Now GOP must own failed health care plan

The House passed the American Health Care Act ("AHCA") with just 217 Republicans voting for passage. This was their long-awaited "Repeal and Replace Obamacare" (ACA) that they campaigned on since 2010. As General Colin Powell once said, "If you break it, you own it" and own it they do. Their original attempt at a health care bill was judged to cost 24 million people their health care. By most estimates, this bill is way worse.

AHCA will allow states to opt out of any portions of health care that they see as being able to lower premiums. These include pre-existing conditions, basic care, maternity coverage, mental health coverage and on and on.

Winners are seen to be younger people that don't think they need coverage, large companies that no longer need to provide health care for their employees, companies that provide health care products and people making over $250,000 who will benefit from the resulting huge tax cut they will get as a result of the cost savings from AHCA.

Losers are older people that will see anywhere up to a 500 percent increase in their health insurance premiums, anyone with a pre-existing condition, poor and middle income people that counted on Medicaid to help with paying their premiums, anyone needing mental health coverage, rural residents, health care providers and hospitals.

So in summary unless you are young, rich and very healthy be worried. Be very, very worried.

Jack Halpin

Arlington Heights