'Repeal and Delay' Won’t Prevent Obamacare Repeal Chaos

Over the next few weeks, Republicans will probably vote to repeal Obamacare. Though Republicans and vice president-elect Mike Pence are huddling to come up with replacement plans, the general framework of action over the immediate term seems clear. Republicans will likely delay its phase-out so as to not immediately cancel millions of plans and “create a transition and bridge so that no one is left out in the cold,” as per Speaker Ryan. Barring defections, Democrats have little power to stop them.

There’s one big problem with this approach, however. While the “repeal and delay” tactic seems like a way to keep people from becoming suddenly uninsured or having to make inconvenient changes—or to —in reality the mere announcement of a legally-binding repeal or pledge to end government support for federally-backed