Healthcare

Here’s Rand Paul’s List of Demands

Written by SK Ashby

Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) says he won't support the Senate GOP's deathcare bill because it doesn't go far enough, but saying it doesn't go far enough is a bit nebulous.

Rand, son of Ron, has compiled a specific list of demands that will make it far easier to state just how far he wants to go.

Among other things, Rand is calling for the end cost-sharing subsidies for insurers ("bailouts") which prevent premiums from spiking. He's also calling for the removal of tax credits and the insane "coverage requirement" that locks individuals out of the market for six months if they have a lapse in coverage.

I also believe those are bad policies, but Rand does not oppose them for the same reasons you or I may.

Whereas I believe offering premium tax credits to people who can't afford to cover the cost of health insurance up front is a meaningless half-gesture, Rand believes it's just another entitlement. And while I believe the GOP's punitive coverage requirement and insurance ban will only make matters much worse for those with limited means, Rand thinks it will somehow help poor people "game the system."

I don't know what Rand's fellow wingnut Senators Cruz (R-TX) and Lee (R-UT) are asking for, but I suspect their list of demands is fairly similar.

You can read Rand's letter to Mitch McConnell here: