On Thursday, May 5, 2017, House Republicans finally got what they have been asking for, and campaigning on, for several years. They held a successful floor vote on the American Health Care Act (AHCA), approving the bill by a narrow 217-213.
Following the vote, President Donald Trump hosted Republicans at the White House for a celebratory press conference, saying that he was “so confident” that the House version would be taken up and passed in the Senate. Senate Republicans quickly made it clear that they would not use the House-passed AHCA as a starting point, and would instead create their own package that could then be reconciled with what was passed in the House. This next step could take weeks, or even months, as Senate Republicans navigate their own ideological divides and ensure that any legislation conforms with budget reconciliation rules.
The Bill
While many are happy that the bill repealed Obamacare to a certain extent, others are concerned that the bill will hurt healthcare for many. The bill will likely lower premiums for younger, healthier, people and raise premiums for older and less healthy payors. Young people can still remain on their parents’ health insurance until age 26. The bill also does away with the individual mandate, meaning no one will be forced to pay a penalty if they go without health insurance for more than a short period of time, but does provide for different incentives for people to maintain their coverage.
A quick google search can provide readers with pros and cons that align with individual political beliefs, so we will not delve into those much here. To get a jump start on talking points, however, an article from Money on the bill can be found here.
Next Step: To the Senate!
Both moderate and conservative senators have started to discuss their vision for the healthcare bill, with Senator Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia saying she “absolutely” had concerns with the AHCA’s Medicaid cuts and Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky saying that the conservative changes did make the legislation “less bad,” but that it still has “fundamental problems.” With a much smaller majority than in the House, Senate Republicans can only afford two defections and still advance legislation.
Industry Reaction
Many Republicans acknowledge that the bill is not perfect, and most – if not all Democrats – have come out against the bill and have started campaigns against it. A variety of medical associations and organizations have been closely tracking this bill and below is a sampling of some statements that have been published by various groups.
The Arthritis Foundation released a statement, noting,
The health reform replacement bill passed today threatens coverage and affordability of care for so many of our patients. The Arthritis Foundation, one of the largest patient advocacy organizations, is concerned that the legislation will not provide adequate protections to people with pre-existing conditions, could limit access to Essential Health Benefits and cut benefits for Medicaid. Our patients are already faced with managing a chronic disease and it’s unfair that they may also be faced with paying more for insurance with fewer guaranteed benefits including out-of-pocket medication protections. People with arthritis and other chronic conditions need coverage the most and regular access to affordable care, so they can stay healthy.
Our goal is to continue our work with Congress to ensure health reform replacement legislation provides a more seamless and transparent health care system, insurance protocols that are not overly burdensome and allow patients to remain stable on a drug, policies that ensure out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs are more reasonable and an emphasis on outcomes-based contracting and value-based insurance design.
The American Medical Association released a statement, clearly unhappy with the passage of the bill:
The bill passed by the House today will result in millions of Americans losing access to quality, affordable health insurance and those with pre-existing health conditions face the possibility of going back to the time when insurers could charge them premiums that made access to coverage out of the question. Action is needed, however, to improve the current health care insurance system. The AMA urges the Senate and the Administration to work with physician, patient, hospital and other provider groups to craft bipartisan solutions so all American families can access affordable and meaningful coverage, while preserving the safety net for vulnerable populations.
Seema Verma, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator, released a statement on its passage, stating,
Today is the first of what I am confident will be many historic days ahead as we move toward patient–centered healthcare instead of government–centered healthcare.
I have worked in the field of Medicaid for 20 years and have heard from many mothers like myself who have shared their struggles and their hopes for a more affordable, more sustainable healthcare system. It is important that our most vulnerable citizens, the aged, the infirm, the blind and the disabled have more choices, greater access and peace of mind when it comes to their healthcare.
The bill that was passed in the House is a great first step achieving this goal.