What does it mean that 'the ACA is the new normal' or that it is 'here to stay'?

The ACA that was passed wasn't that ACA that was promised, and there have already been thousands of changes to it since it was passed.

From a fundamental perspective, how is healthcare any different now than it was before? I don't mean that there aren't new or different rules or requirements or incentives or taxes... all of which have changed dozens of times since the plan was proposed... but the process of buying insurance and using that insurance to pay for healthcare... whom you get it from and how it is delivered to you and that there is a cost-sharing mechanism with a government component for those who can't pay hasn't really changed.

So exactly how would you define the ACA in a way that differentiates it from what we previously had?

More people have insurance, but people having insurance isn't new... and while costs and cost sharing has changed, there really isn't much of a difference. Medicaid is still Medicaid and Medicare is still Medicare.

Seriously, the biggest FUNDAMENTAL change I see is that the universe of 'the insured' under which actuaries made their assumptions for calculating premiums has gone from dozens if not hundreds of unique cohorts to effectively one cohort... but even that isn't that different, because the sum of the parts is the same as the previous whole. It's allocated differently, but it's still the same population being delivered the same care by the same providers.

I think there are plenty of Democrats that would prefer single payer... which although it seems to be the ultimate conclusion to the ACA as a solution to its potential financial or physical collapse, it isn't what the ACA is, so not even Democrats want the ACA to continue in its current form.

Which is why I've repeatedly said I don't care if it is merely severely amended or repealed. It doesn't make much difference, other than the amount of paperwork to 'fix' it.

This is another one of those things where Obama loses the argument but it is decided in his favor anyway... (like the individual Mandate) so the left claims he won and the right claims he lost... or where Obama wins the argument but it is decided against him anyway (DC guns) so the left claims he won and the right claims he lost. Whether the ACA is repealed and replaced or merely rendered moot by amendment is nothing but a matter of perspective.

(06-25-2015 06:00 PM)dawgitall Wrote:  I believe we have reached he tipping point. The ACA is the new normal. It is time for the GOP to accept that they aren't going to get their way on this one. Once they do that perhaps all can sit down and concentrate on the problems with the ACA, the unintended consequences, unresolved issues, etc. etc. I'm sure that the presidential candidates will continue to use, "repeal and replace" or some variation of that to fund raise, but beyond that we all need to move forward.

Anyone feel the same way, or is this a battle to the death?

Nooooo. I want them to keep trying to repeal it.