Michael R. Strain, Columnist

Insuring Everyone Should Be a Republican Goal

The party needs a positive alternative to Obamacare.

July 26, 2017 at 11:00 AM UTC

Michael R. Strain is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. He is director of economic policy studies and Arthur F. Burns Scholar in Political Economy at the American Enterprise Institute. He is the author of “The American Dream Is Not Dead: (But Populism Could Kill It).”

This shouldn't leave you broke.
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Republicans' struggle to repeal and replace Obamacare demonstrates that they desperately need a goal for health-care reform. That goal should be universal coverage.

The Affordable Care Act is in bad shape, with premiums increasing at an alarming rate, insurers leaving the exchanges, and a new administration much less willing to prop it up. We aren’t in a “death spiral,” but some action will be needed -- especially given the progress made in the Senate yesterday. No matter how often President Trump says he’s “not going to own” any problems, the public will disagree. He’s in the White House. Republicans control the Congress. They are the governing party.