Response to Congressman Gallagher on the AHCA vote.

In his press release defending the Republican actions in the repeal of the ACA Health Care Law, Congressman Gallagher uses the “justification” that the federal government is not competent to run a health care financing system. He needs then to explain the success of Medicare. This system provides for care for over 55 million Americans. Those who depend on it are extremely satisfied with the service they receive. Medicare's approval rate is 77% (compared to 69% for employer-provided plans). When Mr. Gallagher claims that the ACA is failing, he is asking us to look only at some of the states. A broader view shows that some states are doing quite well. The states in trouble seem to be those where Republican lawmakers have actively sabotaged the state’s use of ACA. The only dark cloud on the horizon for Medicare is its long-term financing. That danger comes only from the unwillingness of Congress to fund the future. Mr. Gallagher: I’m sure you have heard the saying, “Lead, follow, or get out of the way”. Your AHCA rationalization is a sample of your “following” your party and leaving many of your people in Wisconsin behind.