The U.S. House passed a healthcare bill that essentially installs a financial penalty for being raped and having children by allowing states to deny coverage for pre-existing conditions including rape, postpartum depression, cesarean sections, and surviving domestic violence.
Women, older adults, people with disabilities and low-income people are all targeted by the plan that Pennsyvlania Senator Bob Casey called “a scheme to cut taxes for millionaires and big corporations” masquerading as a healthcare policy.
More lowlights:
It targets women who rely on Planned Parenthood for preventative healthcare. It “defunds” Planned Parenthood by banning the organization from receiving Medicaid reimbursements for providing low-cost preventative healthcare. Over half of Planned Parenthood’s 650 health centers are in rural or medically underserved areas with health professional shortages.
Guaranteed protections for people with pre-existing conditions are gone. Insurance companies could be allowed to charge people with preexisting conditions much higher premiums than allowed under the ACA. Here is a list of 50 health issues that count as “pre-existing conditions.”
Millions will lose coverage altogether. The CBO analysis of the initial bill estimates 24 million people will lose coverage. The Congressional Budget Office was not able to complete and release an analysis of the revised bill before yesterday’s vote.
There’s an age tax. A 64 year-old with an income of $26,000 a year could rise from $1,700 currently to more than $14,000, according to the same initial CBO estimate.
It targets people children with disabilities. “Under a little-noticed provision of the health care bill, states would no longer have to consider schools eligible Medicaid providers, meaning they would not be entitled to reimbursements.”
Medical professionals and patient advocacy groups strongly oppose it. The bill is opposed by the American Hospital Association, the Federation of American Hospitals, America’s Essential Hospitals, Families USA, the National Physician’s Alliance, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the AARP, the American Diabetes Association, the March of Dimes, the National Association of Rare Disorders, the Save Medicaid in Schools Coalition, SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, the American Heart Association, American Lung Association, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, National MS Society, the American Psychiatric Association, American Osteopathic Association, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists oppose the American Health Care Action.
The AHCA passed the U.S. House 217-213.
Pennsylvania could be one of the “biggest losers” if the bill is implemented. No Democrats voted for it. Four Pennsylvania Republicans listened to constituents and voted against it: Congressmen Costello, Meehan, Fitzpatrick and Dent.
These nine Pennsylvania Congressmen voted for the AHCA:
Congressman Keith Rothfus PA-12
Email: https://rothfus.house.gov/email-keith
Twitter: @KeithRothfus
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/keithrothfus/?fref=nf
DC Phone: (202) 225-2065
 
Congressman Mike Kelly PA-3
Email: https://kelly.house.gov/contact-me/email-me
Twitter: @MikeKellyPA
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MikeKellyPA/
DC Phone: (202) 225-5406
 
Congressman Scott Perry PA-4
Email: https://perry.house.gov/forms/writeyourrep/
Twitter: @RepScottPerry
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/repscottperry
DC Phone: 202-225-5836
 
Congressman Glenn Thompson PA-5
Email: https://thompson.house.gov/contact-me/email-me
Twitter: ‪@CongressmanGT
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CongressmanGT/
DC Phone: (202) 225-5121
 
 Congressman Bill Shuster PA-9
Email: https://shuster.house.gov/contact-form/
Twitter: ‪@RepBillShuster
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rep.Shuster/
DC Phone: 202-225-2431
 
Congressman Tom Marino PA-10
Email: https://marino.house.gov/contact/email
Twitter: @RepTomMarino‪
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CongressmanMarino/
DC Phone: 202-225-3731
 
 Congressman Lou Barletta PA-11
Email: https://barletta.house.gov/contact/email-me
Twitter: ‪@RepLouBarletta
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CongressmanLouBarletta/
DC phone: (202) 225-6511
 
Congressman Lloyd Smucker PA-16
Email: https://smucker.house.gov/contact
Twitter: @RepSmucker
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RepSmucker
DC phone: 202-225-2411
 
Congressman Tim Murphy PA-18
Email: https://murphy.house.gov/contact-me/
Twitter: @RepTimMurphy
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/reptimmurphy
Phone: (202) 225-2301
The Women’s Law Project is the only public interest law center in Pennsylvania devoted to advancing the rights of women and girls.
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