Medical industry groups and local nonprofits are sounding off on reduced health care expenditures in President Trump’s proposed budget and changes with repeal of Affordable Care Act, saying they would hurt the economy and the most vulnerable. Voters should call their USA representatives and senators to let them know where they stand.
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President Trump and congressional leaders have said the American Health Care Act will lower health costs and cut the national deficit. In general, winners include the young and healthy; the well-off, who would get significant tax benefits from the act’s proposed changes; and those less likely to need health insurance.
To make matters worse, the Republican plan erases a Medicaid provision under the ACA that requires Medicaid coverage of mental health and addiction treatment services. But because it’s the fifth-wealthiest state, the feds only cover about half the costs.
The GOP bill would phase out the ACA’s Medicaid or Medi-Cal expansion by 2020 which would cost California at least $8 Billion in funding and will impact approximately 4.1 Million Californians. “In my opinion, the current bill does not answer this crisis”, Palmer said. It also allows insurance companies to increase premiums more for older individuals.
INDIVIDUAL MARKET: Where people who do not have health coverage through the government or their employer purchase a plan directly from an insurer.
Tax credits to help buy coverage would be less than current subsidies, also why fewer people would be covered.
Subsidies for insurance now tied to low incomes will give way to tax credits which get incrementally higher with age, further hurting younger low-income folks struggling to make ends meet. Under the per capita cap scenario, states would not have funding for unexpected health care cost growth from disease outbreaks or new life-saving drugs. How does this make insurance more affordable? In some states there is only one health insurance provider and option. “Some people would still come to the clinic on a sliding charge and pay what they can, but some will stop going to the doctor, or go to emergency rooms – and if that happens everyone loses”.
AARP is ready to work with members of both political parties on responsible ways to move forward.
But Rep. Diana DeGette of Colorado (D-Denver) says a better solution would be to find bipartisan solutions to improve the ACA.
A recent report from the Congressional Budget Office says 14 million people could lose their coverage by 2018 – 24 million people by 2026.
Is it because he knows, as we do, that more addicts will die because of them?
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The American Health Care Act is here, and it has already earned a place in history.
