Iowa GOP Senate Candidate has no answer for 100K+ Iowans who'd have coverage yanked away if ACA repealed

Hat Tip To: 
Greg Sargent

Not exactly the most shocking headline, I know.

Around 26,000 Iowans are privately insured via the ACA exchange (assuming the standard 90% paid their first month's premium) , plus another 80K - 100K via Medicaid expansion.

Naturally, Joni "hog castrator" Ernst had bupkes:

 A query from a viewer said he had received health coverage through the Affordable Care Act. To Ernst, he asked, "Have you given any thought to how individuals in my situation won't lose coverage, should repeal occur?"

Ernst called Obamacare a "job killer" in Iowa that is "taking personal health decisions out of our hands and placing them with nameless, faceless bureaucrats in Washington, DC." That is to some degree true, but what about the guy's question? It was a reasonable concern; millions of people are now receiving subsidies to purchase health insurance. If Republicans repeal Obamacare, what happens to them?

The exchange was a vivid illustration of how Republicans have to think through their position on repealing Obamacare to include a transition from the situation that exists today -- with exchanges and subsidies up and running -- to a newer, hopefully better Republican-authored plan. How will that happen? Ernst offered the viewer nothing.

Ernst will also likely find it awkward to discuss the subject with her fellow Republican candidate for Congress, David Young, who admits that ACA Medicaid expansion is working in Iowa and refuses to support repealing it.

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