For the past 7 years the GOP has called for repeal of the Affordable Care Act. Passed into law on March 23, 2010, the measure was a monumental, historical, achievement by President Barack Obama. The ACA allowed people who were without insurance coverage of any kind to get covered without regard to any pre-existing conditions. As many as 25 million Americans became insured under Obamacare.
Following through on their promise/threat, the GOP has placed its replacement legislation on the table. It’s called the Affordable Health Care Act. It’s not law, yet. And if conservative Republicans have their way, it won’t ever be. They will be fighting for full repeal without replacement, but for many elected officials, kicking millions of people off of insurance would be tantamount to political suicide. Passage of the new act is not guaranteed, but the Republicans in favor of the proposed law probably have the votes to push it through.
Under ObamaCare, every American is required to have qualifying health coverage. If you fail to sign up, you have to pay a fee. Under the proposed Affordable Health Care Act uninsured people would not be charged a penalty fee, but insurers would be allowed to charge you 30 percent if you have a gap in insurance coverage. So, instead of paying a fee to the government, you would pay a possibly larger fee to the insurance company.
Before ObamaCare, young adults had to leave their parents insurance plans when they turned 19. Under ObamaCare they can remain covered by their parents’ policy until the age of 26. The proposed Affordable Health Care Act would keep 26 as the limit for parental coverage.
One of the great things about ObamaCare– coverage of pre-existing conditions– would be kept in place under the new legislation.
Planned Parenthood would be out under the new plan, though. Under ObamaCare, Medicaid and other family planning monies can be used for Planned Parenthood services. Under the proposed AHCA, Planned Parenthood would not be allowed to apply for, or be paid out of, any of those funds.
Finally, ObamaCare is a mandate of the federal government, so it is administered by the feds. #TrumpCare takes away the federal insurance subsidies and replaces them with individual tax credits and grants, and gives states the right to shape their own individual policies. This is where poor and disadvantaged people would likely suffer. This is also where coverage is likely to differ dramatically depending on where you live.
Read the bill in its entirety here.
