Author: Harold Pollack
Harold Pollack is Helen Ross Professor of Social Service Administration at the University of Chicago. He has served on three expert committees of the National Academies of Science. His recent research appears in such journals as Addiction, Journal of the American Medical Association, and American Journal of Public Health. He writes regularly on HIV prevention, crime and drug policy, health reform, and disability policy for American Prospect, tnr.com, and other news outlets. His essay, "Lessons from an Emergency Room Nightmare" was selected for the collection The Best American Medical Writing, 2009. He recently participated, with zero critical acclaim, in the University of Chicago's annual Latke-Hamentaschen debate. View all posts by Harold Pollack
I hear over and over from Trump supporters who have "seen their cost of healthcare explode". They'll describe an increase that seems vastly greater than what I've seen in my market in CA, or read about in national figures. Many will say they can barely make ends meet, and so can't afford insurance. But this is really odd, because they should get a full subsidy. The strangest is stories about people who never had insurance, but now complain they can't afford it.
I keep thinking they aren't talking to the right people, and misunderstanding the benefit. Maybe there are a few people falling through the cracks - maybe the upper middle class guy who paid for cheap catastrophic insurance who now has to pay for a quality plan. But I can't help wondering many are so blinded by partisanship that they refuse to try and properly understand the ACA. But, then many of them will say they voted for Obama - so I'm generally left scratching my head.
In some cases they're being lied to by an insurance company and/or by their state government. Lots of insurance companies cancelled non-compliant plans in the wake of the ACA, then informed their customers that the alternative plan they had to buy was a horrifically expensive one and blamed the ACA. And if these people are living in a non-exchange, no-Medicaid-expansion state, they're likely not going to get any help from the state at figuring out the truth.
Apparently Trump had a major epiphany today. Health care is complicated. Who knew? He sure didn't.
There was a pro-Trump rally today on the steps of the Capitol building in Denver. I went past there at noon. There must have been dozens and dozens of people there supporting the President. I did not have time to chat with anyone, except to pat the head of a dog wearing a Trump shirt and say, "You are above politics, aren't you?" The owner affirmed that this was the case. At least we could agree on that.
All that is really needed here is a catchy slogan for preserving the ACA. "Revise and repair" is every bit as good as "repeal and replace;" it is the alliteration that counts. Hell, for that matter, you could try "recline and recoil" or "rebuild and rebut" or "refurbish and resend" or "recite and recruit."
We have a president who talks and thinks in slogans, so let's adapt and adjust.