NEA: Revised American Health Care Act amendment makes terrible bill even worse

WASHINGTON - NEA President Lily Eskelsen García issued the following statement regarding an amendment to the American Health Care Act introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives aimed at repealing the Affordable Care Act.

“Apparently, snatching health care coverage from children and families was not enough for House Republican leaders and the Trump administration. To make a terrible bill even worse, a new amendment to the American Health Care Act (AHCA) would allow states to jettison existing essential health benefit requirements and permit insurance companies to charge people with pre-existing conditions more than they charge healthy people.

“If Republican leaders have their way, plans covering millions of people would once again exclude coverage for maternity and newborn care, pediatric dental and vision services, mental health and substance use services, and other crucial benefits. Furthermore, the amendment does nothing to change the AHCA’s drastic cuts to Medicaid funding and benefits, but it would make matters even worse by returning America to the days when annual and lifetime dollar-based limits on the use of essential health benefits shifted tremendous financial and health risk to working families.

“If the AHCA and new amendment are enacted, millions of kids and families would effectively lose the health care coverage they need. The ne