Update - May 4, 2017
A new deal among the Republican factions was reached. The changes to the AHCA, as
reported by the Rules committee, are:
- States may opt-out of providing the ACA’s essential health benefits. (This requirement was already dropped in the bill for Medicaid but not for the individual market.)
- States may opt-out of requiring premiums to be the same for all people of the same age, so while individuals with pre-existing conditions must be offered health insurance there is no limit on the cost of that insurance. A new $8 billion fund would help lower premiums for these individuals.
- States may opt-out of limiting premium differences based on age.
- There would be a new $15 billion fund for risk sharing to help states lower premiums.
Update - March 24, 2017
After a fast-paced few weeks, the vote scheduled for March 24, 2017 was cancelled after the House Freedom Caucus, a band of some of the most conservative members of the House, pledged in block to oppose the AHCA because it did not go far enough to repeal the A