Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsRolling Stone: Who Loses the Most Under the New Republican Health Care Bill
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/features/who-loses-the-most-under-the-new-republican-health-care-bill-w489271There are some key differences between this new Senate version of Trumpcare and the bill that passed the House last month: Gone are the waivers that would allow states to opt out of covering individuals with pre-existing conditions, for example. But much of the bill would end up hurting the same groups disproportionately burdened by the House plan. Here's who stands to lose the most.
People with pre-existing conditions
Republicans have been quick to emphasize that, unlike the House bill, the Senate version preserves Obamacare's protections for individuals with pre-existing conditions. It's a misleading claim, though: The Senate bill still allows states to apply for waivers so they don't have to cover the essential health benefits they were forced to cover under the Affordable Care Act which, in practice, makes it possible for insurance companies to refuse to cover some treatments for individuals with certain health histories. The outcome is exactly the same.
Poor people
Senate Republicans' bill would offer Americans less money to help pay for worse health care plans. The bill drastically alters the structure under which the subsidies poor people used to pay for health insurance are determined. As Vox's Ezra Klein explains, under Obamacare's "benchmark" or average plan, insurers had to cover at least 70 percent of health care costs. Under the Republicans' benchmark, insurers would be responsible for only 58 percent that's 2 percent less than the ACA's barest-bones plan. The Senate plan also "increases the percentage of your income you can pay for a benchmark plan before it's deemed unaffordable and additional subsidies kick in."
Old people
Right now, Medicaid provides insurance for some 4.6 million low-income seniors, but that number is expected to increase as Baby Boomers age. The bill's proposed caps on Medicaid spending include annual increases pegged to inflation, and those increases don't account for the increase of older enrollees or the fact that those enrollees will come with much higher health care costs, as AARP recently pointed out. Under the House bill, insurance subsidies were pegged to age an ill-conceived proposition that would have increased premiums the most for the oldest, poorest Americans. Under the Senate bill, subsidies are pegged to income, age and location, which means that older Americans will still see dramatic increases in their premiums.
Women
Not only does the new Senate bill end federal funding for Planned Parenthood, an organization that provides everything from mammograms and cervical cancer screenings to STI testing and contraceptives to 2.4 million women and men every year it also adds pregnant women to the list of individuals who are ineligible for Medicaid. The impact of this change can't be overstated. According to the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation, more than half of all births in 24 states are financed by Medicaid.
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/features/who-loses-the-most-under-the-new-republican-health-care-bill-w489271
People with pre-existing conditions
Republicans have been quick to emphasize that, unlike the House bill, the Senate version preserves Obamacare's protections for individuals with pre-existing conditions. It's a misleading claim, though: The Senate bill still allows states to apply for waivers so they don't have to cover the essential health benefits they were forced to cover under the Affordable Care Act which, in practice, makes it possible for insurance companies to refuse to cover some treatments for individuals with certain health histories. The outcome is exactly the same.
Poor people
Senate Republicans' bill would offer Americans less money to help pay for worse health care plans. The bill drastically alters the structure under which the subsidies poor people used to pay for health insurance are determined. As Vox's Ezra Klein explains, under Obamacare's "benchmark" or average plan, insurers had to cover at least 70 percent of health care costs. Under the Republicans' benchmark, insurers would be responsible for only 58 percent that's 2 percent less than the ACA's barest-bones plan. The Senate plan also "increases the percentage of your income you can pay for a benchmark plan before it's deemed unaffordable and additional subsidies kick in."
Old people
Right now, Medicaid provides insurance for some 4.6 million low-income seniors, but that number is expected to increase as Baby Boomers age. The bill's proposed caps on Medicaid spending include annual increases pegged to inflation, and those increases don't account for the increase of older enrollees or the fact that those enrollees will come with much higher health care costs, as AARP recently pointed out. Under the House bill, insurance subsidies were pegged to age an ill-conceived proposition that would have increased premiums the most for the oldest, poorest Americans. Under the Senate bill, subsidies are pegged to income, age and location, which means that older Americans will still see dramatic increases in their premiums.
Women
Not only does the new Senate bill end federal funding for Planned Parenthood, an organization that provides everything from mammograms and cervical cancer screenings to STI testing and contraceptives to 2.4 million women and men every year it also adds pregnant women to the list of individuals who are ineligible for Medicaid. The impact of this change can't be overstated. According to the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation, more than half of all births in 24 states are financed by Medicaid.
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/features/who-loses-the-most-under-the-new-republican-health-care-bill-w489271
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
2 replies, 1643 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (4)
ReplyReply to this post
2 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Rolling Stone: Who Loses the Most Under the New Republican Health Care Bill (Original Post)
pokerfan
Jun 2017
OP
SamKnause
(13,110 posts)1. Damn, I hit the jackpot.
1. I have a pre-existing condition.
2. I am poor.
3. I am old.
4. I am a woman.
pokerfan
(27,677 posts)2. You won the superfecta!