Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org (Home - Stephen Lendman)

House and Senate versions of Trumpcare are nightmarish for most Americans.

It’s worst of all for millions to be left uninsured or way underinsured under either bill, along with others dependent on Medicaid, the elderly, infirm, and individuals with preexisting conditions.

Most Americans fall into one or more of these categories. Trumpcare threatens their health and well-being.

According to CBO scoring of the so-called Better Care Reconciliation Act of 2017, 28 million Americans will be left uninsured under the House plan, 49 million by 2026.

The Senate measure leaves 22 million more uninsured by 2026 on top of millions without coverage under Obamacare.

The CBO claimed Senate legislation will reduce the federal deficit by $321 billion over the next decade, $202 billion more than the House bill.

Its scoring failed to explain that Trump and most GOP congressional members want savings from major healthcare cuts used for greater militarism and warmaking, along with freeing up funds for cutting taxes on business and for high-net-worth households.

No deficit reduction will be achieved. It’ll almost certainly increase the way it does virtually every year - currently a staggering near-$20 trillion, rising daily.

Trumpcare is a scheme to transfer greater amounts of wealth to America’s privileged class from middle-and-low-income households.

It has nothing to do with providing a fundamental human right for all US citizens, especially its most vulnerable, their needs ignored.

Under House and Senate versions, insurance costs will increase, in most cases exponentially because of higher premiums, deductibles and co-pays, along with reduced insurance subsidies.

Coverage will decrease in most cases, except for rich households able to afford anything they want and Medicare recipients - initially, but that’s likely to change.

According to the Annals of Internal Medicine, lack of health insurance is deadly. Its comprehensive review of studies showed being uninsured substantially increases mortality.

Around 18,000 Americans currently die annually from lack of coverage - studies of adults aged 18 - 64 concluded. Under Trumpcare, an estimated 29,000 will die annually.

Insurance decreases mortality by as much as 29% because sick people can be treated for serious health problems.

According to Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP) co-founder Dr. Steffie Woolhandler:

“In order to justify policies that strip coverage from millions, Republicans like Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Raul Labrador claim that health insurance doesn’t save lives.”

“But overwhelming scientific evidence says they’re wrong. Thousands of people are already dying each year because the Affordable Care Act (ACA - Obamacare) has left 28 million uninsured. The Republican health reform bills would increase that death toll.”

The only equitable solution is universal coverage, Medicare for all, everyone in, no one left out - an anathema notion for most congressional members and all US administrations.

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Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

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