A vote on the health care bill will happen soon, and our organizations need you to take action. On July 13, 2017, the Senate released another “discussion draft” of the BCRA. Despite promises from numerous lawmakers to change the bill, the latest iteration of the bill actually decreases protections for those with pre-existing conditions. The Senate’s latest version would, among other things:
- Undermine protections for those with pre-existing conditions by allowing states to create a two-tiered system in the exchanges.
- Allowing insurers to offer two different plans – one with robust essential coverage and one with minimum protections that can still deny individuals – will segment the insurance market. Individuals with pre-existing conditions who need more robust coverage would wind up in a concentrated high-risk pool and pay much more for coverage.
- The segmentation of the insurance market would then allow for a “back-door” return of annual and lifetime caps on insurance benefits.
- Eliminate the requirement that large companies provide affordable coverage to their employees.  Plus, other provisions would allow annual and lifetime caps to return on employer-sponsored plans if the plan or employer chose to implement them. If you get insurance through your employer, this will affect you.
- Make sweeping cuts to Medicaid that would widen over time and completely phase out the ACA’s expansion of Medicaid, rolling back coverage that 32 states decided to provide to low-income childless adults. 30% of our community gets its insurance through Medicaid.
- Provide lower subsidies for the purchase of skimpier plans with higher out-of-pocket spending (deductibles and copays).
Numerous health care stakeholders agree that this bill will reduce coverage, raise premiums for people with pre-existing conditions, and put at risk thousands of those with bleeding disorders that rely on Medicaid. No matter what your politics are, this is not the solution!
Please call your Senators to let them know how this legislation would affect you! When calling your Senators, choose one or two talking points that apply to you and your family. If you believe that none of them apply to you personally, please protect others in the community by asking your Senators to vote NO on this legislation!
