Remember our Senator Ron Johnson’s lawsuit against Obamacare? Who can forget one of the most inane things he’s done in Washington so far in is term as senator.
Well apparently the GOP wised up to the fact they states led by GOP governors who refused to set up their own state insurance exchanges will be in a major world of hurt if the Supreme Court rules against the current implementation of the Affordable Care Act:
A Supreme Court ruling due in a few weeks could wipe out health insurance for millions of people covered by President Barack Obama’s health care law. But it’s Republicans — not White House officials — who have been talking about damage control.
A likely reason: Twenty-six of the 34 states that would be most affected by the ruling have Republican governors, and 22 of the 24 GOP Senate seats up in 2016 are in those states.
Obama’s law offers subsidized private insurance to people without access to it on the job. In the court case, opponents of the law argue that its literal wording allows the federal government to subsidize coverage only in states that set up their own health insurance markets.
Most states have not done so, because of the intense partisanship over “Obamacare” and in some cases because of technical problems. Instead, they rely on the federal HealthCare.gov website.
And of course the timing couldn’t be worse…not smart to take affordable health care away from millions of your constituents just before the presidential election cycle….not a good idea at all. So what’s a GOP legislator to do? Well pass a new law to extend the subsidies if the Supreme Courts rule against it. And guess who is out front on that line of thinking? Wisconsin’s Republican Senator Ron Johnson:
If the subsidies are overturned, Republicans will first try blaming Obama and the Democrats for writing flawed legislation and then trying to paper over problems with regulations. Then they’ll move ahead with a patch to appease angry constituents.
A bill introduced by Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., would continue the subsidies for existing customers only on the federal exchange until Sept. 2017. That would open a window for states to act, but it would ultimately leave the problem for the next president and Congress. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is a co-sponsor.
Whoa whoa whoa…wait…what?
But of course Sen. Johnson is also taking a swipe at the ACA:
Johnson’s bill would repeal the requirements for individuals to have insurance and for larger employers to offer coverage to workers.
So the president is likely to oppose the legislation on these last grounds and get to take the blame for not extending coverage for those who may lose it. But of course the court could just surprise us and say the intent of the legislation is clear and let it stand.
BTW: why is Yahoo news the first place that I have seen this information @ Sen. Johnson’s new found support for Obamacare?
Well, clearly it’s too much hardship for employers to keep paying for their employees’ health insurance, especially with all these “religious objections”! And too much hardship to demand everyone pay for their own! Yet it would be cruel to leave families without health coverage at all — and it would bankrupt the hospitals who treat them at emergency rooms but then don’t get paid! So… what’s left but simple single-payer coverage, the Canadian plan, aka “Medicare for all”?