Five Problems with Democrats ’ “Preexisting Conditions” Strategy

Michael F. CannonDemocrats think preexisting conditions will once again carry them to electoral victory. Despite their own liabilities and callousness on the issue, they ’re probably right.In 2018, Democrats accused Republicans of wanting to deny health care to the sick. Exhibit A, they said, was the GOP ’s attempt to repeal ObamaCare’s popular preexisting‐​conditions provisions. The accusation worked. Democratsflipped a  net 41 House seats to take control of the chamber. Conventional wisdom considers the outcome to be proof that ObamaCare is (finally) popular with voters.In 2020, Democrats are deploying the same strategy. A  meritless yetsomewhat successfulRepublican ‐​led legal challenge to ObamaCare now sits before the Supreme Court. Oral arguments will occur mere days after the election and mere days after the GOP replaces the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg with a  jurist who is unlikely to approach ObamaCare with the same reverence Ginsburgdid: 7th Circuit Court of Appeals JudgeAmy Coney Barrett. This confluence of events again enables Democrats to accuse Republicans of wanting to deny care to the sick by eliminating ObamaCare ’s popular preexisting‐​conditions provisions.There are several problems with this line of attack, however.Congressional Republicans didn ’t try to repeal ObamaCare’s preexisting‐​conditions provisions.I wish they had. But even the Congressional Budget Officeacknowledged the “repeal”bill House Republicans introd...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - Category: American Health Authors: Source Type: blogs