Last week in Health Affairs Tim Jost reviews the Affordable Care Act repeal and replacement budget reconciliation bills, also known as the American Health Care Act, recently introduced by the House Republican leadership. The article provides an overall summary, details the approach to Medicaid, cost-sharing, state funding, the individual mandate, tax credits, and a thorough explanation of upcoming legislative steps. Jost concludes with a summation of potential outcomes, but acknowledges there are still plenty of unknowns.
“In summary, the legislation’s tax cuts will be very attractive to wealthy Americans and health insurers and providers…[but] could cause consternation for Medicaid recipients and state Medicaid programs…Higher-income younger people, on the other hand, would find coverage much more affordable than it is now under the legislation...”
Read the full article here: Examining The House Republican ACA Repeal And Replace Legislation
Also this week, Avik Roy provides additional insights in Forbes.
“Leading House Republicans have included a number of transformative and consequential reforms in their American Health Care Act, the full text of which was published Monday evening…Can such a bill garner the near-universal Republican support it will need to pass Congress?”
The article provides both pros and cons and includes a transcribed response from Rep. Kevin Brady (R., Tex.) Chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee, from a radio interview he gave about the lack of a CBO score.
Read the full article here: GOP's Obamacare Replacement Will Make Coverage Unaffordable For Millions -- Otherwise, It's Great
Additional top line summaries can be found in The New York Times (by Margot Sanger Katz) and in Vox (by Sarah Kliff).