Screen_Shot_2017-02-24_at_4.33.29_PM.png

The plot continues to thicken like some sort of swampy quicksand narrative that keeps pulling you deeper and deeper until it drowns you with foul and grainy sludge.

Today, Politico revealed a leaked copy of the draft for the GOP's proposal to dismantle and replace Obamacare.

In sum, the repeal bill would:

—Be paid for by limiting tax breaks on health plans people get at work (ala the Obamacare “Cadillac tax” that Republicans have fought to repeal).

—Instead of Obamacare subsidies, the House bill will give tax credits based on age, not income, starting in 2020. Under 30? The credit would be $2,000. Over 60? That amount doubles.

—Get rid of Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion by 2020 and roll back Medicaid spending. States would get money to cover people if they chose but they’d much less federal funds to do so. And instead of the current open-ended federal entitlement, states would get capped payments to states based on the number of Medicaid enrollees.

—Give states $100 billion in “state innovation grants” to help subsidize extremely expensive enrollees, supposedly to address some of the “pre-existing condition” population, minus the same broad protections of the Affordable Care Act.

—Eliminate Planned Parenthood funding, which could be a problem if the bill gets to the Senate.

—Leaves decision about mandatory or essential benefits to the states.

Although spineless House Speaker Paul Ryan claimed that Republicans would introduce repeal legislation after recess, the GOP is split about how much of the law to get rid of, and how much to “repair.” Which means there could be a whole new draft already in the works. Fingers crossed they spend so much time arguing over just how to do this, that it doesn't actually get done...