In March, Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler came out against the Trump/Ryan health care plan because of the damage it would do to children in our district. She was right, and I was grateful. Now, an even worse version of the Trump plan, the American Health Care Act, is being teed up for a vote. To win over conservatives, it allows states to opt out of requiring insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditions at community rates. Also, insurers would not have to cover the “10 essential benefits” now guaranteed by the Affordable Care Act.
That’s in addition to the monstrosities of the previous version of the AHCA. So it will continue to cut Medicaid radically (including funding for children) and result in some 26 million fewer people with health insurance. My wife and I (middle-aged) currently pay $14,400 a year in premiums. Under the AHCA, that goes up to around $24,000 a year, possibly much more.
The AHCA actually has a chance of passing the House this time. I urge Herrera Beutler to vote against this terrible, terrible bill.
