Schumer: GOP healthcare proposal like giving 'cough medicine' to a cancer patient

[TomCADem]

Source: The Hill

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday ripped a floated change to a House ObamaCare replacement bill that's meant to address concerns about individuals with pre-existing conditions.

"This Republican amendment leaves Americans with pre-existing conditions as vulnerable as they were before under this bill. High-risk pools are the real death panels: they mean waiting forever in line for unaffordable health insurance," he said in a statement.

He added that an amendment being offered by Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) "is like administering cough medicine to someone with stage 4 cancer."

* * *
Schumer added that if moderate Republicans change pre-existing conditions rules they could violate the Senate's rulebook for using "reconciliation," a process that would allow Senate Republicans to avoid a potential filibuster and pass legislation with only a majority of the chamber.


Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/331747-schumer-new-obamacare-proposal-like-giving-cough-medicine-to-cancer

[dchill]

1. Maybe BAD cough medicine.

Certainly they don't intend anything palliative.

[tenorly]

2. At $100,000 a bottle.

Who says lobbying is a bad investment?

[hibbing]

3. They will not give up

Voter suppression, gerrymandered districts and a whole lot of right wing money and free media, their majority is safe. Sorry to be a pessimist, but that's how I'm feeling tonight.


Peace

[sharedvalues]

4. And it will allow caps for all (even employer plans) on lifetime coverage

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10029012891

Brookings:
https://www.brookings.edu/2017/05/02/allowing-states-to-define-essential-health-benefits-could-weaken-aca-protections-against-catastrophic-costs-for-people-with-employer-coverage-nationwide/

This is a big deal - every American under 64 will feel this. If you get cancer - or your kids do - bankruptcy is a real threat.