California Health Advocates Not Satisfied By Tweaks To Replacement Plan
In a state where 14 million children and adults rely on the health program, scaling back federal funding for the program could have drastic consequences, they warn.
Modesto Bee:
Health Advocates Fear Impacts To Hospitals In California And Stanislaus County Despite Changes To GOP Repeal Plan
Republican leaders made more changes to their proposed legislation to replace the Affordable Care Act, though the amendments didn’t impress advocates who want to preserve the gains of Obamacare in California. House Speaker Paul Ryan called for more support in the bill to make insurance affordable for older adults. In addition, the changes would accelerate tax cuts for the wealthy and health care corporations, give states more flexibility in spending health care funds and allow them to tie work requirements to Medicaid benefits. (Carlson, 3/21)
In other news —
San Francisco Chronicle:
Fear Of Obamacare Repeal Paralyzing Millions
The uncertain future of Obamacare isn’t just wreaking havoc for insurers, hospitals and other companies in the health care ecosystem. It’s paralyzing the lives of millions of regular Americans, too. These are people who have made major, hard-to-reverse life decisions contingent on the health care system we have today — including a functioning individual insurance market and the subsidies to make those individual insurance plans affordable. (Rampell, 3/21)
Sacramento Bee:
Abortion Restriction In GOP Proposal Puts Covered California Enrollees In A Bind
A California law requiring all health plans cover abortions is set to collide with federal Affordable Care Act repeal efforts that would cut federal subsidies for health plans that pay for the procedure. State officials and health advocates have pledged to fight a stipulation of the Republican-authored American Health Care Act that could deprive 1.4 million Californians of the federal tax credits that help them afford coverage on the Covered California health exchange. (Caiola, 3/22)