Please, someone help me understand how Ted Cruz or any other GOP candidate could rescind the Affordable Care Act (Obama Care) without giving specific alternate plans? What do we do with the 16 million people now insured under the ACA who were not insured before the ACA was enacted?
Honestly, I now that many have had to face hefty challenges both financially and in keeping primary doctors. But doesn’t the fact that 16 million more Americans have access to insurance worth some of the pain (and expense) from those of us who have always had health insurance? The ACA, in my opinion, levels the playing field between those who can afford insurance and those who have always had access to health care. If there is a better plan, we need to know about it!
Bound and Nurtured in God's Love 
Rev. Tom, thank you for writing this blog. Regarding the 16 million number of ‘new’ insured people under ACA, I have a different view. Realizing that many news outlets have been touting the increase, I’m not convinced that it’s a real or high quality figure. Why? First, the 16 million is an extrapolation from a Gallup Poll. How many individuals lost insurance and had to use the exchanges to replace their coverage? So, it may not be a net number. Does the 16 million include those that have been added to Medicaid?
For a variety of reasons, in my humble opinion ACA is a bad deal for the middle class. Medical deductions are now subject to 10% of adjusted gross income (7.5% before ACA). What has been the experience of individuals who lost their coverage due to ACA, regarding premiums, deductibles and out of pocket maximums for their new plans? Why are taxpayers getting hit with a $3 billion tab to reimburse insurance companies? Why were there so many bogus promises ($2,500 savings per family, you can keep your plan and your doctor, it won’t add a dime to the deficit, etc.)? Who ultimately pays for the tax on medical devices? How many people have had their hours cut to less than 30 hours a week? What will the addition of millions of people to Medicaid do to state budgets? Why wasn’t the medical liability expense issue addressed?
As I recall, Sen. Tom Coburn from Oklahoma had an alternative plan, but Harry Reid wouldn’t even have a conversation regarding that program. Candidates who propose scrapping ACA and starting over will get my attention.