For healthcare we have to answer one fundamental question:
Is healthcare in the United States only the for those who can afford it, or is it a right for all regardless of their ability to pay?
The current system is setup for those with the ability to pay.
ACA’s failing was trying to make the current system something it’s not. The current system is designed to provide healthcare to those with the money to pay for insurance, not ensure healthcare to all. ACA tried to make it do both.
The GOP plan only makes the insurance more affordable for some people by dropping other people from coverage, or putting coverage out of their financial reach.
We had this prior to ACA. 40,000+ people died each year because they lacked the ability to pay.
Again, the question for us as Americans, is that okay?
We can’t obfuscate this with talk about our system being better. It’s simply not. When I looked into the stats, I was compelled to write about what I found: https://smilinganyway.com/a-case-for-a-single-payer-healthcare-system/ .
Capitalism is heartless. It is designed for one thing, to make a profit, as large a profit as possible. We get mad at drug companies for gouging. We get mad at insurance companies for dropping unprofitable regions or people. But these companies are doing exactly what they are suppose to do… maximize profits. Scorpions will always be scorpions. If they don’t maximize profits, then they are doing shareholders a disservice.
If we believe everyone has a right to coverage then we have to take capitalism out of the healthcare insurance equation.
There are many examples around the world of well functioning single payer systems. There is not just one option, but several to model a plan for the U.S.. It is up to us whether we believe people deserve healthcare or not.