LaHood: Replacing Obamacare more difficult than repealing

Posted on December 21, 2016
Darin LaHood
U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood expects Congress to quickly act on a repeal of Obamacare. (Photo courtesy Facebook/Darin LaHood)

By Illinois Radio Network

PEORIA – U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood (R, Ill.) says he has no doubt Republicans and President-elect Trump will ‘repeal’ Obamacare quickly. It’s the ‘replace’ part that could take a while.

LaHood expects President-elect Trump to move against President Obama’s executive orders just like Republicans in the 1990s moved on the Contract with America–quickly and decisively.

“The message from the election is that people want change,” LaHood explained. “One of the things President-elect Trump has talked about extensively about is repealing Obamacare.”

Congress will have to vote to repeal Obamacare. LaHood expects that to come quickly after the new president takes office as well.

“I think in the first 100 days, you have to repeal Obamacare,” LaHood said. “I think that will be easy in some respects. What you put in place of that, and the timeframe to do it, is going to be a little more complicated.”

A replacement for Obamacare may be years away. LaHood said healthcare providers just overhauled their systems for Obamacare. They’ll need time to transition. And states, including Illinois are now so dependent on Obamacare’s Medicaid payments that simply ending the program is out of the question.

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…