'Mainely bad': HHS Sec. Tom Price lashes out at ACA in Twitter storm
In colorful graphics, Price blames the ACA for not only slowing business and job growth, but as reasons for canceling vacations and presents.
Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price is going to town against Obamacare on Twitter.
On Tuesday, the day the Senate Majority Leader called for the repeal of the Affordable Care Act - with a two-year delay - the head of the agency that oversees the ACA came up with a Twitter storm complete with graphics on how bad the healthcare legislation has been for Kentucky and Maine.
Republican senators of those states, Susan Collins of Maine and Rand Paul of Kentucky, helped sink the Senate bill that would have replaced the ACA, saying they would not vote for it. When Senators Mike Lee of Utah and Jerry Moran of Kansas joined in saying they could not support the GOP bill, McConnell pulled the plug.
Instead the GOP will vote to repeal the ACA as it did in 2015, but unlike two years ago, the president is not expected to veto the measure. Implementation will be delayed for two years to stabilize the market, McConnell said, as Republicans try to work with Democrats to figure something out.
"#Kentucky simply can't afford #Obamacare," Price tweeted over a graphic that stated the average Obamacare plan in Kentucky costs $2,088 more than four years ago.
"The average #Obamacare plan in #Maine costs $2,196 more than it did 4 years ago. We need #relief from this failed law," Price tweeted over a graphic entitled, "Mainely Bad."
The average #Obamacare plan in #Maine costs $2,196 more than it did 4 years ago. We need #relief from this failed law. pic.twitter.com/7jnXGN00Cr
-- Tom Price, M.D. (@SecPriceMD) July 18, 2017
#Kentucky simply can't afford #Obamacare. pic.twitter.com/LZm0f3L6aJ
-- Tom Price, M.D. (@SecPriceMD) July 18, 2017
In the Maine and Kentucky graphics, Price blamed the ACA for not only slowing business and job growth, but as the reasons for canceling family vacations and skipping birthday and Christmas presents.
"#Obamacare is so expensive, millions of people choose to pay an IRS fine just to avoid it," Price tweeted, over a graphic showing people paid $3 billion in IRS fines to stay out of Obamacare.
#Obamacare is so expensive, millions of people choose to pay an IRS fine just to avoid it. pic.twitter.com/Fenen1RAXj
-- Tom Price, M.D. (@SecPriceMD) July 18, 2017
The rail against the ACA from Price, who was appointed by President Trump, is a complete turnaround from the previous HHS administration.
Andy Slavitt, former acting administrator of CMS, has been no slouch on the Twitter front, in support of the ACA. Slavitt invented or helped to push the new hashtag #NFW in this tweet at 1:40 p.m. Tuesday.
"Republican House leaders are already whispering that the Senate will take health care up again after the recess. #WhatPartofNFWDontYouHear?"
Republican House leaders are already whispering that the Senate will take health care up again after the recess.#WhatPartofNFWDontYouHear?
-- Andy Slavitt (@ASlavitt) July 18, 2017
Twitter: @SusanJMorse
