On a 217-213 vote, the U.S. House of Representatives today passed the American Health Care Act, or TrumpCare.
According to independent and nonpartisan analysis, the bill would take health care coverage away from 24 million Americans, raise premiums as much as seven times over, and end protections that ensure coverage for pre-existing conditions – all to pay for a new $600 billion tax cut for the rich.
In the days before the bill’s passing, new amendments were added to the bill to win more conservative support that would
- Allow insurance companies to charge Americans with pre-existing conditions more in out of pocket costs, for example:
- $4,340 / year for asthma
- $5,600 / year for diabetes
- $20,450 / year for drug treatment
- $17,320 / year for pregnancy
- $142,650 / year for cancer
- Let insurance companies limit payments for catastrophic illnesses, meaning Americans who have employer-based health plans would pay more out of pocket if they got sick,
- Gut $880 billion from Medicaid, hurting older Americans, people with special needs, and working families,
- Defund Planned Parenthood.
Republicans in Congress scheduled a vote on the final bill with no committee hearings, no markups, no amendments, no idea how much it will cost, and allotted only a couple of hours of debate on the House floor in a clear attempt to hide the consequences of the bill from the American people.
The bill now goes to the U.S. Senate for consideration, where it may face a 60 vote threshold due to the regulatory changes to pre-existing conditions.
“This vote is a betrayal of the 3 million Washingtonians who have pre-existing conditions and are counting on quality health care to literally keep them alive,” said Washington State Democratic Party Chair Tina Podlodowski. “Cathy McMorris Rodgers and House Republicans have voted to punish the sick, raise premiums for the elderly, and cut off health care for those who need it most. This bill would literally kill people.
“But this fight is far from over and this bill is far from final passage. It’s going to face a tough path in the Senate, and the millions of Americans who have lined up to oppose this bill will be putting all the pressure we can to stop this bill. The grassroots are fired up and we’re ready to go.”
