It seems like BCRA is dead in the water, but we still decided to do a podcast about it.

Pre-show notes

BCRA is dead:

• Lee and Morran are the third and fourth senators against BCRA
• McConnell moving forward with repeal and delay
• CBO score of 2015 full repeal bill

Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA)

Before we begin the show, Ruchit hawks wares on Amazon India Bazaar in a post-pre-show. Then, we pretend like BCRA is still alive.

• Sara Kliff explainer
• Newest version of BCRA is still an abomination

Changes from last draft:

1. Adopt Cruz amendment.
   • Insurers say that Cruz amendment is “unworkable in any form” and will lead to millions of folks terminated in insurance.
   • Cruz offers legislation to rename street
   • Paul Krugman: Ted Cruz’s Giant Leap Into the Known
2. Reverse proposal to eliminate the 3.9% investment tax and 0.9% payroll tax on wealthier americans, but still retaining plenty of tax cuts for the wealthy
3. Replace ACA cost-sharing subsidies with a $182 billion fund to do something similar to the cost-sharing subsidies
   • The Polar Payoff. See also Vox: “The Kodiak Kickback” is a $2B payoff just for Alaska
   • Contrary to the beliefs of Ruchit and Antonin Scalia, the Kornhusker Kickback was nixed from Obama Care
4. HSAs can be used to pay insurance premiums
5. $45 billion to combat opioid addiction (but, due to the Medicaid cuts, this is still net less funding for opioid addiction compared to no change in law)
6. It has a new provision allowing people to use tax credits to buy catastrophic plans with extremely high deductibles that cover no routine care.
7. It replaces the ACA’s subsidies with stingier tax credits based on what high-deductible plans cost and allows insurers to charge older people more than they can now.

Will BCRA pass?

We predict yes, and we are wrong.

• Greg Sargent on choice facing Senators
• Senator Susan Collins of Maine has gone almost as far, saying that the bill cuts too much and that only major revisions could win her over.
• McCain’s surgery delays vote on bill
• Kasich spokesman: Pence’s healthcare claims ‘false’
• Ben Sasse wants to repeal and delay

Pre-sidebars

Before the sidebars, Ruchit contemplates buying a planter.

• Massive iceberg breaks off from Antartica.
• Mr. Smith goes to Greenland

Sidebars

TJ: 2017, Disney is coming out with a new DuckTales show.

• David Tennant
• Doctor Who
• Broadchurch
• First female Doctor is Jodie Whittaker

As a bonus sidebar, DuckTales Theme Song sung by the new cast

Ruchit: Kid does presidential impressions for his middle school graduation. This is from the summer of 2016.

AJ: DeliMan

• Ziggy Gruber at Kenny & Ziggy’s Deli

After show

In the after show, we discuss Indian cooking implements.

• Dosa griddle
• Microwavable Idli Maker