That’s the first of the thread which I will leave up so you can follow the whole thing there, including comments, if you’re interested. The rest of Slavitt’s thread I’m copying below, in more readable format. What he calls “synthetic repeal (SR)” I’m calling “zombie repeal” because that monster never dies.
2/ GOP is now trying to create what I call "synthetic repeal."
Before I explain what that means let me tell you why this is happening.
3/ GOP has 7 years of promises and a lot of fundraising to pay back. Moore's win in AL punctuates the point that the R base is very unhappy.
4/ GOP needs to compete in primaries & fundraise. Make no mistake that is a 2018 reality weighing on them.
5/Three strategic choices:
a- say repeal failed & move on
b- promise to try again next year
c- "synthetic repeal"
First step is "c".
6/ Synthetic repeal allows them to say: sure, we didn't repeal the ACA because of RINO holdouts, but before long it will be effectively done.
7/ Synthetic repeal goes after ALL the big cahuanas: huge Medicaid cuts, pre-existing protections & the mandates. WITHOUT REPLACEMENTS.
8/ CBO would score the synthetic repeal an absolute disaster.
9/ The tools for synthetic repeal are:
- An Executive Order coming next week
- The budget/tax plan
- Sabotage of the ACA (not even denied)
10/ The EO allows "association health plans"-- ability for plans to be offered with no pre-existing protections & turn ACA into a high risk pool.
11/ In states that have done things like this, like TN, premiums have skyrocketed and competitors have left the market.
12/ This Executive Order next week is a massive undermining of states, insurance markets & American families.
13/ Anyone will be able to create a plan that usurps state authority. And across state lines.
Graham Cassidy "state's rights" 😂😂😂😂😂😂
14/ The tax cut is the other side of the nickel of Medicaid cuts.
Rs will need Medicaid to deal with $1 trillion+ shortfall to balanced budget.
15/ From their standpoint, either vehicle could work.
One Senator said to me tonight: the health care bill was about hidden tax cuts. Now the tax bill is about hidden health care cuts.
16/ In fact, I've heard some say tax vehicle will be easier for Rs because opposition won't recognize it as a health care fight.
17/ Sabotage effort 2 drive up prices with no CSR payment, limit enrollment, deny/ignore state waivers is designed to beat the ACA unworkable.
18/ Someone in a position to know insurer thinking told me Assoc plans & sabotage will leave markets bare in '19 so people have no options.
19/ Many states will have exclusionary plans for healthy (like pre-ACA days, big Medicaid cuts. Budget also allows mandate to be cut, higher premiums.
20/ Synthetic repeal would butcher ACA beyond recognition. GOP could back for a draconian full repeal with yes votes coming out of necessity.
21/ The troubling part (yeah, there's a troubling part) is it can be done with much less public recognition of it all. Cc: boiling frog.
22/ This is Synthetic Repeal as I see it. No one is calling it that but that's the plan as I see it.
23/ SR is the most underhanded perversion of the law I can think of with little thought for the impact on people.
But it doesn't mean it will work.
24/ So response to SR? Working on it now. I won't be alone.
Right now let's #GetUSCovered. One win at a time.
End
Holy crap. Has there ever been a political party in American history so dedicated to making life worse for the American people?