Republicans promised to protect these vital services, but his plan will make women, individuals with cancer, asthma, or other illnesses pay more
The latest GOP health plan backed by Senator Cruz will gut protections for pre-existing conditions, bringing back an era when Texas women or individuals with cancer, asthma, and other illnesses paid more for their insurance — breaking his promise to protect these critical services.
From The Washington Post:
“There’s another way Graham-Cassidy goes further than previous Obamacare rollback measures: It would allow states to opt out of the law’s ‘essential health benefits,’ the baseline services that insurers must cover. That means there will no longer be a rock-solid prohibition on charging higher premiums to people with preexisting medical conditions, although states would need federal waivers.”
“Senator Cruz’s latest health care proposal will gut coverage for pre-existing conditions — breaking his promise to protect these vital services and spiking costs for hardworking families,” said David Bergstein of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. “If Senator Cruz has his way, Texas’ working families could lose coverage for everything from cancer treatment to pregnancy services, and in 2018 voters will hold him accountable for his toxic and expensive agenda.”
The Kaiser Family Foundation also found this latest bill would allow insurers to charge older Americans up to 5 times more, and the Center For Budget and Policy Priorities found that the plan would dramatically cut Texas’ Medicaid. Previously, Senator Cruz backed the Republican health care agenda that also increased premiums by 20 percent and imposed an age tax on older Americans.
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