25 Jun The Short Version: The Better Care Reconciliation Act
The point of it all is to break down the headlines, determine why an issue is important, and reveal the best arguments on each side of the story. This week Cleo tackles the so-called Better Care Reconciliation Act (BRCA).
Note: If you have missed any of Cleo’s blogs, just go to our Home Page, type “The Short Version” into Search (magnifying glass icon) and poof, like magic, all her blogs will appear.
“I love getting feedback every week—thank you! If you want come hang out, debate a thing or two, and meet other Shorties, check out Short Events,” says Cleo.
Cleo Constantine Abrams of the “Short Form,” offering densely packed spins on issues of national and global importance.
What’s happening?
This Thursday, Senate Republicans finally released their plan to repeal and replace Obamacare: the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BRCA).
The drafting process was short, secret, and—as a result—controversial. Most important and complex legislation is debated and defended in committee, which did not happen here. The reasons for this are probably: a) to distance President Trump from the process and b) to limit discussion of an unpopular bill that only needs Republican votes to pass.
The Senate is expected to vote on the bill next week.
Why is it important?
We’ll know more about who the bill will affect and how when the Congressional Budget Office score comes out. But based on Sarah Kliff’s analysis, we know BRCA will:
- Dramatically cut Medicaid, ending the Obamacare expansion and limiting state spending on the program.
- Reduce the Obamacare individual mandate to nothing by setting the penalty to zero dollars.
- Shrink subsidies and the health insurance they cover.
- Cut taxes on families making more than $200,000 per year.
- End federal support for Planned Parenthood for at least one year.
Debate it!
Should Congress pass the Better Care Reconciliation Act?
Why “The Short Version” on TIO:
Over nine years ago, Telluride Inside…and Out began as a lifestyle webzine. Today, in the full knowledge that Telluride is a window on the world, we continue to bring the “zazz” (short for “pizzazz) of the region to a local, national, and global audience by covering everything from Telluride’s robust cultural economy – major events and festivals – to health and fitness and outdoor adventure. When Telluride travels, we write about places to go, people to meet too. (That’s part of the “Out” part of our handle, the other, obviously, Outdoors.)
And now, this new weekly column, “The Short Version,” which offers simple summaries of issues of national and global importance. (Though we won’t go political, or rather we won’t show bias in the upcoming election.)
“The Short Version” is written by Cleo Constantine Abram, the daughter of Telluride locals Eleni Constantine and Jonathan Abram (and therefore an honorary local and regular visitor) and a digital strategist.
Why “The Short Version”? Because, though we live in Shangri-La, our bubble is not impermeable and the rest of the world is only a click away. Because there is no inconsequential action; only consequential inaction. And because information is power in a moment so many of us are feeling powerless.
More about Cleo Constantine Abram:
Cleo grew up in Washington D.C., lives in New York City, and loves to visit her parents in Telluride. She authors “The Short Version,” a newsletter that explains each week’s most important issue and both sides of the debate around it.
Cleo is a digital strategist now working at Vox, a general interest news site for the 21st century. Its mission is simple: Explain the news. Politics, public policy, world affairs, pop culture, science, business, and more.
Cleo’s work focuses on ways to share, educate, and inform using online platforms. While in college at Columbia University, she guided the school’s entrance into online education through her role as the youngest elected representative to the Columbia Senate, which makes university-wide policy.
She continued her work on online education at TED-Ed, the educational branch of the nonprofit, building new programs and online tools to support high school teachers worldwide.
Continuing her work with TED, Cleo founded and led an early TEDx conference, the organization’s community-specific series.
recently, Cleo returned to school, studying video storytelling at Columbia Journalism School.
Most importantly, Cleo loves to ski.
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