Obamacare Repeal Failed, but Some of the Damage Is Already Done

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

WASHINGTON — Graham-Cassidy is officially over for now after Senate leaders announced they would not bring it up for a vote. But the damage to the health insurance market from the lengthy repeal debate is done — with higher premiums and fewer choices already baked into Obamacare's 2018 exchanges.

Now Republican leaders and President Donald Trump have to decide what to do about it.

Do they keep trying repeal over and over and hope something eventually sticks? Or do they talk to Democrats about securing a shaky truce? Could they try to make Obamacare work for the most people possible in the meantime? Perhaps they try to sabotage it?

Why insurers are spooked

Any conversation needs to reckon with the current state of Obamacare's health insurance exchanges, which are still struggling to attract insurers even as their profits improved last year. While no counties are slated to go without coverage in 2018, almost half will have just one option next year.

The problem has a lot to do with the last eight months of repeal efforts.

For months, insurers warned that the ongoing turmoil in Congress and threats from the White House to undermine Obamacare would force them to charge customers more — or not offer plans at all — in 2018.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/obamacare-repeal-failed-but-some-of-the-damage-is-already-done/ar-AAsvScy?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=edgsp

[DK504]

1. The insurance companies haven't realized

that failing to get new customers, the under 30 crowd, means less profits for them. If they had any sense they would be pushing for the ACA and helping fix the issues with the ACA.