While trying to argue against Republicans' effort to repeal and replace Obamacare, a liberal New York Times opinion writer inadvertently did the opposite.
Wajahat Ali referred to the ongoing debate between Republicans and Democrats that access to health care does not necessarily mean getting health care. Democrats have pointed to the fact that, as a result of Obamacare, 20 million more Americans now have health insurance. But Republicans say that coverage is worthless because a large number of those insured can't afford to pay their deductibles.
In a single tweet sent out Monday night, Ali perfectly encapsulated the same argument Republicans have been making for years.
"Republicans say Americans have a right to choose their health insurance," Ali tweeted. "Well, I have a right to buy a Porsche, but I can't afford it, so..."
The Congressional Budget Office issued a report Monday estimating that the House Republican-backed American Health Care Act designed to replace Obamacare would result in an estimated 24 million fewer Americans having health insurance by 2026.
At the same time, it concluded the AHCA would reduce premiums by 10 percent over the next decade.
In their new plan, Republicans propose moving to a system that allows consumers to choose their own plans, without the government dictating to private insurers what their plans must cover, as is the case with Obamacare. The result, ACHA proponents argue, would be less-expensive coverage since insurers would no longer be required to provide unwanted or unnecessary coverage, such as prenatal care for men.
