Republicans on Monday released their long-awaited legislation to replace the Affordable Care Act with a more conservative vision for the U.S. health care system.
The legislation unveiled Monday would preserve two of the most popular features of the Obama-era health care law, letting children stay on their parents’ health plans until age 26 and prohibiting insurers from denying coverage to Americans with pre-existing conditions.
It would replace the Affordable Care Act’s subsidies to purchase health insurance with new individual tax credits and grants to help states shape their own health policies.
Now Republicans must build support for the replacement, addressing concerns from conservatives concerned that it might in effect create a new federal entitlement and moderates who want to ensure that their constituents retain access to affordable health care.
Before the debate on the future of national health care policy heats up, here’s a quick rundown about on recent updates on the Affordable Care Act and its impacts in Maine:
Maine tried allowing the sale of health insurance from other states. It didn’t work. — Dec. 28, 2016
As part of his plan to reform American health care, then President-elect Donald Trump proposed what sounds like a simple enough idea: Allow health insurance to be sold across state lines.
Trump put it this way during his campaign: “As long as the plan purchased complies with state requirements, any vendor ought to be able to offer insurance in any state. By allowing full competition in this market, insurance costs will go down and consumer satisfaction will go up.”
Maine has already tried this. Not a single insurer took us up on the offer.
Susan Collins wants to repeal Obamacare. Replacing it is a work in progress . — Jan. 18, 2017
The national spotlight was shining on Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins as part of her party’s effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
Collins was among a handful of Republicans calling on Congress to develop a replacement plan before dismantling President Barack Obama’s landmark health reform law. With Republicans holding a 52-48 advantage in the Senate, that small group wields considerable political leverage.
What health insurance in Maine could look like without Obamacare — Jan. 15, 2017
The Affordable Care Act has taken center stage as congressional Republicans scurry to dismantle it, nearly seven years after its passage. During that time, the landmark health reform law has greatly altered the health care landscape in Maine and across the country, in ways both obvious and obscure.
Whether you’re rooting for its repeal, praying for its survival, or you fall somewhere in between, it’s a good time to review the Affordable Care Act’s impact in Maine. This article looks at three of the most talked-about aspects of the law: Healthcare.gov, protections for consumers and Medicaid.
Here’s the nitty gritty on Collins’ Obamacare replacement plan — Jan. 24, 2017
Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins joined a Louisiana senator Monday, Jan. 23, to unveil new legislation aimed at replacing the Affordable Care Act.
The Patient Freedom Act of 2017 would increase Americans’ access to affordable health care by giving states more flexibility in regulating health insurance, according to Collins and co-sponsor U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Republican from Louisiana.
The bill presents states with three options:
Door #1: The ACA is here to stay.
Door #2: Keep the money, cut the cord.
Door #3: No thanks, Uncle Sam.
As they say, the devil is in the details. The proposal is sparking plenty of questions and criticism, including doubts about its chance of passing. Democrats attacked it as falling short of the ACA’s protections and conservative Republicans who want to repeal the law are unlikely to support it, according to the New York Times. It leaves ACA taxes in place to fund its provisions, which supporters of the law like but many Republicans oppose.
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