ACA realities better than Trumpcare

Greg Gianforte and Donald Trump claim that the Affordable Care Act is a disaster; studiously ignoring reality in favor of a shiny political fantasy.

Some ACA facts from state and federal sources: Uninsured Montanans fell from 20 percent in 2012 to 7.4 percent in 2016. The ACA paid 73 percent of Montana subsidy recipients’ premiums last year. Medicaid expansion covered 61,000 of our friends and neighbors. Yes, premiums rose under the ACA, but much less than before - a 20 percent increase from 2011 to 2016 compared with a 63 percent rise from 2001 to 2006.

Is the ACA/Obamacare perfect? No, but it’s easily better than what we had, and light years ahead of what Trump and Gianforte plan to inflict on us. They are peddling a fairy tale: magically cutting all costs and premiums while increasing coverage. Will you mow my lawn too, Gianforte?

The Republican-run Congressional Budget Office threw cold water on this fantasy, showing how Trumpcare increases costs and decreases coverage, while giving the rich a $670 billion tax cut. Who wants that? Well, billionaires do.

We deserve humane policies that actually improve Montana’s health care access and affordability. That’s hard to do, but the first part is easy: No to Trumpcare and Gianforte!

David Morris,

Missoula