Average Citizens AHCA Raw Bill Review – Part 1
So, What can an average, well-educated person get from reading the AHCA ?
Disclaimer, I’m a liberal, Sanders-Democrat living in Silicon Valley area of California. I’m currently enrolled in an individual plan, covered by the ACA, but NOT purchased via Covered California web site – but directly from the private insurance company. I am not a politician and have no legal education or background. I have an Engineering education and BS.
Source is the raw PDF. From the U.S. Government Publishing Office
ACA (Certified full-text version) can be found over on HeathCare.gov and the GPO
My markup will be color coded like this.
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
‘‘American Health Care Act of 2017’’ – not too much to interrupt here.
TITLE I—ENERGY AND COMMERCE Subtitle A—Patient Access to Public Health Programs
SEC. 101. THE PREVENTION AND PUBLIC HEALTH FUND.
(b) RESCISSION OF UNOBLIGATED FUNDS – From what I can tell, looking at Section 4002 of the ACA, this repeals all the money/funding for the “Prevention and Public Health Fund” – which looks like is general money for the Department of Health and Human Services – so this is a budget cut
SEC. 102. COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER PROGRAM.
Looks like it adds $422 billion to the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015
SEC. 103. FEDERAL PAYMENTS TO STATES.
This seems to cut the ACA’s expanded medicaid, but unsure.
Subtitle B—Medicaid Program Enhancement
SEC. 111. REPEAL OF MEDICAID PROVISIONS & SEC. 112. REPEAL OF MEDICAID EXPANSION.
All kinds of complication diffs and patches to the ACA and other laws, but the title is pretty clear … this is the repeal of the explained medicaid. Legal details, and dates included here.
(c) SUNSET OF ESSENTIAL HEALTH BENEFITS REQUIREMENT.
Section 1937(b)(5) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396u–7(b)(5)) is amended by adding at the end the following: ‘‘This paragraph shall not apply after December 31, 2019.’’.
Expiring the ACAs essentials health benefits as of Dec 31, 2019.
SEC. 113. ELIMINATION OF DSH CUTS.
Changes the date of some Section 1923(f) of the Social Security Act – which I did not look up – from 2025 to 2019. As well as details I believe regarding this repeal and how expanded and non-expanded state are handle per this law.
SEC. 114. REDUCING STATE MEDICAID COSTS.
(a)LETTING STATES DISENROLL HIGH DOLLAR LOTTERY WINNERS.
There is a lot of detail and conditions here, but I interpret this as allowing states to un-enroll lottery winners
(c) ENSURING STATES ARE NOT FORCED TO PAY 13 FOR INDIVIDUALS INELIGIBLE FOR THE PROGRAM
This allows the states to verify citizenship and other details of how a state can treat anyone that they suspect of not being a US citizen.
(d) UPDATING ALLOWABLE HOME EQUITY LIMITS IN MEDICAID
Not clear what this does
SEC. 115. SAFETY NET FUNDING FOR NON-EXPANSION STATES.
some funding stuff, “safety net” as a result for repealing expanded medicaid.
SEC. 116. PROVIDING INCENTIVES FOR INCREASED FREQUENCY OF ELIGIBILITY REDETERMINATIONS.
Looks like details and dates on how to remove people from the medicaid expansion
Ok – enough for now … Stop at page 29, Subtitle C. Look for Part 2.