Still A Long Path Through A Rather Brambly Wood, Ahead -- But It Will Likely Be Obamacare -- Just By Another Name...

As the reality dawns, luminous and clear, in town hall meetings across the nation, that sizeable majorities of actual voters (both R and D) favor the ACA and Medicaid expansion -- elected Congresspeople -- even some of those in Mr. Trump's so-called loyal camp -- are designing something that looks to be a remarkably recognizable cousin of. . . wait for it -- Obamacare.

Welcome to the new reality folks. As I said a few times since November 2016, a goodly chunk of the ACA's best parts are unlikely to see much change at all. Per this evening's Washington Post, then:

. . . .Now, as the House begins to hone details of its legislative proposal, a possible compromise has emerged. It would temporarily keep federal dollars flowing to cover almost the entire cost of the roughly 11 million Americans who have gained Medicaid coverage but would block that enhanced funding for any new participants.

At the same time, the GOP approach would open a fresh spigot of aid for the states — all but one of which has a Republican governor — that eschewed the additional Medicaid money because of their elected officials’ antipathy to the law. This extra aid would probably go to hospitals with a large share of poor and uninsured patients.

The Solomon-like strategy is an attempt to calm fears of Republican governors in expansion states that abolishing the 2010 law would cost them hugely, while also satisfying new demands for equity from other GOP governors who opposed the expansion. ­Details of how the plan’s dual elements would be implemented, including their specific time frames and funding totals, are still coming together in the House Energy and Commerce Committee. . . .

And now you know. Quite a distance yet to traverse, but encouraging just the same.

And so, we have nothing but ear to ear grins, as the fun approaches -- be wonderful to one another, she would have wanted it that way. . . .

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