Insurers warn Cruz provision will 'skyrocket' premiums for sick people
By Peter Sullivan - 07/14/17 08:51 PM EDT The two leading health insurer trade groups sent a strongly-worded letter Friday expressing opposition to a controversial conservative provision included in the latest GOP ObamaCare replacement bill.
America’s Health Insurance Plans and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association warned that the provision from Sen. Ted Cruz
(R-Texas) would mean “premiums will skyrocket for people with preexisting conditions” and “millions of more individuals will become uninsured.”
The letter expresses opposition to a provision, included in the new GOP repeal bill, that would allow insurers to sell plans that do not meet ObamaCare regulations, including the ban on discrimination based on pre-existing conditions, if they also sold plans that did meet the requirements.
Conservatives argue this move would allow younger, healthier people to buy cheaper plans.
The insurers, and many health experts, warn that only sick people would remain in the more expensive, more generous ObamaCare plans, leading to premium spikes for people with pre-existing conditions.
“This would allow the new plans to ‘cherry pick’ only healthy people from the existing market making coverage unaffordable for the millions of people who need or want comprehensive coverage, including, for example, coverage for prescription drugs and mental health services,” the letter states.
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http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/342142-insurers-warn-cruz-provision-will-skyrocket-premiums-for-sick-people
