Letter to the Editor: ACA Sabotage

The Republican-dominated Senate failed to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Subsequently, a recent Kaiser Family Foundation poll found that 74 percent of the American public believe that the Trump administration should do what it can to make the current health care law work. So why is President Trump sabotaging the ACA instead of supporting a bipartisan effort to stabilize the current insurance markets?

Some of the President’s efforts to undermine the Affordable Health Care Act are as follows. Firstly, he has cut funding in the advertising budget for the ACA enrollment dates which have changed to Nov. 1 – Dec. 15. Secondly, Sept. 27, 2017, is the final day for insurers to decide if they will participate in the ACA markets for 2018. Yet, President Trump still hasn’t committed to funding the cost-sharing reduction payments that the insurance companies need to know will be there so they can provide 2018 insurance coverage without significant increases. He still hints that he might not allocate these funds! And thirdly, his proposed 2018 budget will cut $1.3 trillion from Medicaid by 2026. This will negatively impact older, disabled and low-income Americans.

Since President Trump is doing what he can to sabotage and destroy the ACA and leave Americans worried and uncertain about their health care, we have to count on our elected officials to step up. There is a bipartisan bill coming before the Senate. It’s called the Marketplace Certainty Act, and its goal is to stabilize the health care markets.

Our elected officials work for us and need to know what we think. So, let’s contact Senator Ron Johnson and tell him we expect him to work on a bipartisan solution to health care and support the Marketplace Certainty Act when it comes up for vote in the Senate. Then let’s contact Senator Tammy Baldwin to thank her for working to stabilize the health care markets by sponsoring the Marketplace Certainty Act.

Repeal and replace didn’t work. Our president’s attempts to undercut the ACA are cruel and morally irresponsible. So what about stabilizing the health care markets through bipartisan efforts? Repair what needs fixing. If the Senate and the Congress embrace a bipartisan solution, maybe we will see progress towards good, affordable health care for all Americans.

Glenna Peters

Sister Bay, Wis.