Could this be real?

I may be dreaming, but I think I just saw an article in the NY Times about how some in Congress are working in a bipartisan way to fix the parts of the ACA that most need fixing, i.e. the individual markets. Some ideas about how to do this are laid out by the non-partisan Commonwealth Fund, a health care foundation. This approach is in stark contrast to certain screeching tweet threats, which some lawmakers from both parties fear will totally destabilize individual coverage for millions of Americans.

I'm not sure how realistic this is, but it would be nice if we could keep the parts that work and actually do some problem solving on the rest.

Not there yet

It's too soon to pop any corks yet, but it is at least encouraging that WV Senator Shelley Moore Capito has come out strongly against the senate version for repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act.

According to an article published in The Hill,

“I only see it through the lens of a vulnerable population who needs help, who I care about very deeply,” she said during an interview with Politico that was published Sunday. “So that gives me strength. If I have to be that one person, I will be it.”

Between now and whatever happens next, it will be important to continue to contact her office first to say thanks for this stand and second to encourage her to hold the line. We need to provide as much political cover as possible for her to do this.

Here are some more reasons why this is important and here are some ideas for immediate action.