I’m terrified of losing my healthcare.

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I’m freaking out right now.   The GOP is going after ACA (Obamacare) AGAIN.

This time, some federal judge in Texas (whose actual name is Reed O’Connor, though that hasn’t been widely reported) said the law is unconstitutional and therefore needs to be repealed.

There was a detailed article about this from the New York Times.  I had it linked here but the link no longer works so I removed it.  I’m too disgusted and angry to try to explain why this judge thinks the ACA is unconstitutional and don’t really understand his logic.  I think it’s all bullshit, frankly — just another way the GOP can try to strip healthcare away from 20 million Americans and ratf*ck the sick, poor and elderly.

I happen to be one of those Americans who will be affected should this cruel law be upheld (I have heard it will probably be appealed and not be upheld, but I’m not getting my hopes up).   The ACA is the only way I can afford health insurance.  I’m way too old to risk not having health insurance (though I’m fairly healthy, I know I won’t always be), and I’m still too young for Medicare.  The way they keep raising the age for eligibility (they want to raise it to 70, I believe right now it’s 67),  I may never be “old” enough to get it.

This predatory regime wants the elderly poor and working class dead.   I’m convinced of that.  All their actions and their lack of empathy and general cruelty makes it obvious.   Once we’re too old or too sick to make money for the oligarchs and corporations, we’re just “useless eaters” (using one of the GOP’s actual terms for us).  Taking away our healthcare is a sneaky way to kill us off when we lose our usefulness to them.

Hopefully the new Democratic Congress, headed by Nancy Pelosi (I’m very happy she will be the Speaker) can work out something that will allow us to keep our healthcare, or maybe even work with the less partisan Republicans (do they exist anymore?) to come up with something even better than the ACA.

More people than ever, even some Republicans, are demanding Medicare For All (single payer healthcare, like other developed countries have).  Maybe one day that will actually become a reality and we can stop worrying about dying or going bankrupt should we become sick or disabled.   At my age, it’s a very real worry, and right now, I’m absolutely terrified that I could lose my ACA with nothing to replace it.    I do not have a job that offers health insurance, I’m not married so no one is paying for me to be on their plan, and there’s no way I can afford the premiums on my own without the ACA.

Certain things should not be privatized or not at least have a public option (such as education).  Healthcare is one of those things.    Some things are necessities that benefit the common good and should be paid through our taxes, meaning that We, the People own these things, not private shareholders and individuals.  Those things include national parks and monuments, fire and police, education (though private schools should and can be available as well), the post office, healthcare, the military, and prisons.  Privatizing these things (or not having a public option for them) leads to nothing but further inequality and fascism.

17 thoughts on “I’m terrified of losing my healthcare.”

  1. I think it is likely that when the GOP in Congress (and DJT) took the mandate out of the ACA in the Big Tax Giveaway, they already knew this law suit would be done. I also think their entire opposition to the ACA has had more to do with destroying all things Obama than any coherent legal theory or even ideology. One sure thing is that all the attempts by some GOP candidates in the recent election to reassure people on health care just got exposed for the lies they were. Whatever happens in the appeal process on this decision, health care is on the table for 2020 as a major issue.

    Liked by 3 people

    • It’s going to be the death knell for Republicans, since healthcare is the #1 issue Americans care about, but they act like they don’t even care, as if there are no longer going to even be elections.
      Look what’s happening in Wisconsin right now. A Democrat won, but Scott Walker has pretty much nullified the will of the People. I’m afraid that kind of shit is going to spread and our elections will no longer be free and fair (and they barely are now).

      Liked by 4 people

      • If the ACA is struck down in total with nothing to replace it, there are going to be a very many very angry and frightened people, many of whom voted for Trump and Republicans. And, the something to replace it would have to get through a Democrat House and Republican Senate. That would put all of them in the hot seat.

        Liked by 2 people

        • Well, my understanding is it hsa to go through appeal, and will most likely be struck down, and that will take a while. I’m good for 2019 (I just renewed). It’s still worrisome. I hear there’s greater demand for a replacement if the ACA *is* deemed “unconstitutional.” People aren’t just going to lie down and be fine with having no healthcare again. You can’t change the law to benefit people and then rip it away from them without there being mass unrest and justified outrage. More people are saying single payer would be the only workable solution. That would be ideal, of course. I hope it happens in my lifetime.

          Liked by 4 people

          • I think there is a good chance that the higher courts will reverse the one judge’s ruling, at least in part. He declared the entire ACA invalid due to the removal of the tax penalty for not having insurance, but there are huge parts of the law that do not depend , are not at all related to the insurance mandate, which affect many people and institutions. I also suspect that the new House of Representatives majority could try to reinstate the penalty, thus repairing the supposed “flaw” in the law, making the court decision moot. The consequences of the whole ACA suddenly going away without some replacement might be sufficiently terrifying to enough Republicans in the Senate (in an election year) to get the fix passed there.

            Liked by 1 person

    • Hi Lauren Bennett and Bob Cabkings,

      Let’s hope that sanity and decency will eventually prevail regarding the medical system that is so often beyond the reach of the poor and disadvantaged.

      As for the cartoon shown here, what else can I say other than resonating your cartoon with my very own created and published at https://soundeagle.wordpress.com/2017/10/18/the-quotation-fallacy/best-quotation-to-win-an-exclusive-loyal-contract-to-make-pig-boss-company-great-again/

      Happy mid-December to both of you!

      Liked by 2 people

  3. I think it’s all BS & I hope you don’t lose your coverage but honestly … we need something much better anyway. I’m on SSD/SSI & I have Medicare/Medicaid (I’m in NY) & everything except dental is covered. I have no co-pays whatsoever, except for super-low ones for my meds & that’s only for the first part of the year. I go to the doctors I want, pretty much when I want/need to. EVERYONE IN THIS COUNTRY DESERVES THIS. PLUS DENTAL.

    Liked by 2 people

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