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Repeal of the ACA… So Now What Should We Do?

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Repeal of the ACA… So Now What Should We Do?

Last week marked the inauguration of the 45th president of the United States. No matter your feelings about him or his politics, he’s here to stay, presumably for the next four years, alongside a Republican majority in Congress. The first order of business?  Repealing the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare), the legislation under which many of us are able to get, and afford, healthcare insurance, and access to the care we need. With the stroke of a pen, the icing on the repeal cake was completed within the first few hours of the new president taking office. Congress had already baked the cake’s layers just a few days before. The predictions about the effect of this rollback are dire not just for those who depend on ACA insurance, but for all Americans. The non-political Congressional Budget Office estimates 18 million people may lose not just their health insurance, but their ability to get health insurance, too, amid new discussions about pre-existing conditions and high-risk pools. We hear those politicians say they plan to improve the situation, that insurance will become more affordable, that they won’t take away the ability of Americans to access care. Lots of talk, but so far nothing that looks like a real, implementable plan. Just lots of speculation. So what are we left with? The status of healthcare delivery in America has never been in such a state of flux as it is today. Whether or not you are insured through the ACA yourself, whether or not you have clients who are insured through the ACA, as health and patient advocates we have to ask ourselves, “So what should we do now? How do we help our clients? How does this change our services?” Here is what we DO know: We do know there will be changes that will affect all citizens, whether or not they have insurance through the ACA. We do know that the president cannot repeal the ACA by himself. Only Congress can. We do know that no aspect of the profiteering healthcare system will back down on its profit-producing activities. No matter the…


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