Can GOP health bill survive? Meehan says he’s undecided
As of late Wednesday afternoon, U.S. Rep. Patrick Meehan, R-7 of Chadds Ford, continued to evaluate the Republican alternative to the Affordable Care Act as a vote on the legislation is anticipated today.
A member of the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee, the congressmen has been meeting with various district residents and other legislators in coming to a decision. He voted for the bill in committee.
The plan has drawn unanimous condemnation from Democrats and fire from both conservative and moderate Republicans. The Congressional Budget Office initially found that while it will reduce the deficit, it could strip 24 million people of their health insurance by 2020. It would also largely dismantle the federal Medicaid insurance for the poor and turn its funding over to the states as block grants.
His spokesman, John Elizandro, issued a statement on behalf of Meehan even as the plan was being debated in the House Rules Committee Wednesday.
It read, “Congressman Meehan continues to review the legislation, listen to his constituents and talk with his colleagues.”
One of those constituents was Mike Balay of Newtown Square, who with four others met with Meehan Monday.
“He was very informed and he was very willing to listen and understand,” Balay said, “and he was also clear that he was supportive of many of the core (Donald) Trump and Republican principles that they’re basing the repeal on.”
Balay said Meehan is trying to find a middle ground where he’s more comfortable than the original plan. The congressman had previously stated he had some concerns with the initial legislation, particularly in the disparities among socioeconomic levels.
The constituent said Meehan told them he hoped to have a more acceptable bill by today.
“Maybe they made some progress, maybe his heart was in the right place but it remains to be seen how draconian this is,” Balay said, adding that the total Congressional Budget Office score is not yet available on the proposal after its latest revisions.
He voiced concerns that the plan was being moved along very quickly despite many unknowns.
Having worked in the insurance industry for a decade, Balay said two imperative elements are having as large of a pool of participants as possible and having a very broad network of health care providers in a network.
There are two events today by supporters of the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. At noon, supporters will again gather outside Meehan’s Springfield office and at 7 p.m., others will gather outside Riddle Memorial Hospital to discuss how the hospital has seen a reduction in bad debt and uncompensated care and an increase in net patient revenue under the ACA.