I include in the Record a letter from the American Medical Association that states: ``Not only would the AHCA eliminate health insurance coverage for millions of Americans, the legislation would, in many cases, eliminate the ban against…
I include in the Record a letter from the American Medical Association that states: ``Not only would the AHCA eliminate health insurance coverage for millions of Americans, the legislation would, in many cases, eliminate the ban against charging those with underlying medical conditions vastly more for their coverage.''
[From the American Medical Association, May 3, 2017]
AMA Warns that Proposed Changes to the American Health Care Act Do Not
Remedy Bill's Shortcomings
Despite Amendments to bill, millions of Americans would still lose
health insurance coverage
Chicago--American Medical Association (AMA) President
Andrew W. Gurman, M.D., issued the following statement today
about proposed changes to the American Health Care Act
(AHCA):
``None of the legislative tweaks under consideration
changes the serious harm to patients and the health care
delivery system if AHCA passes. Proposed changes to the bill
tinker at the edges without remedying the fundamental failing
of the bill--that millions of Americans will lose their
health insurance as a direct result of this proposal.
``High-risk pools are not a new idea. Prior to the
enactment of the Affordable Care Act, 35 states operated
high-risk pools, and they were not a panacea for Americans
with pre-existing medical conditions. The history of high-
risk pools demonstrates that Americans with pre-existing
conditions will be stuck in second-class health care
coverage--if they are able to obtain coverage at all.
``Not only would the AHCA eliminate health insurance
coverage for millions of Americans, the legislation would, in
many cases, eliminate the ban against charging those with
underlying medical conditions vastly more for their
coverage.''
``America should not go backward to the time when our
fellow citizens with pre-existing health conditions faced
high costs for limited coverage, if they were able to obtain
coverage at all. The AMA urges congressional leaders and the
Administration to pursue a bipartisan dialogue on alternative
policies that provide patients with access and coverage to
high quality care and preserve the safety net for vulnerable
populations.''
Background on high-risk pools
A January report from the American Academy of Actuaries
notes that ``enrollment has generally been low, coverage has
been limited and expensive, they require external funding,
and they have typically operated at a loss . . . Removing
high-risk individuals from the insured risk pools reduces
costs in the private market only temporarily. Over time, even
lower-cost individuals in the individual market can incur
high health care costs, which would put upward pressure on
premiums.''
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation: State high-risk
pools featured premiums above standard non-group market
rates--with most states capping them at 150%-200% of standard
rates. Many also featured high deductibles, some $5,000 or
more.
Despite the fact that many individuals were forced into
high-risk pools because of a pre-existing condition, nearly
all states excluded coverage for these conditions for 6-12
months.
Almost all high-risk pools imposed lifetime limits on
covered services, and some imposed annual limits.
Some states capped or closed enrollment.
Combined net losses for the state high-risk pools totaled
more than $1.2 billion for 2011, or $5,510 per enrollee, on
average.
Furthermore, a 2010 paper by James Capretta and Tom Miller
that appeared in National Affairs estimated that the cost of
adequately funded high risk pools would be $15 billion to $20
billion per year.
Mr. Speaker, the country will not remember what we say here today, but it will never forget what we do today, especially if we make the wrong choice and adopt this bill.
The 159 million Americans whose employer-sponsored health care could be cut would never forget. Neither would the 24 million Americans who would lose their coverage or the 52 million people with preexisting conditions who would struggle to find health insurance again.
If this bill passes, Mr. Speaker, no cancer survivor denied coverage will forget, no survivor of sexual assault charged more for her ordeal will forget, and no parent struggling to afford emergency surgery for a newborn child could ever forget. They would not have that choice.
But today, we have one. We can choose to vote no and prevent millions of Americans from losing their health care. We can choose the right path rooted in morality, decency, and reason. I implore you, vote ``no.''