Major conservative activist groups are trashing House Republicans’ health care plan

Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s administration is projecting that more than 1 million New Yorkers would face a significant loss of health coverage under the House Republicans’ American Health Care Act and more than $4.5 billion in costs would be shifted to the state, counties and hospitals over four years if that bill comes to pass.

One Democratic committee aide said the intent is to “make some Republicans take some really tough votes” that are “revealing” about the GOP’s priorities on health care.

The pressure is not coming exclusively from Democrats and the Republican right. It would replace income-based subsidies the law provides to help millions of Americans pay premiums with age-based tax credits that may be skimpier for people with low incomes. Those payments would phase out for higher-earning people. The result is that we have seen tremendous progress in expanding insurance coverage, particularly in states such as ours that chose to expand Medicaid eligibility to individuals with incomes at or below 138 percent of the official poverty level.

The proposed measures also would change Medicaid – called Medi-Cal in California – from an automatic entitlement to a per-capita federal funding allotment to states, which over time would probably lower the federal government’s cost for the program.

Minnesota – said Joey Giangola, an independent health insurance broker with Giangola Insurance in Ashtabula, adding the county’s premium rates are in-line with its southern neighbors. And, the choices would constantly change over time as new technologies reduce the cost of testing and care. You have to buy a costly, comprehensive suite of coverage. Rob Portman, Shelley Moore Capito, Cory Gardner and Lisa Murkowski, expressed worry that the plan would not adequately protect those covered by Medicaid expansion.

Still, it’s surprising that Speaker Paul Ryan and other House leaders didn’t do a better job of getting conservative activist groups on board beforehand to avoid the current outcry.

Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price suggested an alternative.

Earlier this week, Trump welcomed about 30 Republican House members, many of whom said they had never been in the White House before – a contrast in style from Obama, who was often criticized for not attempting to engage more fully with Congress. Jordan and his colleagues are pushing a separate proposal that doesn’t figure to get much attention from party leaders.

Conservatives opposed to subsidized health are calling the ACHA Obamacare Lite.

It also expands health savings accounts, which are one of the few health-care policies that create an incentive to control costs rather than explode them. “It’s going to have to be better”.

Influential groups representing hospitals and nurses came out on Wednesday against a Republican bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, joining doctors and the retirees’ lobby to warn that it would lead to a rise in the uninsured.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, wouldn’t rule out changes by his chamber, where moderate Republicans have grumbled that the measure could leave too many voters uncovered.

Those improvements might be the most the GOP can realistically hope for, and perhaps the House leadership chose to pursue what it saw as the most politically feasible course.

There had been talk that the House plan would slash reimbursements for Medicaid expansion. Signing were Sens. Rob Portman of Ohio, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, Cory Gardner of Colorado and Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski. They often operate on flawed assumptions, seeking to accomplish contradictory goals and operating in an environment with two-year election cycles, which discourage making correct decisions for the long term.

Labor fears employers will drop coverage and aging Americans fear they won’t be able to afford their plans. The Senate has yet to offer its version of a replacement plan.