From the Associated Press and posted by our media partner at WOOD TV:
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican push to replace the Affordable Care Act was revived this week in Congress by a small change to their plan designed to combat concerns over coverage for those with pre-existing health problems.
The change helped get the bill through the House of Representatives in a tight vote Thursday, but experts say it may make little difference in the hunt for affordable coverage for these patients.
The bill proposes setting aside an additional $8 billion over five years to help states cover those who may be subject to higher insurance rates because they’ve had a lapse in coverage. That’s on top of about $100 billion over a decade for states to help people afford coverage and stabilize insurance markets.
The problem, experts say, is that the money is unlikely to guarantee an affordable alternative for those who get coverage under a popular provision of the Affordable Care Act that prevents insurers from rejecting people or charging higher rates based on their health.
“Many people with pre-existing conditions will have a hard time maintaining coverage because it just won’t be affordable,” said Larry Levitt, a health insurance expert with the Kaiser Family Foundation, which studies health care issues.
The ultimate impact on those with pre-existing conditions remains unknown. The bill now heads for the Senate, where it is expected to change, and the plan leaves many important coverage decisions up to the states. Still, it is making some who are now covered by the Affordable Care Act nervous.
John S. Williams, an attorney in New Orleans whose multiple sclerosis medication costs $70,000 a year, buys insurance through the Affordable Care Act’s marketplace. Without protections for pre-existing conditions he fears he would have to close his law practice and find a job that offers a group insurance plan.
“We always hear about job growth and business creation — being able to have affordable health care drives that,” Williams said. “I have tremendous satisfaction with owning a business, but I know that if I can’t get coverage, I would be forced to get a different job. I can’t not have coverage for my multiple sclerosis.”"
Click for more on the story courtesy of the Associated Press.