This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
So, the numbers are in and it's official; the Republican representatives are now the health care terrorists of the American people. The numbers of those that die in the U.S. from ISIS? Ha! A mere speck of dust compared to those who are going to die, die early, be poorer, sicker or bankrupt, or thrown out of nursing homes. Who's affected? Mostly children and the elderly and the handicapped on Medicaid, those over 40, reproductive-age women, small-business owners in the individual marketplace, the working poor, those with mental health issues and addictions, rural populations and hospitals. The mandate for insurance is gone, but the insurance company penalties for not being covered are way more expensive than the penalties under Obamacare. Premiums may go down for some, but the coverage is going to be way less and deductibles and co-pays much higher. I'm 63. My premium's expected to go up $20,000 in one year.
Who are the winners? The wealthiest people in America who get a huge tax break as a cornerstone for even bigger tax breaks soon to be determined. The ACHA House bill should be renamed the American Health Cruelty Act, and the BCRA Senate bill, should be renamed the Bigger Cruelty Redistribution Act. The poll numbers are speaking loudly and clearly. Let's stop this travesty of a non-democratic process for such literally life and death issues and hold collaborative across-the-aisle public hearings upon return from the Fourth of July legislative recess.
J.B. (Mary) Brett
Salt Lake City