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Obamacare: Congress must take action

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., says lawmakers in his chamber of Congress are ready to vote on a new national health care law next week. Details of the Senate bill had been kept well under wraps, but efforts have been made for it to be a better version than that approved by the House of Representatives.

Liberals insist action to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act is nothing more than politics. Obamacare is working, they insist. Millions of Americans have good, affordable health insurance because of the law, according to them.

In reality, Obamacare is crashing and burning because of the innumerable flaws built into it.

Consider what is happening in Ohio. Anthem Inc. says it will pull out of health insurance markets in most of the state next year because, as Obamacare is structured, the company cannot afford to continue offering government-approved health insurance without losing money. Only a commitment to more government payments to offset losses would keep Anthem in the Buckeye State’s individual insurance marketplace.

No one knows how many billions — more likely, tens of billions — of dollars have been funneled to insurance companies by the government, under former President Barack Obama.

All of it comes from taxpayers, one way or another.

If Anthem does pull out, the consequences for Ohioans seeking insurance under the Obamacare individual program will be serious. Anthem is the only firm selling health insurance exchange coverage in all 88 Ohio counties. In 20 of them, it is the only insurer.

About 10,500 Ohioans would be left out in the cold with no insurer, if Anthem follows through.

Many — not just a few, but many — other states are in similarly threatening situations. Without massive taxpayer subsidies, millions of Americans will find their health insurance options curtailed or nonexistent.

Those still able to get insurance will pay much more in many cases. Throughout the country, state insurance regulators are being told of plans for premium increases of 50-60 percent or more.

What form repeal and replacement will take is yet to be determined. Clearly, however, members of Congress are right to view the situation as a genuine crisis requiring decisive action soon.

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