Experts’ diagnosis: House’s health bill will be catastrophic

Sometimes, there’s an argument to be made about the effects of a piece of legislation — a dissection of its benefits and drawbacks. That’s not the case with the latest version of the American Health Care Act, passed earlier this month by the House of Representatives.

As proof, we offer a small sampling statements made by a number of the nation’s top health care organizations in reaction to the vote. Here are excerpts:

“This legislation will harm millions of (House members’) constituents. It will destabilize our health care system, cause 24 million Americans to lose their coverage and allow for discrimination against patients based on their gender, age and health status. Its inadequate and temporary high-risk pool funds are simply a Band Aid that does nothing to provide health security to the nearly one in three Americans who have a pre-existing condition. Its provision allowing annual and lifetime caps on benefits diminishes the value of every policy sold in the future.” Dr. John Meigs Jr., president American Academy of Family Physicians

“The rate of children’s health coverage in our country is at a historic high of 95 percent; the AHCA would not only halt this progress, it would tear it down. By dismantling Medicaid through capped funding and the elimination of the Medicaid expansion, those who will suffer the most are those who need health care the most, including the 37 million children across the country who rely on the program. … The bill also allows insurers to go back to putting annual and lifetime limits on coverage, meaning that a premature baby on private insurance could exceed her lifetime limit on coverage before she even leaves the hospital. Dr. Fernando Stein, M.D., president American Academy of Pediatrics

“This vote makes coverage unaffordable for people with pre-existing conditions, allows insurers to opt-out of covering essential benefits like cancer screening, mental health and maternity care, and cuts and caps the federal contribution to Medicaid while sunsetting Medicaid expansion. As a result, an estimated 24 million Americans will lose their coverage, and many more will be at risk of paying higher premiums and deductibles.” Dr. Jack Ende, president American College of Physicians

“The American Health Care Act passed by the House today … is significantly worse than the version considered last month. The bill now opens the door to health plans once again charging exorbitant premiums to the tens of millions of Americans with pre-existing conditions. It is estimated that about 45 million Americans experience a behavioral health condition over the course of a year. The $8 billion payment to states for setting up a high-risk pool would cover only about 76,000 people — this is barely a drop in the bucket.” Antonio E. Puente, president American Psychiatric Association

“The most alarming last minute changes to the bill will allow states to waive the requirement for essential health benefits and health status rating. Weakening these rules will give insurers the ability to charge people with pre-existing conditions, such as diabetes, higher prices. It will also allow insurers to deny people with diabetes coverage for the care and services they need to treat their disease.” Unsigned, American Diabetes Association

“The bill passed today ... fails the millions of Americans living with lung and other serious diseases. It will leave far too many people without quality and affordable health care coverage, while at the same time, rolling back key safeguards that protect patients with pre-existing conditions. … While the Affordable Care Act is by no means perfect, any changes to current law should prioritize preventing disease and preserving health care coverage for all Americans — regardless of income or pre-existing conditions.” Harold P. Wimmer, president and CEO American Lung Association

“A return to medical underwriting, combined with seriously weakened standards for what constitutes good coverage through the erosion of Essential Health Benefits, sets up a situation whereby payers can cherry-pick their customers and leave patients with serious conditions like cancer with few if any affordable insurance options. … Additionally, it is unclear how weakening the essential health benefits standards will affect cancer patients’ access to new therapies and key patient protections like the cap on out-of-pocket costs and the prohibition of lifetime and annual limits, both of which are applied only to essential health benefits. This bill could seriously weaken these key protections, jeopardize access to new therapies and leave cancer patients—both in the individual and employer-based market— vulnerable to higher out-of-pocket costs.” Chris Hansen, president American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network

“This legislation turns back the clock on women’s health, and will threaten the health and well-being of America’s women and families. …” Unsigned American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists

This bill is part of a larger campaign by this administration to attack reproductive health care. Particularly in light of today’s executive order that uses religious freedom as a cover for allowing employers to deny contraceptive coverage, there is a clear pattern of politicians trying to make it as difficult as possible for people to access vital reproductive health services. I am terrified for my patients and for the health of this country. As a physician, I know that patients and families suffer when they are unable to obtain comprehensive, compassionate health care. Congress should be ashamed to pass legislation that puts health care out of reach for millions of Americans.” Dr. Diane Horvath-Cosper, advocacy fellow Physicians for Reproductive Health

“Today the U.S. House of Representatives voted on the worst women’s health legislation in a generation. It makes it harder to prevent unintended pregnancy, harder to have a healthy pregnancy and harder to raise a family.” Cecile Richards, president Planned Parenthood Federation of America