Me in Politico.
Since Republicans’ control pretty much everything in Washington and in most statehouses, they are accountable for the functioning of American government. Through “collapse and replace,†they are effectively holding themselves hostage. And whatever the partisan calculus, such rhetoric introduces political and policy uncertainty that dampens insurer and consumer commitment to the new marketplaces.
The long-run trajectory should really concern Republicans. The American Health Care Act, the putative replacement for the ACA, produced a surprisingly emphatic victory for Democrats. It bolstered the national consensus that every American is entitled to affordable and decent health coverage.
If the marketplaces can’t deliver on this promise, they won’t simply be scrapped. They will be supplanted by some form of expanded public coverage.
More here.
What does it mean to hold yourself hostage? Let me explain…