Forty attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act failed, but Republicans have been recently reinvigorated in the fight against the health care law after the President was caught in a misleading statement. Members of the Pa. delegation are seeking anti-ACA ammunition from their constituents through “Share Your Story” websites and emails.
During the health care debates, President Obama promised repeatedly that those who liked their insurance policies would be able to keep them.
“If you like your health plan, you can keep it,” he said. Over and over.
However, many people who have individual plans are seeing those cancelled by the end of the year.
Under the ACA, all insurance plans must meet certain criteria, including 10 essential health benefits: outpatient care, rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices, emergency room visits, hospitalization, lab tests, maternity and newborn care, preventative services and chronic disease care, prescription drugs, mental health and substance abuse treatment, and pediatric services including vision and dental coverage.
The requirement of those services forces insurance providers to change their plans to be more comprehensive, which often increases the sticker price of the policy.
Republicans see blood in the water.
Members of the Pennsylvania delegation have created repositories of health care law stories from their constituencies, building up ammunition for their next attempt at dismantling the Affordable Care Act.
Rep. Tim Murphy (R-Allegheny) has been one of the most outspoken critics of the law, and launched his “Share Your Story” today. The site is for Southwestern Pennsylvanians to share with him their experiences with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and the Healthcare.gov website: if it worked well, if it hasn’t worked well, and/or if it hasn’t worked at all. Creating a dedicated page on his website called “Affordable Care Act: Share Your Story,” Murphy is asking his constituents to directly share their personal stories with him. “Share Your Story” can be viewed here.
Pennsylvania’s junior senator has been another harsh critic of the law. On his Facebook page, Sen. Pat Toomey requested of those who follow him that “If #ObamaCare is raising your health care costs, please share your story. People need to know this law is harming their friends and family.”
Rep. Meehan (R-Delaware) wrote the following on his Facebook page, “I’ve been hearing from a lot of constituents about the effect of Obamacare on their insurance policies. What kind of experience have you had with Obamacare? How was your website experience? Are you receiving cancelation [sic] notices from your current plan? Please take a moment to share your story by sending an e-mail to PA7Healthcare@Mail.House.Gov”
Rep. Dent (R-Lehigh) had a similar statement on his Facebook.
“I’m starting a Cancellation Watch for interested constituents in the 15th District,” he wrote.
“If you have received notice that your health insurance plan has been cancelled recently, and you live in the 15th District, please e-mail me through my website and tell me about it. Have you been able to purchase another plan? Is it as good as the plan you had?”
Even Democratic gubernatorial candidate Allyson Schwartz has piled on the administration with the flaws in ACA roll out.
“This initial experience has done damage to Americans’ confidence in this new marketplace and potentially the products, protections and options available to them through this new marketplace. Going forward there can be no excuses.” She said in a statement to the House Ways and Means Committee. “The Administration failed to prepare for roll-out, failed to properly test, and failed at taking action to recognize and fix problems raised along the way.”
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2 Responses
This story is misleading in of itself. Insurance companies don’t have to cover all 10 of the essential benefits. Only a few, i.e. let children 26 and under stay on their parents plans, end lifetime limits, etc., must be covered. Grandfathered plans don’t have to cover preexisting conditions, offer free preventive care, etc. This was Obama’s only mistake. He didn’t distinguish between grandfathered and non-grandfathered plans. However, insurance companies knew about this policy, didn’t give the consumers accurate information, and tell them that it was a business decision to not keep the policy intact. Instead, they are blaming the PPACA to cover up the fact that they wanted to increase premiums as they have always done. But now they can only do so at the rate of medical device increases plus 15%.
The Republicans want horror stories, talk to a family that has a child with a pre-existing family, or a family whose child has already reached the maximum lifetime limit on their health insurance. The Affordable Care Act will help all families get the insurance coverage they need. Congress, the Governor, House and Senate members all have the best insurance. Why aren’t they working with the Administration instead of against to make sure this program works? I also have good insurance, but I worry about the under-insured and the non-insured. Some citizens are one sickness away from being bankrupt. Instead of partisan bickering, work with the White House so everyone can afford healthcare.