Two Republican Senators have introduced The Patient Freedom Act which would allow states to opt out of former President Obama’s Affordable Care Act (ACA), according to the New York Times.
Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Susan Collins of Maine are co-sponsoring the bill. “Republicans believe that if you like your insurance, you should keep it,” Cassidy said. “And we mean that.”
States that opt out of the ACA would be able to provide “basic coverage” for their citizens on their own. The New York Times reported that under the bill such states would contract with one or more insurers to accomplish this.
Under former President Obama’s ACA, 20 million previously uninsured individuals obtained health insurance. Senator Collins has stated repeatedly that Republicans in the House and Senate should not vote to repeal the ACA until they have a clear plan for replacement, according to CNN. CNN also reported that among Democrats and moderate Republicans, there is fear that repeal of the law would create “deep instability” in insurance markets which could threaten millions of people’s healthcare.
The bill may have a difficult time gathering support across both major parties. Senate Minority Leader Charles “Chuck” Schumer (D-NY) stated the bill would endanger individuals in states that opted out. “Millions of Americans would be kicked off their plans, out-of-pocket costs and deductibles for consumers would skyrocket, and protections for people with pre-existing conditions, such as cancer, would be gutted,” the New York Times reported.
On the other hand, the New York Times reported Representative Mark Meadows of North Carolina and Chairman of the House Freedom Caucus stating “Obamacare is flawed, failing, and not fixable, and needs to be fully repealed.”
The Trump administration has proposed its own ideas for addressing the ACA. Kellyanne Conway, an advisor to President Trump stated the administration is considering moving Medicaid funding to a block grant system, rather than the current open ended funding stream, which pays for all care which beneficiaries are entitled to under law, according to NPR.
Critics of block grants argue the grants will threaten coverage to millions of low income families, and will not keep up with the rate of inflation in health care costs.