HOST DAN MEURER: You know, you wrote this Facebook post saying, “Defund NRSC –the National Republican Senatorial Committee – and I found this very, very intriguing. And I thought you brought up a really good argument. Do you mind telling the listers about, you know, what you wrote and why you wrote it?

FORMER CHAIRMAN OF THE COLORADO REPUBLICAN PARTY, STEVE HOUSE: Well, I talked about defunding the NRSC, and if you don’t know what that is, and you’re listening, that’s the National Republican Senatorial Committee. You know, fundamentally, I like Cory Gardner, you know, we get along great and I like him as our U.S. Senator.  However, the Senate in general has been telling us for a decade now –not a decade, but let’s say seven years — that they had to have control of the Senate to fix or eliminate Obamacare. And if they can’t get that done, what’s the point of having a majority, at this point?  And so my concern came about when – you know, I’ve been worried about it for a little while now, watching what was going on in the House, the fact that we really haven’t addressed the issues: you know, essential health benefits, community rating, guarantee issue. All these things are driving our premiums through the roof. In fact, I just came out of a meeting where I was with a guy who had a second child. He’s in his 30s. Their monthly premiums are 1200 bucks—

MEURER: Ah, jeez!

HOUSE: –and they’ve got a deductible/co-pay combination that’s over $6000.

I know.

So, these people are paying 18,000 a year in insurance premiums. And if Cory and Team Senate doesn’t understand that that has to go away, then why should we be funding them and their committee to elect more of them?  And that –.

No, Steve, I have to – I feel this guy’s pain! I mean, I am the last person that wanted to be in any sort of subsidy from the government, but that was the only way — the only way!– I could ensure my family.

Right.

And as you know, I spent a bit in the hospital last September — almost a year ago, now — and it has darn near broke us, because we didn’t have insurance back then. And the bills – I mean, it’s horrendous, the way the bills add up. And I’m a guy, Steve, traditionally –or in the past, before Obamacare – I’ve always had health insurance. I’ve always had it either through my employer or it was affordable enough that I could just cash float on my own. I can’t today.

And you know, the difference between, Dan – and I remember your situation [with] sepsis and, you know, that’s a really extreme situation. These kids are going to be in NICU and pay – it’s going to cost 300 grand with the insurance company. But the situation would be different if it has to be this way, but it doesn’t! The premiums are high because of essential health benefits, community rating, and guaranteed issue, among other things.  All the Senate has to do is repeal this thing, and we will start to see a change. […] CBO says 24 million people lose their healthcare or are not insured.  They don’t say “lose their healthcare” but, are not insured under this bill. Well, first of all, 7 million people have dropped their health insurance after Pres. Donald Trump got rid of the individual mandate through an executive order. So, you know what that is? That is  actual freedom being exercised. Someone said, “You don’t have to do this! You have a choice!”  They took their choice. They’re off the payroll on health insurance. Secondly, 66 million Americans pay so much in monthly premium and have such high deductibles, they need healthcare but they won’t go get it, for that exact reason. They pay the insurance in case something really catastrophic happens. But the day-to-day needs they have in healthcare, they’re not going to the doctor because they can’t afford it.

Right.

So, what difference does 24 million make when you have that many people with the problem and growing?

GUEST HOST ANDY PETH:  Well, right!  And I see that the latest CBO score — I believe — actually shows that 73% –. You know, they say 23 million will lose their –.

Yeah,.

Yeah. Seventy-three percent of that, Steve, — Seventy-three percent of those that they say are going to lose their healthcare are the ones who are going to choose out of it because they’re not being forced to.

That’s exactly right. That tells you that, you know, the problem is that – I said this to somebody today – if you support Obamacare, you are antiworker. There’s no question about it, because workers are paying more taxes – 18 of them. They’re paying more for their benefits and they’re paying more in deductibles. Why could anyone — or should anyone — support this? So, that’s a big issue as far as I’m concerned, Andy.