If the Affordable Care Act is repealed by the GOP, does that mean the people in Louisiana on Medicaid will be cut off? If so, what would happen?

It’s unclear what the Republican-controlled Congress plans to do aside from repeal the Affordable Care Act.

The GOP itself is split on whether to pass piecemeal replacements of ACA provisions; repeal the law now and draft a plan later; or draft a plan first and then repeal the law in a couple of months.

And President Donald Trump last weekend said any new plan would cover all Americans, a pledge that further complicates the situation.

“We’re going to have insurance for everybody,” Trump told The Washington Post. “There was a philosophy in some circles that if you can’t pay for it, you don’t get it. That’s not going to happen with us.”

The problem, as noted by Peter Sullivan of The Hill on Jan. 18: “Republican congressional leaders have repeatedly declined to pledge that all of the 20 million people who gained coverage under ObamaCare will stay covered under a replacement.”

Kelly Zimmerman, a spokeswoman for the state health department, said it’s too early to assess what any health care law changes would mean for Louisiana. But she said repealing the law without passing replacement provisions would have “profound and significant impacts in Louisiana.”

“We are currently analyzing the financial impact to the state for each of the different options that have been proposed so far,” Zimmerman wrote in an email. “Also, the Department and the Edwards Administration are sharing our concerns, and the impact to Louisiana and its health care community, with key national legislative leaders.”

She said the department is committed to working with Trump “to ensure continued access to affordable health care to Louisiana residents.”

Zimmerman noted that the expansion of Medicaid has provided coverage to over 380,000 residents, many of whom are now receiving treatment for conditions that are much more expensive to treat when diagnosed later, including diabetes, breast cancer and heart disease.

LC ordinance limits placement of signs

What are the city rules about campaign sign placement? How are they enforced, and are all candidates aware of them?

The Lake Charles city code prohibits people from putting up signs along public streets in a way that creates a hazard for drivers or pedestrians or obstructs their view.

City spokesman Matt Young said signs can’t be placed in medians or in public rights of way.

“As a general rule of thumb, our ordinance enforcement officers help ensure that signs are not placed in between the utility poles and the street,” Young wrote in an email.

“When a sign is placed in the public right of way or obstructs the vision of motorists or pedestrians, these enforcement officers will remove them and store them at the public works yard, at 4331 E. Broad St.”

After they remove errant political signs, he said, officials contact the campaigns as a courtesy so candidates’ representatives can pick them up.

Young noted that the ordinance applies “to all promotional, marketing or sales signs” put in public rights of way, and he said campaigns should seek owners’ permission before placing signs on private property.

To report illegally placed signs, call the public works help line at 491-1220 or the Mayor’s Action Line at 401-1201.

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Online: www.cityoflakecharles.com.

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The Informer answers questions from readers each Sunday, Monday and Wednesday. It is researched and written by Andrew Perzo, an American Press staff writer. To ask a question, call 494-4098 and leave voice mail, or email informer@americanpress.com.