One thing the Republican's did not factor into their equation, when trying to develop a replacement to ACA, is that few people are accustomed to paying the full cost of their health benefits. For most, particularly high skilled, high wage earners, they've relied on group plans negotiated by their employers, which are far less expensive than individual private plans. The less skilled have seen their benefits taken away altogether outright, or by having their status changed from full-time employee to part-time (many of them work one hour less than what is required to provide them with health coverage), or independent contractor, for the more highly skilled. This has occurred increasing since 1999, as a way for companies to cut overhead costs. More and more of these people, who once had health coverage they could afford, due to group plans negotiated by their employers, are not liking shouldering the full cost of their coverage. These are the people yelling at the Republican Congressman at the town hall meetings, if indeed the Congressman have the guts to attend! And, these are the people who gave Trumpcare a 17% approval rating. They will not be easily fooled by some Frankstein heatlhcare plan cooked up by Trump and the Republicans! Many of them probably work for places like Walmart, who won't allow them to be on their group plan, but rather depend on Medicaid for coverage. And, the Reps. want to cut Medicaid coverage. You think they are really going to lay down for that!

I have never followed Philip Klein but he’s appears to be a bit schizophrenic here. He’s in part criticizing this bill for failing yet praising those who were going to vote against it. I think he’s really criticizing the establishment Republicans that didn’t simply put forward a complete repeal which would have followed the desires of the Freedom Caucus and Rand Paul. He spends hardly any effort explaining the problems the present Republicans face both in size and time given the restrictions of budget reconciliation rules (51 votes vs. 60 votes and the time deadline for budgetary reconciliation). So the first Republican bill failed, yet Klein goes to great length praising the 2009 & 2010 efforts of the Democrats as they shepherded and watched bill after bill get rejected until their final success. The only real failure so far is in Trump’s campaign promise of immediate repeal and replace.

Conservative credentials or not, it’s clear Klein has an alternate agenda here.

ACA was able to sustain coverage for Pre-existing conditions and preventive health screenings against major killers like breast cancer, colon cancer and Prostate cancer with income from individual mandate and taxes.

With the Careless Healthcare Law by GOP,  all the taxes will be gone and so will be the individual mandate.    The new GOP law wants to maintain coverage for unhealthy people with pre-existing conditions.     How the hell the new law will support all the unhealthy people with pre-existing conditions without raising the premiums, copay and deductibles on healthy people?

Watching a segment on CBS regarding "GOP Healthcare Law hidden facts", premiums for everyone may go up to 65% on policies with less coverage than what is with ACA.

Have fun.

However, if they start falling off buildings, dying from radiation poisoning or being shot in public during broad daylight, their attitudes might change!

-- Modified on 3/25/2017 2:55:52 PM

If he actually told them that...Surprised he didn't have them murdered or poisoned...like Putin would have done. Those Freedom Caucus dudes can be stubborn bunch.

You do realize that all or nearly all the happiest countries listed...

have socialized medicine? Is that something you see happening, anytime soon, with a Republican president and congress?