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ObamaCare: Defund and Replace

Washington insiders and politicians from both sides of the aisle have been on a media blitz across America insisting that defunding Obamacare is a complex issue and it's impossible. They are being less than truthful. ObamaCare funding can easily be eliminated if Congress refuses to pass a Continuing Resolution that funds any part of the bill. Hordes of special interest groups and lobbyists have spent thousands of man hours convincing Congress, their staffers, and the general citizenry that the congressional power of the purse is this mystical and abstract power; again, they are lying. The Constitution is very clear; Congress, and only Congress, appropriates spending. They do have the power to defund ObamaCare, but they lack the courage and moral fortitude to do what's right, because it’s a difficult task, and of course they may also fail to garner the favor of editors at the Washington Post or the New York Times. 

We as citizens must mobilize and force our legislators to listen to us. Defunding ObamaCare will be an uphill battle, and without public pressure Congress has a nasty habit of taking the easy road. However, as we push for the defunding of ObamaCare we must also push for an alternative to replace it.

Patient centered and market driven ideas for an ObamaCare alternative exist. One such plan was presented at a summit Freedomworks hosted this past weekend. The aptly named "Health Care Contract with America" has ten primary tenants:

1: Allow everyone to maintain their current health insurance, no exceptions. Treat everyone the same, including all members of Congress and government employees.

2: Allow people to own their medical insurance and take it with them from job to job. Portability is key. 

3: Allow all taxpayers to receive tax deductions for medical expenses, including personal Health Savings Accounts.

4: Allow insurance companies to compete across state lines.

5: Help people with pre-existing medical conditions through significant transitional block grants to the states.

6: Provide all citizens advance knowledge of their health care cost (excluding medical emergencies). Transparency in pricing is crucial. 

7: Provide reasonable maximums for pain and suffering.

8: Avert Medicare's bankruptcy by providing fewer benefits to the wealthy.

9: Allow the elderly, and all doctors the choice between private insurance and Medicare. 

10: Eliminate first-dollar coverage. Everyone should pay at least something for each medical service.

These are not all easy ideas, they certainly are not all popular, but each and every one of these tenants would, on its own, be exponentially better for Americans than Obamacare, and are viable alternatives. We should at the minimum be having a conversation about plans such as the Health Care Contract with America. It is possible to defund Obamacare and real alternatives do exist, don't let the political elites convince you otherwise. The time to act is now, call your legislators and demand they sign Senator Mike Lee and Ted Cruz’s pledge, refusing to support any bill that provides funding for ObamaCare.