Senate Republicans on Thursday released their 142-page ObamaCare replacement, optimistically titled the "Better Care Reconciliation Act," after the party's leadership faced criticism for writing the document entirely behind closed doors. While President Trump has quietly implored Republican lawmakers to make their approach to health care less "mean," and to give the bill "more heart," the White House is apparently supportive of "Better Care," much as the administration got behind the House's narrowly passed American Health Care Act.
"It's going to be very good," Trump promised Thursday. "A little negotiation, but it's going to be great,"
Critics of the Senate's plan are already fiercely taking issue with the president's "very good" claim. And one more thing is certain: Trump's supporters will certainly feel surprised. After all, many of the promises Trump made on the campaign trail and in his early days in office are directly contradicted by the Senate's plan. Let's take a brief tour.
1. The plan will lower deductibles.
Then:
...healthcare plan is on its way. Will have much lower premiums & deductibles while at the same time taking care of pre-existing conditions!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 30, 2017
Now:
If you believed Trump when he said he would lower deductibles, I'm sorry. This bill would raise them significantly as a core feature.
— Benjy Sarlin (@BenjySarlin) June 22, 2017
2. The plan will preserve Medicaid.
Then:
I was the first & only potential GOP candidate to state there will be no cuts to Social Security, Medicare & Medicaid. Huckabee copied me.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 7, 2015
Now:
Looks like the Senate bill could effectively phase out Medicaid *entirely.* via @imillhiser https://t.co/o9uemxuB2b pic.twitter.com/gxEDIIaw1N
— Ned Resnikoff (@resnikoff) June 22, 2017
3. The plan will totally repeal ObamaCare.
Then:
Anybody (especially Fake News media) who thinks that Repeal & Replace of ObamaCare is dead does not know the love and strength in R Party!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 2, 2017
Now:
I have to say, this looks an awful lot like a skimpier version of Obamacare. Very hard to call this repeal.
— Nicholas Bagley (@nicholas_bagley) June 22, 2017
Rand Paul doesn't seem pleased with health bill, tells @kasie: "My concern...is it looks like we're keeping Obamacare, not repealing it." pic.twitter.com/Q56rmvUm8y
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) June 22, 2017
4. The plan will guarantee "insurance for everybody."
Then:
President-elect Donald Trump said in a weekend interview that he is nearing completion of a plan to replace President Obama's signature health-care law with the goal of "insurance for everybody," while also vowing to force drug companies to negotiate directly with the government on prices in Medicare and Medicaid. [The Washington Post]
Now:
The Senate bill will reportedly phase out the expansion of Medicaid under ObamaCare, although it the process won't start until 2021. In the end, the impact is the same. The Congressional Budget Office found that rolling back Medicaid expansion would cost 14 million people their health insurance. [ThinkProgress]
5. The plan will be great for women.
Then:
"Nobody is going to be better on women’s health issues than Donald Trump," Trump promised at an August 2015 campaign rally.
Now:
This is what you get with male-only decisions - No pregnant citizens allowed w/ medicaid expansion. #AHCA pic.twitter.com/AaZP6p6con
— Victoria Fiorentino (@HybridVigorUS) June 22, 2017
6. This is "a plan with heart."
Then:
During a rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Wednesday night reminiscent of his time on the campaign trail, President Trump brought up the GOP's plan to repeal and replace ObamaCare, saying, "I hope we are going to surprise you with a really good plan." Trump revealed that he has been "talking about a plan with heart," adding that he told Republican senators, "Add some money to it!" [The Week]
Now:
American Lung Association: "The healthcare legislation released today falls woefully short." pic.twitter.com/LgHwZvgjs3
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) June 22, 2017
7. The plan will provide "much less expensive and much better" care.
Then:
The "philosophy in some circles that if you can't pay for it, you don’t get it'? Trump insisted that "that's not going to happen with us" — implying that there would be universal coverage regardless of income. What's more, people could "expect to have great health care" that would be "in a much simplified form. Much less expensive and much better." [The Washington Post]
Now:
Affordability will now vary with age, with older people asked to front as much as 16.2% of their income for a high-deductible exchange plan. pic.twitter.com/JRTBClf4Ql
— Nicholas Bagley (@nicholas_bagley) June 22, 2017
8. The plan will take care of Americans with pre-existing conditions.
Then:
Trump promised that the [health-care] plan would take "care of preexisting conditions." [The Washington Post]
Now:
If GOP has their way, protections for pre-existing conditions would be gutted under #Trumpcare. pic.twitter.com/2Qh9X8iJbj
— House Budget Dems (@HouseBudgetDems) June 22, 2017
9. Republicans will "come together and save the day."
Then:
ObamaCare is imploding. It is a disaster and 2017 will be the worst year yet, by far! Republicans will come together and save the day.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 13, 2017
Now:
"As of Thursday morning, 11 GOP senators have indicated they have concerns with the bill. If three vote against it, the bill would fail." [The Washington Post]