on bullets and guns. Such, wealthy and rich countries do.

It is sick and uncommon that a government wish to see more of their citizens not having the ability to get treatment and afford it. Usually it would do whatever it could to drastically make it better, if the government and the republic cared about its citizens. Apparently the Congress, the Representatives and the local government of United States, doesn’t care about the citizens and their well-being.

We can rest assured with every move President Trump does, it getting close to an America, where the Banana’s will go grow quicker. Especially, when we are considering the lack of insurance for such amount of millions that would have under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or the ObamaCare. The new America Health Care Act will hurt many people and most likely make the difference between the rich and poor even bigger.

So with the knowledge of the already rising gap between citizens, Trump’s America seems to look to make it bigger:

“The wealth disparity between upper and middle income Americans has hit a record high, according to a new Pew Research Center Report. On average, today’s upper-income families are almost seven times wealthier than middle-income ones, compared to 3.4 times wealthier in 1984. When compared to lower income family wealth, upper income family wealth is 70 times larger” (Salles, 2014).

That the wealth gap and riches is now enormous, it seems out of this world that they cannot afford to pay more in Medicaid to secure more people getting treatment. Since the rich can own bunch of cars and giant mansions, but cannot afford to pay extra tax to the IRS. That shows how poor the solidarity in the United States is. The individual can by all means take cares of only their own and the collective burden isn’t important.

Therefore, the Republic is really poor when they cannot have the funds or the laws to reassure their citizens. The people are morally poor when the riches cannot pay a little extra to help the ones in need. So the United State is doubly bankrupt and they have a reality star running the show. Surely, the losing end is the ones who is poor and the ones on the lower end of the trailing middle-class; the only one earning on Trumps America is the wealthy. They will win on this; the rest is out goose hunting. Peace.

Reference:

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE – ‘American Health Care Act Budget Reconciliation Recommendations of the House Committees on Ways and Means and Energy and Commerce, March 9, 2017’ (13.03.2017)

Salles, Joaquim Moreira – ‘The Wealth Gap Between Rich And Poor Is The Widest Ever Recorded’ (18.12.2014) link: https://thinkprogress.org/the-wealth-gap-between-rich-and-poor-is-the-widest-ever-recorded-6e9579966adf#.s82a0l91l

The American Medical Association letter to Congress on the #TrumpCare Act (07.03.2017)

U.S. Congress does not want investigation to “go dark” when coming to encrypted data, co-op between private and federal agencies is needed; the Year-End Report claims!

As the House in Congress together with Encryption Working Group, which are different senators from all spectre of the House; they are coming from two parts of the House that are working in the Committee on Energy and Commerce & Committee on the Judiciary. They are here working on the public and private sphere, on the matter on encrypted data can be open and closed. These are because the companies can close the data for the investigation of the security organization. Something that can be hard and needed data to figure out the needed intelligence that the authority’s needs, but still the privacy of the citizens and also company secrets can go away if these encrypted data is uncovered. Therefore the working group to try to find a position on this hard conundrum!

“On February 16, 2016, a federal magistrate judge in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California issued an order requiring Apple, Inc. to assist the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in obtaining encrypted data off of an iPhone related to a 2015 shooting in San Bernardino, California. Apple resisted the order. This particular case was resolved when the FBI pursued a different method to access the data stored on the device. But the case, and the heated rhetoric exchanged by parties on all sides, reignited a decades-old debate about government access to encrypted data” (…) “The law enforcement community often refers to their challenge in this context as “going dark.” In essence, “going dark” refers to advancements in technology that leave law enforcement and the national security community unable to obtain certain forms of evidence” (EWG, P: 2, 2016).

“Congress should not weaken this vital technology because doing so works against the national interest. However, it should not ignore and must address the legitimate concerns of the law enforcement and intelligence communities” (EWG, P: 4, 2016).

Data cross boarders:

“Data flows with little regard for national borders. Many of the private companies that met with the working group have a multinational presence and are subject to the laws of many different jurisdictions. Several of these companies noted a trend towards data localization requirements in foreign countries, driven at least in part by the difficulty in obtaining data for use in routine criminal investigations. Conversely, current legal authorities may be inadequate for federal agencies attempting to access data overseas” (EWG, P: 5, 2016).

“The challenge of improving law enforcement access to encryption depends on a multitude of factors. Federal law enforcement agencies like the FBI and the United States Secret Service face obvious challenges from the growing use of strong encryption. Although federal law enforcement agencies told the EWG that they encourage the use of encryption for the protection of sensitive information—including data retained by the federal government—they cite the increased use of encryption by suspected criminals and victims of crime as a severe challenge to their public safety mission” (EWG, P: 6, 2016).

“Public perception and recent tensions notwithstanding, there is already substantial cooperation between the private sector and law enforcement. Private company stakeholders demonstrated an ability to assist federal, state, and local agencies with access to information to the extent possible and with service of a lawful order, and expressed a willingness to explore ways to improve and enhance that collaboration” (EWG, P: 7, 2016).

“Exploring tools that might help companies clarify what information is already available to law enforcement officers, and under what circumstances” (…) “§ Examining federal warrant procedures to determine whether they can be made more efficient, consistent with current constitutional standards” (…) “§ Examining federal warrant procedures to ensure that they are clear and consistent with respect to law enforcement access to digital information” (…) “§ Examining how law enforcement can better utilize existing investigative tools” (EWG, P: 9, 2016).

“Although much of the debate has focused on requiring third party companies to decrypt information for the government, an alternative approach might involve compelling decryption by the individual consumers of these products. On a case-by-case basis, with proper court process, requiring an individual to provide a passcode or thumbprint to unlock a device could assist law enforcement in obtaining critical evidence without undermining the security or privacy of the broader population” (EWG, P: 12, 2016).

“Encryption is inexorably tied to our national interests. It is a safeguard for our personal secrets and economic prosperity. It helps to prevent crime and protect national security. The widespread use of encryption technologies also complicates the missions of the law enforcement and intelligence communities. As described in this report, those complications cannot be ignored. This is the reality of modern society. We must strive to find common ground in our collective responsibility: to prevent crime, protect national security, and provide the best possible conditions for peace and prosperity” (EWG, P: 13, 2016).

When it comes to data encryption there will be hardships as the multi-national companies are not following borders, neither is this just about privacy, certain parts of the lawful “hacking” is breaching the codes and copyrights of technology for multi-national companies. These are with the example of Apple, who wouldn’t accept that FBI decoded their Iphone in February 2016. Certainly this question and the encryption of data will be a continued problem for authorities, security organizations and also civilians who want’s their privacy kept secret and not all in the open.

The fear that Big Brother can see everything and can connect into everything we have is worry, as much as it is that the companies we consumers has bought products can get all of information and data should also concern us; as much as it if the Security organizations could monitor every action and get hold of all our data. This will be a continued problem as the privacy, the need to unlock privacy terms and the use of National Security to keep an eye on the public sphere.

As long as the security organization can unlock when they need, but not to violate or even use the enforcement in ways where they can trespass into the data for the sense of security. U.S. enforcement shall be in regard for public safety, but shall also secure the privacy of innocent civilians, as much as copyright and encrypted data of giant corporations. Therefore the clear case-to-case work has to be done in corporation between security organization and also private companies, as they together can secure National Security and also the lives of innocent civilians. These are codes of conduct that needs to be clear, the indication of proper work and also co-op that the investigation needs to partake. Peace.

Reference:

Encryption Working Group – ‘Encryption Working Group Year-End Report’ (December 20, 2016)