It might’ve taken House Republican leaders—to quote House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Calif.)—“six long years of fighting, working and waiting” to begin the repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA, or Obamacare) in earnest with their proposed American Health Care Act (AHCA), but it seems to have taken not much more than six minutes after its announcement on Monday for the wave of criticism to begin to flood social media.
Today, two committees in the House of Representatives (the House Ways and Means Committee, which oversees taxes, and the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which oversees health issues) began negotiating amendments to the AHCA during mark-up sessions.
Although the bill has the endorsement of President Trump, conservative Republicans think the new plan looks too much like the ACA. Meanwhile, Democrats see it as rolling back coverage for millions of Americans and benefiting the wealthy. Republicans Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky (who derisively calls the bill “RyanCare” after Speaker of the House Paul Ryan) and Senator Mike Lee of Utah agree with Democrats that if passed, the bill is likely to raise premiums and lead to inferior health care and coverage (these conservative Republicans also object to the bill’s extension of so-called entitlements). For a roundup of key points in the proposed AHCA, read our news story here and to read about the official statements of various AIDS organizations click here.
For some visual gallows humor, Queerty has rounded up some of our favorite ACA (Obamacare) vs. AHCA (Trumpcare) insta-memes. Click here for a laugh:
For more serious social media reactions to the proposed AHCA, see below. As legislative committees discuss amendments in the House, the public debate thrives online.
GOP proposal would cut health care for millions -- including people living with HIV -- and put LGBTQ lives in jeopardy. #ACA must stay.
— Chad Griffin (@ChadHGriffin) March 7, 2017
The House leadership Obamacare Lite plan has many problems. We should be stopping mandates, taxes and entitlements not keeping them.
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) March 7, 2017
This isn’t the #Obamacare repeal bill we’ve been waiting for. It’s a missed opportunity and step in wrong direction: https://t.co/922ees4RFB
— Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) March 7, 2017
Repubs have named their bill the American Health Care Act, taking out the word Affordable. It’s the most honest thing they’ve done in months
— Wilson Cruz (@wcruz73) March 7, 2017
The American Hospital Association to Republicans: “We cannot support the American Health Care Act in its current form.” pic.twitter.com/WKaq1Zt7cY
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 7, 2017
The American Health Care Act would potentially worsen treatment & care for ppl living w/ HIV https://t.co/00fNubcDrX #ProtectOurCare pic.twitter.com/6VAasdktkS
— AIDS United (@AIDS_United) March 8, 2017
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