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Friday, March 29
The Indiana Daily Student

Column: The reality of Republican health care

In the height of political turmoil this week, it’s hard to decide what issue to think about at any given time. It feels as if the rug is being pulled from beneath our feet. This column will at least center your focus for a few minutes on the Republican party’s threat to accessible health care.

One of the main goals for Republicans (not just Donald Trump this time) is to repeal our current system of health care implemented during the Obama administration and revert back to a more conservative model.

Despite its rough start and technological difficulties, Barack Obama’s health care law was able to give health insurance coverage to 20 million people.

It has also helped people in smaller ways by reducing Medicare costs for seniors and providing free medical tests mammograms, colonoscopies, etc.

Republicans currently plan to repeal “Obamacare.” They can’t do it all at once, but they have a strategy. They will begin by revoking anything that affects government spending and revenues with a majority vote and then going from there. This is going to hurt far more people than it could ever help; the only people that would possibly find themselves paying less overall for health care are the extremely wealthy.

Seniors enrolled in Medicare will have higher premiums and a insufficient insurance coverage for drugs. Also, enrollees will lose any access to free preventative screenings for many life-threatening diseases. Seniors are generally most likely to run into more health issues than any other age group, so the targeting of Medicare is extremely unfair for them.

Overall, senior citizens will be paying more for their medicine, and they will be less likely to get screenings that could prevent health conditions early on. Essentially, seniors will be paying extreme amounts of money at any health issue they may run into.

Repealing “Obamacare” will also get rid of the mandate for employers to 
provide insurance.

Most large employers already do this and would lose business if they were to stop, but many small businesses would be able to take advantage of this change on their employees who work over 30 hours per week. Those covered by insurance from their employer are also likely to lose many benefits they had under “Obamacare.”

For example, contraceptives and preventative screenings will no longer be required by law. This unfairly targets women who otherwise cannot afford necessities such as contraceptives or screenings like mammograms. This mandate in the Affordable Care Act has been extremely controversial, mostly for social reasons instead of financial. Many Republicans wish to get rid of this mandate solely because they do not believe employers should be forced to provide contraceptives if it goes against their religious beliefs.

This unfairly targets women who otherwise cannot afford necessities such as contraceptives or screenings like mammograms. Many people with preexisting health conditions will not be able to find health care coverage if they have not been continuously insured in the past. These conditions can be as common as asthma or diabetes.

Republicans are planning to replace “Obamacare” with tax credits instead of subsidies, high risk pools for the sick and Medicaid block grants. Overall, many American citizens will find themselves paying more and having more difficulties being insured.

All hope is not lost. It is extremely easy to contact our senators and representatives in Indiana and make your voice heard.

If you will be unfairly affected by changes in government health care, call your representatives and let them know. Direct action is the only way to make a change.

emmagetz@umail.iu.edu

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