In Our View: Lead on Health Care

Having failed at three different approaches to repealing the Affordable Care Act, Republicans in Congress should focus upon fixing Obamacare.

During a late-night session Thursday, a Senate vote to overturn key provisions in the health care law failed when three Republicans voted against their party. The 51-49 defeat followed close losses on a vote to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act and one to repeal the law without a replacement.

In the end, Republicans were unable to maintain unity for bills that would result in many millions of Americans losing access to health insurance over the next decade. Supporters of a repeal argue Republicans ran on a platform of eliminating Obamacare, but public opinion polls showing vast opposition to the GOP proposals bolstered opposition to those attempts.

As Republicans ponder their next move, allow us to recommend a novel idea: Make Obamacare work for the American people, regardless of what it is called.

President Trump has suggested that Congress should “let Obamacare fail” — the antithesis of leadership. Health care represents more than one-sixth of the U.S. economy and affects all Americans in one way or another; suggesting that a vast segment of the system should be allowed to fail is churlish and childish.

Instead, Republicans should use their majorities in both the Senate and the House of Representatives and lead the discussion. They should recognize that they were unable to repeal the Affordable Care Act because they were unable to devise a superior plan.

Among the problems with the health care law is that insurers are pulling out of many regions. Providing incentives and subsidies would help lure insurance companies and provide competition that strengthens the system. So, too, will providing stability to the system rather than threatening to undermine it.

It is time for Congress to improve Obamacare rather than try to kill it.