It’s here. The long promised replacement to Obama-Care has arrived. On Monday, House Republicans released new legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Here’s what we know about the new GOP Health Care Bill:
1. Young Adult Coverage – Under the Affordable Care Act, young adults were allowed to stay on their parents plan until the age of 26. Prior to ObamaCare, the cut off age was 19. The new plan preserves this popular feature of the Affordable Care Act.
2. Planned Parenthood – Under ObamaCare, women could seek treatment from the health organization using Medicaid and other federal family planning grants. Under the new GOP legislation, Planned Parenthood is ineligible to accept either.
3. Penalties – ObamaCare required most people to have qualifying health coverage. Those who didn’t had to pay a fee. While the new plan does not impose a tax for lack of coverage, it does allow insurance companies to cash in. Insurers can apply a 30 percent charge for those who have a gap between health plans.
4. Pre-existing conditions – Under ObamaCare, insurers were forbidden to deny coverage or charge an increased amount to people with preexisting medical problems. The new legislation keeps this popular provision of the Affordable Care Act.
5. State vs. Federal – ObamaCare was a federal mandate. The new GOP plan replaces federal insurance subsidies with individual tax credits and grants, encouraging states to shape their own individual policies.
Essentially, the new plan takes advantage of the basic framework constructed by Obamacare, while adding a conservative slant with some dire implications for vulnerable populations. Amidst harsh reviews, critics of the plan took to Twitter by the thousands to vent their #TrumpCare woes.
If passed, the proposed replacement will set precedent as the first time Congress has ever reversed a major social benefit plan already in effect. Click here to read the bill for yourself.
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