Republicans repeatedly announce they want to “repeal and replace” the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare.

Were you aware that Sen. Marco Rubio and other Republicans passed legislation that limited how so-called “risk corridors” compensated insurance companies during the 2015 budget process? The risk corridors were intended to help insurance companies if they ended up with too many sick people in their plans.

So here I am, defending my family and my fellow Oregonians for the so-called “replacement” we are about to receive. Also, defending the conservative Heritage Foundation Health Plan, which the ACA is based on.

The Republican Party has sabotaged the current ACA, with no comparable replacement in sight. Here are a few ideas: a public option; Medicare for all; a single-payer plan; and restoring the risk corridors Republicans recently removed that would lead to lower premiums, and encourage more insurance companies in the market place.

In short, don’t “repeal it and replace it,” instead, “keep it and tweak it.”

John D. Samp

Astoria