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Republicans revamp U.S. health bill, boost benefits to older Americans

By Susan Cornwell and Valerie Volcovici

 

U.S. President Donald Trump waves with Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) after attending a Friends of Ireland reception on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., March 16, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. House Republicans are working on changes to their healthcare overhaul bill to provide more generous tax credits for older Americans and to add a work requirement for the Medicaid program for the poor, U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan said on Sunday.

 

Ryan said Republican leaders still plan to bring the healthcare bill to a vote on the House of Representatives floor on Thursday. Speaking on the "Fox News Sunday" television program, he added that leaders were working to address concerns that had been raised by rank-and-file Republicans to the legislation.

 

"We think we should be offering even more assistance than the bill currently does," for lower-income people age 50 to 64, Ryan said of the tax credits for health insurance that are proposed in the legislation.

 

Ryan also said Republicans are working on changes that would allow federal block grants to states for Medicaid.

 

Republicans remain deeply divided over their U.S. healthcare overhaul, which is President Donald Trump's first major legislative initiative and aims to fulfill his campaign pledge to repeal and replace Obamacare, the healthcare program of his Democratic predecessor Barack Obama.

 

Trump has been wooing lawmakers to vote for the bill. He won the backing of a dozen conservative lawmakers on Friday after an Oval Office meeting in which the president endorsed a work requirement and block-grant option for Medicaid.

 

But there are still holdouts. While Ryan said he felt "very good" about the health bill's prospects in the House, a leading conservative lawmaker, Representative Mark Meadows, told the C-Span "Newsmakers" program that there were currently 40 Republican "no" votes in the House. Republicans hold a majority in the chamber but cannot afford to have more than 21 defections for the measure to pass.

Meadows, a North Carolina Republican, told C-Span's "Newsmakers" the changes being considered for the Medicaid program would not go far enough, if they left it up to states to decide whether to put in place a work requirement.

 

Even if the healthcare bill were to pass the House, it also would face significant challenges in the Senate.

 

Senator Tom Cotton, a conservative Arkansas Republican, said that the bill would not reduce premiums for people on the private insurance market. "It's fixable, but it's going to take a lot of work," Cotton said on CNN's "State of the Union."

 

Moderate Republicans have also expressed concerns about the bill, and their worries are often not the same as that of conservatives.

 

Speaking on NBC's "Meet the Press," Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine worried the bill would harm older Americans, and shift Medicaid costs to states -- something critics say a block-grant approach would only make worse.

 

Collins said coverage issues must also be dealt with, citing a report from the Congressional Budget Office that said 14 million people would lose health coverage under the House bill over the next year and 24 million over the next decade.

 

Affordability has been one of the bigger concerns that insurers and hospital groups have raised about the legislation. To the extent that a change in tax credits makes healthcare more affordable for some people, insurers and hospitals could stand to benefit.

 

When the draft of the health care bill was released earlier this month, the BlueCross BlueShield Association, which represents BCBS insurers that cover the vast majority of the about 10 million people enrolled in 2017 Obamacare plans, emphasized the need for the replacement to be affordable.

 

(Editing by Sandra Maler and Phil Berlowitz)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-03-20

[Traveler19491]

Absent huge subsidies from the government, which can only be provided by increasing taxes, the GOP healthcare "reform" is a non-starter. Premiums for someone age 64 and earning $25,000 a year would average $15,000 annually (https://www.fool.com/retirement/2017/03/12/trumpcare-could-send-seniors-insurance-rates-skyro.aspx). This is the GOP's version of "compassionate conservatism"? This is their "fix" for Obamacare? The Congressional Budget Office has predicted that 24 million people will lose coverage, a significant portion of that number coming from the working poor, under- and unemployed losing their Medicaid coverage. Seems the Republican plan to "improve" the cost of healthcare is "just die...quickly, if you don't mind".

[deepinlaos]

not much you can do now.

 

Obama went and poked the US healthcare system with a stick and made it worse, trump is about to make it beyond help.

[pookiki]

[Thaidream]

Every Industrialize country in the World can provide healthcare for all of its citizens except the United States and that is because the wealthy politicians; insurance companies; and Big Pharma do not want to lose their cash cow. This is truly tyranny by the rich and greedy.

If the US Government truly wanted to provide universal healthcare they would expand the current medicare system to everyone and pay for it by increasing the medicare tax slightly for those working- and make healthcare free for the unemployed and those over 65. Instead of increasing the military budget $54 Billion they would put this money into Healthcare.

Obamacare was a bad program and Trumpcare will be the worst ever envisioned because the Republicans refuse to admit that Healthcare is a human right. America is never going to be great until it recognizes the rights of all of its citizen and residents.

 

[ilostmypassword]

1 hour ago, deepinlaos said:

not much you can do now.

 

Obama went and poked the US healthcare system with a stick and made it worse, trump is about to make it beyond help.

Really? It got worse? How exactly?

[darksidedog]

I fail to see how millions of people getting healthcare made things worse under Obama.

Under this administration 14 Million will lose it under a year, and 24 million in a decade.

I understand that Republicans seriously want to get rid of Obamacare, but to do so, they need something that benefits even more people than what it is replacing.

The currrent plan is a total and utter disaster, that benefits no one other than the rich and the Insurance companies.

I noted they are listening to concerns of rank and file Republicans, but no mention of listening to any Democrats, whose input should also be considered.

[Thaidream]

They have already announced that they are not going to provide universal coverage for everyone. What it boils down to- if you can't afford to purchase coverage- which will cost more than you are paying now- you will not get it.  Donald Trump promised affordable healthcare for everyone.  It is not going to happen.

 

The only possible way to provide universal coverage for everyone is a single payer plan run by the Government. Any other plan is worthless and costly. Every other country in the World can provide coverage to its citizens- even Thailand- why can't America- one of the richest in the World. Simple- they refuse to recognize Healthcare is a human right and would rather give billions more to the military so America can fight useless wars around the World while its citizens suffer.

 

Donald Trump and his Republican party are incompetents who have fooled the American electorate into thinking there will be a better change for Americans. And I/m not sure the Democrats are any better.  I am afraid the only thing that will bring real change is another American Revolution.

[ilostmypassword]

16 minutes ago, Thaidream said:

They have already announced that they are not going to provide universal coverage for everyone. What it boils down to- if you can't afford to purchase coverage- which will cost more than you are paying now- you will not get it.  Donald Trump promised affordable healthcare for everyone.  It is not going to happen.

 

The only possible way to provide universal coverage for everyone is a single payer plan run by the Government. Any other plan is worthless and costly. Every other country in the World can provide coverage to its citizens- even Thailand- why can't America- one of the richest in the World. Simple- they refuse to recognize Healthcare is a human right and would rather give billions more to the military so America can fight useless wars around the World while its citizens suffer.

 

Donald Trump and his Republican party are incompetents who have fooled the American electorate into thinking there will be a better change for Americans. And I/m not sure the Democrats are any better.  I am afraid the only thing that will bring real change is another American Revolution.

Actually, there are plenty of other countries that provide health care for everyone without going the single payer route. But the market is highly regulated and insurance companies are mandated to provide decent benefits.

[scorecard]

40 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

I fail to see how millions of people getting healthcare made things worse under Obama.

Under this administration 14 Million will lose it under a year, and 24 million in a decade.

I understand that Republicans seriously want to get rid of Obamacare, but to do so, they need something that benefits even more people than what it is replacing.

The currrent plan is a total and utter disaster, that benefits no one other than the rich and the Insurance companies.

I noted they are listening to concerns of rank and file Republicans, but no mention of listening to any Democrats, whose input should also be considered.

 

 

Repeat three times '....and the Insurance companies....."

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, Thaidream said:

Every Industrialize country in the World can provide healthcare for all of its citizens except the United States and that is because the wealthy politicians; insurance companies; and Big Pharma do not want to lose their cash cow. This is truly tyranny by the rich and greedy.

If the US Government truly wanted to provide universal healthcare they would expand the current medicare system to everyone and pay for it by increasing the medicare tax slightly for those working- and make healthcare free for the unemployed and those over 65. Instead of increasing the military budget $54 Billion they would put this money into Healthcare.

Obamacare was a bad program and Trumpcare will be the worst ever envisioned because the Republicans refuse to admit that Healthcare is a human right. America is never going to be great until it recognizes the rights of all of its citizen and residents.

 

 

And remembering that a large % of the US$54billion is for hundreds of ships, and noting that any future wars will, more and more, be fought in space, etc.

 

Also remember that ships are a sitting target for death, maiming, etc., for hundreds, even thousands of military folks at a time.

[ilostmypassword]

6 minutes ago, scorecard said:

 

 

Repeat three times '....and the Insurance companies....."

actually, the insurance companies aren't happy about the Republicans' bill.  It's a confusing mess that is making it impossible for insurance companies to plan for the future.

[Thaidream]

The best system is the single payer system because the government can control the costs of services provided and the prices of life saving drugs.In addition, the insurance pool is large because every working American or resident will be charged a percentage of their salary taken automatically. It's already being done now to pay for Medicare. The easiest solution would be to expand the Medicare coverage to everyone. Those not working would get free medical care as part of their unemployment compensation and those 65 or over would get free medical care for everything.

This would eliminate the need for Insurance companies as such and put Big Pharma on notice that they cannot charge huge markups on medicines. In addition, the US can initiate a Government Pharmaceutical Industry by allowing the National Institute of Health to make drugs if the pharmaceutical companies refuse to co-operate/

 

Americans are constantly told that a single payer system is bad because of government control yet Americans are taxed by the Government for military budgets that are out of control and the largest in the World as well as other pork barrell projects that do nothing for the common good.

 

Americans have been bamboozled; lied to and deceived for decades by greedy politicians on both sides so the wealthy can get richer and the middle class and poor sink into despair. Trump won't change this because he is one of the people responsible for its creation.

[lannarebirth]

14 minutes ago, ilostmypassword said:

actually, the insurance companies aren't happy about the Republicans' bill.  It's a confusing mess that is making it impossible for insurance companies to plan for the future.

 

The plan should be for health insurance companies to have no future. Put them out of business.

[funandsuninbangkok]

Obamacare is going broke and will be bankrupt soon. Republicans are demonstrating great courage trying to fix the mess he left behind.

 

If it was up to me I would let it just fail first and then sort it out. 

[Thaidream]

They are notshowing courage- they are showing how distorted their priorities are- How can you advocate for a $54 Billion increase in a defense budget already the largest in the World and put out a healthcare bill that will force Americans to choose between eating or having healthcare.

Americans need to wake up and stop this madness- Trump and his cronies won't make America great again- they will make Americans sick and die from a lack of healthcare. Not only is this proposed healthcare bill a disaster- it is downright lacking in ethics and basic human decency.

[Ramen087]

4 minutes ago, Thaidream said:

They are notshowing courage- they are showing how distorted their priorities are- How can you advocate for a $54 Billion increase in a defense budget already the largest in the World and put out a healthcare bill that will force Americans to choose between eating or having healthcare.

Americans need to wake up and stop this madness- Trump and his cronies won't make America great again- they will make Americans sick and die from a lack of healthcare. Not only is this proposed healthcare bill a disaster- it is downright lacking in ethics and basic human decency.

Are you aware how the ACA works?

[Thaidream]

I am aware of what is being proposed- dividing the American people into age groups in which those younger than age 50 will get much lower insurance rates than those  over the age of 50 simply because the Republican budget refuses to spread the credits evenly across all age groups . They are deliberately doing this to play to their base and fool the American public into believing this system will improve the coverage and provide coverage to more people.

They re not telling you that the cost of those policies for those over the age of 50 will be so prohibitive that most Americans in this group will not be able to afford the coverage. In the end there will be less coverage than Obamacare which was not a good program.

The whole purpose of Insurance to to spread the risk across the whole spectrum of those covered and to do that you must have a growing pool of insured. You have to have a plan where everyone is treated equally.

It is obvious the Trump Administration and the Republicans have no ethics and will continue to lie and bamboozle the American public. All they have to do is go to a single payer system which will provide universal coverage for everyone but they don't have the guts to do the right thing.

[scorecard]

2 hours ago, Thaidream said:

The best system is the single payer system because the government can control the costs of services provided and the prices of life saving drugs.In addition, the insurance pool is large because every working American or resident will be charged a percentage of their salary taken automatically. It's already being done now to pay for Medicare. The easiest solution would be to expand the Medicare coverage to everyone. Those not working would get free medical care as part of their unemployment compensation and those 65 or over would get free medical care for everything.

This would eliminate the need for Insurance companies as such and put Big Pharma on notice that they cannot charge huge markups on medicines. In addition, the US can initiate a Government Pharmaceutical Industry by allowing the National Institute of Health to make drugs if the pharmaceutical companies refuse to co-operate/

 

Americans are constantly told that a single payer system is bad because of government control yet Americans are taxed by the Government for military budgets that are out of control and the largest in the World as well as other pork barrell projects that do nothing for the common good.

 

Americans have been bamboozled; lied to and deceived for decades by greedy politicians on both sides so the wealthy can get richer and the middle class and poor sink into despair. Trump won't change this because he is one of the people responsible for its creation.

 

Bring on controls on capitalism and socialize the critical factors to build and maintain a balanced and fair civil society - firstly health care.

Edited March 20, 2017 by scorecard

[WaywardWind]

1 hour ago, funandsuninbangkok said:

Obamacare is going broke and will be bankrupt soon. Republicans are demonstrating great courage trying to fix the mess he left behind.

 

If it was up to me I would let it just fail first and then sort it out. 

Explain what you mean when you say the ACA is going broke...with specific evidence....

[Thaidream]

No plan that has the Government as a backer will ever go broke- but  Obamacare was based upon the use of Insurance Companies as providers- the insurance companies are raising rates in some cases by 100%.  To offset this the Government itself would have to increase their credits to match. Eventually- under this program the insurance companies will get richer; drug prices increase and the Healthcare portion of the budget becomes unmanageable.

The only way to manage healthcare is for the Government to take it over- if hospitals and dcotors want to be part of the system they must accept the amounts the Government will pay as well as pharma- this alone will keep prices stable or decline. Most major industrialized countries use this system and it works.

 

[Jingthing]

Obamacare is going broke and will be bankrupt soon. Republicans are demonstrating great courage trying to fix the mess he left behind.
 
If it was up to me I would let it just fail first and then sort it out. 

Well at least one person is buying the trumpist talking points.

[Thaidream]

Actually- just letting Obamacare die a natural death was proposed and discussed by Trump and the Republican leaders. Trump vetoe this because he had promised to repeal Obamacare and then replace it.  I am certain Trump doesn't understand Obamacare or the plan to replace it. He lives in another World and depends on his minions to tell him what is going on.

Undoubtedly, the most unqualified incompetent President America has ever had.

[Redline]

Sick and homeless

[Redline]

6 hours ago, pookiki said:

Yup

[daveAustin]

Cannot believe the world's richest nation can't get its act together on healthcare.

[Redline]

1 hour ago, Thaidream said:

No plan that has the Government as a backer will ever go broke- but  Obamacare was based upon the use of Insurance Companies as providers- the insurance companies are raising rates in some cases by 100%.  To offset this the Government itself would have to increase their credits to match. Eventually- under this program the insurance companies will get richer; drug prices increase and the Healthcare portion of the budget becomes unmanageable.

The only way to manage healthcare is for the Government to take it over- if hospitals and dcotors want to be part of the system they must accept the amounts the Government will pay as well as pharma- this alone will keep prices stable or decline. Most major industrialized countries use this system and it works.

 

But, there can also be upscale facilities at a cost to those that want to use them.  People can buy additional insurance if they want to go to an upscale facility.  That addresses the complaint that the rich will have to wait, or not have as high quality care as they do now.  Universal Care would allow people a safety net.  I had to declare bankruptcy because I was assaulted.  

http://www.medicareforall.org/pages/Home

[Jingthing]

Cannot believe the world's richest nation can't get its act together on healthcare.

Better believe it.

[Jingthing]

trump's big lies about Obamacare - -

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/fact-checker/wp/2017/03/22/trumps-biggest-obamacare-bloopers/

 

"President Trump is like a broken record of Pinocchios, incessantly repeating false and misleading claims that have been debunked. As Congress debates the Republican replacement bill for the Affordable Care Act, Trump has been on a greatest-hits tour of his favorite, and questionable, claims about Obamacare. We compiled a round-up of his most notable claims from the past week."