Congress has voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Kinda, sorta. Because it’s actually way more complicated than a straight repeal of the law.
This is Trahant Reports.
The House and Senate passed budget resolutions that instruct four committees in Congress to strip funding from the budget.
Yet the details of that repeal — including what it actually means for the Indian Health Care Improvement Act, a chapter of the law — remain unclear.
And to make matters even more complicated President-elect Donald Trump told The Washington Post Sunday that he wants to replace the Affordable Care Act with insurance for all. What ever that means. Hard to imagine that Republicans in the House will go along. Trump told the Post that Medicaid cuts are not a part of his plan.
Interactive version of this graphic is here: https://infograph.venngage.com/p/205333/funding-indianhealth
So far the actually legislative proposals go the opposite direction and target tens of billions of dollars that states now get for Medicaid expansion. It’s likely that any replacement will be some kind of block grant program that sends a set amount to states instead of funding every eligible person.
There is a long way to go before the repeal becomes law (and an even longer path ahead for any replacement).
First: There is something Indian Country can do, right now. There is still time to sign up for Medicaid, Medicaid expansion, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and insurance found on the exchanges. This is money that will benefit the Indian health system for at least a year and as long as four years. This act of defiance will not only bring money to a local clinic or hospital, but it will pressure state lawmakers to find a solution for the people who already have Medicaid.
The Affordable Care Act in Indian Country has been a steady success. The law did not result in immediate full funding for Indian health. (In fact: I think the Indian Health Service could have done a lot more to sell the insurance programs to individuals.) Nonetheless Medicaid collections in the Indian Health Service budget have increased by more than 50 percent since the law was enacted. There are still far too many patients in the Indian health system who are uninsured. (Yes, I know, a treaty right, but one that’s not fully-funded.) The fact is patients who carry health insurance, including Medicaid, have more options in terms of care, especially when patients need treatment or specialists outside of the Indian health system.
This Sunday was another deadline for people to sign up for insurance through the exchanges. But American Indians and Alaska Natives are exempt from that deadline.There are plans that cost nothing. And signing up now is an act of defiance.
Remember there will be a transition once Congress comes up with a replacement. Adding more people to the rolls of insurance now is one way to demand that Congress come up with an alternative and not just destroy what’s in place.
I am Mark Trahant.
