Opinion: Without an insurance mandate, any GOP replacement of Obamacare will fail

To the editor: In this political climate, the only path that will be equitable for the American people is to repair, not repeal, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Sensibly, this would include retaining the law’s individual insurance mandate. (“Obamacare repeal bills could put coverage out of reach for millions of sick Americans,” July 16)

Insurance actuaries will tell you the best way to spread around risk is for the most people possible to be in the pool. No matter how many ways the GOP tries to work around this and assure Americans that we’ll have more freedom to choose and cheaper options, their plans will not survive because there will not be enough young and healthy customers in the pool to pay for the cost of care for sick patients.

The law’s essential benefits must remain along with the elimination of lifetime caps and coverage for people with preexisting conditions. Without the individual mandate, nothing the GOP proposes will be viable.

Diane Welch, Cypress

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To the editor: As President Trump and his fellow Republicans try to pass legislation that would strip away quality medical care from Americans, I think the average person of good health needs to be warned that term “preexisting” can include any number of ailments.

Under the Republican plan, Americans with chronic conditions and disabilities with pay more for insurance. But some of us might not known that run-of-the-mill conditions — problems that might cause headaches and joint pains, for example — for which one might have received treatment may qualify as preexisting.

People should know that the Republican plan would affect more than just the “sick” and the “elderly.” All of us will be affected, and therefore all of us should be concerned.

Kathy O’Connell, Irvine

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To the editor: I’m happy to hear that Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is able to have surgery to remove a blood clot from near his eye.

Perhaps while recovering, he will think about the people who would lose access to potentially life-saving surgeries if he votes for the Senate healthcare bill.

Howard Cott, Los Angeles

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