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Dispelling the Myths: The Real Facts about the AHCA

May 15, 2017 - 11:45am

Beyond any measure, the Affordable Care Act, better known as "Obamacare," has failed in its promises to the American people. As it stands, Obamacare is in a death spiral and collapsing under its own weight of broken assurances, imperiling tens of thousands of Floridians with ever-increasing premiums and fewer and fewer choices for their medical needs. 

Here are the undisputed facts about Obamacare:

* It was sold to the American people based on broken promises.

* People did not get to keep their doctors if they liked them.

* 4.7 million Americans have been kicked off their health care plans.

* Nearly 20 million Americans remain uninsured today.

* It increased taxes on Americans by $1 trillion.

* Deductibles will average more than $6,000 this year, and premiums have risen by 25 percent.

* More than one-third of all U.S. counties have only one insurance provider.

* In Florida, premiums are expected to increase by 19 percent this year.

* 49 out of 67 Florida counties are estimated to have only one insurance provider this year.

* 300,000 Floridians had their plans canceled under Obamacare.

* The Congressional Budget Office incorrectly estimated 22 million people would flock to Obamacare.

* Insurance providers are fleeing the exchange left and right, with Aetna announcingit will completely leave the exchange by 2018.

* Leading Democrats, like former President Bill Clinton and Sen. Chuck Schumer, have admitted Obamacare was a mistake and has left Americans with less coverage.

Faced with these failures, doing nothing and watching more and more Americans be forced to pay higher premiums with unaffordable deductibles was not an option. The only responsible path forward was to repeal and replace the failures and broken promises of Obamacare.

The American Health Care Act (AHCA) that I voted for and passed in the House does just that:

* It establishes a health care system built upon free-market and consumer-driven principles that will revive competition, increasing quality, drive down costs, and expand coverage.

* Cuts $1 trillion in burdensome Obamacare taxes.

* Congressional members and staff are not exempt from the AHCA. The McSally Amendment made sure this legislation applies equally to everyone.

* Those with pre-existing conditions cannot be denied coverage. I have a pre-existing condition with my congenital heart defect and I understand how important it is to maintain coverage for others.

* Low-income Americans are not losing coverage and will still receive coverage under Medicaid.

* The AHCA modernizes and strengthens Medicaid with the biggest entitlement reform in a generation.

It honors the enhanced state match that beneficiaries have been receiving.

* Restores $79 billion to hospitals who provide a high proportion of care to the most vulnerable patients, including certain Medicaid and Medicare recipients.

* Establishes the Patient and State Stability Fund that provides $130 billion to help states lower the cost of care for patients in need.

* Sets aside $100 billion for states to help low-income Americans access affordable health care.

* President Trump has agreed to give Florida hospitals $1.5 billion to help treat the poor and uninsured.

* No changes were made to the benefits Medicare provides in its current form, and the elderly will not lose or face more expensive coverage under the AHCA.

* Children up to 26 years old can stay on their parents' plans.

* The AHCA substantially lowers premiums and eliminates the individual and employer mandates that are crushing small businesses and families.

* It provides tax credits and health savings accounts to help all Americans purchase affordable coverage, and ensures there is a seamless transition so no one has the rug pulled out from under them.

* Defunds Planned Parenthood by blocking more than $500 million of taxpayer money, and maintains the Hyde Amendment. This measure is supported by the National Right to Life Committee and the Susan B. Anthony List.

The AHCA is great a step in the right direction. After seven long years, we are finally putting patients first. We will continue working with the Trump administration to further stabilize the health insurance market, increase choices, and lower costs for all Americans and families. We will fulfill our promises to those who sent us to Washington to help and protect them. I urge the Senate to quickly take up and pass this important legislation so we can provide relief to Americans across Florida and the entire nation.

First elected to Congress in 2010, U.S. Rep. Dennis Ross, R-Fla., is part of the congressional leadership as senior deputy majority whip. 

 

 


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Comments

Glad I'm not the only one that voted GOP with extreme buyers remorse and can't wait to vote them out in 2018. Ross is a liar along with the GOP, get ready for the democrat wave in 2018

One News Story missed in all this was the FACT;......That the recent Health-care Bill that passed in the House was and is the (1st), FIRST Health-care Bill to pass in the House in the last 8 years. If you want to learn about the Constitution, check, read, learn, the Obama-Care Bill NEVER passed in the House. It was a Veterans Housing Bill HR-3590, that was Hijacked by the Senate, converted into Obama-Care, by Illegally using the provisions of the "Origination Clause" in the Constitution. The RHINOS, stayed silent while Obama, and his Crooks, RAPED our Constitution. THIS IS TRUE!!

Ok - you meant the one where wonderful Paul Ryan stated in 2009 2010 that any bill needed to be totally scored and vetted, and reviewed bullshit? And you trust him ? I dont. I was already duped by republicans and cannot wait until 2018 to throw them out of power I truly hope you do not get a serious disease cause if you do get ready to pay an huge premium increase. On second thought, you know what I do kind of hope trumpcare goes through you will then see 100% sweep for the Dems in 2018! and if not, you can get solace and comfort in knowing that his repeal of the estate tax and amt will get even more of the universe for the Trump family. Enjoy that!

Thank you for reporting the facts about the House version of the ACA bill. Mainstream media won't give the facts. However, we must wait until the bill gets passed out of the Senate and finalized to know exactly what is in the bill. All the media chaos on any subject should be ignored as political nonsense. Public opinion as expressed on Social Media or in the press is worthless because we are all the victims of media propaganda. Is there any news outlet that just gives the straight facts so we can form our own opinions without bias? The media has lost all credibility.

Mr. Congressman how come you had a special carve out for you the wonderful "hard working" representatives and their families / staff to be covered by Obamacare - only when you were exposed by the media and internet did you change to being covered by the dog turd sandwich also. and by the way, Paul Ryan has stated so many times in the past the in review of the ACA it needed to be looked at reviewed and scored - just like the House did promoting this total GARBAGE on the unsuspecting public! I voted for the President - now with buyers remorse I cannot wait to vote him out as of now you remember "healthcare costs will come down;" "I will release my taxes" You sir could care less for middle class people. The proof will start in the midterm elections which I cannot wait to vote all heartless cold republicans ( of course Bible thumping) out of office! Have a nice day!

He's only been in office a few months with the media democrats a some republicans fighting him every step of the way. And yet the whole Country is getting back to its roots. Well, those that remember their roots.

For the record it was the Democrats that passed Obamacare which included the carve out for themselves. Not 1 Republican voted for this despicable bill. Premiums are out of sight & deductibles in the thousands of dollars make it totally unusable.

Pure health insurance industry propaganda. Presented by a pure health insurance industry Congressional shill. The ACA is a workable solution to a complex problem - now made worse by bought and paid for Congressmen that laugh at the issues faced by their own constituents.

So tell me Einstein if Obamacare is so legit then why did the architect of the plan Jonathan Gruber admit that the American people needed to be lied to in order to get it passed? If Obamacare was so good then why wasn't it able to stand on its own merit? Because it was a snake oil sell. It's not a workable plan for a difficult situation . It's an abusive plan that actually hurts the majority of the population. That's why the deductibles are going thru the roof. Not a thing to do with Trump this is all Obama's albatross legacy

Simple. Gruber didn't. And the work ability issue involves cooperation - which you apparently don't appreciate.

You have a convenient memory. He said "the stupidity of the American people." With a sneer. Which you also include in your comments.

Gruber must certainly did say Obamacare was a ponzu scheme! Do some research on the net & Utube!

The American public wants Congress and the President to FIX any short-comings of the Affordable Care Act BUT they want to retain the provisions of care. Americans believe ESSENTIALS ARE ESSENTIAL for ALL AMERICANS.

I, a Democrat, knew that "Obamacare" was doomed to failure the moment that "twit" Nancy Pelosi said "We'll know what's in it AFTER we pass it"... She almost "got the star" for 'moron of the year', but unfortunately, for her, she "came in second" to that niggler (LOOK IT UP !) without a "legacy" who provided the legislation with his name: "Barry Soetaro Care" or "Shroomboy's,Medicine-man, cure-all elixir", so generations forever more will remember his name as "the nitwit who almost brought down America". (I think "jerry" and some of the "anonymous" commenters here were in that "contest" too,...but unfortunately for them, as "runners-up" to the aforementioned D.C. morons (but way, way, way to thr back of a long, long list...

WHY did the Republicans not FIX OBAMACARE in the last eight years? They tried to repeal it over 50 times but never once provided or supported any legislation that would fix any part of it. If you think people are going to believe your cock-and-bull-stories about a failed health care plan when you did nothing to improve it for over eight years it's just not going to happen. Gain some credibility by putting all representatives and senators on the same health care plan that you propose for everyone else and you might get someone to listen to you. Your "commander-in-chief" is bad-mouthing Obamacare every chance he gets so what insurance company is going to stay in a market that has so much uncertainty? Fix the law you have and stop trying to write one so you can put Trumps name on it. Trump has his name on too many things already.

Read the article and the facts....

This article is a bunch of BS, just puffing up the lies spewed by our Liar in Chief! The ACHA does nothing but help the highest level of income earners and those millionaires and billionaires that don't need insurance to begin with. Quit lying to the Florida electorate and tell the truth about the ACHA - it will kick millions off of insurance, make policies for folks like me with pre-existing conditions un-affordable because putting us in high risk pools does nothing but guarantee NO COVERAGE.

The real reason is a $T tax cut for the rich off the backs of the poor, middle class, nothing more......................... Note how they wanted to do it first so they could give a $T larger tax cut................... Fact is the government already pays 80% of healthcare and would be little to make it where everyone can buy into medicare on a sliding scale............. It is all the parasites from insurance to drug companies backed by people like Ross that charge $100k/yr for a few pills found by US government research!!.......................... Your healthcare should be the same as poor people get Ross, is the only way to get things fixed.

Sources?

This is a gross misrepresentation of both the ACA and Trumpcare. You, Congressman, will be safe even with preexisting condition because you are extremely wealthy and can afford to pay for the expensive insurance you will need. And the $1 trillion in tax cuts you herald above are going exclusively to wealthy Americans like you. For the 99% of us not privileged like you, this bill and that tax break for the uber-wealthy is a death sentence. You know this. And you are lying.

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