As if an acrimonious campaign and stunning election were not enough, the past seven days have been rife with anxiety and fear that the Republic is crumbling. In healthcare, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Medicare, Medicaid–and you name it–many federal entitlements– are at risk of evisceration, with nothing substantive to replace it intended or on the drawing board. How will people get and afford healthcare under this order with no safety net?
Today, PatientPOV returns to its roots and gets back to the work of uncovering the gaps between the powers that be and the people. Any of us could be patients and caregivers at some point in our lives. Some of us have had terrible illnesses, been taken up with caregiving, and as a result, experienced economic hardships and disruption in work.
In the past few days, I began to talk with people in red states who are worried about the future of healthcare as the new order frames it. It’s premature to put it into a story, but I will write about it soon.
During the campaign, Trump didn’t have much of a health plan unless you want to call promoting health savings accounts a platform. But health savings accounts are largely limited to people with disposable incomes who can shelter money for health expenses. It’s not insurance at all. Clearly, health savings accounts were the bare minimum that alone, would not fly, post-election.
In the last seven days, Trump and Republican leaders sure have amplified their intentions. Now we are hearing about the dismantling of popular programs that have insured millions or provided a a safety net for many others. It’s overwhelming to consider the programs Trump and Republican leaders are earmarking for extinction. But I hope to air here people’s discontent about the proposed overhaul of healthcare as we know it.
If you’ve got something to say about this, please put it in the comments below. To quote Yogi: “It’s not over till it’s over.” It’s been seven days. Stand up now. Get ready for the long haul. It’s the only way forward.