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Here's a look at some key differences between the existing law, informally known as Obamacare, and the American Health Care Act, crafted by the Trump administration and Republican leadership in the House of Representatives.
Individual mandate
Repeal
Obamacare: All Americans are required to have health insurance or pay a tax penalty.
[bRepublican plan: The mandate is repealed, but individuals who forgo health insurance for more than 63 days must pay a 30% surcharge on their insurance premiums for a year.
Source: BBC
Pre-existing conditions
Change
Obamacare Requires all insurance plans to cover certain health conditions and services, such as emergency room visits, cancer treatment, annual physical exams, prescription drug costs and mental health counselling.
Republican Plan Allows states to define what benefits are mandated or opt out of the requirement entirely.
Older Americans
Change
Obamacare: Insurers can charge older Americans no more than three times the cost for younger Americans
Republican plan: Insurers can charge older Americans five times as much as younger Americans. States would also be able to set their own ratio.
originally posted by: worldstarcountry
a reply to: Byrd
the death rate for pregnant women, new moms, and newborn babies is so high that we look like a third world country.
I would like to see a citation for this claim. It sounds a bit far fetched without some data to back it up.
originally posted by: worldstarcountry
a reply to: Byrd
the death rate for pregnant women, new moms, and newborn babies is so high that we look like a third world country.
I would like to see a citation for this claim. It sounds a bit far fetched without some data to back it up.
originally posted by: Perfectenemy
I admit i'm not really familiar with Obamacare but something fishy is going on. I now read 3 different versions of the pre-existing condition one. The first was pretty negative. The second is the one in the OP and the third was very positive and covered all pre-existing conditions. The third was on /pol/ and supposedly straight of the real bill. So what is it now?
originally posted by: worldstarcountry
a reply to: Byrd
the death rate for pregnant women, new moms, and newborn babies is so high that we look like a third world country.
I would like to see a citation for this claim. It sounds a bit far fetched without some data to back it up.
Obamacare: All Americans are required to have health insurance or pay a tax penalty.
Republican plan: The mandate is repealed, but individuals who forgo health insurance for more than 63 days must pay a 30% surcharge on their insurance premiums for a year.
Obamacare: Requires insurers to allow children under age 26 to be covered by their parents' policies
Republican plan: Maintains this requirement.
Obamacare: Prohibits insurers from denying coverage or charging more to individuals who have pre-existing medical conditions.
Republican plan: States can let insurers charge as much as they like to sick people. Allocates $8bn to help subsidize those patients.
Women's healthcare Obamacare: Insurance companies prohibited from charging women more than men for the same health plan and must provide core services including maternity care and contraceptives.
Republican plan: Insurance companies still banned from charging women more, but states could allow insurers to drop maternity care and contraceptives from basic benefits. Also bans women from using federal tax credits to buy a plan that covers abortion.
Older Americans Obamacare: Insurers can charge older Americans no more than three times the cost for younger Americans
Republican plan: Insurers can charge older Americans five times as much as younger Americans. States would also be able to set their own ratio.
Obamacare: Companies with more than 50 employees are required to offer health insurance or pay a penalty.
Republican plan: This mandate is repealed.
Obamacare: Raised Medicare taxes on the wealthy and imposed new taxes on medical devices, health insurers, drug companies, investment income, tanning salons and high-end health insurance plans.
Republican plan: Repeals most Obamacare taxes and delays implementation of the tax on high-end health insurance plans to 2026.
originally posted by: Skadi_the_Evil_Elf
Apparently, too, maternal mortality rates are up all over the U.S., but they really spike to near third world levels in Texas, for some reason. Which is odd, because Texas isn't exactly a poor state. From what I understand, it has low unemployment, lower cost of living, lowered taxes, and generally good living standards as a result. Which is why I find the maternal death spike counter-intuitive. I'd expect places like West Virginia and Mississippi, both notoriously poor in all areas, to lead the pack here.
originally posted by: Skadi_the_Evil_Elf
Obamacare: Raised Medicare taxes on the wealthy and imposed new taxes on medical devices, health insurers, drug companies, investment income, tanning salons and high-end health insurance plans.
Republican plan: Repeals most Obamacare taxes and delays implementation of the tax on high-end health insurance plans to 2026.
I'd be interested to see which taxes they repealed, and which they kept.
originally posted by: worldstarcountry
Egads! That is terrible. I had no idea. Many sources claim they do not know why?? Is it possible it could be related to fracking or energy projects?? Does Texas have a higher rate of fracking?? Could be they are related. Strange. My wife gave natural birth to all five kids with zero complications. I think between only about six friends wih the biggest families, mine included, that I know of, we got thirty kids. Nobody we know or they know have had complications. Are we just getting lucky?? Im starting to think so.
originally posted by: carewemust
a reply to: Byrd
If the core of the AHCA House version is signed into law, I'll have a ton of insurance clients who are HAPPY AGAIN, which will be icing on the "Trump being elected" cake!
originally posted by: Byrd
originally posted by: carewemust
a reply to: Byrd
If the core of the AHCA House version is signed into law, I'll have a ton of insurance clients who are HAPPY AGAIN, which will be icing on the "Trump being elected" cake!
Good for you.
It sounds like you sell insurance to the wealthy. Someone needs to.
However, the elderly and the poor will not celebrate. If you ever end up in dire financial straits when you're over 65, you may understand the position better.