As predicted in our blog post from a few weeks ago, the republican effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) with no replacement has failed to pass. This comes with a great sigh of relief for many Americans who depended on the ACA for health coverage. However, even with this recent clarification the biggest question remains: what’s next?
Reports from CNBC suggest that congress will probably try to move forward with a bipartisan solution. There are two of them currently being mulled over; one belongs to the house and the other to the senate. The house’s plan involves making economic tweaks (such as a “stability fund”) to attempt to secure reasonable premiums. The senate’s solution is to organize panels for discussion and hopefully gather enough information to make a solid decision.
Trying to reach a bipartisan consensus on health care in the United States seems like a smart move. The problem with the current proposals is that they both are rooted in short term-ism. Neither is likely to keep the ACA stable and functional past 2018, especially with an executive branch that is very hostile to the system. Only time will tell if congress will be able to find a solution that satisfies both parties, and most importantly the American people. As always, Faller Insurance will continue to provide updates.