Yesterday I corrected a bunch of factual misstatements (aka "lies") and gross exaggerations about the ACA's premium tax credits and the GOP's refusal to extend the enhanced subsidy formula made by Oklahoma Senator James Lankford in his appearance on CNN's State of the Union with host Kasie Hunt.
Today, I'm addressing the most critical exchange of his appearance:
LANKFORD: "I would tell you uh healthcare in 2010 before Obamacare kicked in. Healthcare in 2010 the normal premium was $215. $215. Now take what it is now after Obamacare has been put in place and I think the..."
HUNT: "...Right, but insurance companies could could refuse to cover you for a pre-existing condition. I mean the health care system was vastly different before Obamacare for for many of those reasons."
Yesterday morning on CNN's "State of the Union," host Kasie Hunt talked to Oklahoma GOP Sen. James Lankford about the enhanced ACA tax credits which are currently scheduled to expire exactly 10 days from now.
This gets into the weeds a bit, so I'm breaking it into two separate posts; I'll be publishing the second part tomorrow.
The crux of the CNN appearance was Langford claiming that "Obamacare" (the Affordable Care Act...guys, he's been out of office for nearly 9 years now, let it go willya?) "caused prices to skyrocket in the marketplace" and that the expiration of the enhanced tax credits put into place in 2021 during the COVID pandemic is simply "exposing the real issues" within the ACA.
First of all, let's clear up this "they were only put in place due to the COVID pandemic" talking point which Republicans keep tossing around (the implication being that since the COVID pandemic is over, the subsidy upgrade should end as well).
Get it straight: Eliminating the 400% FPL subsidy cliff and beefing up the tax credit formula is something which Democrats always intended to do when they had the ability to do so.
