Despite the new name, the Graham-Cassidy health care proposal includes many of the same dangerous health care policies of previous attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
Huge cuts to the Medicaid expansion and individual subsidies, eliminating funding for both in 10 years
First 10 years: block grant and funding cuts
Make the Affordable Care Act even better
The Graham-Cassidy proposal takes all federal funding for the Medicaid expansion and the ACA subsidies and converts them to a rigid block grant to the states. This funding would not change based on a state’s needs and could be spent on almost any health care purpose.
A block grant in itself isn’t flexible enough to meet the medical needs of our country. Right now, anyone who meets the requirements of the program gets help; the program automatically grows in recessions and shrinks in economic expansions. But, under a block grant, funding would not change based on a state’s needs and could be spent on almost any health care purpose — not just expanding Medicaid or subsidizing individuals’ health coverage.
After 2027: funding eliminated
After ten years, even the block grant disappears, eliminating the Medicaid expansion and ending the health insurance subsidies that enable low- and moderate-income individuals to afford coverage.
Dismantle Medicaid’s need-based funding
All federal Medicaid funding would be capped based on the number of people enrolled. When health care costs go up — as in the opioid epidemic — Medicaid wouldn’t be able to respond. As a result, people enrolled in Medicaid wouldn’t be able to get coverage for the care they need.
Allow states to waive patient protections
The bill allows states to choose which patient protections they want to leave in place. Rather than requiring all insurance companies nationwide to cover essential services, states would be able to opt-out of those requirements, letting insurance companies offer skimpier plans. Those plans might not cover basic health care like maternity care.
In addition, states could waive protections for people with pre-existing conditions, letting insurance companies charge more based on someone’s health history.
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FCNL’s Amelia Kegan gave an update on efforts to stop Graham-Cassidy in a phone briefing on Friday, September 22. Hear a recording below.