The U.S. Senate is set to reveal its new health care bill on Thursday. Ahead of the announcement, 41 Action News talked to moms on both sides of the state line to get their take on the state of health care in America right now.
What the new bill would add:
- more subsidies for low-income Americans
- people who cannot qualify for the subsidies would be covered under Medicaid
What the new bill would take away:
- ACA taxes
- phase out Medicaid expansion
- federal funding for Planned Parenthood
- individual mandate
- mandate to cover pre-existing conditions, states would get to decide whether to keep it
We met Elizabeth Fuller back in January. Her son, Emerson, has Cystic Fibrosis, which is a preexisting condition that's expensive to treat. Fuller said when it comes to the new Senate bill, "They say it covers preexisting conditions but really overall it's a very... it's a bad plan for people with preexisting conditions."
In one month, their premiums have gone from about $100 a month to almost $700 a month. Fuller acknowledges the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, isn't perfect, but she compared a full repeal and replacement to, "Instead of remodeling your kitchen you tear down your whole house and you rebuild."
Across the state line, Michelle Davis falls into the coverage gap. Davis said, "Because I'm such low income, I don't qualify for the ACA tax credit but because of Brownback, I also don't qualify for Medicaid."
Under the proposed Senate bill, Davis would get Medicaid. As a widow and mother of two young kids, she's not convinced when it comes to the lawmakers behind this bill. "They lack compassion. They lack understanding. They lack a moral center that would drive them to give half of a hoot in hell for their fellow man," Davis shared.
The Congressional Budget Office analysis will likely be released next week. The Senate also wants to vote on the bill before the 4th of July recess. It needs a simple majority, 50 votes, to pass.
