American Health Care Act

FAQ: AMERICAN HEALTH CARE ACT

WHY DID CONGRESSMAN ROGERS VOTE FOR THE AMERICAN HEALTH CARE ACT?

“Since the original American Health Care Act was introduced in March, I’ve heard from dozens of people from southern and eastern Kentucky about their fears and concerns for the future of health care in America. After additional amendments were made to the bill addressing some of those issues, including additional protections for people with pre-existing conditions, I cast my vote of support for the AHCA with confidence. 

"The bill isn’t perfect, but it isn’t finished. The U.S. Senate now has an opportunity to help rescue our people from Obamacare's unaffordable taxes, mandates and broken promises. And it’s urgent. I have received countless calls from people in our region who have been forced out of their health care plan and now pay the annual penalty because they can’t afford the limited and expensive health insurance options under Obamacare. In fact, half of Kentuckians are left with only one provider to chose from and some families in our region tell me they now pay more for health insurance than their mortgages. The people of Kentucky’s Appalachian region deserve better and the AHCA is simply the first major step required in this rescue mission.”

-- U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers 

Press Release: Rogers Keeps Promise to Repeal and Replace Obamacare

WHAT IS IN THE AMERICAN HEALTH CARE ACT?

The Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, led to skyrocketing premiums, fewer choices, and less access to quality care. The law’s price controls have created a cycle of rising premiums and falling enrollment, and average 2017 premiums may rise by as much as 47% in Kentucky.

The American Health Care Act (AHCA) dismantles Obamacare’s taxes and mandate penalties, unwinds the law’s one-size-fits-all programs, and helps transfer control of health care back to states and the American people. Specifically, the bill:

  • Repeals Obamacare’s individual and employer mandates and repeals tax increases associated with Obamacare,

  • Provides a refundable tax credit for individuals (up to $4000) and families ($14,000) who do not get health insurance through their employer or the government,

  • Nearly doubles the amount Americans can deduct from their taxes for medical expenses,

  • Empowers States to lower premiums and expand options while maintaining key patient protections,

  • Ensures patients with pre-existing conditions receive the care they need by prohibiting insurance companies from denying coverage on the basis of a pre-existing condition, rescinding coverage based on a pre-existing condition, or raising premiums on individuals with pre-existing conditions who maintain continuous coverage,

  • Establishes a $153 billion Federal Invisible Risk Sharing Program to subsidize coverage for older and sicker patients, which will further stabilize markets and lower premiums,

  • Expands federal support for state-based maternity coverage and newborn care and mental health and substance use services,

  • Repeals the provisions of Obamacare that subsidize abortion services and prohibits any future federal tax credits from subsidizing plans that cover elective abortion, and

  • Increases contribution limits to Health Savings Accounts.

LIST OF OBAMACARE TAXES REPEALED  (Courtesy of Americans for Tax Reform)

VIEW ONLINE | The American Health Care Act (HR 1628) passed by the House reduces taxes on the American people by over $1 trillion. The bill abolishes the following taxes imposed by Obama and the Democrat party in 2010 as part of Obamacare:

  • Abolishes the Obamacare Individual Mandate Tax which hits 8 million Americans each year.

  • Abolishes the Obamacare Employer Mandate Tax. Together with repeal of the Individual Mandate Tax repeal this is a $270 billion tax cut.

  • Abolishes Obamacare’s Medicine Cabinet Tax which hits 20 million Americans with Health Savings Accounts and 30 million Americans with Flexible Spending Accounts. This is a $6 billion tax cut.

  • Abolishes Obamacare’s Flexible Spending Account tax on 30 million Americans. This is a $20 billion tax cut.

  • Abolishes Obamacare’s Chronic Care Tax on 10 million Americans with high out of pocket medical expenses. This is a $126 billion tax cut.

  • Abolishes Obamacare’s HSA withdrawal tax. This is a $100 million tax cut.

  • Abolishes Obamacare’s 10% excise tax on small businesses with indoor tanning services. This is a $600 million tax cut.

  • Abolishes the Obamacare health insurance tax. This is a $145 billion tax cut.

  • Abolishes the Obamacare 3.8% surtax on investment income. This is a $172 billion tax cut.

  • Abolishes the Obamacare medical device tax. This is a $20 billion tax cut.

  • Abolishes the Obamacare tax on prescription medicine. This is a $28 billion tax cut.

  • Abolishes the Obamacare tax on retiree prescription drug coverage. This is a $2 billion tax cut.

As a presidential candidate in 2008, Barack Obama had promised repeatedly that he would not raise any tax on any American earning less than $250,000 per year. He broke the promise when he signed Obamacare. With the passage of the House GOP bill, tens of millions of middle income Americans will get tax relief from Obamacare's long list of tax hikes.

HEALTH CARE CENTRAL (COURTESY OF THE ENERGY AND COMMERCE COMMITTEE)

AHCA: MYTH VS. FACTS 

NEWS SOURCE: NATIONAL REVIEW - THE PRE-EXISTING LIE 

NEWS SOURCE: FORBES - IS THE AHCA REALLY $200B UNDERFUNDED?

WHAT ELSE IS THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE DOING TO REFORM OBAMACARE?

In addition to the AHCA, the U.S. House of Representatives has also passed companion legislation to reform Obamacare. Together, H.R. 1101 and H.R. 372 give small businesses the power to negotiate lower health care costs and increase competition among health insurance companies to lower premiums. 

  • H.R. 1101, the Small Business Health Fairness Act, creates association health plans (AHPs) which will allow small businesses to band together across state lines and negotiate for lower health care costs for their employees. AHPs will increase the bargaining power of small businesses to purchase health insurance and level the playing field with large businesses and unions.  It passed  on March 22nd by a vote of 236 to 175.

  • H.R. 372, the Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act, applies federal antitrust laws to health insurance providers to increase competitiveness in the healthcare industry. Health insurance companies have been exempt from such regulation for 70 years, while health care providers and other industry participants have not. This has created a lack of competition in health insurance and has helped drive up cost.  The legislation also passed on March 22nd by a vote of 416 to 7.