The GOP’s Cruel and Unusual Attack on Americans’ Healthcare

FEATURING PAUL SONG – The New York Times on Friday analyzed the Senate Republican healthcare bill with the headline: “Shifting Dollars From Poor to Rich Is a Key Part of the Senate Health Bill.” The Better Care Reconciliation Act as it’s formally known, was drafted in unprecedented secrecy by 13 white male Republican Senators and finally unveiled to the public on Thursday morning.

The GOP hopes to deliberate on the bill with great speed and pass it before the summer recess. But already there are splits. Four conservative senators, Rand Paul, Ted Cruz, Mike Lee, and Ron Johnson already declared their opposition to the bill because it is not a complete repeal of Obamacare.

The Senate version was initially expected to be a re-write of the House version of the bill called the American Health Care Act (AHCA) which passed in May. But analysts say it is not terribly different. One major difference is that Senators want deeper cuts to Medicaid than the House – cuts which will be paid for by tax credits for the wealthiest Americans.

Paul Song, a board-certified radiation oncologist. He is co-chair of the Campaign for a Healthy California, and is on the board of Physicians for a National Health Program, and People for the American Way. Paul is also the Healthcare Correspondent for Rising Up With Sonali.