HEALTHCARE/OBAMACARE(ACA)/POLITICS/PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS: “With their plan to dismantle the Affordable Care Act stalled, Republican House leaders on Thursday unveiled an amendment aimed at lowering premiums, a move to gain more support for their health-care effort before they head home for a two-week recess.
The new provision would create a fund of $15 billion over the next decade to reimburse insurers for patients with costly pre-existing conditions. House leaders had planned to add it to legislation to replace the ACA, which they pulled just hours before a planned vote last month due to a lack of support.
House Speaker Paul Ryan (R., Wis.) said it was one of many ideas Republicans are considering to bring Republican lawmakers ‘closer toward consensus’ on how to overhaul the 2010 health law.
The amendment’s co-sponsor, Rep. David Schweikert (R., Ariz.), believes it can pull in ‘every member who was concerned that we weren’t seeing enough premium efficiency.’ It was unclear whether the provision persuaded any Republicans who opposed the overhaul plan to change their minds.”
-Michelle Hackman and Natalie Andrews, “GOP Leaders Add a Carrot to Health Bill,” The Wall Street Journal online, April 6, 2017 6:38 pm