Obama Care extension is necessary for nation

Kali Ray, Reporter

Republicans and Democrats are working together in the Senate to create a short term solution concerning health care, and the only one who could ruin it, is Donald J. Trump. The scary part is, he may intend to.

However, no one knows for sure what the president’s intentions are. When asked about the new health care bill in the Rose Garden, Trump supported the bipartisan deal, only to turn against it 10 minutes later.

America needs Trump to make up his mind, and he should support the bill without the contradictions his presidency has been riddled with.

What exactly is the deal? It is a bipartisan health care bill created by Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash.

The deal would continue ObamaCare for two more years while Congress works on a better system, and it would also reduce the deficit by $4 billion by 2027.

There is lots of congressional support for the deal, but without Trump’s approval, Sen. Mitch McConnell, majority leader, refuses to bring it to the floor for a vote.

It would be a mistake for the president not to approve the plan as not only would he be helping to create a short term health care fix, but it would also be the first major bill passed under his presidency.

It would also show support for Democrats and Republicans working together, something happening less and less as the country’s divide grows.

The bill is not perfect by either side’s standards, and I would much prefer a more Democratic bill, but it’s a start.

The deal is not a solution; it is not meant to be. Rather, it is a short term fix while Congress works on something better.

Some more conservative Republicans are saying it’s just a lifeline for ObamaCare and refuse to support the bill because they want ObamaCare dead.

What these representatives and senators need to realize is that they cannot get a repeal of ObamaCare through the Senate, even if it does pass the House.

A repeal kicks too many people off health insurance, health insurance that people around the United States need. A complete repeal of ObamaCare without a replacement would literally result in death.

The bipartisan deal, however, would not remove a significant number of people from the health care system, but rather reduce the deficit by cutting premiums through cost-sharing reduction payments to insurers.

That means that the deal would reinstate subsidies recently ended by the Trump administration, which actually saves money for the government.

If subsidies are not paid, insurance companies raise premiums on lower income people that the government then still has to pay for. These subsidies are cheaper for the government in the long run.

This bipartisan deal is the best bill proposed on the health care issue this year, and it should pass. It appeals to both parties without extremism on either side.

For the president to refuse to support the bill would be a loss.