![The cost of healthcare. / [Image by Images of Money via Flickr / CC BY 2.0]](https://staticr1.blastingcdn.com/media/photogallery/2017/6/22/660x290/b_502x220x82/the-cost-of-healthcare-image-by-images-of-money-via-flickr-cc-by-20_1414153.jpg "The cost of healthcare. / [Image by Images of Money via Flickr / CC BY 2.0]")
Republican lawmakers have known up to a certain point when they should stop trying to manipulate their argument about why they should try and repeal Obamacare, otherwise known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA). No Republican has disputed the fact that the ACA has made healthcare affordable for millions of low-poverty to middle-class Americans. Actually, when Republicans have been confronted with that fact, they've always responded by saying that the ACA doesn't work because premiums are going up, making it less affordable overall.
Even former congressman, Joe Scarborough, called out members of his own party for lying about their support for the replacement bill created by House Republicans called the American Health Care Act (AHCA).
He also called them out for their support for President Trump who has intentionally flooded the public with misinformation especially over their Healthcare Bill. But much of the argument made by Republicans when they're pressed further goes to the foundation of their opposition to the law; being that they consider the ACA government overreach, saying that Americans are denied the freedom to select their own healthcare.
Funding healthcare for the 'poor'
Included in their criticism is their "belief" in states' rights where they say that states and the people in them should have the freedom to handle their own healthcare. But Republicans have also said that they do not want to provided for people who they believe do not deserve government subsidized healthcare saying that those people are likely to take advantage of the system.
In an article by the New York Times titled: "Shifting dollars from poor to rich is a key part of the Senate health bill," it says that the ACA "raised taxes on high earners and the health care industry" and has taken that income, and redistributed it in the form of health insurance or subsidies for others.Basically, take from the rich to give to the poor, of which the new bill does the complete opposite.
Taking from the poor to redistribute to the rich
Senate Republicans have removed the taxing requirements to redistribute the funding and at the same time are reducing federal funding for the states' low-income Americans. At least one Republican senator wants the new bill to get rid of the high risk pools that are there for those with low-income.
In other words, they don't want any federal subsidies at all. Rather than get rid of it immediately, the federal funding will be done away with over time. The bill -- once referred to as the American Health Care Act when it left the House -- is now called the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA), would, therefore, change the Medicaid infrastructure, which originally already made coverage more affordable. Here is an interview with Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) from the PBS Newshour who said he would not vote on the new BCRA because it does nothing to repeal the ACA. Nevertheless, it is also unclear and perhaps intentionally vague on not only if he would vote for it but in providing a better reason for why they're determined to go forward with it anyway.
