Four Ways to Improve upon the Affordable Care Act

In a grand effort to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, U.S. Congressional Republicans have failed in their attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA). With the understanding that the ACA will remain the law of the land, what can Congress do to modify the law while retaining benefits the public uniformly agrees upon?

The ACA itself is a fusion of conservative and liberal ideals: its insurance market reforms borrowed the best ideas from conservative think tanks while its Medicaid expansion leans heavily upon liberal values of government-secured health coverage. The ACA’s legacy rests in its dramatic reduction in the United States’ uninsured rate.

The failure of the American Health Care Act (AHCA) makes this point abundantly clear: Americans will not tolerate their families, friends, and neighbors losing coverage.

There are four areas in which moderate Republicans and Democrats might find agreement and enough votes to pass the House, the Senate, and earn the president’s signature – reducing the burden of taxes and mandates, fixing the Medicaid gap, correcting the family glitch, and cutting costs by adding additional coverage options. [CONTINUE READING AT THE BCM POLICYWISE BLOG]