Tweak To Senate Bill Penalizing Consumers For Dropping Insurance Draws Sharp Criticism
The change is aimed at appeasing skittish industry leaders, but patient advocates say Americans could face grave health consequences if they have to wait for a plan to kick in before seeking costly treatments.
Reuters:
U.S. Senate Republicans Release Changes To Healthcare Proposal
U.S. Senate Republicans on Monday released changes to their healthcare bill, including a six-month waiting period for people who have let their insurance coverage lapse for over 63 days - about two months - and want to get insured again. (Cornwell, 6/26)
The Washington Post:
Senate Leaders Try To Bolster GOP Health-Care Bill With Incentive For Consumers To Stay Insured
The change, intended to satisfy insurers and minimize the number of Americans who may drop their plans if the bill becomes law, received measured praise from some industry officials but sharp criticism from patient advocates. The move — the first in a series of changes Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) plans to make in the next few days — underscores the degree to which Republicans need to retool their health bill if they hope to pass it this week. (Eilperin and Sullivan, 6/26)
The Wall Street Journal:
Republican Senators Add Waiting-Period Penalty To Health-Care Bill
The Senate GOP health bill would repeal large portions of the Affordable Care Act, including a requirement that most people have coverage or pay a penalty. Without that mandate, insurers have been concerned that young and healthy people, who help offset the costs of older and sicker consumers, wouldn’t obtain coverage. That would push premium costs higher because the Senate legislation also requires insurers to cover people with pre-existing health conditions. Senate Health Bill's CBO Score Complicates PathThe Congressional Budget Office estimates that the Senate Republican health bill would leave 22 million more uninsured but cut $321 billion from federal deficit. WSJ's Shelby Holliday reports.The addition of the waiting period aims to fix that gap, mandating that people wait six months before getting coverage on the individual market. (Armour and Peterson, 6/26)
Bloomberg:
GOP Leaders Issue Revised Health Bill As They Press For Vote
The most significant change is the inclusion of a new provision to encourage Americans to maintain continuous health-care coverage that would replace Obamacare’s individual mandate. The new provision would impose a six-month waiting period before new insurance goes into effect for anyone who had a break in coverage lasting 63 days or longer in the prior year. It would take effect beginning in 2019. (Litvan and Dennis, 6/26)
CQ Roll Call:
Updated Senate Health Bill Adds Incentives To Maintain Coverage
The only exceptions to the six-month waiting period would be for a child enrolled in coverage within 30 days of being born or for an adopted child under the age of 18 who is enrolled within 30 days of being adopted. (McIntire, 6/26)
Modern Healthcare:
Senate Adds Waiting Period To ACA Replacement Bill
Tim Jost, an emeritus law professor at Washington and Lee University, said the six-month lockout is likely to drive up bad debt for providers because many people who try to sign up after a cancer diagnosis, for instance, will still get treatment during that waiting period. "It will create some bankruptcies," he said, for people who went without insurance and then got sick. (Lee, 6/26)
