Health care con game

In “three-card monte,” a con artist and an accomplice (the “shill”), conspire to convince a victim (the “mark”) they will be able to guess the “money card,” when in fact a tricky maneuver ensures the mark has no chance to win.

The latest “improvement” of the American Health Care Act (AHCA), as described in the April 29 S-R, rolls out a new performance of this old dodge, with the GOP leadership playing the con artist, insurance coverage for pre-existing health conditions as the money card, and the “MacArthur amendment” as the tricky maneuver that bamboozles the mark.

Unfortunately our Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers appears in the role of the shill, as quoted in the article, with her references to “flexibility” and ending “costly federal mandates.” These stock phrases are meant to appeal to our self-reliant values and cloud our understanding.

Of what use will “flexibility” and “freedom from mandates” be to the all the marks, the citizens of the 5th District, who will lose coverage for pre-existing conditions if the scam is successful?

William Siems

Spokane